Trans-a-Gram. Inside this issue. Guest message Deacon ordination Ministry Award Parish Assembly.. 5

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1 Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church April 2008 Monthly / Issue No. 4 Trans-a-Gram Rev. Demetrios T. Costarakis, Pastor Nicholas G. Pappas, Editor Inside this issue Guest message His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios uses his Lenten message to encourage us to be united in purpose for the common good and not to let feelings of jealousy and self-importance reduce us, in the words of St. Paul, into nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. Deacon ordination Conan Gill, a one-time seminarian and the husband of the former Stephanie Pappas, was ordained into the diaconate last month by His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver. Deacon Conan was later ordained into the priesthood on March 30 at his new home parish, Holy Trinity in Dallas, Texas. Ministry Award... 5 Mary Nicholaides was named the parish s 15th recipient of the Metropolis of Boston Ministry Award last month by the Parish Council. The award will be presented at the annual dinner on June 1 in Randolph. Parish Assembly.. 5 The spring Parish Assembly is scheduled for Sunday, April 13, after the Divine Liturgy. Greek Pride Maria Katerina Apostle, 6, sings the Greek national anthem during the Greek School program s observance of Greek Independence Day on Sunday, March 23, in the church hall. Maria is the daughter of John and Devanir Apostle of Lowell. (Photo by Nick Pappas)

2 PAGE 2 HIS EMINENCE METROPOLITAN METHODIOS MESSAGE United we can accomplish miracles By METROPOLITAN METHODIOS Metropolis of Boston In late February, I had occasion to attend a joint meeting of the Metropolis Council and Faith & Heritage Center Committee, and the monthly dinner of the Alpha Omega Council, where Michael Sintros and I were invited to made a presentation about the Youth Ministries of the Metropolis. Following these events, I was spiritually uplifted and thankful to God that the Omogeneia is blessed with men and women who are dedicated to passing on the unwaning light of our faith and cultural heritage to the future generations. These dedicated leaders truly care about our Greek Orthodox faith and heritage. They volunteer their time and invest their resources to generously support our parishes, our metropolis, the archdiocese, and a score of philanthropic institutions. Their greatest contribution is their concern for our young people. The Alpha Omega Council has helped hundreds of young men and women with scholarship aid to further their studies in the finest universities throughout America. The members of the Metropolis Council and Faith & Heritage Center Committee concern themselves with all the ministries of our metropolis, especially our outreach to young people through spiritual retreats and various athletic and year-round camp programs. In both meetings, I thanked everyone for their generous support and discussed not only what has been achieved, but how necessary it is for all of us to recognize that we can and must do much more. We must always emphasize the positive and challenge ourselves to greater achievements for the benefit of our faith and cultural heritage. We must never rest on our laurels, but have the courage to be visionary, dreaming bolder dreams for the future. To achieve this, we must all be united in purpose, never allowing negativism to sap our enthusiasm. I confess that I am growing increasingly weary and intolerant of those amongst us who have nothing better to do than to criticize everyone and be negative about everything. Enough already of gossip and innuendo, of envy and jealousy, of mudslinging and character assassination. We are about to embark upon the Great Lent whose most characteristic prayer is that of St. Ephraim: Lord and Master of my life, give me not a spirit of sloth, vain curiosity, lust for power, and idle talk. But give to me Your servant a spirit of prudence, humility, patience, and love. Lord and King, grant me to see my own faults and not to condemn my brother: for You are blessed to the ages of ages. How blessed we would be if each of us comprehended the meaning of this text and practiced its admonitions. Individuals who have an overinflated opinion of themselves, and an exceedingly exaggerated estimation of their importance, should not opine about matters about which they are pitifully ignorant. The only thing that they accomplish to quote St. Paul is to expose themselves as nothing other than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal (1 Cor. 13.1). (Continued on page 8) HOW TO REACH US Pastor: The Rev. Demetri Costarakis Secretary: Jeanne Brady Address: Father John Sarantos Way, Lowell, MA Telephone: Fax: Church transfig@hotmail.com Father Demetri demetric@imail.goarch.org Web page: Office hours: Secretary: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Priest: Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Editor: Nick Pappas Telephone: npappas05@comcast.net Saturday of Lazarus On Saturday, April 19, following Divine Liturgy our parish will be having a community brunch, and all are invited to attend. Also on this day we will be preparing the palm crosses to distribute to the faithful the next day, which is Palm Sunday. There will also be a church cleanup taking place for Great and Holy Week. Please come and enjoy fellowship while giving your parish your assistance. +Fr. Demetri

