Sunday Bulletin - St. George Greek Orthodox Church
Publish Date: 2025-06-15
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Sunday Bulletin - St. George Greek Orthodox Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (651) 222-6220
  • Street Address:

  • 1111 Summit Ave

  • St. Paul, MN 55105


Contact Information










Services Schedule

Welcome!

We hope that you will make this your spiritual home. Connect with us on our website, Facebook page, YouTube, or sign-up for our email list at https://tinyurl.com/yc3tp29w.

Worship Sunday Orthros 8:15 am & Divine Liturgy 9:30 am

Confession (by appointment - call or email [email protected])

Weekday Services (www.stgeorgegoc.org/calendar)

Streaming

youtube.com/c/stgeorgestpaul

Fellowship Hour Sunday following Divine Liturgy

Office Hours Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Our Mission St. George Greek Orthodox Church is a Christ-centered community that: inspires faith and worship, cultivates spiritual growth and fellowship, and encourages benevolence and outreach.

Our Vision Ascending together to the fullness of Life.

Give Online at https://onrealm.org/StGeorgeStPaul/give/online


Past Bulletins


Calendar

  • Parish Calendar

    June 15 to June 22, 2025

    Sunday, June 15

    +St. Augustine of Hippo

    Sunday of All Saints

    8:15AM Orthros

    9:30AM Divine Liturgy

    Monday, June 16

    +Fast of the Holy Apostles (through June 28)

    Wednesday, June 18

    1:30PM Online Daytime Bible Study (via Zoom only)

    Thursday, June 19

    +Apostle Thaddeus (Jude) & St. Paisios

    Sunday, June 22

    2nd Sunday of Matthew

    8:15AM Orthros

    9:30AM Divine Liturgy

    11:00AM Parish Assembly

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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Plagal 4th Tone

From on high you descended, O merciful Lord. You accepted the cross and three days in the tomb to free us from the bondage of sin, O our life and resurrection. Glory to you, O Lord.

Apolytikion for All Saints in the 4th Tone

Throughout the world your Church is adorned with the blood of the martyrs as with royal purple and fine linen. Through them she cries out to you, Christ our God: Grant your lasting peace to all the world and bestow on our souls your great mercy.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Plagal 4th Tone

To you, O Lord, Creator of the universe, the world offers the God-bearing martyrs as the first fruits of creation. Through their prayers, and through those of the Theotokos, keep your church in perfect peace, O Savior rich in mercy.
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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

The Sunday of All Saints
The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews 11:33-40; 12:1-2

Brethren, all the saints through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated - of whom the world was not worthy - wandering over deserts and mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.


Gospel Reading

The Sunday of All Saints
The Reading is from Matthew 10:32-33; 37-38; 19:27-30

The Lord said to his disciples, "Every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny him before my Father who is in heaven. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me." Then Peter said in reply, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall we have?" Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. But many that are first will be last, and the last first."


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Announcements

Greeters

Dylan Eisenhuth & Yodahe Gamada

Prosfora

Andrea Faches

Fellowship Hour

Thank you to Paul & Elise Werger for hosting today's fellowship.

AHEPA Pappas Academic Scholarship

Qualified applicants are to be Parishioner’s children in good standing or members of St George Greek Orthodox Church of St Paul MN and have been accepted or are currently enrolled in an accredited Undergraduate College or University four-year program and have a GPA 2.75 or higher. The award for this scholarship is $1,250 in a single academic calendar year. Recipients may reapply for this Scholarship in subsequent years. The deadline for the application is June 15th. For more details or application, please reach out to Frank Mortari, Dino Contolatis, or Dean Natto.

Gekas AHEPA Grant

Applications for the Gekas AHEPA grant has been extended to June 15th. Grants from the foundation are available to only members, their spouses and their children who are affiliated with St Paul Ahepa, Daughters of Penelope, Sons of Pericles, and Maids of Athena. Please reach out to Dean Natto, Dino Contolatis, or Frank Mortari for more information.  

