Come to Me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Mt 11.28
His Eminence Metropolitan SABA Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of All North America His Grace Bishop Alexander
Pastor: Fr John Vazquez| fatherjohnvazquez@gmail.com | stgeorgealbany.org | 1 St George's Pl Albany
Office Hours: Mon/Fri 10am-5pm/Confessions: After weekly services or by appointment
Parish Council Leadership: Chair—Michella Rizk, Treasurer—Ranya Palmer, Secretary—Daniel Palmer, Vice Chair—Linda Grady
Beloved,
Tomorrow we prepare to submit ourselves to the process of harmonization with the start of the Nativity Fast. This fast—in preparation for and expectation of the coming of Lord Jesus—is a blessed and even a joyous time. It is a blessed time because it tunes our body and soul to be in harmony with each other so that we, as complete persons, can be in harmony with the melody of the Spirit of God, found in the Church. What could be more joyous than for us—together—to be in harmony with Christ and His Church?
St Basil speaks about our bodies as instruments on which the tune of God is played or sung. If anyone has ever seen an instrument tuned, they know that it takes time and constant sounding of notes to properly tune the instrument. The Holy Spirit—found most fully in the Church—is the tuning fork for the instrument of our bodies and Christ is the tuner who tightens or loosens the strings as is necessary.
Let us submit ourselves to this process fully and completely, knowing that it may be painful and that it may take time but also knowing that there is nothing so sweet as the harmonious sound of a soul tuned to the Melody of the Spirit of God.
May each of us have a blessed fast!
Remember that tomorrow is our Nativity Retreat. Come and begin the process.
With love in Christ,
Fr John
Services and Events
Monday, November 17th—8:15am—Coffee with the Fathers 76 N Pearl St Albany—Join us as we work through Hymns On Paradise by St Ephrem the Syrian
Tuesday, November 18th—5:30pm—Paraklesis and Presentation on St Joseph the Hesychast @ St George Schenectady—Dinner Provided (107 Clinton Ave. Schenectady)
Wednesday, November 19th—6pm—Paraklesis of St George
Thursday, November 20th—6pm—Great Vespers w/Litia and Artoklasia for the Feast of the Entrance into the Temple of the Theotokos
Friday, November 21st—8am—Orthros and Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Entrance into the Temple of the Theotokos
Saturday, November 22nd—3pm—YOUTH DAY followed by Great Vespers and Bible Study (Psalms)
Sunday, November 23rd—8:45am—M. Office, Orthros and Divine Liturgy
COMING UP
Wednesday, December 17th—6pm—Holy Unction Service followed by a meal and fellowship. The service is open to the greater Orthodox Community of Albany and we will have some other priests present to help do the service. This service is typically done on the Wednesday of Holy Week or Great Week but it can be done at any time. We will be doing this service at least once during the major fasting periods of Nativity and Dormition as a way to enter more deeply into the fast and connect the fasting that we do with the healing that comes along with the repentance and confession that we do during the major fasts of the Church. As a note—Holy Unction is a Sacrament or Mystery of the Church and—like communion—is only available to baptized and chrismated Orthodox Christians.
Click to view our Upcoming Schedule
Did You Know...that Christ is Risen!...and...
*This year we will be collecting Turkey for those in need in our neighborhood. Bring a frozen Turkey to the church and we will pass them out to our neighbors and any extras will be donated to Albany City Rescue Mission.
*We are having a clothes drive for those in need. We have collected a lot already—THANK YOU! We are still taking clothes donations and passing them along to the Albany City Rescue Mission down the street from us. Contribute if you are able.
*We are looking for a group of volunteers to help Albany City Rescue Mission to sort clothes or stuff envelopes on the dates of November 19th or 24th. See Fr John, Melody Holman or Jess Balkis for details.
Eduction at St George
But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ 2 Pet 3.1
*Read Metropolitan SABA's weekly teaching—Impressions of a Visit Part II
*Sayidna Saba also gave a talk recently titled—On Converts to Orthodoxy—you can watch it HERE
*Sunday Education for kids ages 10 and up has started. Bring your children as they work through the Curriculum from the Archdiocese A People Set Apart—The Book of Exodus. Check out the Archdiocese Education page HERE.
*Get some caffeine for the soul with Coffee with the Fathers. Join us at ALIAS COFFEE on N. Pearl St in Albany as we study Hymns on Paradise by St Ephrem the Syrian.
*Study the Scriptures with us—Bible Study Saturday evenings at 6pm after vespers. We also are doing localized bible studies in peoples homes on Friday afternoons and evenings—in an attempt to provide an opportunity for as many people as possible to attend. Check the CALENDAR for locations.
*Click HERE for a great YouTube channel with Orthodox kids songs.
*You can view the WORD magazine online. Click HERE.
*Metropolitan SABA has an Instagram account to connect with youth and young adults—@AskSayidna.
*Click HERE and HERE for lives of the Saints.
*Check out our LEARN page for some great sites, podcasts and resources on the Faith.
*Once a month we have a "Youth Day" at the Church which includes kids of all ages. The purpose of these days is to offer education, fellowship, wholesome fun and a chance for the kids to "ask Abouna." Dates for the fall are November 22nd and December 13th—mark your calendars.
Parish Prayer List
"Remember Me O Lord When You Come Into Your Kingdom." Lk 23.42
Please include in your daily prayers the following. Contact me to have someone added to the list. These are the names that will be remembered during the Divine Liturgy.
