Christ is in our Midst!
He is and ever shall be!
September 20th to October 5th
Fasting Discipline
- The traditional fasting discipline of no meat (including chicken/poultry and their by-products), cheese, eggs, milk and other dairy products, fish, wine and oil is observed on the Wednesdays and Fridays.
Divine Services
- On all Saturdays, September 20th, 27th, and October 4th, Great Vespers and Confessions will take place as normal beginning at 5pm.
- On all Sundays, Divine Services will take place as normal with Matins beginning at 8:50am followed by Divine Liturgy at 10am.
Events
- Today, Saturday, September 20th, Jeremy Meshraky (son of Samir) will be brought into the Orthodox Church through the Holy Sacraments of Baptism, Chrismation, and the Reception of his First Communion at 3pm. Please keep him, along with those listed in the Daily Prayer section of the The VOICE, in your prayers.
Our annual gathering with our brothers and sisters from Our Lady of Lebanon Catholic Church (Maronite Rite) has been rescheduled from Sunday, October 5th to Sunday, October 19th.
This year, we are the hosts. Please mark your calendars and plan on attending.
Announcements
- I will be out-of-town visiting my brother, Tom, from tomorrow afternoon, Sunday, September 21st until Thursday evening, September 25th. For emergencies only while I am gone, please contact Fr. Matthew Butrie, pastor of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church at 810-744-0070. Please keep me in your prayers.
- Our Bible Studies (Monday mornings in English 10am-12pm and Tuesday afternoons in Arabic/English 1pm-2:30pm will NOT take place this coming week due to my vacation. They begin again the week of September 28th. This year we are studying the Gospel of St. John. All are welcome to attend!
- This coming Tuesday, September 23rd, we have our monthly time at the North End Soup Kitchen from 9am-1pm. If you are interested in feeding the hungry or would like more information, please contact our coordinators, Jim and Evelyn Delbridge at jimdelbridge@charter.net.
- Our SOYO Wednesdays have begun and go from 7-9pm. It's a great time to be with each other, play games, watch TV or a movie, and/or do homework. For more information, please contact our SOYO president, Tamer Abuaita (tabuaita@aim.com).
- A Men's Work Day is planned for Saturday, September 27th from 10am-4pm. We will be working around our church complex, both inside and out, doing things that need to be done. Roger Isaac, our Parish Council Chairman, is coordinating our work. The more men that come, the more that gets done! If you have any questions, please contact Roger at dodger614@comcast.net.
- Unfortunately, our Men's Fellowship was canceled this past week, but we will have our first gathering of the year on Monday, September 29th at 7pm. This is a new group that started last year. ALL OF THE MEN of St. George are invited and encouraged to attend. We have a great time learning about our Orthodox Faith and enjoying each other's company.
- Our Book Club will be meeting on Thursday, October 2nd beginning at 7pm. The current book is about the life of St. Raphael, Bishop of Brooklyn, NY. For more information, contact Deacon Michael at FrDnMike@chartermi.net.
- Fr. Joe has been working with Sandy Abuaita and Jenny Abueita to organize a college-age group here at St. George. We are looking for college-age parishioners who are living in Genesee County. Our first gathering has not been scheduled, but right now we need names of those who might be interested in getting together once-a-month or so to have fun and fellowship. Please contact Sandy (s_abuaita@yahoo.com), Jenny (jcabueit@svsu.edu), or myself (njja@aol.com) for questions and to be added to our list.
- Below is a summary of our celebration of the The Conception of the Venerable Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist of the Lord, John which we remember this coming Tuesday, September 23rd.
God bless you and be with you always!
Love,
Fr. Joe
The holy Prophet Malachi prophesied that before the Messiah's birth His Forerunner would appear, and would indicate His coming. The Jews therefore in awaiting the Messiah also awaited the appearance of His Forerunner.
In a city of the hills of Judea in the land of Palestine lived the righteous priest St Zachariah and his wife St Elizabeth, zealously observing the commandments of the Lord. The couple, however, had a misfortune: they remained childless in their old age, and they prayed unceasingly to God to grant them a child.
Once, when St Zachariah took his turn as priest at the Temple of Jerusalem, he went into the Sanctuary to offer incense. Going behind the veil of the Sanctuary, he beheld an angel of God standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
St Zachariah was astonished and halted in fear, but the angel said to him, "Fear not, Zachariah, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John." But Zachariah did not believe the words of the heavenly messenger, and then the angel said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you the good news. Behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words...."
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zachariah and they were astonished that he had not come out from the Sanctuary after so long a time. And when he did come out, he was supposed to pronounce a blessing upon the people, but could not do so because he had been struck speechless. When Zachariah explained by gestures that he was unable to speak, the people then understood that he had experienced a vision. The prophecy of the Archangel was fulfilled, and Righteous Elizabeth was delivered from her barrenness, and gave birth to John, the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord.
In a city of the hills of Judea in the land of Palestine lived the righteous priest St Zachariah and his wife St Elizabeth, zealously observing the commandments of the Lord. The couple, however, had a misfortune: they remained childless in their old age, and they prayed unceasingly to God to grant them a child.
Once, when St Zachariah took his turn as priest at the Temple of Jerusalem, he went into the Sanctuary to offer incense. Going behind the veil of the Sanctuary, he beheld an angel of God standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
St Zachariah was astonished and halted in fear, but the angel said to him, "Fear not, Zachariah, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John." But Zachariah did not believe the words of the heavenly messenger, and then the angel said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you the good news. Behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words...."
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zachariah and they were astonished that he had not come out from the Sanctuary after so long a time. And when he did come out, he was supposed to pronounce a blessing upon the people, but could not do so because he had been struck speechless. When Zachariah explained by gestures that he was unable to speak, the people then understood that he had experienced a vision. The prophecy of the Archangel was fulfilled, and Righteous Elizabeth was delivered from her barrenness, and gave birth to John, the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord.