3 PAGE 3 Church Services Schedule of Services Sunday Orthros a.m. to 10 a.m. Divine Liturgy a.m. to noon Special Services April 2, 9 (Wednesday).. Presanctified Liturgy 6 p.m. April 4 (Friday)... Salutations 6 p.m. April 7 (Monday).. Compline 6 p.m. April 11 (Friday) Akathist Hymn 6 p.m. April 12 (Saturday)... D Youville Manor Divine Liturgy: 10 a.m. April 19 (Saturday).. Saturday of Lazarus 9 a.m. April 20 (Sunday).. Palm Sunday Orthros: 9 a.m./liturgy: 10 a.m./palm blessings following April Holy Week See special insert for services and times Baptisms: Sacraments Cameron Glenn, son of Christopher and Stacy (Shanks) Caron. Godfather: James Manelas. (March 2) Na sas zisi! Monthly Trisagia Names of the deceased are read the first Sunday of each month. Please send the names to be read in advance, listing the month you would like them read. If you would like the name to be read in Greek, please include the Greek spelling along with the English. If you have any questions, call Dyanne Mitropoulis at Arthur Andricopoulos Connie Andricopoulos Anastasia Baltas Vaios Baltas John Bogis Vasilia Bogis Ioannis G. Bouras Florence Bucuvalas Vasilike Contos George A. Danas Stephen A. Danas Joy Davies Nina Denopoulos Debra Laganas Dion Euterpe Dukakis Pano Dukakis Demetrios Georgantas Afrodite Gkolias Marcus Gkolias Kaliroy Iodarnou Nicholas Jais Soultana Kapsouris Rev. Makarios Kizza Panagiota Koniditsiotes Angelo James Koutrouba Yianni Manelas Anna Manikas APRIL TRISAGIA Paraskevi Manolis Martin P. Martakos Amalia Mavraides Angeliky Mavraides Aristomene Mavraides George Mavraides Louise Mavraides Marino Mavraides Pota Mavraides Sophia Mavraides Stavros Mavraides William Mavraides Cleo Mavrogianis Aglaia Prutsalis John Prutsalis Penelope Prutsalis Thomas Prutsalis Virginia Raras Rabias Alice Raras Constantine Raras James Rodopoulos Alexander Sintros Ignatios Sterghos Clara Vonofortis Triffon Vonofortis Peter Voulgaris Steve Xifaris Good Friday Retreat Our Transfiguration Church is happy to announce our annual Great and Holy Friday Retreat on April 25. The retreat will begin at 11 a.m. and will conclude with the service of the Un-nailing (Apokathelosis) at 3 p.m. Parents are asked to be in attendance for the service, to worship and sit with their children. If you have any questions, please contact the church office.

4 PAGE 4 Conan Gill addresses his Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver during his ordination into the diaconate on Sunday, March 2, while Father Demetri, far left, and other members of clergy look on. The ordination was the first in the parish since Father Demetri was ordained a deacon in (Photos by Arthur Sparages) Axios! Conan Gill ordained a deacon in his wife s home parish Conan prays before the icon of the Virgin Mary. After being ordained, Deacon Conan gives Holy Communion to Kallie Karagianes as she is surrounded by members of her family: father Michael, left, brother John Michael and mother Lynne. Deacon Conan poses with his wife, Stephanie.

