News, Events and Announcements

COMMEMORATIONS THIS WEEK Monday, 9/23 - Conception of St. John the Baptist; Ss. Xanthippe & Polyxene; Tuesday, 9/24 - St. Thekla, Equal to the Apostles; St. Silouan of Athos; Wednesday, 9/25, St. Euphrosyne of Alexandria; Thursday, 9/26 Falling Asleep of St. John the Evangelist and Theologian.

MEMORY ETERNAL! Mona's grandmother, Barket, will be remembered this morning with memorial prayers for a blessed repose. May God rest Barket's soul with all the beloved of God and grant peace and consolation to the hearts of Mona, Anthony and family.

SUNDAY SCHOOL IS ON! Please join Mrs. Bucklin for another session of Sunday School this academic year. She is teaching from the Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles--the theme is "Salvation to the Ends of the Earth." If you are ages 6-12, this class is for you! We're learning together about the beautiful life of our Lord Jesus and how the Good News is spread to the ends of the Earth! Thank you, Mrs. Bucklin!

SINCERE THANKS to all who bring food dishes to share during fellowship hour, your kind generosity is always appreciated!

PROSFORA BAKING IS A MINISTRY For an Orthodox Christian, baking the Bread of Offering which becomes the Body of Christ for Holy Communion is a sacred offering. In Greek a single loaf of this bread is called " prosforo." Multiples loaves are "prosfora." Our church is always benefitted by receiving these breads--any excess loaves go into the freezer for future use. Please if you can and are willing, become a baker of this sacred bread for love of Christ and the ministry of our Holy Church. We do have need of loaves at this time. If you have not already ordered a bread stamp and want to be a baker, let Presbytera know. A bread stamp costs $20 and is continually re-usable. Please let Fr. know if you plan to bake prosfora occasionally ([email protected] or 207.385.3000).

PRAYER REQUESTS Please continue to remember two Orthodox sisters in Christ recovering from strokes (slow, but sure), Panagiota (Jaye) and Seraphima (Linnea). Also, please remember Pat Egan whose eyesight is limiting her options, but not her enthusiasm for serving the Christ and the Church--thank God! Pat even reported some improvement in her eyesight this past week (September 20) so this is wonderful news! Your prayers for these dear women will be of great assistance.

BIG THANK YOU FROM FR. LEO Fr. suffered a recent bout of cellulitis which put him out of commission last Sunday. Although not 100% gone, the condition is vastly improved. We are grateful to everyone who's been praying for healing for Fr. Leo! He is taking medicine and hopes to see his leg return to a state of greater normalcy before long. His intention is to celebrate the Divine Liturgy this morning. God grant strength and healing to Your servant!

YES! THE GREEK DANCE IS ON THE HORIZON Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 2. Our annual Greek Dance will be held once again at Wellman Commons, 300 Union Street, Bangor (our usual location) from 7-11PM. Enjoy great Greek food including gyro bar, baklava, wine & beer. LIVE Greek dance music! $40 in advance, $45 at the door. $10 for 17 and under, must be accompanied by an adult. Advance tickets available at Angelo's Pizza in Bangor. Free Greek dance lessons on the two Wednesday nights preceding the dance--October 23 and October 30 from 7-8PM, here at St. George, 90 Sanford Street in Bangor. Sorry, no Silent Auction this year. All proceeds benefit the mission of St. George Greek Orthodox Church (founded in 1926).

GETTING READY FOR THE GREEK DANCE Help us stuff some envelopes after services on Sunday morning, Sept 29. Take some Greek Dance announcement flyers home with you and post at local businesses and/or work place to get the word out. Invite a friend or friends to attend the dance and bring them along for free dance lessons to get in the groove. Sell tickets or buy them as gifts for others. The energy and commraderie at the dance is always wonderful! Be willing to prepare dishes for the buffet table on the night of the dance. Cynthia will be asking for donations of prepared dishes to make the buffet bountiful that night. Please be generous inasmuch as you're able. This event has always been very well received by our community and friends. So, don't hesitate to get involved and invite others for an enjoyable night together--live music, great food, fun on othe dance floor. See you there!

IT'S TIME TO SAY THANKS AGAIN AND ASK FOR A LEG UP Our stewardship chair wants to express a sincere thank you for the stewards and other givers who help keep us going financially throughout the year. We couldn't function well without you! At this point in time, funds are running low and we're facing the fall/winter seasons. We respectfully ask that pledges be faithfully fulfilled so we can make it through the seasons and end the year in the black and not in the red. We're a modest sized congregation in a cold part of the country so let us pull together and help make sure bills will be covered as have been in the past. We are grateful to each and every one of you and how you are motivated for love of God and St. George who watches and prays for us all. Thanks so much! Donna Walter

FINANCIALS Our Stewardship Chair reports that we are currently at -$9467 and again seeks your generosity and pledge fulfillment so that we can reasonably manage the finances through the end of this year. Thanks in advance!

LOOKING FOR A MEAL COORDINATOR Is there anyone among us who would like to work with our parish community and the Bangor Salvation Army to coordinate preparation of occasional hot casseroles to feed our city's homeless? If so, please contact Susan Brountas for details: 207.745.9167.

FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE - Donations can be made online.

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Saints and Feasts

September 22

1st Sunday of Luke

September 22

Phocas the Martyr, Bishop of Sinope

This saint was known for the many miracles he worked and for his apostolic zeal in shepherding the flock of Sinope. He contested for the Faith during the reign of the Emperor Trajan, in the year 102, when he was burned to death in a bath-house. A homily in his honour was composed by Saint John Chrysostom. The translation of his holy relics is celebrated on July 23.

Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Προκείμενον. Fourth Tone. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 103.24,1.
Ὡς ἐμεγαλύνθη τὰ ἔργα σου Κύριε, πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας.
Στίχ. Εὐλόγει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Κορινθίους α' 16:13-24.

Ἀδελφοί, γρηγορεῖτε, στήκετε ἐν τῇ πίστει, ἀνδρίζεσθε, κραταιοῦσθε. Πάντα ὑμῶν ἐν ἀγάπῃ γινέσθω. Παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί - οἴδατε τὴν οἰκίαν Στεφανᾶ, ὅτι ἐστὶν ἀπαρχὴ τῆς Ἀχαΐας, καὶ εἰς διακονίαν τοῖς ἁγίοις ἔταξαν ἑαυτούς - ἵνα καὶ ὑμεῖς ὑποτάσσησθε τοῖς τοιούτοις, καὶ παντὶ τῷ συνεργοῦντι καὶ κοπιῶντι. Χαίρω δὲ ἐπὶ τῇ παρουσίᾳ Στεφανᾶ καὶ Φουρτουνάτου καὶ Ἀχαϊκοῦ, ὅτι τὸ ὑμῶν ὑστέρημα οὗτοι ἀνεπλήρωσαν. Ἀνέπαυσαν γὰρ τὸ ἐμὸν πνεῦμα καὶ τὸ ὑμῶν· ἐπιγινώσκετε οὖν τοὺς τοιούτους. Ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς αἱ ἐκκλησίαι τῆς Ἀσίας· ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς ἐν κυρίῳ πολλὰ Ἀκύλας καὶ Πρίσκιλλα, σὺν τῇ κατʼ οἶκον αὐτῶν ἐκκλησίᾳ. Ἀσπάζονται ὑμᾶς οἱ ἀδελφοὶ πάντες. Ἀσπάσασθε ἀλλήλους ἐν φιλήματι ἁγίῳ. Ὁ ἀσπασμὸς τῇ ἐμῇ χειρὶ Παύλου. Εἴ τις οὐ φιλεῖ τὸν κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, ἤτω ἀνάθεμα. Μαρὰν ἀθά. Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μεθʼ ὑμῶν. Ἡ ἀγάπη μου μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Ἀμήν.

Prokeimenon. Fourth Tone. Psalm 103.24,1.
O Lord, how manifold are your works. You have made all things in wisdom.
Verse: Bless the Lord, O my soul.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 16:13-24.

Brethren, be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. Now, brethren, you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints; I urge you to be subject to such men and to every fellow worker and laborer. I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicos, because they have made up for your absence; for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such men. The churches of Asia send greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. All the brethren send greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. If any one has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Gospel Reading

1st Sunday of Luke
Κατὰ Λουκᾶν 5:1-11

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἑστὼς ὁ Ἰησοῦς παρὰ τὴν λίμνην Γεννησαρέτ, καὶ εἶδε δύο πλοῖα ἑστῶτα παρὰ τὴν λίμνην· οἱ δὲ ἁλιεῖς ἀποβάντες ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἀπέπλυναν τὰ δίκτυα. ἐμβὰς δὲ εἰς ἓν τῶν πλοίων, ὃ ἦν τοῦ Σίμωνος, ἠρώτησεν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἐπαναγαγεῖν ὀλίγον· καὶ καθίσας ἐδίδασκεν ἐκ τοῦ πλοίου τοὺς ὄχλους. ὡς δὲ ἐπαύσατο λαλῶν, εἶπε πρὸς τὸν Σίμωνα· ἐπανάγαγε εἰς τὸ βάθος καὶ χαλάσατε τὰ δίκτυα ὑμῶν εἰς ἄγραν. καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Σίμων εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ἐπιστάτα, δι᾿ ὅλης τῆς νυκτὸς κοπιάσαντες οὐδὲν ἐλάβομεν· ἐπὶ δὲ τῷ ῥήματί σου χαλάσω τὸ δίκτυον. καὶ τοῦτο ποιήσαντες συνέκλεισαν πλῆθος ἰχθύων πολύ· διερρήγνυτο δὲ τὸ δίκτυον αὐτῶν. καὶ κατένευσαν τοῖς μετόχοις τοῖς ἐν τῷ ἑτέρῳ πλοίῳ τοῦ ἐλθόντας συλλαβέσθαι αὐτοῖς· καὶ ἦλθον καὶ ἔπλησαν ἀμφότερα τὰ πλοῖα, ὥστε βυθίζεσθαι αὐτά. ἰδὼν δὲ Σίμων Πέτρος προσέπεσε τοῖς γόνασιν ᾿Ιησοῦ λέγων· ἔξελθε ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι ἀνὴρ ἁμαρτωλός εἰμι, Κύριε· θάμβος γὰρ περιέσχεν αὐτὸν καὶ πάντας τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τῇ ἄγρᾳ τῶν ἰχθύων ᾗ συνέλαβον, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ᾿Ιάκωβον καὶ ᾿Ιωάννην, υἱοὺς Ζεβεδαίου, οἳ ἦσαν κοινωνοὶ τῷ Σίμωνι. καὶ εἶπε πρὸς τὸν Σίμωνα ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς· μὴ φοβοῦ· ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν ἀνθρώπους ἔσῃ ζωγρῶν. καὶ καταγαγόντες τὰ πλοῖα ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ἀφέντες ἅπαντα ἠκολούθησαν αὐτῷ.

1st Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 5:1-11

At that time, as Jesus was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets." And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." For he was astonished, and all who were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men." And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.