Orthros at 8:15 am & Divine Liturgy at 9:30am
Weekday Orthros and Liturgies begin at 8am
Sunday 9/7
+Sunday before holy Cross @8:15am Orthros @9:30am Divine Liturgy
Monday 9/8
+Nativity of the Theotokos @8am +Orthros @9am Divine Liturgy
Tuesday 9/9
+ Holy & Righteous Ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna @8am +Orthros @9am Divine Liturgy
Thursday 9/11
@4:30 Agiasmos in church followed by 1st Day of Greek School Classe
@7pm Bible Study next on 9/18
Sunday 9/14
@8:15am Orthros @9:30am Divine Liturgy +Exaltation Of The Holy Cross
1st DAY OF Sunday School -Students will attend the Divine Liturgy at 10am, receive Holy Communion, return to their pews for Agiasmo and then proceed to their class.
Participation in services is also available via livestream - go to: Home | St. Andrew Greek Orthodox Church (orthodoxws.com) and choose LIVESTREAM on the Menu bar
Prayers/Liturgy can always be found at: https://www.agesinitiatives.com/dcs/public/dcs/dcs.html
Online Giving System: Website: https://www.standrewgonj.org/ and choose PayPal / online WeShare | Consider making your donations using our New Abundant App
Coffee Hour Host ον Sunday 9/7 Philoptochos
Bagels are donated by Jimmy Psaras | ALFA BAGELS Route 10 in Randolph, NJ
Coffee is donated by Aristotle Leontopoulos Coffee Associates Edgewater NJ
GOYA B B Q - Sunday, September 7th
after COFFEE HOUR in the gym
Hellenic Afternoon School
Thursday, September 11th at 4:30pm Agiasmo in Church
followed by open house and then first day of Class for all HAS grades
GREEK DANCE 1st Session on Thursday, September 18th
Group 1 @ 6:30pm | Group 2 @7:15 pm | GOYA @8:00pm
September 14th is the 1st day of Sunday School
Sunday School students will attend the Divine Liturgy at 10am, receive Holy Communion, return to their pews for Agiasmo and then proceed to their class.
If not a Greek School Family (HAS) please submit $30 for membership in our PTA.
Fillable Registration Forms please send to Church office [email protected]
Please patronize & support our local businesses: With the closures taking place on Route 80, many of our parishioners have been suffering with difficulties associated with the travel delays. Some of our parishioners have businesses that have been adversely affected as well. We ask that you keep these businesses and the families who own them in your prayers and also try to find ways to patronize them and give them your support.
Stewardship
We ask you to continue supporting our ministries with your financial pledge and prayfully consider rounding up your giving to tithing as we did last year. When we offer our treasure and ourselves sacrificially, as members of the Body of Christ, we will reach our full potential in Christ both personally and as a community. To learn more about what this means, please visit: https://standrewgonj.org/stewardship/#round-u p or speak to a member of the Parish Council or the Stewardship Ministry. If you are not already a member of Saint Andrew, please consider a pledge starting out at 1% of your income. In gratitude for God’s Blessings, please click on and fill in the 2025 Stewardship Pledge Please complete and send it to the church office in January 2025
“In an effort to really get to know and understand each other and to bring our community closer together, we invite you to listen to testimonials from parishioners and people touched by our Faith. Let us love one another, “Αγαπήσομεν Αλλήλους", also by reflecting on our journeys together. We hope these testimonials are meaningful and uplifting for you."
Click here to listen to testimonial of Ervin Mile
Click here to listen to testimonial of Nikolaos Karkanias.
If you would like to share your story with us, please contact our parish office.
Thank you and may God bless you.
HOPE & JOY is a Youth Group
for children in K-6th grades.
