St. George Greek Orthodox Church

April 12, 2020

Palm Sunday

The Church Still Thrives We are aware that there is a new normal when it comes to church attendance. By going online, we have actually in-creased our viewership of services exponentially. We have also enjoyed more people attending our chats and bible studies. Although not physically present on the church property at all times during the week, we have not ceased to make ourselves available, working hard to meet the needs of our community. Please take a look at our weekly schedule. Our priests and staff have continued to be available to pa-rishioners. We sincerely hope that you will continue to re-member your beloved parish through your stewardship of-ferings. You can continue to mail in your stewardship to the church office (2219 N. Orchard St.; Fresno, CA 93703), or make a donation on our church website via PayPal.

St. George is Live Streaming!

With the recent events in the nation, and the world, St.

George Church is streaming all of our church services on

Facebook Live. Check out the calendar or our website: www.stgeorgefresno.org, for a schedule of events. A weekly

schedule and reminders are emailed via our list serve and parish text messaging. If you have not joined our list serve

or text messaging, please email the church office at

sggoc@comcast.net to be added. Live streamed Services, and Activities This Week *The church is closed to in person attendance. Please join us for all Holy Week services on Facebook Live. *Today: Virtual Coffee Hour at 12:00pm via Zoom; Bride-groom service at 6:00pm *Monday: Presanctified at 9:00am; Confessions by appoint-ment only, email sggoc@comcast.net; Bridegroom at 6:00pm *Tuesday: Presanctified at 9:00am; Confessions by appoint-ment only, email sggoc@comcast.net; Bridegroom at 6:00pm *Wednesday: Presanctified at 9:00am; Holy Unction at 3:00pm; Bridegroom at 6:00pm *Thursday: Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil at 9:00am; Cruci-fixion service at 6:00pm *Friday: Royal Hours at 9:00am; Burial Service at 3:00pm; Lamentations at 7:00pm *Saturday: Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil at 9:00am; Great Canon 9:30pm and Resurrection service at 10:00pm *Sunday: Agape service at 10:00am **Zoom meeting logins are emailed through the church list serve. If you have not signed up for the St. George list serve, please email the church office at sggoc@comcast.net to be added. If you are new to Zoom, tutorials can be found on the church website, sggoc@comcast.net.

Please Pray For Does someone need prayer? Call the office in order to re-quest a name to be put on the prayer list. When a family requests a name be placed on the list, the name will remain on the list for one month. Health: Fr. Pat, Fr. Costa, Pres. Pauline, T., J., Solange, Jackson, Michael, Jennifer, Darlene, Michael, John, Victor, Sally, Mira, Dee, Carlo Military: Andreas, Joseph, Mike, Justin, Andy, Nick, Mat-thew, Gail & Tarek We pray for all who have been impacted by COVID-19 and for our City, State and National leaders. May God grant them the wisdom to deal with the trials and decisions to come. Light a Candle If you would like us to light a candle in the church for you, please email the church office at sggoc@comcast.net. Parish Scholarships Available Applications for the Dr. Peter Scamagas Memorial Schol-arship and the Athanasia G. Harris Memorial Scholarship are now available. Applications are available for download on the church website, www.stgeorgefresno.org. Com-pleted applications must be post marked by May 11, 2020. See applications for more details. Text Message Updates and Go Paperless If you would like to receive information about upcoming electronic meetings, bible studies and more via text mes-sage, OR you would like to sign-up to go paperless, email Kristin in the church office sggoc@comcast.net.

Entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem

Orthros Gospel– Matthew 21:1-11; 15-17 At that time, when Jesus drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples, say-ing to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If any one says anything to you, you shall say, 'The Lord has need of them,' and he will send them immediately." This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

"Tell the daughter of Zion, Behold, your king is coming to you, humble and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their garments on them, and he sat thereon. Most of the crowd spread their garments on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" And when he entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, "Who is this?" And the crowds said, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee." But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" they were indignant; and they said to him, "Do you hear what they are saying?" And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read,

'Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, you have brought perfect praise'?"

And leaving them, he went out of the city to Bethany and lodged there.

Philippians 4: 4– 9 BRETHREN, rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you.

John 12: 1– 18 Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at table with him. Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it. Jesus said, "Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my bur-ial. The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me."

When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came, not only on account of Jesus but also to see Laza-rus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus also to death, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.

Epistle & Gospel Reading

Continued on next page.

John 12: 1– 18 continued The next day a great crowd who had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" And Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it; as it is written, "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!" His disciples did not understand this at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that this had been written of him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead bore witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign.

