Mar-Apr, 2015 - Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church
VOICE THE Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church Metropolis of Atlanta 8210 Cypress Lake Drive Fort Myers, Florida 33919 Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church March & April 2015 Current Resident or TO: The Greek Dancers, instructors and Fr. Dean getting ready for the Annual Greek Festival of 2015! GREAT AND HOLY PASCHA APRIL 12th 35 02/01/2015 Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church 8210 Cypress Lake Drive ~ Fort Myers, Florida 33919-5116 Ch. Phone: (239) 481-2099 Fax: (239)-481-0504 email: [email protected] Fr. Dean’s cell: (239) 322-7553 email: [email protected] www.annunciation.fl.goarch.org Office Hours: Monday-Friday ~ 9:30 am-3 pm Administrative Assistant: Kelsie Gregware Rev. Fr. Dean Nastos, Proistamenos Fr. Deacon John Howard _________________________ PARISH COUNCIL Executive Officers: Nick Karras President Maria Mourgis Vice-President Council Committees: Stewardship Michael Peceri Construction/Maintenance John Simon MINISTRIES GOYA Heidi Kubiak– Advisor Sunday School Jen-Hope Belis Circle of Friends Joan Simon Virginia Headley Treasurer Welcome/Ushering Effie Kapetan All Council Members Michael Peceri Assistant Treasurer Festival Jen-Hope Belis Bookstore Virginia Headley Dr. Theodor Bonstedt Heidi Kubiak Secretary Car Raffle Nick Karras Stella Karras DANCE TROUPE Georgia Kline ____________ Board Members: Tom Haley Les Haynes Pat Kemp Marilyn Necak Jon Shannon John Simon _____________________________ VOICE Editor Fr. Dean Nastos Altar Don Headley Choir Adam Krotov, Director Heidi Kubiak, Organist Cantor Theo Palis Ladies Philoptochos Ginny Amend, President Organizations: Hellenic American Social Club of S.W. FL Barbara Dionysopoulos, President VISIT US ON FACEBOOK Annunciation GOC Fort Myers Prosphoro Polly Margaritis:(239) 634-6460 March & April VOICE 2015 3 10/01/2015 From the Desk of Our Proistamenos... MARCH & APRIL 2015 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, “..that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer;…” 1 Corinthians 7:5 Our 4th decade of service to our community. There are many constructive uses of time. For example – prayer, scripture reading (or other religious reading), participating in Holy Confession and Holy Communion, giving of our Stewardship 239-542-4733 (Time, Talents and Treasures) and fasting. Attending Church services is also something that should become normal during Great Lent. Also, we should include sharing time and showing concern for our loved ones and fellow Parish family. Our Parish has need of your time for many things and in many ways. Great Lent gives us many opportunities to serve the Lord and our Parish. Time in this Robert B. Burandt Construction Law Criminal & Civil Litigation Injury & Auto Accidents Real Estate, Landlord-Tenant Law world is limited, it has value. Now is the time to use it wisely. Great Lent begins on February 23rd and we encourage all members to participate in all aspects of Great Lent. The period of time allows each of us to take advantage of the many opportunities offered by the Parish in order to strengthen our spiritual lives. Great Lent gives each of us the ability to come closer to our Lord through the various spiritual exercises prescribed by the Church. We must not only fast during this period but practice the other spiritual exercises in order to achieve a balanced spiritual life that will truly make our relationship with the Lord more meaningful. Now is the time to participate in Holy Confession if you have never done so or it has been a long period of time. Robert C. Adamski Wills, Trust, Probate and Estate Planning Elder Law & Real Estate Law Holy Week (April 5-11) and Pascha (April 12) allows each of us to experience the final week of our Lord upon this earth. Holy Week gives us the opportunity to walk with our Lord and feel all the various emotions, thoughts and aspirations He goes through before His glorious Resurrection. Holy Week is exactly that – a whole week. Let us attend every service every day in order to realize the fullness of our Lord’s sacrifice and triumph for each of us. Eric P. Feichthaler Local Government Law, Tax, Wills & Trusts, Probate, Real Estate Law The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisement. Before you decide ask us for free information about our qualifications and experience. May Great Lent, Holy Week and Pascha be a spiritually moving time for everyone as we each participate in each period for our continued growth and sharing of love with each other as given to us by our Lord. Praying that you have a blessed Great Lent! In Christ’s Service, Fr. Dean 33 04/01/2015 A Message from the President , Nick Karras MARCH & APRIL 2015 Fellow Parishioners and Friends, Often we look for the negative issues instead of the positive ones. Now is the time for forgiveness. We have a lot to be thankful for. Our classroom/offices is very near to completion that we all should be proud of. The Greek Fest will be a huge success again this year because of all the hard work and talents of all our wonderful parishioners. Our community continues to grow at a fast rate. We have now become a landmark in Fort Myers. Our Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church is on the map. The beautiful white and blue building stands out from afar. Many positive and awesome compliments from various people who ride by and see the