We have great news! Stala Jelis will be joining with Jenny Manis to organize this beautiful program. Stala will plan the HOPE events (grades k-2) and Jenny will plan the JOY events (grades 3-6), but we will have plenty of events together where it makes sense. We also look to the JOY children to help with some HOPE events as an opportunity to be of service to others. If your child is in 3rd grade, they can be in either group, but again, many events will be combined when appropriate. Questions? please email us. [email protected]
phishing / CON ARTISTS TEXTS/EMAILS : Someone is sending out texts and emails asking for assistance and signing Fr John’s name. This is not Fr John’s cell number or email address. His cell number is 973-219-2941, his email is [email protected] . Please report the text/email as junk and delete and block the sender. We contacted the FBI about this problem and was informed that they do not take a case like this. We hope no one is fooled by these criminals. Please tell your friends. Fr will never reach out to anyone asking for “assistance” in this way. Thank you for your patience and understanding. God Bless!
LORD'S VOICE 9-5-2025
THE BOAST OF THE CROSS
Today, in the Epistle reading, we heard Paul boasting about the Cross of Christ. Earlier, he had said that he had no reason to boast, neither about his missionary struggles, nor about the sufferings and tortures he endured for the love of Jesus. There is only one thing he can boast about: the Cross of Christ, the life-giving wood!
The Cross: the measure of divine love
For Christians, the Cross is not a scandal or foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:23), as the Jews and pagans respectively claimed, but our great boast. This is true for three main reasons: First, because on the Cross, the immeasurable love of God for man was expressed. It was so great that He offered His Only Begotten Son as a sacrifice, so that every person who believes in Him may gain eternal life. Thus, it is the measure of God’s infinite love for man – a love that ultimately has no measure. Likewise, Christ’s love for humanity has no measure, for “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). Christ willingly sacrificed His life out of love for humanity, to liberate us from the tyranny of the devil.
The Cross: the defeat of death
The second reason is that on the Cross, death was defeated. Those who planned and executed the greatest crime of all time believed that by raising Christ on the Cross, they would rid themselves of His presence. The devil also had the same sense, as he had often tried to tempt Christ and cast Him down from the heights of His divinity. He thought that by Christ ascending the Cross, He would be defeated by his power. But how could the executioners of Christ and the devil have imagined that the Lord willingly guided His steps to the Cross? It was not Christ who followed events, obeying the plans of men for Him. He Himself directed the course of events. Voluntarily, Christ led Himself to the Cross, and thus, through His own death, He conquered human death. He defeated the dominion of the devil, who leads humanity toward annihilation of his soul and spiritual death. That is why Christ “trampled down death by death” – He overcame death through His own death.
The Cross: prerequisite of the Resurrection
The third reason why the Cross of Christ is the boast of Christians is the fact that the Cross is the prerequisite of the Resurrection. If Christ had not drunk the bitter cup of pain and had not endured a shameful death on the Cross, then there would be no Resurrection – and that would be the greatest tragedy of the human race. There would be no salvation, there would be no redemption. This is the great message of the Cross in every age. If Christ had died definitively on the Cross, it would have been a universal human tragedy. But the fact that Christ “rose from the dead” constitutes the salvation of the human race.
Therefore, the message sent by the God-Man through His crucifixion concerns every person who is crucified in this life. And all of us, in one way or another, carry our own cross. Christ tells us: “In the world you will have tribulation; but take courage, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The human perspective is not rooted in this life, but in eternity, and this perspective is justified through the crucifictory death and resurrection of Christ. That is why, every time life’s trials attempt to overwhelm our existence, we must turn the eyes of our soul toward the Cross of Christ. From it, we will draw strength and hope to overcome difficulties, to conquer our problems, and to rise again from the many forms of death we face. Amen!
Archimandrite E. Oik.
