A Word from Father Rick

Transcription

1 A Word from Father Rick Regis tr y P.3 Paris h News P.4 Yout h News P.6 Photo s P.7 A good friend and fellow alumnus of Holy Cross Seminary, Mr. John Panagiotou, recently sent me a book review he wrote. It is timely and relevant to the situation that our parish and many parishes, both Orthodox and other, face today. Some of you may remember that John visited and helped out at our Greek Festival in 2011 (see photo below). Book Review: The Unnecessary Pastor By John G. Panagiotou (Part 1 of 2) In Marva Dawn and Eugene Peterson s book The Unnecessary Pastor, we are given an insight into the plight of contemporary pastoral leadership. Originally, the title of this book was taken from a Regent College church leaders conference which was led by the authors. The authors provide us with the following stunning thesis: the clergy and churches are in crisis today in large part due to an identity crisis in how the culture, congregations, and the clergy themselves view and regard their respective call, role and function. In the book, the focus is on the Pastoral Epistles (I & II Timothy, Titus) of what pastoral ministry ought to be through the lens of the larger framework of the Letter to the Ephesians. Petersen recreates for the reader the Greco-Roman world and historical context of Paul, Timothy and Titus in a vivid manner. It is within this context that we see how truly counter-cultural the Gospel (Good News) message was in the first century and is in today s world. It is a message that proclaims and calls all people to belief in the literal Resurrection of Jesus through a radical life change of repentance and baptism. Thus, this new life in Christ was a challenge and a threat in the Apostolic age to the societal status quo and remains a challenge and a threat to the societal status quo in our modern times. Dawn and Peterson note that, The Christian community is an alternative society. With this understanding, Petersen and Dawn assert that what is needed in today s Church, is to rediscover and reclaim the ancient Apostolic perspective, form and practice of ministry as expressed in the New Testament. Petersen states emphatically that the inner communion of the Three Persons of the Trinity should be the image for the ministry model that the clergy should seek to emulate and not to conform to the standards set by the worldly culture. The end result of the former is for the pastor to become a faithful and effective Christ -centered servant leader. Hence, the pastor becomes unnecessary to the success of the local church. Whereas, the end result of the latter is for the pastor to fall into the secular worldly-based model of ministry by becoming a manager, marketer, entertainer and therapist. Thus, the pastor becomes necessary to the success of the local church by subscribing to a pastor-centric focus. It is this goal of making clergy unnecessary to which the book has as its primary aim. This is a move which necessitates a transition from a form of culturally-determined managerial professionalism to a Biblically-determined pastoral leadership. This problem is created by three components which when succumbed to derail the primary focus and function of the pastoral ministry. These are: yielding to what the culture defines as important; yielding to what the pastor defines as important; and yielding to what the congregation defines as important. When these criteria and their attending mindset are present, a corporate business model of the Church manifests itself. As the authors note, with hardly an exception they don t want pastors at all they want managers of their religious company. This is problematic in many ways, but particularly in light of the fact of the increasing acceptance in the Church of the pastor as a sort of CEO. This secular notion diminishes the pastor s apostolic calling. The ways of the world displace the scriptural worldview. It flies in the face of sound doctrine by making the pastor into a hireling who can be dismissed at will based upon human personal whim and not with an understanding of the pastor as the custodian of the truth of the Gospel. This work provides a clarion call to renew, retrain, and refocus the mindset of pastors to be the counter-cultural servant-leaders of Christ they were intended to be.

2 Mrs. Ingrid Larson (nicknamed Wiebke ) reposed in the Lord on February 6, She celebrated her 99th birthday on January 9 th. She was an extraordinary person. She and her husband John converted to Greek Orthodox Christianity on June 24, 1987 and soon endeared themselves to the St. George community, especially the New Pioneers seniors group. They hosted several destination trips for this group to their home on the St. Croix River in Taylors Falls, MN, the last one in They have practiced philoxenia (hospitality) to hundreds, if not thousands, of people from all over the world. The following article, written just months before her death, is an excellent summary of Ingrid's long and rich life. May her memory be eternal! Fifty Years in the Valley, 99 on the Planet By Irene Bugge, Inter County Leader Northern Currents, Nov 30, 2016 Wiebke and I sit at the table in the dining room of her Taylors Falls home. Although she and husband John Larson have lived in this house since 1966, locals still refer to it as the Roos House. Named after Oscar Roos and his descendants who lived here for over 100 years, their bright yellow multi-story Victorian was built in the 1850 s. The exquisite craftsmanship of that era shines