Hymns of the Day

Palm Sunday After doxology We were buried with You through Baptism, O Christ our God, and thus by Your Resurrection we have been granted immortal life, and extolling You we cry aloud, "Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are You, the One who comes in the name of the Lord." Save us O Son of God Save us, O Son of God, who sat on a donkey's colt. We sing to You, Alleluia. For the feast You who have raised Lazarus from the dead O Christ our God, giving us before Your Passion an assurance of the gen’ral resurrection. Therefore like the children, we also carry tokens of the victory, and cry to you, the Conqueror of death: “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is He who comes, in the name of the Lord.” Entrance hymn Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. God is the Lord, and He revealed Himself to us. Save us, O Son of God, who sat on a donkey's colt. Kontakion In heaven upon the throne, on earth upon the colt, * You were carried, O Christ our God; * and the praise of the Angels, and the hymns of the children, You received as they cried to You, * "Blessed are You, the One, who is coming to call Adam back again." Hymn to the Theotokos God is the Lord, and He appeared to us. * O Christians, appoint a feast, and with exultant joy * come and let us magnify the Christ, * waving our palm-leaves and branches, crying aloud in hymns: * "Blessed is the One who comes * in the name of the Lord our Savior." Communion hymn Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Alleluia.

Join us for Virtual Coffee Hour

Today at 12:00PM

Choose from one of three Coffee Hour "rooms". The virtual coffee hour is structured to allow participants to visit and enjoy the company of others.

To join, click on a links for one of the "rooms" below. Go to https://www.zoom.us/join and enter the Meeting ID and Password.

OR, Click one of the following links:

Faith https://zoom.us/j/956098942?pwd=amZmckpKTEhCYWRDNUJpbVNoZ1NDUT09

Meeting ID: 956 098 942 Password: 297189

Hope https://zoom.us/j/444727245?pwd=K3FZRVhlejhUUTQvRnhYZHhPV01BUT09

Meeting ID: 444 727 245 Password: 213123

Love https://zoom.us/j/543657503?pwd=UWlZNDFNOThEWFJHekZOcFB3Q2FLQT09

Meeting ID: 543 657 503 Password: 132761

“A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven” Orthodox Christian Stewardship Program

St. George Greek Orthodox Church

2219 N. Orchard Street

Fresno, CA 93703

559 233-0397

This past year we have continued to developed and began implementing Vision 100, part of

our Strategic Plan. In the coming year we will continue implementing this plan to grow

our church and its ministries. Copies of Vision 100 are available in the Narthex and on our

website at: http://stgeorgefresno.org/st.-george-strategic-plan.

We invite you to be part of this vision by becoming a Financial Steward of St. George

Church. By becoming a Financial Steward of St. George Church, you will insure the suc-

cess of the many current and future ministries we provide.

Become a Financial Steward of St. George Church:

Fill out a confidential 2020 Stewardship Commitment Form* and return it to the church

office, a parish council member or place it in the offering basket.

*Commitment forms are located in the Narthex, the church office or in the monthly

newsletter.

Fulfill your stewardship commitment in numerous ways:

Setup automatic monthly payments from your bank to the church. (Mailing Address:

2219 N. Orchard St.; Fresno, CA 93703)

Make a one time Stewardship payment or setup automatic monthly payments with your

credit card through the church website: http://www.stgeorgefresno.org/giving/treasure

Mail monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual stewardship checks to the church office.

(Mailing Address: 2219 N. Orchard St.; Fresno, CA 93703)

Place monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual stewardship checks in the Sunday of-

fering tray.

As highlighted in our annual budget, if the families that were Financial Stewards last year

increased the average commitment to $2,200 per family per year, we would fulfill the finan-

cial obligations of our church and let fundraisers fund improvements and growth.

Church Income & Expense UpdateChurch Income & Expense Update The figures below reflect current actual income and the budgeted expenses for the week prior to this Sunday. Followed by current actual year to date income and expenses. They are provided in order

to give a ongoing report as to what is necessary to cover the financial needs of our congregation. Thank you for your continued support.

@412fouronetwo sggoc@comcast.net www.stgeorgefresno.org Text the word ALERT to 22300

www.facebook.com/stgeorgegreekorthodoxchurch

Weekly Income and Expenses

Income (actual) for the week of 04/05/2020 $ 6,117.00

Budgeted expenses ($580,244 for the year divided into 52 weeks) $ 11,159.00

Difference of: $ (5,042.00)

Year to Date Income (Actual) and Expense (Actual)

Income (actual) 1/1/2020-04/05/2020 $ 93,478.00

Expenses (actual) 1/1/2020-04/05/2020 $ 157,090.00

Difference of: $ (63,612.00)