5 By NICK PAPPAS Trans-a-Gram Editor Mary Nicholaides, a longtime parishioner who has spent much of her life finding ways to serve her church, will be honored as this year s recipient of the Metropolis of Boston Ministry Award. The Parish Council voted to designate her as the parish s 15th recipient of the prestigious award during its March 17 meeting. Mary is one of only three women in the parish s 83-year history to serve two separate terms as president of Ladies Philoptochos Society, leading the parish s philanthropic organization from and She also has served many years as a member of that organization s board of directors, including terms as secretary, treasurer and chairperson of visitations to shut-ins and nursing home residents. She has been a member of the choir for more than 50 years, as well as a longtime participant of the Tuesday Morning Group and a regular volunteer at the parish s Grecian Festivals, food fairs and other fundraisers. Council selects Ministry Award winner Mary Nicholaides is this year s recipient of the Ministry Award. She served a number of years as a parish representative to the Council of Eastern Orthodox Churches of the Merrimack Valley, and also served as a member of both the 65th and 75th anniversary committees. And when she isn t serving or volunteering for a particular organization, she is a regular participant in the parish s many special weekday and evening services. PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS 2006: Arthur and Toula Sparages 2005: Eleni Stavrou 2004: George Chouprakos 2003: Martha Sintros 2002: Harry Stamas 2001: John Gkolias 2000: Irene Manelas 1999: Vito Selvaggio 1998: Dyanne Mitropoulis 1997: Nick Nicholaou 1996: Dora Monoxelos 1995: Judge Nicholas Vergados 1994: Helen Georges PAGE : Ioannis and Daphne Zaralidis Mary is the daughter of the late Nicholas and Vasilike Nicholaides of Lowell. Her father was one of the founding fathers of the church. The metropolis 22nd-annual awards dinner is scheduled for June 1 at Lombardo s in Randolph. Ticket information will be available in the near future. Spring Parish Assembly scheduled for April 13 By NICK PAPPAS Trans-a-Gram Editor The Parish Council has set April 13 as the date for the spring Parish Assembly, which will begin after the Divine Liturgy downstairs in the church hall. Both the council and Father Demetri request that every parishioner attend the assembly to participate in the voting process that supports the parish. In the event that a quorum of 50 members in good standing is not present, the assembly will be adjourned until the next evening, April 14, at 6:30 p.m. Among the items on the agenda is a motion from the council to transfer some of the $27,000 from last year s food fair account to the principle on the mortgage. If approved, that would reduce the outstanding balance from $526, to around the $500,000 mark. Parishioners also will nominate members to the Board of Elections and Board of Auditors, as well as hear reports from Father Demetri, Parish Council President Nikolaos Manolis and representatives from the parish s organizations. Treasurer James Murphy will report on the state of church finances and the mortgage elimination program. Child care and a light lunch will be provided.

6 PAGE 6 Three compete in Oratorical Festival By YIOTA SIMOGLOU Oratorical Festival Co-chairperson Each year the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Department of Religious Education sponsors the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival, which gives our youth in middle and senior high school an opportunity to learn and speak about their beliefs, their church and their heritage. The Transfiguration Oratorical Parish Festival took place on Sunday, March 9, in the St. Sophia Chapel following the Divine Liturgy. The festival was under the supervision of co-chairpersons Patricia Mahoney and Yiota Simoglou. The judges were parishioners Christine Faneros, Andrew Simoglou and George Tsoukalas. Melanie Pappas served as timekeeper. The Junior Division participants were: Madeline Koufogazos, daughter of Susan and Nicholas Koufogazos of Dracut; and Philip Lane, son of Nancy and David Lane of Chelmsford. The Senior Division participant was George Murphy, son of James and Pam Murphy of Dracut. All three students have participated in the Oratorical Festival program for the past three years. Their commitment to the festival is to be highly commended for they well represent the Transfiguration Church youth in the Metropolis of Boston. Father Demetri and Deacon Elias This year s parish representatives in the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival are, from left, George Murphy in the Senior Division, and Madeline Koufogazos and Philip Lane in the Junior Division. After participating in the Northeast District competition in Saco, Maine, George was selected to move on to the Metropolis of Boston Oratorical Festival on May 10. (Photo by Arthur Sparages) Stevens began the program with an opening prayer. Father Demetri praised the students for their commitment and willingness to participate in the Oratorical Festival. The students presented a four- to five-minute speech on a selected topic that focused on being pure of heart and pleasing God in a contemporary world. Upon completion of the presentations, the judges tallied the point value for each of the students. The Oratorical Festival manual provides a detailed outline for the judges to use for the scoring and evaluation of content and delivery. All three were named Transfiguration finalists and represented our parish at the Northeast District Festival on Sunday, March 16, at St. Demetrios Church in Saco, Maine. Congratulations to George Murphy, who will proceed to the Metropolis of Boston Oratorical Festival on May 10 in Brookline. On Sunday, April 13, the three students will present their speeches before the entire parish following the Divine Liturgy. Michael Gregory, son of former Transfiguration pastor Peter Gregory, won the Division II wrestling championship at the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic PEOPLE IN THE NEWS Association State Tournament in Wakefield two months ago. Michael, a junior at Greater Lowell Technical High School in Tyngsborough, followed that performance with a second-place finish in the All- State Wrestling Tournament in Salem and a sixth-place finish in the New England Tournament in Lowell. Michael wrestled in the 285-pound weight division and completed the season with an outstanding record of 42-4.

