Greeters

Annie Grigorian and Misael Jordan

Prosfora

William Clemons

Church School Information

Classes Meeting Upstairs After Holy Communion (as usual):

PreK–K: Fr. Perry’s Office
1st–3rd:  Conference Room

 Classes Meeting After Dismissal & Antithoron:

4th–6th: Church Sanctuary - Right Side when facing Altar
7th–9th: Quiet Room
10th–12th: Church Sanctuary - Left Side when facing Altar

Please refer to the Church School calendar for the full schedule and important dates throughout the year. Please register your children using this link: 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdeUDEixZZevXOrnJS3SdTxFDzN5lUIUK3XnYurs6wvcO_G3Q/viewform

Temporary Office Hours

Our Church Office is open Tuesdays 10:30 am-3:30 pm and Wednesdays 10:30 am-1:30 pm until January. If you plan to stop by, please call ahead or set up a time with Andrea, who is volunteering in the office. Thank you, Andrea! You can reach Andrea at the church phone number (651) 222-6220 or [email protected]. You can reach Sofia at [email protected].

If you have an emergency or pressing need, please call Fr. Perry at (651) 908-2208 or email him at [email protected]. To set up a meeting with Fr. Perry, please use this link: www.calendly.com/frperry.

Opt In to Hard Copy Quarterly Stewardship Statements

To increase administrative efficiency and save on paper and postage, we will email Quarterly Giving Statements only. End of year statements will still be mailed via USPS. Please opt in if you would still like to receive a hard copy of your quarterly statements by emailing Sofia at [email protected] or calling the church office and letting us know.

Hall Rentals at St. George

As the construction project nears completion, please note the new hall rental rates for parishioners. Our hall is a beautiful option for your wedding and baptism receptions, and other special events.

• Hall: $300 for the first 4 hours, plus $75 per additional hour
• Kitchen: $100 for the first 4 hours, plus $50 per additional hour
• Administrative Fee: $200 per rental
• Refundable Deposit: $200, returned following satisfactory cleanup

Submit applications and payment to the Church Office for approval. Payment is due at least two weeks before the event. Please contact Sofia by email at [email protected] for additional information and rental arrangements. We will begin taking reservations in January.

Philoptochos Christmas Market Preview

This Sunday, be sure to stop by our Philoptochos Christmas Market Preview! Discover a wonderful selection of thoughtfully curated holiday gifts, handmade treasures, and delicious treats, with a few new surprises along the way!

And don't forget Sunday Best Coffee! Our delicious coffee blends make wonderful gifts for teachers, friends, and the coffee lovers on your Christmas list—or a little treat for yourself!

Every purchase helps support the charitable outreach and ministries of Philoptochos. Shop with purpose, give with heart, and help us make a difference!

This Month at FOCUS

It's November, which means we are preparing for Thanksgiving at FOCUS.  Our November food shelf will be largely focused on Thanksgiving foods, including turkeys.  Please consider donating side dishes - mashed potato & stuffing mixes, canned green beans, cranberries, etc.  We will also need extra help handing out the food at our monthly food shelf- join us and bring some friends - Saturday, Nov. 21. 9:30am-12:30pm. Here is the sign up link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/MNFOCUSfoodshelf#/

Our next teen volunteering opportunity will be Saturday, Nov 14, 2-4pm. at FOCUS.  The group will be sorting clothes.  FOCUS needs additional help with sorting clothes this month - contact Ann Woods ([email protected]) if you are able to help on an afternoon or evening in the next 2 weeks.  

Greek School - Fall 2026

Registration is now open for St. George Greek School! Greek School is open to PreK–12 students and adults and is a great way to learn Greek while connecting with Greek language and culture. Everyone is welcome! The Fall session will run Wednesdays from 6:00–7:30 PM, with 7 sessions from October 28–December 16. There will be Fall, Winter, and Spring sessions throughout the year.

Registration is free, though donations are welcome to help cover textbooks, supplies, costumes, and food. Please register each student separately. Questions? Contact Joanna at [email protected]. Here is the registration link below: 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeM3le4o3R5cjqyzLhnOSxhleXfyI87sRnaH_8NCtsGyiUVA/viewform

Philoptochos Advent Luncheon

Save the date for our annual Philoptochos Advent Luncheon! Join us for an afternoon of fellowship on Saturday, December 5 at Lake Elmo Inn, as we gather during this special season of preparation, reflection, and giving.

