We hope that you will make this your spiritual home. Connect with us on our website, Facebook page, YouTube, or sign-up for our email list at https://tinyurl.com/yc3tp29w.
Worship Sunday Orthros 8:15 am & Divine Liturgy 9:30 am
Confession (by appointment)
Weekday Services (www.stgeorgegoc.org/calendar)
Streaming
Fellowship Hour Sunday following Divine Liturgy
Office Hours Tuesdays & Fridays 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
Phone Answered / Office Closed Thursdays 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Our Mission St. George Greek Orthodox Church is a Christ-centered community that: inspires faith and worship, cultivates spiritual growth and fellowship, and encourages benevolence and outreach.
Our Vision Ascending together to the fullness of Life.
+NATIVITY FAST+
Sunday before Nativity
8:15AM ORTHROS
9:30AM DIVINE LITURGY
10:30AM Sunday School Christmas Lessons & Carols
6:30PM Parish Council Meeting
+ST. IGNATIOS THE GODBEARER
5:30PM Missions & Benevolence Meeting
1:30PM Online Daytime Bible Study (via Zoom only)
6:30PM SACRAMENT OF HOLY UNCTION (EUCHELION)
+ST. ANASTASIA PHARMAKOLYTRIA
8:00AM Orthros
9:00AM LITURGY
6:30PM ROYAL HOURS
+CHRISTMAS EVE
8:30AM Orthros
9:30AM Divine Liturgy
+NATIVITY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
8:15AM ORTHROS
9:30AM DIVINE LITURGY
+NO FASTING+
+SYNAXIS OF THEOTOKOS
11:30AM Makers Mall Gift Delivery and Caroling
As the deliverer of captives, and the protector of the poor, a physician of the sick, the defender of kings, O Great Martyr Saint George Victorious; intercede to Christ our God, to save our souls.
Sunday before Nativity
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 11:9-10; 32-40
BRETHREN, by faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city which has foundation, whose builder and maker is God.
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets - who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated - of whom the world was not worthy - wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
Sunday before Nativity
The Reading is from Matthew 1:1-25
The book of the Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, and Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Aram, and Aram the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon, and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king.
And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa, and Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, and Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah, and Uzziah the father of Jotham, and Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, and Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, and Manasseh the father of Amon, and Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
And after the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Salathiel, and Salathiel the father of Zerubbabel, and Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, and Abiud the father of Eliakim, and Eliakim the father of Azor, and Azor the father of Zadok, and Zadok the father of Achim, and Achim the father of Eliud, and Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.
So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations.
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife, but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus.
Dean Natto, Richard Kanavati
Krisandrea Ballas, Zoe and Alexandra Rylander
Leigh-Ann and Baby Nehemiah Theophilos
Thank you to Alexis Bighley for hosting this Sunday!
Please join us after Liturgy today for our Sunday School Christmas Lessons and Carols Program!
Meet us today Sunday, December 18 after the Sunday School Program in the hall! Join a caroling team, (PBJ/extra snacks will be provided) and share your singing voice with some of our homebound parishioners. Find Vicky, Maria, or any of our Makers!
Tuesdays and Fridays: 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
Thursdays: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Antigoni will be at the office Tuesdays and Fridays 8:00 am - 3:00 pm and available by phone on Thursdays 9:00 am - 1:00 pm (working from home). Welcome, Antigoni!
FOCUS MN's Second Helping Food Pantry is running low on essential staple items, so we are sponsoring a Pantry Drive to last through Advent until Christmas. We are collecting pasta, (any shape) pasta sauce, (any type) shelf-stable soups/stews, and oatmeal. Please drop them off in the collection box in the parking lot vestibule. Blessed Advent!
Please submit upcoming events, pictures, or any other announcements you would like to see in Jan/Feb Glad Tidings by Friday, December 23. Due to the transition in the office, the next edition will be delayed. Please email submissions to office@stgeorgegoc.org.
The last Bible Study of the year will be held on Wednesday, December 21 on Zoom, 1:30 - 3:00 pm. Everyone is welcome to join us in studying more of the Apostles' teachings in 1 Peter 1.1-2.12. Join us for some quiet respite in a busy week of Christmas preparations!
