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,
Prepare!
Tomorrow—if you are reading this on Thursday night—or today, Friday the 21st—if you are reading this in the morning—we celebrate the feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the temple. This feast—like all the feasts of our Panaghia (all-holy Lady)—is one that has a particular word to each of us. This word is—prepare.
What is that we are to prepare for? It is significant that we celebrate this feast of Mary in the midst of our preparation to receive our Lord at Christmas. The feast of the Entrance is given to us at the beginning of this Nativity fast to remind us of the high calling that each of us have—to have our Lord be born in us.
What does it mean to prepare and what does it look like to prepare? To prepare means that we intentionally do certain things to clean, purify and fortify our hearts. This may take the form of many different practices—prayer, fasting, alms, services, stillness, prostrations, less sleep and silence. These forms of preparation are necessary—like training to run a marathon before the actual race—if you don't prepare, you don't stand much of a chance to complete the race. We cannot receive Christ if we do not prepare to receive Him so it would make sense to do everything we can to prepare ourselves to receive the most precious thing that we can receive. There is nothing so worthy, nothing so lovely, nothing so fulfilling as our Lord Jesus Christ.
Fast, and be filled with the super essential bread of heaven
Pray, and our Lord will call you his friend
Give, and receive more than you can imagine
Go to Church, and remain in Christ
Still yourself, and have Christ run to you
Do prostrations, and Christ will reach down to raise you up
Sleep less, and find rest in Christ
Sit in silence, and hear the voice of the Lord
Prepare yourself to receive Him as our most Holy Lady did in the temple and the Grace of the most high will overshadow you.
With love in Christ,
Fr John
PS—HERE are some resources put out by our Archdiocese to learn more about this beautiful feast.
PSS—Don't forget to bring a turkey so that we can share our blessings with our neighbors for Thanksgiving next week
Services and Events
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
Monday, November 24th—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
Monday, November 24th—12pm—Paraklesis of the Theotokos
Sunday, November 30th—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—On Self-Criticism
*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.
*Look HERE for some Nativity resources for your family.
*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 23th, 2025
THE SYNAXARION
On November 23 in the Holy Orthodox Church, we continue to celebrate the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Holy of Holies, and we commemorate our father among the saints Amphilokios, bishop of Iconium.
Verses
Sent forth in dead man’s dress, O Amphilokios,
Though dead, thou dost scatter spiritual ambushes.
On the twenty-third, death took Amphilokios.
Amphilokios was a friend of St. Basil the Great and other great saints of the fourth century. He lived in a cave in asceticism for forty years. After that, he was consecrated Bishop of Iconium. He took part in the Second Ecumenical Council in 381. He zealously fought the impious Macedonius and the Arians. He personally begged Emperor Theodosius the Great to expel all the Arians from every city in the empire, but the emperor did not heed him. Days later, Amphilokios came before the emperor again, but ignored his son, Arcadius, sitting next to him. The saint said to the enraged emperor: “Do you see, O Emperor, how you do not tolerate disrespect to your son? So too, God the Father does not tolerate disrespect to His Son, and is disgusted with the corruptness of those who blaspheme Him.” Amphilokios died in great old age in 395.
On this day, we also commemorate our father among the saints Gregory, bishop of Agrigentum. 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 11.16.25—$2023
Online Donations for Week of 11.16.25—$165
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)—$14,530
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
Saying 77 of the 4th Century (100 Sayings) on Love
Who enlightened you with faith in the holy, coessential and adorable Trinity? Or who made known to you the incarnate dispensation of one of the Holy Trinity? Who taught you about the inner essences of incorporeal beings, or about the origin and consummation of the visible world, or about the resurrection from the dead and eternal life, or about the glory of the kingdom of heaven and the dreadful judgment? Was it not the grace of Christ dwelling in you, which is the pledge of the Holy Spirit? What is greater than this grace? What is more noble than this wisdom and knowledge? What is more lofty than these promises? But if we are lazy and negligent, and if we do not cleanse ourselves from the passions which defile us, blinding our intellect and so preventing us from seeing the inner nature of these realities more clearly than the sun, let us blame ourselves and not deny the indwelling of grace.
