Promise. 50 th CHOOSE LIFE: The work of the Holy and Great. The hymns of this Feast of the Dormition. The

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1 Promise The 50 th HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH ANNIVERSARY August 2016 ^ Volume 40, Issue 6 htgoc@westfieldnj.com holytrinitywestfield.org CHOOSE LIFE: The Feast of the Dormition as the Feast of Life The hymns of this Feast of the Dormition refer again and again to the most holy Theotokos as the Mother of Life, but the Virgin Mary is not the first to be given this title. The title Mother of Life directs us back to the beginning of creation, to the first man and woman in the garden. For, at the precise moment that the Lord God pronounces the curse of death for their disobedience, the man, Adam, turns to his wife and, in what is perhaps the most optimistic act of the entire Old Testament, calls her Zoe or Life, for she was, as the Scripture says, the mother of life. [Genesis 3:20] Mother of life : this paradox expresses the truth that, as human beings, we were created for communion with God, and thus, we were created for life. Our fulfillment and our vocation is to live a life of communion with God, by love drawing nearer to Him toward sharing His In giving birth, thou didst preserve thy virginity. In falling asleep thou didst not forsake the world, O Theotokos. Thou wast translated to life, O mother of Life, and by thy prayers thou deliverest our souls from death. Troparion of the Feast of the Dormition Neither the tomb nor death could hold the Theotokos, who is constant in prayer and our firm hope in her intercessions. For being the mother of Life, she was translated to life by the One who dwelt in her virginal womb. Kontakion of the Feast of the Dormition immortality, sharing in His divine life. We were not created for death. Death was not part of our nature, nor is the evil which causes death; and death is by no means natural. But neither was the punishment of death which followed from our disobedience any kind of contrived or arbitrary punishment; it was simply reality. By disobedience, we turned away from God and thus from the Source of Life; and so death became our destiny, for our nature became corrupted and we were no longer in direct communion with life. Death became our end, because, contrary to what most people in our society believe and what certain Western confessions teach, the human soul is not naturally immortal. Rather, immortality is property of God alone; human beings cannot possess it, and we can only share in God s own immortality by grace. Adam and Eve fell, not from a high state of perfection and The Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church The work of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church convened June 20, 2016, the Feast of the Holy Spirit, at the Orthodox Academy of Crete after almost a thousand years and despite the decision of four Churches not to participate. His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided over the Great and Holy Council. The following nine Primates of the Orthodox Autocephalous Churches and their respective honorable delegations participated: His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania, His Beatitude Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus, His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and all Greece, His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania, His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland, His Beatitude Archbishop Rastislav of Czech Lands and Slovakia. Absent from the Council were their Wait for the promise of the Father 1

2 Dates in the Life of Our Church August/September 2016 AUGUST 1 7:00 PM Paraklesis 3 9:00 AM Paraklesis 5 7:00 PM Great Vespers 6 Holy Transfiguration 8:30 AM Orthros 7 8:15 AM Orthros 8 7:00 PM Paraklesis 10 9:00 AM Paraklesis 12 7:00 PM Paraklesis 13 11:00 AM Baptism 14 8:15 AM Orthros 15 Dormition of the Theotokos 8:30 AM Orthros 20 12:00 PM Wedding 3:00 PM Wedding 21 8:15 AM Orthros 27 11:00 AM Baptism 3:30 PM Wedding 28 8:15 AM Orthros SEPTEMBER 4 8:15 AM Orthros 5 Labor Day offices closed 10 10:00 AM Baptism 11 8:15 AM Orthros 11:45 AM Fellowship Picnic 13 7:30 PM Parish Council 14 Exaltation of the Holy Cross 8:30 AM Orthros immortality, but from a life growing and maturing toward perfection in God, growing towards sharing God s own eternal life. The fall arrested that growth: sin brought death, and death brought sin; as the Apostle Paul teaches death is the wages of sin, while sin is the sting of death. In order for one to be conquered the other must be overcome. Humanity remained enslaved until Holy Pascha, when Jesus Christ, the Only Sinless One, trampled down death by death, and rose from dead; He liberated us from death s bondage, shattering its dominion, and destroying the effective power of Satan. The Feast of the