Parish News

2021 Stewardship Status: we have 149 Pledges totaling $192,865 and $152,794 received to date. We also have 7 families who have contributed $3,950 to date but have not submitted a stewardship card. It is important that all families complete a stewardship card to be considered a steward. The current Stewardship List and other stewardship information is posted on the bulletin board by the water cooler.

2021 Stewardship List
* Contributed but have not submitted stewardship card				Report Date: Sep 22, 2021
1	Agrapides, Peter & Stella	65	Kika, John & Tina	129	Ticas, Cesar&Areti
2	Andreou, Anthony	66	Kizoulis, Menas & Antonia	130	Toulatos, Polixenia
3	Angelus, James&Elizabeth	67	Kosoglou, Teddy and Roula	131	Trumpy, Fred & Larisa
4	Archimedes, Alexander & Debbie	68	Kousoulas, Constantine	132	Tsatsos, Costa & Maria
5	Argiropoulos, Anthony & Amy	69	Kousoulas, Fr. Anastasios & Presv. Nektaria	133	Tsentas, Constantine & Eugenia *
6	Balios, Efthimia	70	Kousoulas, Panayiotis	134	Tsokas, Lorraine
7	Bongiovanni, Robert & Michele	71	Kubu, James & Evangeline	135	Tsokas, Spyros
8	Bozzo, Daniel&Maria	72	Kypridakes, Michael & Asimina	136	Tzovolos, Demetri and Arete
9	Bulzacchelli, Thomas & Valerie	73	Logothetis, Nikita & Sophia	137	Tzovolos, Olympia
10	Bunce, Daniel & Marianne	74	Loukedis, Alexander & Jennifer	138	Vaporakis, Efharis Karise
11	Collett, Martin & Adriane	75	Lutkus, Anthony & Vasiliki	139	Vaporakis, John & Kim
12	Connell, William & Nikki	76	Manoussakis, Stamati & Sofia	140	Vaporakis, Kaliope
13	Costalas, Paul & Josephine	77	Manteo, Michael & Gramatiki	141	Vaporakis, Mihail
14	Coutros, George & Lana	78	Mardakis, Arge	142	Varas, Alexander Pericles
15	Coutsouridis, Alexia	79	Mariani, Anthony & Kristen	143	Varas, Loukas Michael
16	Coutsouridis, John & Denise	80	Markos, Peter & Elaine	144	Varas, Michael & Elaine
17	Demetriou, Dorothy&James	81	Martin, Stephen & Despina	145	Veneman, Ryan & Polyxeni-Tolis
18	Diagelakis, Gerasimos & Kristen	82	Mavrode, Michael & Demetra	146	Vespa, Paul & Fay
19	Diamantis, Ioannis & Gerasimoula	83	Mazza, Emily Connelly & Costa & Poulis, Renee	147	Vlahakes, Louis & Anastasia
20	Disla, Mark & Anastasia Pappas	84	McElroy, Stephanie	148	Vlahakis, Dan
21	Diver, Sean & Joanne	85	Millett, Matthew & Maria	149	Wolfe, Richard & Penelope
22	Douvris, John & Aimee	86	Mulcahy, Dr. Wayne and Mary	150	Wygera, Walter & Constance
23	Douvris, Katerina & Jorge Higueros	87	Nelson, Stephanie	151	Xenakis, Matthew & Vasiliki *
24	Fallon, Ellie	88	Nikolakopoulos, Peter & Melissa	152	Ypsilantis, Peter & Antonia
25	Fallon, Tom & Anna	89	Paitakes, John&Linda	153	Zacharatos, Jerry & Justine Raspanti
26	Fania, Michael & Vicky	90	Paliatsos, Mary	154	Zajac, Pegi
27	Fearon, TJ & Colette	91	Panageas, Bill & Margaret	155	Zanidakis, Theodore & Charlotte
28	Ferreira, Jorge & Angela	92	Panayote, William & Deborah	156	Zannikos, Peter & Amy
29	Finley, Thomas & Antoinette *	93	Pelios, Georgia	157
30	Gacos, Chris & Frances	94	Peppe, George & Demetra	158
31	Gacos, Christopher & Escarlen	95	Petromelis, Christopher & Georgette	159
32	Gatanis, Michael & Angela *	96	Petromelis, Phyllis	160
33	Georgeles, George & Maria	97	Procyk, Eugenia	161
34	Giambrone, Charles J	98	Radzicki, Martin & Katie	162
35	Gianakos, Michael & Dianne	99	Rentoulis, Nikolaos	163
36	Giannouris, John & Tracey	100	Roupas, Daniel & Mary	164
37	Gianos, Irene	101	Rudy, George & Sofia	165
38	Gilman, Cliff & Karen *	102	Sacalis, John	166
39	Giotis, John & Karen	103	Sakellos, Alexandra	167
40	Glynos, Peter & Cindy	104	Sakellos, Evan & Catherine	168
41	Grina, Peter & Diana	105	Sakellos, George	169
42	Halkiadakis, John & Vassie	106	Sfondouris, John & Maria	170
43	Hawes, Ashlynn	107	Shepardson, Lilyan	171
44	Hawes, Brian & Allison Faches	108	Sideris, Leonidas & Elizabeth	172
45	Hawes, Carrick	109	Soteropoulos, Dean & Elizabeth	173
46	Heinke, Michael & Simone	110	Soteropoulos, Marisa	174
47	Heinke, Zoe & Andy Riley	111	Staikos, George & Christi	175
48	Ibrahim, Robert&Doniki	112	Staikos, Nicholas, Eirini Daskalakis	176
49	Iliakostas, Vasilis & Konstantina	113	Stathopulos, Peter&Julan, Adriana	177
50	Iliopoulos, Christos & Anna	114	Stavrakas, Spyros & Bia	178
51	Jaghab, Danny & Delmy	115	Stavrakis, Michael & Sophia	179
52	Johnson, Bill	116	Stellakis, John & Eileen	180
53	Johnson, Gloria	117	Stellakis, Stanley & Kathleen	181
54	Kalamaras, Stella *	118	Steubing, Michael & Maria Katsamani	182
55	Kaldes, John & Zoi	119	Stieglitz, Alexander	183
56	Kamnitsis, Christopher	120	Stieglitz, Robert & Katerina	184
57	Kamnitsis, Constantine & Nancy	121	Stier, Benjamin & Eleftheria Tsatsos	185
58	Kasimatis, Kosmas & Dimitra Bairaktaris	122	Sullivan, Mary	186
59	Katogiritis, George & Kalliopi *	123	Sutton, David & Maria	187
60	Katsiaficas, John&Soula	124	Tattoli, Larry & Maria	188
61	Kazantzis, Sava & Nancy	125	Tattoli, Mark	189
62	Kefalas, Carrie	126	Tattoli, Steven	190
63	Kehayes, Peter & Helen	127	Theodoropoulos, Pete & Brittany Daniels	191
64	Kehayes, Stephen & Beth	128	Ticas, Alexia	192