Coffee Hour Hosts in September: 9/7 Philoptochos 9/14 DOP, 9/21 PTA, 9/28 Parish Council
Monday 9/8 @8am +Orthros @9am Divine Liturgy +Nativity of the Theotokos
moved to next Monday @7:30pm Parish Council
Tuesday 9/9 @8 am +Orthros @9am Divine Liturgy + Joachim and Anna
Wednesday 9/10
@6pm Knitting Crochet & Pillow Ministry - next on 9/17 @11am
Thursday 9/11
@4:30 Agiasmos in church followed by 1ST Day of Greek School Classes
@7pm Bible Study
Sunday 9/14
@8:15am Orthros @9:30am Divine Liturgy +Exaltation Of The Holy Cross
1st Day of Sunday School
@1pm Baptism Reyes
Monday 9/5
@7:30pm Parish Council Meeting(rescheduled from 9/8/25 next 10/6
Wednesday 9/17
@11am Knitting Crochet & Pillow Ministry - next on 9/24 @6pm
Thursday 9/18
@4:30 HAS- Greek School Classes
1ST Day of Greek Dance @6:30PM & 8PM
@7pm Bible Study next on 9/25 tbd
Sunday 9/21
@8:15am Orthros @9:30am Divine Liturgy +Sunday after the Holy Cross
Monday 9/22
@8 am +Orthros @9am Divine Liturgy +Phocas the Martyr, Bishop of Sinope *Relics
Tuesday 9/23
@8 am +Orthros @9am Divine Liturgy + Conception of John the Baptist
@6pm Stewardship Meeting /w Zoom w Christina Mehas
@7pm Philoptochos Meeting next 10/28
Wednesday 9/24
@6pm Knitting Crochet & Pillow Ministry - next on 10/1 @11am
Thursday 9/25
@11:30am Agape Luncheon next on 10/23
@4:30 HAS- Greek School Classes
Greek Dance @6:30PM & 8PM
@7pm GOYA Monthly Meeting next on 10/?
Friday 9/26
@8 am +Orthros @9am Divine Liturgy Falling Asleep of John, the Theologian and Evangelist
GOYA Harvest Dance - Kimisis in Homdel @6:45 pm
Saturday 9/27
Faith Kitchen - GOYA
@11am-6pm GYRO & SOUVLAKI FEST
Sunday 9/28
@8:15am Orthros @9:30am Divine Liturgy +1st Sunday of Luke
BACKPACK BLESSING
@12:30 Baptism
In gratitude for God’s Blessings, please make your commitment to Christ and His Church by submitting your 2025 Stewardship Pledge.
CAR RAFFLE TICKETS Please help us with postage and pick up your raffle tickets. Please sell your raffle tickets, mail, or bring in your money with the stubs to the office, and consider selling more tickets in front of the church. sign up genius https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A4FADA829ABFBC07-56695719-roadside/19642185#/roadside/19642185#/
ENROLLMENT NOW OPEN. 1ST CLASS September 11
MODERN GREEK LANGUAGE - BEGINNERS & INTERMEDIATE on Thursdays 7pm-9pm October 2 - December 11, 2025
Saturday October 18, 2025
Saturday Oct 11, 2025 11am
Sunday, September 28th, 2025
FONI KYRIOY 9-7-25 IN Greek
09-28-25
2025-2026 Calendar
Prayer for a Sick Person:
Heavenly Father, physician of our souls and bodies, who have sent Your only-begotten Son and our Lord Jesus Christ to heal every sickness and infirmity, visit and heal (me) Your servant from all physical and spiritual ailments through the grace of Your Christ. Grant (me) patience in this sickness, strength of body and spirit, and recovery of health. Lord, You have taught us through Your word to pray for each other that we may be healed. I pray that You heal (me) as Your servant and grant (me) the gift of complete health. For You are the source of healing and to You I give glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen
Please keep these names in your prayers
Eleni, Gladys, John, Gregory, Barbara, Sylvia, Amal Angelo, Helen, Michelle, Chrisdulla, Ennette, Eleni, Mary, Andreas, Sofia, Joseph, Kenneth, Vasilis, Judith, Catrina, Patricia, Eleni, Erica, Maria, Angeliki, Maria, Dimitrios, Irene, Reta, Eleni, Ioannis, Maria, Nadia, George, Frosso, Kyriaki, Maria, Beatrice, Angeliki, Monica, Stephanie, Demetrios, Eleni, Alexandros, Alexandra, Juliana, Demetrios, Kathy, Michael, Maroulia, Areti, Niko, Dennis, Romeo, Anna, Demetrios, Cynthia, Irene, Jackellyn, Maria, Panagoula, Sophia, Michael, Andrew, Effie, Hariklia, Mary, Konstantinos …
If you would like us to remember you or your loved one in our prayers, please contact the office. 973-584-0388 or send us an email to [email protected]
Names will be kept on this list for approximately three months. Please resubmit Names if needed. Fr. John will pray for the Names above during the PROSKOMIDI “Offering of gifts” during the first part of the Divine Liturgy when our priest prepares the mystical gifts of bread and wine. Please keep these names in your prayers as well.