June Silent Auction

 We have one special summer basket (great for the 4th of July) available for bidding in the month of June. Look for it in the hall near the kitchen pass-through window. Bid now, as the auction won't return until the Festival in July

Parish Assembly on June 22

Join us in the hall on Sunday, June 22, following the Divine Liturgy, for a Parish Assembly Meeting in person and on Zoom. Please see the agenda in the inserts section of this bulletin. The main agenda item is the motion and approval of our capital project.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84526175086?pwd=qmjP7ERXsUpaSkG3hP27R6Prk8pto8.1
Meeting ID: 845 2617 5086 Passcode: 480129

Church Office Closed June 24-26

The church office will be closed from June 24 to June 26.

Fr. Perry Taking Time Off in July

Fr. Perry will be taking time off from June 30 through July 19. He will still be with us on Sundays for Liturgy, and he will remain available for pastoral emergencies. For emergencies, call his cell at (651) 706-9672. For administrative questions, call or email Dylan in the Church Office at (651) 222-6220 or [email protected].

St Mary's Family Camp 2025

It's time for Family Camp 2025! And we're heading back to Camp Wapo. :) Registration begins August 1st - if you know you're going to Family Camp reminder to take advantage of the Early Bird rates and register early! See below for Family Camp details and please check the Family Camp website at https://stmaryscamp.com/family-camp/.
 
Dates: Friday, October 17th at 1pm through Sunday, October 19th at 1pm
Location: Camp Wapogasset "Camp Wapo" - 1204 74th Ave, Amery, WI 55401
Registration: Early Bird August 1-15; Regular August 16-31
Prices: Early Bird $160 + convenience fee; Regular $170 + convenience fee
Speaker: Mother Macrina
Topic: Medleys of Thought: Monastics, Angels and the Nativity Fast

Host a Fellowship Hour

Please host an upcoming coffee hour! Individuals, families, or even groups can sign up to host or co-host. Hosts are needed for June 22 & 29. Remember that coffee is now provided, courtesy of Thrivent Financial, so your commitment can be as simple as picking up some cookies! Thanks to all who have already hosted this year! Use the URL or QR code below to sign up.

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

Church Calendar

Please check out the church calendar in the bulletin or our website www.stgeorgegoc.org/calendar for the most up-to-date version. Please note that we will not have our weekly Vespers service on Wednesdays in June as previously advertised in the Glad Tidings.

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Wisdom of the Fathers

For in a contest there is much labor needed--and after the contest victory falls to some, to others disgrace. Is the palm ever given or the crown granted before the course is finished? ... Therefore no one can receive a reward, unless he has striven lawfully; nor is the victory a glorious one, unless the contest also has been toilsome.
St. Ambrose of Milan
Chapter 15, Three Books on the Duties of the Clergy, 4th century

Moses... was himself saved by means of wood and water before the Law was given, when he was exposed to the Nile's currents, hidden away in an Ark (Exod. 2:3-10). And by means of wood and water he saved the people of Israel, revealing the Cross by the wood, Holy Baptism by water (Exod. 14:15-31). Paul, who had looked upon the mysteries, says openly, 'They were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud' (I Cor. 10:2). He also bears witness that, even before the events concerning the sea and his staff, Moses willingly endured Christ's Cross, 'Esteeming', he says, 'the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt' (Heb. 11:26). For the Cross is the reproach of Christ from the standpoint of foolish men. As Paul himself says of Christ, 'He endured the cross, despising the shame' (Heb. 12:2).
St. Gregory Palamas
Homilies Vol. 1, Homily Eleven para. 14; Saint Tikhon's Seminary Press pg. 123, 14th century

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Welcome Visitors!

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.

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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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."

Standing & Sitting in Services

The tradition of the Church is to stand for the duration of services, and you are welcome to do so. You are welcome to sit when you need to, as well. Please note that directions regarding when to sit are suggestions. Please be seated during the homily (sermon), and please do the best that you can to stand during the reading of the Gospel and the distribution of Holy Communion.