Congratulations to all the honorees who were recognized for their contributions to our St. Anna parish and its community. The following award recipients were celebrated at the 2021 GOMNJ Clergy-Laity Assembly & Philoptochos Convention Grand Banquet this past Monday evening:

Community Honoree - Peter Grina
Parish Council Honoree - John Coutsouridis
Philoptochos Honoree - Maria Tattoli
PTO Honoree - Adriane Collett
GOYA Honoree - Demetrios Kousoulas
Essential Medical Worker Honoree - Allison Faches, MD
Senior Parishioner Honoree - Peter Kehayes

PHILOPTOCHOS: As we slowly get through the long pandemic period, it’s time to reinvigorate Philoptochos and make plans going forward and invite stewards to find out more about Philoptochos at St. Anna if you have not participated in the past. A Philoptochos Zoom meeting has been scheduled for September 28^th at 7:00 pm (information below). We look forward to discussing going forward with ideas regarding philanthropic causes, events and membership. If you would like to participate, please send your email contact information to Arge Mardakis at mardakis@co.somerset.nj.us so that she can send you the Zoom invitation.

Sunday School: As we prepare for classes this fall, we are in need of Sunday School Teachers. Please contact Aimee Douvris, Sunday School Director aimeedouvris@gmail.com, or Fr. A if interested. Thank you.

Our dedicated teachers are preparing for a great year of Sunday School ministry. Yes, we will be in person and following all of the New Jersey State guidelines for schools and classrooms.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/13nd6he7aGxqsorX-GPO1cBWmElOkL4_ow83v9TWtxpU/edit?usp=sharing

Please use the above link to register each child. There is no registration fee this year. We want all our students to come back and enjoy some vital class time with their peers.

The first day of Sunday School is Sunday, Oct. 3. All are asked to attend the Divine Liturgy by 9:30 AM if possible. Classes will be excused at about 10:30 AM after the distribution of Holy Communion.

Greek School registration is now open! Please contact the office (908) 968-4004 for more information. (First class is Monday, Oct. 4)

If you are interested in GOYA Basketball (boys) or Volleyball (girls), grades 7 to 12 only, see Fr. A now. We are assessing if we have enough players to make a team or to join a neighboring parish and make new teams for the Fall Season (Sundays in Oct - Dec.).

