ATTENTION!

Please note that the church parking lot entrance will not be accessible due to ongoing construction. We ask that everyone enter the parking lot through the parking lot EXIT area instead.
The church's main entrance WILL be accessible, so everyone can now enter the church through the front doors.
Once again, we thank you for your patience as we continue to work on improving our church in order to better serve our community!  

SUNDAY, 11/1

 @8:15aM Orthros & @9:30aM Divine Liturgy
+5th Sunday of Luke

 Divine Services

Sunday, 11/8 @8:15am Orthros & @9:30am Divine Liturgy:
+7th Sunday of Luke | Synaxis of the Archangels

 LIVE OUR services HERE
Find OUr Written prayers and services HERE

Join us TODAY for the HAS 'Οχι Day Program
(During Coffee Hour in the Gym)
ΖΗΤΩ Η ΕΛΛΑΔΑ, ΖΗΤΩ ΤΟ 'ΟΧΙ!

GOYA Basketball & Volleyball Games are TODAY (starting at 2pm) in Paramus!
Good luck, St. Andrew GOYA!

The Enthronment of His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of New Jersey
is Saturday, November 7th at 11am at the Metropolitan Cathedral (Tenafly) 

Our General Assembly Meeting is Sunday, November 15th 
During Coffee Hour!
Please attend as we will be discussing important topics, such as infrastructure, financial stability, ministries & plans for 2027!

Please join us at church on Sunday, November 29th, as we welcome
 Metropolitan Athenagoras of NJ during his Archpastoral visit in honor of
Saint Andrew Day!

Coffee hour is hosted by the Philoptochos
Bagels donated by ALFA BAGELS Route 10 in Randolph 
Coffee donated by Aristotle Leontopoulos of Coffee Associates, Edgewater

LORD'S VOICE NOVEMBER 1, 2026

THE SUNDAY GOSPEL (Luke 16:19-31)
The "bondage" of man to material goods

The Lord said, "There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazaros, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazaros in his bosom. And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazaros to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazaros in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses, and the prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to them, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"

THE VANITY OF WEALTH
The Gospel passage read today at the Divine Liturgy is a pre-eminently parabolic and allegorical narrative, rich in imagery and contrasts. Through this method of instruction, which in the Lord's time was widely employed in Palestine, Christ helps His listeners understand His teaching and arouses their interest, in order subsequently to reveal the deeper meaning of the parables. Today, we shall highlight some characteristic points of this passage that will help us approach it more substantially.

The rich ruler and poor Lazarus
The figures around whom the narrative revolves are the rich ruler, who was clothed in “purple and fine linen,” that is, in exceedingly costly garments, and who rejoiced and feasted sumptuously every day; and, on the other hand, the poor, sickly, and patient Lazarus, who lay cast down at the rich man's gate, covered with sores and longing to satisfy his hunger with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. In time, however, both of them died. The poor man was carried near God, into the
heavenly Kingdom; the rich man found himself “in the place of torment” and everlasting fire. Thus, in this manner, on an eschatological level henceforth, the conditions of their earthly lives foundationally changed. Lazarus rejoices and is glad in God, while the rich man suffers and is in anguish.

The meaning of the parable
At first glance, one might suppose that this parable is concerned simply and solely with drawing attention to social inequalities, the denunciation of injustice, the condemnation of wealth, the praise of poverty, and the proper and just distribution of goods among people. Certainly, the historical and social context of human life is not a matter of indifference to Christ, for He teaches and acts as the Savior of mankind within the specific circumstances of their daily existence. However, this is not His primary aim, because Christ is not some social reformer and teacher, but the Son of the living God, who came into the world not simply to improve the conditions of life, but to become our life.
Consequently, in this parable neither material possessions nor the rich man are condemned because he is rich. Likewise, Lazarus is neither praised nor justified before God on account of his sickness and his poverty. In such a case, the narrative would lead to conclusions marked by social paradox and theological error, as though wealth or poverty were the supreme criterion of a person's spiritual condition.

The proper use of wealth
There are wealthy people, endowed with authority and social power who are characterized by genuine modesty and humility, and who, through their deeds and their character, become examples of love. Without publicizing their charitable works, they help and support in various ways their suffering fellow man and the philanthropic ministry of the Church. And then, there are poor people who show irreverence toward God, harbor unreasonable demands, and behave improperly toward
others. Therefore, the right use of wealth and the prudent handling of poverty reveal a person to be truly faithful before God.
The Psalmist, in Psalm 33, reminds us of something that human thought has recognized from the most ancient times: that the rich who placed their trust in their riches ultimately became poor. But those who placed their hope in the Lord and sought Him with longing shall not be deprived of any good thing. May it be that throughout our lives, in times of happiness and adversity, sorrow and joy, we be seeking the Lord, so that our whole being may be filled with the Light of His Countenance.

Archimandrite N. K.

Coffee Hour Hosts In November: 11/8 PTA, 11/15 DOP, 11/22 GOYA, 11/29 Philoptochos**

Monday 11/2
@7:30pm* Young Adult League (*Please note time change)

Tuesday 11/3
@7:00pm GOYA Volleyball Practice

Wednesday 11/4
@11:00am Morning Knitting & Crocheting Group
@11:00am Little Angels Playgroup (in gym)
@6:30pm GOYA Basketball Practice

Thursday 11/5
@7:00pm Bible Study (TBD)
@7:30pm GOYA Dance Practice

Saturday 11/7
@11:00am Enthronement of His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of New Jersey
(Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Theologian, Tenafly)

Sunday 11/8 @8:15am +Orthros & @9:30am Divine Liturgy +7^th Sunday of Luke | Holy Archangels
Memorial: +Christos Rabidis
Memorial: +Katie & +Peter Sedereas
Artoklasia: Offered by Louisa Paxos
After Sunday School: Greek Dance Lessons in Gym (Ages 5-11)
@2:00pm GOYA Volleyball & Basketball Games vs Roseland

Monday 11/9 @8:00am +Orthros & @9:00am Divine Liturgy +St. Nektarios
@7:30pm Parish Council Meeting

Tuesday 11/10
@7:00pm GOYA Volleyball Practice

Wednesday 11/11
@6:30pm Evening Knitting & Crocheting Group
@6:30pm GOYA Basketball Practice

Thursday 11/12
@7:00pm Bible Study
@7:30pm GOYA Dance Practice

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

Irene, Franco, George, Ioannis, Amanda, Dimitra, Eleni, Dustin, Sarah, Janet, Dimitri, Areti, Effie, Alexander, Ioannis, Irene, Lauren, Eleni, Dorothy, Carolyn, Ava Michelle, Demetrios, Eleftherios, Stelios, Sofia, Constantinos, Stamatina, Alexander, Alexandra, Constantinos, Christos, Maria, Henny, Theodora, Photini, Robert, Eleni, Ioannis, Margarita, Anna, Nicholas, MaryJane, George, Vasilios, Photeine, Chrissy, David, George, Maria, George, Gladys John, Gregory, Barbara, Helen, Michelle, Ennette, Eleni, Mary, Andreas, Sofia, Joseph, Catrina, Patricia, Erica, Maria, Angeliki, Maria, Dimitrios, Irene, Reta, Eleni, Maria, Kyriaki, Martin, Maria.

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.