A Word from Father Rick

Transcription

1 A Word from Father Rick Registry P.3 Parish News P.4 Youth News P.6 Philoptochos News P.5 Parish Council Update P.7 Symbolism of Oil Lamp On January 20 th we commemorated St. Euthymios, one of the great ascetic (monastic) saints of our Church. He live in the fifth century and was a mentor to the more well-known Saint Savvas the Sanctified (Dec.5 th ). The monastery that St. Euthymios established in the desert of Palestine is long abandoned (you can visit its ruins) but the monastery of Saint Savvas (aka Mar Sabbas) still exists and is very active. The Epistle reading assigned to be read on the Venerable Euthymios feast is 2Corinthians 4:6-15 and in verse six it says, For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, whohas shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The theme of light is central to Orthodox Christian worship and spirituality. In the Prologue of the Gospel of John, which is read on Holy Pascha, we hear: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. This of course is referring to the Eternal Logos, Jesus Christ, who said, I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (John 8:12). Saints like Euthymios and Savvas were known for their profound holiness. The grace of Christ so filled them, that they radiated it to others often in the form of light. Their strict asceticism and fervent prayer brought prepared them to see the glory of God and come to know Him in the face of Jesus Christ. The theme of light is why we use candles and lamps in the church temple and on the altars in our home. This tradition goes way back even before the time of Christ Himself. The ancient Israelites used oil lamps for practicality (to see when natural light was limited) and as a symbol for God s light. Numerous passages in the Old Testament refer to the spiritual of light. For example, Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path(psalm 119:105). The foundation of the practice extends back to time of Moses when God gave the Ten Commandments. We often forget that God gave numerous other commandments recorded in Old Testament Books of Exodus, Leviticus and Deuteronomy. Many of them directed the design of the Tent of Meeting, its sacred appointments, the system of worship and sacrifice. For example, You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold; the lampstand shall be of hammered work. Its shaft, its branches, its bowls, its ornamental knobs, and flowers shall be of one piece (Exodus 25:31). In our temple dedicated to Saint George, we use candles and several oil lamps on the Prothesis table, the Holy Altar Table and before the icons on the Iconostasi. Like everything in the Church, the oil lamp has a practical function and a symbolic meaning. Practically speaking, the components of the oil lamp are the glass, olive oil, the string wick and the cork float. As we know, to produce a flame, we need a spark, fuel and oxygen. The glass contains the oil, the float holds the wick upright. Without the float, the wick would sink into the oil and be extinguished. If we light the string without it being soaked in oil, it would quickly extinguish itself. Therefore, the oil is the fuel and the wick is the medium of the flame. Knowing how it works, let s look at its spiritual symbolism. Each human person is like the wick. For us to have the light of Christ, we need to be lit with the spark of His divine Word and Eucharist. But to sustain the light we need the oil of the Holy Spirit as our fuel. Notice that the grace of the Holy Spirit is conveyed through oil in the Sacraments of Chrismation and Holy Unction. The way we acquire the Holy Spirit is primarily through prayer and worship. However, even with a flame and oil as fuel, the wick cannot burn forever. Typically, the burnt residue (black carbon) will build up and not sustain the flame. The carbon is very messy and must be cleaned away. Otherwise, it can get onto other surfaces and like a black marker ink, it is difficult to remove. Removing the carbon is called trimming Continued on next page