Dormition is itself a mini- Pascha, for it is to this resurrected Body of Christ, in which the power of death is shattered once and for all, that the most holy Theotokos united herself, so that she too shares in her Son s victory over death. Certainly, she gave birth to the Giver of Life in the flesh; and for that reason, she is indeed Mother of Life. But the Theotokos was not an empty vessel for the Son of God. She, like every human being, has a will and a heart: life and death were set before her, and she chose life; she chose to live for her Lord and Creator, and to make every act and breath an act of life. That is why she is called by the Fathers of the Church the New Eve, and that is why she fulfills the prophetic title Adam gives to his wife, the Mother of Life. So oriented was her heart toward her God, so filled and transfigured was she by the life of Christ, that even her death became an act of life; death could not contain her. And now, being truly liberated from the bondage and fear of death, we too must take up where Adam and Eve left off, in the struggle to mature in perfection, to share in the divine life. We too must choose life; we too must make our every breath and movement an act of life. This is only possible when we abide in Christ, who is in Himself the way, the truth and the life. All that is left to the evil one after the Resurrection of Christ, the Fathers teach us, is the power of deceit and delusion; Satan no longer holds the power of death. Yet if we allow the evil one to increase and perpetuate our separation from God, then we are giving back into his hands the power of death, and placing ourselves once more into its bondage. But if we, like the Theotokos, choose life, if we turn again to the Source of Life, and unite ourselves to the Risen Christ, then we can share in the victory over sin and death; we can abide in God s eternal life. As we celebrate the Feast of the Dormition, we celebrate the feast of life, not only of the Virgin Mary, but of all human beings; for, in the Theotokos, human nature has reached its goal of sharing in the life of God. In the words spoken by the Prophet Moses to the People of Israel before his own repose: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore, CHOOSE LIFE, that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice, and cleaving to Him. For this is your life and the length of your days that you may dwell in the land the Lord swore to give to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. [Deuteronomy 30:19-20] v 2 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

3 Beatitudes, Patriarch John of Antioch, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, Patriarch Neophyte of Bulgaria and Patriarch Ilia of Georgia, Primates of their respective autocephalous churches. The Primates of the Local Orthodox Autocephalous Churches in their turn, addressed greetings to the Council, unanimously expressing their joy and support for being present at this historic event. They reaffirmed their commitment to work together in unity to address the questions facing the Church in the contemporary world and to deepen co-operation in the future. Sunday of Pentecost The date of June 19 was the date of the First Ecumenical Council held in Nicaea in 325 A.D. This fact was noted by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, as on June 19, 2016 the Holy and Great Council of 2016 A.D. commenced with the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy con-celebration of the Holy Feast of Pentecost - calling all to unity. His All-Holiness posed the question at some point: is this coincidence or divine providence? His All-Holiness Bartholomew presided over a resplendent patriarchal con-celebration of Pentecost with the Primates of the Orthodox Autocephalous Churches. His Excellency the President of the Hellenic Republic, Prokopis Pavlopoulos along with many other dignitaries and officials were in prayerful attendance. A joyful day has now dawned, said the Ecumenical Patriarch, at the opening of his homily and said that today is a day of unity, as we are all united in the faith and the sacraments of our Church, adding, The unity of the Orthodox Church and its faithful represents our mission. Our ecclesial unity does not take on the form of a federation, nor does it stem from the congregating around some mere human. It proceeds from and is made complete by our common faith, which is synonymous with salvation, with eternal life. After the end of the Divine Liturgy and the Vespers of the Holy Spirit, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Primates of the Local Orthodox Autocephalous Churches and the President of Hellenic Republic, Mr. Prokopis Pavlopoulos, attended a reception at the offices of the Archdiocese of Crete, hosted by His Eminence Archbishop Eirinaios of Crete. Official Luncheon by the President of