7 PAGE 7 What does it cost to run a parish? By JAMES MURPHY Parish Council Treasurer Have you ever considered how much it costs to run the church on a daily, weekly or monthly basis? If you are like most of us, I would have to guess probably not. As a matter of fact, I really hadn t given it much thought until I became the treasurer. I have been a member of the Parish Council working with my predecessor, Chris Selvaggio, for the past three years and never had a thorough understanding of the daily expenses the parish faced until these past three months. This month I would like you to sit back and think about your household monthly expenses. Once you have done that, I would like you to think about your income. Hopefully, your income exceeds your expenses. Let me tell you more often than not this is not the case at our parish. We regularly have a shortfall. I would like to provide you some details of what it costs to operate the parish on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. The above chart reflects a sample of our actual expenses. Overall, our daily expense to run the parish is somewhere in the vicinity of $875 a day. EXPENSES DAILY WEEKLY MONTHLY Salaries/Benefits , , Candles Utilities , Archdiocese , Insurance , Maintenance , Mortgage , Office supplies , Total Expenses , , As you can see, the salaries and benefits line item (parish priest, secretary, organist, choir director, deacon and chanter) represents our largest expense, followed by the mortgage and then by our total commitment to the archdiocese, which by the way increased this year by $367 a month a 12.8 percent increase over what we were contributing last year. I have included the mortgage in these expenses because whether you were in favor of the building or not, we as a parish have this obligation. As the treasurer of this parish, I am working diligently with my fellow Parish Council members to make sure we meet our monthly obligations, but we need you. Unlike a business, we do not have goods and services to sell. Our only source of income to cover our expenses is you, our parishioners. This income comes in the form of stewardship, candles, weekly collections and special events. I am well aware that some of you already have submitted your stewardship cards for At this point in time, I am asking that you consider these expenses when you make your contribution to the weekly collection, candle offering, Pascha offering, or when supporting special events hosted by the council or other ministries of the parish. In addition, when planning your 2009 stewardship offering, please remember it costs approximately $875 a day to run the parish, and our 2008 average stewardship amount is around $335 a year. As a reminder, your contribution may be tax deductible. If you itemize your deductions for 2008, you get to deduct your charitable contributions. You'll itemize only if the total of your itemized deductions is greater than your standard deduction ($10,900 on a joint return, $5,450 for a single). Congress has been talking about a charitable deduction for nonitemizers, but the provision has yet to be passed. Each dollar you contribute gives you a tax benefit equal to your marginal tax bracket. Let's say you're in the 25 percent bracket. A $100 contribution saves you $25 dollars in tax. The real cost of your $100 donation is only $75. If you give more than 20 percent of your adjusted gross income in any given year, you may start to be subjected to deduction limits. If you have any questions on the deductibility of your contributions, you should consult with a tax consultant. In closing, lets work together to eliminate the mortgage and cover the expenses of our parish.

8 By NIKOLAOS MANOLIS Parish Council President As everyone knows, we had an accident at the church on Feb. 27, involving a vehicle striking the church and causing damage. On the night of the accident, we were fortunate enough to have had the Greek School in session, so when the accident occurred someone was there. Parish Council member Ioannis John Zaralidis happened to be close by and shut off the water flowing from a ruptured pipe before the whole church flooded. PAGE 8 Process under way to repair damage Several council members rushed down to see the damage. Insurance adjuster Nick Rabias was contacted, and a company sealed the hole until repairs could begin. This is the area damaged in the accident. (Photo by Nick Pappas) The next day, with the help of several board members, the following was accomplished. The elevator company came and signed off on the elevator. The plumber came and replaced the pipe. The electrician came and signed off. The sprinklers were repaired through the hole for the bricks to be installed and the Fire Department signed off. Servepro came and vacuumed all of the water, cut out sections of sheetrock and put up driers. Now we are in the process of getting three bids per our bylaws before hiring a contractor to repair the building. United we can accomplish... (Continued from page 2) Unquestionably, constructive criticism is beneficial to us as individuals and as institutions. A true friend is one who mentors us by pointing out our shortcomings to help us grow spiritually in God s image. A constructive critic will point out what, in his opinion, a church or organization is doing wrong and offer his expertise to bring about change. It is one thing to offer criticism that is meant to point out ways in which an individual, an organization or a church (a metropolis, an archdiocese) can improve in order to be more effective; it is quite another to regurgitate time and again the same emetic attacks that resonate only with other gossips and chatterboxes who have never offered anything positive to advance the Greek American community. If you want to know why many of our young people including the children and grandchildren of the above mentioned vain narcissists are not involved in our parishes and organizations, it is because they don t want to be associated with negative individuals who revel in hearing themselves talk. We have much to do. United we can accomplish nothing less than miracles. Parochial schools need to be built. Camps, retreat centers, philanthropic institutions, museums, academic chairs in leading universities, hospitals, hospices, nursing homes all need to be supported. Let us stop pontificating and start doing. May God bless all of us with a spirit of prudence, humility, patience and love so that we may see our own faults and not condemn our brethren. May the Lord God truly be the master of our lives. May He remove from our hearts and souls that ugly spirit of sloth, vain curiosity, jealousy, lust for power and idle talk. May the Great Lent be an uplifting spiritual journey for all of us.

