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Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2024-02-18
Bulletin Contents
Weekly Sunday Bulletin
Gospel and Epistle Readings
upcoming events
Saints and Feasts
Hymns of the Day
Archdiocese News
Wisdom of the Fathers
Assembly of Bishops News
Allsaint
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Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (201) 652-4774 for emergencies: 201 870 2676
  • Fax:
  • (201) 652-0789
  • Street Address:

  • 467 Grandview Avenue

  • Wyckoff, NJ 07481

Contact Information

Reverend Basil C. Gikas
Pastor

frbill@stnicholasnj.org | 201 652 4774 ext. 12

Ms. Rula Thasites
Administrator

office@stnicholasnj.org | 201 652 4774 ext. 10

Services Schedule

 

Sundays in the fall, winter & spring:

Matins: 9 a.m. &  Divine Liturgy 10a.m. except during the summer

 

Summer hours for Sundays in July and August:

Matins: 8:30a.m.  & Divine Liturgy 9:30a.m.

Past Bulletins


Weekly Sunday Bulletin

Memorials & Trisagia:A 40 day memorial for Bowley (Vasilios) Moore, beloved husband of Sophia Moore, father of Christopher and Heather Moore. Beloved brother and uncle to dear family members.
A10 year memorial for Arety Halatsis, beloved wife of the late Constantine, mother of Athena (Stathis) Katsaros and George (Michele) Halatsis. Loving grand-mother of Constantine, Elizabeth Areti, Marc and Nicholas. Great grand-mother of Isabella, Jordan, Alexa, Efstathia, Nico and Georgea.

A 2 year Trisagion for Vassiliki Georgatos and a 7 year Trisagion for John Georgatos, adored parents of Spiro and his wife Irene, Maria and her husband Thomas. Beloved grandparents to Renee, Jeff, JT, Lea, Niko and Kriselle.
A 8-year Trisagion for Coula Costis, beloved wife of the late George Costis, devoted mother of the late Denise Costis White and her late husband Robert White, loving Nouna (godmother) of George Halatsis, aunt and cousin to many, dear Koumbara and friend of the late Arety and Costa Halatsis, loved and respected ‘Thea’ of Athena Katsaros and the Katsaros and Halatsis families.

May their memory be eternal
Fellowship hour is sponsored by the Moore and the Katsaros families.

 

Religious Education: Family Worship today due to President’s Day Weekend. No Religious Education classes but we encourage all families to attend the Divine Liturgy together.

 

Parish Office:  Our parish office will be closed tomorrow, Monday, February 19th in observance of Presidents’ Day.

 

Philoptochos News: Membership: Our membership drive has begun so please consider becoming a member of our wonderful organization.  Anyone interested, please contact Tammy Spyropoulos at Efstathiaspy@yahoo.com or 201.934.5139.

 

Scripture Talk Bible Study Ministry: Scripture Talk is a virtual Bible study with a different GOA Orthodox priest participating in the weekly discussion. Held every Tuesday, 7-8pm EST, on Zoom. Currently discussing the Gospel of Matthew. Visit www.ScriptureUnveiled.com for the Zoom meeting information. All who seek are welcome, no commitment needed, and participants are free to simply listen or participate. Contact Christos Agrapidis for more information, 201-213-6959.

 

Ionian Village (IV)   offers 3 SUMMER programs in Greece, for high school students and young adults. REGISTRATION IS OPEN! REGISTER AT WWW.IONIANVILLAGE.ORG. Need-based scholarships may be offered by contacting the IV office. Spots are limited and are offered on a first-come first-served basis. The dates for each session are as follows:

IV Next: June 6 - June 17 is for Young adults who have completed one year of college or vocational school until 25 years of age

IV Session One: June 25 - July 14  for GOYA /Students who are currently in grades 9 – 12

IV Session Two: July 23 - August 11  for GOYA/Students who are currently in grades 9 – 12

For information about IV programs, visit www.ionianvillage.org, or go to the Frequently Asked Questions page at www.ionianvillage.org/faq. IV is fantastic and endorsed by fr. bill!

 

Greek Parade: Our Community will be participating in the Greek Independence Day Parade in NYC on Sunday, April 14. There will be a bus leaving from the church immediately following Divine Liturgy. Join us for a day of unity as we celebrate over 200 years of Greek Independence. Please email Tammy Spyropoulos efstathiaspy@yahoo.com for further information. 

