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—Marie Barbera, Secretary—Daniel Palmer, Vice Chair—Justin Rezek
Beloved,
Happy Thanksgiving!
Or is it thanksgiving that makes us happy?
As Christians, we are people who give thanks. Giving thanks in fact is the essence of our Christian life as this is what eucharist means—thanksgiving. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that if we are not thankful people, we are not Christians!
Now—DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND—this statement does not mean that we must always FEEL thankful—that is something different—we are not defined by our feelings because our feelings come and go. What this statement means is that we are to always CHOOSE to GIVE thanks. It would be accurate to say that Adam and Eve fell—and we fall—because we fail to give thanks and instead seek to take for ourselves.
Giving thanks is transformative. Thanksgiving transforms the manger of our hearts from hard stone to a plush feathered bed fit for a king. It moves us from selfish to loving, from greedy to generous, from angry to joyous and from proud to humble. As this is true, think about the power that giving thanks has, to transform any situation—good or bad—into an opportunity to encounter God and have Him draw near to us. What could bring more happiness to us?
I give thanks today for each of you and our Church community.
Choose to give thanks today and experience the presence of God within you.
I pray for our sweetest Lord's blessing on each of you this day.
With love in Christ,
Fr John
Services and Events
Sunday, November 30th—8:45am—M. Office, Orthros and Divine Liturgy
Monday, December 1st—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, December 1st—12pm—Paraklesis of the Theotokos
Wednesday, December 3rd—8am—Divine Liturgy
Wednesday, December 3rd—6pm—Paraklesis of St George
Wednesday, December 3rd—7:30pm—Bible Study at Amal Tlaigie's
Friday, December 5th—8am—Orthros
Saturday, December 6th—9am—Divine Liturgy for the Feast of St Nicholas @ St Nicholas Orthodox Church in Cohoes (67 Saratoga St)
Sunday, December 7th—8:45am—M. Office, Orthros and Divine Liturgy (St Nicholas appearance and Gingerbread House Making to follow Liturgy)
COMING UP
Sunday, December 14th—8:45am—M. Office, Orthros and Divine Liturgy (St Lucia celebration with Lucia Bride(s) to follow Liturgy)
Sunday, December 21st—8:45am—M. Office, Orthros and Divine Liturgy (Christmas Pageant/Concert to follow Liturgy)
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...
*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.
*It is time for our 2025 Christmas Card. Our Christmas card is a fundraiser for our community. Fill out a form which can be found in the hall and return it to Ranya Palmer or Fr John.
*The Order of St Ignatius is an Archdiocese organization that helps support many activities and causes throughout our Archdiocese. Becoming a member is a wonderful way to support our Archdiocese and the work it does. Consider joining and becoming involved. There is information in the hall or you can speak to Fr John.
*St Innocent Orthodox Church in Oneonta will be hosting a speaker for the Orthodox Volunteer Corps on Sunday December 7th. There will be a speaker at 11am following the Divine Liturgy. This group is geared toward young people seeking to serve. See Fr John for more 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—Let Us Give Thanks and Rejoice
*Sayidna Saba also gave a talk recently titled—On Converts to Orthodoxy—you can watch it HERE
*Bring your children to our Sunday Education 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." December 13th is the next date—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:
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 30th, 2025
THE SYNAXARION
On November 30 in the Holy Orthodox Church, we commemorate the holy, glorious, and all-laudable Apostle Andrew the First-Called.
Verses
Andrew endureth an inverted crucifixion, appearing feet upward in truth and not in shadow.
On the thirtieth Andrew braved a cross head downward.
He was the son of Jonah and brother of Peter, born in Bethsaida and a fisherman by trade. At first he was a disciple of John the Baptist, but when the Forerunner pointed to the Lord Jesus, saying, “Behold the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36), Andrew left his first teacher and became the first apostle to follow Christ. Then, Andrew brought his brother Peter to the Lord. Following the descent of the Holy Spirit, it fell by lot to Andrew to preach the Gospel in Byzantium and Thrace, then in the lands along the Danube and in Russia around the Black Sea, and finally in Epirus, Greece and the Peloponnesos. In Patras, he performed many miracles in the name of Christ, and won many over to the Lord. Among the new faithful were the brother and wife of the Proconsul Aegeates. Angered at this, Aegeates subjected Andrew to torture and then crucified him. Then the apostle prayed to God and an extraordinary light encompassed him, which lasted for half an hour. When it disappeared, the apostle gave up his holy soul to God in 62.
On this day, we also commemorate Frumentios, archbishop and enlightener of Ethiopia; and Alexander, bishop of Methymna. By their intercessions, 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 11.23.25—$1221
Online Donations for Week of 11.23.25—$0
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)—$15,678
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
Sayidna Saba
Gratitude, my dear friends, is a quintessential Christian virtue. A person who appreciates God's grace and understands the importance of His blessings in their life is always grateful.
