Promise. The entire liturgical cycle. The. Wait for the promise of the Father 1

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1 Promise The June / July 2016 ^ Volume 40, Issue 5 htgoc@westfieldnj.com holytrinitywestfield.org CHRIST IS RISEN! TRULY, HE IS RISEN! The entire liturgical cycle surrounding the date of Pascha has been an extraordinary time in the life of our parish. I found this year s preparations and celebrations tremendously uplifting. The Feast of Pascha is the foundation of the Christian faith. Everything we do is based on the Resurrection of Christ. This is why the Church in its prayers calls Pascha the queen and lady of all celebrations and the feast of feasts and the festival of all festivals. The liturgical calendar of the Church is a great indicator of how dependent we are on Pascha. Did you know that 18 weeks out of the 52 in the year are influenced by the date of Pascha? The Triodion 1 started on February 20 and Pentecostarion 2 will not close until June 26. For forty continuous days, we chant and greet each other with the magnificent CHRIST IS RISEN! In similar fashion, we must make this remarkable event of Christ s Resurrection the cornerstone and the queen and lady of our lives. As Christ has shown His profound affection and intimate love for us, we are deeply moved to renew our lives by these intense divine feelings. We are asked to participate in a Resurrection that will refresh our souls by breathing new life into us and thereby filling us with the divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Fr. Peter 1 Book of preparation containing the hymns of pre-lent and of Great Lent 2 Book containing the hymns of the Paschal period, Ascension, Pentecost and the week that follows I am always amazed at the coming together of our parish as we participate in and dedicate part of our precious time to attending the divine services of the Church. At no time is this clearer or more obvious than during Great Lent, Holy Week and Easter. It is comforting to know that many seek the Lord in a special way by looking for His blessings and finding them in the sacred services offered at Holy Trinity. The joy we experience together and the blessings we receive are beyond compare. Any time people come together for a particular purpose the feelings of exhilaration and camaraderie explode. We take joy in a shared experience which only intensifies a sensation and solidifies belief. Just as people are more passionate in a filled-to-capacity sports arena cheering their team on to victory, so too is a parishioner driven to a richer experience and thus to deeper faith when the whole community packs our church to praise and applaud the greatest of all victories, Christ s triumph over man s opponent! In all of human history, Jesus defeating death is the all-time, ultimate upset - and one that was predicted long ago by the prophets who forecasted and announced His astonishing win! The grand celebration of Pascha is one that requires special preparations. First and foremost, we prepare ourselves spiritually. With joyful hearts, we ask to be part of Christ s life. But to celebrate all the various services effectively requires a certain degree of physical preparations also. There are so many people in our parish who go the extra mile or added step to ensure that the spiritual experience is not detracted from. These people are the ones who support the efforts to make Great Lent, Holy Week, and Pascha a uniquely special and sacred period of time. Countless thanks are offered to the Parish Council for their tireless work in helping to make Holy Week and Pascha run smoothly. They help usher, direct, and welcome both parishioners and visitors alike. They also make sure that the financial resources exist to effectively promulgate the many beautiful services. These faithful people helped prepare the palms by cleaning, stripping and then folding the palms into crosses. As the parish priest of Holy Trinity, I feel blessed to work with these dedicated individuals in a spirit of synergy and Christ s love. Additionally, there are also many others who provide service (ministry) to the faithful. Above Wait for the promise of the Father 1