 

Saint Nicholas Ladies Prayer Group (LPG) prayer meetings continue to be held on the 2nd and 4th Thursday evening of each month at 7:30 pm. We pray for our nation, church, community, families and friends. We continue to see countless answers to prayers, fellowship together and encourage and deepen our own faith.  All Ladies are Welcome to Join Us and all prayer requests are kept confidential.  Call the parish office or Irene Ayvas at 201-803-2307, if you wish to join us.   You may also contact Irene or the church office with any prayer requests you want added to our list or to the "Email Urgent Prayer Chain".

“E-mail Urgent Prayer Chain”:  Please join our prayer chain of over 100 faithful, who are committed to praying for those with urgent needs or those facing sudden crisis or disaster.

 Prayer is a Simple Yet Powerful Way to Show Your Love for Others.  Contact Irene Ayvas at iayvas@yahoo.com or at 201-803-2307 to be added to the urgent prayer chain list.  

 

Save the Date: Saint Nicholas 2nd Annual Men’s Fellowship Breakfast "Hold onto your Ladder”--   Saturday, March 2nd8:30-11:00 am. Men of all ages, teens and up are cordially invited to attend breakfast, fellowship together, and hear a guest speaker share his inspiring story and more!!!  An amazing and inspiring time will once again be had by all!!  No charge, but for planning purposes, please RSVP to antonayvas@gmail.com or call the church office by February 25th to register.  You don't want to miss this!

 

Ramapo AHEPA Chapter 453 Scholarship Applications:   Our local AHEPA Chapter, our AHEPA District, and AHEPA National (including Journey to Greece) are inviting all eligible high school seniors and/or college students to apply for a scholarship.  Applications are available online at: http://ahepa453.org (click on education/scholarship).  Deadlines: March 31st or April 30th.

2024 Stewardship Campaign:To be grateful is to recognize the love of God in everything He has given us – and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His Love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him.
Our annual stewardship program provides the majority of funding for Saint Nicholas. To-date, 160 households have made their 2024 stewardship pledge.  We invite you to join your fellow St. Nicholas stewards by completing your pledge card.  Come visit us in the Narthex for your card, or make your pledge online on our church website https://www.stnicholasnj.org

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Fourth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Luke 24:1-12

On the first day of the week at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking spices, which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel; and as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise." And they remembered His words and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told this to the Apostles; but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home wondering at what had happened.

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Fourth Mode. Psalm 103.24,1.
O Lord, how manifold are your works. You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul.

The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 6:16-18; 7:1.

Brethren, you are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Canaanite
The Reading is from Matthew 15:21-28

At that time, Jesus went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon." But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." And he answered, "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.

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upcoming events

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Saints and Feasts

Allsaint
February 18

Flavian the Confessor, Patriarch of Constantinople

Healcanaanitedaughter
February 18

Sunday of the Canaanite

Allsaint
February 18

Leo the Great, Pope of Rome

According to some, this Saint was born in Rome, but according to others in Tyrrenia (Tuscany), and was consecrated to the archiepiscopal throne of Rome in 440. In 448, when Saint Flavian, Archbishop of Constantinople, summoned Eutyches, an archimandrite in Constantinople, to give account for his teaching that there was only one nature in Christ after the Incarnation, Eutyches appealed to Saint Leo in Rome. After Saint Leo had carefully examined Eutyches's teachings, he wrote an epistle to Saint Flavian, setting forth the Orthodox teaching of the person of Christ, and His two natures, and also counseling Flavian that, should Eutyches sincerely repent of his error, he should be received back with all good will. At the Council held in Ephesus in 449, which was presided over by Dioscorus, Patriarch of Alexandria (and which Saint Leo, in a letter to the holy Empress Pulcheria in 451, was the first to call "The Robber Council"), Dioscorus, having military might behind him, did not allow Saint Leo's epistle to Flavian to be read, although repeatedly asked to do so; even before the Robber Council was held, Dioscorus had uncanonically received the unrepentant Eutyches back into communion. Because Saint Leo had many cares in Rome owing to the wars of Attila the Hun and other barbarians, in 451 he sent four delegates to the Fourth Ecumenical Council, where 630 Fathers gathered in Chalcedon during the reign of Marcian, to condemn the teachings of Eutyches and those who supported him. Saint Leo's epistle to Flavian was read at the Fourth Council, and was confirmed by the Holy Fathers as the Orthodox teaching on the incarnate person of our Lord; it is also called the "Tome of Leo." The Saint wrote many works in Latin; he reposed in 461. See also Saint Anatolius, July 3.

