Volume 10 Number 6 Many Lives...One Heart June, 2005 THE DEAN S MESSAGE. We Are What We Celebrate

Transcription

1 Saint Sophia HERALD Volume 10 Number 6 Many Lives...One Heart June, 2005 THE DEAN S MESSAGE We Are What We Celebrate There is no human society without celebrations, holidays and feasts. Holidays and feasts are part of humanity s inescapable rhythm of work and rest, the need to find joy and meaning in work and in life. In other words, tell me what you celebrate, and I will tell you who you are. We have just celebrated the great drama and events of Holy Week and the resplendent joy of the Resurrection. Now forty days later we celebrate the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord. At fifty days, we observe the great feast of Pentecost the descent of the Holy Spirit upon human flesh. This holiday is also known as the day of the Holy Trinity or the feast of Saint Sophia The Holy Wisdom of God. The New Testament Book of Acts, devoted to recounting the history of the first Christians and the initial spread of Christianity, starts precisely with the day of Pentecost, describing what took place fifty days after Christ s resurrection and ten days after his ascension into heaven. Just before his ascension Christ had told the disciples not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which he said, you heard from me (Acts 1:4). So in ten days, according to St. Luke s account as follows: When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance And all who heard were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, What does this mean? But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine. (Acts 2:1-4, 12-13) To those witnesses who remained skeptical, the apostle Peter explained the meaning of the event using the words of the prophet Joel quoted above. This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel, he said, And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh (Acts 2:16, 17). For the Christian, therefore, the feast of Pentecost is the completion of all that Christ accomplished. Christ taught about the Kingdom of God, and here it is, now opened! Christ promised that the Spirit of God would reveal the truth, and now this is fulfilled. The world, history, life, time, are all illumined with the final, transcendent light all are filled with ultimate meaning. The last and great day of the Lord has begun! In Christ, Fr. John Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas, Dean - Rev. Fr. Alex Chetsas, Associate 1324 S. Normandie Avenue -Los Angeles, CA Tel Fax

2 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE Greetings! Summer is upon us and this month of June is filled with many wonderful events. From graduations to weddings and baptisms, June is a month for celebrations. Our Cathedral Greek School and Sunday School children will be ending their school year and breaking for the summer on June 12. Also our Dance Program will be honoring all Cathedral Fathers on Father s Day, June 19, with a scrumptious Bar-B-Que. Please make it a point to bring your families to Church on these two Sundays to recognize both our children s achievements and our Fathers as well. In addition, as Orthodox Christians we will be celebrating the Analipsis (Christ s Ascension) on June 9 and Pentecost on June 19. The Analipsis is the day that Jesus ascends into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, and Pentecost is the day that Jesus breathed the life of the Holy Spirit into the Apostles. He inspired them with the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life. The Holy Spirit was the Apostles source of power and transformation and is our source as well. Please come and celebrate the Divine Liturgy with us on Pentecost and be inspired! Congratulations to Philoptohos and its President Connie Cooper on their extremely successful Mother s Day Luncheon at the Regent Beverly Wilshire honoring Mother of the Year, Sophie Mastor. It was a lovely and charming event and a great time was had by all who attended. Kudos to Helen Callas, Philoptohos V.I.P, Mother of the Year for her years of dedication. As summer begins, we look forward to our own LA Greek Fest. Please be generous with your time and treasure when called upon to assist for this year s Fest. Helene Liatsos and her committee are diligently working each day to plan for next September 9th, 10th, and 11th. This year s Fest again promise to be a fantastic event, building on the foundation of our past successes and introducing some new and exciting concepts! Typically, Summer is when we go on vacation, take time off of work to be with loved ones, go see blockbuster movies, catch a baseball game with our kids, or just take a break or breather from the every day stress of life. We are motivated to think about taking time for ourselves and doing good things for our own well being. However, how can we do wonderful things for our Cathedral? Summer marks a slow time at our Cathedral for Stewardship. So I