Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us sinners!
On March 18/31, the Holy Orthodox Church commemorates St. Cyril, Archbishop of Jerusalem; St. Ananias, monk of the Euphrates; Martyrs Trophimus and Eucarpus of Nicomedia; St. Edward the King of England; St. Danile, monk of Egypt; and St. Maria (Skobtsova) the Nun. Through the prayer of Thy Saints, O God, save, have mercy on, and protect Thy people! Amen.
Wednesday, Marcy 20: Presanctified Liturgy 6:00 PM, Lenten Supper 7:00 PM, presentation by Dr. George Georgeopoulos “Healing Our Relationships — Love Challenged.” 7:30 PM
Friday, March 22: Salutations to the Holy Theotokos 7:00 PM
Holy Confessions: Wednesdays, 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM and Fridays, 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM during Great Lent
Monday, March 25: FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION OF THE ANGEL AND THE INCARNATION OF THE WORD (“Evangelismos”) Orthros 8:30 AM and Divine Liturgy 9:30 AM
BIBLE STUDY: “The Gospel of St. John: Beholding the Glory” held on Thursdays at 10:30 AM and 7:00 PM. This year’s Scripture study focuses on the fourth Gospel, composed by St. John the Theologian. Both groups are currently on Chapter 7. Join us every Thursday at 10:30 AM or 7:00 PM in the Church library to explore the depths of the Gospel written by “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”
ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: “The Shared Experience of the Orthodox Christian Faith,” Sundays in the Church Library following Divine Liturgy. Our faith is not about ideas or concepts, rules and regulations, but our relationship and daily connectedness with Jesus Christ. Through the Orthodox Christian Network’s live Facebook stream, the class reaches thousands in the United States, Canada, and dozens of countries worldwide. Enjoy the archives at http://myocn.net/orthodox-
“BE THE BEE” RETREAT “ Saturday, Mar. 30. Steven Christoforou, Director of Youth & Young Adult Ministries of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, will lead a daylong family program for 6- 12 grade youth and parents (9:30 AM -5:00 PM) and an evening program for young adults 18-25 (7:00 PM), to share the Gospel in a clear and accessible way and helping young men and women see Christ at work in their lives. Watch the videos at https://www.youtube.com/y2am and register at https://stgeorge.org/calendar/
FOR REFLECTION….
‘Then was Jesus led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.’ – Matthew 4:1
No sooner had the Lord been baptized than He was led into the wilderness to fast and pray. It comes as no surprise that this is when the devil begins to war against Christ, tempting Him many times in an effort to see Him fall from honor and betray His very self. But Our Lord remains valiant, resisting the Deceiver and exposing his evil and pernicious ways. In the same manner, the evil one is most vehement when he is threatened by the renewal of our baptism, and the cleansing of our sins. As temptations arise, we must recognize that the evil is waging war in an attempt to keep us from our crown. The accuser is quick to strike when he sees us journey towards the wilderness, guided by the Holy Spirit to be with God in fasting and prayer. For if Satan does not strike at once, he will be defeated by our spiritual fervor, through the power and by the grace of God. It is an unseen but very real warfare!
Prayer
My Lord, help me to rely on you in my hour of need, and to recognize that my temptations are my means to victory over Evil.
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GREEK SCHOOL: Mar. 23, 11:00 AM in the Grand Hall. Greek Independence Day program for Friday and Saturday schools together.
USHER SERVICE: As we enter Great and Holy Lent, we encourage all adult parishioners to serve as ushers during the Paschal season. St. George Ushers serve an important role within the life of the church. We welcome parishioners and guests, help seat families, and provide guidance during the Divine Liturgy. Your contribution to the dignity and order of our liturgical services as we prepare for the Resurrection of our Lord is very important. Please register to serve at https://www.signupgenius.com/
AHEPA SCHOLARSHIPS: March 30 deadline. The Order of AHEPA/Daughters of Penelope Organization is accepting applications for AHEPA Scholarship Awards from qualifying high school seniors. Applications are available at the Church Office, and application letters must be postmarked by March 30. For information, contact Ilias Borsas at (301) 592-7282 or iborsas@gmail.com
JAMES G. PULOS SCHOLARSHIPS: April 1 application deadline. Established through a bequest by John Pulos, college scholarships are available to select graduating high school seniors. Participant families must be stewards in good standing at St. George. Applications can be found at https://stgeorge.org/
PHILOPTOCHOS/GOYA/YAL: Saturday, Apr. 13, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM: “Be M.O.R.E. AWARE” – we will host a Metropolis Opioid Response Effort (MORE) opioid abuse awareness program launched by Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey to educate the faithful about substance dependency and its serious consequences, to raise awareness, understanding and compassion. No family and no parish are safe from the scourge of opioid abuse. For information and registration, contact stgphiloptochos1019@gmail.com Participation is free. Registration is required.
ST. GEORGE MISSION TEAM: Training meeting today at 12:15 in Room 106/107. We are currently in the process of fund raising for the needed supplies and transportation. If you would like to support this outreach project please go to the St. George website https://stgeorge.org/, select ministries, Mission Team, and donate. The other option to donate is to send a check directly to St. George and indicate it is for the Mission Trip. To learn more about this trip please visit https://www.asphome.org/
“Never confuse the person formed in the image of God with the evil that is in him: because evil is a chance misfortune, an illness, a devilish reverie. But the very essence of the person is the image of God, and this remains in him despite every disfigurement.” (St. John of Kronstadt)