Second Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Mark 16:1-8
When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Salome, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Jesus. And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back - it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, He is not here; see the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you to Galilee; there you will see Him, as He told you." And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had come upon them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
Second Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Μᾶρκον 16:1-8
Διαγενομένου τοῦ Σαββάτου, Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ καὶ Μαρία ἡ τοῦ Ἰακώβου καὶ Σαλώμη ἠγόρασαν ἀρώματα, ἵνα ἐλθοῦσαι ἀλείψωσιν τὸν Ἰησοῦν. Καὶ λίαν πρωῒ τῇ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων ἔρχονται ἐπὶ τὸ μνημεῖον ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ ἡλίου. Καὶ ἔλεγον πρὸς ἑαυτάς· Τίς ἀποκυλίσει ἡμῖν τὸν λίθον ἐκ τῆς θύρας τοῦ μνημείου; καὶ ἀναβλέψασαι θεωροῦσιν ὅτι ἀποκεκύλισται ὁ λίθος· ἦν γὰρ μέγας σφόδρα. Καὶ εἰσελθοῦσαι εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, εἶδον νεανίσκον καθήμενον ἐν τοῖς δεξιοῖς, περιβεβλημένον στολήν λευκήν, καὶ ἐξεθαμβήθησαν· ὁ δὲ λέγει αὐταῖς· Μὴ ἐκθαμβεῖσθε, Ἰησοῦν ζητεῖτε τὸν Ναζαρηνὸν τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον, ἠγέρθη, οὐκ ἔστιν ᾧδε· ἴδε, ὁ τόπος ὅπου ἔθηκαν αὐτόν, ἀλλ' ὑπάγετε, εἴπατε τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ καὶ τῷ Πέτρῳ, ὅτι προάγει ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν· ἐκεῖ αὐτὸν ὄψεσθε, καθὼς εἶπεν ὑμῖν. Καὶ ἐξελθοῦσαι ταχὺ ἔφυγον ἀπὸ τοῦ μνημείου, εἶχε δὲ αὐτὰς τρόμος καὶ ἔκστασις, καὶ οὐδενὶ οὐδὲν εἶπον· ἐφοβοῦντο γάρ.
Prokeimenon. Plagal Second Mode. Psalm 27.9,1.
O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance.
Verse: To you, O Lord, I have cried, O my God.
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 6:11-18.
Brethren, see with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that would compel you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who receive circumcision do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. Peace and mercy be upon all who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God. Henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.
Προκείμενον. Plagal Second Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 27.9,1.
Σῶσον, Κύριε τὸν λαὸν σου καὶ εὐλόγησον τὴν κληρονομίαν σου.
Στίχ. Πρὸς σἐ, Κύριε, κεκράξομαι ὁ Θεός μου.
τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Γαλάτας 6:11-18.
Ἀδελφοί, ἴδετε πηλίκοις ὑμῖν γράμμασιν ἔγραψα τῇ ἐμῇ χειρί. Ὅσοι θέλουσιν εὐπροσωπῆσαι ἐν σαρκί, οὗτοι ἀναγκάζουσιν ὑμᾶς περιτέμνεσθαι, μόνον ἵνα μὴ τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ διώκωνται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ οἱ περιτετμημένοι αὐτοὶ νόμον φυλάσσουσιν, ἀλλὰ θέλουσιν ὑμᾶς περιτέμνεσθαι, ἵνα ἐν τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ σαρκὶ καυχήσωνται. Ἐμοὶ δὲ μὴ γένοιτο καυχᾶσθαι εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· διʼ οὗ ἐμοὶ κόσμος ἐσταύρωται, κἀγὼ τῷ κόσμῳ. Ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ οὔτε περιτομή τι ἰσχύει, οὔτε ἀκροβυστία, ἀλλὰ καινὴ κτίσις. Καὶ ὅσοι τῷ κανόνι τούτῳ στοιχήσουσιν, εἰρήνη ἐπʼ αὐτούς, καὶ ἔλεος, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ τοῦ θεοῦ. Τοῦ λοιποῦ, κόπους μοι μηδεὶς παρεχέτω· ἐγὼ γὰρ τὰ στίγματα τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματί μου βαστάζω. Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοί. Ἀμήν.