progress. All the nearby neighbors are very happy to see such a huge improvement on our property and are very happy for our community. They enjoy watching us grow as well as we do. Your support is greatly needed to continue with the progress. With Great Lent and the Resurrection of our Lord, I hope you will attend all the church services. It is very important to come to church and show your support. Please remember to give generously to our classroom/office project so we can move forward on other projects. The date of the spring parish assembly meeting will be announced in the future. Please make every effort to attend. All your opinions and suggested need to be heard. May God Bless us all. In the Lord's Service, Nick Karras Parish Council President Agape Vespers—GOSPEL READERS NEEDED! If you are able to read a foreign language and would like to read the Gospel on Sunday, April 12th during the Agape Vespers Service (Begins at 11:00AM), please see or call Fr. Dean as soon as possible. Can you read: Albanian Arabic Czech French German Italian Latin Russian Serbian Spanish Ukrainian Or Another Language PLEASE SEE OR CALL FR. DEAN THANK YOU! 5 04/01/2015 Building Capital Campaign by Michael B. Peceri AVENUES TO GIVING TO OUR “FAMILIES” “The night your soul will be required of you, then whose will those things by which you have been provided? So is he who lay up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” --Luke 12:36 06/01/2015 04/01/2015 04/01/2015 “The night your soul will be required of you,….” We never think in those terms but it is inevitable that one day each of our souls will be required of us at the time of our passing. In a previous VOICE article I wrote that: all of us are a part of other “families.” Have you ever considered that beyond your immediate family how many other “families” you are committed to? For example: clubs, volunteer organizations, religious or fraternal organizations, a parishioner or steward of your church. All of these “families” return something to you; a sense of belonging and even a sense for the welfare of these organizations or “families.” Being a member of a family we, at times, do recognize our own mortality and agonize on how best we can distribute the abundance we have acquired during our life time to our families. Most often we first consider through a will or other means of passing on our treasures and parental love to our children or other family members. However, we often neglect the one family that has over the years provided us with spiritual guidance, peace and most importantly a sense of belonging, sharing the joys and gifts of the Sacraments of our Orthodox Faith . The one family member that does provide these gifts year after year without question is our Church, the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. Have you ever considered passing some of your treasures to your Church for the gifts you have received of unquestioned spiritual love and comfort over the years? At a recent coffee Stefanos Loisou, a Senior Financial Planner outlined many methods a parishioner could reach beyond his or her typical means of donating to leave a legacy that would make a difference to our Church. I encourage each of you to fill out the card provided with the brochure to learn how you can easily leave a legacy to your church family. If you would prefer to join an informal workshop or seminar please let Father Dean know and he will arrange it. You don’t have to be a “millionaire” to make a difference for your Church! Michael B. Peceri Parish Council Classroom Capital Campaign 04/01/2015 08/01/2015 31 Stewardship by Michael B. Peceri “The rich man is not one who has much to give, but one who gives much. For what he gives away remains his forever.” --St. John Chrysostom THE NEW STEWARDSHIP CHAIRPERSON: Patricia A. Kemp After almost 20 years as Stewardship Chairman Michael Peceri informed the Parish Council at its last meeting that it was time for him to step down and asked the Council to appoint a new Chairperson. The Parish Council has appointed Patricia A. Kemp as the new Stewardship Chairperson. Pat was born in Jamestown, New York where she attended St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church with her parents, Theodore and Theophania Depas Papageorge. Pat moved to Cape Coral in l977 with her husband, Gordon who passed away in 2008. Subsequently, Pat worked as a realtor/broker and administrator before retiring in 2009. Currently, Pat volunteers as a Guardian ad Litem, advocating for children in need and ensuring the protection of their legal rights. In addition to her new position as a Parish Council member, she is the recording secretary of the Ladies Philoptochos Society and Treasurer of the Hellenic Club. 4 7 12/01/2015 ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 2015 STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM PLEDGES This listing contains the names of those Stewards of the Church who have signed the, blue, pledge cards for 2015. Pledge cards are available in the Church Narthex or Church office. If you feel your name has been omitted please contact: Kelsie Gregware, Administrative Assistant in the Church Office (481-2099) Virginia Headley, Parish Council Treasurer or Pat Kemp, Stewardship Committee Chairman. 