GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
OF ST. GEORGE
Fr. Basil Hickman, Presbyteros
October 2014 NEWSLETTER
We will celebrate Great Vespers every Saturday (unless noted) at 5:00 pm.
OCTOBER EVENTS
The Annual Metropolitan Iakovos Nameday Banquet will be held on the evening of Thursday, October 23 in Chicago. Anyone wishing to attend should contact Fr. Basil.
Food Pantry Collection is always the third Sunday of each month. Please bring nonperishable food items. You are welcome to bring donations at any time and leave the items
in the Hall.
October 5th is Naonal
Church Music Sunday
****************
Sunday, October 12
Philoptochos
Cultural Unity Dinner
Following Services
(note ﬂyer)
****************
Sunday, October 12
Des Moines Area
Hunger Hike
(1:30 pm at the
Hall of Laureates)
Adult Synaxis will meet Thursday, October 16, 7:00 - 8:00 pm in the Parish Hall. We will
watch and discuss a video entitled “History of Orthodox Christianity - Byzantium.” Bring a
friend!
AHEPA will meet at a time to be announced. Please watch for further information.
DOP will meet Wednesday, October 15, 7:00 pm in the Parish Hall. Zifa Hackett hosting.
GOYA (our teens or those starting 7th grade) are planning their first get-together at the Farrell residence on Sunday, October 19 at 6:00 pm. We will discuss events for the upcoming
year and elect officers.
Parish Council Meeting - Monday, October 6, 6:30 pm in the Parish Hall.
Philoptochos will meet Wednesday, October 8, 7:00 pm in the Parish Hall. Chrystalla Daly
hosting.
Sunday School meets every Sunday (unless noted) immediately following Holy Communion.
Please remember: students and teachers should be first in line to receive Holy Communion so they can get to class as soon as possible. Contact: Harry Zubulake - 262-4529.
Library News – Please see Elaine Avgerinos (278-2032) for all books, tapes, videos, icons
and updates. Looking for a Gift Certificate? Check out the library.
****************
NURSERY SCHEDULE
Saturday, October 25
Greek Glendi
6:30 pm
Parish Hall
OCTOBER
5TH
12TH
19TH
26TH
LISA CADE
LISA PEARSON
ZIFA HACKETT
SANDI WURSTER
(note ﬂyer)
Greek School Classes for our children will begin
Wednesday, October 1st!
The classes will take place every Wednesday from 6:00 to
7:00 pm in the Church basement.
Greek School is currently seeking a volunteer with
knowledge of the Greek language to teach one of the
Greek School classes.
Anyone interested, please contact Presvytera Efi at (515)
278-1175.
Junior Orthodox Youth (JOY)
All kids from about 5 to 12 years of age are encouraged to participate in our JOY Group, further developing their relationships with fellow Orthodox Christian children as we meet for fun and educational
activities.
Join us at Howell's Pumpkin Patch
Sunday, October 12, 3:00 - 6:00 p.m.
3145 Howell Court
515-981-0863
Cumming, Iowa 50061
www.howellspumpkins.com
General Admission $8.00 (plus extra $ for snacks &/or gift shop)
Lots of Activities: wagon rides to corn maze and pumpkin patch, Barn Yard,
Kiddie Korral, corn pool, giant slide and much more!
For all the details, contact Kathy Triantafyllos at 987-2254.
Orthodox Cultural
Unity Dinner
Sunday, October 12, 2014
After Divine Liturgy
(Sponsored by Philoptochos)
On the day of our Cultural Unity
Dinner (October 12), we will recite
the Lord’s Prayer (the “Our Father”)
in various languages during the
Divine Liturgy as part of our celebration of the many cultures which
come together in our Church Community as one Family in Christ.
Freewill donations to support
Philoptochos Charities throughout
the upcoming year.
Questions: call
Christy Karthan
266-4918 or Catherine Madcharo
987-8555.
Wave Your Flag,
Share Your Recipe,
Celebrate Your Culture!
Please sign up on the flip board
(separate sheet by the coffee hour list).
Any Orthodox Christian who would
like to represent his/her culture of
origin by leading the recitation of
the Lord’s Prayer in the language of
his/her heritage is asked to contact
Father Basil by Wednesday,
October 8th.
