His Eminence Metropolitan SABA Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of All North America, His Grace Bishop Alexander
Pastor: Fr John Vazquez | (518) 462-0579 | fatherjohnvazquez@gmail.com | stgeorgealbany.org | 1 St George's Pl Albany, NY
Office Hours: Mon/Fri 10am-5pm | Confessions: After weekly services (Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun) or by appointment
*CONTRIBUTE TO THIS YEARS CHRISTMAS CARD—FILL OUT FORM HERE and DONATE HERE.*
Beloved,
In one holy catholic and apostolic Church
This line from the creed can be understood in a twofold manner. The first is in continuity with the previous line that we looked at in speaking about the Holy Spirt which says—who spake by the prophets. In other words, the Holy Spirit—who spake by the prophets—also speaks in the Holy Church.
This point is exceedingly important. Sometimes people raise objections that the Holy Spirit is not still working in the world like He did in the beginning—in the book of Acts for instance. But the fact that the Holy Spirit speaks through the Church—in the hymns, in the preaching, in the iconography, in the Liturgy, in the writings of the fathers, in the saints, in her doctrine, in her sacraments—is a testament to how the Holy Spirit still works in the world today. The Church then is God’s saving work in the world made present. When the Church is understood in this way the adjectives—one, holy, catholic and apostolic—are set in stark relief and the second way that this line from the creed can be understood emerges.
We believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church: We believe in this Church because this Church is one because Christ is one (1 Cor 8.6); we believe in this Church because it is holy because Christ is holy (1 Pet 1.16) and this Church is His body (Rom 12.5, Col 1.18, Eph 4.4 & 5.30); we believe in this Church because it is catholic (or universal)—this Church impacts all the world like leaven in loaf of bread (Lk 13.21); and we believe in this Church because it is apostolic—spread by the apostles (Mt 28.19).
Beloved, we join ourselves to the Church because in her we are able to find union with God, which is salvation.
with love in the risen Lord,
Fr John
DECEMBER 7TH—NATIVITY RETREAT ON PRAYER—SIGN UP HERE
Saturday, December 7th—4pm—Great Vespers Dinner to follow (NO BIBLE STUDY)
Sunday, December 8th—9am—Orthros and Divine Liturgy (APPEARANCE BY ST NICHOLAS TO FOLLOW along with Gingerbread “Church” and Nativity Play rehearsal. Please let Ranya Palmer know if your children will be attending to assure we have a gingerbread house for each attendee.)
Monday, December 9th—8:15—Coffee with the Fathers at Alias Coffee on North Pearl St in Albany
Wednesday, December 11th—8am—Divine Liturgy
Wednesday, December 11th—6pm—Daily Vespers
Friday, December 13th—8am—Orthros
Saturday, December 14th—5pm—Great Vespers with Bible Study to follow
Sunday, December 15th—9am—Orthros and Divine Liturgy (St Lucia Celebration and PARISH COUNCIL MEETING TO FOLLOW)
Sunday, December 22: Orthros and Divine Liturgy (Christmas Pageant and Potluck)
But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ 2 Pet 3.18
READ METROPOLITAN SABA'S WEEKLY TEACHING—The Holy Scriptures—Nourishment of the Faithful Part III 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 Ephraim the Syrian.
Study the Scriptures with us—Bible Study Saturday evenings at 6pm after vespers as we continue to study the Gospel of Matthew.
Sunday Education—learn with us about a topic for the week after the dismissal. Talk with me if you are interested in teaching a lesson.
Click HERE for some resources for learning about our Faith
Click HERE for a great article on advice for mothers.
*DECEMBER 7TH WE WILL HOST OUR SECOND ANNUAL NATIVITY FAST RETREAT ON PRAYER AND OUR LIFE IN CHRIST. COST IS $20. LUNCH DINNER AND CHILDCARE WILL BE PROVIDED. SIGN UP HERE
**We are seeking donations for our Bake sale and small gift shop to raise funds for Sunday School, to be held 12/15 and 12/22. ***We are accepting: Individually wrapped goods for sale; small NEW items for sale (e.g. books, candles, crafts, ornaments, etc)
*We are planning to schedule a meeting with the representatives from Merrill Lynch to discuss if we should make changes with out investment. THIS MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE SOMETIME AFTER NATIVITY AND THE NEW YEAR. Please reach out if you are interested in attending this meeting and having your voice heard.
*This Nativity season we will be caroling together as a Church again. Stayed tuned for a date and time.
*CONTRIBUTE TO THIS YEARS CHRISTMAS CARD—FILL OUT FORM HERE and DONATE HERE.