10/01/2015 Rev. Albert & Ginny Amend Kostantinos Georgiou Presb. Aspasia Kontinos James & Jodi Anderson Joyce Gladis Dr. George & Joyce Kopidakis Anastasios & Darlene Bairaktaris Mary Sue Gladis Konstantinos & Marie Kostouros Dr. Andrew & Jen-Hope Belis Angelo Bitsis Maria Gorrell Ann Kotsalis John & Elaine Green Nicholas & Mary Koukos Golfo Bitsis Athanasios & Nicoletta Gritzalis Theo & Nancy Koupelis Joseph Boisvert Thomas & Marlene Haley Michael & Christine Kouvelis Dr. Theodor & Dorothy Bonstedt Ed & Mimi Hardgrove Ann Kratsios Robert & Helene Boucher Richard & Matia Hawks Adam & Sandra Krotov Tina Brassel Donald & Virginia Headley Joseph & Heidi Kubiak Robert & Brenda Burandt Peter Hernandez & Poly Mavridou Antonia Kurtis George & Elaine Chakonas Demetria Hughes Cynthia Kyriacou Penny Churchman Alexander & Hope Hunter John Lampiris Leonard & Lois Colagrossi Richard & Cheryl Johnson Emanuel & Rana Levenderis Evelyn P. Condoleon Catherine Jokich Thomas Loughney Angelo & Anastasia Constan James & Theresa Kalogridis Dino & Jennifer Magas George & Georgia Copulos William & Helen Kaltsas Jimmy & Valerie Magas Katherine Del Monico George & Dorothy Kantarze Mikes & Minna Mailakakis Johanna DiMartino Effie Kapetan Steven & Jennifer Maillakakis Constantinos & Barbara Jimmy & Despina Karras Stravos & Francine Maillakakis Dionysopoulos Joanna Karras & Andrew Pastrikos Helen Mamukari John & Caken Dopoulos Nick & Stella Karras Anthony & Marie Mankus Frances Drakos Apostolos Karydas Paul & Jeannie Manos Ted Drakos & Anne Hansen Marianthi Kazakos Pauline Margaritis Kosta Eliopoulos Richard & Barbara Keene Ellen Matic Robert & Aileen Fenton Patricia Kemp Victoria Matic Anastasia Frangakis Mary & Dub Kendrick S. Charles & Lenore C. Mattoff Helen Gallian Panos Klentzeris Helen Messerotes Evagelos & Niki Georgatos Irene Kleopas Marilena Midgley Continued on Next Page 29 George & Maria Mourgis Roger & Maria Shields Marilyn & Bertha Necak John & Joanie Simon Steve & Crystal Nelson George Skaff Manoli & Nomiki Neskes Helen A. Sotiropoulos Thomas & Celeste Niarchos Bessie Spiridakis Frieda Nicholas Spero Stergiotis Donald & Dorothea Nicholson Thomas & Pamela Strikis George & Helen Nicolaidis Cornelia Talabac John Nychis James & Theresa Thomas Rich & Carol Palatine Michael R. Thomas, Jr. Joe & Donna Paolina John & Corgette Troutman Basil & Linda Pappas Effie Vlahos Presvytera Evangeline Pappas James & Vanthea Vouros John & Amelia Pappas Jack & Angie Weaver Phillip & Petronia Pappas Artemis Welsh Michael B. Peceri Marion Zachariades 06/01/2015 William & Phyllis Photinos John & Ottilie Pistolis BONDED CBC125950 INSURED John & Bernadette Poulos Pauline Poulos 04/01/2015 Patricia Reardon Gary & Lyudmyla Robinson Helen V. Rogers Albert & Darlene Romanosky Tony & Cathy Rubinski John & Olympia Ruppe Mitchell & Christina Samuels Jamie & Anastasia Scime Jon & Roman Shannon Fr Dean blessing the Offering Envelopes on Stewardship Sunday. STEWARDSHIP DATA Total Stewardship Pledged: 2015 Stewardship Goal: How many possible Stewards: Total amount given (recorded): Total # of Stewards Pledged: Some of this charged to Stewardship but given by Parishioners who have not signed Pledge Cards. $106,196(as of Feb. 23rd, 2015) 296 138 $200,000 $ (Not updated as of yet) 9 10/01/2015 Greek Fest 2015 by Jen-Hope Belis THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO VOLUNTEERED! WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!! 08/01/2015 27 Construction Update by John Simon 10/01/2015 YOUR AD CAN BE HERE!!!! EPITELOS! Yes, the building is done! Contact the Office or see Stella Karras for more details! We, of course, have some minor things to complete but for the most part we are DONE! Starting after the Festival, I will be installing the telephone system and internet. Once that is complete, we will move Father Dean & Kelsie into the new space. Father Dean's old office will eventually become a Cry Room for young children. We will install a window in the wall so that they can watch the service without disturbing everyone's prayer. Kelsie's office will be converted into the Book Store which will be removed from the rear of the existing hall. I would like to thank everyone for their continued support of this project. I look forward to the children moving into their new classrooms. 01/01/2016 17620 Rockefeller Circle Fort Myers, FL 33967 (239) - 284-0688 Hours 9am — 5pm Mon - Fri 9am —12pm Sat 08/01/2015 08/01/2015 08/01/2015 08/01/2015 11 Thank You Circle of Friends by Joanie Simon The movie was cancelled last month so that our youth could hold an indoor dance practice before Festival. SOUL SURFER will be shown on Thursday, March 12th at 6pm. Please join us. There will be NO MOVIE in April as we will be in the midst of Holy Week. To all the parishioners of Annunciation: We want to thank you all so very much for your constant prayers, thoughts, encouraging note cards/phone calls and actual help during this miraculous time in our lives. God's gracious hand continues to restore us back to good health, allowing our family to look forward to many more beautiful years together :-) Ο Θεός είναι μεγάλos! Doug, Tina, Jimmy & George Kucera 03/01/2016 14131 Metropolis Ave., Ste. 104 Phone (239) 332-4099 Fort Myers, FL 33912 Near Gulf Coast Hospital 10/01/2015 04/01/2015 03/01/2016 02/01/2015 25 Sunday School News by Jen-Hope Belis The teachers and students are SO EXCITED to be in the new classrooms!!! We would like to take a moment to THANK JOHN SIMON for all his hard work overseeing the project. We know it was a daunting task that took so much of your time but the students and teachers are thrilled to enjoy the fruits of your labor. We also want