45th Annual
Des Moines Area
HUNGER HIKE
Sunday, October 12,
1:30 pm
Starting at the Hall of Laureates - 100 Locust St.
For information on walking or donating, please
contact Jim Zeller at 2057780.
REGISTRY
Baptism - September 6th
George Shilkaitis. Parents are Jack & Marie Shilkaitis.
Our heartfelt condolences to the family of
Elaine Koutsounis. Elaine passed away on
September 17th.
Our heartfelt condolences to the family of
Gregory Spanos (brother of Chris Spanos &
Chrisoula Papadopoulos), who passed away
on September 18th in Florida.
Our heartfelt condolences to Presvytera
Efi, whose uncle Efstathios Polychronopoulos passed away in September.
WHERE WE STAND
January through August
Stewardship Received - $70,886
Pledges received (as of 9/21/14)
62 families, totaling $66,382
$152,202
(Goal)
Friday, Feb. 6 Sunday, Feb. 8 at
Sts. Constantine &
Helen Church
in
Wauwatosa, WI
Memorial - September 7th
Ben Siepmann - 1 year
Alexandra & Nikolaos Antoniadis (parents of
Presvytera Efi)
Memorial - September 21st
Georgios Vassos (1 year), father of Dimitra
Vassou-Kassiotis
May their memory be eternal.
Please send in
your 2014
Stewardship
Commitment
Pledge.
MARK YOUR
CALENDARS!
2015
Basketball
Tournament
Prayers and Get Well Wishes:
Elaine Avgerinos, Tom Boosalis, Helen
Gates, George Pappas, Pam Said, Robert
Siepmann, Lula Soter, Sophocles Vendoures, Yvonne Wessels, Mildred Woltz, &
Hayden Zubulake.
PLEASE NOTE:
Parish Council
Minutes are posted on
the bulletin board in
the Church Hall for
everyone’s perusal.
Spread a little sunshine!
47%
Collected
$70,886
Please remember our friend who is not able to get out and about by
stopping by to say hi, or by sending a card, note or
phone call. This would brighten her day.
Krenio Wright
Wesley Acres - Rm #JH310
3520 Grand Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50312
271-6696
SERVICE MINISTRIES FOR OCTOBER
Narthex Duty: Joanna Farrell & Andrew Georgopoulos
DATE
ALTAR BOYS
READER of EPISTLE
PROSFORA
COFFEE HOUR
Sunday, October 5th
Cameron Caldbeck &
Ky Pearson
Chanters
Helen Christakos
“OPEN”
Sunday, October 12th
John & Peter Gliniecki
Dr. Jim Prickett
Mary
Hatzigiannakis
Philoptochos
Cultural Unity Dn.
Sunday, October 19th
Christian & Noah
Roberts
Chanters
Pres. Efi Hickman
Chris & Erica
Axiotis
Sunday, October 26th
St. Demetrios
Nicholas & Teddy
Triantafyllos
Dr. Jim Prickett
Christy Karthan
“OPEN”
SERVICE MINISTRIES FOR NOVEMBER
Narthex Duty: Dean Hackett & George Mirras
DATE
ALTAR BOYS
READER of EPISTLE
Saturday, November 1st
Sts. Kosmas & Damianos
Sunday, November 2nd
Alex & Evan Economos
Chanters
Dimitra Kassiotis
“OPEN”
Freezer
Pete Economos &
Nathaniel Skinner
Dr. Jim Prickett
Thursday, November 13th
St. John Chrysostom
Sunday, November 16th
COFFEE HOUR
Freezer
Saturday, November 8th
Archangels Michael &
Gabriel
Sunday, November 9th
PROSFORA
Elaine Notis
Philoptochos
Thanksgiving Dn. &
General Assembly
Freezer
Ky Pearson &
Caleb Shenouda
Chanters
Friday, November 21st
Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple
Denise Ragias
“OPEN”
Maria Skinner
Sunday, November 23rd
Gabriel & Zacharias
Miller
Dr. Jim Prickett
Barbara Smith
“OPEN”
Sunday, November 30th
St. Andrew
Nicky Karamanlis &
Ky Pearson
Chanters
Judi Telenson
“OPEN”
DON’T FORGET - We need Coffee Hour Stewards!!!!!