wanted to ask if we could all consider giving the equivalent of a Latte a day to our Church this summer. I am what one would call a coffee aficionado and I visit Starbuck s almost every day. It costs $3.50 for a grande Latte (coffee with steamed milk). Rounding it off, that is about $25 a week or $100 a month. Let s consider giving a Latte a day to our Cathedral this summer. In closing, Christos Anesti! In Christ s Service and Love, THE FAMILY FESTIVAL June 2005 Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will received your inheritance as your reward; You are serving the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:24 There is a certain saying about a Greek island that implies that if two people are working together, the strength is doubled our community is no exception. The Festival Committee continues to make great progress towards the success of our festival there is nothing we can t accomplish when we are all focused on a common goal. This month we begin our Volunteer Sign-ups. We ask that you make your commitment to ADOPT-A-BOOTH please see the flyer in this Herald for complete details. Each Sunday, after services, there will be a table near the Fellowship Hall, where you can pledge your time and energy to the L. A. GREEK FEST 2005! Booth Sponsorships are also being offered this is an enormous support program to help defray some of the costs related to each booth. Each booth sponsor will be identified, with their name prominently displayed, at each of the booth locations. I most earnestly ask for your generous support on this, so please fill out the form found in the weekly bulletins and in the monthly Herald; just mail or bring it to the church office along with your check. Flyers and posters will be available in the church office soon. Please pick up as many as you can and distribute them to your family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, business owners, etc. Also, me at secretary@stsophia.com and I will you the festival flyer; in this way, you can distribute it directly to your own circle via and, you can do this more than once! Within two weeks after our glorious Easter celebration, three different people, whom we don t regularly see each week, remarked to me that: St. Sophia s Anastasi service was really beautiful; very magical; very spiritual, etc.. In fact, they went on to say that the energy at St. Sophia was incredible; that they can feel the growth and the progress we are making and at that point they volunteered to work at the festival! We can say that this is good networking, but truth be known, it is affirmation from above that when two or more are gathered in His name, He is amongst us. My humble thank you to each of you for all that you do. Doing His Work, Helene K. Liatsos Festival Director 2005 Loula B. Moschonas

3 PHILOPTOHOS It was an enchanting afternoon as more than 500 guests gathered to enjoy our spectacular Mother s Day Benefit Luncheon and Fashion Show on May 7th at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Co-chairs BESS PAPPAS, DINA OLDKNOW, and MARIANNA POLITIS and their committee created a splendid experience for all who attended, of all ages. Our heartfelt appreciation to them for their months of diligent work, and congratulations once again to our beloved Mother of the Year, SOPHIE MASTOR. Our talented Philoptohos ladies created the delectable pastries for our booth on Easter Sunday. Special recognition goes to MARY GALLANIS for single-handedly making all the delicious karidopita; to HELEN ZACHARIO for her award-winning baklava; and to ZOI FOVOS for stirring up the superb diples. Assisting in the preparation and/or serving in our booth were: NIKI ANGELOPOULOS, HELENE BALLAS, SCARLETT BILLIS, RENA BORNSTEIN, TINA CALLAS, TASIA CHIMARIOS, COLLIN COOPER, RICHARD CURREN, FAYE DEMETRIOU, JIM DEMETRIOU, VOULA ELIOPOULOS, BILLIE ELLIS, HELEN EVANGELATOS, PAULINE EVANGELATOS, LOLA GIALKETSIS, MARY GIANOPULOS, CHRISTINE HAIDOS, GABRIELA KOUTANTOS, ELECTRA KOUTSOUKOS, PAULINE LADICOS, SOPHIE MASTOR, VIRGINIA NOYES, ANTONIA OPFFER, BESS PAPPAS, KIKI PAPPAS, VASILIKI SARANTOPOULOS, DIANE STARROS, SONIA STATHES, HELEN TAYLOR, HELEN VARENTGES, and GEORGIA VASILA. Under the guidance of FRANCES BISSIAS, several of these ladies also participated in the dyeing and wrapping of red eggs for distribution at the Anastasi Service. We thank them all for their gifts of time and talent. The Kids n Cancer benefit held on May 15th at the beautiful Valaskantjis home in San Clemente was a huge success, raising $150,000 for this vital ministry It was truly an impressive demonstration of love and concern for children with lifethreatening diseases. Our new Metropolitan Gerasimos attended and was greatly impressed by the generosity of the camps patrons. Much appreciation to Helene Ballas, Tina Callas, Christine Haidos, and Diane Starros,who served as hostesses at the event. Last December, our Outreach Chairman Irene Frankos was informed of the case of Xanthi