• This Week's Children's Word from OCN
• 2023-2024 Youth Ministries Registration

Dear Parents of our Hope/Joy youth,

I would like to thank you for bringing your children to our "Living the Liturgy- Proskomide" event. We started the evening by walking through our Annunciation Orthodox Church, discussing candles, icons, and prayer. We then joined Father John on the solea, where the children were able to see up close the Vestments that Orthodox priests wear, the objects that are used to prepare the Holy Communion, how the prosphora bread is cut, and to whom each piece is dedicated. The children learned that every part of this service, including cutting the prosphora, has a deep meaning and symbolism.

Following our lesson, each child could press the prosphora seal onto their clay mold to take home. They learned that the antidoron ("instead of the gifts"), the blessed bread, should be carefully handled, and so the antidoron bags were made by each child. Lastly, they made an exact replica of our church’s Iconostasis.

I wanted to send a special thank you to Father John and Presvytera Evangelia, who helped me plan and bring this event to fruition.

May God continue to bless all our youth in their spiritual growth.

Yours in Christ,

Effie Patounas

Hope/Joy Advisor

Click here for the 2023 GOYA Christmas Challenge

"For God is with us." (Isaiah 8:10)

The Season of Advent in the Orthodox Church runs from November 15 through December 24 and is a fasting period and reflective preparation for the Incarnation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For forty days, we prepare to celebrate the Nativity of Christ. We fast. We pray. We worship.

Here are a few ideas to help us further focus our journey to Bethlehem this  Advent Season

1) Consider praying through the book of Psalms on your own or with your family. In past years, we have prayed the Psalms together, which we will again offer for Great Lent.

Here are some resources for praying the Psalter, available through the Resource Center or online: 

• The Psalter According to the Seventy (Greek English). This beautiful hardcover edition contains the translation of the Psalms used in our liturgical services.
• The Psalter (“pocket” size). Just the right size to take with you wherever you go.
• Christ in the Psalms. In two-page meditations on each psalm, Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon takes readers on an enlightening pilgrimage through the prayerbook of the Church.
• Songs of Praise: A Psalter Devotional for Orthodox Women. Along with the Psalter, this book offers reflections on the Psalms and pages for journaling.
• Orthodox Study Bible. The complete Bible with commentary. 

2) New Tradition for December! The book of Luke in the Bible has 24 chapters and tells the story of Jesus’ life. Read one chapter per night and wake up Christmas morning, knowing why we celebrate the King of Kings!

3) Choose a book to read during Advent (available through the Resource Center or online)

“Let All Creation Rejoice: Reflections for Advent, the Nativity and Epiphany” by Fr. Stavros N. Akrotirianakis - written to be read daily from November 15 through January 7 (the Feast of St. John the Baptist, which falls one day after the Feast of Epiphany).

“Meditations for Advent: Preparing for Christ’s Birth” by Vassilios Papavassiliou

“Celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas: A Family Devotional in the Eastern Orthodox Tradition” by AmandaEve Wigglesworth- With hymns, stories, meditations, and activities for each day as well as suggestions for the whole season, this book provides an invaluable resource for families looking to restore the season of Christmas to its rightful place in their lives.

“Behold a Great Light: A Daily Devotional for the Nativity Fast through Theophany” The forty days of fasting before Christmas are meant to prepare us for the Feast of the Nativity, but the busy-ness of the secular celebration can interfere with our best efforts to center our hearts on Christ. Behold a Great Light is a daily devotional designed to help readers contemplate the mysteries of the Incarnation during the fast and the Christmas—Theophany season, ending with the Synaxis of St. John the Baptist on January 7. Popular Ancient Faith authors, bloggers, and podcasters bring their unique perspectives to these meditations, paired with selections from the Scriptures and the hymns of the Church.

“The Winter Pascha: Readings for the Christmas–Epiphany Season” by Fr. Thomas Hopko - Forty meditations for the season of Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany, ending with the feast of the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple on the fortieth day after Christ's birth. 

4) Save the date and join us on December 16^th for our Annual Nativity Fast Retreat. Details will be shared shortly.

As we pass this holy time of preparation, let us pray for one another and the many suffering throughout the world.

May it be blessed!

Thank you, everyone, for donating to our SOCKTOBER Sock Drive!               

We collected a TOE-tal of 228 pairs of socks to help keep our homeless neighbors warm this winter!

Please  sign up here to help serve or contribute to the Thanksgiving meal that we will be offering at  Aviator Park at 8 pm on November 30.

“When you are weary of praying and do not receive, consider how often you have heard a poor man calling and have not listened t him.”  (Saint John Chrysostom)

Thank you for sharing your “time, talent, and treasures”!

With much gratitude!

The Homeless Ministry

We will process the 2024 Stewardship Campaign mailing on Thursday, November 16, starting at 10 AM.
Any help is appreciated!

As we approach the end of 2023, we offer our gratitude to the 291 parishioners below who have pledged and are supporting stewards in good standing for 2023.

• Thank you to the 171 stewards who have already completed their 2023 pledge.

• Thank you also to the  22 stewards who completed their 2023 pledge AND contributed over and above what they pledged.  We truly appreciate any additional contributions beyond your pledge if you are able.

• The additional 120 stewards are on track to complete their 2023 pledge before December 31, 2023. Please look for your statement in the mail.

• It is not too late to make a pledge and contribute in 2023. Would you please do so we can include you in the 2023 Stewardship Honor Roll? Please submit your pledge with just a few clicks on our website, or fill out a 2023 Pledge Card found in the narthex.

A. Go to http://www.anngoc.org/stewardship and:

1. fill out the Family Information Form (first-time registration or annual update)
2. fill out the Online Pledge Form and choose your payment method (auto-debit from a debit card, credit card, or checking account through Vanco; your personal check; or your bank’s bill payer service).

B. Alternatively, you can fill out your family and pledge information on the 2023 Tιme, Talent & Treasure card you received in the mail and return it to the parish office.

If you are already a Sustaining Steward, that is, you have set up regular payments through Vanco or your bank bill payer service:

1. You do not have to fill out a pledge card !
2. Use the 2023 Pledge Card information as a guide to update your giving to reflect your current level of commitment and personal/family situation.
3. If you have an end date on your scheduled contributions, please enter a new schedule to reflect your new level of commitment for 2023. If you don't have an end date, please delete your current schedule and set up a new contributions schedule to reflect your new level of commitment. If you need help with this, please give us a call at the parish office and we can do it with you. 215-635-0316, or leave us your information here for the best time to reach you to assist you with this.

As always, do not hesitate to contact us at the church office with any questions about your Stewardship.

Please see the iserted October Stewardship Communication