Sunday Services: Orthros 8:30 am; Divine Liturgy 9:30 am.
Weekday Services: See parish website calendar link for updates.
Schedule of Services for Week of November 3, 2024
Sunday, 11/03 8:30 a.m. Orthros / Liturgy - 5th Sunday of Luke
Friday, 11/08 9:00 a.m. Orthros / Liturgy - Synaxis of the Archangels
Saturday, 11/09 9:00 a.m. Orthros / Liturgy - St. Nektarios the Wonderworker
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. Our next meeting is TODAY, November 3rd.
Our new senior Parea ministry will host its first luncheon this Tuesday, 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. Look for the sign up in the fellowship hall after the liturgy
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.
Save the date: His Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey will be visiting our parish to celebrate the Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos with Hierarchical Great Vespers on Sunday, December 8, 2024 and Orthros and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Monday, December 9, 2024. A flyer is attached to this bulletin.
LADIES PHILOPTOCHOS CORNER:
Thank you to everyone who attended our 2nd Annual Paint & Sip! We had lots of fun and made some beautiful artwork!! We appreciate your support of the OCMC and St. Peter's Boys Orphanage! Last day for item collection is today for St. Peter's. Thank as always for your continued support and generosity! God Bless all of you!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
Community Christmas Card - The St. Anna Ladies Philoptochos, on behalf of Father Jimmy and the Parish Council, is again sponsoring the St. Anna Community Christmas Card. This beautiful Orthodox Icon Card will allow us to wish each other the joys and blessings of Christmas through the love of Christ, and at the same time, support Philoptochos in our fundraising efforts. Please see Aimee Douvris at the Philoptochos table to include your family in the Christmas Card. Cost to participate is $10 or as much as you'd like to donate.
Christmas Bake Sale! Order your Christmas treats from Philoptochos from October 27 to December 15. Pick up your orders on Sunday, December 22, 2024 after the Christmas Pageant.
Philoptochos 2024 Vasilopita Sale
Philoptochos will begin taking orders for Holiday Vasilopitas beginning Sunday, November 3rd through Sunday, December 8th during Fellowship hours after Liturgy. Questions can be directed to Arge Mardakis at [email protected] or Aimee Douvris at [email protected].
‘There is nothing impossible to him who will try.’ – Alexander the Great
Come "Try" with us! No THING is impossible! Make a difference with us!!!
St. Anna Philoptochos
Veterans Day Program: Next 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. RSVP: Veterans, by November 4, 2024, please confirm your attendance plans for the Veterans Day Program. Pews for Veterans and their families will be reserved for their place of honor. Please submit to [email protected].
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 Denise at [email protected].
Please join Saint Anna Philoptochos for St. Anna's "Veteran's Day Fellowship" by signing up to bring a treat for all to share with our Sign-Up Genius form at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090D4BAAA629A1F49-52598420-veterans/169265462.
Donations for Veterans’ Cause: For the month of November, Philoptochos will donate all funds collected from the donation box located on the Pangari/candle station to a Veterans’ organization.
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): Nikol Toulatos [email protected]
College Care Package Ministry: Maria Tattoli [email protected]
Parent Advisory Council (PAC): Lisa Soteropoulos [email protected]
GOYA: This Sunday is Youth Leadership Day. Thank you to our youth! Our next GOYA meeting is TODAY November 3rd after Religious Education.
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. RSVP by TODAY November 3rd. A donation box will be placed in the hall to collect items. See flyer for the current needs list.
HOPE & JOY: Our next meeting is TODAY November 3rd. We will be making Thank you cards for our Veterans and Operation Jersey Cares. If you have any questions or you are interested in becoming a HOPE & JOY advisor please contact Kristen Diagelakis at [email protected].
Little Blessings: Our 'Little Blessings' ministry invites our children from ages 1 to 4 on TODAY November 3rd, after Divine Liturgy. Join us for a 'Friends Giving' gathering to play, create a holiday craft and enjoy a savory snack. Please see the attached Flyer.
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: New adult Greek class is beginning Monday, November 11th. The class will be in person on Mondays from 7:15pm - 8:15pm. Please email Maria Sfondouris with interest [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.
College Ministry SAVE THE DATE: All college students and YAL members are invited to St. Anna’s Annual College Reunion scheduled for Saturday, November 30 from 4:00-7:00 PM. Pizza and dessert will be served. Come hangout with your St. Anna friends and play a friendly volleyball match "College Students vs YAL". RSVP by 11/22 to Maria Tattoli @ [email protected]. See attached flyer.
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]).
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 165 Pledges totaling $214,536 and $188,905 received to date. We also have 4 families who have contributed $540 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]
Saint Acepsimas, a bishop, Saint Joseph, a presbyter, and Saint Aeithalas, a deacon, suffered exceedingly cruel torments and martyrdom during the reign of Sapor II, King of Persia (325-379). See also April 17.
The consecration of the Church of Saint George in Lydda of Palestine took place during the reign of Saint Constantine the Great. See also April 23.