Allsaint
February 18

Agapetus the Confessor, Bishop of Sinai

Philothea
February 19

Philothei the Righteous Martyr of Athens

Saint Philothei was born in Athens in 1522 to an illustrious family. Against her will, she was married to a man who proved to be most cruel. When he died three years later, the Saint took up the monastic life and established a convent, in which she became a true mother to her disciples. Many women enslaved and abused by the Moslem Turks also ran to her for refuge. Because of this, the Turkish rulers became enraged and came to her convent, dragged her by force out of the church, and beat her cruelly. After a few days, she reposed, giving thanks to God for all things. This came to pass in the year 1589. She was renowned for her almsgiving, and with Saints Hierotheus and Dionysius the Areopagite is considered a patron of the city of Athens.

Allsaint
February 19

Monday of the 16th Week

Allsaint
February 19

The Holy Apostles of the Seventy Philemon, Apphia, Archippus, and Onesimus

Concerning Saint Archippus, see November 22.

Allsaint
February 19

Niketas the Younger

Allsaint
February 20

Bessarion the Great

Allsaint
February 20

Agathus, Pope of Rome

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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Fourth Mode

Having learned the joyful proclamation of the Resurrection from the Angel, and having cast off the ancestral condemnation, the women disciples of the Lord spake to the Apostles exultantly: Death is despoiled and Christ God is risen, granting great mercy to the world.

SAINT NICHOLAS ARCHBISHOP OF MYRA IN LYCIA in the First Mode

 

The truth of things has revealed you to your flock as a rule of faith, an icon of meekness, and a teacher of temperance; for this cause, you have achieved the heights by humility, riches by poverty.  O Father and Hierarch Nicholas, intercede with Christ our God that our souls be saved.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Mode

O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.

The translations of hymns are under copyright and used by permission. All rights reserved. These works may not be further reproduced, in print or on other websites or in any other form, without the prior written authorization of the copyright holder:

  • Resurrectional Apolytikion in Fourth Tone © Holy Transfiguration Monastery
  • Seasonal Kontakion in the Second Tone © Holy Transfiguration Monastery
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    Archdiocese News

    Ionian Village Applications Open for the Archdiocesan Youth Summer Camp Scholarship Fund

    02/14/2024

    https://www.goarch.org/-/ionian-village-applications-open-for-the-archdiocesan-youth-summer-camp-scholarship-fund?redirect=%2Fnews%2Frecent-news%2F-%2Fasset_publisher%2Fgt9jYZFyZyFT%2Frss

    The Office of Ionian Village, with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, is pleased to announce applications for need-based scholarships for those wishing to attend Ionian Village 2024. 


    The Association of Byzantine Chanters and Friends of Florida “Ioannis Koukouzelis” Present 18th Annual Concert of Byzantine Hymns and Greek Songs

    02/14/2024

    https://www.goarch.org/-/the-association-of-byzantine-chanters-and-friends-of-florida-ioannis-koukouzelis-present-18th-annual-concert-of-byzantine-hymns-and-greek-songs?redirect=%2Fnews%2Frecent-news%2F-%2Fasset_publisher%2Fgt9jYZFyZyFT%2Frss

    The Association of Byzantine Chanters and Friends of Florida “Ioannis Koukouzelis” presented their 18th Annual Concert of Byzantine Hymns and Greek Songs under the direction of Choral Director George E. Pappas. After chanting in the newly built church, the choir and audience moved into Matheos Hall for dinner and sung Greek songs.


    Metropolis of Atlanta 2nd Annual Festival of Faith Retreat

    02/14/2024

    https://www.goarch.org/-/metropolis-of-atlanta-2nd-annual-festival-of-faith-retreat?redirect=%2Fnews%2Frecent-news%2F-%2Fasset_publisher%2Fgt9jYZFyZyFT%2Frss

    The Metropolis of Atlanta is pleased and proud to present the 2nd Annual Festival of Faith Retreat, the theme of which is "Spiritual Growth Through Life in Our Parish".
     