Psiakki. Xanthi, a 39-year old woman, had come to America from Athens, Greece, for treatment at the USC Norris Cancer Center. Accompanying her were her husband Yiorgos and her mother Aliki. Her 10-year old daughter remained in Greece. Throughout their stay, Father Bakas visited Xanthi regularly and offered her, Yiorgos and Aliki his love and moral support. Many of our Philoptohos ladies also visited them often, but special thanks go to Aleka Pantazis and Helen Koudanis. Aleka and Helen took unlimited hours away from their lives to stay with Xanthi at the hospital, provide transportation for her family, assist however and whenever needed, and go to the hospital at 4:00 a.m. on Good Friday, April 29th, when Xanthi lost her long battle with cancer and passed away. They made all the necessary arrangements for her return to Greece. They opened their hearts and their homes. Following Xanthi s passing, Yiorgos and Aliki were guests at Helen Koudanis home. (A few hours after hearing the tragic news, Yiorgos mother in Greece died of a heart attack.) In seeking to obtain the necessary documents to fly Xanthi s body to Greece, the assistance from the staff of the Consulate was superior. Although the Consulate was closed from Good Friday through the Monday after Easter, Eleni Moraiti opened the office on Monday and processed the documents quickly and efficiently. Our heartfelt thanks to her, Alexandra Papoutsakis and the Honorable Dimitrios Zevelakis, Consul General, for their outstanding services and moral support. Also to be commended is the Consulate s official translator, Peter Demopoulos, for his kindness and generous heart. At the Trisagion service, Aliki thanked Philoptohos for the beautiful floral cross and expressed her deepest gratitude and appreciation to the Los Angeles family she never knew she had. Most especially, may God bless Aleka and Helen for epitomizing the true Christian spirit. All of us in Saint Sophia Philoptohos wish Father Alex and Presbytera Brandy Chetsas, Phoebe and Bram God s blessings as they leave our Parish to move to the Boston area. May our Lord keep them in His care always. It seems impossible that I am writing my last message to you as President of Saint Sophia Philoptohos! The two years of my term have flown by and have been some of the happiest months of my life. I am deeply indebted to everyone who made it easy for me to carry out my duties. Your cooperation and enthusiasm enabled me to represent our chapter with pride and vigor and I am greatly honored to have had the privilege to serve you in this office. My Board was marvelous--an exemplary group of women who worked together to maintain our high standards and accomplishments. My heartfelt thanks and love to them and to all for your help and support, with special recognition to Marianna Politis, who served as tray collection chairman, and Susan Patzakis, who maintained our mailing list. I also wish to acknowledge and thank Dorothea Ales who did a magnificent job as Election Nominating/ Screening Chairman, Faye Demetriou for her efficient service as Election Chairman, and Helen Evangelatos for assisting Faye. CONGRATULATIONS to President-Elect IRENE FRANKOS. and her outstanding Board: Diane Starros, First Vice President; Virginia Noyes, Second Vice President; Mary Gallanis, Recording Secretary; Bess Pappas, Corresponding Secretary; Tina Callas, Treasurer; Frances Bissias, Assistant Treasurer, and Board members Helene Ballas, Scarlett Billis, Jennie Doumak, Pauline Evangelatos, Lola Gialketsis, Christine Haidos, Electra Koutsoukos, Pauline Ladicos, Sophie Mastor, Dina Oldknow, Diane Pruett, and Sonia Stathes. M a n y t h a n k s t o A n g e l a A n a n i a s f o r p r o v i d i n g her delicious homemade karidopita for the May General

4 Assembly meeting, in loving memory of Sophia Gekas. Congratulations to VIP Senior Citizen of the Year Helen Callas! Best wishes to all June graduates and a HAPPY FATHER S DAY to the important men in our lives! The Women s Health and Wellness Symposium will take place on September 17, 2005 at Loyola Marymount University. There will be no General Assembly meetings in June, July and August -- have a beautiful summer. In His service, Connie Cooper President PHILOPTOHOS V.I.P 7 Day Mexican Cruise Date October 1st to 7th 2005, with Princess Ship - Departing form San Pedro space is limited.call Kiki Xanthos at Travel Syndicate or For more information call Chairman Amelia Skoutaris JUNE 16TH at 11:00 a.m. The VIP will host a light complimentary lunch at the Saint Sophia Center; our guest speaker will be Connie Constant, author of the book Austin Lunch, Greek American recollection of Greek families in Chicago during the great depression. Reservations please call Vivi Demopoulos at VIP Trip to Lotus Land Gardens On Wednesday, September 21, we will travel to the Santa Barbara Culinary Institute for a gourmet luncheon, followed by a two hour Docent led walking tour of the famous Lotus Land Gardens of Mendosino. Price