St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2025-03-16
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

Schedule of Services for Week of March 16, 2025

Sunday,       03/16    8:30 a.m.  Orthros / Divine Liturgy - Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas
Monday,       03/17    6:00 p.m.  Compline Service
Wednesday  03/19     6:00 p.m.  Presanctified Liturgy
Friday,         03/21    7:00 p.m.  Salutations to the Theotokos

Greek School: Please join us today, Sunday, March 16th, for our Greek Independence Day Program following the Divine Liturgy. Please contact Maria Sfondouris at  [email protected] with any questions.

Jr. Greek Dance: We will practice TODAY, 3/16, after the Greek school program.

Email Spoofing: We have learned of several people getting fake emails from someone posing as Fr. Jimmy. As a rule, please ignore any emails that do not come from <role>@stannagoc.org. 

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. 

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, if you did not receive or have questions, please email [email protected]. Our 2025 Stewardship drive is in progress, please complete your 2025 stewardship pledge to allow the parish council to properly plan for the year.

2025 Stewardship Status: We have 62 Pledges totaling $122,086 for an average of $1,969 and $71,928 received to date. We also have 6 families who have contributed $9,247 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.  

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:

Καλή Σαρακοστή: The Parish Council would like to express our prayerful wishes for a Blessed Lent to our fellow parishioners. If you would like to make a special contribution to the additional beautification needs of the Church during this period, please use the attached 2025 Easter Appeal Form. We thank you in advance for your generosity.

The next Parish General Assembly will occur on March 30th. Please see attached invitation and agenda for further information

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! Please use this link: app.wooclap.com/2025parade to reserve your spot on the bus or see Bill Johnson at fellowship hour. Cost per seat is $15 for adults and Children under the age of 18 ride for free. Final Reservation/Payment is due Sunday March 30.

Palm Sunday Luncheon - Sunday April 13, 2025. We will be having our annual Palm Sunday Fish Luncheon following the Palm Sunday Liturgy. For details, please see attachment. If you plan to attend, please use this link to register: app.wooclap.com/25PALMSUNDAY

PHILOPTOCHOS CORNER:  

There will be a BRIEF General membership meeting after church today, Sunday, March 16, in the center classroom, followed by the cleaning of the Church Nave and Narthex as our humble Lenten offering of love for our St. Anna church.

Annual elections are coming up on May 18th! Please contact an "Election Committee Member" if you are interested in running for a position on the Board! Thank You!

  Tsoureki from Agia Skepi is available to order for $18 from now to Sunday, March 23. Please see Arge or Zoi in the fellowship hall after liturgy to place your order. 

Palm Crosses will be available on March 23 thru Palm Sunday. The cost is $10.

We are continuing with our membership drive till the end of March, you can help us by joining the St. Anna Philoptochos and raising our numbers, by becoming a warrior for "Friends of the Poor"!

“Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive.” – Acts 20:35

Save the Date: Our next senior Parea event is Tuesday, April 1st at 12:00.

YOUTH MINISTRY:

Greek School: Please join today, Sunday, March 16th, for our Greek Independence Day Program following the Divine Liturgy. Please contact Maria Sfondouris at  [email protected] with any questions.

Jr. Greek Dance: We will practice TODAY, 3/16, after the Greek school program.

GOYA: Our next meeting will be next Sunday, March 23rd, after Sunday School.

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.

YAL: The Young Adult League will assist in PC duties on the second Sundays of the month (YAL Sundays). If you are of YAL age (18-35) and interested in participating or for more details about monthly meetings and get togethers, please reach out to Steven Tattoli at [email protected].

Forming new Women's Group Book Club. If interested, please send email (including day and time preferences) to [email protected].   Additional information will be coming soon.

ST. ANNA BOOKSTORE - Great Lent is here. Stop by the bookstore and see our new merchandise for Pascha. Questions? Send email to [email protected]. Here are some recommendations:

For Children: "Our Very First Easter"; "The Light"; " The Miracle of the Red Egg"; and "Pascha at the Duck Pond"

For Adults: "The Crucifixion of the King of Glory" and "Great Lent: Journey to Pascha"

The second in our series of iconography classes at St Anna will be held Monday, March 31, through Friday, April 4, from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. each evening. The icon subject will be a version of the famous Christ Pantocrator (Christ Ruler of All) icon from St. Catherine's Monastery at the foot of Mt. Sinai in Egypt. Although many ancient icons from the period were destroyed due to the iconoclast heresy, this one survived due to St. Catherine's remote location. It is therefore historically significant, and one of the oldest icons in existence (see PDF file attached for the image). No previous art experience is needed, and all supplies will be provided. The class fee will be $350 ($20 per hour, as before). For more information, or to register, please contact Gerard A. Pelletier ([email protected], 609-917-0990). (As no class will be offered during the summer, this may be our last class until Fall 2025.)