through each room. Original oil paintings by May Roos, (Oscar s daughter) grace the walls of the parlor. Born January 9, 1918 in a small town near Hamburg, Germany, Wiebke Sonnichsen (Larson) grew up in Kollund a village on the changing border between Denmark and Germany. Eventually her home town became part of Denmark. She shows me a water color of the two-mile wide fjord that separates the two countries. When Wiebke was 15, she swam the distance and back with two girlfriends. A Danish newspaper picked up our story, she says. They reported that the entire population of Kollund was cheering when we completed the four-mile swim. Wiebke laughs and adds, There were at most two people on shore when we got out of the water. This soon to be 99 year old dynamo swims twice each week at the Dalles House and was engaged in her weekly yoga session with Julie Karsky when I arrived. Wiebke has been practicing yoga the past five years and says that yoga sweeps away the cobwebs. I detect no cobwebs as she plays a Russian folk tune and two pieces by J.S. Bach on her upright piano. She has no sheet music in front of her and says, The pieces are in my fingers. In addition to regular piano practice from a young age, Wiebke began keeping a daily diary at the age of 14. Fourteen year old girls have very important thoughts, she says, her blue eyes sparkling. My girlfriend and I would read our entries out loud to each other and hum through the secret parts. There are some things that even a best friend should not know about, she adds with a chuckle. Wiebke has kept all of her diaries. Sixty volumes span eight decades. All are written in German. These volumes chronicle fifty years of living in the St. Croix Valley plus a lifetime of experiences in Denmark and Germany before and after World War II. She regales me with stories and I am transported across time and space. It is 1949 and Wiebke is working in a music store in Copenhagen. She meets a handsome, pipe-smoking Swedish-American student, from St. Paul, Minnesota named John Larson. He is attending university in Germany. After he completes his studies, he returns to the United States, but a long distance courtship ensues. Six years after their first meeting, the two marry. We are pretty sure that our marriage certificate is valid, she says. But neither one of us understood the language that was spoken at the marriage ceremony. John assumed the service conducted in Copenhagen was in Danish, while I guessed it was in English. She shares another memory. It is 1955, shortly after their wedding. Wiebke and John are living in Ramstein, Germany on an American Airforce Base. John is teaching. Wiebke is experiencing culture shock. I am living in a Germany, where I had attended school and worked before the war and it is 150% American, she says. The people on the base have no contact with Germans living in the nearby village, she adds. I wanted the Americans to know that Germans are good people so I helped establish the Inter-Community Service (ICS), Wiebke says. This organization promoted cultural exchanges between Germans and Americans through social gatherings, tours of historic sites and educational programs. The ICS succeeded and lived on after Wiebke moved. Wiebke shares another story from the early 1960 s. John is transferred to West Berlin. A wall separates the two halves of the city. John goes to work on the base. Wiebke explores her new home and boards the underground. The next day, at an orientation for newcomers, she and John are told that travel to East Berlin is strictly forbidden. The U.S. has no jurisdiction on the east side of the wall and those who venture there are likely never to return. Wiebke realizes that she inadvertently traveled to East Berlin on the underground the day before. She says, I think what saved me is that I did not dress like an American and of course I spoke German. She remembers her early days in Taylors Falls. It is 1966 and she and John have moved to the Valley from Germany. John goes to work for the Corp of Engineers in St. Paul. Wiebke goes to work managing the restoration of every inch of the Roos House beginning with the roof. Later she will operate a canoe rental business at Serrilles landing on the St. Croix River. Her first week in Taylors Falls a police officer knocks on her door accusing her of removing evidence from a crime scene. The evidence is a pile of horse manure that she shoveled up from in front of the Stop and Shop Furniture Store in town. Wiebke says, I saw the manure and decided it was just what I needed for my garden. Smiling, she adds, I offered to return the evidence, but the officer just shook his head and left. While Wiebke did not endear herself to the Taylors Falls police department, she formed a lifelong friendship with the choir director of the Evangelical Church. She saw an ad in the newspaper for Latin classes, signed up and learned that her teacher was also the choir director. She had sung in choirs from a young age in Denmark and Germany. When I retired from the choir at 88, I had sung for 65 years, she says. I loved every minute. Fluent in German, Danish and English plus having a working knowledge of Latin and Greek, Wiebke began tutoring students (primarily in German) soon after moving to Taylor s Falls. Currently, three students come to her home for individual lessons; one for the past 30 years. Over the half century that John and Wiebke have inhabited the Roos House, their home has been a hub of activity. They have entertained guests from all over the world and people in the neighborhood to this day drop by to visit. While Wiebke s journals contain a treasure trove of stories from the past, what stands out the most is how fully engaged in the present she is. For Wiebke, each day is a full-throttle adventure. page 2