Kneeling on Sundays

According to the canons, we are not supposed to kneel on Sundays. However, according to common practice in our Archdiocese, kneeling has become common in the Divine Liturgy on Sundays. Those who are accustomed to the common practice in the US, are welcome to kneel. To those unfamiliar with this practice, coming from a community that does not kneel on Sundays or who would, for various reasons, prefer not to kneel, that is just fine as well.

The Kiss of Peace

It is the tradition of the Church to exchange a greeting, known as the "kiss of peace," during the Divine Liturgy. The exact moment for the brotherly exchange takes place during these prayers in Liturgy before the creed; "Deacon: Let us love one another, that with oneness of mind we may confess: People: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Trinity, one in essence and undivided." Here is an excerpt by Frederica Mathewes-Green from an article titled "First Visit to an Orthodox Church: Twelve Things I Wish I'd Known.”

"We kiss each other before we take communion ("Greet one another with a kiss of love," 1 Peter 5:14). When Roman Catholics or high-church Protestants "pass the peace," they give a hug, handshake, or peck on the cheek; that's how Westerners greet each other. In Orthodoxy different cultures are at play: Greeks and Arabs kiss on two cheeks, and Slavs come back again for a third. Follow the lead of those around you and try not to bump your nose.

The usual greeting is "Christ is in our midst" and response,[…]['He is, and always shall be.'] Don't worry if you forget what to say.[…] Exchanging the kiss of peace is a liturgical act, a sign of mystical unity. Chatting and fellowship is for later.”

You are encouraged to participate in this sacred exchange. Many will not be familiar with or may even be uncomfortable with a kiss on the cheek from someone they do not know. Understandably so! Shaking hands or simply nodding/bowing to the person nearby and greeting them with "Christ is in our midst!" is just fine. Through the liturgical act of the kiss of peace, may we remember that we are a family in Christ and work to continue to grow as such. May we also remember our accountability to one another, the need to seek forgiveness, and to forgive one another in Christ.

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Becoming an Orthodox Christian / Being Received into the Church

 
For those interested in becoming an Orthodox Christian, here is the basic process: 1. Come to Divine Liturgy, 2. Complete our MEOCCA Catechism Program in the spring or the fall (register by emailing [email protected] or visit this link https://meocca.org/our-faith/cooperative-catechism), 3. Meet with Fr. Perry (schedule a call at this link https://calendly.com/frperry/phonecall). Fr. Perry will go through more specific details when you meet. We hope that you will make St. George your spiritual home.

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Nursery and Youth Room

Parents, please note that our nursery and youth rooms are open during services and church activities if you need some temporary quiet space/time with the kiddos. The nursery is located at the bottom of the stairs in the education wing. The Youth Room is the next room on the left, past the trophy case. We love to hear the little ones singing in church. The Lord said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:14

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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 Dylan at [email protected].

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Text Message Reminders - Sign Up for Youth & Family Events!

We have some AWESOME Youth & Family events, and you don't want to miss out. Join our text message system Remind to stay up to date with all of our communications. Join by visiting https://www.remind.com/join/stgyandf

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Parish Email List Sign-Up 

Sign up for our email list to see what’s happening at St. George!

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From the Church Office

 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 at [email protected].

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

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Content for the Bulletin

All content for the bulletin (flyers, blurbs, calendar events, etc.) is due Wednesday each week. Content submitted after Wednesday will be included in the bulletin for the following week.

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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].

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2025 Stewardship Program

Goal

$102,792 of $285,000 (through April)

Make Your 2025 Stewardship Pledge Online

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

Make a Stewardship Donation Online

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

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Please Note

St. George GOC broadcasts its worship services live on the internet. Your presence in the church is subject to audio and video recording.

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Saints and Feasts

June 15

The Sunday of All Saints

Honouring the friends of God with much reverence, the Prophet-King David says, "But to me, exceedingly honourable are Thy friends, O Lord" (Ps. 138:16). And the divine Apostle, recounting the achievements of the Saints, and setting forth their memorial as an example that we might turn away from earthly things and from sin, and emulate their patience and courage in the struggles for virtue, says, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every burden, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (Heb. 12:1).