2 Orthodox Christians of the Twin Cities gathered on the banks of the Mississippi River at Hidden Falls Park on the Eve of Theophany, Saturday January 5, to commemorate Christ s Baptism in the Jordan River and to bless the waters Stewardship Pledges Received: thank you to the following faithful servants who have submitted their stewardship pledge cards for 2019 (as of January 18). Please join them today! Ronald & Reva Adkins John & Carol Alexis Diane Anastos Fr. Richard & Pres. Jane Andrews John & Marina Antoniou Tom & Patricia Bombolis Jeff & Tina Bovis-Fuller George & Shannon Canas James Canelake Eric Chadwick & Andrea Faches Athanasios & Panorea Contolatis Dino & Stephanie Contolatis Becka Dokos Dean Dovolas Louis & Mary Ellis John Georgolopolos Lama Ghazi Michael & Nanette Gomez Dimitri & Kimberly Gounaikis John & Mary Grant Amalia Hummel Petko Ivanov Misael & Lisa Jordan Richard Kanavati Dimitrios & Dimitra Kaniamos Bill & Stacy Katsiyiannis Jon & Peggy Kennedy Dina Kiprose Mathew & Ellene Kritikos James Lake Tom & Dawn Lampros Mary Makredes Michael & Margery Makredes Michael & Christina Manos Dan & Jackie Matuska Pat McAdams John & Lerah McCullough Chris Panayoton Stella Papaconstantinou Pres. Miriam Paraschou James & Sally Pathos Spero & Lana Payton Dimitri & Sofia Pitsavas Paul & Elizabeth Poulios Ted Roungou Fr. Daniel & Pres. Eileen Simon continued from page 1 the wick. If the black carbon spreads, it can be cleaned away by using olive oil. Symbolically, the burnt residue is like sin and its consequences in our life. Christians clean ourselves is by repentance and confession. Again, the oil of Holy Unction is used for both the healing of body and soul and the grace of forgiveness in the Holy Spirit cleanses us in the Sacrament/ Mystery of Holy Confession. Just like the burning bush on Mount Sinai, the flame of God s love will not consume us if we love Him. The only thing that gets burned-up is sin. However, if we don t love God, we ourselves will be consumed or burnedup by our sin. As we become aflame like burning bush and like the oil lamp, we can radiate God s light and the warmth His love. This is accomplished through loving acts of mercy and almsgiving. My brothers and sisters, let us heed the words of Jesus Christ, who said: A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. (John 13:34-35). Blessed February and Triodion! +Fr. Rick page 2

3 St. Paul. MN Church Staff and Office Hours Church Office Hours T-F 9:00 AM 5:00 PM (Closed Mondays) Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews, Presbyter (651) Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Skete celebrated Old-Calendar Christmas on January 6 with Vespers at St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel at University of St. Thomas. The choirs of St. Mary OCA Cathedral and the Catholic Basilica of St. Mary sang. The Myrrh-Streaming Theotokos Iveron icon from Hawaii was present for veneration. Registry Julie Delton Administrative Assistant (651) office@stgeorgegoc.org George Mastrogiorgis Parish Council President (917) gmastrogiorgis@yahoo.com 40-Day Churchings January 6 Tabitha Kazaglis & Baby Maxwell Aida Abebe Sunday School Director (651) aabebe74@gmail.com Address Changes Jane Trigas 1576 Jefferson Ave, Apt 1 St. Paul, MN Stella Hofrenning Greek School Director (651) hofrenni@augsburg.edu Festal Icons Needed Please donate a Festal Icon (11" x 14") in memory of a loved one. The cost is $75.00 per icon. The icons are displayed in the church nave and are put out for veneration on the Feast Day of the Saint or event they represent. To donate an icon, fill out a form (found on the revolving bulletin board in the social hall) and return it to the office. Vicky Paraschou Philoptochos President (763) vicky.paraschou@yahoo.com Julie Delton Editor, Glad Tidings newsletter George Mastrogiorgis Loaves and Fishes Coordinator FOCUS-MN Coordinator gmastrogiorgis@yahoo.com Stephen & Minda Arsenault Bookstore bookstore@stgeorgegoc.org Prophet Zacharias February 8 Symeon the God Receiver February 3 Submissions for upcoming issues are due by the 10th of the preceding month. page 3