Greece Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew offered a toast on behalf of the Primates of the Local Orthodox Autocephalous Churches, at a luncheon hosted in their honor by the President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Prokopis Pavlopoulos. His All-Holiness thanked the beloved people of Greece for their prayerful presence and support to the work of the Holy and Great Council, promising that Orthodoxy shall fulfill her historic duty and responsibility. Orthodoxy constitutes a real and permanent place of peaceful coexistence and stability in the modern torn-world, a true source of peace for all the peoples. The word of the Orthodox Church is essential, because it proclaims the necessity of charity, love, and unity of mankind, as well as, the necessity of peaceful cooperation between the peoples of the earth, regardless of the religious faith of each, said His All-Holiness. President Pavlopoulos, welcomed the convening of the Holy and Great Council in Crete, making references to the First Ecumenical Council, and the value of the Synodical System, as the irreplaceable guarantee of the unity of the Orthodox Church. He also said that the mission of the Holy and Great Council acquires universal dimensions, since Christianity, with Orthodoxy as its epicenter, is called to defend besides everything else, the principles and values of European culture and western civilization in general, with emphasis on those of peace, democracy, freedom and justice. An open and honest discussion In the ensuing days since its opening the Holy and Great Council considers and continues to discuss the six Pre-Conciliar Documents in the agenda: a) The Mission of the Orthodox Church in today s World, b) the Orthodox Diaspora, c) Autonomy and the means by which it is proclaimed, d) the importance of Fasting and its observance today, e) Relations of the Orthodox Church with the rest of the Christian World, f ) and the Sacrament of Marriage and its impediments. Extensive discussion on the pre-conciliar texts was held and various suggestions and clarifications were proposed by the Primates and individual Hierarchs of the local Orthodox Autocephalous Churches. It is an experience of absolute freedom of expression of views and opinions without limits or hindrances of any kind. It is an honest and open discussion on very difficult and complex issues, said His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Geron of America about the work of the Synod. His Eminence also underlined the importance of the manner in which Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presides at the Synod, saying it is an exquisite, attentive and elegant way, which fosters an atmosphere of freedom and unity. v For more information and to read the documents produced by the Great and Holy Council, please visit: The Promise ^ August 2016 ^ Volume 40, Issue 6 3

4 HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION July 2016 Dear Friends and Family of Holy Trinity, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Westfield, New Jersey, will be celebrating its Fiftieth Anniversary on October 2, As we begin the next decade of serving the faithful in Central New Jersey, we are truly blessed to have reached this milestone. The day will be commemorated with the celebration of a hierarchical Divine Liturgy and Anniversary Luncheon to follow. Following this milestone, the Golden Gala dinner dance will be held on November 5. This will be a time of fellowship and rejoicing. To honor this historic event, a Fiftieth Anniversary Commemorative Journal will be published. This is a unique and singular opportunity for parishioners, relatives and friends to memorialize for posterity their special relationship with Holy Trinity. Personal messages and photographs of a particular time at Holy Trinity are welcome and encouraged. Your sponsorship, prayers and support are important to us; therefore, we humbly ask for your participation in making this an extraordinary celebration. If you would like to submit a sponsorship, please complete the attached form and remit payment to: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church 250 Gallows Hill Rd. Westfield, NJ Attn.: 50th Anniversary Ads 50 th ANNIVERSARY th Anniversary DIVINE LITURGY LUNCHEON CELEBRATION Bouras Center Sunday, October 2nd Two-thousand Sixteen UHOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CH RCH Save The Date Deadline for receiving all materials and payment is November 30, Your support, dedication, and love of Holy Trinity over the last 50 years have been exceptional. We thank you and look forward to your continued support and dedication in the years to come. Sincerely, Rev. Fr. Peter Delvizis, Parish Priest Agapios Kyritsis, 50th Anniversary Chair Peter Tarhanidis, President, Parish Council HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 250 Gallows Hill Road Westfield, New Jersey Website: htgoc@westfieldnj.com Phone: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

