Trans-a-Gram. Inside this issue. Fr. Demetri s message. 2. Graduate Sunday Greek Fair Ministry Award... 10

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1 Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church July-August 2008 Monthly / Issue No. 7 Trans-a-Gram Rev. Demetrios T. Costarakis, Pastor Nicholas G. Pappas, Editor Inside this issue Fr. Demetri s message. 2 Father Demetri shares with us a modern parable, based on a conversation between a young man and his parents, that holds a poignant message about the role parents play in setting an example for their children on the importance of faith. Graduate Sunday The Ladies Philoptochos Society awarded scholarships to 11 highschool seniors who will be moving on to college in the fall. The organization also recognized some parishioners who recently completed their college studies. Greek Fair Plans are well under way for Greek Fair 08, which is scheduled for the weekend of Sept Greek food, music, dancing, a marketplace, Kids Town, church tours and a visit by Oldies FM are among the many activities planned. Ministry Award Mary Nicholaides was presented the Metropolis of Boston Ministry Award by His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios at the 22nd-annual Ministry Awards Dinner on June 1. Booked for the Summer Students at the McAvinnue School in Lowell are all smiles as they look over some of the 2,400 books that were donated to the school by parishioners as part of the Ladies Philoptochos Society s literacy project under the direction of Olivia Sintros. The Philoptochos also provided the students with 475 book bags. Story, Page 10.

2 PAGE 2 FATHER DEMETRI S MESSAGE A modern parable for us to ponder By FATHER DEMETRI COSTARAKIS Pastor things around the house, or how Church was long and took up too much of the day. I came across this parable and I do not know who the author is. If anyone recognizes this parable, please contact the church so we may give the proper recognition for this month s message. There was a young man, who after completing his college education went in to his chosen profession. One day he announced to his parents an important decision he had come to. He had decided to drop the Faith, the Faith that he had been raised in, and become a member of a newly organized religious group. This group was exciting, appealing and encouraged involvement. Of course it would be quite expensive though ten percent of his annual income. It also required a good deal of time and sacrifice, but it would be a rewarding experience. His parents were somewhat shocked to hear these words from their son, for whom they had worked hard to raise and they were no richer and no poorer than others. They asked him Why are you doing this? How can you do this? The son replied back you sound as though I were being very disrespectful; that I were letting you down. If it were so serious why didn t you take me to Church as a child? Why didn t we attend as a family? When I wanted to go you told me that I had a sporting event, and I needed to look at my priorities. I can only remember attending services at Christmas and Easter. Maybe a baptism or a wedding. We did go when Theo Alex died. But I remember you saying you had to rest on Sundays, or do 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 He also said If your Church were so important why did you both complain so much that the Church was always asking for financial help. When help was needed at functions or gatherings you always said other people can do it, we don t need to help, we re too busy. The son went on to say This new and exciting group I want to join asks for sacrifice and dedication from everyone. They practice tolerance and understanding. You always told me never trust anybody, and that includes the Church. I know you will understand why I have come to this decision. The parents sat in a daze, stunned by their son s revelation. Perhaps they should have devoted Sundays to attending Church as a family. Maybe they should have believed more in the work of the Church and supported it wholeheartedly with time, talent, stewardship and effort. It was now crystal clear to them their son had followed the example they had set and not listened to the words they uttered. * * * This can happen to any family, in any Church! We have in our Faith the teaching of Christ and His Apostles. We have the writings of the Fathers and the lives of the Martyrs. Let us all live the True Faith with wonderful actions and great examples, so that all can grow and take their rightful place in the Church. Transfiguration Feast Day Our Church family will celebrate the Feast Day of our Church on Wednesday, Aug. 6. This is one of the 12 major feast days of the Liturgical calendar. We humbly ask for your attendance and participation at these sacred services beginning with Great Vespers (area Clergy serving) on Tuesday, Aug. 5, at 7 p.m. and on Wednesday, Aug. 6, the Feast of the Transfiguration, with Orthros/Matins at 9 a.m. and Divine Liturgy at 10 a.m. (Lowell area Clergy serving). Let us together celebrate the Feast of the Transfiguration in prayer and with fellowship.