4 Sunday Social Hour Coordinator needed- Volunteer from home. Work at your pace. Get to know parishioners. Past coordinator will work with you for questions. Written instructions provided. Contact the office if interested. Note from Treasurer: please include designations on checks when making contributions to the church. A few words on the memo line noting the purpose of the check (e.g stewardship, 2019 stewardship, memorial, capital campaign) is extremely helpful for bookkeeping, thank you! Bible Study: meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month from 1:30-3pm in the conference room at church. RSVP or questions to Kathy Ryan or Kathy.aeiou@gmail.com. All are welcome! Roselawn Cemetery Lots: 2019 prices are: $6,120 for a Monument Lot (2 graves); $3,825 for a Flat Lot A (2 graves); $2, for a Flat Lot B (1 grave). Single graves have limited availability. Contact church today! Exterior Restoration- Brick, block and tuckpointing have been completed. Cost of project is $118,647. We have raised over $72,505 from our parishioners and friends. Please join us in this important work. Thank you! Things Sound Different- yes, that s right, the Sunday liturgy is sounding a bit different the last few months. That s because the choir is using minor mode from the Cherubic Hymn through the Epiklesis/Consecration. Although this is new to our community, it is not innovative or novel in the Tradition. Many Greek Orthodox churches throughout the United States and the world do this. Minor mode conveys a mystical and penitential quality that is so important to our Orthodox Christian phronema (mindset). Fr. Rick has encouraged this addition to the choir s repertoire for many years. Recently, they accepted the challenge and are working hard to execute it better each and every Sunday. Please support them and seek to understand what minor mode is all about. Metropolis Clergy Laity: the Twin Cities has been chosen to host the next Metropolis Clergy Laity September 25-29, The St. George and St. Mary Church communities will co-host. Stay tuned for more details! Stewardship Update: Our Stewardship goal of $250,000 was met and exceeded by our wonderful parish members ( the exact total is still being calculated and will be published in future bulletins). You FEBRUARY NAMEDAYS February 1: Sabrina Corbera; February 8: Fr. Ted Filandrinos; February 10: Bob Baffa, Richard Gnetz, Harold Johnson, Haralambos Taratsas; February 17: Teddy Petsopoulos, Ted Roungou; February 22: William Chadwick; February 26: Fotini Donnelly, Lana Payton, Dawn Lampros. FEBRUARY BAPTISMS/CHRISMATIONS Peter Boosalis, February 19; Stella Hoffrening, February 24; Steve Ryan, February 12; Eleanor Eliou, February 18; Michael Paul Natto, February 24. FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS Teddy Andrews, February 14; Steve Arsenault, February 19; Greg Boosalis, February 8; Samuel Brandt, February 11; Andreas Cervantes, February 8; Eleni Christoforides, February 18; Elena Condos, February 25; Thomas Decker, February 5; Gayra Eliou, February 8; Adam Fuller, February 28; Dinah Lampros, February 13; Melanie Loudas, February 3; Sophronis Mantoles, February 14; Milton Marinos, February 20; Maria McKinney, February 8; Stamatios Morellas, February 4; Evangelos Pappas, February 4; Peter Roumel, February 22; Steve Ryan, February 1; Tina Sageotis, February 26; Matthew Simon, February 23; Kostas Tsantir, February 2; Alexander Tsobanakis, February 7. FEBRUARY WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES John W. & Nancy Lambros, February 15; Michael & Margery Madredes, February 11. If your name does not appear or it is listed incorrectly, please contact the church office at office@stgeorgegoc.org. page 4

5 St. Paul. MN are all truly amazing, and once again have helped our parish meet its commitment to our goal of Stewardship. Thank you, thank you all! -Alexis Bighley, Stewardship Chair. New Parish Council Officers! Congratulations to President- George Mastrogiorgis, Vice President- Stephen Kanavati, Treasurer- John Simon, Assistant Treasurer- Lily Zahariades, Secretary- Steve Arsenault. Share the Light Sunday: was celebrated January 20. Strengthen Orthodox evangelism and outreach in the Digital Age by supporting Orthodox Christian Network (OCN). OCN comforts, inspires, interacts and informs Orthodox Christians and seekers with their live streaming Rudder Byzantine chant station, The Anchor talk radio station, news programs, blogs, and live weekly social media programs. Visit New Office Hours: starting February 1st, the church office will be open Tuesday-Friday, 9am to 5pm. Ethnic Dance Party- Saturday, Feb. 2, 2019 at 7pm, St. Mary s GOC in Minneapolis; all ages invited. Instruction in at least one Arab, Bulgarian, Greek, Romanian, Russian and Serbian dance. If possible, please bring an appetizer or dessert to share. A cash bar priced to cover expenses will be provided. Event is free; but rsvp at stmarysgoc.org/pan-orthodox-ethnic-dance-party/ 2019 Pilgrimage to The Holy Land: Tom and Mary Rudquist of St. George Antiochian Church will lead a pilgrimage to the Holy Land September 17-26, 2019 that includes 3 nights in the Old City of Jerusalem; 3 nights in Bethlehem, and 2 nights in Nazareth. Cost is $1450 plus tips and airfare. Price includes hotels, transportation, entry fees, all breakfasts and dinners, 2 lunches and boat ride on Sea of Galilee. Registration limited to 25 participants; please confirm by March 15, For more info contact Tom or Mary at or abousean@yahoo.com Schedule of Sunday Lenten Vespers (7:00pm): March 17, Orthodoxy Sunday St. Mary (OCA) March 24, St. Gregory Palamas St. George (GOC) March 31, The Adoration of the Cross St. Mary (ROEA) April 7, St. John of the Ladder Holy Trinity (OCA) April 14, St. Mary of Egypt St. George (AOCA) April 21, Bridegroom Matins St. Herman of Alaska (OCA) To aid the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the orphaned, the imprisoned, the widowed, the handicapped, the victims of disasters, to undertake the burial of impoverished persons and to offer assistance to anyone who may need the help of the Church through fund raising effort From the Mission Statement of National Philoptochos Thank you to all our generous parishioners and bakers who helped make this years Vasilopita auction a wonderful success! All proceeds from the auction are donated to Saint Basil s Academy, which is the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese home for children in need. The academy provides a loving Christian envionment where resident children are nurtured to adulthood. Save the date: We invite all our parishioners to join us on Sunday, March 10 th, as we will be hosting the Cheesefare Luncheon. All proceeds to Support-A-Mission-Priest (SAMP). By helping SAMP you help to support the ministries of 28 long-term missionaries and specialists around the world. These teams teach the Faith, minister to youth and women, and provide healthcare and critical outreach. Most of us long to compliment our church worship with the desire to have a purpose and to enjoy fellowship with others. Philoptochos, the philanthropic arm of our church provides us both a purpose and opportunity to join together to make a difference in our local, national and international community. If you are interested to learn more about Philoptochos, to see how you can help us fulfill our mission, we warmly invite you to join us at our next meeting, which will be held on Sunday, February 3 rd, following Divine Liturgy. In Christ s service, Vicky Paraschou Philoptochos President page 5

