Saints and Feasts

December 08

10th Sunday of Luke

December 09

The Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos

According to the ancient tradition of the Church, since Saint Anna, the Ancestor of God, was barren, she and her husband Joachim remained without children until old age. Therefore, sorrowing over their childlessness, they besought God with a promise that, if He were to grant them the fruit of the womb, they would offer their offspring to Him as a gift. And God, hearkening to their supplication, informed them through an Angel concerning the birth of the Virgin. And thus, through God's promise, Anna conceived according to the laws of nature, and was deemed worthy to become the mother of the Mother of our Lord (see also Sept. 8).

December 12

Spyridon the Wonderworker of Trymithous

Spyridon, the God-bearing Father of the Church, the great defender of Corfu and the boast of all the Orthodox, had Cyprus as his homeland. He was simple in manner and humble of heart, and was a shepherd of sheep. When he was joined to a wife, he begat of her a daughter whom they named Irene. After his wife's departure from this life, he was appointed Bishop of Trimythus, and thus he became also a shepherd of rational sheep. When the First Ecumenical Council was assembled in Nicaea, he also was present, and by means of his most simple words stopped the mouths of the Arians who were wise in their own conceit. By the divine grace which dwelt in him, he wrought such great wonders that he received the surname 'Wonderworker." So it is that, having tended his flock piously and in a manner pleasing to God, he reposed in the Lord about the year 350, leaving to his country his sacred relics as a consolation and source of healing for the faithful.

About the middle of the seventh century, because of the incursions made by the barbarians at that time, his sacred relics were taken to Constantinople, where they remained, being honoured by the emperors themselves. But before the fall of Constantinople, which took place on May 29, 1453, a certain priest named George Kalokhairetes, the parish priest of the church where the Saint's sacred relics, as well as those of Saint Theodora the Empress, were kept, took them away on account of the impending peril. Travelling by way of Serbia, he came as far as Arta in Epirus, a region in Western Greece opposite to the isle of Corfu. From there, while the misfortunes of the Christian people were increasing with every day, he passed over to Corfu about the year 1460. The relics of Saint Theodora were given to the people of Corfu; but those of Saint Spyridon remain to this day, according to the rights of inheritance, the most precious treasure of the priest's own descendants, and they continue to be a staff for the faithful in Orthodoxy, and a supernatural wonder for those that behold him; for even after the passage of 1,500 years, they have remained incorrupt, and even the flexibility of his flesh has been preserved. Truly wondrous is God in His Saints! (Ps. 67:3 5)

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal Fourth Mode

You descended from on high, O compassionate One, and condescended to be buried for three days, so that from the passions You might set us free. Our life and resurrection, O Lord, glory be to You.

Apolytikion for St. Anna (Dec. 9) in the Fourth Mode

Today the bonds of childlessness are loosed; for God hearkened to Joachim and Anna. And though it was beyond hope, He clearly promised them that they should bear a divine child, from whom was born the Uncircumscribable One Himself Who became a mortal, and through an Angel commanded them to cry unto her: Rejoice, thou who art full of grace, the Lord is with thee."

Seasonal Kontakion in the Third Mode

On this day the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth to * God the Word ineffably, * Who was before all the ages. * Dance for joy, O earth, on hearing * the gladsome tidings; * with the Angels and the shepherds now glorify Him * Who is willing to be gazed on * as a young Child Who * before the ages is God.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal Fourth Mode. Psalm 75.11,1.
Make your vows to the Lord our God and perform them.
Verse: God is known in Judah; his name is great in Israel.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians 4:1-7.

Brethren, I, a prisoner for the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all lowliness and meekness, with patience, forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.

Gospel Reading

10th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 13:10-17

At that time, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the sabbath day." Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

Wisdom of the Fathers

Take heed, then, often to come together to give thanks to God, and show forth His praise. For when ye assemble frequently in the same place, the powers of Satan are destroyed, and the destruction at which he aims is prevented by the unity of your faith.