2 Dates in the Life of Our Church June/July 2016 JUNE 9 Holy Ascension 8:30 AM Orthros 12 Graduation Day / Scholarships 8:15 AM Orthros 1:00 PM Baptism 14 7:30 PM Parish Council 18 Saturday of the Souls Liturgy 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy 19 Holy Pentecost/Father s Day 8:15 AM Orthros 20 Holy Trinity Name Day Celebration 9:00 AM Orthros 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy Parish Festive Luncheon 24 Nativity of St. John the Baptist 8:30 AM Orthros 26 All Saints Day 8:15 AM Orthros 27-7/1 Vacation Church School 29 Sts. Peter and Paul 8:30 AM Orthros 30 The Holy Apostles 8:30 AM Orthros JULY 1 Last day of Vacation Church School 3 8:15 AM Orthros 3-7 National Clergy/Laity 4 Independence Day (office closed) 10 8:15 AM Orthros 17 8:15 AM Orthros 24 8:15 AM Orthros 31 8:15 AM Orthros all stand the chanters who strive together with the priest, service upon service, offering their musical talents and love for Christ in hymns. Day after day, they follow the rigorous schedule of services with faith in their hearts and strength to endure. They are recognized for their commitment and commended for their fortitude. In similar fashion, the choir adds a certain degree of beauty and solemnity to all the services. There is nothing more powerful than a choir of voices expressing in unison the faith of the Orthodox Church. They richly uplift all spiritually. The Church has always and will always need those who are considered special donors. In the spirit of St. Joseph of Arimathea who took Jesus body and gave his own tomb for His burial, there are those who are moved by a generous nature who seek to provide for the special needs of the Church. I salute the many special donors who freely give with generosity and joy. I believe their offering is a personal expression of love to Christ and His Church; and help the faithful experience the profound mysteries of faith. These special donors add to the visual elegance and beauty of the Church. Acknowledgment is given to those who teach the faith, whether in Sunday School, the Holy Friday Retreat, or under any circumstance. The altar boys are tremendously attentive, punctual and greatly helpful throughout Holy Week and every Sunday. Their numbers have grown admirably and we now see an army of young men in the service of Christ. The myrrhbearing women and the many ladies who came to decorate the sepulcher powerfully demonstrate their faith and reveal their desire to be in the beauty of God s temple. We are uniquely blessed at Holy Trinity to have a wonderful office staff and caretakers who support the efforts of the entire parish, most especially during Holy Week. The Ladies of Philoptochos are tremendous advocates for our parish. They also work to ensure that Holy Week is a special time for each of us. They take on the responsibility to find The Beauty Of The Church the financial resources for the decoration of the Church and sepulcher and are always present guiding others to care for our House of worship. With so many active people seeking ways to honor the Church, we at Holy Trinity indeed are blessed and in response give Glory to God! 2 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

3 Sacraments & Rites January May 13, 2016 FUNERALS 1/4/16 +Myrofora Polyviou 2/5/16 +Gabriel Athenson 2/6/16 +Mary G. Tsipouras 2/8/16 +Vasilio Porfiris 2/19/16 +Athena Alexander 3/16/16 +Peter A. Coulis 3/24/16 +George Boutsikaris 5/6/16 +John Drakoulis 5/7/16 +Christopher Pappas 5/11/16 +Theodoros Tzokas CHURCHINGS 2/7/16 Victoria Kaylin, daughter of Nina and Cory Kraemer 4/10/16 Demetra Maria, daughter ofeleni and Christopher Gathercole 4/17/16 Charlie Nicholas, son of Sophia and Scott Foster 5/8/16 Zoe Lynn, daughter of Elizabeth and Ronald Kiprotich 5/15/16 Elephteria, daughter of Carolyn and Louie Glynos BAPTISMS 1/9/16 Lillian Olympia, daughter of Stephanie A. and Thomas D. Sittman Godparent is Presv. Victoria Delvizis 2/7/16 Andrew Michael, son of Deborah Gray and Michael Lysicatos Godparent is Emily Lyssikatos 2/27/16 Katerina Teresa, daughter of Keather Papa and Brad M. Gallagher Godparents are Catherine and Michael Mantinaos 3/26/16 Reagan Caroline, daughter of Jodi Raslowsky and George Christou Godparent is Evelyn Viera 4/16/16 Ariana Nicole, daughter of Natalia Andres and Georgios Elzahr Godparent is Vasilios Elzahr 5/7/16 Crosby John, son of Kristin Savnik and James Schmitt Godparent is Alexis Kiriakatis 5/21/16 Marjolyn Eleni, daughter of Maryke and Spyro Megaloudis WEDDINGS 1/7/16 Stephanie A. L. Ledford and Thomas D. Sittman 5/15/16 Mia Pappas and Steve Piluso NEW MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH George and Jodi Christou 915 Vosseller Ave Martinsville, NJ Gus Exarhakos 40 Princeton Rd Cranford, NJ Stavroula Frestis 1129 Boynton Ave Westfield, NJ Kathy Genakos 4 Clauss Rd Clark, NJ Ronald and Elizabeth Kiprotich 844 Inwood Rd Union, NJ Gerasimos Kitsopoulos 63 Mountain Blvd Watchung, NJ Christos and Lisa Pappas 1200 Avenue At Port Imperial Apt 413 Weehawken, NJ Mia Pappas 4 East Madison Ave. Florham Park, NJ Savva and Gabriella Polichronis 511 Morristown Rd Linden, NJ Elias Riginos 1314 Hetfield Ave Scotch Plains, NJ Eleni Sallas 175 Kings Hwy Apt 1522 Punta Gorda, FL Philip and Evelyn Viera 15 Hedden Pl New Providence, NJ Zachery Wacker 16 Canoe Brook Pkwy Summit, NJ The Promise ^ June/July 2016 ^ Volume 40, Issue 4 3