9 PAGE 9 Parish Council Church News Stewardship 2008 By CHRISTOPHER SELVAGGIO Parish Council Secretary The Parish Council took the following actions when it met on March 10: Parish Assembly: Voted to schedule a special council meeting for March 17 to set the agenda for the spring Parish Assembly, which is scheduled for Sunday, April 13, following the Divine Liturgy in the church hall. Child care and a light lunch will be provided. Food fair: Set a tentative date for the parish s annual food fair for the weekend of Sept. 13, but no one has stepped forward to chair the event as of this time. Any parishioner wishing to take on this position is asked to inform a council member or call the church and leave a message with secretary Jeanne Brady. Chandelier repair: Accepted an estimate of between $24,750 and $30,000 from Grand Light of New Haven, Conn., to restore the chandeliers. As with all church repairs, two more estimates will be obtained before a final decision is made. Fire prevention: Council member James Murphy reported he is currently getting estimates for installing smoke detectors in the main sanctuary of the church. More details will be forwarded to the council over the next few weeks. Next meeting: The council will next meet on Monday, April 14, at 7 p.m. in the boardroom. Treasurer s Report Here is a brief summary of income and expenses as of Feb. 29 and how they compare to the same period last year. Category Change Stewardship 63, , % Other income 32, , % Total Income 95, , % Expenses 58, , % Balance 37, , % By NICK PAPPAS Trans-a-Gram Editor Stewardship contributions for 2008 are running ahead of last year as we near the one-quarter mark of the new year. The number of returned stewardship cards through mid-march totaled 320, which is up 26, or 9 percent, when compared to the same period last year. The same is true of pledges and contributions: the $114, figure through March 18 represents an increase of Stewards (2007) Cards Returned Cards Outstanding Return Rate Average Pledge percent $ (+$22.16) nearly $8,000, or more than 7 percent, when compared to the year ago period. Based on those figures, the average pledge to date comes to $357.80, an increase of $22.16 or 6.6 percent when compared to the same time last year. Stewardship 2007: Nearly four months into the new year, it appears that the 2007 stewardship program has topped out at 472 stewards, down 31 from the previous year or 6 percent. Overall, the stewardship program raised $156,961.20, or $2, less than in That means the parish finished the year with an average pledge of $332.54, which also was down $3.10. The chart below shows the breakdown of stewardship contributions by category as of March 18, The parish relies on these funds to run its many ministries and program throughout the year. FAMILIES AMOUNT 180 $25 to $ $301 to $ $601 to $ $901 to $1,200 2 $1,201 to $1,500 3 $2,000 and up

