ST GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
REV FR RICHARD D. ANDREWS, PRESBYTER
www.stgeorgegoc.org

December 30, 2007 SUNDAY AFTER NATIVITY

TODAY`S EVENTS:
Epistle: Tess Chadwick
Prosfora: Nanette Gomez
Usher: Dimitri Dokos
Fellowship: Nanette & Mike Gomez and Irene & Basil Loudas
Memorial: David Trudeau (40 day), Michael Frontz

Monday 12-31-07 OFFICE CLOSED — NEW YEAR’S EVE
Annual Baffa New Year’s Party at St Mary GOC
Tuesday 01-01-08 ORTHROS & DIVINE LITURGY — ST BASIL THE GREAT 9:00AM
OFFICE CLOSED — NEW YEAR’S DAY
Wednesday 01-02-08 Missions & Benevolence committee meeting 6:30PM
Saturday 01-05-08 EVE OF THEOPHANY- VESPERS 5:00PM
Sunday 01-06-08 ORTHROS & DIVINE LITURGY — THEOPHANY 8:30AM
GREAT AGIASMOS - HOLY WATER BLESSING SERVICE
Vasilopita Celebration
Basketball practice at St Paul Academy 1:00PM
Nativity Service of Resurrection Skete at St Mary OCA 6:00PM
Monday 01-07-08 DIVINE LITURGY — SYNAXIS OF JOHN FORERUNNER 9:00AM
Greek School resumes 6:15PM
Tuesday 01-08-08 Bible Study at Fr Rick & Pres Jane’s home 7:00PM


ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Coming Up In January- Plan Ahead
·Theophany, the revelation of the Holy Trinity at Christ’s baptism is on Sunday, January 6. We will celebrate with the Great Agiasmos Holy Water Blessing Service and the cutting of the Vasilopita St Basil’s Bread.
·Bible Study at Fr. Rick and Pres. Jane’s home on Tuesday, January 8. It is an informal discussion about the following Sunday’s gospel and/or epistle reading. Bring a friend.
·Youth Tubing Event on Saturday, January 12; stay tuned for more info.
·Parish Family Night on Friday, January 18, at the home of Tony and Toni Selliris. A fellowship gathering for everyone including kids. Please rsvp to tselliris@yahoo.com or 715-386-5490.

Greetings from Memphis
Micah Hirschy sends his Christmas greetings to everyone in the parish. He is doing well six months into his new assignment as pastoral assistant at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Memphis, TN.

Visit the Home-Bound – Please visit our home-bound during the holidays. They greatly appreciate your company.

Trinity Mission Food Shelf — Don’t forget those less fortunate; their need continues after Christmas is over. Fifteen (15) bags of groceries were delivered during our Parish Community Night on November 14. On Wednesday, December 19, additional bags were delivered by the Missions & Benevolence committee. Please continue to give and support families in need.

Office Closed — Monday, New Year’s Eve, December 31 and Tuesday, New Year’s Day, January 1, 2008.

Christmas Card & Memorial Flowers Errata
The following people were inadvertently omitted from the list of contributions: Card — Christ & Antonia Kontenakos; Flowers — John Boosalis. Our apologies for any inconvenience.

Greek Dancers Of Minnesota
There is no practice December 23 & 30, or January 6. Rehearsals start again January 13, 4:30-6:30PM. We do all kinds of dances from all the different areas of Greece, including the islands – all are welcome to dance and learn!

Come Receive The Light National Orthodox Radio Program — 01/05/07 Listen Saturdays, KKMS 980AM, at 5PM, or anytime at www.receive.org

Church Fathers Speak: – Let us contemplate with faith the mystery of the divine incarnation and in all simplicity let us simply praise Him who in His great generosity became man for us. For who, relying on the power of rational demonstration, can explain how the conception of the divine Logos took place? How was flesh generated without seed? How was there an engendering without loss of maidenhood? How did a mother after giving birth remain a virgin? How did He who is wholly God by nature become wholly man by nature, not renouncing either nature in any way at all, neither the divine, through which He is God, not ours, through which He became man? Faith alone can embrace these mysteries; for it is faith that makes real for us things beyond intellect and reason (cf. Heb.11:1). St Maximos the Confessor

Basketball Program Beginning
Our basketball program for all ages is starting up again. We invite children of all ages to sign-up for practices and the GOYAL tournament in East Moline, February 8,9,10, 2008. There are divisions for men, women, boys, girls and JOY. Info packets for tournament are available on www.greekbball.org. Some paper copies are in the social hall. Please email Fr Rick at fatherrick@usa.com or call the office to sign-up.

End Of Year Giving
·Help us meet our budgeted income goals by giving generously and sacrificially. Today, December 30, is the last day to make offerings so they may be deposited and credited to your 2007 statement. Contributions for 2007 received after today will be credited to your 2007 stewardship but will appear on your 2008 statement.
·Current versus Future Year donation – some people may wish to pay their stewardship pledge for next year before December 31 to maximize their charitable tax deductions. If you wish to do this, please mark your envelope and/or check clearly so that we may record it properly. Your statement will reflect only donations given in the current year. Thank you for your support.

Wisdom from the Fathers
When you see that you are quarreling, etc., you should realize that you are doing the devil’s will and that God is greatly distressed. The angels who see you say with sorrow, “What’s wrong with him that makes him fight? Doesn’t he take into consideration God’s commandment to love?” Whereas, when they see you sacrificing yourself for the love of Christ, they rejoice and glorify God, who gives His grace so that man may conquer the devil. Elder Ephraim of the Holy Mountain

Stewardship Update
·All parishioners should have received a statement and letter in the mail. This is to remind and encourage everyone to give generously and sacrificially before the end of the year. Help us meet our budget and fully support the ministries of our parish. Thank you for fulfilling your obligations to the Lord.
·As of December 24, 62 parishioners have submitted a pledge card and one third of our stewardship is pledged. If you have not already, please make your commitment of time, talents and treasures to God in our parish of St George. We are encouraging everyone to tithe (give 10% of gross income) by increasing their giving from the previous year.

Glad Tidings deadline: the 10th of each month. Example; Jan 10th for Feb 2008 Glad Tidings.
Glad Tidings email: stgeorgegladtidings@excite.com
Sunday Bulletin Deadline: Wednesday Noon each week. Secretary’s email: fionamaria_1@netzero.net

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St. George Church
1111 Summit Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55105

Phone: (651) 222-6220
Fax: (651) 225-9276
Website: www.stgeorgegoc.org
Email: stgeorgegoc@msn.com

Proistamenos: Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews
Email: fatherrick@usa.com