The first Bible Study for the new year will be held Wednesday, January 4, 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm. We will study James 1.1-2.26 for more of the Apostles' teachings. We meet on the first and third Wednesdays of each month on zoom. Please join us to participate in fellowship and learn the Orthodox view of Scripture.
Session 1 “The Holy Face” at St. George Greek Orthodox Church on Summit Avenue in St. Paul (including zoom) held on Tuesdays January 10, 17, 24, and 31 from 6:00 - 9:00 pm. The tuition is $265.00 including paints brushes, a gessoed panel, and supplies. The fee for returning students to the first class will be $70.
Session 2 “Protection of the Theotokos” at St. George Greek Orthodox Church on Summit Avenue in St. Paul (including zoom) held on Tuesdays February 7, 21, 28, and March 7 from 6:00 - 9:00 pm. The tuition is $265.00 including paints brushes, a gessoed panel, and supplies. The fee for returning students to the first class will be $70.
Please contact akorluka@aol.com or arsenault@gmail.com for registration. Materials are available at Wet Paint. More information to follow!
"Iconography is the image of the incarnate Christ. No one can create the image of God without the grace of the Holy Spirit."
January 13–16 at Camp St. Croix, youth grades 6-12. A weekend to be spent discussing how we can become better Orthodox Christians through practicing our faith and becoming vessels of the Holy Spirit. To register, visit https://bit.ly/wintercampreg. Cost $200 – To pay, visit: https://bit.ly/paywintercamp. Click here to see the flyer.
We are excited to announce the 2023 Pan-Orthodox Dance! This dance is an event for EVERYONE! Bring your whole family! Parents, kids, and grandparents are all welcome to participate in the different cultural dances of the Orthodox faith. The Pan-O dance will be held on February 18th at 6:00 pm in the Great Hall of St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church. For food there will be a potluck, so please bring a dish and/or dessert to share! If you have any questions, please reach out to Francine Perry at fsperry1@comcast.net.
Here is an invitation for college students or young adults to join a Coptic Orthodox mission trip to Lagos, Nigeria! The trip is mainly for college students looking for an opportunity to go on a mission trip, but it is open to everyone! Learn more at:
https://www.youarethesalt.org/nigeriawinter2023.html
FOCUS is accepting only Men's sizes winter coats and boots. The Clothes Closet at Focus is currently closed for any other donations. Bags can be taken to FOCUS House at 550 Rice Street, St Paul.
Please contact Fr. Perry or our Ladies Philoptochos if you or someone you know is in need (food, clothing, shelter, etc.). Our Ladies Philoptochos, Missions & Benevolence, Discretionary support, FOCUS MN, etc. are here to help.
Advance planning can give you and your family peace of mind and is also cost effective. Annual cost increases are typically at least 2% and have risen over 27% since 2013. The St. George Roselawn Cemetery Program continues to offer lots at Roselawn in Roseville for a 15% discount off list prices. All revenue from lots support our church and its ministries. These lots are in the St. George section, adjacent to the “Greek” section, and easily identifiable by the monument/altar table. Contact the church office for more information. A price increase is expected January 1, 2023. Any purchase initiated after the new year will be subject to new pricing.
2022 Discounted Prices for Parishioners:
$6,715 = Monument Lot (2 Graves)
$4,670 = Flat Lot (2 Graves)
$2,995 = Flat Lot (1 Grave, Limited Availability)
This continues to be one of those great opportunities where you can support the church, save some money and create a legacy for your family all at the same time. Lots for both monument and marker stones are still available. Please follow Roselawn regulations for care and beautification of your lots.
On the Sunday that occurs on or immediately after the eighteenth of this month, we celebrate all those who from ages past have been well-pleasing to God, beginning from Adam even unto Joseph the Betrothed of the Most Holy Theotokos, according to genealogy, as the Evangelist Luke hath recorded historically (Luke 3:23-38); we also commemorate the Prophets and Prophetesses, and especially the Prophet Daniel and the Holy Three Children.