for the outing is $ Make your paid reservation with Kiki Pappas (310) , and select luncheon choice from beef, chicken or fish. Limit 45 persons. Christos Anesti! A. Electra Koutsoukos President HUMAN INTEREST STORY Church of Greece Restores Diaconate for Women Dr. Kyriaki Karidoyanes FitzGerald The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece has decided to restore the order of the deaconate for women. Under the leadership of Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens, the decision was taken at the October 8, 2004 meeting which brought together 64 bishops from throughout Greece. The decision was announced the following day on the web site of the Church of Greece and in the Greek paper Kathimerini. The historic decision was made by a majority of the bishops following an extensive discussion. Before their decision, the bishops heard a comprehensive presentation on the topic by His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysostom of Chalkidos. He presented the theological, liturgical, canonical, and ministerial aspects of the order of the deaconate for women. According to the report of the Holy Synod, Metropolitan Chrysostom concluded his presentation by affirming: It is certainly possible to rejuvenate this praiseworthy order, with its many diversified and blessed activities, as long as the Church decides this is necessary, after carefully weighing her needs and study, being illumined by the Holy Spirit concerning the signs of the times. Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens fully endorsed the presentation and expressed his own support for the rejuvenation of the order. According to the Synod s statement, the Archbishop concluded the deliberations by affirming the missionary, catechetical, philanthropic and social efforts of women today in Greece. He particularly stressed deep appreciation for women who voluntarily contribute to the betterment of society and emphasized their vital place in the life of the Church. The restoration of the ministry of the deaconate for women has been a particular concern for Archbishop Christodoulos. While serving s Metropolitan of Demetriados, now the region of Volos, he ordained a nun in the year For the rite, he made use of the ancient ordination prayers of the Byzantine period. Throughout his ministry, he has been a consistent advocate for the restoration of the order. The Synod s Statement says that the bishops affirmed that the institution (thesmos) of deaconesses established in antiquity and rooted in the Holy Canons were never abolished. He believes that the ordination rite of the Byzantine period will be used in future ordinations of deaconesses. Convened by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, this Consultation brought together representatives of the autocephalous Orthodox churches. There, the delegates also formally reaffirmed that women had been ordained as deacons in the Church. They also noted that the order had never totally fallen out of existence. Mindful of the historical and liturgical evidence, the delegates formally called for the restoration of the order of the deaconate for women to serve the needs of the Church today

5 USHERS FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE Sunday, June 5 Sunday, June 12 Gene Chronopoulos Mary Kay Demetriou Alexandra Georgiou Niki Korbakis Christina Georgiou Fofo Panagakis Rosemary Georgiou Paul Papadakis Greg Mallis Maria Pelargos Peter Treantafelles Sunday, June 19 Sunday, June 26 Demetri Athanasios Steve Kargas Alexandra Guirguis Helen Lambros Pete Pallas Barbara Matty George Sillas Estelle Skouras Vera Uliantzeff George Zottos BIRTHDAYS FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE Dean Ananias Nadine Parkos Arnall Adriana Callas Christine Callas Erica Callas Cokas Anastasia Jennie Fotinakes Fuller Chrysoula Alexandra Georgiou Alexia Haidos Nicholas Howard Frances Karavedas Daniel Kirages Konstantinos Kontes Mary Koufoudakis Christalla Kyriacou Diane Lapa Lillian Latsis Valerie Lliauro Irene Mars Linda Mc Knight Donna Mellos George Miserlis Georgia Nichols Alexis Noyes Brent Noyes Melanie O Regan Cynthia Paulos Angeliki Pentheroudakis Susan Simitzi Steve Skoutaris Maria Spentzos Rita Stephanou Sam Zagorianos ANNIVERSARIES FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE Helen and George Cappos Helen and Anthony Demetriou Katherine and Georg Fenady Rosalind and Michael Halikis Maria Elena and George Konugres Demetra and Zissis Koutsos Linda and Rick Mc Knight Virginia and Brent Noyes Carole and James Xanthos EPISTLE READERS FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE Sunday, June 5 Sunday, June 12 Demetri Camperos Ryan O Regan Sunday, June 19 Sunday, June 26 Tom Martin Stephanie Caiopoulos Lubian Saturday, June 4 Theodosia Bahary, daughter of Bernard and Nasiri Bahary Godparent: Sophia Lambides Saturday, June 4 Alexandra Zoolakis, daughter of Anthony and Kari Zoolakis Godparent: Brandy Chetsas SACRAMENTS Baptisms Sunday, June 5 Maximiliana Anastasia Windisch Graetz, daughter of Charles and Adriana Windisch Graetz Godparents: Tom and Denise Adams William Michael Geoghegan, son of Michael W. and Staphanie Geoghegan Goparent: Peter Caras Katlin (Katherine) Caras, daughter of William and Christy Caras Godparents: Dennis and Kim Evangelatos Saturday, June 11 Timothy Aris Keogh, son of Darren Patrick and Eftyhia Keogh Godparent: Constantina Poga Sunday, June 12 Constantinos Andreas Flokas, son of Louis and Ellie Flokas Godpanrents: William and Laurie Anast Saturday, June 25 Justin Aris Webster, son of John and Jennifer Webster Godparents: Tom and Yvonne Riley