St. Ignatius of Antioch

Epistle to the Ephesians Ch. 13, 2nd century

It is only when in the darkness of this world we discern that Christ has already "filled all things with Himself" that these things, whatever they may be, are revealed and given to us full of meaning and beauty. A Christian is one who, wherever he looks, finds Christ and rejoices in Him.

Fr. Alexander Schmemann

For the Life of the World, p. 113, 20th century

Ministry News

TODAY we are blessed to worship with His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos in honor of the Saint Anna Feast Day.

TODAY there will be a traditional bean soup (fasolada) served during Fellowship Hour, provided by the Kaldes family.

Congratulations to those Parish Council members elected last week. We thank you for your service to our community!

John Coutsouridis

Jorge Ferreira

John Kaldes

George Staikos

Lorraine Tsokas

Church Calendar:

40 Days of Liturgy for Christmas Fast: Daily through Monday, December 23, 10 am

Sunday, December 8: Great Vespers of St. Anna – 7 pm

Monday, December 9: St. Anna – Orthros / Liturgy, 9 am

Thursday, December 12: St. Spyridon – Orthros / Liturgy, 9 am

Sunday, December 22: Orthros / Liturgy, 8:30 am, followed by Christmas Pageant, Greek School Christmas Program and Choir Concert

Tuesday, December 24: Christmas Eve Liturgy – St. Basil, 9 am

Tuesday, December 24: Christmas Day Liturgy – 10:30 pm

Education

Rehearsal for the Christmas Pageant will take place on Sunday, December 15. The Christmas Pageant and Greek School Christmas Program will take place on Sunday, December 22. There will be no Sunday School on Sunday, December 29. We wish everyone a blessed Christmas holiday.

Christmas ‘Concert Choir’ for Adults and Youth

The choir is planning for a short program of some beautiful Christmas carols during our Christmas program on Sunday December 22. If you are interested in singing, please contact Choir director Diana Grina @ dianakg2003@yahoo.com or 908-392-7449

GOYA

Our GOYA is excited to host this year’s Christmas Dance on December 27. This dance is open to GOYAns and advisors from all the churches of north New Jersey. The theme is “Let It Snow” and our decorating committee has great ideas to transform our gym into a winter wonderland. This dance is very popular and we’re expecting lots of GOYAns and accompanying advisors. Your GOYA advisors have been working with the Parish Council to prepare for this event. To be successful, we will need your help to setup and assist during the dance. A Sign-up Genius will be emailed shortly. Please respond if you’re able to help, especially the night of the dance. Thank you!

BeeTreat

On Saturday, December 14 the St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church of Union will host a Pan-Orthodox Retreat, based on Y2AM’s “Be the Bee” video series. The BeeTreat is a special day of worship, fellowship, and spiritual growth for everyone.

Philoptochos

Tsourekia can be picked up on Sunday, December 22.

Seminars

The final St. Anna seminars for the year will take place on Sunday, December 15 after Fellowship Hour from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. These seminars are open to all of those who use the internet and those who use the 401k, IRA and others to make donations to the church.

1. Internet Security – How to protect yourself from Scams by Peter Grina

2. Donating to Church – Options available and tax benefits by Chris Kamnitsis

Stewardship

Stewardship is the sharing of the talents and treasures that God has provided for us. An Orthodox Christian Steward is an active participant in the life of the Church. The parish encourages all who accept the Orthodox Faith to become practicing Stewards.

2019 Stewardship Drive:

We currently have 160 Pledges totaling $164,554 for an average of $1,028 and $156,016 received to date. We also have 6 families who have contributed $2,890 to date but have not submitted a stewardship card. It is important that all families complete a stewardship card to be considered a steward. Current Stewardship List and other stewardship information is posted in bulletin board by water cooler.

We need everyone’s participation to meet this year’s stewardship pledge target of $170,000. We are almost there!

…Remember a rich man is not one who has much, but one who gives much

General Information

Contact Information

Services Schedule

Past Bulletins