Click onto the following link to view a letter from Metropolitan Tikhon to the parishes of the Albanian Archdiocese at a time of rising COVID infections nationally and within the Archdiocese.  Met. Tikhon discusses that it is critical to maintain the Eucharist Life of the Church, maintain the Sacramental Life of the Church, while limiting in-person activities to those that are truely necessary, recognizing the COVID virus is transmitted most frequently by in-person contact  Letter from Met. Tikhon on COVID Precautions 2020 Nov 21. 

St. George extends our thanks to Dave Dougiello of Commerce Hill Funeral Home for donating the 2021 Wall Calendars.  Please pick one up at the Church Desk. 

Click onto the following link to view and download a letter from Metropolitan Tikhon to the Clergy of the Albanian Archdiocese on upswings in COVID cases throughout the country.   Letter from Met Tikhon to Alb Arch 2020 Nov 3

The letter encourages parishes to continue to evaluate the COVID environment in their region, to consider as necessary the lowering the stage of their opening plans, lowering the limit of attendees to Liturgy, lowering the number of services, etc., to comply with local civil health directives. 

As of November 5th in Connecticut, there are 68 towns are in Red alert (including Bridgeport, Monroe, Shelton and Stratford). Additionally there are 44 towns are in Orange alert (including Trumbull, Easton, and Fairfield).  You can view the state map here:  https://portal.ct.gov/DPH/Communications/Disease-Preparedness/CT-COVID-19-Municipal-Level-Alert

St. George remains in-compliance with all Civil and Synodal guidelines.  Just to quickly re-state the current re-opening status of St. George:

1)   St. George continues to operate under its original re-opening plan. Our plan was developed to meet the Phase 1, Stage 1 Holy Synodal Guidelines.  The current plan in use was approved June 25th.
2)   St. George is approved to only hold Sunday Divine Liturgies with a maximum of 40 attendees (maximum of 25% occupancy)
3)   St. George never applied to increase the number of attendees, primarily because the physical layout of our pews prohibits additional attendees while maintaining a 6-foot physical distance between attendees.
4)   Major procedural changes that remain in effect include: reservations for attendance; setting up seating plans; special cleaning of the church; maintaining attendance records for any tracing needs; controlling entrance and exit routes; requiring masks or face coverings; taking temperature readings of arriving attendees; no regular choir; eliminating kissing and contact with icons, crosses, and the chalice; and using individual sanitized spoons for distribution of Communion.

For additional specific details, please click onto the following website link to view our June 26th News Update on the re-opening guidelines for St. George.  https://www.stgeorgetrumbull.org/news_200627_1

Any parishioners with COVID symptoms (fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, etc.), or have had contact with someone having COVID, or showing COVID symptoms, should not attend services.  Also, seniors with underlying health conditions are encouraged to stay home.

The Parish Council will continue to monitor the local health situation surrounding COVID, and make and communicate any appropriate changes as necessary for the health and safety of our community.

On Sunday Nov 8th after Divine Liturgy, in honor of Veteran’s Day, our parish Veterans and current military personnel were acknowledged, and a special prayer was read for all Veterans and Military servicemen and women.  Below is the prayer:
 
Almighty God, the cause of liberty is Yours. 
It is likewise the cause of those who have defended it against tyranny and oppression. 
Remembering the veterans who have served, and those who are now serving in America's Armed Forces, we give You thanks. 
We are grateful that You inspired their sense of patriotism and strengthened them in unselfish service. 
Their courage and vigilance insured the freedom and peace we enjoy today. 
Grant, we pray, O Lord, to each of our Veterans a generous portion of Your grace and to America, our native land, Your blessing.  
Amen.

On Sunday, October 25th, St. George held a Memorial Service for His Beatitude Metropolitan Theodosius who fell asleep in the Lord on Monday, October 19th.  May his memory be eternal! 

The OCA prepared an "In Memoriam" Photo Album on Met. Theodosius.  One photo from the album shows Met. Theodosius with Albanian Archdiocese clergy and delegates at the 5th All-American Council in Montreal in 1977.  Click onto the more information link below to view the photo and additional details. 

Note for Sundays - WIth the restricted re-opening of St. George for Sunday Divine Liturgies, Fr. Sergei will be video recording his sermons each Sunday in the church. They will be posted on St. George's YouTube Channel after Divine Liturgy. Because of time required to edit, format, and process the video for viewing, they will not be available to view until Sunday afternoons.  The following link will take you to St. George's YouTube Channel:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvDnJSwwffvezBVH7P8u0bg

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Sunday Reader Prayer Service:  the following link contains recommended sets of prayers to be used at home for those unable to attend due to specific health risks:

For use at Home or at St. George without a Priest:  Sunday Reader Prayer Service

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Click on the following to view additional Resouces that are available for use during this period of suspended services:   RESOURCES during COVID-19 pandemic. 

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The featured icon image is of Sts Hermione, Philonilla & Zenaida the Unmercenary Physicians.  They are known as the Mothers of Modern Medicine, the first Unmercenary Physicians. Unmercenary Physicians were trained physicians who treated the poor and did not accept payment for their services. View more information at these following links:  https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2020/09/04/102492-martyr-hermione-daughter-of-saint-philip-the-deacon   and  https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2019/10/11/102939-martyrs-zenaida-and-philonilla-of-tarsus-in-cilicia