6 Fr. Youth Minister Position Open: applications are now being accepted for this part time position. To apply, a resume, cover letter and two references to Fr. Rick at fatherrick@stgeorgegoc.org. Children s Christmas program on Sunday, December 16, 2019 Youth Ministry Updates: next Youth & Family night will be February 23, focusing on St. Photini the Samaritan Woman. Future youth & family events will be March 23, April 20 & 26, and May 11. Next organizational planning meeting will be Wednesday, February 27 at 6:30pm, then Monday March 25 at 7pm, and Wednesday, May 15. On Saturday, January 12, children and parents gathered to learn about and make Vasilopita (the Bread of St. Basil) page 6

7 St. Paul. MN Parish Council Update Father Rick and the entire 2019 Parish Council look forward to continuing the strong momentum our Church has experienced in the last few years. As part of a new communications initiative to keep our parish informed on a regular basis, we will be providing a Parish Council update once a month, typically after the monthly Parish Council meeting. We met last night for our January meeting and had a productive meeting to start the new year. Some highlights of our meeting include: Building Restoration Project Nanette Gomez reported that we ve received $62,300 to date for the building tuck-pointing restoration project that was completed last year. We also have parishioners who have made additional pledges to contribute at a later time. We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to date and those who have pledged a contribution in the future. We encourage everyone else to make a contribution or pledge if you haven t made one. We also voted to move $40,000 from the general operating checking account back to the investments account that is currently being managed by JP Morgan. We retained $22,300 in our general checking account to cover cash flow deficits, which average $10,000 each month. This is why it is so important to evenly spread stewardship contributions throughout the year or pay them earlier in the year. Our goal, through your generosity, is to completely replenish the investment accounts with the funds used for this project. Stewardship Great news! For the fourth year in a row, Saint George has exceeded our stewardship goal. Father Rick reported we received close to $80,000 in the month of December. If reconciliations are favorable, we could easily exceed our 2018 goal of $250,000 by several thousand dollars. This is a testament to our supporters, both parishioners and friends, who respond so positively to the needs of our Church. We thank you! Strategic Planning Lily Zahariades reported the committee is in the process of writing the mission statement based on the feedback received from the community. Please continue to engage with the strategic planning committing by providing feedback as they continue to work on our strategic plan. Metropolis Clergy-Laity The 2019 Metropolis of Chicago Clergy-Laity conference will be held in the Twin Cities this September and will be co-hosted by Saint George and Saint Mary Greek Orthodox parishes. Alexis Bighley will co-chair the planning committee alongside Mr. Charlie Theros of our sister parish. More information will be communicated in the near future, especially ways our parishioners can be of help in this effort. New Saint George Office Hours Our administrative assistant, Julie Delton, has made a work-life balance request for a change of work hours. The Parish Council carefully considered the proposal and approved a change to her work and office hours for a three-month trial period. Beginning February 1 st, the new office hours will be Tuesday to Friday, 9 am 5 pm, while Julie s hours will be 8am to 6pm Tue-Fri. The office will be closed on Mondays. Please provide feedback during the trial period to Father Rick or anyone on the Parish Council. We will carefully consider your input as we move forward. Youth Ministry/Basketball Tournament The youth ministry parent committee has been meeting on a regular basis to plan events for our youth while we try to fill the open Youth Minister position. On January 12 th, we had a very successful event in which the children made vasilopitas (St. Basil bread loaves) and learned the history of Saint Basil and Vasilopita. The event was well attended and enjoyed by all participants. February 8-10, the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago Western Region GOYAL Family Basketball tournament will be in Milwaukee, WI. We have three teams registered: Coed Joy, Boys Goya, and Adult men. We look forward to another great family weekend centered around competitive basketball, good sportsmanship and faith-based learning. Sincerely in Christ, +Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews, Presbyter George Mastrogiorgis, Parish Council President 2019 PARISH COUNCIL MEMBERS Diane Anastos (763) anastos.diane@gmail.com Steve Arsenault (612) arsenault003@gmail.com Alexis Bighley (651) abighley@aol.com Dino Contolatis (952) kostaskontolatis@hotmail.com Nanette Gomez (651) nanettegomez1@gmail.com Petko Ivanov (651) petko_senovo@yahoo.com Steve Kanavati (651) skanavat@gmail.com George Mastrogiorgis (917) gmastrogiorgis@yahoo.com Milam Paraschou (952) milamjp@gmail.com John Simon (651) simonjohn@aol.com Jim Theros (651) broilman@aol.com Lily Zahariades (651) eljzack@gmail.com page 7