4 Parish Council Update BY PETER TARHANIDIS, PARISH COUNCIL PRESIDENT Christ is risen! The Parish Council wishes our entire Holy Trinity family near and afar a blessed Pascha. We too proclaim as did the angels at Christ s tomb "He is not here, but is risen!" Therefore, it is a time to rejoice! Christ turns us toward God and His redeeming plan for us. Christ takes our sins and our weaknesses with Him to the grave. By resurrecting He creates a new beginning for all of us. By conquering death, He has dominion over it and we have a hope to become part of God s everlasting family. It is a time to inspire our spiritual renewal! We each commit ourselves to a Christ center life. Christ transforms each of us to serve each other as He serves us. A quick update on the activities that we can use support from you before we head into the summer break: GreekFest is approaching on June 2 5. Please consider volunteering, taking a sponsor Ad and visit the Facebook site for additional opportunities GreekFest /?fref=ts Please plan to attend the 50th Anniversary Oct. 2 luncheon celebration. We have invited many hierarchs and clergy members to be present with us on this day. Bring your pictures that represent the sacramental life our parish into the Fellowship hour where we can scan them and include them in our archive. Sponsor a 50th Anniversary patron ad for our Golden Anniversary Journal. Lastly, this year seems to be one of the busiest and most vibrant I have experienced in our parish. There are a lot of great works being managed by many parishioners. Thank you for all your efforts and let us be grateful for the many volunteers who provide our services. Truly He is Risen! v FEEDING THE LESS FORTUNATE BY STAMTI ANGELIDES Life-lesson are sometimes learned in the most unexpected situations. Tuesday evenings I normally cook in the kitchen, eat and watch movies on my laptop while watching Chop or Guys Grocery Games on TV. That s a typical night for me! At age 13, boys kind of go through life at warp speed, not really taking the time to notice our surroundings and how blessed we truly are. A few months ago...of course on a Tuesday, my mom asked if I'd like to help feed the less fortunate at the Plainfield YMCA with my brothers and my friend Evan Koniaris. Of course without hesitation knowing I really don't have plans I said yes. That three letter word changed my outlook on life as a 13 year old. The first time I walked into the YMCA in Plainfield I was ready to do what I love best, to make and serve food. I was excited about giving back but at the same time nervous about meeting people who were just trying to survive. As we served the food, people slowly trickled in. Their ages ranged from toddlers to the elderly. Yet, even with all the misfortune in their lives they had smiles on their faces and were happy. Under those amazing courageous smiles, though I also saw their pain and struggles, I knew this was not something to take lightly. At that moment I felt helpless because I wanted to do more for them. I sat with them and was curious as to why or how they ended up h e r e? My heart ached for them that night going home. I may have made them feel better for a moment but they made me feel even better watching them laugh as we joked around. Getting to know them it made me want to make a bigger impact in their life and others like them who are less fortunate. The second time we visited the YMCA with my brothers and Ava Leichtling I was excited and eager to go, to see the people that I had met the first time visiting. I felt compelled to sit with them and be a part of their lives even in a small way. To see if they progressed in any way or found the help they needed. As we lay out the food again they all came in and were so grateful that we had prepared all these things for them. When I was done serving, I quickly left the kitchen to where everyone was sitting. I pulled up a chair and spoke with every single person. Even though I m still young I wanted to figure out how I could possibly help them in some way. One man had not eaten a proper meal in 6 days, he was about 60. He needed medicine but couldn t afford it. With the little he had, he would pay for medicine instead of food and that s why he would come to the Y. Another lady was going to get her stomach pumped that night because she overdosed on medication. She was about 50 years old. There were three young boys that reminded me of my brothers and me. It hurt my heart to watch them. I felt a quick connection to them and loved hanging out with them. Each month I look forward to going back to the YMCA in Plainfield. It helps me be stay on a good Christian track and reminds me of all my blessings. I am also learning that there are so many little things we can do to have a huge and positive impact on someone else s life and ours. Now there s nothing better I d like to do on my Tuesday evenings once a month then go to the Y and share stories, listen, and laugh together with those less fortunate whom I consider my friends! Their spirit and stories resonate with me always. I pray God keeps them well always and forever. Until the next Tuesday,Stamati v 4 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

