Schedule of Services for Week of October 20, 2024
Sunday, 10/20 8:30 a.m. Orthros / Liturgy - 6th Sunday of Luke
St. Gerasimus of Cephalonia
Saturday, 10/26 9:00 a.m. Orthros / Liturgy - The Holy Great Martyr Demetrius the Myrrh-streamer
Announcing St. Anna's Annual Parish Ministries Fair: Today, Sunday, October 20! in conjunction with Stewardship Sunday, St. Anna is hosting its annual Parish Ministries Fair. We hope that our parishioners were able to reach out to former and prospective stewards, family, and friends and invited them to attend this special event to learn more about our dynamic community! There are so many new and exciting things happening at St. Anna! The fair is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the vibrant array of ministries we offer for faithful of all ages -- and generate awareness, enthusiasm, and involvement. Immediately following church services, each ministry, committee, and organization will have a table/booth at the fair to share information about their activities and ways to get involved. Everyone-- current, past, and prospective stewards-- can gather information, ask questions, and learn more about the range of spiritual, social, educational, leadership, and cultural opportunities at St. Anna. The festivities will also include a delicious buffet luncheon, special door prizes, and awards for the most creative table displays. Join us to celebrate our community and its ministries!
LADIES PHILOPTOCHOS CORNER:
Come see us at our Ministry Fair Philoptochos table and learn all about what we do and who we are and how YOU can help! Ask questions, have a snack and some fellowship, while asking how you can help us meet our philanthropic goals for the St. Anna Philoptochos. A "thank you" icon of Ayia Magdalene will be given out to every woman who signs up to be a member of our thriving Philoptochos Society!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
The 2nd Annual Paint & Sip is in just 2 WEEKS!! Don't let yourself miss the fun at this year's event! Join us on Saturday, November 2, 2024, from 6:30 to 9:30 to paint your masterpiece, have some wine, and join in the fellowship with family and friends! Our own Lisa Soteropoulos will entertain us with her magical voice!! Bid on some awesome Auction Items including an Electric Guitar valued at $375, Original Box "Cabbage Patch Dolls" each valued at $200, an amazing "Date Night" package with 2 great local restaurants and 2 bottles of wine, valued at $250, and much more! Cost is $35/person which includes all supplies and a glass of wine, appetizers and dessert. Cash, Credit Card, and Zelle (to St. Anna Philoptochos) accepted! Bring your talent and enthusiasm and take home a beautiful painting made by YOU! Be sure to sign up at the Philoptochos Table during Fellowship or contact Fay Vespa at: [email protected] or Katina Foglia at: [email protected] to sign up or for more information! **Paint & Sip Flyer is attached at the bottom of the bulletin.
"The quieter you become, the more you can hear."
Come "hear" our Mission and make a Difference with us!!!
St. Anna Philoptochos
Our new senior Parea ministry will host its first luncheon on November 5th from 12-2:30ish. We will meet the first Tuesday of the month in the middle classroom/fellowship hall. Please RSVP to Olympia Tzovolos (908) 285-3983 OR Aimee Douvris (908) 339-2511, [email protected]. We look forward to hosting our Senior parishioners,
Veterans Day Program: On Sunday, November 10, 2024, Saint Anna will be honoring our Veterans who served their country with courage and strength. Please join us for this special program for our Veterans and thank them for their service. The Saint Anna Philoptochos will sponsor coffee hour.
ATTENTION ALL VETERANS: If you are new to Saint Anna and are a Veteran, please notify Denise Coutsouridis as soon as possible regarding your branch of the military, years served, and era of service so that you can be acknowledged during the program. Please email to Denise at [email protected].
Parish Council Updates:
Save the date for the Fall Parish Assembly - November 24th. During this Assembly, we will focus on the financial budget for 2025 and nominations for Parish Council. The full agenda will be provided in early November.
YOUTH MINISTRY CONTACTS:
Sunday School Director: Nikol Toulatos [email protected]
Greek School Director: Maria Sfondouris [email protected]
GOYA Head Advisor: Larisa Trumpy [email protected]
Hope & Joy Advisor: Kristen Diagelakis [email protected]
Little Blessings: Lucy Pavlow [email protected]
Greek Dance Lead: Larisa Trumpy [email protected]
Young Adult League (YAL): Bill Johnson [email protected]
College Care Package Ministry: Maria Tattoli [email protected]
Parent Advisory Council (PAC): Lisa Soteropoulos [email protected]
First Sundays are Youth Sundays at St. Anna. GOYA, HOPE & JOY (grades K-6th), and our Little Blessings (Pre-K and under) ministries will meet on the First Sunday of the month. Register Now.
GOYA (Grades 7-12) https://forms.gle/JKECwBdrma3bUTu69
HOPE & JOY (Grades K-6) https://forms.gle/CJWRD3rfdRxnfDbd6
Little Blessings (Pre-K & Under) https://forms.gle/r1hZ7kDa6uDdj1Vr7
GOYA Fall Festival: All children in Grades K-6 are invited to a Fall Festival, hosted by St. Anna GOYA, next Sunday, October 27th from 12-2. Children in Sunday School and Greek School are invited. You may wear a church appropriate Halloween costume or festive attire! Please RSVP by October 24th to Larisa Trumpy, advisor, at [email protected].
GOYA Service Project: In honor of our Veterans, the St. Anna GOYA will be collecting donations for the charity Operation Jersey Cares which sends care packages to our troops deployed overseas. They will be packing the care packages on November 10th. A donation box with the current needs list will be placed in the hall to collect items.
