St. George News and Events

Sunday Service
Orthros 8:30 am
Divine Liturgy 9:30 am

1 year Memorial for Efrosini Kelesides. The Exarchoulakos and Kelesides families will be hosting lunch in the hall following Divine Liturgy.

General Announcements

From Fr. Jim

Children in Church

Our children are blessings from our Lord. We are entrusted to provide and equip them with the proper tools to one day navigate through life with its joys and challenges. Church is one environment where we can begin to show children proper behaviors that will benefit them through life. Scripture tells us to raise them with wisdom and instruction. Each age has its own challenges. Each age has the potential for growth. Teach your children how to behave while in church. There is a proper prayer attitude. There is proper respect to be shown to all the people who are here to pray with them.

For those with infants and toddlers, it's never too early to show them proper posture in prayer. Yes, prayer can be singing and prayer is also quiet. Prayer is subtle movement in place. Prayer is not playtime. Prayer is a time to focus our attention toward God.

For older children, it is time to show them what is written in our Liturgical Books. Teach them to follow along while we read and singing the services. As Psalm 46:10 teaches us “Be still and know that I am God”. Prayer teaches us how to be attuned to our God. Prayer in church helps us to be disciplined in worship.

House blessings have started

Please contact our church secretary Susan at 325-8694

or via email at [email protected]

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This sign up is NOT for memorials, please contact the secretary at the above number or email to schedule your memorial.

Why Coffee Hour?

-Fellowship

-Most of us are hungry, especially children

-Coffee goes well with a snack

-Keeps us united as a parish

Coffee Hour Ideas:

Cookies of any kind

Donuts- regular or mini

Fruit

Yogurt cups

Bagels and cream cheese

Muffins

Cheese and crackers

Granola bars

Raw Veggies and dip

Chips and salsa

Bottled water is always needed

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:8-9)

Contact Joyce Cisneros at [email protected] to be added to the coffee hour schedule.

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Presvytera Anna cornett will be in town next week and she will teach us how to make the prosphora on Wednesday January 24 @5:00pm at the church hall, if anybody like to join welcome.

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PHILOPTOCHOS

Philoptochos General Meeting Sunday January 21st after Divine Liturgy in the hall. Please join us as we discuss exciting new opportunities to be charitable with our time, talent and treasures this coming year. Anyone interested in our philanthropic endeavors is encouraged to attend - see you then!

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The Philoptochos Society would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year and thank those who came to church and supported our recent fundraising Vasilopita event. We raised over $1100, Glory to God for all things!

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Philoptochos is selling tickets to this year's Mardi Gras Bingo Fundraising Event to be held on Saturday February 3rd from 11AM - 2PM and is to benefit the Valley Center for the Blind and our other Philoptochos Charities. This is a family and community wide event. We have a limited number of tickets available - so get yours early - WE ALWAYS SELL OUT! This event is filled with lots of FUN from Bingo, Beautiful Baskets to be raffled off and above all Fellowship! Tickets are $40 each and must be purchased before the event. Tickets will NOT BE SOLD AT THE DOOR. If you want to reserve a FULL TABLE of 8 - please contact Elaine Dorlis directly.

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Interested in learning Greek?

St George is offering Greek School on Sunday's 11:30am-1:30pm. Please see attached registration form and General Information & Expectations. Some classes have started, but if interested, please call Kathy Exarchoulakos 661-805-4736.
Please see the registration form and general info documents at the end of this bulletin.

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Cick here or the image above to buy tickets via PayPal or Credit Card

All proceeds benefit St. George Greek Orthodox Church - Bakersfield

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SUNDAY SCHOOL

Sunday School has started, Sunday October 29th.

If anyone is interested in being a teacher please contact Stavros at 808-778-3757.

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Youth Group Announcements

Youth Group

*Donations to St. George Youth Group are always welcome!

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Stavros will continue with evening reader services
Thursday through Saturday 6pm

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Secretary office hours are 9 am to 1 pm, Monday through Friday.
Please note these hours may need to be adjusted on occasion.

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If you want to be included in the email announcements and notices, please send your email to [email protected] or call church office, 325-8694 and give your info and request to be added.
Note: This is separate from the bulletin.
This is the fastest way to get updated for services changes and other important church information.