"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, Dn Jorge, Dn Horia, Leila, Helen, Lew, Marsha, Mary, Anastasia, Hassib, Georgette, Jess, Angelina, Callie, Rosemary, Shannon, John, Fayez and Paul.
All those suffering from illness, violence and want in this country and throughout the world and especially those in Ukraine, Russia, Gaza, Lebanon and the middle east
Departed:
Fr Gregory DesMarais, Fr Alvian, Will, Camile, 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.
Divine Liturgy Variables on Sunday, December 08, 2024
Tone 7 / Eothinon 2; Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost & Tenth Sunday of Luke
Forefeast of the Conception of the Theotokos; Venerable Patapios of Thebes; Sophronios, bishop of Cyprus
During the Little Entrance, chant the Resurrectional Apolytikion. The Eisodikon (Entrance Hymn) is “O come, let us worship… save us, O Son of God, Who art risen from the dead…” After the Little Entrance, chant these hymns in the following order:
RESURRECTIONAL APOLYTIKION IN TONE SEVEN
Thou didst shatter death by Thy Cross, Thou didst open paradise to the thief; Thou didst turn the sadness of the ointment-bearing women into joy. And didst bid Thine Apostles proclaim a warning, that Thou hast risen O Christ, granting to the world the Great Mercy.
Now sing the apolytikion of the patron saint or feast of the temple.
KONTAKION OF PREPARATION OF CHRIST’S NATIVITY IN TONE THREE
(**The original melody**)
On this day the Virgin cometh to the cave to give birth to * God the Word ineffably, * Who was before all the ages. * Dance for joy, O earth, on hearing * the gladsome tidings; * with the Angels and the shepherds now glorify Him * Who is willing to be gazed on * as a young Child Who * before the ages is God.
THE EPISTLE
The Lord will give strength to His people. Ascribe to the Lord, O sons of God, ascribe to the Lord honor and glory.
The Reading from the Epistle of St. Paul to the Ephesians. (2:14-22)
Brethren, Christ is our peace, Who has made us both one, and has broken down the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in His flesh the law of commandments and ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the Cross, thereby bringing the hostility to an end. And He came and preached peace to you, who were far off, and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in Whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in Whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.
THE GOSPEL
The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke. (13:10-17)
At that time, Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And there was a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. And when Jesus saw her, He called her and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your infirmity.” And He laid His hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrite! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As Jesus said this, all His adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by Him.
The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom continues as usual.
THE DISMISSAL
Priest: May He Who rose from the dead, Christ our true God, through the intercessions of His all-immaculate and all-blameless holy Mother; by the might of the Precious and Life-giving Cross; by the protection of the honorable Bodiless Powers of Heaven; at the supplication of the honorable, glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John; of the holy, glorious and all-laudable apostles; of our father among the saints, John Chrysostom, archbishop of Constantinople; of the holy, glorious and right-victorious Martyrs; of our venerable and God-bearing Fathers; of Saint N., the patron and protector of this holy community; of the holy and righteous ancestors of God, Joachim and Anna; of our righteous father Patapios of Thebes, whose memory we celebrate today, and of all the saints: have mercy on us and save us, forasmuch as He is good and loveth mankind.
Help us Reach our Goal of $132,000—Our estimated budget for the 2024-25 Fiscal Year
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF ST GEORGE!
Giving for Week of 12.1.24—$219.00
Online Donations for Week of 12.1.24—$5105.00
Total Giving for fiscal year to date (October 24–September 25)—$14315.76
Families who have contributed for fiscal year to date (October 24–September 25)—35
Families who have contributed over $5,000 for fiscal year to date (October 24–September 25)—2
Families who have contributed over $1,000 for fiscal year to date (October 24–September 25)—1
*You can set up a recurring monthly donation to the Church by clicking HERE
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 and prayer can partake of the Holy Eucharist. All others may come forward for a blessing with the chalice held over their head and receive a piece of blessed bread from the altar servers.
A Word from the Fathers
Since we have a retreat on Prayer coming up tomorrow—here is something to think about from a modern holy Elder
Elder Aimilianos—On Prayer
Prayer is a large theme: the theme of our whole life, we might say. In a previous encounter,2 we saw that if somebody is to pray, especially at night, he has to create the right atmosphere within himself, and the most suitable atmosphere will be one of compunction. With compunction and the awareness of what we are about, we notice that in the small space in which we stand, in our cell or in our room, in the place where we actually are, we can circumscribe Him Who is uncircumscribable, and contain the One Who cannot be contained. Our prayer cannot be impersonal. Prayer always concerns two people: myself, and Him Who is truly present and with me: God.