6 CAMP NEWS Sunday, June 26 Marina Irene Spiropoulos, daughter of James and Marina Spiropoulos Godparent: Liana Georgoulis James Steven Spiropoulos, son of James and Marina Spiropoulos Godparent: Troy Spiropoulos Weddings Sunday, June 5 Dimetra Giannoulias and Rick Lopez Saturday, June 11 Jessica Riggs and Theodore Liotopoulos Sponsor: Paul Liotopoulos Sunday, June 12 Irina Yermilov and Charles Chung Sponsor: Nicholas Orlil Saturday, June 25 Aphrodite Papanikolaou and Joshua Lam Sponsor: George Papanikolaou Sunday, June 26 Peggy Rokkas and George Kaiteris Sponsor: John Tseheridis YOUTH NEWS Our Love Loaf Program has come to an end! Please bring your Love Loaf container to Fr. Alex at your earliest convenience, so funds may be quickly mailed to World Vision and put to good work feeding the children of the world. Thanks to all of the Sunday School families and parishioners of St. Sophia for participating in this worthy Lenten outreach! Children and teens of St. Sophia: Fr. Alex needs your help! Fr. Alex is putting together a newspaper-style piece for distribution in our cathedral to casual visitors and potential converts to our Orthodox faith. There will be little articles about the Orthodox Faith, the history of our Cathedral, pictures, and information on our programs and ministries. One important, and fun, element of this publication will be a section entitled Top Ten Reasons Why We Love St. Sophia (and why you might too!) So Fr. Alex would like any young person from our community to write him a little note (can be ed or mailed) about why you love St. Sophia. Just a sentence or two will be perfect. And the responses of our children will make up a list; with parents permission, the name and grade of each participant will be included next to the quote. Responses will be various and sundry; there are no right or wrong answers! So please help your child make a submission today and encourage your teen to do so as well. Fr. Alex may be contacted at frchetsas@stsophia.org or , x222. As summer grows near so does another great year of Saint Sophia Summer Camp! Apply now to be a camp counselor at Saint Sophia Camp! The Saint Sophia Camp Committee is looking for highly motivated, responsible and enthusiastic young adults over 18 to be camp counselors this summer. The first week is scheduled from Sunday, July 24 through Saturday, July 30; the second week will be from Sunday, July 31 through Saturday, August 6. There will be a $100 stipend, per week, offered to counselors. We will be holding camp this summer at Camp Seeley which is located in the San Bernardino Mountains. Applications are online at www. saintsophiacamp.org. You may also contact our administrative assistant, Vicki Kades, at saintsophiacamp@msn.com or by phone at , for more information or application forms. Saint Sophia Summer Camp 2005 The St. Sophia Camp committee has been hard at work planning a fantastic 2005 summer camp season. Our summer camping program will continue with a shortened season at a rented facility. There will be two weeks of camp. The first week is scheduled from Sunday, July 24 through Saturday, July 30; and the second week will be from Sunday, July 31 through Saturday, August 6. We will again be holding camp this summer at Camp Seeley which is located in the San Bernardino Mountains. It s close to Lake Gregory and the Village of Crestline, and you can check out Camp Seeley at To www. saintsophiacamp.org. You may also contact our administrative assistant, Vicki Kades, for more information or registration forms. We have planned another fun-filled year as camp continues to provide programs that will teach our children about our Orthodox faith so that they may grow in spirituality. Our unique camping atmosphere promotes Orthodox Christian Fellowship by bonding the youth of Southern California, creating life-long friendships and increasing participation in your church programs and ministries. Please encourage your young adults to participate as leaders. The Saint Sophia Camp Committee would once again like to thank you for your continued support, concern and prayers. Love in Christ, The Saint Sophia Camp Committee Vicki Kades St. Sophia Camp, Administrative Assistant SaintSophiaCamp@msn.com