If you are not receiving the bulletin, either send your name & email to [email protected] or apply from our website here, or directly here or call church office, 325-8694 and give your info and request to be added to the weekly bulletin.

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OUR BOOK STORE, GIFT SHOP & LIBRARY

Open every Sunday following Divine Liturgy and by appointment, by calling 661.342.2407
Special orders available.

ALL are welcome, stop by, check out the variety of gifts, books & icons.

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Senior Zoomers

Our 55 and over group, self named The Senior Zoomers, meets Wednesdays at 11:00am on Zoom. Join us for good conversation and activity planning during our weekly meetings. To join us click the follow link, or go to Zoom.us and enter the meeting ID and passcode located below.Click --> Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 843 4423 5872
Passcode: 510033
By Phone Dial: (669)900-9128

Morning Bible Study

Meet with Fr. Jim Pappas Wednesday at 9:30am on ZOOM for Morning Bible Study. We look forward to studying God’s word together.Click --> Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 863 0526 5618
Passcode: 537328
By Phone Dial: (669)900-9128

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Stewardship

2024 Stewardship News

Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath given thee.

Deuteronomy 16:17

Please see attached informational trifold and the stewardship form at the end of this bulletin.

God bless you and your families.

[email protected]

Donate here via paypal or Credit Card

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"Every Christian, without exception, ought to dwell always in prayer."

- St. Gregory Palamas

Click here to read more and get the app for daily prayer

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PARISH COUNCIL

Congratulations to our 2024 Parish Council members.

You may visit our website for the list of members & officers at Parish Council
Next Parish Council meeting is 1/25/24 at 7:00pm at the back office.

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Social Media & website

Follow and join us on Facebook

St George Greek Orthodox Church of Bakersfield

St George Christian Outreach Facebook Page

St George Greek Orthodox Church of Bakersfield YouTube channel

Legacy

Leave your mark!
Consider naming St. George Church as a beneficiary on your life insurance policy. It's a great legacy gift to your parish and very easy to do...just ask your provider for the change beneficiary form and complete and return to them. The legal name for the church is Hellenic Community St. George Church Tax ID #95-3575365 God bless you.

Endowment

Click here to read how you can leave a lasting legacy to your parish.
Church Beautification and Capital Improvements. Click here for the 2021 update.

Text Notifications

If you would like to be part of our system, please provide your phone number to the church secretary at [email protected].

This service will only be used to notify parishioners of any changes to service times or to provide information on events or occurrences that affect the entire parish. We see this as being used infrequently but feel that we need to an effective way to communicate important information quickly.

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Prayers for Thanksgiving-Healing and Help:

Please add to your daily prayers

Orthodox: Chris Paul, Penny, Kyriakos, Eleni, Spiros, Fred, John, Ernie, George, Abram, Vickie, Elaina, Maher, Nabel, Magdy, Daniel, Natalia and family, Nickolas, Irene, Pamela, Virginia, Paraskevi, Michael, Dimitris, Margarita, Jennifer, Nikolas, Pamela.

Non-Orthodox: Judith, Nayeli and David, Peggy, Patricia

For the rest of the soul of our departed:

Orthodox: Penny, Fr. Daregas, Vasiliki, Vasilli, Fouad, Bert, Nicolas, Louise, George, George, Sooad, Leonid, Nikos, Vivian, John, Mary, Louise, Nektarios, Nicholas, Elephtheria, Kyriakos, Candess, George Lardakis.

2024 PROSPHORO OFFERING

Father Jim would like the Prosphoro brought to the church Sunday morning between 7:30 AM and no later than 8:30 AM. We are looking for more people to make the blessed bread. Please approach Father if interested to be put on the 2023 baking schedule for prosphora then let Joyce Cisneros know. Learn More

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JANUARY

ANNIVERSARIES

1/9 Tom & Elaine Dorlis

BIRTHDAYS

1/2 Melena Cain

1/3 Hesham Ayoub

1/3 Athina Kinsley

1/6 Cathleen Budy

1/9 Chris McNaughton

1/11 Alexandra Valos

1/14 Angela Becerra

1/16 Fentanesh Birehanu

1/16 Pamela Yanney

1/18 Achilles Canellis

1/21 Matt Jennings

1/24 Chuy Cisneros

1/24 Sofia Asmerom

1/25 Joseph Chaffee

If your Anniversary or Birthday is not listed and would like to be added or if it's incorrect, please contact the editor at [email protected]

PLEASE NOTE: All bulletin announcements must be received each week by 5:00 pm Wednesday to be included in the Sunday bulletin for that week.