We have a lot of Sundays without names listed to host coffee hour. As you enter the kitchen, you will notice
the flip chart. Please pick a Sunday of your choice and sign your name, or call the office - 277-0780.
Greek Glendi
Saturday, October 25 - 6:30 pm
St. George
Greek Orthodox Church
Come join us!
Dance the night away to Greek & American Music!
EVERYONE IS WELCOME!!!
Featuring - OPA Hellas DJ (Greg Ragias)
by
red
o
s
n
Spo EPA &
A H t e rs o f
gh
Dau nelope
Pe
Hors d’oeuvres & Beverages
Adults: $10.00
High School & under: Free!
"…AND YOU SHALL BE MY WITNESSES…" ACTS 1:8
By Father James W. Kordaris (Director of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Department of
Outreach & Evangelism)
Forty days after His Resurrection, at the time of His Ascension, Jesus gathered His disciples with Him and
promised that they would soon receive the Holy Spirit. He called upon them to be His witnesses “…in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
This same calling is directed to each one of us – not just to professional religious people such as clergy and
monastics. This calling to be witnesses of the faith was originally directed to the disciples, who were faithful people with ordinary professions. And these people changed the world by their witness. They didn’t do
this by use of their vast knowledge of theological issues, but by their simple faith in what they had experienced in Jesus.
The front lines of Jesus’ army today are you – faithful men and women who live ordinary lives in the world,
attending school, making a living, raising families, participating in the daily life of our society. You are the
ones who will reach the people whom we as clergy may never see – relatives, friends, coworkers, and in
athletics, clubs and organizations. You will be placed in situations where you will be a witness to your faith
– not by standing up and preaching – but by the way you conduct yourself as a Christian. In whatever you
do, you are a Christian first – a Christian athlete, a Christian doctor, a Christian in business, a Christian
parent, Christian teacher, a Christian friend.
(Continued on next page)
(Continued from previous page)
There will be good days – those days when things fall into place and you feel that God is using the gifts
that He has given you for His purposes. You will sense that He has placed you in a certain situation for
which you are uniquely prepared. You will succeed and hopefully you will honor Him with your success,
knowing that all that you accomplish has come from Him.
There will be bad days – those days when the world seems to reward those who do not honor God or His
commandments, those who strive to succeed regardless of the spiritual cost to themselves and others.
Success, as it is measured in the world today seems to reward unethical, un-Christian behavior. As
Christians living and working in this world, we struggle to remain faithful, and are wounded in the battle.
Saint John Chrysostom referred to the Church as a “hospital” where people come to wash away their
sins. The Church is like an army field hospital where clergy and staff work behind the lines, providing
spiritual nourishment and a place to be healed and refreshed in the faith. People enter these doors each
week, tired and wounded in their daily lives, doing their best to be faithful Christians in a world that does
not always encourage or reward Christian values.
The Church should be a safe place. Just like the giant cross painted on the army field hospitals and vehicles to keep them from being attacked, the cross of this church should remind us all that Church is a
safe place where we come to be healed, to be what God created us to be, free from the fear of attack.
We are healed by praying and worshipping with others. There is a great sense of community that gives
us strength when we pray and worship together in liturgy. We pray for ourselves and others and we
thank God for the many blessings in our lives.
We also lay out our troubles before Him, as Hezekiah did in the Old Testament when he “spread out his
troubles before the Lord.” There is no problem so small that we cannot place it before God in prayer. As
Saint Paul wrote to the Philippians, “…in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let
your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will set
your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
It is important to let God speak to us. The Holy Spirit may move us in the silence of prayer, in interaction with other people of faith, and through the reading of Holy Scripture. This often-neglected source of
spiritual nourishment has the ability to change your life. Reading our Bible, participation in worship and
sacraments, and daily prayer provide us with the spiritual armor to face the challenges of daily life and
to be witnesses of our faith by the way we live our lives.
In his book, Bread for Life, New Testament Professor Fr. Theodore Stylianopoulos writes, “God will provide many opportunities to the growing Christian for sharing with others his or her experience with the
Bible. What better witness for the truth of the Christian faith than a solid Christian life nourished by Holy
Scripture and radiating true Christian love at home, at Church and at work?”
God will place you in situations to share your faith. As He called upon His disciples on the day of His Ascension, He has also called upon you to be His witnesses “…in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the end of the earth.” Amen.