St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2025-02-09
Bulletin Contents
Parish News
Saints and Feasts
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Hymns of the Day
Bulletin Inserts:

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St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (908) 968-4004
  • Fax:
  • (908) 968-4002
  • Street Address:

  • 85 Voorhees Corner Road,

  • Flemington, NJ 08822

Contact Information

St. Anna Office
staff

[email protected] | (908) 968-4004

Clergy
Father Jimmy Pavlow

[email protected] | (609) 498-4672

Corresponding Secretary
Paul Vespa

[email protected]

Services Schedule

Sunday Services:  Orthros 8:30 am; Divine Liturgy 9:30  am.  

Weekday Services:  See parish website calendar link for updates.

 

Past Bulletins


Parish News

Triodion Begins Today

Schedule of Services for Week of February 9, 2025
Sunday,     02/09   8:30 a.m.  Orthros / Divine Liturgy - Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee

Procedure for Holy Communion:
Enter into the center aisle. Please wait until a member of the Parish Council calls your pew. The order is as follows:
-Any Newly illumined (newly Baptized, Chrismated)
- Choir
-Pew by pew per PC direction. Please wait until your pew is called. 
-Those remaining in the narthex. 

YAL: The Young Adult League will assist in PC duties today and the second Sundays of the month (YAL Sundays). If you are of YAL age (18-35) and interested in participating or for more details, please reach out to Nikol Toulatos at [email protected].

Sunday Fellowship Hour Sponsors: Please sponsor a fellowship hour to support the Saint Anna parish. The requested fellowship hour sponsorship donation is $50.

Donation statements were emailed out this week, if you did not receive or have questions, please email [email protected]. 

Our 2025 Stewardship drive is in progress, please complete your stewardship pledge to allow the parish council to properly plan for the year.

2025 Stewardship Status: We have 31 Pledges totaling $90,825 and $25,375 received to date. We also have 5 families who have contributed $1,610 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 remember to submit your 2025 Stewardship Pledge. 

National Fire Relief Fund:
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has announced the establishment of the "National Fire Relief Fund" to raise funds for the immediate needs of those affected by the devastating fires that have affected several areas in southern California. Learn more at https://www.goarch.org/donate/fires.

House Blessings: This is the time when we normally schedule House Blessings.  If you would like Father Jimmy to come and bless your home, please email/call Father and the office by emailing [email protected] and/or calling (908) 968-4004.

Parish Council Updates:

TRIVIA NIGHT – February 28, 2025
Please submit your reservations to attend St. Anna’s 2025 TRIVIA NIGHT no later than February 24th to [email protected]. If you already know who will be sitting at your table, please include their names in your reservation.  Fun filled event details are included in the attached flyer. You can also reserve your table directly with Arge Mardakis during coffee hour after Liturgy on Sundays. Thank you to everyone who has already made their reservations.

SAVE THE DATE: Greek Independence Day Parade in Philadelphia, PA - Sunday April 6, 2025. The annual Greek Independence Day Parade is happening on Sunday April 6, 2025. Last year we had over 40 parishioners marching down the Ben Franklin Parkway. Let's try and top that number this year! Further details will be forthcoming. Please see Bill Johnson with any questions.

LADIES PHILOPTOCHOS CORNER:  

The 2025 St. Anna Ladies Philoptochos Membership Drive has started and we are so proud of the overwhelming response thus far! Our committee chairs, Joan Janulis and Presvytera Antonia are here to answer any questions you may have on what Philoptochos is and how we help our community! See one of them for more information at the Philoptochos table! 

Please join us TODAY for our 2nd Annual Valentine's Day Membership Tea!

As part of our mission as "Friends of the Poor", we are collecting money for a local Orthodox family who is going through some difficult times. They are part of our NJ Metropolis community and we have adopted them for the month of February. Please use the Philoptochos "Donation Box" on the Pangari if you would like to help out.

We thank you as always for your generosity!

“Money is not the only commodity that is fun to give. We can give time, we can give our expertise, we can give our love, or simply give a smile. What does that cost? The point is, none of us can ever run out of something worthwhile to give."   Steve Goodier

"Help us by joining the St. Anna Philoptochos and becoming a warrior for "Friends of the Poor"!

Flower Committee meeting will take place after Divine Liturgy on February 23. The meeting will be in the first classroom. We will discuss Pascha and the needs of the church. Please contact Aimee Douvris if you are interested in helping out. Aimeedouvris@gmail,com

Save the Date: Our next senior Parea event will be Tuesday, March 4th at 12:00 in the fellowship hall.

YOUTH MINISTRY:

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 meetings are Sunday, March 2nd.

JR. Greek Dance: If you have a child in K through 6th interested in Greek Dancing email Larisa Trumpy at [email protected] Our next practice is 2/16 from 11:30-12:15.

2/16/25:  GOYA day of service at the Flemington Food Pantry 12:00 - 2:00PM

Sunday School: Please extend the invitation to Godparents & Godchildren in addition to your children's Godparents to join us for Godparent Sunday on February 23rd!

YAL: The Young Adult League will assist in PC duties today and the second Sundays of the month (YAL Sundays). If you are of YAL age (18-35) and interested in participating or for more details, please reach out to Nikol Toulatos at [email protected].