to THANK John Nychis for teaching the students music lessons in the hall while we waited for the classrooms to be finished. The kids truly enjoyed it and we hope the lessons continue. Oratorical Festival will be held on Sunday, March 15th during the LPS Luncheon. This is a wonderful opportunity for 7th-12th graders to earn scholarships. Pascha is fast approaching! Please note all the many events happening during that time. We love seeing the students at all of them. If your child is interested in being a Myrrh Bearer or reader during Holy Week, please contact Mary Sue Gladis. Don’t miss our annual Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday, April 12th after Agape Vespers. THANK YOU to Dr. Bonstedt for being a guest speaker for our Sunday School students. He spoke about Science & Faith and most recently conducted an enlightening session on The Lord’s Prayer. We welcome anyone to come into the classroom to share their knowledge or stories! SUNDAY SCHOOL EVENTS March 1 Sunday of Orthodoxy Icon Procession March 15 Oratorical Festival April 4 Saturday of Lazarus Liturgy & Breakfast with Palm Making April 5 Palm Sunday Processional April 6-11 Holy Week Readers April 10 Decorating Epitaphio. Holy Friday Vespers with Myrrh Bearers April 11 Holy Saturday Liturgy followed by Confessions April 12 Easter Egg Hunt following Agape Vespers at 11am May 17 Last Day of Sunday School. Award Ceremony & Ice Cream Social Heart Association—Wearing RED to show support for the cause! EXAMPLE ABOVE 13 Great Lent Major Sunday Themes of Lent and Holy Week Themes and Services Key Verse “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John3:16) Reflection Several weeks before Lent begins, the Triodion period starts. The scripture passages for the Sundays during Pre-Lent introduce us to the values and virtues which we are to pray about and incorporate into our lives during Lent. The first Sunday of Pre-lent is the Sunday of the Publican (Tax Collector) and Pharisee and contrasts the arrogant prayers of the Pharisee with the humility and repentance that characterize the prayers of the Publican (Luke 18:9-14). Next is the Sunday of the Prodigal Son which depicts a return to the Father, further exploring repentance, and the unconditional love the Father has for us (Luke 15:11-32). Judgement (Meatfare) Sunday follows where we learn about loving others through our acts of charity (Matt. 25:31-46). Forgiveness (Cheesefare) Sunday is the fourth and last Sunday of the Pre-Lenten period and immediately precedes Clean Monday, the first day of Lent. Jesus encourages us to forgive others to fast in secret and to concentrate on spiritual rather than material treasures (Matt. 6:14-21). The first Sunday of Lent is the Sunday of Orthodoxy where we commemorate the return of icons back into the church (John 1:43-51). The Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas commemorates this 14th century theologian for his many contributions to the Orthodox Faith. The scripture reading is of Jesus” healing of the paralytic (Mark 2:1-12). The third Sunday of Lent is the Sunday of the Holy Cross in which we are reminded to take up our personal crosses and make the decision to follow Christ (Mark 8:34-9:1). The Sunday of St. John Climacus is based on St. John’s book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent which gives a progression of 30 steps that are necessary to achieve a faithful life in Christ (Mark 9:17-31). The fifth and last Sunday of Lent is the Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt commemorating St. Mary’s radical turn from a sinful life to an extremely ascetical one of repentance, prayer, and fasting (Mark 10:32-45). Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem and begins Holy Week. Endowment Fund Ministry Begins On Sunday, January 25th a presentation was offered by Mr. Stefanos Loisou, a Financial Strategies Planner to our members in our Parish Hall following Liturgy. Stefanos spoke about Charitable Giving Concepts and Planned Giving programs in order to educate our members on how we all can participate to bring about an Endowment Fund for our Parish. This presentation was the kick-off for our Endowment Fund Ministry. Stefanos gave those in attendance a clear picture of what we need to do as a Parish in order to establish our Endowment Fund now in order to secure our future. Stefanos will be returning in the near future to speak with our members in order to get more specific about the ways in which our members can become part of our Endowment Fund Ministry. We thank Stefanos for his presentation and look forward to him returning and making another presentation. If you would like more information about our Endowment Fund Ministry or would like to speak to Stefanos personal, please contact the Parish Office. St. Patrick of Ireland Our father amoung the saints Patrick of Ireland, Bishop of Armagh and Enlightener of Ireland, was born a Briton. Captured and brought to Ireland as a slave, he escaped and returned home. Later, he returned to Ireland, bringing Christianity to its people. His feast day is March 17. Life Saint Patrick was born around 390 (likely in 387), at Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton, in Scotland. His name is gfrom the Latin Patricius, meaning high-born. His parents were part of the Christian minority of Britain; his father, Calpurnius, was a deacon, “the son of Potitus, a priest, of the village Bannavem Taburniae.” At the age of 