Saints and Feasts

September 26

The Falling Asleep of St. John the Evangelist and Theologian

This Apostle was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and the brother of James the elder. First a fisherman by trade, he became an Apostle and the beloved Disciple of Christ. Only he of all the Disciples followed Him even to the Cross, and was entrusted with the care of our Saviour's Mother, as it were another son to her, and a brother of Christ the Teacher. After this, he preached throughout Asia Minor, especially in Ephesus. When the second persecution against the Christians began in the year 96 during the reign of Domitian, he was taken in bonds to Rome, and there was cast into a vat filled to the brim with boiling oil. Coming forth therefrom unharmed, he was exiled to the island of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Returning again to Ephesus after the death of the tyrant, he wrote his Gospel (after the other Evangelists had already written theirs) and his three Catholic Epistles. In all, he lived ninety-five years and fell asleep in the Lord during the reign of Trajan in the year 100. He was called Theologian because he loftily expounded in his Gospel the theology of the inexpressible and eternal birth of the Son and Word of God the Father. It is for this cause that an eagle-a symbol of the Holy Spirit, as Saint Irenaeus says-is depicted in his icon, for this was one of the four symbolic living creatures that the Prophet Ezekiel saw (Ezek. 1:10).

October 01

The Holy Protection of the Theotokos

The Feast of the Protection commemorates the appearance of the most holy Theotokos in the Church of Blachernae in Constantinople in the tenth century, as recorded in the life of Saint Andrew the Fool for Christ's sake. While the multitudes of the faithful were gathered in church, Epiphanius, the friend of Saint Andrew, through the Saint's prayers, beheld the Virgin Mary above the faithful and spreading out her veil over them, signifying her unceasing protection of all Christians. Because of this we keep a yearly feast of gratitude, imploring our Lady never to cease sheltering us in her mighty prayers.

In the Greek tradition, this feast is celebrated on October 28, while in the Slavic tradition, this feast is celebrated on October 1.

October 01

Romanos the Melodist

Saint Romanos flourished during the reign of Anastasius (491-518). He was from Emesa of Syria, and apparently was born of Jewish parents, for a hymn written in his honour in Greek says he was "of Hebrew stock," and it has furthermore been noted that he uses many Semitic idioms in his writings. He was baptized an Orthodox Christian, and at some time became a deacon in the Church of Beirut. He was the first composer of the kontakia, the foremost of which is that of the feast of Christ's Nativity, On this day the Virgin .... In composing many of his kontakia. Saint Romanos was inspired by the hymns of Saint Ephraim of Syria.

October 03

2nd Sunday of Luke

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal 4th Tone. Psalm 18.4,1.
Their voice has gone out into all the earth.
Verse: The heavens declare the glory of God.

The reading is from St. John's First Universal Letter 4:12-19.

No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his own Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. In this is love perfected with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because he first loved us.

Gospel Reading

The Falling Asleep of St. John the Evangelist and Theologian
The Reading is from John 19:25-27; 21:24-25

At that time, standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal 1st Tone

Let us worship the Word, O ye faithful, praising Him that with the Father and the Spirit is co-beginningless God, Who was born of a pure Virgin that we all be saved; for He was pleased to mount the Cross in the flesh that He assumed, accepting thus to endure death. And by His glorious rising, He also willed to resurrect the dead.

Apolytikion for Translation of John the Theologian in the 2nd Tone

O Apostle, beloved of Christ our God, hasten to deliver a defenceless people. He that allowed thee to recline on His breast, receiveth thee bowing in intercession. Implore Him, O Theologian, to dispel the persistent cloud of the heathen, and ask for us His peace and great mercy.

Apolytikion for St. Anna (Dec. 9) in the 4th Tone

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 2nd Tone

O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.

Wisdom of the Fathers

The sign that thou lovest God, is this, that thou lovest thy fellow; and if thou hatest thy fellow, thy hatred is towards God. For it is blasphemy if thou prayest before God while thou art wroth. For thy heart also convicts thee, that in vain thou multipliest words: thy conscience rightly judges that in thy prayers thou profitest nought.

St. Ephraim the Syrian

ON ADMONITION AND REPENTANCE.

'God is love', and he who seeks to establish its bounds is like a blind man attempting to count the grains of sand in the deeps of the sea. In quality, love is the likeness of God, as far as this is possible to mortals; in action, it is intoxication of the soul; in its properties, it is the source of faith, the abyss of long-suffering, the sea of humility. Love is real renunciation of every contrary thought, for it 'thinketh no evil' (I Cor. 13:5). Love, passionlessness and sonship differ only in name. As light, fire and flame are combined in one single action, so it is with these three.

Monks Callistus and Ignatius

Directions to Hesychasts no. 90, Writings from the Philokalia on Prayer of the Heart; Faber and Faber pg. 257

Every work which does not have love as its beginning and root is nothing.

St. John Chrysostom

Unknown, 4th century

Brothers, do not be afraid of men's sins. Love man even in his sins, for that is the semblance of divine love and is the highest love on earth. At some ideas you stand perplexed, especially at the sight of men's sins, asking yourself whether to combat it by force or humble love. Always decide 'I will combat it by humble love.' If you make up your mind about that once and for all, you may be able to conquer the whole world. Loving humility is an awesome force, the strongest of all, and there is nothing like it.

Elder Zossima by Dostoevsky

The Brothers Karamazov by Feodor Dostoevsky, 19th century

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