Sunday before Holy Cross
The Reading is from John 3:13-17
The Lord said, "No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him."
Sunday before Holy Cross
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 3:13-17
Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀναβέβηκεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰ μὴ ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβάς, ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ὁ ὤν ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ. καὶ καθὼς Μωϋσῆς ὕψωσε τὸν ὄφιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, οὕτως ὑψωθῆναι δεῖ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλ' ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Οὕτω γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν κόσμον, ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλ' ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον. οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἵνα κρίνῃ τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ' ἵνα σωθῇ ὁ κόσμος δι' αὐτοῦ.
This holy Martyr was a shepherd in Lycaonia. Born a pagan, named Tarasius, he received holy Baptism and was renamed Sozon. Filled with zeal for the truth, he taught his countrymen to desist from the worship of idols. Once he entered the temple of Artemis in Pompeiopolis of Cilicia, cut off the golden hand of the idol, and breaking it in pieces, distributed it among the poor. When he saw that many were being unjustly punished for the theft, of his own accord he gave himself up to Maximian the Governor. He was beaten with rods until his bones were broken. According to some, he suffered martyrdom in 288; according to others, in 304.
According to the ancient tradition of the Church, the Theotokos was born of barren and aged parents, Joachim and Anna, about the year 16 or 17 before the birth of Christ. Joachim was descended from the royal line of David, of the tribe of Judah. Anna was of the priestly tribe of Levi, a daughter of the priest Matthan and Mary, his wife.
Today, the day following the Nativity of the most holy Theotokos, we celebrate the synaxis of Saints Joachim and Anna, honouring them as her parents.
Saint Helen, the mother of Saint Constantine the Great, when she was already advanced in years, undertook, in her great piety, the hardships of a journey to Jerusalem in search of the cross, about the year 325. A temple to Aphrodite had been raised up by the Emperor Hadrian upon Golgotha, to defile and cover with oblivion the place where the saving Passion had been suffered. The venerable Helen had the statue of Aphrodite destroyed, and the earth removed, revealing the Tomb of our Lord, and three crosses. Of these, it was believed that one must be that of our Lord, the other two of the thieves crucified with Him; but Saint Helen was at a loss which one might be the Wood of our salvation. At the inspiration of Saint Macarius, Archbishop of Jerusalem, a lady of Jerusalem, who was already at the point of death from a certain disease, was brought to touch the crosses, and as soon as she came near to the Cross of our Lord, she was made perfectly whole. Consequently, the precious Cross was lifted on high by Archbishop Macarius of Jerusalem; as he stood on the ambo, and when the people beheld it, they cried out, "Lord have mercy." It should be noted that after its discovery, a portion of the venerable Cross was taken to Constantinople as a blessing. The rest was left in Jerusalem in the magnificent church built by Saint Helen, until the year 614. At that time, the Persians plundered Palestine and took the Cross to their own country (see Jan. 22, Saint Anastasius the Persian). Late, in the year 628, Emperor Heraclius set out on a military campaign, retrieved the Cross, and after bringing it to Constantinople, himself escorted it back to Jerusalem, where he restored it to its place.
Rest from labour. A Fast is observed today, whatever day of the week it may be.
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Greek Standard Text
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Greek Standard Text
Hymn of the Apostle Saint Andrew: As first called of the Apostles and brother of Peter the Preeminent, O Andrew, intercede with the Master of all to grant peace to the whole world, and great mercy to our souls.
Απολυτίκιο του Αποστόλου Ανδρέου: Ως των Αποσόλων πρωτόκλητος, και του κορυφαίου αυτάδελφος, τον Δεσπότην των όλων Ανδρέα ικέτευε, ειρήνην τη οικουμένη δωρήσασθαι, και ταις ψυχαίς ημών το μέγα έλεος
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Narthex Press
Reading is under copyright and is used with permission, all rights reserved by: Greek Standard Text