3 PAGE 3 Schedule of Services Orthros 8 to 9 a.m. / Divine Liturgy 9 to 10:30 a.m. Special Services Aug. 1, 4, 6, 7,8, 11, Paraklesis 6 p.m. Aug. 5 (Tuesday) Great Vespers of the Transfiguration 7 p.m. Aug. 6 (Wednesday) Feast Day of the Transfiguration Orthros : 9 a.m. / Divine Liturgy: 10 a.m. Church Services George Anastos Leo Anastos Ed Argerake Mary Argerake John Betses Penelope Colas George A. Danas Stephen A. Danas JULY TRISAGIA Erica MacLeod Yianni Manelas Paraskevi Manolis Peter Matlis James Mavrogianis Charles Metroplis Louis Metropolis Peter Mitropoulis Aug. 29 (Friday).. Beheading of St. John the Baptist Divine Liturgy: 9 a.m. Baptisms: Sacraments Foxx, son of Christ and Holly (Lagsdin) Tsourides. Godparents: Nikolas and Christine Vlahos. (May 24) Liam, son of Justin Gagne and Jill Nestor. Godparents: John and Charlene Stoessel. (May 31) Maria DeMarco Maria Gavriel Katherine Jais Soultana Kapsouris Demetrios Koniditsiotes Stergios Koravos Mary Lellos Peter Lellos Donald Musgrave Bessie Pappas Constantine Sarides Vasiliki Sarides Bessie Seakas Peter Seakas Elene F. Tsechrintzis Christos Tsoukalas Christopher, son of Christopher and Christine (Primpas) Burke. Godfather: James Primpas. (June 8) We congratulate Foxx, Liam and Christopher in becoming our newest Orthodox Christians. Weddings: Christopher Burke and Christine Primpas. Koumbaros: James Primpas. (June 8) Funerals Bessie Savoley of Hudson, N.H. (June 20) 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 Daniel Logothetis Antonia Varoutos Georgia Logothetis Steve Xifaris Charles Loulakis AUGUST TRISAGIA Louise Anagnastopoulos Anastasios Harkoplias Peter Anagnastopoulos George Harkoplias Alice Anneheim Koula Harkoplias Anastasia Baltas Demetrios Hondros Vaios Baltas Maria Hondros Nicholas Colas Panagiota Hondros George A. Danas Panorias Hondros Stephen A. Danas Xenophon Iordanou Marie DiDio Stergios Koravos (Continued on Page 18)