3 St. Paul. MN Registry Baptisms February 18 Memorials January 29 This poem was composed by Ingrid Larson on her 99th birthday on January 9, It was discovered by her family after her death on February 6th. Funerals February 16 für meinen 99 Geburtstag Bist Du es mein Gott? Kamst Du vom Himmel mich Heim zu holen? Nimm meine Hand und lasse sie nie mehr los. Eleanor Eliou Bill Pitsavas (3 years) Ingrid Larson Festal Icons Needed for my 99th birthday is it you my God? Did you come from heaven to bring me home? Take my hand and never let it go. Address Changes Mary Giavassis 1014 Bartelmy Lane North Saint Paul, MN Church Staff and Office Hours Church Office Hours M-F 9:00 AM 3:00 PM Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews, Presbyter (651) Julie Delton Administrative Assistant (651) Nathaniel Kostick Youth Minister (763) Jon Kennedy Parish Council President (651) Lani Hattling Sunday School Director (763) Stella Hofrenning Greek School Director (651) 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. Reva Adkins Philoptochos President (651) rradkins@comcast.net Julie Delton Editor, Glad Tidings Newsletter George Mastrogiorgis Loaves and Fishes Coordinator FOCUS-MN Coordinator gmastrogiorgis@yahoo.com Alexandra Drivas Bookstore bookstore@stgeorgegoc.org Prophet Aaron March 12 Saint Ephraim the Syrian March 7 Saint John Climacus March 30 Submissions for upcoming issues are due by the 10th of the preceding month. page 3

4 Thank you! from Fr. Rick to everyone for their prayerful support as he celebrated on January 22 the 22 nd anniversary of being ordained to the Holy Priesthood by the laying on of hands of Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago. Many Years! to Steve Zeece Sr. on the occasion of his 93 rd birthday on January 23 rd. And thanks for his many years of dedicated service to our parish. God grant you health and many more years! Roselawn Cemetery Lots: are still available for parishioners at a 15% discount off list prices discounted prices are: Monument Lot (2 graves) $5,865.00; Flat Lot A (2 graves) $3,485.00; Flat Lot B (1 grave-limited availability) $2, If interested in learning more or to purchase a lot, please contact the church office. Sympathies & Condolences to: Dimitra Kaniamos, whose mother, Ekaterini Papaconstantinou, fell asleep in the Lord January 21 st in Tithorea, Greece. Ekaterina is also the sister of Fr. John Angelis. She was 93 years old. And Maria Andrews, whose brother Lefteris Vasakis, fell asleep in the Lord on Jan. 4 th in Heraklion, Crete. And Mrs. Kiki Gore, whose husband, Warren, fell asleep in the Lord on January 17 th. And Pres. Jane Andrews on the falling asleep in the Lord of her mother, Annette Donovan on January 23 rd. May their memory be eternal! Thank you! to everyone who expressed sympathies and condolences to Presvytera Jane for the passing of her mother. We appreciate the prayerful support given during this difficult time of loss. Lost & Found Items: Please check the box near the coat rack, and the kitchen counter near the microwaves, for items that may belong to you. Items not claimed by March 1 will be donated. Greek Festival Update: this year s festival will be August More volunteers are always needed to serve on committees; if you are interested, please contact Jon Kennedy, Phyllis Kapetanakis or Alexis Bighley. All 2016 Chairs are invited to a brief meeting Thursday, March 2 at 6pm, as a kick-off to the 2017 Greek Festival planning session. Dinner will be served. Please RSVP to Julie. Memory Eternal: Mrs. Ingrid Larson fell asleep in the Lord on February 6 th. The Orthodox Funeral Service was Feb.16 th at the United Methodist Church in Taylor Falls, MN. Our sympathies and condolences to her husband John and their adopted son, Tobias. Next Philoptochos Meeting: is scheduled for Sunday, March 5, following liturgy, in the conference room. Lenten Meals: please see sign-up sheet in social hall and consider volunteering individually or with a group to host a meal in March or April. Festival of Nations Planning Update: Our annual tradition of participation at the Festival of Nations in St. Paul continues: the Greek Café, several dance troupes, and the bazaar. The Festival of Nations (FON) at the River Center in St. Paul is May 4-7. Plans are ramping up; please plan on supporting this cultural celebration and benefit which helps fund our many ministries and programs. To volunteer in the Greek Café, contact Tom Lampros or visit the electronic volunteer sign up board at go/10c0d4ca5ad2babff2-festival1 Several dozen volunteers are needed for the café to setup, prep and serve food, cashier, clean and pack up. To participate in a dance troupe, contact Angela Mortari; to volunteer in the Bazaar, contact Stella Hofrenning. You can also visit the FON home page and like them on Facebook: Save The Dates: Greek Independence Day and Palm Sunday Lunches: St. George AHEPA will be sponsoring the annual Greek Independence Day lunch on Sunday March 26 th, and the Palm Sunday fish lunch on Sunday April 9 th. Tickets for both lunches will be available at the door in the social hall following Divine Liturgy. Please save the dates and join the community for two great annual events. Stewardship 2017: Our theme is You are the Voice of Christ in a Changing World: As the Father Has Sent Me, So I Send You (John 20:21). We have received 78 pledge cards for 2017 with a total of $134,316 and an average of $1,722. When pledging be sure to increase your pledge, even if only a few dollars. This reflects spiritual growth and overcomes stagnation. We encourage everyone to page 4