7 COMMUNITY NEWS GREEK ORTHODOX METROPOLIS OF SAN FRANCISCO CHURCH MUSIC FEDERATION XENIA ANTON DESBY MEMORIAL ORGAN SCHOLARSHIP The Xenia Anton Desby Memorial Organ Scholarships were established to assist and encourage the musical development and training of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians. Two awards in the amount of $ 500 are available. One award is for applicants who have not received any formal organ instruction, and the second award is for applicants who have previously studied organ. APPLICATION DEADLINE: JUNE 1ST, 2005 For more information, please contact Christopher Yokas, Chair Xenia Anton Desby Memorial Organ Scholarships 1324 S. Normandie Ave. Los Angeles, CA The Hellenic American Medical and Dental Society of Southern California invites medical and dental students of Hellenic descent to apply for S. James Vamvas Scholarships for the academic year, The Scholarships are open to Greek-American medical and dental students attending accredited California schools and California residents attending schools in other parts of the United States. For information and applications, contact George C. Emmanouilides, M.D., HAMDS Scholarship Chair, 4619 Browndeer Lane, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90275; (310) or (310) Application deadline is July 31, The St. Sophia Bookstore is looking for volunteers! We need people who are willing to open and run the store for one hour following Liturgy just one Sunday a month. If you would like to participate, please contact Alexandra or Lawrence Hughes at lawrencehughes@comcast.net or by phone at (310) Greek Dancing Just For Fun! Every Tuesday night, join us from 8:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the church hall for fun, cultural learning, and fellowship. Last fall was a runaway success, and we know this spring s classes will also earn rave reviews. Please contact Fr. Alex with any questions: x222; frchetsas@stsophia.org World Premier of a New Old Fashioned Musical Comedy IS THIS ANY WAY TO START A MARRIAGE? Starring: Our Own Perry Lambert Opens June 10, 2005 Friday & Saturday 8:00p - Sunday 2:00p Reservations & Information: Call GURU or buy tickets from Theater Mania Toll Free or visit online Burbank Blvd. North Hollywood, CA Handicap Access Lot and parking street. General Admission $16 / Students & Seniors $ 14 / Groups 10 or more $ 12 SHOP AT RALPH S ST. SOPHIA RECEIVES A PERCENTAGE Saint Sophia Cathedral has been listed as an approved charity with Ralph s Supermarket Community Contribution Program. Each time you shop at Ralph s and swipe your Ralph s Club Card, Saint Sophia will get a donation from The Ralph s Corporation...at no cost to you! You simply purchase your groceries, take advantage of the discounts given to you as a club member and they send us a check! With the entire community involved in this program, this could mean thousands of dollars annually. These funds will be earmarked to help underwrite the Festival expenses. So please contact Stella or Sarla at the office and give us your Ralph s Club Card number, your name, address and telephone number. Your participation in this program is truly appreciated! Thank you very much - Helene K. Liatsos, Festival Director st Annual Downey Greek Festival Saturday, June 4th and Sunday June 5th 11:00 AM 10:00 PM St. George Greek Orthodox Church Downey Avenue (on the corner of Downey Ave and La Villa St.) Seniors and children (under12) admitted free For more information, call the church office at or visit St. Anthony Greek Orthodox Church is pleased to announce that its 5th Annual Pasadena Golf Classic will be held on Friday, June 10th, at Brookside Golf Course in Pasadena. Proceeds will benefit the St. Anthony s Building Fund, which has been established for the development of a new community center for the church. Gift certificates and items are very much needed for both the silent auction and as raffle prizes. Please contact Jimmy Christodoulelis for details: , ext. 15. Victory In Europe Celebration - The County of Los Angeles Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is seeking a person who was a Citizen of Greece from October 28, 1940 thru May 7, 1945 and served in the Greek Military during that period. If you or someone you know meets this criteria, please ask them to call John L. Stamatiades as soon as possible at for further details From Greece with Love A radio program produced by Ramzi Seikaly which can be heard every Sunday from 10:30 A.M. to 10:45 A.M. on KCLAFM.COM Call it your midday Greek coffee break Will You Help?!! A small blood sample will tell if you can save a life St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral announces: Bone Marrow Screening by the AHEPA Bone Marrow Donor Registry suring L.A. Greek Fest, September 9, 10 and 11, Please come to be tested. Our phlebotomist will draw a sample of blood to be typed as a potential bone marrow donor. The data obtained from the testing will be kept in a database that is searched constantly to determine compatibility for marrow or stem cell transplants for leukemia victims.

