St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2025-04-27
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 the Week of April 27, 2025

Sunday 4/27/25  8:30 a.m.  Orthos / Divine Liturgy Sunday of St. Thomas

Today we are offering a memorial service for long-time parishioners Eleni Sideris (13 years) and Stefanos Sideris (11 years), beloved parents of Fay and Paul Vespa and Angela and Jorge Ferreira and the grandparents of Aleena, Phillip and Stefania Ferreira. May their memory be eternal. 
Today's fellowship hour is offered in their honor by the Ferreira family and Vespa family.

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" 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!

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

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 98 Pledges totaling $158,745 and $105,766 received to date.  We also have 5 families who have contributed $12,195 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.

NEW Information Display in the Narthex: Check out our new wall display where you can find parish information as well as informative brochures on the Holy Orthodox Faith. This is our new 'go-to' place for information. 

Opa Festival June 6-8 2025: 
* The Best Foodie Event in Hunterdon! Once again, our event was recently voted the BEST! It's Seventh award. Thanks to all who help make Opa! an astounding success & to all who voted. Opa '25 flyer is attached!
* Thank you!: Thanks to All who helped prepare our souvlaki and Baklava this week!
* Parishioner Sponsors Needed: As in prior years, we are seeking donations from parishioners to help offset the costs of the festival. This compliments our program to area businesses who sponsor our event. The Parishioner sponsor form is attached to this bulletin and is also in the Narthex wall kiosk. We look forward to another successful event!
* To stay up to date on Opa News: Please add [email protected] to your mailbox.
* More to come soon!

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:

Χριστός Ανέστη! / Christ is Risen!
Thank you for all your support during the Lenten and Holy Week periods, especially those that contributed toward the Easter Appeal.

On May 12th, the NJ Metropolis is hosting the annual Honoree Banquet. Please join us in congratulating this year's honorees:

Parish Council - Paul Costalas
Philoptochos - Iosifina Costalas
Community - Katina Foglia
Senior Steward - Constantine Kamnitsis
Greek School - Peter Grina
Sunday School - Marianna Bunce
Youth Advisor - Elizabeth Soteropoulos
GOYA - Adriana Tattoli

PHILOPTOCHOS CORNER: 

Xristos Anesti!

"Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said." ~ Matthew 28:5

Join us TODAY for a Philoptochos General Membership Meeting in the middle classroom after Liturgy!

We will begin baking for the festival This week
  April 28, April 29, May 8, and May 13. The start times will be at 10:00am for each day.
 Any and all help is appreciated!

 If anyone has any questions please see Popi or Aimee.
 Let us know that you can lend a hand. Thank you for volunteering for St Anna. 

As you all know, 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!

We are continuing our membership drive until the May elections. Please become a member of the St. Anna Philoptochos as we strive to help our neighbors and community!
“Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, it is more blessed to give than to receive.” – Acts 20:35 

Philoptochos will be collecting much needed items for the "Hunterdon County Global Health for Guatemala" drive.  
Items needed: empty prescription containers and trial size personal hygiene products. 
There is a Collection Box in the hallway with a "what's needed item list". Thank you as always with your generosity!

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.

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]. 

Junior Greek Dance: Practice will be today after Sunday School, 4/27 from 11:30 - 12:15.

College Care Ministry- Graduate Recognition: We would like to recognize all of our 2025 high school and college graduates (undergrad, post grad, and trade school) in our June bulletin. 
Please email [email protected] with the following information no later than 5/25/25.
* Graduate's Name
* If high school graduate: name of high school and college/trade school/other plans
* If college grad: college and degree conferred

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 - Christ is Risen! What a joyous time to continue feeding our spiritual needs with a new read from our bookstore. Stop by to look at all our new items. 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]

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Saints and Feasts

April 27

Thomas Sunday

Though the doors were shut at the dwelling where the disciples were gathered for fear of the Jews on the evening of the Sunday after the Passover, our Saviour wondrously entered and stood in their midst, and greeted them with His customary words, "Peace be unto you." Then He showed unto them His hands and feet and side; furthermore, in their presence, He took some fish and a honeycomb and ate before them, and thus assured them of His bodily Resurrection. But Thomas, who was not then present with the others, did not believe their testimony concerning Christ's Resurrection, but said in a decisive manner, "Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe." Wherefore after eight days, that is, on this day, when the disciples were again gathered together and Thomas was with them, the Lord Jesus came while the doors were shut, as He did formerly. Standing in their midst, He said, "Peace be unto you"; then He said to Thomas, "Bring hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and bring hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not unbelieving, but believing."

And Thomas, beholding and examining carefully the hands and side of the Master, cried out with faith, "My Lord and my God." Thus he clearly proclaimed the two natures - human and divine - of the God-man (Luke 24:36-49; John 20:19-29).

This day is called Antipascha (meaning "in the stead of Pascha," not "in opposition to Pascha") because with this day, the first Sunday after Pascha, the Church consecrates every Sunday of the year to the commemoration of Pascha, that is, the Resurrection.

April 27

The Holy Hieromartyr Symeon, Kinsman of the Lord

Symeon was a first cousin of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was the son of Clopas (or Cleopas, also called Alphaeus), the brother of Joseph the Betrothed. He became the second Bishop of Jerusalem, as a successor to James the Brother of God. He ended his life when he was crucified during the reign of Trajan, in 107, at the age of 120.

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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. 4th Tone. Psalm 146.5;134.3.
Great is our Lord, and great is his power.
Verse: Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.

The reading is from Acts of the Apostles 5:12-20.

In those days, many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high honor. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women, so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and pallets, that as Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on some of them. The people also gathered from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed. But the high priest rose up and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the common prison. But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, "Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life."

Gospel Reading

Thomas Sunday
The Reading is from John 20:19-31

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I will not believe." Eight days later, His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side; do not be faithless, but believing." Thomas answered Him, "My Lord and My God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in His name.

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Hymns of the Day

Apolytikion of Great and Holy Pascha in the Plagal 1st Tone

Christ is risen from the dead, by death hath He trampled down death, and on those in the graves hath He bestowed life.

Apolytikion for Thomas Sun. in the Grave Tone

Whilst the tomb was sealed, Thou, O Life, didst shine forth from the grave, O Christ God; and whilst the doors were shut, Thou didst come unto Thy disciples, O Resurrection of all, renewing through them an upright Spirit in us according to Thy great mercy.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal 4th Tone

Though You went down into the tomb, You destroyed Hades' power, and You rose the victor, Christ God, saying to the myrrh-bearing women, "Hail!" and granting peace to Your disciples, You who raise up the fallen.
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