16, he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend sheep. During that time, he prayed frequently and came for the first time to have a true faith in God. At age 22, he had a vision in which God told him to be prepared to leave Ireland. Soon, he escaped, walking 200 miles to a ship and returning to England. In a dream, he saw the people of Ireland calling him, “ We beg you, holy youth, that you shall come and shall walk amoung us.” St. Patrick sought clerical training. He was ordained by St. Germanus, bishop of Auxerre. Around 430 he was ordained a bishop, after which he returned to Ireland. There, he preached the Gospel, reaching tribal chieftains, gaining their permission to teach their subjects also. During his episcopate, he was attacked for a sin he confessed to a close friend, a sin he committed “in a single hour” when only 15, but he did not suffer as a result. He established an episcopal administration and led a monastic lifestyle establishing Christianity in Ireland. St. Patrick died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, on March 17th, 461. Donated Flowers for Feast Day Icons Flowers for St. Basil the Great Icon – Jan. 1st Donated by Pat Kemp in memory of her mother Theophania Papageorge. Flowers for Epiphany Icon – Jan. 6th Donated by Mary Kendrick in honor of her mother Potatesa Makos and sister Tula Spyropoulos. Flowers for St. Gregory the Theologian Icon – Jan. 25th Donated by Helen A. Sotiropoulos in honor of her friend Peggy Poulsen, who was a member of The Ladies Philoptochos Society. Flowers for Three Hierarchs Icon– Jan. 30th Donated by Spero Stergiotis in memory of Ruth & Helen Stergiotis. Flowers for St. John the Baptist Icon - Jan. 7th Flowers for St. Tryphon Icon– Feb. 1st Donated by Helen A. Sotiropoulos Donated by Evelyn Condoleon in memory of in honor of her friend Niki Fagerline, who was her beloved husband John G. Condoleon. a member of The Ladies Philoptochos Society. Flowers for SS. Athanasios & Cyril Icon– Jan. 18th Donated by Presb. Aspasia Kontinos Flowers for Presentation of our Lord into in memory of her husband Fr. Arthur K. Konti- Temple Icon– Feb. 2nd Donated by Ann Kratsios. nos. 23 2015 Great Lent and Holy Week Flowers Flowers always add beauty to whatever they adorn. It has always been a tradition among our Orthodox Churches to decorate Holy Icons with flowers when the Feast Day is being celebrated. Please contact the Church Office and donate towards the flowers you would like as soon as possible. As always, this will be done on a first come, first serve basis. The names of those who donate the flowers will be listed in the Annunciation Voice the month AFTER the Feast day is celebrated. Thank you for your support in this project and may our Lord continue to bless you. Flowers for 1st Salutations Icon – Feb. 27th $45.00 Flowers for Sun. of Orthodoxy Icon – Mar. 1st $45.00 Flowers for 2nd Salutations Icon – Mar. 6th $45.00 Flowers for St. Gregory Palamas Icon – Mar. 8th $45.00 Flowers for 3rd Salutations Icon – Mar. 13th $45.00 Flowers for Veneration of Holy Cross Icon – Mar. 15th $45.00 Flowers for 4th Salutations Icon – Mar. 20th $45.00 Flowers for St. John Climacos Icon – Mar. 22nd $45.00 Flowers for Annunciation Icon – Mar. 25th $45.00 Flowers for Akathist Hymn Icon – Mar. 27th $45.00 Flowers for St. Mary of Egypt Icon – Mar. 29th $45.00 Flowers for Sat. of Lazarus Icon - Apr. 4th $50.00 Flowers for Palm Sun. Icon - Apr. 5th $50.00 Palms for Palm Sunday – Apr. 5th $100.00 Flowers for Nymphios Icon – Apr. 5th $100.00 Flowers for Nymphios Icon – Apr. 6th $100.00 Flowers for Nymphios Icon – Apr. 7th $100.00 Oil for Holy Unction Service – Apr. 8th Cotton for Holy Unction Service – Apr. 8th $10.00 $5.00 Flowers for Last Supper Icon - Apr. 9th $50.00 Flowers for Crucifixion Icon – Apr. 9th $50.00 Candles for Candelabra – Apr. 9th $75.00 Rose Petals – Apr. 10th $20.00 Rose Water – Apr. 10th $10.00 Flowers for Apokathelosis Icon – Apr. 10th $50.00 Good Friday Candles – Apr. 10th $25.00 Flowers for Resurrection Icon – Apr. 11th $50.00 Resurrection Candle for Priest – Apr. 11th $50.00 Pascha Red Eggs – Apr. 11th & 12th (25 Dozen) $50.00 LILLIES FOR PASCHA – Apr. 11th - 10th $20.00 A PLANT 15 The Sacrament of Holy Unction The Resurrection The Sacrament of Holy Unction will be administered on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8 at 7:00 PM. Holy Unction is a Sacrament of the Orthodox Church and administered by the Priest to the Faithful who have participated in the prayers of the service. It will NOT be given out to be taken home. The faithful of our parish should make every effort to be in attendance. TH Please remember, only Orthodox Christians who are in good standing within the Orthodox Church, spiritually and canonically, can receive the Sacrament of Holy Unction. If you are unsure of your Spiritual and Canonical standing within the Orthodox Church, please speak with Fr. Dean. HOLY THURSDAY On the evening prior to Good Friday, a special Orthros (Matins) service (Holy Passion of our Lord) is chanted in the Orthodox Church which includes the reading of verses from the twelve selections of the Gospels concerning the last days of our Lord on this earth. The nature and purpose of this beautiful and spiritually inspiring service would imply that no one would choose to be absent. However, many of our members are found missing and the service is not well attended. We urge you to make every effort to attend this service with your family. Let