News, Events and Announcements

WELCOME TO OUR VISITORS Whether you are new to Bangor or if you're just passing through - welcome! If you've come because you are curious about the Orthodox Church, its beliefs and worship, you are very welcome, too! Please don't hesitate to introduce yourself to someone you've never met and consider staying for some refreshments and fellowship after the morning service. If you would like to receive mailings or otherwise stay in touch, please leave your contact information (name, address, phone, email) with the person in the church office.

COMMEMORATIONS THIS WEEK Thursday, Nov 21, Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple.

WONDROUS IS GOD IN HIS SAINTS--ST. OLGA OF ALASKA The relics of St. Olga of Alaska (Matushka Olga Michael who reposed in 1979) were uncovered on Saturday, November 16 in the village of Kwethluk, AK. Her relics will rest, God willing, in the same village, in a new church being built in her memory which will allow for pilgrims and visitors who want to venerate her and seek her prayers. Please read more about this here: https://www.oca.org/wonder/matushka-olga-michael-a-helper-in-restoring-the-work-of-gods-hands; https://www.kyuk.org/arts-culture-community-features/2024-10-24/orthodox-church-lays-big-plans-for-the-glorification-of-st-olga-of-kwethluk.

PRAYERS REQUESTED FOR THOSE LEARNING ABOUT OUR FAITH Please pray for Dhesorae, Anita Rose and Vincent (mother & son), and Nicholas to your parish prayer list. They are all learning more about the Orthodox Christian Faith with intent to unite themselves to the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church in due time. God bless and lead you, one and all!

SUNDAY SCHOOL TODAY Mrs. Bucklin is back and class resumes this morning for ages 6+ immediately after Holy Communion. Meet in the fellowship hall. Parents are always welcome to sit in on the class.

PRAYER REQUESTS For Dr. Dave - for resolution of back pain with a surgery in about a month. Glad to report Patty M is getting relief from migraines with less painful days and a greater ability to sleep well--she appreciates the prayer support, and hopes you'll continue for a while yet. One of our catechumens, Nick, has asked for prayer support at this time. Please keep remembering two Orthodox sisters in Christ recovering from strokes (slow, but sure), Panagiota (Jaye) and Seraphima (Linnea). Please remember Pat E whose eyesight is limiting her options, but not her enthusiasm for serving the Christ and the Church--thank God! Your prayers for these these brothers and sisters in Christ are of great assistance.

THE NATIVITY FAST IS NOW UNDERWAY Let us enjoy this period of spiritual preparation for the Feast of Christ's Holy Nativity. Advent lasts 40 days. Please keep to a vegan eating plan except this fast is modified to allow eating of fish on any day of the week except Wednesdays and Fridays.

NEED MEAL PREP IDEAS FOR THE ADVENT FAST? Visit this site for some of the best tasting plant based dishes on the NET: https://plantbasedcookingshow.com/. Also you could look into the cuisines of India, many of them are primarily vegan and the dishes made tasty and healthy by use of spices and herbs.

THANK YOU FOR CONTRIBUTING DISHES FOR THE FELLOWSHIP HOUR Your generosity is appreciated!

THIS SATURDAY, 23 NOVEMBER - ADULT BAPTISMS Timothy and Ethan Hicks will be received into the Orthodox Church by Holy Baptism this Saturday. Service begins at 1PM. Sponsors are George Zaroff and Seraphim Kulikowski. Tim will be baptized as the servant of God, Michael (for the Holy Archangel Michael), and Ethan will be baptized as the servant of God, Innocent (for St. Innocent of Alaska). All parishioners are welcome and encouraged to be here for this special occasion. Please be praying for Tim and son, Ethan, this week as they prepare for Holy Illumination. Thank you.

PAINTING CLASS Mona will lead a painting class here next Saturday, in the fellowship hall, beginning at 2PM. All artists are asked to bring brushes and a small canvas, the subject will be a simple apple and the painting experience is expected to last about an hour. Coffee & tea will be served, snacks are welcome.