8 Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Twin Cities, MN Permit No. 177 ST. GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED 1111 Summit Avenue St. Paul, Minnesota Phone Fax Glad Tidings February 2019 WEEKDAY WORSHIP SCHEDULE REGULAR WEEKLY SERVICES Holy Confession: By Appointment Saturday, February 2 Meeting of our Lord Orthros 8:00 a.m. Liturgy 9:00 a.m. Please see our online calendar and bulletin for latest schedule updates: Also visit our Facebook page: Vespers: (Oct. - May) Saturday 5:00 pm Orthros: Sunday 8:15 am Sunday School: (Sept. - May) following Communion Divine Liturgy: Sunday 9:30 am

9 February 2019 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat COMING IN MARCH 3 MEATFARE, Youth Oratorical Festival 10 CHEESEFARE Missions Sunday 11 CLEAN/PURE MONDAY/ LENT BEGINS 17 SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY/ICONS Lenten Retreat w/ Fr. Moses Berry 24 Greek Independence Celebration 25 ANNUNCIATION of THEOTOKOS 31 VENERATION OF CROSS 3 +16TH SUN. MATTHEW 8:15am ORTHROS 9:30am LITURGY 11am Godparent- Godchild Sunday 12:30pm Youth Basketball Practice (St. Paul Downtown YMCA) 4:30pm Greek Dance Practice TH SUN. MATTHEW +ST. HARALAMBOS 8:15am ORTHROS 9:30am LITURGY 12pm Philoptochos Mtg. 4:30pm Greek Dance Practice 17 +PUBLICAN & PHARISEE +ST. THEODORE OF TYRE +TRIODION BEGINS 8:15am ORTHROS 9:30am LITURGY 24 +PRODIGAL SON 8:15am ORTHROS 9:30am LITURGY 4:30pm Greek Dance Practice 4 4:30pm Loaves & Fishes (St Matthew's Catholic Church) 7pm Catechism Class 11 7pm Catechism Class 18 7pm Catechism Class 25 7pm Catechism Class 5 6 +FAST DAY +ST. PHOTIOS FAST DAY 1:30pm Bible Study 19 6:30pm Parish Council Mtg. 26 +ST. FOTINI - SAMARITAN WOMAN 1 +FAST DAY 6pm VESPERS pm Prison Ministry +FAST DAY Leaders mtg (St. +ST. THEODORE Mary s GOC) STRATELATES 14 11am MEOCCA Mtg (St. George Coptic Orthodox Church) am Glad Tidings Mailing 7pm AHEPA Mtg +++NO FASTING FAST FREE WEEK FAST DAY 1:30pm Bible Study 6:30pm Youth Ministry Mtg FAST DAY 2 +MEETING OF OUR LORD 8am ORTHROS 9am LITURGY 5pm VESPERS 7pm Pan-Orthodox Ethnic Dance Party (St Mary's GOC) 9 5pm VESPERS GOYAL BASKETBALL TOURNEY in Milwaukee, WI 16 5pm VESPERS ST. POLYCARP OF SMYRNA 9:30am Divine Liturgy in Eau Claire, WI 5pm VESPERS 6pm Youth Night - St Photini St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 1111 Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55105,