10 PAGE 10 Philoptochos Society Membership: Thank you to all members who have sent in their Philoptochos stewardship offering for the year We are in the process of forwarding the names to the national /metropolis offices. In order to be members in good standing, we need your donation as soon as possible. Contact membership Chairperson Jill Laganas for further information. March meeting: Our annual spring meeting is usually held on the first night of Lent. This year was no exception. On March 10, 19 ladies joined us for our business meeting after the Compline service. Our lovely hostesses for the evening were Toula Sparages and friends, Martha Sintros, Dyanne Mitropoulis, Alice Danas, Christine Stamas and Agnes Yankopoulos. We talked about upcoming Lenten events and our participation in them. We voted to give to our March National Commitments: OCMC ($250) and HC/HC ($250); and the April commitments: the Sisterhood of St. Basil s ($50) and IOCC ($250). We also voted to send $50 to the National Campus Ministry and raised our annual birthday gift to the church on Palm Sunday to $3,000. Easter pastry baskets: We sold 28 pastry trays for Western Easter, but there is still time to order the delicious trays for Pascha. You can pick them up on Holy Friday in the Philoptochos room. They will be labeled and in alphabetical order. If you have not paid, please leave your donation in the basket on the table. Our thanks to all the ladies who baked and to Market Basket for its generous donation of $200 to help defray the cost of the ingredients. Greek Independence Day: On Sunday, March 23, Philoptochos members gave out the blue ribbons to parishioners. Our thanks to Christine Faneros, Daphne Kouloungis and Deanne Finn. Proceeds from donations for the ribbons will benefit the Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. Christine made all ribbons. Thank you for your generosity. Council of Churches reception: On Sunday evening, March 23, Transfiguration hosted the Lowell Council of Churches vesper service with area priests. The Philoptochos ladies put together a lovely light reception with coffee, Lenten pastry and fruit afterward. Thank you to all who helped. Epitaphion collection: Thank you to all parishioners who have so promptly donated to this year s collection. We are still accepting donations that will help defray the Lenten Retreat Ladies Philoptochos Society member Christine Faneros helps teach a group of children how to prepare Koliva (wheat) for a memorial service during the Lenten retreat on Saturday, March 15. (Photo by Arthur Sparages) cost of adorning our Kouvouklion on Holy Friday. Thank you to EJ Amick, Debbe Daley and Olivia Sintros. Easter egg dyeing: On Tuesday and Wednesday, April 15 and 16, at 9 a.m., the Tuesday morning ladies will be dyeing more than 540 eggs. We need volunteers to help these ladies. Please contact Martha Sintros or Ann Tavoularis if you are able to help. Kouvouklion decoration: On Friday, April 25, at 10:15 a.m., the Kouvouklion will be decorated. Parishioners are encouraged to join us as we all share the decoration. Nursing home/elderly visits: Christine Faneros is once again working with Tina Themelis, president of the Holy Trinity Philoptochos, to coordinate visits during Easter. If there is someone whom you would like visited, please refer his or her name to Christine or the church office. Any parishioner who wishes to be a part of this outreach within our parish should contact Christine as well. D Youville Manor Liturgy: Mark your calendars for Saturday, April 12, at 10 a.m. The Council of Churches is sponsoring the combined service for the patients at D Youville Manor. Volunteers from the Merrimack Valley Orthodox churches are participating. Please consider joining us. A light coffee reception to follow. Spring calendar raffle: During the month of April, we will be selling tickets and collecting donations for our annual spring raffle. Each ticket is $5, and we will draw one winner each day in May. All winning tickets will be re-entered for subsequent drawings, increasing your chances to win. All proceeds help the Philoptochos fulfill its philanthropic ministries and commitments. If you (Continued on page 11)

11 PAGE 11 (Continued from page 10) wish to purchase more tickets, contact Elizabeth de la Torre or Presbytera Gloria Costarakis. Scholarships: Scholarship applications are available for graduating seniors who are Greek Orthodox and whose parents are members in good standing with the parish. If you did not receive an application in the mail, contact the church office. Applications should be returned by May 1. The scholarship chairperson is Patricia Mahoney. College/graduate degree: Students, who are completing college, graduate work or post-secondary schooling will be recognized for their achievement. Contact Melanie Pappas. Scholarship/Graduate Sunday is scheduled for June 22 this year following the Divine Liturgy. House of Hope and Philoxenia House: If you have not been part of these outreach projects, spring is a great time to begin. Contact Lynne Karagianes to serve at the House of Hope on the fourth Thursday of each month. Contact Yiota Simoglou to visit the Philoxenia House in Brookline Next meeting: Our Mother s Day meeting will be held Monday, May12, at 6:30 p.m. Looking forward to seeing you all. By FRANK STEVENS Men s Guild President Men s Guild Presanctified Liturgy: On Wednesday, March 19, the Guild was honored to host the dinner following the beautiful Presanctified Liturgy. Thanks to the ladies of our Guild members, a bountiful repast of Lenten meals was enjoyed by 45 of the faithful present. The evening was highlighted with a presentation by Father Peter Costarakis. He encouraged us to not only read the Bible, but to let the beauty of its passages happen to us. You will understand the Bible better if you let the authors speak to you without trying to interpret what they are conveying, he said. He also explained the Orthodox view of the Theotokos. She chose to let it happen to me as God wills. The faithful headed home spiritually uplifted for their Lenten journey. Blue Ribbon Day Ladies Philoptochos Society members Daphne Kouloungis, left, and Deanne Finn (with her son, Christian) pass out blue ribbons on Sunday, March 23, in observance of Greek Independence Day. The ribbons were made this year by Philoptochos member Christine Faneros. (Photo by Nick Pappas) March meeting: Members gathered in the church hall on March 4 to enjoy another fine Guild meal and each other s good company. Following a report on the Presidents and Valentines gala, members voted to purchase a buffer to service all the floors of the church. Expect to see them shining! The motion to purchase the buffer was offered by Harry Stamas, with a friendly amendment by Strat Dukakis. Next meeting: Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 13, as we will not be meeting during Lent. 125 Club: At this writing, we still have several openings for those who wish to participate. Help support the Guild and our church by joining soon. Our first drawing of the year will be held in April. Don t miss out! See Marc, John, Tom, Harry or Frank to join. Remember This: Lent is a journey which leads us to our great and glorious spiritual Resurrection. By NIKOLAOS MANOLIS Parish Council President President s Message Lent is upon us, and Holy Pascha is around the corner. Ordination: On March 2, we hosted the ordination of Conan Gill to the diaconate. It was a wonderful day all around. The Transfiguration family came through with a wonderful dinner (Continued on page 12)

