Greeters

Robert Hattling and Misael Jordan

Prosfora

William Clemons

Fellowship

Thank you, Trang Phan, for sponsoring today's Fellowship Hour!

Church School Begins Today, September 13th

We’re excited to begin another year of Church School on Sunday, September 13! We look forward to welcoming our children back for a year of learning, growing in faith, and building community together.

Classes Meeting After Dismissal & Antithoron:

PreK–K: Quiet Room
1st–3rd & 4th–6th: Church Sanctuary

Classes Meeting Upstairs After Holy Communion (as usual):

7th–9th: Fr. Perry’s Office
10th–12th: Conference Room

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?usp=publish-editor

Support the Hellenic College Holy Cross Scholarship Fund – Sunday, Sept. 13

This Sunday, Philoptochos will be passing a special tray in support of the Hellenic College Holy Cross Scholarship Fund.

Your generosity helps provide tuition assistance to deserving and dedicated students at Hellenic College and seminarians at Holy Cross, easing the financial burden of their education as they prepare for lives of faith, service, and leadership in our Church.

Together, we can help educate and inspire the next generation of clergy and Church leaders. Thank you for your generosity and for supporting our Church's future.

Fresh-cut Basil Needed for Monday, Sept. 14th

Please bring fresh basil to church on Sunday, September 13, or Monday, September 14, in the morning for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

Young Adults Volunteer at FOCUS

Our Pan-Orthodox Young Adult League will be volunteering at FOCUS Tuesday, September 15. 6-8pm.  They will be sorting new clothing donations.  If you are a young adult and would like to join them, you are welcome!  For questions, contact Ann Woods, FOCUS Program Manager, at 651-222-0712 or [email protected].

Zoom Coffee Hour with Fr. Perry

Have a question about the Orthodox Faith, parish life, or a practical church matter? Join Fr. Perry for Zoom Coffee Hour on Saturdays at 9:00 a.m. Hope to see you there!

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81799886118pwd=KWz0AkyaslmPzF1NCuoMUwbRCRZDJN.1

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, sign up solo, or email Andrea Faches if you would like to sponsor without set-up and serving. 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! Questions? See Andrea Faches

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

Help Shape the YAL at St. George

Dear Young Adults of St. George (Ages 18–35),

In addition to Twin Cities YAL, St. George is set to launch a YAL ministry for men and women aged 18-35, creating a vibrant community focused on Orthodox faith, fellowship, worship, and service. This initiative aims to deepen spiritual connections and promote active participation in the church and community. 

We would truly love your input. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey below so we can better understand your interests and what you’d like to see from future YAL events.

We also encourage you to share this message with other young adults (ages 18–35) who may be interested in getting involved! Thank you for helping us with this initiative. We look forward to seeing you at upcoming YAL events! Survey Link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJiGYHgzEhUZRuJNZLdRjAcvAfSwOoM7bSZPK-hcjzxWPjwA/viewform?usp=header

Support St. George Through Our 2026  Sponsorship Program

St. George invites businesses and parishioners to participate in our 2026 Sponsorship Program! Sponsorships help support the Mini Greek Festival and Benefit Concert, which in turn support our church and its ministries.

Our sponsorship packages offer valuable brand visibility across promotional and event materials, providing an opportunity to support St. George while connecting with our wider community.

Interested in learning more? Please visit the link below for additional information and details about the available sponsorship options and their benefits:

https://www.stgeorgegoc.org/greekfest/sponsorships

For questions or more information, please contact Hometown Resources by email at [email protected] or by phone at (763) 260-3530, or email Lani Hattling at [email protected].

St. George Mini Greek Fest - Volunteers Needed

We need volunteers to make the Mini Greek Fest a success. Returning and first-time volunteers are encouraged to sign up.  

Signing up is easy. Either scan the QR code or visit the link below to access the SignUpGenius page. From there, you can select the area of interest and date/time that works with your schedule. Please contact Carey Pappas at [email protected] with any questions.

https://www.signupgenius.com/tabs/13576DE0FA4CBE5C42-greek20251

16th Annual St. Mary's Romanian Festival

We hope to see you and your family at the St. Mary Romanian Festival on Saturday, September 19, 2026. There will be fantastic Romanian Cuisine & pastries, live entertainment, beer, wine, soft drinks & the Romanian Dance group & more.