His word speak to you! Put all your worldly cares and concerns aside. You will be deeply moved. Good Friday will have more meaning and significance for you. GOOD FRIDAY Good Friday is a day of mourning, strict fasting and deep prayer. On this day we remember that our Lord, Jesus Christ died upon the Cross to take away our sins. This is a day that we, the faithful of Christ, should commit to Him. Every possible effort should be made for you to be in Church during the services of the ROYAL HOURS (9:00 AM) and APOKATHELOSIS (3:00 PM) and EPITAPHIOS THRINOS (LAMENTATIONS) (7:00 PM). It doesn’t do us any good to attend the evening service of the Epitaphios Thrinos (Lamentations) and singing the Lamentations in the evening if we have not come to the morning and afternoon services of the Royal Hours and the Crucifixion and Burial of our Lord. Proper reverence and love should be demonstrated by all believers. We should not go to work this day, nor go shopping, color eggs, bake, clean house or a host of other things. Children should be excused from school and attend services, so that they may learn the true meaning of this most holy day. Excusal letters are available from Fr. Dean. The Procession of the Kouvouklion (the Epitaphios is inside) will take place outside around the Church grounds, weather permitting. The announcement will be made by Fr. Dean just before the time for the Procession. Christianity rests its case on the empty tomb. Apostle Paul wrote these words before any of the four Gospels was composed, his writings are the very first books we have of the New Testament. What is amazing about St. Paul in his peculiar perspective concerning the historical events surrounding our Savior’s figure. Most of us, influenced by the Gospel record, are inclined to look at the life of Christ chronologically, that is, in historical sequence. Paul, on the other hand, does not look forward from the Incarnation to the Cross and finally to the Resurrection. He looks back from the empty tomb to the Cross. Perhaps this is due to the fact that he never knew Christ in the flesh but only after the Resurrection. The significance of the Cross can be understood only when looking out from the empty tomb toward Golgatha. St. Paul is able therefore to preach a joyous doctrine– the doctrine of triumphant Love. There is a basic difference in looking forward to the tomb from the Cross and viewing the Cross from inside the empty tomb. Looked at in chronological sequence, the betrayal, the denial, the cowardice, the torment, the crown of thorns, the nailing, the lance, and the dying are all very ugly and almost intolerable. Viewed from the inside of the empty tomb all these things are transformed in the glow of the Risen Christ; and, all tragedy is blotted out in the victory of Life over Death. The stone was not rolled back from the tomb to let Christ out; he was alive and unconfined by matter. The angles rolled back the stone to let the disciples and the myrrh-bearing women IN. It was only from within the tomb that they ever fully understand the significance of the Life of Christ, their Master, who died in order to destroy Death. CHRIST IS RISEN! Godparent Sunday—February 1st 21 Ladies Philoptochos Society by Carol Palatine Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday Our first board meeting of the New Year was held on January 26,2015. At that time we discussed up-coming events for the new year, such as Greek Fest, Dinner Dance and the Antique Auction as well as trying to have a general meeting in the evening, perhaps at a restaurant or in the community center. The Church Guidelines for these days states that you may NOT eat meat, oil, dairy products, fish or wine (alcohol). Every Orthodox Christian is called upon to follow the guidelines offered by the Church through the entire Great Lenten Period and Christmas Fast. If this is becomes too difficult and through “Oikonomia” (Economy), the Church allows the following fasting paths: Our January Dinner Dance has been postponed until further notice. Our General Meeting will take place at Plaka II Feb.23, Monday at 11:30 am. Please attend and participate with any questions you may have. We look forward to seeing you. Now, Greek Fest it's very close! Marianthe Kazakos will be making aprons to sell pre-fest and at the Greek Fest for $10.00 each . Adult size and youth size , together for 15.00. They are really nice and get yours while they last, limited quantities available. Don't forget Mother's day is not far off, what a nice gift for Mom or Grandma or a very special person. The Antique Auction is March 14th. Lets all attend and support Ginny Amend for all her hard work for this event. She is still looking for donations of antiques and antique jewelry. One last thing, we are going to try and have an evening meeting in March, so look for details in the bulletin for information. Our monthly bake sales are going well and we hope you will continue to support them. Barbara D. works very hard and your support at the bake sales is a compliment to her. Thank you. FASTING GUIDELINE FOR GREAT LENT & CHRISTMAS FAST Path 1. During the entire Great Lent & Christmas Fast do not eat MEAT at the minimum on these days. Path 2. During the entire Great Lent & Christmas Fast do not eat MEAT and also not eat OIL on these days. Path 3. During the entire Great Lent & Christmas Fast do not eat MEAT and also not eat OIL and DAIRY PRODUCTS on these days. Pictured above and below: VASILOPITA— Sunday, January 