5 Philoptochos Report Update BY DEBRA VLAHAKIS AND KATHY MAGLARAS, 2016 FASHION SHOW CO-CHAIRS Christos Anesti! Brilliance Let Your Light Shine on Tuesday, May 19th was a spectacular evening of love, beauty and sisterhood! The annual dinner and fashion show is the largest fundraising effort of our Philoptochos chapter for the year. We were honored and humbled that this year far exceeded our expectations with the largest attendance in the history of this event. In addition, this year we had the largest representation of attendees from outside our Holy Trinity family. It is always exciting to share the vibrancy of our chapter with others! Our guests enthusiastically enjoyed the beautiful ambiance of Brooklake Country Club, sipped our signature Brilliance Cosmo, took chances to win an incredible array of amazing gifts and raffles ranging from highend-accessories to dinner parties and silent auctions. We were proud to support GEMS (Girls Education and Mentoring Services preventing human trafficking) and the Hellenic Relief Foundation from our Grand Raffle proceeds. Under the sparkling brilliant lights of the ballroom, the sold out crowd was treated to the spectacular red carpet fashions of our very own Emily Rassias Emily s of New York. We once again thank all of our committee members for their enthusiasm, help and support to bring our vision of Brilliance to life. Marina The Holy Trinity community is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. This provides the opportunity to look back and recognize the many efforts that the women of the community have accomplished beginning first, as a women s auxiliary organization and then in 1979 becoming Chapter 1036 of the National Philoptochos Society. Through the years we have met our National and Metropolis commitments, supported our parish and local community and responded to those in great need. In 1990, under the presidency of Kassandra Romas, the Board unanimously approved the initiative to reach out and provide the younger members of the community with an educational component - awarding scholarships to high school graduates based on achievement and participation in the community. We were one of the first chapters to include this in our mission and 3 scholarships were granted the first year. Now, 26 years later, LoAlbo and Penny Pefanis-Gifts Baskets; Avi Kiriakatis, Janet O Sullivan and Debbie Efthimion-Grand Raffle; Julie Exarhakos-Journal; Maria Kanaras- Reservations; Sophie Stappas and Nitsa Bruno Centerpieces; Jeannie A r i d a S WAG Bags; Ellen Athenson-Ticket Sales and the countless volunteers! We also thank our GOYA girls, along with Roula Agathis and Marianne Savorgiannakis (coordinators), this year who added a special sparkle to the evening! We appreciate and thank all our generous donors (gift raffle, journal, and SWAG bag) who supported Philoptochos' biggest fundraiser of the year. A very special Thank You to Father Peter and Philoptochos Scholarships BY BARBARA MANOS, SCHOLARSHIP CHAIR 130 graduates have been recipients of scholarships. The applicants are judged by anonymous judges who are Philoptochos members, but not on the Board. We thank them for their service to Philoptochos. Recognition and thank you to Olga Emanuel for her 25 years service as an anonymous judge and endowment consultant. For the past 15 years, the scholarship initiative has been expanded by the addition of the Angela Stappas Memorial Scholarship, funded by Paul Stappas in loving memory of his wife and our former President. Since 2006, Stephen Gussis has endowed and funded two scholarships one for a young woman and one for a young man, in loving memory of his wife Violet. Starting in 2014, Ted and Julie Exarhakos have funded the Constantine Exarhakos Memorial Scholarship in loving memory of his father. Last year we were pleased and honored to add another scholarship The Nicholas J. and Anna K. Penny Pefanis, our President, for her unwavering love and guidance. Lastly, to our families for allowing us to once again chair this event so that our chapter may continue to fulfill the mission of Philoptochos and aid those in need locally and around the world. v Bouras Scholarship, funded by their Foundation. Mr. Bouras was one of the founders of Holy Trinity and a major benefactor. Philoptochos was founded by Archbishop, later Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras, 85 years ago, a true visionary, who saw the need for a woman s organization to assist the growing number of church communities. The women took up the task heroically and now Philoptochos is proud to be the second largest philanthropic women s organization in the country. Philoptochos is honored and proud to recognize the achievements of our youth and we thank our donors, stewards and parishioners who support us providing the means to institute these scholarships. We urge women 18 and over to become stewards of this philanthropic arm of our church so we can continue to meet all our commitments and continue to build the strength of our chapter. v The Promise ^ June/July 2016 ^ Volume 40, Issue 4 5