This commemoration began as the Sunday (Synaxis) of All Martyrs; to them were added all the ranks of Saints who bore witness (the meaning of "Martyr" in Greek) to Christ in manifold ways, even if occasion did not require the shedding of their blood.

Therefore, guided by the teaching of the Divine Scriptures and Apostolic Tradition, we the pious honour all the Saints, the friends of God, for they are keepers of God's commandments, shining examples of virtue, and benefactors of mankind. Of course, we honour the known Saints especially on their own day of the year, as is evident in the Menologion. But since many Saints are unknown, and their number has increased with time, and will continue to increase until the end of time, the Church has appointed that once a year a common commemoration be made of all the Saints. This is the feast that we celebrate today. It is the harvest of the coming of the Holy Spirit into the world; it is the "much fruit" brought forth by that "Grain of wheat that fell into the earth and died" (John 12:24); it is the glorification of the Saints as "the foundation of the Church, the perfection of the Gospel, they who fulfilled in deed the sayings of the Saviour" (Sunday of All Saints, Doxasticon of Vespers).

In this celebration, then, we reverently honour and call blessed all the Righteous, the Prophets, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, Shepherds, Teachers, and Holy Monastics, both men and women alike, known and unknown, who have been added to the choirs of the Saints and shall be added, from the time of Adam until the end of the world, who have been perfected in piety and have glorified God by their holy lives. All these, as well as the orders of the Angels, and especially our most holy Lady and Queen, the Ever-virgin Theotokos Mary, do we honour today, setting their life before us as an example of virtue, and entreating them to intercede in our behalf with God, Whose grace and boundless mercy be with us all. Amen.


June 15

Amos the Prophet

The Prophet Amos was from the city of Thekoue of the land of Zabulon. He was an unlearned man, a shepherd of goats and sheep, as he testifies concerning himself (Amos 7:14-15). He began to prophesy two years before the earthquake, which some say took place in the twenty-fifth year of the reign of Ozias, King of Judah, about the year 785 B.C. (Amos 1:1). Later, however, Amasias, the false priest of Bethel, brought about his death. His book of prophecy, divided into nine chapters, is ranked third among the minor Prophets. This Amos is different from the Prophet Esaias' father, who also was called Amos. His name means "bearer of burdens.


June 19

Thaddeus (Jude) the Apostle & Brother of Our Lord

The Apostle Jude was of the choir of the Twelve, and by Luke was called Jude, the brother of James the Brother of God (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13), and therefore also a kinsman of the Lord according to His humanity. But by Matthew (10:3), he is called Lebbaeus, surnamed Thaddeus (he is not the Thaddeus who healed the suffering of Abgar, as Eusebius says in his Eccl. Hist., 1:13; see Aug. 21). Saint Jude preached in Mesopotamia, Arabia, Idumea, and Syria, and, it is said, completed the path of his divine apostleship by martyrdom in Beirut in the year 80. Written after the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, his is the last of the Catholic (General) Epistles to the believing Jews in the Diaspora. His name (a variant of Judah) means "Praise."


June 19

Paisius the Great

Our righteous Father Païsius the Great was born in Egypt about the year 300 and was consecrated to God as a monk at a young age. He together with Saint John the Short (commemorated Nov. 9) was trained in the ascetical life in Scete by the great Abba Pambo (July 18). He practiced extreme fasting and vigil beyond the limits of human strength, and received many revelations of mysteries. The Saviour often appeared to him; once He appeared to him with two Angels, as He had to Abraham, and allowed him to wash His immaculate feet. When he was asked which virtue was the highest of all, he would answer, "That which is done in secret." He reposed in peace in deep old age; his relics are found in the monastery of Amba Bishoy in Wadi Natrun (the ancient Nitria of Egypt), and to the present day they work healings and miracles.


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Bulletin Inserts

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