Living:
Bishop Alexander, Fr Gregory Potter, Fr Joseph, Fr Andrew, Fr Pat, Fr Meletios, Fr Terrance, Fr Michael, Dn Jorge, Dn Horia, Dn Basil, Leila, Helen, Lew, Marsha, Mary, Anastasia, Hassib, Callie, Shannon, Jennifer, Samantha, Fayez, Joel and Naomi and our catechumens: Joseph, Christa, Jared, Max, Ryan, Kathryn and Henry. All those traveling, those suffering from illness, violence and want in this country and throughout the world and especially those in Ukraine, Russia, Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and the middle east
Departed:
The Newly Departed Fr George, Fr Gregory DesMarais, Fr Alvian, Fr John, Will, Camile, Raymond, Charles, Iryna, Dorothy, The New Martyrs of Syria those who have lost their lives and who have no one to pray for them, those who have passed in the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
"Beauty Will Save the World"
My favorite author—Fyodor Dostoyevsky—has a quote, "Beauty will save the world!" What in the world could this mean?! Well, this could be quite a big discussion but I think part of the answer is that as human beings we delight in what is beautiful and not only take delight in but find healing when we encounter something beautiful. Beauty is such a big part of our worship as Orthodox Christians. Orthodox worship engages our senses with beautiful smells, sights and sounds and this matters because God's creation is good and beauty helps us to understand this reality.
Have you ever wondered what you could do to help beautify our church. Here are some ideas:
*Curtain for Holy Doors ($850)churchembroidery.net
*Curtains for Deacons Doors ($1500 each) churchembroidery.net
*Epitaphios of Panaghia ($1800) churchembroidery.net
*Three Mount-Athos style Chandeliers for the nave (the space where the people stand during the service)
Sunday, November 16th, 2025
THE SYNAXARION
On November 16 in the Holy Orthodox Church, we commemorate the holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew.
Verses
Matthew from the midst of the fire cried: My Jesus! I thank Thee, for even publicans Thou savest.
Indefatigable fire on the sixteenth slew Matthew.
He was the son of Alphaeus, and a tax collector when the Lord saw him in Capernaum and said: “Follow Me. And he arose, and followed Him (Matthew 9:9).” After that, Matthew received the Lord in his home and thus provided the occasion for the Lord to express several great truths about His coming to earth. After receiving the Holy Spirit, Matthew preached the Gospel to the Parthians, Medes and Ethiopians. Matthew baptized the wife and the son of the prince of Ethiopia, at which the prince became greatly enraged and dispatched a guard to bring Matthew to him for trial. The soldiers returned to the prince saying that they had heard Matthew’s voice, but could not see him with their eyes. The prince then sent a second guard. When this guard approached the apostle, he shone with a heavenly light so powerful that the soldiers could not look at him; filled with fear, they threw down their weapons and returned. The prince then went himself. Matthew radiated such light that the prince was instantly blinded. However, the holy apostle had a compassionate heart; he prayed to God, and the prince was given back his sight. Unfortunately, he arrested Matthew and subjected him to cruel tortures. Eventually, after Matthew’s death, the prince repented, was baptized, taking the name “Matthew,” and served as a priest, giving up his princely wealth. Matthew the Apostle wrote his Gospel in the Aramaic language. It was soon translated into Greek and the Greek text has come down to us, while the Aramaic text has been lost.
On this day, we also commemorate the Martyr Ephygenia of Ethiopia, disciple of St. Matthew; and Fulvian, prince of Ethiopia. By the intercessions of Thy saints, O Christ God, have mercy upon us. Amen.
Parish Financial Summary—Fiscal Year 2025/26
Help us Reach our Goal of $135,000—Our estimated budget for the 2025-26 Fiscal Year
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF ST GEORGE!
Giving for Week of 11.9.25—$1133
Online Donations for Week of 11.9.25—$60
Broadview Bank Balance as of end of October: $33,579.59: $25,276.42 (Operating Fund); $7161.98 (Memorial Fund); $886.26 (Charity Fund)
Merrill Lynch Mutual Fund as of end of October 31, 2025: $417,248.48
Merrill Lynch Money Market Account as of end of October 31, 2025: $38,660
Total Giving for fiscal year to date (October 25–September 26)—$12,835
Families who have contributed for fiscal year to date (October 25–September 26)—31
Families who have contributed over $5,000 for fiscal year to date (October 25–September 26)—0
Families who have contributed over $1,000 for fiscal year to date (October 25–September 26)—2
A Note to our Visitors
WELCOME!
We are blessed by your presence! Join us for fellowship after. Please note, in the Orthodox Church only baptized and chrismated Orthodox Christians who have properly prepared with confession, fasting (no food from the night before until communion), prayer and forgiveness can partake of the Holy Eucharist. All others may come forward for a blessing and receive a piece of blessed bread from the altar servers.
A Word From the Fathers
St Maximus the Confessor
Sayings 74-75 of the 4th Century (100 Sayings) on Love
74. In Scripture the virtues are called 'ways'. The greatest of all the virtues is love. That is why St Paul said, 'Now I will show you the best way of all' (1 Cor. 12:31), one that persuades us to scorn material things and value nothing transitory more than what is eternal.
75. Love of God is opposed to desire, for it persuades the intellect to control itself with regard to sensual pleasures. Love for our neighbor is opposed to anger, for it makes us scorn fame and riches. These are the two pence which our Savior gave to the innkeeper (cf Luke 10:31), so that he should take care of you. But do not be thoughtless and associate with robbers; otherwise you will be beaten again and left not merely unconscious but dead.