Everyone is welcome! This event is open to the entire community, so invite your family and friends to join us. Tickets will be available beginning next week, with additional details to follow. We look forward to celebrating this beautiful annual tradition with you!

Parish Christmas Card – A Special Gift This Year!

Be part of our annual Parish Christmas Card and share the joy of Christ's Nativity with our parish family!

Add your name or your family's name to this cherished parish tradition with a suggested donation of $20. Contributions of any amount are welcome!

This year, we're adding something extra special! Our very own Milam Paraschou is writing a beautiful icon for this year's Christmas Card. As a special thank-you, those who donate $100 or more will receive an 8" x 10" reproduction of the icon printed on wood, a meaningful keepsake to treasure for years to come.

We invite everyone to participate and help make this year's Christmas Card especially memorable!

Deadline to participate: December 6th.

Save the Date: YAL Chicago Conference 2027!

Join us February 12–15, 2027, at the Hilton Chicago Downtown for a weekend filled with faith, service, and fellowship! Registration opens November 4 at 7:30 PM CST. Scan the QR code on the flyer for registration and conference information. We hope to see you there!

Fr. John Strickland: Finding Meaning and Hope

Join us at St. Mary’s OCA on Friday, December 4, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. for an evening with Fr. John Strickland, priest at St. Elizabeth Orthodox Church in Poulsbo, Washington, and author of The Age of Nihilism. Fr. John will speak on “Finding Meaning and Hope in a Time of Division and Uncertainty,” drawing from his book The Age of Nihilism.

Friday, December 4, 2026 | 7:00 p.m.
St. Mary’s OCA
1701 5th St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413

Philoptochos Advent Luncheon – Tickets on Sale This Sunday!

Join us for a beautiful afternoon of fellowship and holiday cheer at our annual Philoptochos Advent Luncheon on Saturday, December 5th, at 12:00 noon at the Lake Elmo Inn!

Tickets are $40 per person and will be available for purchase beginning this Sunday. Gather your friends and family and enjoy a wonderful meal, Christmas caroling, and the joy of the season together.

We look forward to celebrating this special tradition with you!

Philoptochos Parish Christmas Card

Share the joy and blessings of Christ's Nativity with your parish family! Philoptochos invites you to participate in our annual Parish Christmas Card, a wonderful way to share Christmas greetings with our church community while supporting the charitable work of Philoptochos.

For a minimum donation of $20, your name or family name will be included in the Christmas card shared with our parish family. Sign-up forms will be available this Sunday! Be sure to add your family's name by December 6. Thank you for helping us share the joy of Christ's Nativity!

St. George Meal at Focus

Much appreciation to all of our St. George family who came out to help cook and serve the meal at Christ on Capital Hill x FocusMN last Sunday. Our next serving opportunity will be with Loaves and Fishes on December 7th. Save the date and look to the bulletin for more details.

Save the Date: St. George Family Basketball Tournament

Mark your calendars for February 5–7, 2027, for the St. George Family Basketball Tournament! Start planning now for this exciting weekend of basketball and fellowship. More information about the tournament will be shared as details become available. For any questions about the tournament or other basketball-related activities, please contact Basil Paraschou at [email protected]

Help with Coffee Hour!

Fellowship is better because of you! We have many openings in the coming weeks and would love to have you join the fun. Grab your family, invite a friend, or sign up solo. Bring cookies, snacks, or simple finger foods and juice for 80–100 people, and we’ll take care of the coffee! Scan the QR code or use the link to sign up!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4CA5AD2BABFF2-46964197-fellowship

Baby Grand Piano Seeking a Temporary Home

Seeking a temporary home for the family’s generational Whitney Kimball baby grand piano! This could be a win-win! The baby grand needs a babysitter until it can be reunited with us in the future.

This would be great for a family with enough space (it takes up a little more room than an upright piano; it’s an “apartment-size baby grand”) and perhaps children who would like to play and develop their skills on a piano rather than a keyboard. The owner will arrange to have it moved and tuned. Please contact Krisandrea Ballas by phone at (651) 261-9009.