Orthodoxy on Tap: The Northern NJ YAL of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey will be meeting at Tavern on George, 361 George St, New Brunswick NJ this Wednesday, February 12th from 7:00 to 10:00 PM. Our Father Jimmy Pavlow will be presenting “The Orthodox View of End Times” Please see the attached flyer.

College Ministry:  The second mailing of care packages will be sent on Feb 21st to our St. Anna college students.  If your student's address has changed since the fall, please let Maria Tattoli know by 2/18. Otherwise, there is no need to do anything.  If your child has not been registered to receive a care package, please contact Maria Tattoli at [email protected] to add them to our list.

Adult Greek school: Classes are now a hybrid model running on Mondays from 7:30pm-8:30pm at St Anna. There are a few spots still available if you are interested. Please contact Maria Sfondouris at  [email protected].

ST. ANNA BOOKSTORE - Start the new year off with a renewed commitment to growing spiritually.  Come see our extensive collection of books and religious items. If there is something in particular you are looking for, email [email protected]. Here are some recommendations:

FOR CHILDREN: "The Lucky Cake" and "My First Divine Liturgy Book".

FOR ADULTS: Are You Saved? and “Person to Person: The Orthodox Understanding of Human Nature”.

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]

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Saints and Feasts

February 09

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today

The Pharisees were an ancient and outstanding sect among the Jews known for their diligent observance of the outward matters of the Law. Although, according to the word of our Lord, they "did all their works to be seen of men" (Matt. 23:5), and were hypocrites (ibid. 23: 13, 14, 15, etc.), because of the apparent holiness of their lives they were thought by all to be righteous, and separate from others, which is what the name Pharisee means. On the other hand, Publicans, collectors of the royal taxes, committed many injustices and extortions for filthy lucre's sake, and all held them to be sinners and unjust. It was therefore according to common opinion that the Lord Jesus in His parable signified a virtuous person by a Pharisee, and a sinner by a Publican, to teach His disciples the harm of pride and the profit of humble-mindedness.

Since the chief weapon for virtue is humility, and the greatest hindrance to it is pride, the divine Fathers have set these three weeks before the Forty-day Fast as a preparation for the spiritual struggles of virtue. This present week they have called Harbinger, since it declares that the Fast is approaching; and they set humility as the foundation for all our spiritual labors by appointing that the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee be read today, even before the Fast begins, to teach, through the vaunting of the Pharisee, that the foul smoke of self-esteem and the stench of boasting drives away the grace of the Spirit, strips man of all his virtue, and casts him into the pits of Hades; and, through the repentance and contrite prayer of the Publican, that humility confers upon the sinner forgiveness of all his wicked deeds and raises him up to the greatest heights.

All foods are allowed the week that follows this Sunday.

February 09

Nicephoros the Martyr of Antioch

This Martyr, who was from Antioch in Syria, contested during the reign of Gallienus, about the year 260. Through the working of the evil one, his friendship with a certain Christian priest named Sapricius was turned to bitter hatred. Nicephoros, repenting of his enmity, tried both through intermediaries and in person to be reconciled with Sapricius, but to no avail. Later, when the persecution broke out under Valerian and Gallienus, Sapricius was seized as a Christian. When Saint Nicephoros learned that Sapricius had been arrested by the pagans and was enduring torments for Christ, he sent intermediaries to Sapricius, begging his forgiveness; but Sapricius would not forgive him. Later, as Sapricius was being taken to beheading, Nicephoros, hoping that Sapricius, at his end, in such a holy hour, would at last forgive him, met him on the way, fell before him, and fervently asked his forgiveness; but Sapricius forgave him not. Wherefore, though Sapricius had passed through many sufferings, and the crown of martyrdom was now awaiting him, because he disdained the chief commandments of love and forgiveness, the grace of God, which had been strengthening him in his torments, departed from him, and he told his executioners he would sacrifice. Nicephoros immediately confessed Christ before them, and being himself beheaded, took the crown that Sapricius had cast away.

Should the Apodosis of the Feast of the Meeting in the Temple fall on this day the service to Saint Nicephoros is chanted on the 8th.

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal 4th Tone. 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 Second Letter to Timothy 3:10-15.

TIMOTHY, my son, you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, my sufferings, what befell me at Antioch, at lconion, and at Lystra, what persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceivers and deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee: Triodion Begins Today
The Reading is from Luke 18:10-14

The Lord said this parable, "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted."

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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal 4th Tone

From on high didst Thou descend, O Compassionate One; to burial of three days hast Thou submitted that Thou mightest free us from our passions. O our Life and Resurrection, Lord, glory be to Thee.

Apolytikion for Apodosis of the Presentation in the 1st Tone

Rejoice, thou who art full of grace, O Virgin Theotokos, for from thee hath risen the Sun of Righteousness, Christ our God, enlightening those in darkness. Rejoice, thou also, O righteous Elder, as thou receivest in thine arms the Redeemer of our souls, Who also granteth unto us the Resurrection.

Seasonal Kontakion in the 1st Tone

Your birth sanctified a Virgin's womb and properly blessed the hands of Symeon. Having now come and saved us O Christ our God, give peace to Your commonwealth in troubled times and strengthen those in authority, whom You love, as only the loving One.
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Bulletin Inserts:

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