6 Religious Education Update BY CHRIS ECONOMIDES, DIRECTOR OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION The Religious Education Department is a vibrant ministry of Holy Trinity and as members of the Church Militant, we strive to live our lives according to God s teachings and commandments. Accordingly, we have been playing a very active role in our parish during Great Lent and throughout the Paschal period. Many students brought in their favorite icons from home and the 3rd Grade class of Despina Apostolou and Laura Berwind spent several weeks constructing icons in preparation for the First Sunday of Holy Lent. Approximately 100 students and Religious Educators in Grades PreK-6 participated in the Procession of Holy Icons on the Sunday of Orthodoxy. On this Sunday, we helped mark the victory of icons and commemorated the Triumph of Orthodoxy. On Saturday, April 2nd, our Parish had the honor of hosting the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey Religious Educator s Seminar. This year s theme was Servant Leadership which is a cornerstone in Religious Education. Confirming this, all participants received an icon of Christ Washing of the Disciple s Feet, an event that is commemorated on Holy Thursday. This action depicts the level to which Christ will go to save all. There is nothing He will not do for us; nothing He will not suffer to save us. Jesus, knowing He only has hours left to live, washes the feet of His disciples to emphatically emphasize the importance of humility. With sixty-five educators and seven members of the clergy from various parishes in attendance, we started the day with the Divine Liturgy followed by a light Lenten breakfast.the Seminar kicked off with an opening prayer and remarks by Father Anargyros Stavropoulos (St. Athanasios-Paramus) and Father George Nikas (Chancellor of the Metropolis) which were followed by presentations by three of Holy Trinity s educators. Anthony Bosco (8th Grade) presented The components of Religious Education in today s secular society. He reminded us of the importance of putting Christ first in living in today s secular society. Dr. Zenon Christodoulou (12th Grade) then presented The Divine Liturgy and Today s Youth. Our final presenter was Agapios Kyristsis (12th Grade) who talked about Making the Bible come alive for today s youth. Following each presentation was a lively and highly engaged Q&A session. In addition to receiving the icon, all educators were given a listing of on-line resources and helpful hints to run a more effective program. All of the educators agreed that we have to be very efficient with our 45 minutes of weekly classroom time. Educators were also given an evaluation form to provide the Metropolis and host parish the opportunity to refine and improve future Seminars. Father Nikas concluded the formal program with remarks by His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos and a closing prayer. We then proceeded to a delicious Lenten Luncheon provided to all participants by Agapios Kyritsis / Marco Polo. On Sunday, April 3rd, we hosted the 2016 Saint John Chrysostom Parish Oratorical Festival which was organized by George Foussianes. We are pleased to report that Christopher Ticas (Junior Division) and Nicholas John (Senior Division) were selected to represent Holy Trinity at the Northern Metropolis District Oratorical Festival held at St. George, Trenton on Saturday, April 9th. Nicole Dragoui-Luca distinguished herself with an Honorable Mention. All speakers delivered very moving Orations and we thank our Judges Athena Borzeka, Andrew Economos and Lia Lewis along with Timekeeper Bill Sallas for their help and guidance. After the Orations, we were treated to a Lenten lunch provided by the Summit Greek Grill. All students in Grades 7-12 are encouraged to participate in this meaningful event named after one of the most celebrated preachers in the history of the Orthodox Church. Christ is risen! v 6 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