5 St. Paul. MN give a minimum of 2% pledge of gross yearly income to become a self-sustaining community. This is far less than the biblical ideal of tithing, giving 10%. Holy Land/Russia Pilgrimage: Sept.27 Oct Holy Land trip is first 9 days and costs $1,300/ person. Russian trip is afterwards for 6 days at $1,550/person. Prices do not include air, travel insurance and tips. Several options available. Pilgrimage hosted by Icon Art Studios under the leadership of Tom Rudquist at abousean39@gmail.com and Deb Ko r- luka akorluka@aol.com. MEOCCA Choir will sing at each Pan- Orthodox Lenten vespers service on Sundays at 4pm. If you are interested in joining them, contact Pres. Amy Hodge at Lenten Retreat: Fr. Barnabas Powell will lead our 12th annual Lenten Retreat on March The theme will be "Normal Orthodox-- Healthy Church: Knowing the True Faith in Order to Practice it Truly." On Friday evening come and hear how a former Protestant Pentecostal pastor learned about and embraced the Orthodox Christian Faith. On Saturday, learn from his insights about how to help our parishes become healthier and grow and mature. Lenten s: Our 16th annual Lenten s series' themes will be "Modern Heresies" on Wednesdays and "The Torah-Pentateuch" on Fridays. Fr. Rick will speak on Weds. about secularism, humanism, rationalism, pluralism and phyletism. On Fridays various presenters will speak about the first five books of the Old Testament, also known as the Law of Moses and their relevance for modern readers today. Fr. Marc Boulos Michael Lotti Fr. Ted Wojcik Dr. Eugenia Gavrilyuk 2017 Stewardship Pledges Received Thank you to the following faithful servants who have submitted their stewardship pledge cards for 2017 (as of February 21, 2017). Please join them today! Dr. Ronald & Reva Adkins John & Carol Alexis Diane Anastos Fr. Rick & Pres. Jane Andrews Maria Andrews Lucy Angelis John & Marina Antoniou Stephen & Minda Arsenault Bob & Anna Baffa Philip & Judy Barbatsis Scott & Michelle Berge Alexis & John Bighley Evelyn Boosalis Tina & Jeff Bovis-Fuller Drs. George & Shannon Canas James Canelake Eric Chadwick & Andrea Faches Dino & Stephanie Contolatis Dimitri & Becka Dokos Georgia Ehrich George & Gayra Eliou Vesna Ellingson Louis & Mary Ellis Adam Fuller Chris & Mary Georgantones John Georgolopolos Dca. Rhonda Gilliland Richard & Sue Gnetz Michael & Nanette Gomez John & Mary Grant Caroline & Aaron Hareid Robert & Lani Hattling Eleni Hoffhines Petko Ivanov Harold & Cecelia Johnson Mark & Kalley Johnson Lisa & Misael Jordan George & Rita Kanavati Stephen Kanavati Dimitrios & Dimitra Kaniamos Emilio & Phyllis Kapetanakis Jon & Peggy Kennedy Dina Kiprose Thomas & Joan Knocke Mathew & Ellene Kritikos James Lake John & Kara Lake Thomas & Dawn Lampros Georgia Lucas Jon & Anastasia Maier Mary Makredes Michael & Margery Makredes Georgia Mann Joann Mann Michael & Christina Manos Dan & Jackie Matuska Patricia McAdams Linda & Thomas Moran Katerina & Savvas Nikolaides Chris Panayoton Dr. Tasso & Carey Pappas Soule & Vicky Paraschou James & Sally Pathos Nik & Karen Patronas Mike & Jill Patrou Theologia Pitsavas Nikola & Rada Popov John & Sue Poulos Steve & Rallou Rice Theodore Roungou Daniel Simon John Simon & Rafif Khabazeh James Theros Louis & Kathy Trigas Kostas & Naomi Tsantir Joanna Tzenis & Dean Natto Mersina & Jason Van Cleave Andrea Walkush Lily Zahariades page 5

6 Pitsavas Scholarship: congratulations to Matthew Simon, awarded the John Pitsavas Memorial Scholarship for the school year. Thank you to Mrs. Theologia Pitsavas for generously sponsoring this scholarship. Thank you! To American Legion Hellenic Post 129 who donated $1,500 to St. George youth athletic programs. We appreciate their consistent support of our youth over the years. Basketball Tournament: Congratulations to all the participants and thanks to Milam Paraschou for coaching the boys team and George Mastrogiorgis for coaching the JOY team which won third place. Thanks to our sister parish of Holy Anargyroi Church in Rochester, MN for hosting the tournament. Congrats also to them on the recent construction of their beautiful new social hall and classroom wing! Letter from the Youth Director: To our Beloved Community, As we come closer to the Lenten and Paschal season, it seems there is so much happening around St. George that it is almost impossible to cover. Let me begin by saying what a blast this year has begun with. It is such a JOY (get it?) to work with our kids. We truly do have a wonderful group. This month, our GOYA explored a new addition to the Mall of America called SMAAASH, a virtual reality arcade with go karts. We all had such a great time! The GOYA to bring an idea of ministries to our group this month was Parry and Billy Paraschou. The boys spoke about their time contributing to Loaves and Fishes, another ministry that serves to feed those in the community. Our JOY group went roller skating at the Roller Garden as well. Though a bit nervous to skate on the slick floor, both of the Simon girls took their time to practice and eventually braved the skating rink. We all even met some new friends! PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS Upcoming events in March include: Mar. 4th - JOY Night Mar Lenten Retreat (Daylight Savings Time starts on 12th) Mar Be the Bee Retreat! Thank you, Nathaniel Kostick GOYA at Mall of America virtual reality arcade SMAASH on January 21, Godparents with their godchildren on Godparent Godchild Sunday, February 5, Boys basketball team at Rochester tournament. JOY basketball team with His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos in Rochester. page 6