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]

For general questions: [email protected]

To be added to the weekly bulletin email:  [email protected]

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Saints and Feasts

March 16

Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas

This divine Father, who was from Asia Minor, was from childhood reared in the royal court of Constantinople, where he was instructed in both religious and secular wisdom. Later, while still a youth, he left the imperial court and struggled in asceticism on Mount Athos, and in the Skete at Beroea. He spent some time in Thessalonica being treated for an illness that came from his harsh manner of life. He was present in Constantinople at the Council that was convened in 1341 against Barlaam of Calabria, and at the Council of 1347 against Acindynus, who was of like mind with Barlaam; Barlaam and Acindynus claimed that the grace of God is created. At both these Councils, the Saint contended courageously for the true dogmas of the Church of Christ, teaching in particular that divine grace is not created, but is the uncreated energies of God which are poured forth throughout creation: otherwise it would be impossible, if grace were created, for man to have genuine communion with the uncreated God. In 1347 he was appointed Metropolitan of Thessalonica. He tended his flock in an apostolic manner for some twelve years, and wrote many books and treatises on the most exalted doctrines of our Faith; and having lived for a total of sixty-three years, he reposed in the Lord in 1359.

His holy relics are kept in the Cathedral of Thessalonica. A full service was composed for his feast day by the Patriarch Philotheus in 1368, when it was established that his feast be celebrated on this day. Since works without right faith avail nothing, we set Orthodoxy of faith as the foundation of all that we accomplish during the Fast, by celebrating the Triumph of Orthodoxy the Sunday before, and the great defender of the teachings of the holy Fathers today.

March 16

Sabine the Martyr of Egypt

The holy Martyr Sabine was from Hermopolis in Egypt, and was known for his zeal and piety. During the persecution of Diocletian, he concealed himself with other Christians in a small dwelling outside the city. But when he was discovered, and professed his faith in Christ, he was taken before Arian the Governor, and after he had been tortured he was drowned in the river. Concerning Arian the Governor, See also December 14.

March 16

Christodulus the Wonderworker of Patmos

Saint Christodulus, who was from the region of Nicaea of Bithynia, was the son of Theodore and Anna, and was given the name John. He assumed the monastic habit in his youth and was renamed Christodulus ("slave of Christ" in Greek). At first, he lived the ascetical life in various places, then he received permission and monetary aid from the Emperor Alexis I Comnenus (reigned 1081-1118), and built on the island of Patmos a church and monastery named in honour of Saint John the Evangelist. These buildings stand to this day. However, when the Arabs attacked that place, he fled with his disciples and went to Euboia (Euripus), where also he completed the course of his life about the end of the eleventh century on the 16th of March. The disciples of this righteous man took his sacred incorrupt remains and transferred them to his own monastery, where they repose to this day for the sanctification of those who have recourse to them with faith.

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Plagal 1st Tone. Psalm 11.7,1.
You, O Lord, shall keep us and preserve us.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, for the godly man has failed.

The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 1:10-14; 2:1-3.

IN THE BEGINNING, Thou, Lord, didst found the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of thy hands; they will perish, but thou remainest; they will all grow old like a garment, like a mantle thou wilt roll them up, and they will be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years will never end." But to what angel has he ever said, "Sit at my right hand, till I make thy enemies a stool for thy feet?" Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to serve, for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation?

Therefore we must pay closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For if the message declared by angels was valid and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard him.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas
The Reading is from Mark 2:1-12

At that time, Jesus entered Capernaum and it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, "Why does this man speak thus? It is a blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thus in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your pallet and walk? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-he said to the paralytic-"I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home." And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

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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 Sun. of St. Gregory Palamas in the Plagal 4th Tone

Light of Orthdoxy, pillar and teacher of the Church, adornment of monastics, invincible champion of theologians, O Gregory thou wonderworker, boast of Thessalonica, herald of grace: ever pray that our souls be saved.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal 4th Tone

To you, Theotokos, invincible Defender, having been delivered from peril, I, your city, dedicate the victory festival as a thank offering. In your irresistible might, keep me safe from all trials, that I may call out to you: "Hail, unwedded bride!"
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Bulletin Inserts:

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