A note from the publisher: PLEASE READ CONTENT AFTER THE CALENDAR, THERE MAY BE MORE, there may be inserts of interest!

If you have ANY kind of a challenge reading this bulletin or ANY part of it, like unable to or know how to open various inserts at the end of the bulletin, PLEASE DONOT HESITATE, contact me at [email protected]
I'll be happy to help you! And any and all suggestions for improvement are welcome!

Please send email with your request or suggestion to [email protected]

TEMPORARILY THE CALENDAR WILL NOT BE INCLUDED IN THE BULLETIN WHILE WE ARE UPDATING. WE WILL KEEP YOU POSTED.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. First Tone. Psalm 32.22,1.
Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to Timothy 4:9-15.

Timothy, my son, the saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and suffer reproach, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. Command and teach these things. Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Till I come, attend to the public reading of scripture, to preaching, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophetic utterance when the council of elders laid their hands upon you. Practice these duties, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress.

Προκείμενον. First Tone. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 32.22,1.
Γένοιτο, Κύριε, τὸ ἔλεός σου ἐφ' ἡμᾶς.
Στίχ. Ἀγαλλιᾶσθε δίκαιοι ἐν Κυρίῳ

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Τιμόθεον α' 4:9-15.

Τέκνον Τιμόθεε, πιστὸς ὁ λόγος καὶ πάσης ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιος. Εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ κοπιῶμεν καὶ ὀνειδιζόμεθα, ὅτι ἠλπίκαμεν ἐπὶ θεῷ ζῶντι, ὅς ἐστιν σωτὴρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, μάλιστα πιστῶν. Παράγγελλε ταῦτα καὶ δίδασκε. Μηδείς σου τῆς νεότητος καταφρονείτω, ἀλλὰ τύπος γίνου τῶν πιστῶν ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν ἀναστροφῇ, ἐν ἀγάπῃ, ἐν πνεύματι, ἐν πίστει, ἐν ἁγνείᾳ. Ἕως ἔρχομαι, πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει, τῇ παρακλήσει, τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ. Μὴ ἀμέλει τοῦ ἐν σοὶ χαρίσματος, ὃ ἐδόθη σοι διὰ προφητείας μετὰ ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου. Ταῦτα μελέτα, ἐν τούτοις ἴσθι, ἵνα σου ἡ προκοπὴ φανερὰ ᾖ ἐν πᾶσιν.

البروكيمنون. First Tone. مزمور 32: 22، 1.
لتكن يا رب رحمتك علينا
Verse: ابتهجوا بالرب يا أبراره

فصل من رسالة بولس الاولى الى تيموثاوس 4: 9-15.

يَا وَلَدي تِيمُوثَاوُس، صَادِقَةٌ هِيَ الْكَلِمَةُ وَمُسْتَحِقَّةٌ كُلَّ قُبُولٍ. لأَنَّنَا لِهَذَا نَتْعَبُ وَنُعَيَّرُ، لأَنَّنَا قَدْ أَلْقَيْنَا رَجَاءَنَا عَلَى اللهِ الْحَيِّ، الَّذِي هُوَ مُخَلِّصُ جَمِيعِ النَّاسِ وَلاَ سِيَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ. أَوْصِ بِهَذَا وَعَلِّمْ. لاَ يَسْتَهِنْ أَحَدٌ بِحَدَاثَتِكَ، بَلْ كُنْ قُدْوَةً لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي الْكَلاَمِ، فِي التَّصَرُّفِ، فِي الْمَحَبَّةِ، فِي الرُّوحِ، فِي الإِيمَانِ، فِي الطَّهَارَةِ. إِلَى أَنْ أَجِيءَ اعْكُفْ عَلَى الْقِرَاءَةِ وَالْوَعْظِ وَالتَّعْلِيمِ. لاَ تُهْمِلِ الْمَوْهِبَةَ الَّتِي فِيكَ الْمُعْطَاةَ لَكَ بِالنُّبُوَّةِ مَعَ وَضْعِ أَيْدِي الْمَشْيَخَةِ. اهْتَمَّ بِهَذَا. كُنْ فِيهِ، لِكَيْ يَكُونَ تَقَدُّمُكَ ظَاهِراً فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ.