11th, 2015. Path 4. During the entire Great Lent & Christmas Fast do not eat MEAT and also not eat OIL, DAIRY PRODUCTS and FISH on these days. Path 5. During the entire Great Lent & Christmas Fast do not eat MEAT and also not OIL, DAIRY PRODUCTS, FISH and WINE (ALCOHOL) on these days. Whichever path you choose, 1,2,3,4,5 or all 5, remain faithful throughout the entire Great Fast. If it is not possible to fast the entire Great Fast, try a week or more. The goal is the entire Great Fast. These guidelines are enforced even if you do not plan to receive Holy Communion on Sunday morning, a weekday Liturgy or at a Pre-Sanctified Liturgy. and wine (alcohol). Every Orthodox Christian is called upon to follow the guidelines offered by the Church through the entire Great Lent & Christmas Fast. If this becomes too difficult and through “Oikonomia” (Economy), the Church allows the following fasting paths: Path 1. During the entire Great Lent & Christmas Fast do not eat MEAT at the minimum on these days. Path 2. During the entire Great Lent & Christmas Fast do not eat MEAT and also DAIRY PRODUCTS on these days. Path 3. During the entire Great Lent & Christmas Fast do not eat MEAT, DAIRY PRODCUTS or FISH on these days. Whichever path you choose, 1,2,3, or all 3, remain faithful throughout the entire Great Fast. If it is not possible to fast the entire Great Fast, try a week or more. The goal is the entire Great Fast. These guidelines are enforced even if you do not plan to receive Holy Communion on Sunday morning, a weekday Liturgy or at a Pre-Sanctified Liturgy. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight Saturday night. The first thing you should partake of on Sunday morning or at a weekday Liturgy is Holy Communion. If you plan to partake of Holy Communion at a PreSanctified Liturgy, you should not eat anything after 2:00 PM that afternoon. You may drink water after 2:00 PM but no other kind of liquid. If you are taking medicine and need to take it in the morning you may do so and partake of Holy Communion. If you need to take your medicine with water or another liquid or with food, you may do so and partake of Holy Communion. You may brush your teeth in the morning and you may spit. Saturday & Sunday The Church Guidelines for these days states that you may NOT eat meat, dairy products and fish. On these days the fast is loosened and you may eat Oil If you have any questions about these guidelines, please contact Fr. Dean. 17 Orthodox Fasting Guidelines During the forty (40) day period of Great Lent, which begins on Clean Monday (February 23, 2015) and the Christmas Fast, which always begins on November 15, all Orthodox Christians are called upon to undertake the spiritual exercises which will allow them to properly prepare themselves to meet the Lord at His Resurrection at Pascha and in the flesh at His Nativity. The Church offers us these spiritual exercises so that we may prepare our soul and body in order to rejoice at the Resurrection. The Spiritual exercises are as follows: increased prayer, the increased reading of Holy Scripture and other religious materials, the greater participation in Holy Confession and Holy Communion, the increased offering of our Time, Talents and Treasures (Stewardship) to the Parish and upon those in need and fasting from foods. Let us commit ourselves to keeping the Great Lent and Christmas Fast all forty days and not just one or two weeks. The word “fast” means “not eating all or certain foods.” As Orthodox Faithful, we can fast completely at certain times of great importance, like Great Lent and the Christmas Fast, and especially each time before receiving Holy Communion. Usually, fasting means limiting the number of meals and/or the type of food eaten. The purpose of fasting is to remind us of the Spiritual teaching, “Man does not live by bread alone.” The needs of the body are nothing compared to the needs of the soul. Above all else, we need God, Who provides everything for both the body and the soul. Fasting teaches us to depend on God more fully. We fast from food, or a food item, as a reminder that we are to fast from sinning and doing evil. Fasting helps us pray more easily. Our spirit is lighter when we are not weighed down by too much food or food that is too rich. Through fasting, we also learn to feel compassion for the poor and hungry and to save our own resources so that we can help those in need. Fasting is more that not eating food. St. John Chrysostom teaches that it is more important to fast from sin. For example, besides controlling what goes into our mouths, we must control what comes out of our months as well. Are our words pleasing to God, or do we curse God or our brother? The other mem- Hellenic-American Social Club of S.W. Florida, Inc. By Ann Constan bers of the body also need to fast: our eyes from seeing evil, our ears from hearing evil, and our limbs from participating in anything that is not of God. Most important of all, we need to control our thoughts, for thoughts are the source of our actions, whether good or evil. Fasting is not an end in itself. Our goal is an inner change of heart. The Great Lent is called “ascetic.” This refers to actions of self-denial and spiritual training which are central to fasting. Fasting is one of the spiritual exercises. It is not imposed or forced upon us. In the same way that true repentance cannot be forced upon anyone, each of us makes the choice to turn away from our sinful ways and