All the Angels, according to the Apostle Paul, are ministering spirits, - sent forth to minister to them who shall be heirs of salvation - (Heb. 1:14). God set them as overseers of every nation and people, and guides to that which is profitable (Deut. 32:8); and while one Angel is appointed to oversee each nation as a whole, one is also appointed to protect each Christian individually. He commands them to guard them that hope on Him, that nothing should harm them, neither should any evil draw nigh to their dwelling (Ps. 90:10-12). In the Heavens they always behold the face of God, sending up to Him the thrice-holy hymn and interceding with Him in our behalf, seeing they rejoice over one sinner that repents (Esaias 6:2-3; Matt. 18:10; Luke 15:7). In a word, they have served God in so many ways for our benefit, that the pages of Holy Scripture are filled with the histories thereof. It is for these reasons that the Orthodox Catholic Church, wisely honouring these divine ministers, our protectors and guardians, celebrates today the present Synaxis that is, our coming together in assembly for their common feast to chant their praises, especially for the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, who are mentioned in the Scriptures by name. The name Michael means "Who is like God?" and Gabriel means "God is mighty." The number of Angels is not defined in the divine Scriptures, where Daniel says that thousands of thousands ministered before Him, and ten thousands of ten thousands attended upon Him -(Dan. 7:10). But all of them are divided into nine orders which are called Thrones, Cherubim, Seraphim, Dominions, Powers, Authorities, Principalities, Archangels, and Angels.
Saint Nektarius was born in Selyvria of Thrace on October 1, 1846. After putting himself through school in Constantinople with much hard labour, he became a monk on Chios in 1876, receiving the monastic name of Lazarus; because of his virtue, a year later he was ordained deacon, receiving the new name of Nektarius. Under the patronage of Patriarch Sophronius of Alexandria, Nektarius went to Athens to study in 1882; completing his theological studies in 1885, he went to Alexandria, where Patriarch Sophronius ordained him priest on March 23, 1886 in the Cathedral of Saint Sabbas, and in August of the same year, in the Church of Saint Nicholas in Cairo, made him Archimandrite. Archimandrite Nektarius showed much zeal both for preaching the word of God, and for the beauty of God's house. He greatly beautified the Church of Saint Nicholas in Cairo, and years later, when Nektarius was in Athens, Saint Nicholas appeared to him in a dream, embracing him and telling him he was going to exalt him very high.
On January 15, 1889, in the same Church of Saint Nicholas, Nektarius was consecrated Metropolitan of the Pentapolis in eastern Libya, which was under the jurisdiction of Alexandria. Although Nektarius' swift ascent through the degrees of ecclesiastical office did not affect his modesty and childlike innocence, it aroused the envy of lesser men, who convinced the elderly Sophronius that Nektarius had it in his heart to become Patriarch. Since the people loved Nektarius, the Patriarch was troubled by the slanders. On May 3, 1890, Sophronius relieved Metropolitan Nektarius of his duties; in July of the same year, he commanded Nektarius to leave Egypt.
Without seeking to avenge or even to defend himself, the innocent Metropolitan left for Athens, where he found that accusations of immorality had arrived before him. Because his good name had been soiled, he was unable to find a position worthy of a bishop, and in February of 1891 accepted the position of provincial preacher in Euboia; then, in 1894, he was appointed dean of the Rizarios Ecclesiastical School in Athens. Through his eloquent sermons his unwearying labours to educate fitting men for the priesthood, his generous alms deeds despite his own poverty, and the holiness, meekness, and fatherly love that were manifest in him, he became a shining light and a spiritual guide to many. At the request of certain pious women, in 1904 he began the building of his convent of the Holy Trinity on the island of Aegina while yet dean of the Rizarios School; finding later that his presence there was needed, he took up his residence on Aegina in 1908, where he spent the last years of his life, devoting himself to the direction of his convent and to very intense prayer; he was sometimes seen lifted above the ground while rapt in prayer. He became the protector of all Aegina, through his prayers delivering the island from drought, healing the sick, and casting out demons. Here also he endured wicked slanders with singular patience, forgiving his false accusers and not seeking to avenge himself. Although he had already worked wonders in life, an innumerable multitude of miracles have been wrought after his repose in 1920 through his holy relics, which for many years remained incorrupt. There is hardly a malady that has not been cured through his prayers; but Saint Nektarius is especially renowned for his healings of cancer for sufferers in all parts of the world.
Prokeimenon. 2nd Tone. Psalm 117.14,18.
The Lord is my strength and my song.
Verse: The Lord has chastened me sorely.
The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 11:31-33; 12:1-9.
Brethren, the God and Father of the Lord Jesus, he who is blessed for ever, knows that I do not lie. At Damascus, the governor under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to seize me, but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped his hands.
I must boast; there is nothing to be gained by it, but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven -- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into Paradise --whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows -- and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. Though if I wish to boast, I shall not be a fool, for I shall be speaking the truth. But I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. And to keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I besought the Lord about this, that it should leave me; but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
5th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 16:19-31
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.'"
Save the date: His Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey will be visiting our parish to celebrate the Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos with Hierarchical Great Vespers on Sunday, December 8, 2024 and Orthros and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Monday, December 9, 2024.
PDF copy of 2024 St Anna Stewardship Pledge Card
Iconography Workshop Flyer
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 will be placed in the hall to collect items.
St. Anna Ladies Philoptochos is offering the service of preparing Koliva, the boiled and sweetened wheat berries, for any memorial service needed. All requests should be made 2-3 weeks in advance to allow time for proper preparation of Koliva. If you would like to place an order, please complete the form.
So we can meet our printing deadline, the last day we will be accepting participation is Sunday, December 1, 2024.
St. Anna Philoptochos Christmas Bake Sale Pick Up on Sunday, 12/22/24 Order Deadline 12/15/24
All college students and YAL members are invited to St. Anna’s Annual College Reunion scheduled for Saturday, November 30 from 4:00-7:00 PM
Join us after Sunday School to make Thank You cards for our Veterans and Operation Jersey Cares
Stewardship List as of 31 October 2024