Gospel Reading

15th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 19:1-10

At that time, Jesus was passing through Jericho. And there was a man named Zacchaios; he was a chief collector, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaios, make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today." So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchaios stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have defrauded any one of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost."

15th Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 19:1-10

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, διήρχετο τὴν ῾Ιεριχώ· καὶ ἰδοὺ ἀνὴρ ὀνόματι καλούμενος Ζακχαῖος, καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν ἀρχιτελώνης, καὶ οὗτος ἦν πλούσιος, καὶ ἐζήτει ἰδεῖν τὸν ᾿Ιησοῦν τίς ἐστι, καὶ οὐκ ἠδύνατο ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄχλου, ὅτι τῇ ἡλικίᾳ μικρὸς ἦν. καὶ προδραμὼν ἔμπροσθεν ἀνέβη ἐπὶ συκομορέαν, ἵνα ἴδῃ αὐτόν, ὅτι ἐκείνης ἤμελλε διέρχεσθαι. καὶ ὡς ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον, ἀναβλέψας ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶδεν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· Ζακχαῖε, σπεύσας κατάβηθι· σήμερον γὰρ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου δεῖ με μεῖναι. καὶ σπεύσας κατέβη, καὶ ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν χαίρων. καὶ ἰδόντες πάντες διεγόγγυζον λέγοντες ὅτι παρὰ ἁμαρτωλῷ ἀνδρὶ εἰσῆλθε καταλῦσαι. σταθεὶς δὲ Ζακχαῖος εἶπε πρὸς τὸν Κύριον· ἰδοὺ τὰ ἡμίση τῶν ὑπαρχόντων μου, Κύριε, δίδωμι τοῖς πτωχοῖς, καὶ εἴ τινός τι ἐσυκοφάντησα, ἀποδίδωμι τετραπλοῦν. εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς ὅτι σήμερον σωτηρία τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ ἐγένετο, καθότι καὶ αὐτὸς υἱὸς ᾿Αβραάμ ἐστιν. ἦλθε γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ζητῆσαι καὶ σῶσαι τὸ ἀπολωλός.

15th Sunday of Luke
لوقا 19: 1-10

¹ في ذلك الزمان فيما يسوع مجْتَازَ فِي أَرِيحَا.²وَإِذَا رَجُلٌ اسْمُهُ زَكَّا ، وَهُوَ رَئِيسٌ لِلْعَشَّارِينَ وَكَانَ غَنِيّاً،³وَطَلَبَ أَنْ يَرَى يَسُوعَ مَنْ هُوَ ، وَلَمْ يَقْدِرْ مِنَ الْجَمْعِ ، لأَنَّهُ كَانَ قَصِيرَ الْقَامَةِ.⁴فَرَكَضَ مُتَقَدِّماً وَصَعِدَ إِلَى جُمَّيْزَةٍ لِكَيْ يَرَاهُ ، لأَنَّهُ كَانَ مُزْمِعاً أَنْ يَمُرَّ مِنْ هُنَاكَ.⁵فَلَمَّا جَاءَ يَسُوعُ إِلَى الْمَكَانِ ، نَظَرَ إِلَى فَوْقُ فَرَآهُ ، وَقَالَ لَهُ: ((يَا زَكَّا ، أَسْرِعْ وَانْزِلْ ، لأَنَّهُ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ أَمْكُثَ الْيَوْمَ فِي بَيْتِكَ)).⁶فَأَسْرَعَ وَنَزَلَ وَقَبِلَهُ فَرِحاً.⁷فَلَمَّا رَأَى الْجَمِيعُ ذَلِكَ تَذَمَّرُوا قَائِلِينَ: ((إِنَّهُ دَخَلَ لِيَبِيتَ عِنْدَ رَجُلٍ خَاطِئٍ)).⁸فَوَقَفَ زَكَّا وَقَالَ لِلرَّبِّ: ((هَا أَنَا يَا رَبُّ أُعْطِي نِصْفَ أَمْوَالِي لِلْمَسَاكِينِ ، وَإِنْ كُنْتُ قَدْ وَشَيْتُ بِأَحَدٍ أَرُدُّ أَرْبَعَةَ أَضْعَافٍ)).⁹فَقَالَ لَهُ يَسُوعُ: ((الْيَوْمَ حَصَلَ خَلاَصٌ لِهَذَا الْبَيْتِ ، إِذْ هُوَ أَيْضاً ابْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ،¹⁰لأَنَّ ابْنَ الإِنْسَانِ قَدْ جَاءَ لِكَيْ يَطْلُبَ وَيُخَلِّصَ مَا قَدْ هَلَكَ)).

Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the First Tone

Although the stone was sealed by the Jews, and the soldiers guarded Your most pure body, You arose on the third day, O Savior, giving life to the world. For this reason, the heavenly powers cried out to you, O Giver of Life: Glory to Your resurrection, O Christ! Glory to Your kingdom! Glory to Your dispensation, only Lover of Mankind!

Τοῦ λίθου σφραγισθέντος ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ στρατιωτῶν φυλασσόντων τὸ ἄχραντόν σου σῶμα, ἀνέστης τριήμερος Σωτήρ, δωρούμενος τῷ κόσμῳ τὴν ζωήν. Διὰ τοῦτο αἱ Δυνάμεις τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐβόων σοι Ζωοδότα· Δόξα τῇ ἀναστάσει σου Χριστέ, δόξα τῇ Βασιλείᾳ σου, δόξα τῇ οἰκονομίᾳ σου, μόνε Φιλάνθρωπε.

ان الحجر لما ختم من اليهود ، وجسدك الطاهر حُفظ من الجند ، قمت في اليوم الثالث ايها المخلص ، مانحاً العالم الحياة فلذلك قوات السماوات هتفوا اليك ياواهب الحياة : المجد لقيامتك ايها المسيح ، المجد لملكك ، المجد لتدبيرك يامحب البشر وحدك.

Apolytikion for Ephraim the Syrian in the Plagal Fourth Tone

With the streams of thy tears, thou didst cultivate the barrenness of the desert; and by thy sighings from the depths,thou didst bear fruit a hundredfold in labours; and thou becamest a luminary, shining with miracles upon the world, O Ephraim our righteous Father. Intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

Ταίς τών δακρύων σου ροαίς, τής ερήμου τό άγονον εγεώργησας, καί τοίς εκ βάθους στεναγμοίς, εις εκατόν τούς πόνους εκαρποφόρησας, καί γέγονας φωστήρ, τή οικουμένη λάμπων τοίς θαύμασι, Εφραίμ Πατήρ ημών, Όσιε, Πρέσβευε Χριστώ τώ Θεώ, σωθήναι τάς ψυχάς ημών.

للبرية غير المثمرة بمجاري دموعك أمرعت، وبالتنهدات التي من الأعماق أثمرت بأتعابك إلى مئة ضعف، فصرت كوكباً للمسكونة متلألئاً، ياأبانا البار أفرام، فتشفع إلى المسيح الاله أن يخلص نفوسنا.

Seasonal Kontakion in the First 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.

Ὁ μήτραν παρθενικὴν ἁγιάσας τῶ τόκω σου, καὶ χείρας τοῦ Συμεὼν εὐλογήσας ὡς ἔπρεπε, προφθάσας καὶ νὺν ἔσωσας ἡμᾶς Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός. Ἀλλ' εἰρήνευσον ἐν πολέμοις τὸ πολίτευμα, καὶ κραταίωσον Βασιλεῖς οὓς ἠγάπησας, ὁ μόνος φιλάνθρωπος.