10 WEDNESDAYS THEME: Christian Italy DATE TOPIC SPEAKER: +Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews March 13 Venice St. Mark Cathedral March 20 Florence Duomo, Baptistery, Tower, Museum March 27 Sienna Cathedral & Baptistery April 3 Pisa Cathedral, Baptistery, Tower, Cemetery April 10 Rome St. Peter Basilica FRIDAYS THEME: Church Fathers Patrology & Patristics DATE TOPIC SPEAKER March 15 Apostolic Fathers (1 st & 2 nd cent.) Fr. Thaddeus Wojcik March 22 LENTEN RETREAT - African Americans & Orthodox Christianity with Fr. Moses Berry March 29 Cappadocian Fathers/Doctors (4 th cent.) Fr. Andrew Morbey April 5 Greek Fathers (2 nd 8 th cent.) Fr. George Dokos April 12 Syriac & Desert Fathers (4 th 7 th cent.) Fr. Paul Wesche SCHEDULE 6:00PM Lenten Service; 7:30PM Lenten Community Meal; 8:00PM Lecture; 8:30PM Q&A; 8:45PM Conclude. Wednesday s Theme: Christian Italy In terms of ancient classical culture, Greece s near equal is Italy. Inheriting the tradition from Athens, Rome became the center of the Roman Empire for centuries. Christian history is similar as the Apostle Paul built up churches from Corinth to Rome. In a series of presentations, Fr. Rick will share images and memories from his recent trip to Italy, focusing on the major medieval Christian churches and their history. This includes stops in Venice, Florence, Sienna, Pisa and Rome. Friday s Theme: Church Fathers Patrology & Patristics Some say the Scriptures of the Church are the Holy Bible. For Orthodox Christians sacred writing include not only the Old and New Testaments and Deutero-canonical Books, but also the writings of the Fathers and Saints throughout the 2000-year history of the Church. This year we will focus on the four epochs or groups of Church Fathers: Apostolic, Great Doctors, Greek Fathers and the Syriac/Desert Fathers. Come learn more about some famous and some lesser-known persons of Patrology/Patristics. Meal Hosting- Any individual, family, ministry, committee, or group is encouraged to sponsor a Lenten Meal. 1