7 The Church, through the temple and divine service, acts upon the entire man, educates him wholly; acts upon his sight, hearing, smelling, feeling, taste, imagination, mind, and will, by the splendour of the icons and of the whole temple, by the ringing of bells, by the singing of the choir, by the fragrance of the incense, the kissing of the Gospel, of the cross and the holy icons, by the prosphoras, the singing, and sweet sound of the readings of the Scriptures. - St. John of Kronstadt Nearly 45 youth, Kindergarten through 6th grade, once again participated in a Good Friday Retreat taking a "Journey Through Holy Week" by learning about the many senses of the week leading up to Pascha. They learned liturgical hymns, processed into the church with the kouvouklion - beautifully decorated by the Ladies of Philoptochos, participated in learning stations dedicated to each day of Holy Week, and assembled the luminaries which lined the sidewalk along the church on Holy Friday night in memory of the family and friends of our parish. The Retreat concluded with students along with their parents attending the Apokathelosis Vespers, Un-nailing, Descent from the Cross and Burial of Christ. We would like to thank MaryAnn Miehe and Kathy Drivas for coordinating the retreat, as well as Ryan Kiel, George Youlios, Bill Sallas, Ellen Conti, Tony Bosco, and Alix Martin for leading the stations, the parents who helped in the kitchen preparing the Lenten lunch and snacks, and the children for their dedication to furthering their religious education experience. You have heard, dearly beloved, that holy women who had followed the Lord came to the sepulcher with spices. They had loved Him when He was alive, and they showed Him their eager tenderheartedness even when He was dead. Their deed points to something that must be done in our holy Church. Thus as we hear of what they did, we must also think of our responsibility to imitate them. We too, who believe in Him Who died, approach His sepulcher with spices if we are strengthened with the sweet smell of the virtues, and if we seek the Lord with a reputation for good works. And the women who came with spices saw angels, since those who advance toward God through their holy desires, accompanied by the sweet smell of the virtues, behold the citizens from on high. - St. Gregory the Great, Forty Gospel Homilies Thank you to the eight 5th and 6th grade young ladies who acted as the Myrofora, or myrrh-bearers, under the guidance of Despina Apostolou during the Holy Friday service. Thank you all for another great year of Religious Education. It takes many hands to build a successful program so we'd like to take this time to appreciate the knowledge and wisdom of our teachers, and the time and talents of our Christmas program, Communion Breakfast coordinators and kitchen help. We'd also like to commend our students for diligently attending classes week after week. Have a blessed and safe summer! v Holy Trinity's Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) BY JEANNIE ARIDA Attention all High School Seniors, Graduating Class of 2016: We want to make sure that every graduating Holy Trinity student is given the opportunity to be a part of an OCF chapter at their new college and stays connected to their Orthodox faith throughout college. The First Forty Days: High School to College Transition Research has shown that many college students form the habits and social groups that they will maintain for the entirety of their college career in the first six weeks of their freshman year. Thus, OCF knows it is critical to personally contact every first-year Orthodox college student so that they know that an Orthodox family awaits them on campus during these crucial formative weeks. Through OCF s First Forty Days Initiative, our local OCF student leaders, spiritual advisors, and lay coordinators introduce themselves to all new incoming students, making sure that they know about Orthodoxy on campus and nearby Orthodox parishes. These students also receive a summer mailing directly from the North American Office with information and materials to help them navigate their freshman year of college as Orthodox college students. It is our hope that through this personal connection, our young college students will not only stay connected but deepen their faith during their years in post-secondary education and graduate to be faithful stewards of parishes across the continent. Please submit your graduating seniors contact information and the name of their college by June 15th to the church office at HolyTrinity@htgocnj.org, to ensure that your child will receive the full benefits of the First Forty Days Initiative and be contacted by the Orthodox Christian Fellowship. Because of the support the OCF and by extension, the Orthodox Christian Church provides for college students, a generation of Orthodox Christians will emerge with a close relationship to Christ and a firm knowledge of their faith, ready to serve as leaders in our parishes and communities. If your child is currently in college, please add their name and contact information to the OCF registry by contacting the church office at HolyTrinity@htgocnj. org by June 15th. v The Promise ^ June/July 2016 ^ Volume 40, Issue 4 7