5 FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE JOURNAL ADVERTISEMENT CONTRACT Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church 250 Gallows Hill Road, Westfield, NJ Gold Page $1,000 Silver Page $500 Full Page $300 Half Page $200 Quarter Page $100 Name Address City State Zip address Phone: Cell Day Evening DEADLINE FOR RECEIVING PAYMENT AND ALL MATERIALS IS NOVEMBER 30, MAIL TO: HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH, 250 GALLOWS HILL ROAD, WESTFIELD, NJ ATTN: KASSANDRA ROMAS, 50 th COMMEMORATIVE JOURNAL CHAIR PAYMENT BY CHECK: Make check payable to HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH ; please send to address above. PAYMENT ONLINE: Pay online by visiting: and click on the Donate Now button. PAYMENT BY CREDIT CARD: Card type: Visa MasterCard AMEX Card Number Security Code Expiration Date Name on card Billing address City St Zip Signature (Please mail this form and message to the church using the address above.) PHOTOS/MEMORABILIA/MESSAGE: Your photos, memorabilia, and message are WANTED for inclusion. If you have photographs of any sacrament at Holy Trinity, a youth or sporting event, special dinner, a Holy Trinity sponsored event, please send them! Make sure that your message and/or memories are included in our special 50 th Anniversary Journal! Be a part of our historical album. Your message: Your ad copy, business card: Should be in pdf or jpg format. Dimensions of Journal are 8.5 inches x 11 inches. Please send to Kassandra Romas (Journal Chair) at: kromas22409@gmail.com, or, mail to Holy Trinity c/o K. Romas (see address above) or, call her at for additional information. The Promise ^ August 2016 ^ Volume 40, Issue 6 5

6 First time in 81 years, Muslim call to prayer heard from inside Hagia Sophia A muezzin has performed an Islamic call to prayer for the first time in 81 years in one of Istanbul s iconic monuments, Hagia Sophia, famous for its grandiose dome. The traditional call to prayer, the adhan, has been played from Hagia Sophia s minarets for the last four years. However, the muezzin had chanted it from a prayer room, not from inside the historic landmark, which began as a church in 537 A.D. The cathedral was converted into a mosque in 1453, when the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople, and was converted to a museum in Hagia Sophia was the world s largest cathedral for almost ten centuries until Seville Cathedral, a Roman Catholic cathedral in Spain, was completed in Last month, Ankara allowed Hagia Sophia to be used for Islamic Ramadan prayers. The move came under fire from Athens, however, where Greece s New Democracy opposition party called the prayers provocative and incomprehensible the coordinator of Foreign Affairs and Defence of New Democracy, Dora Bakoyannis, and head of the party s Foreign sector Ioannis Kefalogiannis, said in a joint statement. The decision of Turkish authorities to schedule the Koran reading in Hagia Sophia for the next month, has virtually transformed it into a mosque for the first time in 80 years. It is a provocative and incomprehensible act and shows disrespect against Orthodox Christians across the world and is not in line with Turkey s European course, The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America expresses its deepest regret for the unexpected and continuing daily reading of the Koran in Hagia Sophia. The United States, as well as Germany and Greece have already officially expressed very clear protests which emphasize verbatim: We would encourage Turkey to preserve Hagia Sophia in a way that respects its tradition and also its complex history and also stress that Hagia Sophia is a World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO and we wish Hagia Sophia be used in a way that does not alter its status as a World Heritage Monument. To the above reasonable voices of protest we add our own protest and strongly condemn this act of altering the internationally recognized status of Hagia Sophia. We call upon those responsible for this action to consider the enormous responsibility they assume with the continuation of this practice and terminate the readings of the Koran in Hagia Sophia, a historic monument of global significance. v Hagia Sophia build initially, by Constantine the Great in 330 A.D., was rebuilt twice following respective fires, in the year 415 A.D. by Theodosius II, and finally by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, who inaugurated the greatest church of Christianity, as we know it today, in 537 A.D. Since then, and until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, Hagia Sophia was the See of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the center and a symbol of Orthodox Christianity. From Hagia Sophia was converted to a mosque and its mosaics and fresco icons of great art and beauty were plastered over or destroyed. In 1934 it was converted to a museum and in 1985 was designated a Unesco World Heritage Site. 6 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

