Parish News

Schedule of Services for Week of April 6, 2025

Sunday, 04/06 8:30 a.m. Orthros / Divine Liturgy - Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt
Monday, 04/07 6:00 p.m. Compline Service
Wednesday, 04/09 6:00 pm. Presanctified Liturgy
Saturday, 04/12 9:00 a.m. Orthros / Divine Liturgy - Lazarus Saturday
Palm Cross Folding following Divine Liturgy

Email Spoofing: We have learned that several people are 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.

"Take and Bake" Holiday Fundraiser: We have frozen 1/2 trays of Pastitsio/ $60 and Spanakopita/ $50 for sale. Please see attached flyer and contact any Parish Council member for purchase. The items are ready for pickup. Quantities are limited, first come first serve!

Choir Lenten Concert 4/11, 7:30PM, St. George Hamilton: Members of our Choir are participating in this year's Spirit of Lent, which will be held at St. George Hamilton. An evening of the beautiful hymns of the Lenten and Paschal season, sung by combined choirs of the NJ Metropolis. Donation $10. See attached flyer.

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

Today Sunday, April 6, we are offering a 40-day Memorial service for the departed servant of God, Eleni Kazantzis, sister of Sava Kazantzis and aunt of Nicole and Katelyn. May her memory be eternal.

Today's Coffee hour: The Kazantzis family will host the fellowship hour in memory of Eleni Kazantzis. May her memory be eternal.

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 86 Pledges totaling $148,795 and $92,322 received to date. We also have 6 families who have contributed $12,046 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.

Thank you to those who attended the Parish Assembly on March 30th. As previously mentioned, you can access the materials covered during this Assembly as well as previous Assemblies by clicking on the following link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vkSmagX_ll7VSLzDASMQmdMY_2VVzm8K?usp=drive_link

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: .

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!

Palm Crosses will be available on through Palm Sunday. The cost is $10.

We are continuing with our membership drive that will continue to the May elections. 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

Come join Philoptochos as we decorate Christ's tomb on Holy Friday following morning services. Please bring sharp scissors to cut flowers. Many hands are needed to decorate the Church.

Save the Date: Our next senior Parea event is Tuesday, May 6th at 12:00 p.m. in the fellowship hall. Please note the DATE change for our last Parea before summer. We will meet the second Tuesday in June { June 10th } due to Festival prep.

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.

GOYA: The GOYA will be collecting quarters and monetary donations for Family Promise of Hunterdon County for their Lenten project. The organization works with those who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness in our community. Quarters are needed to assist clients with laundry at the laundromat. Your donations are greatly appreciated.

Sunday School: Please have your children join the Sunday School teachers in the middle classroom for a Lenten Retreat guided walk through on Palm Sunday (April 13, 2025) to learn and discuss Holy Week material.

Myrrh-Bearers (Myrophores): Kristen Diagelakis will be coordinating the Myrrh-bearers (Myrophores) during Holy Friday evening service on April 18th. Girls between ages 5-12 are welcome. Contact Kristen via email at j[email protected] if interested.

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 information about monthly meetings and events, please reach out to Steven Tattoli at yal‑[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 - Pascha is almost here. Kali Anastasi! Stop by the book store for great Pascha gift ideas. We're featuring beautiful Easter Candles made by the nuns at Holy Protection Monastery. Other merchandise includes relgious mugs, prayer ropes, Easter greeting cards, a variety of childrens Easter books, and adult spiritual books.Questions? send email to [email protected].

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]

Saints and Feasts

April 06

Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt

The memory of this Saint is celebrated on April 1, where her life is recorded. Since the end of the holy Forty Days is drawing nigh, it has been appointed for this day also, so that if we think it hard to practice a little abstinence forty days, we might be roused by the heroism of her who fasted in the wilderness forty-seven years; and also that the great loving-kindness of God, and His readiness to receive the repentant, might be demonstrated in very deed.

April 06

Eutychius, Patriarch of Constantinople

Born in Theia Kome of Phrygia, Eutychius was the son of illustrious parents, from whom he received a pious upbringing. He studied in Constantinople, and became a monk in a certain monastery of Amasia. In 552 he was chosen Patriarch of New Rome, but was exiled in 565 as a result of the machinations of the Origenists. In 577 he was restored to his throne and reposed on April 6, 582.

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 Letter to the Hebrews 9:11-14.

BRETHREN, when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the Holy Place, taking not the blood of goats and calves but his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt
The Reading is from Mark 10:32-45

At that time, Jesus took his twelve disciples, and he began to tell them what was to happen to him, saying, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, and deliver him to the Gentiles; and they will mock him, and spit upon him, and scourge him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise." And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to him, and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you." And he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?" And they said to him, "Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory." But Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?" And they said to him, "We are able." And Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared." And when the ten heard it, they began to be indignant of James and John. And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are supposed to rule over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

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 Sun. of St. Mary of Egypt in the Plagal 4th Tone

In thee the image was preserved with exactness, O Mother; for taking up thy cross, thou didst follow Christ, and by thy deeds thou didst teach us to overlook the flesh, for it passeth away, but to attend to the soul since it is immortal. Wherefore, O righteous Mary, thy spirit rejoiceth with the Angels.

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 2nd Tone

O Protection of Christians that cannot be put to shame, mediation unto the creator most constant: O despise not the voices of those who have sinned; but be quick, O good one, to come unto our aid, who in faith cry unto thee: Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, O thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee.

Bulletin Inserts:

Take and Bake

Holiday Fundraiser

2025_Flowers_Appeal Letter

We pray that all of you are healthy as we journey through Lent. We are writing to you to ask for your kind generosity once again as we prepare for this most beautiful time of the church year.

Palm Sunday Luncheon 2025

Sunday April 13, 2025. We will be having our annual Palm Sunday Fish Luncheon following the Palm Sunday Liturgy.

2025 St Anna Stewardship Pledge Card

PDF copy of 2025 St Anna Stewardship Pledge Card

2025 Philoptochos Membership Application

01-2025 Memorial Koliva Order Form

St. Anna Ladies Philoptochos is offering the service of preparing Koliva, the boiled and sweetened wheat berries, for any memorial service needed. Please contact Father Jimmy directly to schedule the memorial service. If you would like to place an order, please complete the form.

General Information

Contact Information

Services Schedule

Past Bulletins