THIS IS NEAT For an unspecified time, someone has offered to buy our bookshop stock as a donation so the church does not need to fund the stock purchases. That means whenever you buy from our bookshop St. George benefits a good bit. So please shop here and if there is a book or something else (icon, prayer rope, neck cross, bread seal, or the like) you're looking for, please let Pres. know so it can be ordered.

BOOKSHOP RESTOCK A couple weeks ago twenty new books were added to our existing inventory. More are on the way--and should be on the shelves by next Sunday. Stop by and see what's new (or back in stock). More items coming soon....if you have any special requests, please let Pres. know.

YOU CAN ADD YOUR OWN PRE-LOVED ORTHODOX BOOKS OR ICONS TO THE "BY DONATION BOX" Once yearly older stock from the bookshop finds its way to the books by donation box in the fellowship hall (near the buffet table). Feel free to peruse the contents and if you find a book you'd like, you can leave a donation for it and consider it yours. Books generally show their original retail price so use that and the book's condition to gauge what seems to be a reasonable donation to you. The proceeds are a donation to the Church. Thank you!

AN INVITATION TO JOIN the Akathist a Day for 30 Days Prayer Group Join in a prayer discipline that is edifying and allows us to develop friendship with God's holy ones--the Saints! Each day for 30 days a group of Orthodox Christians from around the world offer an akathist from a selection of akathists to various Saints. By doing so, we get to know more about their lives and miracles and more so, they get to know us, too. How can they not know us since we honor them regularly and ask their intercessions? Yes, the Saints are available to us, even if we seldom recognize it. One of the things they do is intercede before God's throne, so let us ask their kind assistance for ourselves and our loved ones. Want to know more? Contact Pres. Candace (doxa141@gmail dot com or 949.2913, area code 207) and she'll provide details. Our next 30 days cycle starts on Tuesday, November 19.

A WAY TO DRAW NEAR TO ST. OLGA OF ALASKA An akathist written in her honor is found here: https://www.akathists.com/matushka-olga-of-alaska/akathist/

INFANTICIPATION In case you didn't know, Patrick & Brigid are expecting their third child and they just found out William and Jacob will be welcoming their sister in March of 2025! They are very happy and we are very happy for them. Please keep them in your prayers. Thank you!

PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS will be held December 1 and 8. Please let Lee know if you'd like to be considered for a parish council position. Thank you.

FINANCIALS As of 31 October, we were in the red at -4700.81. However, our successful Greek dance was held since then (thank you to all who made it a memorable event!) so we'll see how that figure will be affected going forward.

THANK YOU FOR KEEPING THE HEAT AND LIGHTS ON (AND MORE) HERE AT ST GEORGE

We appreciate all of you who are faithfully fulfilling pledges to keep St. George in good stead for the cold weather months. Your love for God and for the church of St. George are known by Him--may your reward for faithfulness be from God's hand into eternity. And may dear St. George who watches and prays for us all ever remember you in his intercessions before God's throne. Gratefully, Donna Walter, Stewardship Chair

WHY ARE THOSE PRAYER ROPES SO SMALL?? The bookshop in the fellowship area has some new "tiny knot" prayer ropes. Often people look at them and assume they are made for children. They can be, but they are made for adult use, also. The "secret" is in the use of them. The knots are quite small and tight, but when saying the Jesus Prayer at each knot ("Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me,") pull slightly between the knots and the bracelet will gradually loosen with use which will allow you to advance through the knots more easily and possibly be able to slip it onto the wrist when not in use for prayer. Prayer ropes are available in a variety of colors and cost just $5 each.

PROSFORA BAKING IS A MINISTRY For an Orthodox Christian, baking the Bread of Offering which becomes the Body of Christ for Holy Communion is a sacred offering. In Greek a single loaf of this bread is called " prosforo." Multiples loaves are "prosfora." Our church is always benefitted by receiving these breads--any excess loaves go into the freezer for future use. Please if you can and are willing, become a baker of this sacred bread for love of Christ and the ministry of our Holy Church. Loaves are always welcome and needed. We are grateful to those who've started to bake and those who are learning--God bless the work of your hands!

FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE - Donations can be made online.

Saints and Feasts

November 17

9th Sunday of Luke

November 17

Gregory the Wonderworker & Bishop of Neo-Caesarea

Saint Gregory was born in Neocaesarea of Pontus to parents who were not Christians. He studied in Athens, in Alexandria, in Beirut, and finally for five years in Caesarea of Palestine under Origen, by whom he was also instructed in the Faith of Christ. Then, in the year 240, he became bishop of his own city, wherein he found only seventeen Christians. By the time the Saint reposed about the year 265, there were only seventeen unbelievers left there. Virtually the whole duration of his episcopacy was a time of continual, marvellous wonders worked by him. Because of this, he received the surname "Wonderworker"; even the enemies of the truth called him a second Moses (see Saint Basil the Great's On the Holy Spirit, ch. 29).

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Προκείμενον. Fourth Tone. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 103.24,1.
Ὡς ἐμεγαλύνθη τὰ ἔργα σου Κύριε, πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας.
Στίχ. Εὐλόγει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Γαλάτας 2:16-20.

Ἀδελφοί, εἰδότες ὅτι οὐ δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ἔργων νόμου, ἐὰν μὴ διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς Χριστὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐπιστεύσαμεν, ἵνα δικαιωθῶμεν ἐκ πίστεως Χριστοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου· διότι οὐ δικαιωθήσεται ἐξ ἔργων νόμου πᾶσα σάρξ. Εἰ δέ, ζητοῦντες δικαιωθῆναι ἐν Χριστῷ, εὑρέθημεν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἁμαρτωλοί, ἆρα Χριστὸς ἁμαρτίας διάκονος; Μὴ γένοιτο. Εἰ γὰρ ἃ κατέλυσα, ταῦτα πάλιν οἰκοδομῶ, παραβάτην ἐμαυτὸν συνίστημι. Ἐγὼ γὰρ διὰ νόμου νόμῳ ἀπέθανον, ἵνα θεῷ ζήσω. Χριστῷ συνεσταύρωμαι· ζῶ δέ, οὐκέτι ἐγώ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός· ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκί, ἐν πίστει ζῶ τῇ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ, τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντός με καὶ παραδόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ.

Prokeimenon. Fourth Tone. 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 Letter to the Galatians 2:16-20.

Brethren, knowing that a man is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified. But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we ourselves were found to be sinners, is Christ then an agent of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again those things which I tore down, then I prove myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law, that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Gospel Reading

9th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 12:16-21

Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τήν παραβολὴν ταύτην· Ἀνθρώπου τινὸς πλουσίου εὐφόρησεν ἡ χώρα· καὶ διελογίζετο ἐν ἑαυτῷ λέγων· τί ποιήσω, ὅτι οὐκ ἔχω ποῦ συνάξω τοὺς καρπούς μου; καὶ εἶπε· τοῦτο ποιήσω· καθελῶ μου τὰς ἀποθήκας καὶ μείζονας οἰκοδομήσω, καὶ συνάξω ἐκεῖ πάντα τὰ γενήματά μου καὶ τὰ ἀγαθά μου, καὶ ἐρῶ τῇ ψυχῇ μου· ψυχή, ἔχεις πολλὰ ἀγαθὰ κείμενα εἰς ἔτη πολλά· ἀναπαύου, φάγε, πίε, εὐφραίνου. εἶπε δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Θεός· ἄφρον, ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ τὴν ψυχήν σου ἀπαιτοῦσιν ἀπὸ σοῦ· ἃ δὲ ἡτοίμασας τίνι ἔσται; οὕτως ὁ θησαυρίζων ἑαυτῷ, καὶ μὴ εἰς Θεὸν πλουτῶν.

9th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 12:16-21

The Lord said this parable: "The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 'Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." As he said these things, he cried out: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."