The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Romans 13:11-14; 14:1-4 Brethren, salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on George the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, Greek Orthodox and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for Church God is able to make him stand. The Reading is from Matthew 6:14-21 The Lord said, "If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. And when you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in ; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

WISDOM FROM THE March 13, 2016 Here it were well to sigh aloud, and to wail bitterly: for not only do we imitate the hypocrites, but we have even surpassed them. Forgiveness Sunday (Cheesefare)

St. , 4th Century Fr. Constantinides

For I know, yea I know many, not merely fasting and making a display of Proistamenos it, but neglecting to fast, and yet wearing the masks of them that fast, and 2930 31st Avenue cloaking themselves with an excuse worse than their sin. Rock Island, IL 61201 St. John Chrysostom, 4th Century What He said is like this: Bury not gold in the earth, nor do any other such (309)-786-8163 thing, for you do but gather it for the moth, and the rust, and the thieves. www.stgeorgeri.il.goarch.org And even if you should entirely escape these evils, yet the enslaving of your heart, the nailing it to all that is below, you will not escape: "For wheresoever your treasure is may be, there is your heart also.”... Father Michael’s email: [email protected] St. John Chrysostom, 4th Century Spiritual delight is not enjoyment found in things that exists outside the soul. St. of Syria, 7th century

Welcome to Saint George Church PASTORAL NOTES: • This week, the fourth week of the Triodion, we begin the Lenten Fast. That Sunday Worship: means Monday through Friday we fast from meat, dairy, fish, and oil while on 8:30 am Orthros/Matins 10:00 am Saturday and Sunday we are allowed to have oil and wine, and still receive Holy on Sunday. TODAY… • th Matthew 19:14—Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not Commemorated: On 13 of this month we commemorate the hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Please be advised recovery of the relics of our father among the saints Nikephoros, Patriarch that children should remain in the Church and not be taken out of Church simply of Constantinople. On this day we also commemorate the holy hieromartyr because they are fussy. Children are a part of the and need godly Publius, of Athens. On this day we also commemorate the holy examples of how to worship. Children need to feel like they are a part of the church Aphricanus, Publius, and Terence; the services in their honor were community and children who don’t feel like a part of the church community will leave church when they’re older. held at the monastery called Paulopetrion. On this day St. Habib of SATURDAY OF THE SOULS Hermoupolis died when he was tied to stone and cast into a river. On this In keeping with the tradition of the Orthodox Church, the two Saturdays prior to the day the holy Christina of Persia died after being scourged. On this beginning of Great and the first Saturday of Lent are Saturdays of the Souls. day, we remember the expulsion of the first-formed Adam from the Orthros will begin at 8:30 a.m. and Divine Liturgy will follow this Saturday, March Garden of Eden. 19th, with a Trisagion service following. Names of the departed to be commemorated should be written out clearly in Greek or English and submitted to the prior to the Readings: start of the Liturgy. Koliva, Prosphoron, olive oil and sacramental wine, should also be Eighth Matins Gospel: John 20:11-18 submitted to the Altar on this day. Epistle: Romans 13:11-14; 14:1-4 EVENING MEAL VOLUNTEERS Gospel: Matthew 6:14-21 March 23 -The Evening Orthodox Study Forum Epistle Reader: Ethan Kirpatrick April 27 -Mike and Nancy Avgenackis Council Duty: Joe Burmeister, Mary Kay Eckert, Mary Rankin and May 25 -Nick and Nancy Coin Anyone interested in participating in this worthwhile ministry should contact Dena Ken Stiegel Manta at 332-1684. Trisagia: WHO CAN RECEIVE HOLY COMMUNION Receiving Holy Communion and any other is an expression of our Despina Pappas: 22 years acceptance of the dogmatic and moral teachings of the Orthodox Church. Only Orthodox Tom Pappas: 58 years Christians (by Baptism or Chrismation) in good standing may participate. For this

Sunday School Classes follow Holy Communion reason, persons who do not agree with these teachings, or are not in good standing (for example, married outside the Church, or unmarried but sexually active, or civilly 5:00 p.m. Sunday Evening Vespers divorced but not ecclesiastically divorced), return to good standing in order to THE & LORD’S PRAYER: Cards are located in the participate in the Sacramental life of the Church. For the same reasons, Orthodox backs of the pews. Everyone is encouraged to recite them out loud. Christians cannot receive sacraments in non-Orthodox Churches. Anyone having COMMUNION PRAYERS: Everyone who is planning to receive Holy questions is urged to discuss them with Father Michael. Communion is encouraged to read the prayers before Holy Communion on PRE-SANCTIFIED LITURGIES page 29 in the Red service books. It is customary that on Wednesday’s during the Lenten season we have what is known as a Pre-Sanctified Liturgy. It is a beautiful service and an opportunity to partake of the COFFEE FELLOWSHIP HOUR : Sponsored today by the Stratton Body and to help strengthen us during our ascetical struggle of fasting. Family We are continuing the tradition of alternating with Assumption Parish each week on holding this service. It is one of the most difficult services to chant and this way we can THIS WEEK… do it together as one church in Christ. Also following these services at both parishes we Monday, March 14, 2016 will have a little Lenten dinner offered. Along with the dinner we will have a small Lenten Lecture Series. All are welcome to join us and learn a little more about our Clean Monday faith. 6:00 p.m. Great Compline SUNDAY EVENING VESPERS Wednesday, March 16, 2016 Every Sunday evening during Great Lent at 5:00 p.m. we will be having Lenten 10:00 a.m. Orthodox Study Forum Vespers. Please join us for these special Lenten services 5:00 p.m. Presanctified Divine Liturgy MONDAY COMPLINE SERVICES Thursday, March 17, 2016 Every Monday during Great and Holy Lent at 6:00 p.m. we will be having Great Compline Services. All are invited. 6:00 p.m. Orthodox Study Forum ARCHIMEDES SCHOLARSHIP Friday, March 18, 2016 Applications are now being accepted for the Next Generation Initiative’s Archimedes 7:00 p.m. 1 st Salutations Award Scholarship, offered to outstanding high school seniors of Hellenic heritage Saturday, March 19, 2016 intending to pursue studies in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) related Third Saturday of Souls fields at a university in the United States. To be considered for a 2016-17 scholarship, please apply by March 25, 2016 . For more information, and to apply online, please go 8:30 a.m. Orthros followed by the Divine Liturgy to www.hellenext.org .