7 Avi, Fr. Peter, Costa, with Fr. Nick Verdaris who grew up at H.T. Hierarchs of America with Patriarchal Representatives Avi and Costa inside the Parthenon with 40 ft. statue of Athina holding the Winged Niki. Archbishop Demetrios of America To-scale replica of the Parthenon in Nashville Philoptochos delegates with Costa Kiriakatis Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit Holy Cross School of Theology Reception Featured singer Jonathan Jackson of the hit TV series Nashville Unity in Harmony and Peace The Message of the 43 rd Biennial Clergy Laity Congress The 43rd Biennial Clergy Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America concluded Thursday, July 7, 2016, with the plenary session and the traditional Grand Banquet at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. A total of 1,197 registered participants were in attendance including 396 delegates to the National Philoptochos Convention. The work of the Congress culminated with Thursday s daylong plenary session, the presentation of the reports and the approval of the budgets for the next two years. Within the scope of the Administration Committee, three amendments to the Regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America were presented and following extensive discussion were approved. The amendments are on Conflicts Disclosure Policy, Whistle-blower policy and Youth protection. Additionally a Financial Disclosure Amendment to the Uniform Parish Regulations was approved. Several resolutions were adapted by the Congress and included: a resolution proposed by the Order of St. Andrew Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on Religious Freedom, a resolution regarding Hagia Sophia, that deplores the use of Hagia Sophia for conducting Muslim services, opposes any plans to convert it into a Mosque and calls for it to remain as a museum. Also a resolution on terrorism was adapted which deplores the innocent killing of civilians by terrorists affiliated with radical terrorist groups and condemns those who kill others in the name of religion. In a separate resolution the 43rd Clergy Laity Congress applauds the presence and functioning of the Assembly of Bishops of the United States; calls upon all Orthodox Christians to support the Assembly of Bishops to foster greater unity and coordination of Orthodox Christianity in America; and calls upon all Orthodox Churches in America to work together on the ministries of the Church and serve as a common witness in the secular society of today. Finally, a resolution of thanks was adapted expressing gratitude to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and all those who contributed to the success of the Congress. (see available documents on The festive Grand Banquet was an appropriate finish to the weeklong 43rd Biennial Clergy Laity Congress. Patriarchal representative Metropolitan Damaskinos of Kydonia and Apokoronos surprised the gala attendees as he, in the Cretan tradition, recited greetings and praise in the form of mantinades, with verses about joy and friendship, hardships and suffering and rhyming commentary on the proceedings, the people and happenings of the Congress he witnessed. Metropolitan Ambrosios of Korea, the second patriarchal representative, offered warm and heartfelt greetings and appreciation for his experience during the work of the Congress. He additionally spoke of the high caliber, ethos and mindset of Archbishop Demetrios. Concluding his remarks Metropolitan Ambrosios asked the faithful in America for two things: first to pray for their spiritual shepherd and second to pay close attention and follow his example and said that by doing so we will surely be the voice of Christ in a changing world. Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit, the host Metropolitan of the 43rd Congress, offered words of appreciation to the participants and to all who toiled tirelessly for the success of the Congress. He also admonished those in attendance to keep God fist and place Christ at the head of the table so we can be the voice of Christ in a changing world. Archbishop Demetrios of America in his response said he was pleased the evening was full of unexpected and unpredictable events. He spoke about the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church, which took place in Crete, Greece, only two weeks prior and said it was a tremendous experience, demonstrating the vision and the unity of the Orthodox Church, permeated by of the presence and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He added that the presence of the Holy Spirit was also guiding the faithful at the 43rd Clergy Laity Congress in their work. Whatever we do has to be a manifestation of unity in all levels, unity with harmony and unity in peace, said Archbishop Demetrios and added being the voice of Christ in unity will help us grow in the Lord and lead us into transformation and salvation. v The Promise ^ August 2016 ^ Volume 40, Issue 6 7

