February 27
St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2022-02-27
Bulletin Contents
St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church
General Information
- Phone:
- (908) 968-4004
- Fax:
- (908) 968-4002
- Email:
- stannagoc@gmail.com
- Street Address:
- 85 Voorhees Corner Road,
- Flemington, NJ 08822
Contact Information
Services Schedule
Sunday Services: Orthros 8:30 am; Divine Liturgy 9:30 am.
Weekday Services: See parish website calendar link for updates.
Past Bulletins
- Publish Date:
- 2022-02-20
- Publish Date:
- 2022-02-13
- Publish Date:
- 2022-02-06
- Publish Date:
- 2022-01-30
- Publish Date:
- 2022-01-23
- Publish Date:
- 2022-01-16
Parish News
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2022 Stewardship Status as of Feb. 26: we have 86 Pledges totaling $106,330 and $55,368 received to date. We also have 12 families who have contributed $5,270 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 are posted on the bulletin board by the water cooler.
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PC CORNER
LUNCHEON: On this Meatfare Sunday, please join us today for a special fellowship luncheon to celebrate our return to church and the reinvigoration of our parish ministries. The luncheon is free to all. Take advantage of the opportunity to sign up your families for all the ministries St. Anna has to offer.
CHURCH BEAUTIFICATION: Starting tomorrow, pew kneelers will be delivered and installed. Also, stained glass has been ordered and installation will begin soon. Thank you to all the donors who have made this possible.
PARADE IN PHILLY: We are going forward with our plans to attend the Greek Independence Day parade in Philadelphia on March 20. The world-famous Evzones, the Presidential Guard of Greece, will march in the parade this year. Additionally, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, His Grace Bishop Apostolos of Medeia, and many other dignitaries will be in attendance. It will be an honor for our St. Anna community to march in the parade to not only celebrate the Centennial of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America but also the 20th anniversary of our parish! Please note there WILL NOT be a parade in NYC this year. The cost for us to travel together as a parish on a rental bus will be $25 per person and will include a small bagged lunch. If we have enough people to sign up, we will rent two buses. Please sign up today in the fellowship hall to proudly represent St. Anna and participate in our first parade in many years!
PARISHIONER IN NEED: With the commencement of Lent nearing, as Orthodox Christians, we are called to strengthen our prayer life, intensify our fasting, and commit ourselves to almsgiving. When we think of almsgiving, we tend to associate it with supporting those who are in financial need. However, we can think in broader terms and consider helping those who have different types of needs.
Andrea Kalliaras is a parishioner within our Metropolis who has a health need. She has been diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia that can only be cured by a stem cell transplant. We have an opportunity to help Andrea by volunteering to take a test to determine donor suitability. This 10-second cheek swab test can be done in the convenience of one's home and is free of charge. We ask that you please include Andrea in your prayers and consider participating in the donor process.
Please use the following link to learn more about Andrea's situation and to find the instructions for ordering a test kit. www.swab4andrea.com.
Thank you.
Holy Services: Saturday of the Souls (March 5, and March 12). Please bring koliva and names of loved ones that have passed on to eternal life. May their memory be eternal!
Philoptochos
As we begin a new year, Philoptochos has been reinvigorated to continue outreach where we can be of service to our St. Anna family as well as to our Hunterdon County community. Many parishioners (old and new friends) are Philoptochos members and enjoy this very important ministry of the church. If you are not a current member, Philoptochos invites you to become a member and welcomes your talents and support. For membership information and an enrollment form, please contact either Maria Tattoli at mtattoli@gmail.com or Arge Mardakis at mardakis@co.somerset.nj.us. We look forward to hearing from you.
House Blessings: Fr. A has been blessing houses by appointment. If you would like to have your house blessed with the Holy Water of Epiphany, please contact Fr. A as soon as possible (House Blessing season will end the first week in March before Lent begins.)
Book Study: Thanks to the many that have already replied! Fr. A plans to offer a weekly one-hour Book Study through Lent (Starting Thursday, March 10 at 7 pm). Please respond ASAP. We will be discussing the book, "Thirty Steps to Heaven." Please order your book today: https://www.amazon.com/Thirty-Steps-Heaven-Vassilios-Papavassiliou/dp/1936270897 and let Fr. A know if you are interested. Thank you.
