5th Sunday of Luke

The Fall Parish General Assembly is this Sunday, November 1, immediately following the Divine Liturgy (about 12:00 PM) in the Fr. George Papadeas Hall. We will finalize the 2027 budget, elect the Audit Committee and Election Board, and take nominations for the seats of the outgoing Parish Council members. The signed notice, the proposed 2027 budget, and the minutes of the Spring 2026 General Assembly — both of which will be presented for approval — are posted on the parish website.

Daylight saving time ends early Sunday morning, November 1. Set your clocks back one hour before bed on Saturday night. Orthros is at 8:30 AM and the Divine Liturgy at 9:30 AM, as always.

Michael and Jenny will be united in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony on Saturday, November 7 at 11:00 AM here at St. Mark. Please keep them in your prayers.

Our next meeting will be Tuesday, November 3rd at 11:00 AM.

Registration for the 2026–27 Sunday School year continues on Sundays following Divine Liturgy — and registration for St. Macrina's Homeschool Co-op, beginning in September, happens right alongside it. Find the registration table at coffee hour, or register your family online in a few minutes.

Athenian Night returns on Saturday, November 7 at 4:30 PM in the George Papadeas Hall — appetizers, an authentic Mediterranean dinner, Greek and American music, Greek dancing by The Villages International Dance Troupe, raffle prizes and a Chinese auction. Tickets are $60 per person, available at Fellowship Hour through Joanne Veglas, or from Kathy Pangas at 561-827-6262. To donate items, gift cards or services for the auction and raffle, contact Ron Badami at 516-458-3844.

Once again, the Sisters of the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Monastery will be baking their delicious New Year's Vasilopita bread for 2027. This is the Monastery's biggest fundraiser of the year. If you would like to reserve Vasilopita for the holidays, please place your prepaid advance order with Philanthy Nichols before November 15; availability cannot be guaranteed for requests after that date. Pick-up is Sunday, December 20. Each Vasilopita is 2 pounds, as big as a dinner plate, and individually packaged in a 12" cake box — beautiful for your holiday table or as a Christmas gift. $18 each, cash or check payable to St. Mark's.

We know how important community service is for high school students trying to satisfy graduation or scholarship requirements. In fact, volunteering is a key requirement to be considered for the annual St. Mark's Scholarship. One great way to fulfill your hours right now is by helping our various ministries. Currently, the Events Planning Ministry is looking for volunteers to assist with Athenian Night on Saturday, November 7 — setting up the hall before the event, cleaning up after the event, and assisting with other event logistics. If you are interested in volunteering and securing your hours, contact Linda Arvanitis at linda@arvanitis.org or give her a text/call at 352-233-8910.

Our nine-week journey into the heart of the Orthodox Christian faith is under way, meeting every Wednesday at 6:30 PM. It is not too late to join — all are welcome, Orthodox, curious, or somewhere in between. Child care is offered during the class, and we still need volunteers to help provide it — the sign-up sheet is on the candle table.

The October issue is out now — a note from the Parish Council on our Sunday growth, the return of Athenian Night, A Taste of Greece, the chapel iconography update, ministry news, and the parish by the numbers.

Our Stewardship Drive continues! God is doing great things in our community, and each of us is called to take part in His work. Stewardship sign-ups remain available near the entrance by the candles. Join us in offering back to God a portion of the blessings He has given us, as we grow together in faith and service.