8 Philoptochos Convention Nashville, Tennessee BY AVI KIRIAKATIS National Philoptochos President Maria Logus welcomed all delegates to the 2016 Biennial National Philoptochos Convention, hosted by the Metropolis of Detroit in Nashville, Tennessee, July 3-8, at Gaylord Opryland Convention Center to celebrate 85 years ( ) of Philanthropy, Fellowship and Faith in Action. His Grace Bishop Sevastianos of Zela, National Philoptochos Spiritual Advisor was present at all our meetings. There were 375 registered delegates and 6 observers. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Geron of America thanked Philoptochos for their love and mission in philanthropy and for raising over $1.3 million dollars for the rebuilding of Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine. Through the efforts of the Philoptochos chapters and individuals, a grand total of $3,212,097 was distributed to ministries, programs and special appeals during the two year period from January 1, 2014, through December 31, Feeding Children Everywhere Philoptochos delegates participated in packaging 25,000 + meals for hungry children in Nashville and Greece. Each participant was also asked to make a donation on Feeding Children Everywhere website by selecting National Philoptochos Hunger Project - $10 provides 40 meals; $100 provides 400 meals. We were up 7:00 am at various production lines, measuring, weighing, packaging and sealing bags of food to be distributed. Feeding the Hungry It has been 16 months since National Philoptochos President Maria Logus announced her goal of getting back to basics through the Feeding the Hungry initiative and the national challenge to provide 250,000 meals to those in need throughout the country. To date 667,504 meals were served from 100 Philoptochos chapters. Human Trafficking: Thistle Farms and Magdalene Homes Katrina Robertson and her daughter Ebony Davidson shared their very emotional stories of abuse and addiction and how they found healing at Thistle Farms. Love is the most powerful source of change in the world. The ladies at Thistle Farms make handmade products to sell in order to raise money to help more women in need. Philoptochos delegates donated more than $8,750. Debbie Vlahakis and I were very honored to have represented the Philoptochos of Holy Trinity at this inspirational convention. We had a wonderful week of educational and interactive meetings, unforgettable events, getting together with spirituality, sharing ideas, seeing friends, meeting new people, congenial fellowship giving us a greater understanding of this unique ministry and sharing our faith being The Voice of Christ in a Changing World. Won t you please become a Philoptochos member and join us to do God s work? v Anna Mikros Appointed New Greek School Principal After several decades of service as principal of Holy Trinity Greek School, Kyria Rita Fitanidou announced her retirement this past May. It is with pleasure that Father Peter appoints to this position, Kyria Anna Mikros. Ms. Mikros is a native Greek speaker with 10 years of experience at our school. She is a very capable and enthusiastic teacher who is well-loved by both students and teachers alike. In addition to her duties as teacher, she assisted Ms. Fitanidou with curriculum development and helped organize student programs. She also offers continuity to the parish Greek school and families as well as an eagerness to harness new teaching approaches for the school. Although Kyria Anna is no stranger to Holy Trinity Greek School, we welcome and support her new position and pray that her service is richly blessed. v 8 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

9 Sacraments &Rites May 13 July 11, 2016 FUNERALS 5/25/16 +Rev. Fr. George Prassas 5/28/16 +John Priovolos 5/31/16 +Stephen Gussis 6/6/16 +Nicholas Pappas 6/15/16 +Sapho Lanbrinides CHURCHINGS 6/7/16 Lukas Christos, son of Roula and Vasilios Ioannou 6/26/16 Nicholas Stephen, son of Lisa and Christos Pappas 7/3/16 Aristidis Andrew Emmanuel, son of Andrew and Angela Koutoudis 7/17/16 Matthias Andreas, son of Andrew and Sophia Paisis BAPTISMS 6/12/16 Anna Isabella, daughter of Gabriela and SavvaPolichronis Godparent is Fotis Manolas 6/17/16 Morris James, son of Joyce and Wing May Godparents are John and MiriamKotsonis NEW MEMBERS Georgia Daskalopoulos 16 Ayers Ln. Clark, NJ Vasilios and Zaharoula Ioannou 5 Roseland Ave. Warren, NJ Andrew F. Jayson 10 Village Park Ct., Scotch Plains, NJ Andrew J. and Angela Koutoudis 2072 Mountain