This Saint, who was from Rome, was a most comely, wealthy, and virtuous maiden, the daughter of Praepextatus and Fausta. It was her mother who instructed her in the Faith of Christ. The Saint was joined to a man named Publius Patricius, who was prodigal in life and impious in disposition, but she was widowed after a short time. Henceforth, she went about secretly to the dwellings of the poor and the prisons where the Martyrs of Christ were, and brought them whatever was needed for their daily subsistence. She washed their wounds and loosed them from their fetters, and consoled them in their anguish. Also, because the Saint, through her intercessions, has healed many from the ill effects of spells, potions, poisons, and other harmful substances, she has received the name "Deliverer from Potions." Since the fame of her deeds had spread about, she was arrested by Diocletian's minions, and after enduring many torments she was put to death by fire in the year 290.
It's almost Tournament Time! February 3-5! The 2023 Western Region Family Basketball Tournament will be hosted by St. Mary's GOC in Minneapolis. Registration is LIVE! Details for the hotel, gym locations, and pricing are located at https://www.greekbball.com. Anyone over the age of 7 years old can play! We are looking to again have JOY, GOYA Girls/Boys, and Men/Women teams. So dust off those sneakers and get ready for St. George basketball fun and fellowship!
Basketball practices begin Sunday, January 1, 12:00 pm - 2:30 pm at Hidden River Middle School, 1700 Summit Ave. Any questions, please text Angie Kontenakos at 612-812-1028.
Partake in the true spirit of Christmas with Nativity ornaments and icons available on Orthodox Marketplace. Perfect stocking stuffers or gifts for children, godchildren, grandchildren, teachers, or families.
Ionian Village, the official international summer camping ministry of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, is accepting staff applications for summer 2023. Applications are open from December 17, 2022 through January 17, 2023 online at www.ionianvillage.org.
Young adults ages 18 – 30’s are invited to register for 16th Annual Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco Young Adult Winter Retreat in Lake Tahoe, January 13-16, 2023.
The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco Stewardship Ministry continues the monthly series “Equipping and Enriching Parish Life”.
The Department of Stewardship, Outreach and Evangelism welcomes the new book from Fr. Evan Armatas entitled Reclaiming the Great Commission.
Our 2022 theme is, "…Our Church Our Spiritual Home." In the words of Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos, "...in the Church we live eternal life starting from now. We do not simply await the life to come, but we experience and enjoy it from the present. The Kingdom of God, according to the Fathers, is not life beyond the grave but communion with God...“
Help us reach our 2022 goal! There is still time to contribute to the 2022 program. Help us finish the year strong!
$205,190 of $260,000 (through October)
Pledge Cards Received
As of November 17, 105 families have pledged a total of $171,683.
Thank you for your continued support! Make your 2022 pledge by visiting https://forms.gle/NjsemfkEqFihqn4F7.
Thank you for joining us in worship. Whether you are an Orthodox Christian or this is your first visit to an Orthodox Church, we are pleased to have you with us! Although Holy Communion is offered only to baptized and chrismated Orthodox Christians, all are invited to receive the Antidoron (blessed bread) at the end of the service. The Antidoron and fellowship hour are reminiscent of the Agape Feast that followed worship in the early Church. One does not have to be of Greek descent nor speak Greek to be an Orthodox Christian and member of our parish. All people of any background are welcome to join the Orthodox Church. For those interested in learning more about the Christian Faith or becoming a member of our church, please contact Fr. Perry after services or at frperry@stgeorgegoc.org or (651) 222-6220.
We hope you will join us in our hall upstairs after service this morning for fellowship and refreshments.
Sign up for our email list to see what’s happening at St. George!
We have some AWESOME Youth & Family events coming up, and you don't want to miss out. Join our text message system Remind to stay up to date with all of our communications. Join by clicking https://www.remind.com/join/stgyandf or
St. George GOC broadcasts its worship services live on the internet. Your presence in the church is subject to audio and video recording.
Schedule of Services
12/18/2022, page 1
12/18/2022, page 2
12/18/2022, page 3
12/18/2022, page 4
New video series from the Metropolis of Chicago
January 13-16