12 (Continued from page 11) PAGE 12 see Connie or Hariklia, and we will take care of it. after the service with gifts from our parish to Deacon Conan and his wife, Stephanie. We thank them and Nick and Susan Pappas for including the Transfiguration family in this wonderful event. Preparing for Pascha: With Pascha upon us let us remember that the parish is like a family that either thrives together or falls apart separately. The saying goes you can take one stick at a time and break it, but if put in a handful you can never break them. The same is true with our Transfiguration Church family. Alone and individually we cannot progress, but together we can accomplish anything. When we work alone or for individual agendas were are not hurting anyone but our parish and our church. At the end of the day, we all go home to our lives, and it s the church that suffers. Decisions made for selfish reasons can only hurt our parish. So when you say or do something, remember to ask yourself: Am I doing it from my own arrogance and selfinterests or the interests of God s house? In your private life, you have the luxury of such actions, but not in our parish. So let us not forget why we are here. Again, arrogance and self-interest has no place in our parish. So in this time of Pascha, let us all come together and work toward the glory of God and his house. By CONNIE GKOLIAS Sunday School Director Sunday School As we continue through our Lenten journey, let us keep love in our hearts. Classrooms relocated: On Feb. 26, our church suffered a considerable amount of damage due to an automobile accident. The preschool and kindergarten rooms suffered the most damage and cannot be used until further notice. We have relocated these classes in the main hall that brings back memories. We hope and pray to be back in our classrooms as soon as possible. Dismissal reminder: Please note Sunday School is in session until noon. If church services run beyond that time, Sunday School will remain in session until church is over. Please do not walk in the hallways while Sunday School is in session as it disturbs the teachers and children. If you need to dismiss your child/children, please Mark your calendars: Here are a few dates to remember: April 20: Palm Sunday (There is Sunday School). April 25: Good Friday (Retreat for HOPE, JOY and GOYA-aged youth). April 27: Easter Sunday (No Sunday School). May 4: Godparents Sunday. May 25: No Sunday School in observance of Memorial Day. June 8: Sunday School graduation. By LOUIS STAMAS Assistant Choir Director Choir Holy Ordination: Our choir was especially excited and delighted to sing the hymns and responses of the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy and the Holy Ordination of Deacon Conan Gill on March 2, with His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver officiating. In a Hierarchal Divine Liturgy, the most challenging assignment for the choir, should it choose to accept it, (really, because clergy and/or chanters can do it), is the antiphonal singing, with the hierarch and clergy, of the beautiful, elaborate Agios O Theos tou Vimatos. Early in the liturgy, the antiphonal verses were chanted by Deacon Conan s sister-in-law, our own Melanie Pappas. It was a service, and a day, that all of us will remember for a long, long time. New members needed: As we begin the journey of the Great Lent, and the choir sings the generally longer and more elaborate special hymns of the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, we are again reminded that we need more voices, especially male voices, in the choir. What s your excuse, all of you men who sing so well in the shower? If you don t want to leave your wives sitting alone in the nave, bring them up, too. Better yet, ask a friend or two to come up with you. Remember, no audition is required to join the choir, and we have very few rehearsals. There is no better time than the present to join us, as we are beginning to practice the beautiful hymns of Holy Week and Easter. (Continued on page 13)