7 St. Paul. MN Mens basketball team at Rochester tournament. Kostas Tsantir celebrated 60 years in the US with his family. Note from the Stewardship Committee Dear Fellow Parishioners, Thank you for your commitment and generosity in St. George received the highest stewardship contributions in its history, all due to you! We received $243,900 from 125 pledgers and 106 non-pledgers. which is just amazing! Since 2012 our parish has increased our stewardship dollars from $215,996 to $243,900. What an accomplishment. Thank you so much. St George volunteers at Focus MN on Lake Street in Minneapolis. Pictured are Jimmy Theros, Jon Kennedy, Minda Arsenault, Ekaterina, Stella, Peter Hofrenning, Anastasia Mastrogiorgis, Bill Clemons and Lambros Petanitis. The Stewardship Committee His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos with clergy during Divine Liturgy at Holy Anargyroi in Rochester on February 12, GOYA boys basketball team with His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos in Rochester. 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 March 2017 WEEKDAY WORSHIP SCHEDULE REGULAR WEEKLY SERVICES Mondays, March 6,13,20,27 Compline 6:00 p.m. Wednesdays, March 1,8,15,22,29 Ninth Hour 5:30 p.m. Presanctified Liturgy 6:00 p.m. Fridays, March 3,10,17,24,31 Salutations 6:00 p.m. Saturday, March 4 Saturday of the Souls Liturgy 9:00 a.m. Please see our online calendar and bulletin for latest schedule updates: Also visit our Facebook page: Holy Confession: By Appointment 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 March 2017 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat COMING IN APRIL Loaves & Fishes at St. Matthew Catholic Church 11:30a-4:30p FOCUS MN - 10a-2:30p FOCUS MN - 10:30a-2:30p FOCUS MN - Food Shelf Work Day (odd jobs) Clothes Closet 8 LAZAROS SATURDAY- Liturgy & Youth Retreat 5:30pm NINTH HOUR 12pm OCF at UST 6pm SALUTATIONS 9 PALM SUNDAY HOLY WEEK BEGINS 6pm PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY 14 HOLY FRIDAY- Worship & Youth Retreat 16 ***GREAT & HOLY PASCHA*** BRIGHT-RENEWAL WEEK No Fasting 23 ***ST. GEORGE Parish Feast Day*** 5 +1ST SUN. LENT - ORTHODOXY/ICONS 8:15am ORTHROS 9:30am LITURGY 11am Procession of Icons 12pm Philoptochos Meeting 12pm Youth Ministry Mtg. 4pm FOCUS MN - Serve a Meal 4pm LENTEN VESPERS & Reception (St Mary's Orthodox Cathedral) 12 +2ND SUN. LENT - ST. GREGORY PALAMAS 8:15am ORTHROS 9:30am LITURGY 12pm Acolyte Training 12pm Greek School 4pm FOCUS MN - Serve a Meal 4pm LENTEN VESPERS & Reception (St George Greek Orthodox Church) 19 +3RD SUN. LENT - VENERATION OF CROSS 8:15am ORTHROS 9:30am LITURGY 11am Procession/ Veneration of Cross 12pm Greek School 4pm FOCUS MN - Serve a Meal 4pm LENTEN VESPERS & Reception (Holy Trinity Church\) 4p-7p St. George Greek Hosts Meal at FOCUS 26 +4TH SUN. LENT - ST. JOHN CLIMACUS 8:15am ORTHROS 9:30am LITURGY 12p-1p Greek Independence Celebration 4pm FOCUS MN - Serve a Meal 4pm LENTEN VESPERS & Reception (St. Elizabeth Orthodox Church) 6 6pm COMPLINE 7pm Catechism Class 13 6pm COMPLINE 7pm Catechism Class 20 6pm COMPLINE 7pm Catechism Class 27 6pm COMPLINE 7pm Catechism Class :30a-4:30p FOCUS MN - Food Shelf 5:30pm NINTH HOUR 6pm PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY :30a-4:30p FOCUS MN - Food Shelf 5:30pm NINTH HOUR 6pm PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY 21 6:30pm Parish Council Mtg :30a-4:30p FOCUS MN - Food Shelf 5:30pm NINTH HOUR 6pm PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY :30a-4:30p FOCUS MN - Food Shelf 5:30pm NINTH HOUR 6pm PRESANCTIFIED LITURGY MARTYRS OF SEBASTE 10a-2:30p FOCUS MN - Work Day (odd jobs) 11am MEOCCA Mtg. 12pm OCF at UST 16 10a-2:30p FOCUS MN - Work Day (odd jobs) 12pm OCF at UST 7pm Ahepa Mtg 23 10a-2:30p FOCUS MN - Work Day (odd jobs) 10am Glad Tidings mailing 30 10a-2:30p FOCUS MN - Work Day (odd jobs) 12p-1p OCF at UST 10 LENTEN RETREAT 10:30a-2:30p FOCUS MN - Clothes Closet 6pm SALUTATIONS w/ Fr. Barnabus Powell 17 10:30a-2:30p FOCUS MN - Clothes Closet 6pm SALUTATIONS 24 10:30a-2:30p FOCUS MN - Clothes Closet 6pm GREAT VESPERS of ANNUNCIATION 31 +ST. INNOCENT- APOSTLE TO AMERICA 10:30a-2:30p FOCUS MN - Clothes Closet 6pm SALUTATIONS 4 +SATURDAY OF SOULS 9am LITURGY 5pm VESPERS 11 LENTEN RETREAT w/ Fr. Barnabas Powell 10am Discussion #1 w/ continental breakfast 12pm Lenten Potluck Lunch 1pm Discussion #2 3pm VESPERS 18 9:30a-5p Be the Bee Youth Retreat (St. Mary Greek Orthodox Church\, Mpls MN) 5pm VESPERS 7pm Pan-Orthodox Young Adults (Giordano's) 25 +ANNUNCIATION GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY 8am ORTHROS 9am LITURGY 5pm VESPERS St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 1111 Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, Minnesota ,

