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!
MEMORY ETERNAL! A memorial service will be prayed for Themistoklis Akrivakis (father of Spyro) at the two year anniversary of his repose. May God grant eternal memory to Themistoklis and peace and comfort to all the family members.
FELLOWSHIP HOUR today (Sunday, May 25) is hosted by the Akrivakis family in memory of Spyro's father, Themistoklis, whose two year memorial is offered for the repose of his soul today. There is no need for parishioners to bring dishes for the table today.
TODAY, SUNDAY, is board game afternoon here at St. George. Right after fellowship hour--plan on it. Thanks to Gabrielle for organizing this monthly event!
CEMETERY VISITS Fr. is willing and available to meet any parishioner at a cemetery to offer prayers for departed loved ones on this Memorial Day weekend. Please coordinate with him after the Divine Liturgy. God rest the souls of all our loved ones who gave their lives through the armed services--Memory Eternal!
NEXT SUNDAY, JUNE 1, WE HAVE A WEDDING PLANNED The Orthodox sacrament of marriage will be celebrated for Michael and Gabrielle next Sunday, June 1, following the morning's Divine Liturgy. Service will begin at noon. The couple is 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. is collecting funds today for the parish gift table, she can accept cash or check in any amount toward the parish gift. Participation in the gift table is an option, not an obligation, you can provide a gift on your own; (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. George Z's father, also named George, is in failing health at this time. Please pray for peace and trust in God for him. Innocent broke his foot this past week and it's expected to take a couple months to recover. Please pray for him as he learns to navigate in the interim and that pain be mitigated; Gabrielle's step-dad, Charlie, suffered first and second degree burns as a result of an accident last week, pray for his speedy recovery--he is uncomfortable, but managing; Eleni's friend, Catherine, will have surgery for an aneurysm on June 23; Patrick's uncle John is undergoing serious health challenges: difficulty swallowing, significant weight loss, and pulmonary embolism. He is a small business owner and cannot work at this point. He requests prayer support. Summarized requests from past weeks: for Fr. Leo (continued improvement for mobility in right arm); prayers of protection for Mona's family still living in Pakistan; for Mark, UMaine student working with Project Mexico this summer and doing a semester at Hellenic College this fall before returning to Maine; an anonymous request for a beloved family member of a parishioner who has transitioned to hospice care. Also, for Nick and Darrell, two men afflicted with serious illnesses. Also pray for healing for 3 year old Lorenzo, sometimes afflicted with unexplained seizures. Also, for Victoria (healing from knee surgery); Grigori (Gary) healing from DVT (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 with kathisma #1 this Wednesday, May 28 and will continue through June 16. Jump in for an edifying 20 days of Scripture reading. Drop me (Pres.) a note if you're "in," and your name will be added to a prayer list. All Psalter prayer partners receive a list of prayer partner first names to remember in prayer daily. If you've not prayed through the book of Psalms before I'll send you a "how to" as well. 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 you can use: 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/.
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 ARE IN THE BOOKSTORE $15.95.

FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE - Donations can be made online.