8 OTHER NEWS GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETING JUNE 12TH IN ST. JOHN S ROOM AFTER SUNDAY LITURGY A New Ministry At our Ministry Day Fair last February, a number of young people signed up to participate in a new ministry at our Cathedral. - The Jr. Parish Council (18-30 yrs old) Actually, years ago we did have a Jr. Parish Council and we are now attempting to resurrect the voice of the young adults in the Parish. The following people volunteered. If you have any interest in this ministry, please contact Timi Loomos Freshman at the Cathedral. John Cummings Michael Divris Christina Georgiou Alex Guirguis Alexandra Guirguis Irene Koudouris Eracles Pelargos Panayiotis Pelargos Mana Panagakis Daniel Rivera The Board of Directors has designated Sunday, June 5th VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION DAY Please save the date! We will acknowledge the efforts of four Parishioners who have given of their time and talents for the benefit of the entire Community The Honorees are: Philoptohos: Tina Callas Past Presidents: Ted Lambros Trustees: William Oldknow Volunteer & Facilities Coordinator: Ann Pappas THE 2005 EPITAPHIO The Holy Friday service was made even more spectacular by the magnificent flower decoration of the Kouvouklion / Epitaphio. It was a work of art intended to glorify and honor our Lord s entombment on one of the most sacred days of our church calendar. The director and creative artist is Aleka Pantazis who was very ably assisted by Georgia Arvanitis, Tina Callas, Katie Eagar, Mary Gallanis, Christina Kades, Clio Kades, Eleni Koudanis, Eleni Kyriacou, Elizabeth Kyriacou, Mary Morrison, Angela Petrou and Fotini Varvitsiotis. Thank you Aleka and ladies for such a wonderful gift to the Lord and our community We are sad to announce the passing of Helen Konugres Bebrmeyer who fell asleep in the Lord on May 3rd. Helen was the Parish Council President in She was dynamic in ler leadership and her ability to accomplish any task. We will miss her loving ways and winning smile! MEMORIALS Sunday, June 5 William Chagares, Chris Romeo, Catherine Romeo, George Romeo, Gregory P. Pappas, Paul Mastropanagiotis. Sunday, June 12 Moschovia Zagorianos, Frances Stevens Sargent. Sunday, June 26 Theodore Titonis, Katherine Titonis, William Paul O'Connor, Perry Caiopoulos, Theodore and Mary Stringos, Bessie Stringos, Steve Callas. STEWARDSHIP Give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name. Bring an offering and come into His courts. ( Psalm 96. 8) During Holy Week we came together as a community and participated in the most beautiful and meaningful church services of the ecclesiastical year. It all happened through the leadership of our Clergy, the support of the Parish Council, the Board of Trustees, Parish Staff and many Volunteers. The services were enhanced by taking place in our majestic Cathedral with the accompaniment of the soaring voices of the Choir. But, nothing would have been possible without the gifts of stewardship from our parishioners. Our heartfelt thanks is extended to all the parishioners listed below who have made their stewardship pledges through the month of May. By joining the Saint Sophia Community you support the present and build for the future. We wish all God s blessings to you and your family. Christos Anesti! The Stewardship Committee

9 Another year, another L.A. Greek Fest! So many of you have made it possible in the last two years for our Festival to flourish and this year we ask you again to help us underwrite the food, the bands, the security, the tents and the raffle. Please be generous...our success depends on you! Parish Council NEEDS LIST FOR 2004 FESTIVAL MONETARY DONATIONS WINE-WHITE $1, WINE-RED $1, METAXA 7 STAR $1, OUZO $1, TEQUILA $1, MARGARITA MIX $1, BEER $1, ASSORTED SODAS $1, BOTTLED WATER $1, MILK $ ORANGE JUICE $ COFFEE $ HONEY $ OIL FOR COOKING $ OLIVE OIL $ GREEK FETA $1, GREEK COFFEE $ KALAMATA OLIVES $ BUTTER (SWEET) $ SUGAR $ FLOUR $ WALNUTS & ALMONDS $ KEFALOTYRI FOR SAGANAKI $ DOLMATHES $ LOUCANICO $1, KALAMARI $1, EGGS (Mousaka and Pastitsio) $ ROAST CHICKENS $1, GROUND BEEF $500.00