10 -Parish Council Meeting Minutes January 17, 2017 I. Call Meeting to Order 6:35 p.m. II. Opening Prayers and Readings 6:50 p.m. Heb. 13:17-21, Luke 6:17-23 III. Rochester Basketball Tournament Letter read from Calli Kelly, Co-Chair of the basketball tournament. Fr. Rick - 6:38 p.m. IV. Youth Program Update Nathaniel Kostick, Youth Minister Nathaniel outlined the work over the past 2 years and moving forward. V. Education and Enrichment Session Ideas on Short, medium, and long-term church goals. Fr. Rick This is a continuation of discussion. VI. Submission of past Parish Council Meeting Minutes Stephen Arsenault 7:20 p.m. Motion: To accept the Parish Council Minutes of December 12, 2016 and January 8, Motion passed unanimously VII. Treasurer s Report and Update on Investments Jon Simon, Bill Clemens, Dan Simon 7:25 p.m. Financials as of 31 Dec 2016 General FON G. Festival 75 th Total Income Total Expense Total Net INCOME 293,990 21,717 74,081 32, ,804 EXPENSES 384,684 8,835 52,253 21, ,917 NET (90,694) 12,882 21,828 10,871 (45,113) John Simon spoke of the plan of transition of the Treasure s work. Dan Simon reviewed tonight the figures for year-end 2016: revenue, expenses, and transfers from reserves. Budget/Actuals Motion: To accept the Treasurer s Report. Moved: Nanette; Seconded: Andrea: Passed unanimously. VIII. Committee Reports A. Stewardship Report Father, - 7:29 p.m. Fr. went over the Stewardship figures as of December 31, We received $2,000 more from pledgers over their 2016 pledge budget. Total revenue so far for 2016, $242,000 from 226 contributors. B. Scholarship Committee Lily & Andrea- 7:44 p.m. Pitsavas Scholarship Fund We received 3 applications. Seven judges awarded Mathew Simon the $1,000 scholarship. C. Landscaping/Grounds Report Nanette - 8:45 p.m. Nanette spoke of the snow plowing being done and extra fees, D. Website Projects Report Andrea - 8:11 p.m. The Committee is developing regular meetings to organized the activity of the committee. E. Missions and Benevolence (M & B) Report George Mastrogiorgis 7:46 p.m. 1. Next FOCUS is on Sunday for our church. We need at least 10 people List of funds has been approved. Lyn Olsen Fund is added. 3. $14,000 total funds allocated for F. Capital Project Status and Discussion Jon Kennedy, Jim Theros - 7:52 p.m. No additions. G. Iconography Project Update Stephen Arsenault 8:45 p.m. Completion in January Icons are nearly completed. H. 75 th Anniversary Projects Update Fr. Rick 8:00 p.m. Working on the layout I. Welcome and Outreach Jon Kennedy and Alexis Bighley 8:01 p.m. The light lunch at Fr. Rick s was successful. J. Greek Festival- Dan Simon, Jon Kennedy 8:05 p.m. No additional information K. Investment Committee Jim, George, Jon 8:14 p.m. Since January 2016 the account is up 8.25%. They have a 1% fee to manage the fund. The committee met to review the investment performance and discussed investment alternatives, given the increase in interest rates. The committee recommends that they church continue with the present fund managers for Motion: That we increase our risk tolerance on the scale of investments from 3 to 4 and continue with Morgan Stanley until Dec Moved: George; Seconded: Bill. Motion carried 7 yes, and 5 no. This increase in risk tolerance will not exceed 60% of equity in the overall portfolio. L. Roselawn Cemetery 2017 Pricing Update Tom Lampros, Steve Lambros, Jon Kennedy Motion: to accept the Roselawn lot pricing for cemetery lots. Proceeds of the cemetery lots sales are to be directed to the seniors of the church. IX. On-Going Other Old and New Business A. Prothesis Table: Contract is being written. Fr. 8:11 p.m.-start up for the cabinet maker is March B. New Building Key Project Status and Usage Distribution Fr. Rick, Jon Kennedy-.Building is rekeyed, and keys distributed. C. New Candle Ventilation Project Update Jim Theros 8:32 p.m. D. New Conference Chairs, internal Painting Denise Smith, Fr. Rick-.Painting: After discussion. Motion: that the church contract with Pro Touch Painting to paint the church as specified in the bid consisting of the Narthex Ceiling, walls below the choir loft (feast day icons), quiet room ceiling and block wall, stairwell ceiling, conference room ceiling and soffit for a total of $1,850. Also, that the church contract with Faircon Service Company for the candles vent system for $3,700. Total approved for both projects is of $5,550. The Council will make the best effort to raise the funds from donations from the church community. Motion passed unanimously E. St. George Church Marketing George Mastrogiorgis - 9:33 p.m.-funding for marketing budgeting discussed. X. New Business. A. Proposal for Additional Sidewalk and parking Lot Cleaning Discussed. Nanette. B. Advertising for the Metropolis Basketball Tournament George Mastrogiorgis 8:35 p.m. Motion: to approve a one page ad in the program at the basketball tournament in Rochester. Cost: $ Passed unanimously C. Other New Candles: Lily (see enclosure) 9:39 p.m.-exploring a new supplier for the candles in the church, as what we now use. Motion: We accept St. Patrick s Guild as the supplier for our candles, with Fr. s blessing on the quality of the candles.. Passed unanimously XI. Adjournment and Closing Prayer 10:13 p.m. Motion: To Adjourn. Respectfully submitted: Stephen Arsenault PC Secretary