Teens with FOCUS

FOCUS MN has a new teen program called Teens with FOCUS.  This program was initiated and is led by high school students,  Their goal is to increase the opportunities for  teens to volunteer at FOCUS.  If you are interest in learning more and being notified of upcoming service opportunities, please sign up using the QR code below or with the link here: https://forms.gle/aVizY2at63A72GiC6

Hall Construction Updates

FOCUS Food Shelf Volunteers Needed

FOCUS runs a food shelf on the 3^rd and 5^th Saturdays of the month. Our parish, along with all the other Orthodox Parishes in town, have done a great job of keeping FOCUS supplied with non-perishable food items. THANK YOU!!! Would you like to also be a part of the Saturday morning distributions? Volunteers are needed 9:30 am to noon. Having adequate numbers of volunteers keeps the event running efficiently so that we don’t have to turn away any hungry people.

You would be joining a great team, meeting the recipients face-to-face, and would have the satisfaction of spending a few hours on a Saturday morning helping our neighbors feed their families. If you have any questions, please contact Ann Woods at [email protected]. You can sign up by scanning the QR below:

2026 Stewardship Goal

$214,440 of $315,000 (through September)

Make Your 2026 Stewardship Pledge Online

https://onrealm.org/StGeorgeStPaul/-/form/pledge/stewardship2026

Make a Stewardship Donation Online

https://onrealm.org/StGeorgeStPaul/give/online 

Please Note

St. George GOC broadcasts its worship services live online and has security cameras throughout the building. Your presence in the church may be recorded on audio and video.

Let's Connect!

St. George has moved to a new social media platform designed specifically for parish life. Here, we communicate more dynamically regarding specific ministries, events, and stewardship. For those who haven't, please use the QR code here to sign up! If you have any questions or have issues, please contact Sofia at [email protected].

Prosfora (Offering Bread)

Thank you to those who make the prosfora/offering bread for Liturgy. If you would like to sign up to bake and make an offering of bread to the church, please get in touch with Krisandrea.

“Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.” John 6:27

Content for the Bulletin

All content for the bulletin (flyers, blurbs, calendar events, etc.) is due Wednesday each week. Please send all bulletin content to Sofia at [email protected]. Content submitted after Wednesday will be included in the bulletin for the following week.

Reimbursements

To our ministry leaders and volunteers, please save receipts when making purchases for church activities. A reminder that reimbursement forms are located on the tower outside of the admin and treasurer’s office. Please make sure to submit the form with a copy of your receipt (you keep the original receipt). Finally, please make sure to submit for reimbursement contemporaneous with the expense(s). Although we do not have a set cutoff date for reimbursements, please do your best to have all prior year reimbursements submitted before the end of January of the following year. Please contact Lani if you have any questions at [email protected].

Reminder

This is a friendly reminder that the church office is closed during church services. Ministry meetings/activities are also not scheduled during church services. Thank you.

Thank you for joining us in worship. Whether you are an Orthodox Christian or this is your first visit to an Orthodox Church, we are pleased to have you with us! Although Holy Communion is offered only to baptized and chrismated Orthodox Christians, all are invited to receive the Antidoron (blessed bread) at the end of the service. The Antidoron and fellowship hour are reminiscent of the Agape Feast that followed worship in the early Church.

Visitors and inquirers, please do not worry if you do not understand or follow all of our practices at your first few visits to our church (when to stand, when to kneel, venerate icons, or the priest's hand, cross yourself, etc.), it takes time to learn these traditions. Watch what others do, and when you are ready, you can follow their example.

One does not have to be of Greek descent nor speak Greek to be an Orthodox Christian and member of our parish. All people of any background are welcome to join the Orthodox Church. For those interested in learning more about the Christian Faith or becoming a member of our church, please see Fr. Perry after services or contact him at [email protected] or (651) 222-6220.

We hope you will join us in our hall upstairs this morning after services for fellowship and refreshments!

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Becoming an Orthodox Christian

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Orthodox Worship

To our beloved guests, welcome to St. George. As you visit an Orthodox Church for the first few times, it’s important to remember that Orthodox Worship Services were designed to challenge us. For example, the services may be longer and at a slower pace than we are used to. The length of the service helps us grow in wakefulness and vigilance. "Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, 'What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak'” Matthew 26:40-41.

In our ever-changing, fast-paced world, we struggle to maintain the attention span of a goldfish. The worship of the early Church is the remedy to this problem. The Divine Liturgy and our other worship services are an invitation to turn off the noise, slow down the pace, and, like Mary (the sister of Martha), sit at the feet of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. If you struggle with your attention span in the first few services (or for years!), stick with it. Through our continued effort, God grants us growth in the ability to experience quiet, stillness, and prayer. Through our endurance, and above all, by His Grace, our regular participation in worship helps us to “lay aside the cares of life that we may receive the King of all."