CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY HE IS RISEN! XRISTOS ANESTI! ALITHOS ANESTI!
This is the greeting of the season, so great is the Paschal Feast! From the first proclamation through Holy Ascension (May 29) this is how Orthodox rightly greet one another. So don't feel odd, instead, go ahead and proclaim the Resurrection of Christ to one another!
WELCOME TO OUR VISITORS Whether you are new to Bangor or if you're just passing through -welcome! If you've come because you are curious about the Orthodox Church, its beliefs and worship, you are very welcome, too! Please don't hesitate to introduce yourself to someone you've never met and consider staying for some refreshments and fellowship after the morning service. If you would like to receive mailings or otherwise stay in touch, please leave your contact information (name, address, phone, email) with the person in the church office.
SUNDAY SCHOOL is on a break until after Holy Pentecost. See you then!
FELLOWSHIP HOUR is a pleasurable time to have refreshments and visit. It is so much nicer when people contribute something for the table, so please, and thank you very much!
COMMEMORATIONS THIS WEEK Wednesday, May 21 - Ss. Constantine & Helen, Equal to the Apostles; Saturday, May 24 - St. Vincent of Lerins. God bless and encourage all those celebrating on these days with His on-going mercies and a deepening spiritual life, through the intercessions of these Saints!
MEMORY ETERNAL! This Friday, May 23, is the one year anniversary of the birth and unexpected departure of baby Mikhail Dougherty, son of Anthony and Mona. God gave his parents a brief time to know him on earth and then he was called to Holy Paradise. A Divine Liturgy of the Coptic Orthodox will be prayed at St. George this Saturday, May 24 beginning at 9AM. The family invites you to be present, if possible. The memories of baby Mikhail and Mona's father, Priest Anthony, recently reposed, will be commemorated at that time. A brunch in memory of their loved ones will follow. Please help the family bear their sorrows through your prayers. Thank you.
CONGRATULATIONS to Mr. & Mrs. Conlan Taylor (Conlan & Katya) who were married here at St. George last Sunday. They are off to a great start and have sent this note of thanks to our Community: "Many thanks to our friends at St. George for contributing to our wedding and the generous and thoughtful gift you brought us. We were very happy to see everyone who was able to support us at that special time, and look forward to sharing many more happy memories with all of you. In Christ, Conlan and Ekaterina Taylor."
A JUNE WEDDING IS COMING The Orthodox sacrament of marriage will be celebrated for Michael and Gabrielle on Sunday, June 1, following the morning's Divine Liturgy. They are looking forward to it and we are, too! You can help make it a special occasion by participating: (1) there will be a parish gift table - we pool our funds for gifts and turn it into something special for our couple. This is an option as well as an opportunity for parishioner participation. Pres. will collect funds this Sunday and next for the parish gift table, cash or check is fine; (2) there will be a festive buffet to help celebrate this joyous occasion. Please use this link and sign up to help make the meal a delightful experience (the spreadsheet automatically updates): https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IvYGoCHfK71AsNbH-ynlQCLV83INiDI9wWikXFSD63M/edit?usp=sharing These special events are made possible by our loving parish community--thank you!
PRAYER REQUESTS UPDATE Prayer changes things--let us support one another. A sincere note of praise! Mona was able to safely leave Pakistan late last week and is now back, safe and sound, at home with Anthony. They are very grateful for all the supportive prayers they received! They still ask for protective prayers for safety for Mona's family members who remain in the country. For Mark S, UMaine student, who will work with Project Mexico this summer and then spend fall semester at Hellenic College/Holy Cross before returning to Maine next spring. He has asked if he could be remembered in prayer while away. And an anonymous request: Please pray for a beloved family member of one of our parishioners who has transitioned to hospice care. Prayers are also requested for safety during the long and difficult travel it will require to see the family member. Finally, please pray for the rest of the family, as it has been very trying to navigate this medical condition. Thank you. Susan B has two family members who are afflicted with serious illnesses--please remember Nick and Darrell in your prayers. Young Lorenzo, age 3, is sometimes afflicted with seizures without medical explanation. Please pray our Lord and Panagia to relieve the child of seizures and bring complete healing.
Summarized requests from past weeks: for Fr. Leo (continued improvement for mobility in right arm); Victoria (healing after successful knee surgery); Grigori (Gary) healing from deep vein thrombosis (he's improving!); for Cathy (decisions regarding health), Matthew (attending seminary this fall), Paula (management of on-going health concern), ; Panagiota & Seraphima (stroke recovery) and Pat (managing eyesight health). Again, your prayers for these these brothers and sisters in Christ are of great assistance to each person being upheld.
BUILD YOUR SPIRITUAL MUSCLE There is much to be said for praying through the Book of Psalms routinely. Read about "the Power of the Psalter" by Metropolitan Neophytos of Morphou (Cyprus) here: https://www.orthodoxwitness.org/the-power-of-the-psalter/. We have a group that prays the Psalter from the beginning to end every 20 days. Would you like to join? We'll be starting over this Thursday, May 22 and will continue through June 10. Jump in for an edifying 20 days of Scripture reading. Participation gives you an option to opt in or out every session. If you'd like to purchase an Orthodox Psalter book (where Psalms are broken into portions known as kathismata, numbered 1-20) please let Pres. know and the bookstore will bring in a copy for you. Or you can order one directly from St. Tikhon's Press https://stmpress.com/collections/new-releases/products/the-holy-psalter. This is a hardcover book that will be used again and again throughout your Orthodox life, well worth the investment. For the techies and budget conscious among us, there is an on-line Orthodox Psalter: https://www.liturgy.io/orthodox-psalter
ORTHODOX PILGRIMAGE If you'd like to make a pilgrimage to an area with Orthodox heritage, consider checking into Fr. Ilya Gotlinsky's Orthodox Tours (https://orthodoxtours.com/). By joining a tour you can know your expenses up front, enjoy the company of other like minded people (and maybe even travel with friends!) Young adults, this might be a great thing to plan and do as a group in the not too distant future.
ORTHODOX BIBLE STUDY Here is a recommended resource for Bible Study for Orthodox Christians. Learn from Dr. Jeannie Constantinou, a well respected and engaging Orthodox Christian expositor. Visit her site and go deep into the Scriptures: https://orthodoxbiblestudy.info/ Read her bio here: https://orthodoxbiblestudy.info/about-your-professor/. Many of us have read books written by Dr. Constintinou already and been greatly edified. She has a second web site, as well: https://www.drjeannie.com/.
NEXT SUNDAY, MAY 25 is board game afternoon here at St. George. Right after fellowship hour--plan on it!
A NICE WAY TO HELP ST. GEORGE For an unspecified time, a family has offered to buy our bookshop stock as a donation so the church does not need to fund the stock purchases. That means whenever you buy from our bookshop St. George benefits a good bit. So please shop here and if there is a book or something else (icon, prayer rope, neck cross, bread seal, or the like) you're looking for, please let Pres. know so it can be ordered. Thanks for shopping here--and let Pres. know if you are looking for specific items or want to order a particular book.
NEW CATECHISM BOOKS HAVE ARRIVED $15.95.

FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE - Donations can be made online.