10 GYRO & CONDIMENTS $3, LAMB SOUVLAKI (DINNER SIZE) $2, CHICKEN SOUVLAKI (SMALL) $1, PORK SOUVLAKI $1, LAMB CHOPS $3, CHILDREN S ARCADE $5, CHILDREN S PLAY AREA $ (FOR PRIZES) TENTS $14, MUSIC (2 BANDS) $4, RAFFLE GRAND PRIZE TRIP TO MEXICO $1, SECURITY $7, To contribute for our Fest needs, please contact Timi Freshman at (323) Ext. 129 or Ann Pappas at Ext. 444 LA GREEK FEST 2005 Announcing the ADOPT- A-BOOTH program. Adoption is when you take responsibility for something that speaks to your soul and each festival booth has a soul of its own, which needs to be adopted so it can grow and flourish. So we call upon you to come forward and ADOPT-A-BOOTH as your annual contribution to St. Sophia Cathedral s ongoing Active Stewardship Service. Here s how it works: A group gets together to Adopt-A-Booth and works the booth from start to finish. Groups can consist of: 1. A single family dad, mom, kids, papou, yiayia 2. A group of families your family, your brother s family, your coumbaro s family 3. A group of friends you and all your friends 4. A ministry of St. Sophia choir, Greek school, dance group, altar boys, etc. 5. An organization Ahepa, American Legion, etc. This is Volunteerism at its best, because St. Sophia Community has the best volunteers ever! Please see Helene Liatsos, Stephanie Lubian or Karen Sarames to claim your booth!

11 SAINT SOPHIA GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL MONTHLY BULLETIN JUNE 2005 Very Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas, Dean Rev. Fr. Alex Chetsas, Associate Constance Callinicos, Choir Director Menelaos Trigonis, Protopsaltis Christopher Yokas, Organist SAINT SOPHIA CATHEDRAL PARISH COUNCIL Mark Gorgal, Vice President Sam Konugres, Recording Secretary Loula B. Moschonas, President Panos A. Angels, Treasurer Helene K. Liatsos, Corresponding Secretary MEMBERS Lawrence Hughes Charalambos Kyriacou Ted Pastras Stephanie Caiopoulos Lubian Tom Martin Aileen Strike Preonas Paul Kaloyeropoulos Sebastian Opffer Karen Sarames Presidential Appointment - Timi Loomos Freshman AUDITING COMMITTEE Jim Alex Anthony Demetriou, Chair Tom Moore SAINT SOPHIA CATHEDRAL FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES John S. Sakellaris, President Angelo L. Pappas, Vice President Constantine Boukidis, Secretary Andrew Evangelatos, Treasurer MEMBERS V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas Alek Haidos George Preonas Nicholas Bissias Gig Kyriacou William H. Oldknow James A. Demetriou Loula B. Moschonas John T. Pappas Harry C. Vournas Peter C. Latsis, Honorary Presidential Appointment Anthony A. Demetriou, Administrative Assistant PHILOPTOHOS SOCIETY Connie Cooper, President Tina Callas, 1st Vice President Diane Starros, Corresponding Secretary Jennie Doumak, Treasurer Frances Bissias, 2nd Vice President Virginia Noyes, Recording Secretary Mary Gallanis, Assistant Treasurer Bess Pappas, Advisor MEMBERS Pauline Evangelatos Electra Koutsoukos Marianna Politis Irene Frankos Pauline Ladicos Diane Pruett Lola Gialketsis Sophie Mastor Rita Stephanou MINISTRIES Altar Boys - Michael Cosfol Choir - Constance Callinicos Greek School - Helen Dumas, Director Church School - Jim Kollias Philoptohos V.I.P. - Electra Koutsoukos, President G.O.Y.A. - Fr. Alex Chetsas Camp - Lee Ingraham Dance Groups - Father Alex Chetsas Book Store -Alexandra & Larry Hughes Youth - Fr. Alex Chetsas Bible Study - Fr. John Bakas & Fr. Alex Chetsas Art Class - George Williams Philanthropia - Fr. Peter Lambert

12 Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral 1324 S. Normandie Av. Los Angeles, CA TIME SENSITIVE FIRST CLASS MAIL ADDRESS SERVICE RE- Editor in Chief - Timi Loomos Freshman