8 GOYA BY CHRISTOPHER BOUTSIKARIS, GOYA PRESIDENT Now that Sight and Sounds has ended and we have passed through Lent and Pascha, one would think that everything would be slowing down, right? No. Our Goyans are also looking forward to the biggest and unfortunately last event of the year, Olympics, at Monmouth University during Memorial Day Weekend. The Olympic season started off with the annual soccer tournament that was held in Wall, New Jersey, on May 7th and hosted by Asbury Park. The boys soccer team was looking to repeat their first place victory from last year. I am pleased to announce that they were victorious once again with a 2-1 win over Asbury Park! Congratulations to the members of the team Alex Apostolos, Georgie Angelides, Yann Angelides, Chris Boutsikaris, Eli Carayannopoulos, Lukas Carayannopoulos, John Katsingris, George Leichtling, John Petri s, and Nicholas Savorgiannakis. The girls soccer team was also successful following up with an impressive third place finish for the second straight year! It was a tough battle, but our young girls team showed a lot of hard work, energy, and toughness successfully defeating Tenafly. Congratulations to Christina Arida, Sofia Carayannopoulos, Cipi Christodoulou, Melina Christodoulou, Olivia Galdi, Georgiana Katsingris, and Ava Leichtling! Both teams have very bright futures ahead! All the players would like to thank their coaches Mr. and Mrs. Angelides for their hard work in preparing our Goyans for the tournament. In addition to the Olympics season kicking off this past weekend, Indoor Olympics will be held, May 14th in Perth Amboy. Westfield is very excited about participating in this annual event where our Goyans will be competing in ping pong, checkers, Wii Dance, and badminton, just to name a few. The Olympic season will culminate with the Outdoor Olympics that are less than three weeks away. Our Goyans are working tirelessly training and preparing for the track and field, swimming, and volleyball events. The Outdoor Olympics will be held Memorial Day weekend at Monmouth University. Meanwhile, during our last Goya meeting, elections were held to choose our representatives for the Mr. and Miss Goya Pageant that will be held in October. Congratulations to George Koko Koniaris who was elected Mr. Westfield and Alexandra Monfalcone who was elected Miss Westfield! In addition, our Jr. and Sr. Divers were also elected at our last meeting to represent Holy Trinity at the Annual Diving for the Cross Celebration which will be held in September. Our representatives in each division are as follows: Junior Girl Diver -Sofia Carayannopoulos, Junior Boy Diver - Evan Koniaris, Senior Girl Diver - Nicole Boutsikaris, and Senior Boy Diver - George Koniaris. We wish them all the best! Last but not least, our Goyans are looking forward to volunteering at Holy Trinity s Annual Greek Fest which will be held June 2nd-June 5th. Sign-ups to volunteer are on the Goya website, and I encourage all of our Goyans to show their support and participate in making our festival another tremendous success. v As a reminder the dates of Camp Good Shepherd are: Camp Good Shepherd-New Jersey July 10-16, 2016: JOY Session July 17-23, 2016: GOYA Session #1 July 24-30, 2016: GOYA Session #2 8 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