HOPE & JOY: Register children grades K-6th for the upcoming year https://forms.gle/CJWRD3rfdRxnfDbd6. Our next meeting is November 3rd. If you have any questions or you are interested in becoming a HOPE & JOY advisor please contact Kristen Diagelakis at [email protected].
Little Blessings: Thank you for the families who came out and supported our first Little Blessings Meeting! It was a great success! We hope to see everyone at the next event!
Greek School: If you are interested in registering your child for Greek school or if you would like to find out more about our Greek school program please email Maria Sfondouris at [email protected].
Adult Greek School: Please email Maria Sfondouris if you are interested in weekly lessons via Zoom. [email protected].
Sunday School: Please email Nikol Toulatos to register your children for the 2024-25 school year. Parents interested in volunteering for Sunday School teaching / aiding please reach out to Nikol Toulatos.
Parent Advisory Council (PAC): This past Sunday Saint Anna Flemington PAC helped launch our brand new ministry 'Little Blessings' for children ages 1 to 4 years old. This ministry will be meeting the first Sunday of every month. Please contact Lucy Pavlow [email protected] to sign up and join the fellowship and fun!! We look forward to seeing you at our next session on November 3rd.
ST. ANNA BOOKSTORE. FALL RECOMMENDATIONS:
FOR CHILDREN:
---- Variety of Saint books by Potamitis publishing.
FOR ADULTS:
---- "Gratitude in Life's Trenches: How to Experience the Good Life...Even When Everything Is Going Wrong".
If there is something in particular you are looking for, we can assist. Contact Angela Ferreira ([email protected]) or Aimee Douvris ([email protected]).
Saint Anna will offer an iconography class November 18-22. The class will be held at the church for 3 hours each evening, from 6 to 9 p.m. The instructor is Maria Athanasiou, author and illustrator of six published children's books. The icon subject will be an 8"x10" image of Christ Emmanuel (Christ as a child), focusing on His face, and the class will be suitable for students of all artistic skill levels... no previous art experience is needed to take it. We have designed it to use acrylic paints (easier for beginners than the traditional egg tempera medium), and all but the most commonly needed materials will be provided. The cost will be $300 per student. For more information, or to register, please call, text, or email Maria (631-235-6956, [email protected]) or Gerard A. Pelletier (609-917-0990, [email protected]).
Procedure for Holy Communion:
Our new procedure for receiving Holy Communion from the center aisle minimizes waiting on line and congestion. Please wait in your pew until a member of the Parish Council calls your pew. The order is as follows:
-Any Newly illumined (newly Baptized, Chrismated)
- Choir
-Sunday School students and Teachers
-Pew by pew per PC direction. Please wait until your pew is called.
-Those remaining in the narthex.
Sunday Fellowship Hour Sponsors: The Parish Council would like to make an appeal for sponsors of our Sunday Fellowship Hour for the Ecclesiastical year. Please consider sponsoring a fellowship hour to honor a friend or family member (perhaps a birthday or graduation), for the memory of a deceased loved one, or as a donation to support the Saint Anna parish. The requested fellowship hour sponsorship donations is $50 which covers the cost of bagels, all the spreads, coffee and condiments.
STEWARDSHIP: Stewardship is a practice that can help shape our world and lives so that we can more fully and gratefully experience God's grace, love, and communion. Inspired by our love of God, stewardship is expressed through the many ways we support and engage in the life of our beloved Parish. Parish engagement in the form of time, talent and treasure supports the mission and programs of our Church. As we embark on our Church’s future and continued progress, we recognize the incredible efforts of so many individuals over the past 20+ years that have led to remarkable accomplishments for our humble Community. To continue to build and maintain our momentum, and achieve our vision for Saint Anna, we depend heavily on parish engagement and stewardship. With your heartfelt pledges, we can maintain our church facilities, do God's work, and grow in Christ together. If you haven’t submitted your annual stewardship pledge card for 2024, we ask that you take the time to download and complete the card attached to this message. Kindly hand in your card when you come to Church or send it via email or the postal service by September 30. Thank you again for your support and may God bless you!
2024 Stewardship Status: Growth in the number of stewards is annually assessed by the Archdiocese and the New Jersey Metropolis and is a key indicator of stability and progress. All families and individuals must complete a stewardship card to be considered a steward. We have 163 Pledges totaling $213,936 for an average of $1,312 and $185,248 received to date. We also have 5 families who have contributed $590 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. Please verify that you are current with your stewardship prior to the Fall General Assembly.
KIDNEY DONOR NEEDED: National Philoptochos Board Member Joanne Kakoyiannis, a long-standing National Philoptochos Board member is currently facing stage 5 chronic kidney disease and urgently requires a kidney transplant, preferably from a suitable living donor. It should be noted that Joanne’s blood type is O-positive. Joanne is working with the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Kidney Transplant Program. They are available at (215) 662-6200 for confidential discussions to provide information about the living donation process and address your concerns. There is no financial burden on the donor. If you know someone who may be open to donating a kidney, please let them know about Joanne’s situation. The following website tells Joanne’s story: http://www.helpingjoannefindakidney.com/. If you need more information, please feel free to reach out to Penn (tel 215-662-6200), Peter Kakoyiannis (tel 215-715-5378; email [email protected]) and/or Jason Kakoyiannis (213-590-9125; [email protected]). Thank you!
PARISH LINKS:
St Anna Website: https://www.stannagoc.org/
St Anna Greek Orthodox Church Calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/[email protected]&ctz=America/New_York
For questions to the parish council: [email protected]
To be added to the weekly bulletin email or for general questions: [email protected]