Ave Scotch Plains, NJ Louis Phelepidis Sophia Agathis Good Morning Father Peter, parents, teachers, and fellow students. Although my years of Sunday School have come to an end, I know my spiritual journey will continue for the rest of my life. My faith in God has played and will continue to play a very important role in my life as I am sure it has played in my classmates lives as well. It touches every aspect of my life and it has sustained me through the most difficult times, from everyday decisions, the daunting task of applying to colleges, and lastly my father s illness. I was baptized at Holy Trinity and have been a member of the parish for eighteen years, following the footsteps of my family. As we all know life is hard. We are faced with complicated decisions on a daily basis. As a teenager, I am required to make difficult decisions in an environment marked by peer pressure. External influences can sometimes make it difficult to make a moral based decision, but with the great support of my parents and my faith in God I have always gone to sleep at night with a clear conscience knowing I have not hurt anyone or myself. My Sunday school classes taught me valuable lessons about how Jesus handled adverse situations. I have been very privileged and honored to have been surrounded by so many dedicated, hard-working, and passionate Sunday school teachers. As students, we take it for granted how fortunate we are to have committed leaders with a sincere commitment to God who have the ability and the gift of teaching us the word of God; to love others, to teach us and practice the principles that God wants us to embrace in our everyday lives. And I hear that Father Peter picks the best of the best as Sunday school teachers! We sometimes forget that our Sunday school teachers are also parents who have demanding jobs dealing with their everyday tasks and responsibilities but yet find time every Sunday to dedicate their time in making a difference in our lives. Our Sunday school teachers are very special people. Applying to colleges can be such a daunting task. I had to make many decisions about my future that can be very intimidating. After I narrowed down the schools that I wanted to apply to and the programs that I was interested in, the long and arduous application process began. I have to admit Senior Speaker June 12, 2016 I battled with some self-doubt and fear during this process. I found myself praying a lot to God for guidance and I found solace in prayer which lessened my anxiety. Thankfully, I got accepted to the college of my choice and look forward to my college years ahead. Attending the religious retreats has also taught me to find God in a deeper dimension. I learned through silent prayer how to look for answers and, how to find solutions. I learned through silent contemplation the benefits of retreating before God. These were peaceful tactics that helped me during the journey of my college application process. Finally, faith in God has played the biggest role in dealing with my father s illness. My father has always been a great believer in God and has shared his belief with my sisters and me. When my father became sick three years ago, my family and I were devastated. We were plagued by fear of the unknown. I asked God to please keep him with us. Although my father suffered a lot during this time, his faith in God was unwavering; this just made us believe even more. I thank God every day that my father is still here with us even though he still faces health challenges. Father Peter played a pivotal role during this time. He was always accessible whenever we needed him and he has shown up when we haven't asked him to. Attending Sunday school also helped me further understand my faith and brought me closer to God; giving me strength knowing that everything was going to be okay. In the end, it is the support and love of my parents and my faith and belief in God that have helped me through my young life. My overall education, including Sunday school, has given me valuable tools to deal with the journey of life. I thank my parents for being the best advocates for religious education. As I stand here today, I want to acknowledge how proud I am to be a member of our parish, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, as I thank my mentors for playing a huge role in my life. I will end with one quote from James 1:6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. I chose this quote because it exemplifies not only my deep belief and dedication to God but most importantly, I will never doubt and lose my faith. v The Promise ^ August 2016 ^ Volume 40, Issue 6 9

10 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

11 The Promise ^ August 2016 ^ Volume 40, Issue 6 11

12 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 6 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 12