9 The Church BOOK STORE HEAR ME: A PRAYER BOOK FOR ORTHODOX YOUNG ADULTS by Annalisa Boyd A home-schooling mother of a few teens and tweens of her own, wrote this book to encourage and challenge young adults as they pursue a relationship with Christ within the Orthodox faith. Annalisa resides in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Northern Colorado with her husband and eight children...this very popular prayer book for Orthodox youth..has now been revised to include more prayers, answer more questions, and tackle additional difficult subject matter that our young people are constantly faced with. The mission of Hear Me is to inspire young people to pray, to challenge Orthodox high schoolers and young adults in their walk with Christ, to offer encouragement, help answer questions, give direction, and ultimately be an added guide in finding one s own path toward theosis. THE BEAUTIFUL STUDENT S WOOD PRAYER PLAQUE That prays: Most blessed LORD, send the grace of Your Holy Spirit on me to strengthen me that I may learn well the subject I am about to study and by it become a better person for Your glory, the comfort of my family, and for the benefit of Your Church and our world. Amen. FROM GOD TO YOU: THE ICON S JOURNEY TO YOUR HEART by John Kosmas Skinas This Book follows the path of the icon through history and encourages children to mindfully consider icons and their stories as windows of inspiration and doorways to prayer..burned, smashed, and buried, icons have endured a great deal as they ve made their way from God to you. They ve reached you because He wants them in your church, in your home, and in your hands. But most of all, God wants you to keep His image in your heart, where, if you listen closely, you can hear His message with every beat...." BECOMING A HEALING PRESENCE by Albert S. Rossi, PhD There is not one person [young or old] who does not have loved ones in need of healing: This book is the perfect answer for that need. In order to become a healing presence for others, we must first be healed ourselves through an active relationship with the great Healer, Christ. Drawing on the teachings of the Fathers and saints of the Church, Dr. Rossi gently points the way toward deepening our love for God and for each other so that others may experience Christ through us. A GUIDE TO GREEK TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS IN AMERICA, SECOND EDITION by Marilyn Rouvelas This book is a popular best seller and standard reference about Orthodox and Hellenic traditions throughout the world: 66,000 copies have been sold! It clearly explains the Orthodox faith, giving advice on participating in Sacraments, pronunciation of common Greek words, major cites to visit in Greece, popular Greek music, the right thing to say on special occasions, and even on how to observe name days, fast, and bake communion bread! The reader will learn WHY traditions are kept in addition to the practical advice of HOW and WHEN to keep them In the section "The Global Community" you will see Greek Americans in the wider context of the Orthodox faith and the Greek Diaspora. Stop by the Book Store table and browse this wonderful book that is perfect for a graduation or wedding gift! ^ The Promise ^ June/July 2016 ^ Volume 40, Issue 4 9

10 Myrrh bearers Scenes from HOLY WEEK 10 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

11 Myrrh bearers Altar Boys leading Holy Friday Procession Peter Tarhanidis with the Cross Holy Friday night Choir in procession Altar Boys leading Holy Friday Procession Ladies decorating the kouvouklion Procession with kouvouklion Fr. Peter speaking at beginning of Holy Friday Retreat Holy Saturday morning, Arise, O Lord and Judge the earth Holy Week is about love and embracing one another The Promise ^ June/July 2016 ^ Volume 40, Issue 4 11

12 Life At HOLY TRINITY TOTs learning about and kissing the Holy Cross Christianity and Islam presentation during Theosis Greek School meeting the Evzones 12 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

13 Scenes from THE SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY Scenes from HOLY WEDNESDAY UNCTION Anointing, For healing of soul and body. Thomas Savorgiannakis reading an epistle Fr. Peter reading the Gospel Pascali with Molly Love reading an epistle His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos The Promise ^ June/July 2016 ^ Volume 40, Issue 4 13

14 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church CLASSIFIEDS Contact the Church Office if you would like to advertise in the next issue of The Promise! 5FINGERS FITTING5KEYS PIANO INSTRUCTOR & WEDDING ORGANIST PHYLLIS A. VERENES 9 SAND HILL ROAD, MORRISTOWN, NJ TEL: CELL: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

15 The Promise ^ June/July 2016 ^ Volume 40, Issue 4 15

16 Non Profit Org. US postage PAID Rahway, NJ Permit No. 654 Metropolis of New Jersey Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Contact Information Office Staff Ministries Mailing Address 250 Gallows Hill Rd. Westfield, NJ Phone Fax Web site holytrinitywestfield.org Presiding Priest Rev. Fr. Peter Delvizis Office Manager Admin. Assistant Worship Caretaker Lead Psaltis Choir Director Organist Head Acolyte Diana R. Waltsak E. Joy Daniledes Ocione Nunes Pascalis Kuvalakis Kathryn Athanasoulas Phyllis Verenes John Katsingris Parish Council Philoptochos Religious Education Greek School Youth (GOYA) JOY / HOPE TOTS Bookstore Cultural Peter Tarhanidis Penny Pefanis Chris Economides Rita Fitanidis Chris Boutsikaris Iris Love Joanne Paras & Jenny Stellakis Sandy Mouratoglou Barbara Manos Schedule of Services Sundays Weekdays Orthros 8:15 AM 8:30 AM Divine Liturgy 9:30 AM 9:30 AM The Promise: Volume 40, Issue 5 10 issues published annually. No subscription fee. Article deadline - 10 th of the preceding month Greek School PTO Trinity Circle Fellowship Jenny Stellakis Hellen Kiriakatis Lauren Karanikolas 16