Saturday, September 19
12 pm - 7 pm
854 Woodbridge St., Saint Paul, MN, 55117

Taste of Northeast Festival Sept. 26th - 27th

St. Mary’s Cathedral is hosting its annual Taste of Northeast Festival! We would like to invite all of our fellow Orthodox churches to come and enjoy the festivities with us! We’re hosting lots of music performances, ethnic foods, drinks, numerous local artists and vendors, kids games, raffles and sales including our women’s club’s traditional holiday breads! This year our festival is taking place on Saturday September 26th from 12-9pm and Sunday September 27th after liturgy from 12-6pm.

If you are interested in volunteering, we have a multitude of different opportunities. Using the QR code or link below, click on volunteer sign-up, and choose your dates/times when you can help out.

https://us.list-manage.com/gru8kM8AdH0 e=93eb993608&c2id=d295936dcfdde771ed480ee8ec51b02d

Pioneers 55+ St. Croix River Boat Cruise & Buffet Lunch

Join us for a fun afternoon on the St. Croix River! The Pioneers 55+ group will enjoy a scenic riverboat cruise and buffet lunch on Sunday, September 27.

Cruise: 1:30–3:30 PM
Meet: 12:45 PM at the Stillwater River Boat Building to park and gather before boarding.

Cost: $10 per person
RSVP & Payment: Please contact Joanne Halatsis at 651-778-2485 or Carol Alexis at 612-978-2129 to RSVP and make payment.

Ministries Budgets Due by October 01

Ministry leaders, please submit your 2027 budget requests to Lani at [email protected] by October 01.

Save the Date - St. George Mini Greek Festival

Join us for the St. George Mini Greek Festival on Saturday, October 3, from 10 AM–7 PM and Sunday, October 4, from 11 AM–4 PM!

Enjoy delicious Greek pastries, gyros, chicken souvlaki, gyro salads, frappé, and beverages, plus Greek dancing, a bazaar, church tours, and a silent auction. Come grab some great food, enjoy the festivities, and cheer on your favorite runners! Bring your family and friends and enjoy a taste of Greece at St. George!

St. George Mini Greek Fest - Can you help?

As we prepare for our Mini Greek Fest this October 3rd-4th, we're looking to borrow folding canopies, tables, and chairs from parishioners to help make the event a success. If you have any of the following that you would be willing to lend for the weekend, we'd be very grateful:

Folding canopies/tents (8×8, 10×10, 13×13, or similar sizes)
Folding tables (30×60, 30×72, or other sizes)
Folding chairs

All borrowed items will be returned promptly after the event. If you're able to help, please contact Stelios at 817-437-3354 or at [email protected]. Thank you for your generosity and support!

St. George Benefit Concert

An Evening of Classical & Byzantine Music, in support of St. George Greek Orthodox Church and FOCUS MN. Secure your tickets today for St. George's upcoming Classical and Byzantine Music Concert this Fall. 

Join us for a beautiful night of music and community featuring:

• Anna Pitsavas Wakely, winner of the 2025 Karin Larson YourClassical Prize in the Emerging Artist category, Violin
• Twin Cities Byzantine Choir, directed by Joseph Karos
• Christopher Atheneos, Byzantine Chanter, South Florida

Date/Time:
Saturday, October 24, 2026, 7:00pm 

Location:
St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church
60 N Kent St
St. Paul, MN 55102

Admission/Tickets:
General Admission: $25
Patron Ticket: $50

Premium support ticket for guests who would like to further support our Ministries and Philanthropic actions. Includes concert admission. With limited seating available, now is the perfect time to purchase your ticket and ensure you don’t miss out on this exceptional musical experience! Purchase your tickets with this link: https://onrealm.org/StGeorgeStPaul/-/form/give/BenefitConcert

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

2027 Western Region Family Basketball Tournament Save the Date

Annunciation Milwaukee is honored to host the Western Region Family Basketball Tournament, taking place Friday, February 5 - Sunday, February 7, 2027!

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

$172,658 of $315,000 (through July)

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.

Schedule a Meeting with Fr. Perry

If you need to schedule a meeting with Fr. Perry, please visit this link: http://www.calendly.com/frperry

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!

______________________

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."

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.