13 PAGE 13 (Continued from page 12) Graduate Sunday Applications now available: The Ladies Philoptochos Society plans to recognize all Class of 2008 high school and college/advanced-degree graduates after Divine Liturgy on Sunday, June 22. Scholarship applications are available in the church office for high school graduates whose parents are stewards of the Transfiguration Church and who plan to pursue a post-secondary education. The deadline for completed applications is May 1. High school graduates not planning to continue their education are encouraged to complete biographical information forms also available in the church office. Please contact Patricia Mahoney at or patm1231@hotmail.com with any questions regarding scholarships. College or advanced-degree recipients should notify Melanie Pappas at or melanie.pappas@gmail.com. GOYA Pascha candles: The GOYA will continue selling decorative candles for Pascha through April 20 or until the supply runs out. These candles are hand-decorated by our GOYANs, and any profits generated will be our offering to the parish for Pascha. Cancer walk: In May, the GOYA will once again walk in the Lowell General Hospital Cancer Walk. Last year, with your generous support, we were able to raise more than $1,000 for cancer programs. GOYA representatives will be collecting sponsors beginning later this month. Please keep an eye on the weekly Trans-Notes for upcoming events and notices. By SANDRA GULEZIAN HOPE/JOY Coordinator HOPE / JOY On the afternoon of Saturday, March 8, about 60 people got together to play Bingo in the church hall. Many went home with some fun prizes and all got to make an ice cream sundae. This family event was sponsored by HOPE and JOY for all members of the parish and was coordinated by Andrea Garibaldi, one of the HOPE/JOY advisers. Thanks to all for their help and donations that day. Please feel free to msgulezian@comcast.net to stay informed about HOPE and JOY activities. Future events will be planned after Easter. Wishing all a very blessed Pascha season. Sunday of Orthodoxy Sunday School students hold their icons at the front of the church during the March 16 observance of the Sunday of Orthodoxy. All the schoolchildren participated in the procession around the church to mark the restoration of icons in the Orthodox Church in 843. (Photo by Nick Pappas) By SUSAN PAPPAS Coffee Hour Coordinator Coffee Hour March 23: Sponsored by Jean and Dr. Chris Kareores in memory of Louis Kareores; also by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Asimakopoulos in memory of Elizabeth Asimakopoulos. Volunteers needed: We are always looking for new people who are willing to help serve during the weekly coffee hour. If you would like to volunteer to serve, or if you would like to sponsor a coffee hour for any occasion, please call coffee hour coordinator Susan Pappas at , her at smpappas16@yahoo.com or see her any Sunday after the Divine Liturgy. Greek School Greek Independence Day: The Greek School had its Greek Independence Day performance on March 16. The children performed wonderfully and looked great in their Amalias and foustanellas. We had a packed church hall and while everyone enjoyed a spaghetti dinner, the children performed traditional Greek dances and poems, explaining the importance of March 25. We hope everyone enjoyed the performance as much as the children did performing for everyone. (Continued on page 14)

14 PAGE 14 (Continued from page 13) Registration info: If anyone is interested signing up for Greek School next year, we will begin accepting application in May. Thank you to everyone who supported our fundraiser, and we look forward to growing the program in years to come. VCC Lenten Camp On Saturday March 15, our Vacation Church Camp held its annual Lenten Day Camp. More than 50 young people attended and participated in many sessions and activities. The day began with Divine Liturgy and was followed with sessions on Orthodox life, church music, arts/ crafts and learning how to prepare Koliva for memorial services. The day ended with a memorial service in which all the campers wrote out the names of their loved ones who had fallen asleep. A special thank you to all the staff members, junior staff members, parents and volunteers who helped make this day such a success. Bible Study Each month, Father Demetri offers Bible study classes on Thursday mornings. This month, the classes are scheduled for the Thursdays of April 3, 10 and 17. For more information about the classes, please contact Father Demetri. Tuesday Morning Group The Tuesday Morning Ladies Group would like to invite other ladies of the parish to come join them on Tuesdays from about 9:30 a.m. until noon. It s a great place to meet, socialize and enjoy a cup of coffee, bring your ideas for crafts or whatever and enjoy new and old friendships on Tuesday mornings. Newsletter Deadline Transfiguration organizations are asked to submit entries for this newsletter as early in the month as possible and no later than the 15th. If at all possible, please submit your material by to Editor Nick Pappas at npappas05@comcast.net. Entries also can be faxed to the church office at or dropped off in the office during normal business hours. It is important that all church organizations be represented in the Trans-a Gram, so please make an effort to participate. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

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