11 Orthodox Christianity in America - Biographies of Speakers Fr. Thaddeus Wojcik is a retired priest attached to Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Saint Paul. He is Dean Emeritus of the Minneapolis Deanery in the Midwest Diocese of the Orthodox Church of America. Currently, an Adjunct Professor of Theology at the University of St. Thomas, Saint Paul, MN (since 2005) where he teaches an introduction class on Christian Theology (The Christian Theological Tradition) and a class on the development of Christian liturgy beginning with the Old Testament. He is a graduate of University of Minnesota (BA, 1964) and St. Vladimir's Orthodox Seminary (M.Div. 1968). Fr. Moses Berry is an archpriest serving Theotokos Unexpected Joy Eastern Orthodox Church (OCA) in Ash Grove, Missouri on farm property owned by his family since 1872, including a cemetery. He is curator of the Ozarks Afro-American Heritage Museum, and current president of the Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black. He is a sought-after speaker on African American Christianity and Orthodox mission having contributed to An Unbroken Circle: Linking Ancient African Christianity to the African-American Experience. He has appeared on Good Morning America and on the National Geographic channel. He is married to wife, Magdalena and they have two adult children. Fr. Andrew Morbey is Dean of St Mary's Orthodox Cathedral in northeast Minneapolis. His degrees are in English (BA, MA, and PhD course work; Carleton University and University of Ottawa) and Theology (MDiv, ThM, and PhD course work; St Vladimir's Seminary, Union Theological Seminary in Virginia, and at the University of Birmingham, UK). He taught various subjects in Theology at the University of St Paul in Ottawa, Canada prior to moving to Minneapolis. Fr. Paul Wesche is priest/pastor of St. Herman s Orthodox Christian Church in South Minneapolis. He is a graduate of Nazarene Theological Seminary (Masters of Divinity), Kansas City, MO and St. Vladimir s Orthodox Seminary (Masters of Theology), Crestwood, NY, and Fordham University (Ph.D in Patristics 1986), New York, NY. Fr. George Dokos is pastor/priest of St. Mary s Greek Orthodox Church in Minneapolis (since 2014). He has a Bachelor s of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Minnesota (1995), a Masters of Divinity from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (1999) and a PhD from the University of Thessaloniki (2010). He is married to Presvytera Christa and they have four children. Fr. George was ordained to Holy Diaconate ( ) and Holy Priesthood ( ) by Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver. He served Holy Trinity GOC in Dallas, TX ( ), Transfiguration GOC in Sioux Falls, SD ( ), and Sts. Peter & Paul GOC in Boulder, CO ( ). Fr. Richard Andrews is pastor/priest of St. George Greek Orthodox Christian Church in St. Paul, MN (since 1999), a volunteer chaplain with the St. Paul Police Department (since 2006), a critical incident chaplain with IOCC Frontline (since 2013), and the chaplain/supervisor for Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry of Minnesota. He is a graduate of University of Minnesota (Bachelor of Science in Business Administration & Marketing 1988) Minneapolis, MN and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (Master of Divinity 1994) Boston, MA. He is Doctoral candidate (Marriage & Family Therapy) at Argosy University. Fr. Rick previously served Holy Apostles GOC in Chicago, IL ( ) and Dormition GOC in Racine, WI ( ). 2

12 Iera Mhtropolis Sikagou Chicago Metropolis Mission, Vision, Values & Why Statements On November , a group of 86 volunteers participated in a Strategic Planning Retreat for benefit of the Metropolis and achieved consensus on the following statements of identity & purpose: Why Statement (why we exist) To receive and share unconditional love, mercy, healing and peace, so that life has greater meaning and purpose. Mission Statement The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago is a Christ-centered community that loves, guides, engages and serves all people. Core Values Christ-centered Integrity Service Humility Love Merciful Spiritual development Adaptable Vision Statement In 3-5 years, we will grow our Metropolis family through greater: Fellowship & Welcoming Accountability Ministries & Education Innovation Leadership Involved Youth & Emerging Adults Engagement on Critical Issues Stewardship We need your help! Please visit and sign up to join a Strategic Planning Task Force by clicking the Register to Participate tab.