go toward our loving forgiving Father in Heaven. What are the spiritual benefits of fasting? Fasting provides the strength to fight the many temptations which we face in life by helping us to subdue the passions and to control our self-will. These are lessons learned by the great ascetic Fathers of the Church who spent their entire lives focused on prayer and growing closer to God. They have taught that certain foods – or even too much of any food – can have a significant effect on our spiritual well-being. For example, when we eat too much we get sluggish and instead of being alert for prayer, we get tired and sleepy. Other foods actually excite the passions and cause us to lose self-control in many areas of life, making it much easier for us to fall to the temptations that lead to sin. Fasting from food also reminds us of our dependence upon God. When we fast we liberate ourselves from dependence on the things of this world and are able to concentrate our attention on the things of the Kingdom of God. The most important thing to remember about fasting is that its main purpose is to gain mastery over oneself and to conquer the passions of the flesh. Follow the fast closely and you will discover this for yourself. The positive effects of fasting are difficult to understand until you actually experience them. So, if you want to really understand how fasting can benefit your spiritual life, make a sincere effort to fast. Continued on the next page... Another fun time in the history of our Hellenic Club – The “Panigiri” was another success, thanks to President Barbara and Costa Dionysopoulos. Fantastic food, music and great friends; the weather didn’t keep us away, and the best part is we’re helping support the new Classrooms Building. Next on our agenda is a day trip by bus to Tarpon Springs. We will stop for lunch at the “Greek City” restaurant in Clearwater, and then continue to Tarpon Springs for shopping, sightseeing, browsing, snacking and enjoying the day. This is scheduled for Saturday, March 21st, and is open to our entire parish, Club members and friends. The cost of the transportation will be determined by the number of attendees. Please see Barbara Dionysopoulos or Phyllis Mino to signup. It is important that we have an accurate number of those planning on joining us as soon as possible so that proper bus transportation can be arranged. Reservations for the Tarpon Springs trip will be accepted on a “first come” basis. Please know that we should all be respectful of those planning events, and if you have made a reservation and realize you cannot join us, kindly notify the proper persons ahead of time. This is always expected and appreciated. The March meeting is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, March 10th, at 7:00 p.m. – and just maybe, we’ll be meeting in the new Classroom Building. If not, we’ll be in the Kontinos Community Center, as usual. By that date we should have a final head count for the Tarpon Springs bus trip, Phyllis will announce details and will know the exact cost of the trip. Payment will be accepted at that time. Such a great time was had by all on our last day-trip, we don’t think anyone will want to miss out on this one. The April meeting is on April 14th. Details to be announced. The May meeting, for members only, will be held on May 12th at Perkins Restaurant in Cape Coral. A group trip has been planned for Wednesday, April 22, on the “Big M” for a day of cruising and fun. This is open to all members and friends. More information will be offered at a later date. The Hellenic-American Club is a social club for people to meet and make lasting friendships. Our annual dues of $20 per year are used to defray the costs of venue and refreshments at meetings, subsidize certain costs to members for outings, compensate speakers and contribute to charitable organizations. It is not too late to join us for the year 2015 fun times and experiences. For information, please contact our President, Barbara Dionysopoulos (239-267-2014), or speak with any of our Board members. Please remember to contribute food staples and canned goods for our Food Pantry for the needy. These can be delivered to our Community Center and deposited in the large box indicated – at the back of the Center. Thank you in advance. We extend best wishes for the coming of the holiest of Holy Days – Easter. Kalo Pascha to all. 19 Say YES! To the Greek Fest THANK YOU FOR SAYING YES! TO THE GREEK FEST! FRIENDS & FAMILY Cape Cod Fish Co. Restaurant CHIPOTLE Mexican Grill COSTCO EAT PDQ Fresh Tenders, Gulf Coast Fairfield Inn, Cypress Lake & 41 WHOLE FOODS MARKET, Naples FIRESTONE AUTO CARE, 19420 Tamiami Tr. Anastasia Frangakis – General FIRST WATCH Daytime Café Rana and Immanuel Levenderis - General Five Guys Burgers and Fries Maria Kostouros - Wristbands Ice Cream Club, Cape Coral Maria Gorrell – Pita Bread Lobster Lady Seafood Restaurant, Cape Coral Dcn. John and Lanette Howard – Tablecloths Mel’s Diner, Fort Myers Stavros and Francine Maillakakis –Cheese NICK AND STELLA’S Family Sports Pub James and Terry Kalogridis – Pita Bread Paint Nite, Maria Guinto Helen Messerotes – Coffee Cups Publix Super Market Paul Karydas - General Scanlon Lexus of Ft. Myers Ann Kratsios – General SONIC Drive-in, Gladiolus & Winkler Church of the Resurrection Catholic Parish SPADA Salon & Spa Cypress Lake Presbyterian Parish SUNHARVEST Citrus TRADER JOE’S, Naples
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