11 Saint George Greek Orthodox Church 12th Annual St. Gregory Palamas, an articulate defender of Orthodoxy and true prayer in the 14 th century, is commemorated the second Sunday of Great Lent each year. He is the inspiration for this weekend festival featuring lectures, worship and fellowship. For directions to Saint George Greek Orthodox Church visit our website at stgeorgegoc.org or call Summit Ave. St Paul, MN Friday, March 10 Saturday, March 11 Sunday, March 12 Normal Orthodox Healthy Church Knowing the True Faith in Order to Practice it Truly Guest Speaker: Fr. Barnabas Powell 6:00PM Akathistos/Salutations Service 7:30PM Lenten Meal 8:00PM Why Orthodoxy? Knowing why a former Pentecostal pastor would become an Orthodox Christian will help you understand why so many spiritually hungry people are looking for and finding the Orthodox Church. And it just may help you understand why your Orthodox Faith is so valuable and worth sharing. Come listen to Fr. Barnabas share his personal faith journey into Orthodoxy. 10:00AM Coffee and Fellowship 10:30AM Why Normal Orthodox Works What is normal Orthodox Christianity? What is abnormal? Understanding the central message of Orthodoxy helps you understand just why Orthodoxy does the Faith the way we do. From liturgical worship services to the calendar of fasts and feasts to the spiritual disciplines; all of it is meant to undo what keeps us disconnected from the Life of God. 12:00PM Lenten Potluck Luncheon 1:00PM Why a Normal, Healthy Orthodox Church Grows The Church is called "The Body of Christ." All through the New Testament St. Paul describes the Church as a body. So how do we know we are a healthy body? What are the signs that a church is healthy? And how do we keep our church healthy by being spiritually healthy and mature ourselves? All of this will show that a healthy parish is a growing parish. When a parish isn't growing, it is necessary to diagnose why, so we can get healthy again. 3:00PM Great Vespers Service 8:15AM Orthros Service 9:30AM Divine Liturgy 4:00PM Pan Orthodox Lenten Vespers Fr. Barnabas Powell, M.Div. is the priest of Saints Raphael, Nicholas & Irene Greek Orthodox Church in Cummings Georgia. He graduated from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (Masters of Divinity) and was ordained to the priesthood by Metropolitan Alexios in He attended Toccoa Falls College in Georgia. Before this he was in Law Enforcement in Metro Atlanta from and served the State of Georgia as a probation officer. In the early 1990 s Fr. Barnabas planted the Church of the First Born in Woodstock, GA, and worked in radio and television with some of the largest Evangelical Protestant Media ministries in the country. Fr. Barnabas, along with 20 families of the church he pastored, converted to Orthodoxy in November Fr. Barnabas is the founder of Faith Encouraged Ministries, dedicated to using media to share the Orthodox Faith (FaithEncouraged.com). Fr. Barnabas is married to Connie (Demas), and they have two daughters, Alexandra and Katerina.

12 Saint George Greek Orthodox Church 12th Annual St. Gregory Palamas, an articulate defender of Orthodoxy and true prayer in the 14 th century, is commemorated the second Sunday of Great Lent each year. He is the inspiration for this weekend festival featuring lectures, worship and fellowship. Education BIOGRAPHY Fr. Barnabas Powell, M.Div. Bachelor s Degree in Biblical Studies, Toccoa Falls College (1988) Masters of Theology, Holy Cross Seminary (2010) Background Fr. Barnabas was born and raised in Atlanta, GA. His journey to Orthodoxy came as a result of many years searching for a lifestyle that would be truly Christian. After years in Evangelical Protestant ministry and serving in Christian media, both radio and television, he launched Faith Encouraged Ministries to use what he learned in sharing faith through media for the Orthodox Faith. Fr. Barnabas is an author, pastor, podcaster, and teacher committed to offering a credible witness of the timeless Orthodox faith for this culture. His daily devotional, Faith Encouraged Daily, reaches over 5000 people a week. His weekly homilies, Faith Encouraged, have been watched over 150,000 times on You Tube. And his twice a month live call-in show, Faith Encouraged LIVE, is one of the most popular shows on Ancient Faith Radio. Podcasts, Blog, and Social Media Faith Encouraged - Weekly Homilies, both Video and Audio AncientFaith.com Faith Encouraged Daily - Daily Devotionals from the daily Scripture readings - FaithEncouraged.org Faith Encouraged LIVE - 90 minute Live radio show on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month - AncientFaith.com Faith Encouraged LIVE Facebook Page - Orthodox On Purpose Facebook Page - A Journey to Fullness - web page about the 16 part video series - Some of Fr. Barnabas Topics & Presentations Being Orthodox On Purpose: The Key to Orthodox Joy Using Media And Welcoming Guests - 1st National Evangelism Conference, Portland OR. Overcoming Despondency Training Your Welcome Ministry Team How to Speak Evangelicaleze to Share the Orthodox Faith Keeping Our Youth Connected to Faith - When Basketball, Dances, and YiaYia s Baklava aren t Enough For directions to Saint George Greek Orthodox Church visit our website at stgeorgegoc.org or call Summit Ave. St Paul, MN Books and Training Videos A Faith Encouraged - Ancient Faith Publishing A Journey to Fullness - 16 part video outreach tool and workbook designed to introduce the Faith to average people Other notables about Fr. Barnabas: His work in Christian Media has informed and inspired him to use modern communication tools to share the Orthodox Faith with the many spiritual seekers in our society. Faith Encouraged Ministries, his non-profit media production ministry, has produced a 16 part video series called A Journey to Fullness (JourneytoFullness.org) to assist parishes in outreach and inreach in their local communities. His speaking engagements around the country continue to grow and influence the increasing demand for quality media and training materials for our Orthodox Faith. For more about of Fr. Barnabas:

13 WEDNESDAYS THEME: Modern Heresies DATE TOPIC SPEAKER: +Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews March 1 Secularism- separation between faith & life; separation of church & state. March 8 Humanism- humans more important than God; role of evolutionary theory. March 15 Rationalism- primary source of knowledge is intellect; role of science. March 22 Pluralism- acceptance of all religious paths as equally valid. April 29 Phyletism- churches centered on ethnic, national or linguistic cultural expressions. FRIDAYS THEME: The Torah, aka the Pentateuch DATE TOPIC SPEAKER March 3 Genesis Michael Lotti March 10 Lenten Retreat- Why Orthodoxy? Fr. Barnabas Powell March 17 Exodus Fr. Thaddeus Wojcik March 24 Leviticus & Numbers Dr. Eugenia Gavrilyuk March 31 Deuteronomy Fr. Marc Boulos SCHEDULE 6:00PM Lenten Service; 7:30PM Lenten Community Meal; 8:00PM ; 8:30PM Q&A; 8:45PM Conclude. Wednesday s Theme: Modern Heresies Heresy means false belief or teaching and is a very important concern for Christians. The Church teaches that incorrect belief leads to inappropriate and sinful behavior. This is why many Church Fathers and Saints throughout history fought fiercely to maintain the true Faith in Christ. This Lent we will examine several modern heresies to understand what they are and how they influence us. Then we will discuss ways to overcome them so we may be guided on the right path towards salvation in Jesus Christ. Friday s Theme: The Torah; aka the Pentateuch The Torah is also known as The Law in the history of Judaism. It is the first five books of the Old Testament, also called The Pentateuch. Do these books have any importance for us today? What is contained in the them, what role did they serve 3,000 years ago, and what role do they serve now? Join us on a five-part series as we delve into the mystery of these texts and try to master their meaning. Meal Hosting- Any individual, family, ministry, committee, or group is encouraged to sponsor a Lenten Meal. 1

14 The Torah or Pentateuch - Biographies of Speakers Michael Lotti is a professional writer and educator living in the Twin Cities, where he and his family attend Holy Trinity Orthodox Church (OCA) in St. Paul. He earned a M.Phil. (1992) and Ph.D. (2000) in Philosophy from the University of Wales, Swansea, where he focused on the writings of Kierkegaard, Wittgenstein, and Plato. He runs his own writing business and teaches occasionally at the University of St. Thomas. His book St. George and the Dragon, a middle-grade novel, was published in Alexandra and Katerina. Fr. Barnabas Powell, MDiv. is the priest of Saints Raphael, Nicholas & Irene Greek Orthodox Church in Cummings, Georgia. He graduated from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (Masters of Divinity) and was ordained to the priesthood by Metropolitan Alexios in Prior to his graduate work, he attended Toccoa Falls College in Georgia, was in law enforcement in Metro Atlanta from , and served the State of Georgia as a Probation officer. In the early 90 s, Fr. Barnabas planted the Church of the First Born in Woodstock, GA and worked in radio and television with some of the largest Evangelical Protestant Media ministries in the country. Fr. Barnabas, along with 20 families of the church he pastored. converted to Orthodoxy in November 2001 Fr. Barnabas is the founder of Faith Encouraged Ministries, dedicated to using media to share the Orthodox Faith (faithencouraged.org). Fr. Barnabas is married to Connie (Demas), and they have two daughters, 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. Marc Boulos is pastor of St. Elizabeth Orthodox Mission, in Eagan, Minnesota. He and Dr. Richard Benton co-host The Bible as Literature podcast, a weekly discussion of the biblical narrative and its implications for everyday life (ephesusschool.org). Fr. Marc has presented numerous exegetical talks and retreats dealing with the letters of St. Paul. In his new book, Torah to the Gentiles: St. Paul s Letter to the Galatians, he examines the interplay between Genesis and Galatians and its implications for our understanding of Paul's letter. Fr. Marc has already begun work on his second book, a commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians. He holds a Master of Divinity from St. Vladimir's Theological Seminary in Crestwood, New York. In addition to his priestly ministry, Fr. Marc is employed in the private sector, where he has received professional recognition for his work as a Manager in Information Technology. Dr. Eugenia Gavrilyuk was born in Moscow (Russia). She graduated from the Moscow Institute for Physics and Technology with Masters in Physics 1990 (Cum Laude). She did doctoral studies at Perkins School of Theology and at Southern Methodist University (Dallas, TX) and graduated Magna cum Laude. Since 2006, she has taught Theology ("The Christian Theological Traditions") and the Old Testament at the University of St. Thomas. She is a member of the Holy Trinity OCA, St. Paul, teaching the Bible at the Sunday school. Once a year she teaches the Introductory course in Christian Theology at UST designed for the students from countries not exposed to Christianity (like Saudi Arabia, for ex.). She is married to Deacon Paul Gavrilyuk, PhD, who also teaches at UST. 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 s of Science in Business Administration & Marketing 1988) Minneapolis, MN and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (Masters 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