13 Parish Council Meeting Minutes December 11, 2018 I. Meeting Called to order 6:30 p.m. II. Opening prayers and Readings: Hebrews 4:1-13; Mark 8:22-26 III. Submission of past Council meeting minutes Nov 5 & Nov 11 - Steve Arsenault - 6:48 p.m. Motion: that we approve the November 5 and November 11, 2018 Parish Council Minutes. Passed unanimously IV. Treasurer s report-john Simon as of November 30, 2018 General FON G. Festival 75th Lot Sales Capital Inc Total Exp Total Net Income 217,057 21,179 88, , ,195 Expenses 318,623 7,200 45, , ,045 Net (101,575) 13,979 42,698 (100) 3,485 (3,337) (44,850) John spoke of the expenses including the tuckpointing project, the projection of the net figures for the year. Also mentioned the balance sheet funds and the Archdiocese allocation reporting. V. The Investment Committee will start vetting other financial advisors to review in January VI. Father s Updates- A. IOCC Homefront Emergency Preparedness training at St Mary s Greek on Saturday December 8. This session will cover ways our church can be prepared and participate in local disaster relief. Also, to be discussed is emergency preparedness and planning for our church. B. Parents meeting regarding Youth Events VI. Reports A. Capital Campaign As of Nov. 30, received: $41,355, expenses: $118,647 B. Stewardship Report Alexis Bighley- Year End Phone Calls PC volunteers will help with phone calls to raise $75,000 to meet goal of $250,000. C. Greek Festival Discussion 2019 Event- Dino Contolatis gave a brief review of the Greek Festival planning. He will not be the chairman of the Festival for 2019 but will help with advising Festival leaders and planning. D. Strategic Planning Meeting- Number 5 Meeting Scheduled Saturday December 15 -Alexis Bighley. The committee is working on the first stage of developing a mission statement. Surveys will be taken throughout the parish. E. Welcome & Outreach A brief report and comments on the luncheon of December 9 of all arishioners - Alexis F. Missions & Benevolence distribution of Funds- update George Mastrogiorgis. The M & B Committee will be meeting in December to decide the distribution of funds to various missions for G. Parish Assembly Meeting- comments- Thank you Steve Kanavati for your hard work on the PowerPoint presentation materials. H. Ushering Schedule for January 2019 I. Clergy Laity update- Contract submitted to the Hotel for Final signature - update J. Council Member Self Evaluation Form s Discussion thoughts on the Document and the process. VII. Closing Prayer 9:43 p.m. Moved: to adjourn the meeting. Moved: Nanette. Seconded: Steve K; Passed unanimously Parish Council Meeting Minutes January 13, 2019 I. Meeting Called to order 12:10 p.m. II. Opening prayers III. Nominations: President: George Mastrogiorgis; Nominated: Nanette; Seconded: Jim Motion: for a unanimous ballot Approved Vice President: Stephen Kanavati; Nominated: Steve A.; Seconded: Nanette Motion: for a unanimous ballot Approved Treasurer: John Simon; Nominated: Lily Zahariades; Seconded: Nanette Motion: for a unanimous ballot Approved Assistant Treasurer: Lily Zahariades; Nominated: George; Seconded: Steve K.; Motion: for a unanimous ballot Approved Secretary: Stephen Arsenault; Nominated: Lily; Seconded: Diane Motion: for a unanimous ballot Approved IV. Day of the Week for the PC Meetings. Tentative plan for the 2d Thursday of each month. Next PC Meeting: Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. V. Motion: to Adjourn: 12:40 p.m. Passed unanimously

14 ST. GEORGE YOUTH PROGRAM SCHEDULE Black = Sunday School Blue = Youth Italic = Church/other Sept 16 Sunday School Begins - Church Picnic Sept 23 Sept 30 Oct 7 Oct Family Camp Oct 14 Oct 20 Family Day - Twin Cities Corn Maze Oct 21 Oct 28 Oxi Day Oct 28 Youth Mtg Nov 4 Philoptochos Patriarchate Sunday Nov 10 Youth Mtg Nov 11 Nativity Fast Begins Nov. 15 Nov 18 Nov 25 No SS Classes Thanksgiving Weekend Nov 28 Youth Mtg Dec 1 Family Night - Maker s Mall Dec 2 Christmas Program rehearsal AFTER SS Dec 9 Christmas Program rehearsal AFTER SS Dec 16 Christmas Program Dec 23 No SS Classes Dec 30 No SS Classes Jan 6 No SS Classes Theophany Jan 12 Family Night - St. Basil and the Vasilopita Jan 13 Vasilopita Sunday Jan 16 Youth Mtg Jan Youth Winter Camp Jan 20 Jan 27 Feb 3 Godparent-Godchild Sunday Feb 8-10 Basketball Tournament Feb 10 Feb 17 Publican & Pharisee Feb 23 Family Night - St. Photini Feb 24 Prodigal Son Feb 27 Youth Mtg Mar 3 Oratorical Festival - Meatfare Mar 10 Cheesefare - Great Lent begins Mar.11 Mar 17 No SS Classes Sunday of Orthodoxy - Procession of the Icons Mar 23 Lenten Retreat Family Day - St. Moses the Ethiopian Mar 24 St. Gregory Palamas - Pan-Orthodox Vespers Mar 25 Youth Mtg Mar 31 No SS Classes Veneration of the Holy Cross - Procession of Crosses Apr 7 St. John Climacus Apr 14 St. Mary of Egypt Apr 20 Lazaros Saturday Family Retreat - St. Lazaros Apr 21 No SS Classes Palm Sunday Apr 26 Holy Friday Retreat - all day Apr 28 No SS Classes Great & Holy Pascha May 5 Festival of Nations May 2-5 May 11 Family Night May 12 Last Regular Day of Class - Mother s Day May 15 Youth Mtg May 19 Graduation Graduation Sunday May Junior Olympics in Chicago