    Michael Psaros presents Lauren Green with an icon of St. Nicholas during a recent signing for her book “Light for Today – 365 Daily Devotions from the Lighthouse.”

    02/13/2024

    https://www.goarch.org/-/michael-psaros-presents-lauren-green-with-an-icon-of-st.-nicholas-during-a-recent-signing-for-her-book-light-for-today-365-daily-devotions-from-the-lighthouse.-?redirect=%2Fnews%2Frecent-news%2F-%2Fasset_publisher%2Fgt9jYZFyZyFT%2Frss

    Michael Psaros, member of the Executive Committee of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Chairman of the Friends of St. Nicholas and also Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine, presented Lauren Green, Fox National News Chief Religion Correspondent, with an icon of St. Nicholas during a recent signing for her book “Light for Today – 365 Daily Devotions from the Lighthouse.”


    Sunday Sermon Series Sunday of the Canaanite February 18

    02/13/2024

    https://www.goarch.org/-/sunday-sermon-series-sunday-of-the-canaanite-february-18?redirect=%2Fnews%2Frecent-news%2F-%2Fasset_publisher%2Fgt9jYZFyZyFT%2Frss

    This week, find insights about the upcoming Gospel reading, where we learn about Jesus encountering the Canaanite woman whose daughter is possessed by an evil spirit. But why would Jesus compare the woman to a dog? And what does the word “me” refer to in the Jesus Prayer?


    Archbishop Elpidophoros Camping Scholarship Funds to be Distributed

    02/12/2024

    https://www.goarch.org/-/archbishop-elpidophoros-camping-scholarship-funds-to-be-distributed?redirect=%2Fnews%2Frecent-news%2F-%2Fasset_publisher%2Fgt9jYZFyZyFT%2Frss

    The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese is pleased to announce that the Archbishop Elpidophoros Camping Scholarship Fund has netted $400,000 through the inaugural Nameday Gala for His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America that was held in November 2023 in New York City.


    From Wonder to the Will of God: A Story of Holy Ordination

    02/12/2024

    https://www.goarch.org/-/from-wonder-to-the-will-of-god-a-story-of-holy-ordination?redirect=%2Fnews%2Frecent-news%2F-%2Fasset_publisher%2Fgt9jYZFyZyFT%2Frss

    He was fifteen years old. A slight rail of a teenager, a wisp of experience, Sam found himself drawn to the Greek Festival at Saints Constantine and Helen Cathedral in Richmond, Virginia.


    Exploring Innovative Teaching Approaches: 5th Webinar Empowers Greek Language Educators

    02/12/2024

    https://www.goarch.org/-/exploring-innovative-teaching-approaches-5th-webinar-empowers-greek-language-educators?redirect=%2Fnews%2Frecent-news%2F-%2Fasset_publisher%2Fgt9jYZFyZyFT%2Frss

    In continuation of the ongoing commitment to strengthen the proficiency of educators teaching the Greek language, the Education Office of the Holy Archdiocese of America is set to host the 5th Webinar focusing on Innovative Teaching Techniques and Educational Materials.


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    Wisdom of the Fathers

    She had a great perfection of faith. She had no uncertainty about His divine majesty. She had no small measure of the virtue of patience. Yet the pitying Physician of the pitiful disdained her petitions. He kept her waiting for answer in order to demonstrate to us the perseverence of this woman that we can always imitate. She had the characteristics of constancy and humility. She willingly embraced the indignity she received, and even confirmed the Lord`s statement. This woman rightly signifies the faith and devotion of the Church gathered from the nations
    Saint Bede
    Hom. I. 22, In Lent, Homilies on the Gospels, Bk. One, 216, 217.

    He kept her waiting for an answer in order to declare that the minds of His disciples should also be merciful. As human beings they were ashamed of the clamor of the woman as she pursued them publicly, but He Himself knew the character of His mercy.
    St. Bede
    Hom. I. 22, In Lent, Homilies on the Gospels, Bk. One, 216

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    Assembly of Bishops News

    Assembly of Bishops Delegation Participates in the 2024 March for Life

    01/19/2024

    https://www.assemblyofbishops.org/news/2024/delegation-march-for-life
    The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America sent a delegation to the annual March for Life in the nation’s capital on Friday, January 19, 2024. The members of the delegation attended the National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception on Thursday, January 18, the evening before the march.
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