Sunday School Please bring your children to this vital ministry as they learn more about their faith. All 7th to 12th graders are encouraged to participate in the parish Oratorical Festival! See note below.
Oratorical Festival: Our Parish Festival will be on Saturday, March 26. Please see Fr. A regarding details. Start time planned for 10 AM and concluding with lunch and awards. Topics can be found online at: https://www.goarch.org/-/st-john-chrysostom-oratorical-festival. PARENTS, PLEASE ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILDREN TO PARTICIPATE. FR. A IS AVAILABLE FOR ASSISTANCE. All Seniors that plan to apply for the St. Anna Scholarship in the spring must participate as part of the Scholarship requirements. Thank you.
Each parish participant must register online: https://religioused.formstack.com/forms/sjcof_participant
Key dates for Sunday School: Sunday, March 13: Sunday of Orthodoxy (1st Sunday in Lent) - Procession of icons. Saturday, March 26 - Parish Oratorical Festival. Sunday, April 10: Walk Through Holy Week Retreat (during Sunday School and Fellowship Hour for all to enjoy). Saturday of Lazarus, April 16 (Palm Folding and Fellowship after services). May 22: Last Day of Sunday School. High School Senior Recognition Day.
Greek School Dear St. Anna family, we are aiming to begin an Adult Greek school class. The class will potentially meet on Monday nights from 7:00-8:00. If you are interested in enrolling or have any questions please email Maria Sfondouris. msfondouris@gmail.com, Greek School Director. Thank you.
Saints and Feasts
February 27
Nesios the Martyr
February 27
Judgment Sunday (Meatfare Sunday)
The foregoing two parables -- especially that of the Prodigal Son -- have presented to us God's extreme goodness and love for man. But lest certain persons, putting their confidence in this alone, live carelessly, squandering upon sin the time given them to work out their salvation, and death suddenly snatch them away, the most divine Fathers have appointed this day's feast commemorating Christ's impartial Second Coming, through which we bring to mind that God is not only the Friend of man, but also the most righteous Judge, Who recompenses to each according to his deeds.
It is the aim of the holy Fathers, through bringing to mind that fearful day, to rouse us from the slumber of carelessness unto the work of virtue, and to move us to love and compassion for our brethren. Besides this, even as on the coming Sunday of Cheese-fare we commemorate Adam's exile from the Paradise of delight -- which exile is the beginning of life as we know it now -- it is clear that today's is reckoned the last of all feasts, because on the last day of judgment, truly, everything of this world will come to an end.
All foods, except meat and meat products, are allowed during the week that follows this Sunday.
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Epistle Reading
Prokeimenon. 4th Tone. Psalm 146.5;134.3.
Great is our Lord, and great is his power.
Verse: Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.
The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 8:8-13; 9:1-2.
Brethren, food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if any one sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol's temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother's falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
Gospel Reading
Judgment Sunday (Meatfare Sunday)
The Reading is from Matthew 25:31-46
The Lord said, "When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the holy angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.' And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Hymns of the Day
Resurrectional Apolytikion in the 3rd Tone
Let the Heavens rejoice; let earthly things be glad; for the Lord hath wrought might with His arm, He hath trampled upon death by death. The first-born of the dead hath He become. From the belly of Hades hath He delivered us, and hath granted great mercy to the world.
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 1st Tone
O God, when You come upon the earth in glory, the whole world will tremble. A river of fire will bring all before Your Judgment Seat and the books will be opened, and everything in secret will become public. At that time, deliver me from the fire which never dies, and enable me to stand by Your right hand, O Judge most just.
Wisdom of the Fathers
He indicates the dispositions of each, calling the one kids, the other sheep, that He might indicate the unfruitfulness of the one, for no fruit will come from kids; and the great profit from the other, for indeed from sheep great is the profit, as well from the milk, as from the wool, and from the young, of all which things the kid is destitute.
Homily on Matt. XXV, 4th Century
For when one has pity on the poor, he lends to God; and he who gives to the least gives to God--sacrifices spiritually to God an odour of a sweet smell.
The Lord's Prayer, 33. B#41, p.102, 3rd century