FROM THE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ST. GEORGE

On December 16/29, the Holy Orthodox Church commemorates the Propher Haggai, Martyr Marinus at Rome, Blessed Empress Theophania, St. Memnon, Archbishop of Ephesus, St. Nicholas Chrysoberges, Patriarch of Constantinople, St. Sophia the Nun, Martyrs Promus and Hilarion, and St. Modestus, Archbishop of Jerusalem.  Through the prayers of Thy Saints, O God, save, have mercy upon, and protect Thy people!  Amen.

BIBLE STUDY 2019-2020: “The Prison Epistles of St. Paul” examines the letters written by the Apostle while in a Roman prison: Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon. Every Thursday 10:30 AM and 7:00 PM in the Church Library. There will be no Bible Study on Thursday, December 26, or January 2.  Bible Study will resume January 9 at the usual times. 

ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION: 11:30 AM, following Divine Liturgy in the Church Library. The theme is “Forming Christian Culture.” In His parables to the masses, Christ always uses practical examples from everyday life to help people understand and draw near to God. The format is a round-table discussion in a relaxed atmosphere. Please join and participate freely.

SERVICE SCHEDULE:  Please note the schedule for the Nativity and Theophany services has been mailed to your homes, placed in the Bulletin, and is available at the candle stand.

FOR REFLECTION….
The Orthodox theologian, Father Thomas Hopko, of blessed memory,  explains in his book, The Winter Pascha:  “The Lord’s birth and baptism are directly connected to His dying and rising. He was born in order to die…the harmony between the events is overwhelming…Jesus lay as an infant in the cavern in the reign of Caesar Augustus that He might lay in the tomb under Pontius Pilate. He was hounded by Herod that He might be caught by Caiaphas…He was worshiped by wise men that the whole of creation might adore Him in His triumph over death.”  Christ comes to us, then, and we do rejoice, for we are indeed helpless and have no life apart from Him. But the shadow of a cross falls over the tender and peaceful scene at the stable. His suffering life, His sacrifice, the weight of the world’s sins; all are implicit in, and present at, His birth. So our Advent celebrations should be tempered by this reality; in a sense, the bright Lenten sadness is there at the manger, too. The beginning of Christ’s life cannot help but be a portend of its end, revealing the continuity of salvation history.
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YOUNG ADULT LEAGUE (YAL): Nativity Fundraiser today, at the Luminary Table in the Grand Hall following Divine Liturgy. We are offering luminaries for purchase to light the grounds of our parish on Christmas Eve. Please consider luminaries in memory of loved ones who have fallen asleep in the Lord marked with the sign of Christian faith, and for those with whom we still share the life of Creation, blessed by the Holy Trinity. The suggested donation is $10 per luminary, and all proceeds will go to support the St. George YAL Ministry, to help young adults grow spiritually and live a balanced Orthodox Christian life through worship, witness, service and fellowship.

50 PLUS: Annual Christmas Potluck Party + Regular Meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 11:30 AM. Please bring your favorite dish to share. Philimona and John will entertain us with lively music. We will also hold our Bake Sale: Baklava 6/$12; Melomakarona 12/$12; Kourambiethes 12/$12; and Koulourakia 12/$7. We support Agia Skepi Monastery by ordering their vasilopites at $20 each – contact Maria Kopsidas at (240) 421-9909 for information.

NEW PARISH DIRECTORY: Receive a free 8×10 family portrait and a free St. George Parish Directory to be published in Spring 2020. We invite every family to register following Divine Liturgy for the free one-hour portrait photography session, to be conducted Nov. 26-Jan. 3 (available date/time details at the sign-up table). Additional photographs can be purchased directly from Lifetouch.

STEWARDSHIP: As you consider end-of-the-year donations, please offer or fulfill your 2019 pledges, and reflect on making a generous 2020 pledge. Your support helps to sustain our church’s ministries and our operations budget of $1.3 million, or $3,560 each day. Thank you for your strong and enduring commitment to the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, so we may continue to express our gratitude to Christ our God and carry out his will in our own lives, those of our families, and throughout our wider St. George community.

PULOS SCHOLARSHIPS: James G. Pulos Scholarships will be awarded on graduation Sunday. Established through a bequest to St George by John Pulos, it provides college scholarships to select graduating high school seniors. Participant families must be stewards in good standing at St George. Applications can be found on stgeorge.org. and are due April 1. The entire application can be done online except the H.S. transcript which must be mailed to Pulos Scholarship c/o Greek Orthodox Church of St. George, 7701 Bradley Blvd, Bethesda, MD 20817. Contact pulosfund@gmail.com for information.

“Consider all the grace brought unto us from on high by the coming to earth of the Son of God? What is necessary, first of all, is faith in the Son of God, in the Gospel as the salvation-bestowing heavenly teaching; a true repentance of sins and the correction of life and of heart; communion in prayer and in the mysteries [sacraments]; the knowledge and fulfillment of Christ’s commandments. Also necessary are the virtues: Christian humility, alms-giving, continence, purity and chastity, simplicity and goodness of heart. Let us, then, O brothers and sisters, bring these virtues as a gift to the One Who was born for the sake of our salvation – let us bring them in place of the gold, frankincense and myrrh which the Magi brought Him, as to One Who is King, God, and Man, come to die for us. This, from us, shall be the most-pleasing form of sacrifice to God and to the Infant Jesus Christ.” (Our Holy Father St. John of Kronstadt, Sermon on the Nativity)