4 Philoptochos awards 11 scholarships By PATRICIA MAHONEY And MELANIE PAPPAS Scholarship Chairpersons The Ladies Philoptochos Society of the Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church once again celebrated the accomplishments of graduating highschool seniors in its annual award ceremony, Graduate Sunday, held after Divine Liturgy on June 22. This year, the Philoptochos awarded 11 scholarships of $500 each. The Philoptochos oversees all memorial and honorary scholarships, including its own scholarship. Blessed with more scholarships this year than recipients, the Scholarship Committee rotated the scholarship in accordance with scholarship guidelines. Sincerest thanks were extended to all scholarship donors. In particular, special recognition was given to the Tavoularis and Alexakos families, whose scholarships are very much appreciated and will be used in the future. PAGE 4 This year s scholarship recipients were: Stephanie Bates, daughter of Erik and Evangeline (Gianes) Bates of Lowell, was this year s recipient of the Peter and Sally Manousos Memorial Scholarship. A recent graduate of Lowell High School, Stephanie was a four-year student of the Latin Lyceum, a selective school within Lowell High. She was a member of the National Honor Society and placed in the top 1 percent of her class. A Sunday School teacher for the past three years, Stephanie plans to major in theater this fall at New York University. Dr. Demetrius Peter Rizos presented the scholarship in honor of his grandparents. Anthony Carmany, son of William and Helene (Scangas) Carmany of The Ladies Philoptochos Society presented $500 scholarships to 11 high-school graduates on Graduate Sunday, June 22. Joined by Father Demetri are, front row from left, Christina Coravos, Nora Darvirris, Stephanie Bates and Maryna Demetri; middle row, Michael Dobi, Brian Koller and Theodore Masse; back row Nicholas Gordon, Anthony Carmany and Nicholas Simpson. Missing from photo is Kristina Oakland. (Photo by Arthur Sparages) Dracut, was presented the Cavoures Family Scholarship on behalf of the family to Anthony Michael Carmany by Philoptochos President Susan Pappas. A graduate of Dracut High School, he took a number of honors courses and received the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship for his outstanding performance on the statewide MCAS test. Anthony plans to attend Worcester State College, where he will major in criminal justice. Christina Coravos, daughter of Dr. Evan and Lorraine (Gardner) Coravos of Andover, received the Crystal E. Laganas Memorial Scholarship from Stacy Shanks Caron, Crystal s dear friend and fellow GOYAn. A graduate of Phillips Academy in Andover, she consistently achieved honor roll status in a demanding honors program and advanced placement courses in math and science. She also was awarded a National Merit Scholarship Commendation. A Sunday School assistant teacher and four-year member of GOYA, Christina plans to major in biology at Rice University in Houston, Texas. (Continued on page 5)

5 PAGE 5 Philoptochos... (Continued from page 4) Nora Darvirris, daughter of Louis and Mary Ann (Vlahakis) Darvirris of Dracut, was presented the Spiros Sintros Scholarship by Spiros Sintros Jr. A graduate of Dracut High School, she was a member of the National Honor Society and was awarded the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship for her outstanding performance on the state-mandated MCAS test. A former member of the parish s youth choir, she intends to major in business administration at Southern New Hampshire University. Maryna Demetri, daughter of James and Frances (Papadopoulos) Demetri of Pelham, N.H., became the first-time recipient of the Johnny Piazas Memorial Scholarship, which was presented by Johnny s sister, Lea. She graduated from Pelham High School and completed a full complement of college preparatory courses with honor-roll grades. Outside the classroom, she was involved in color guard, peer outreach and leadership academy, as well as an actor and director in the drama club. A student of karate for seven years, she earned the status of black belt this year. Like Nora, she also plans to major in business administration at Southern New Hampshire University. Michael Dobi, son of Ernest and Ellen Dobi of Billerica, was awarded the Transfiguration Philoptochos Scholarship by President Susan Pappas. A recent graduate of Billerica High School, he was enrolled in studies achieving distinction of honor roll in a demanding college preparatory course of studies. He also studied German for four years and had the pleasure of hosting a German exchange student and experienced Germany first hand last spring. Michael intends to major in history at Endicott College. Several college graduates were recognized by the Ladies Philoptochos Society on Graduate Sunday. Joining Father Demetri and Scholarship Co-Chairperson Melanie Pappas were, front row from left, Christopher Dobi, Elizabeth Lane, Jennifer Simpson and Italia Stavrou. (Photo by Arthur Sparages) Nicholas Gordon, son of Elaine (Zamanakos) Gordon and the late William Gordon of Pelham, N.H., was presented the Helen Kokkales and Helen Finocchiaro Memorial Scholarship by Dean Finocchiaro, representing his grandmother and mother. A Boy Scout for many years, he has been involved in many outdoor activities and recently assumed the responsibility of assistant scoutmaster. For his community service project, he helped paint a trailer park for the elderly. In the fall, Nicholas will major in social studies secondary education at Plymouth State College in Plymouth, N.H. Brian Koller, son of Brian and Sandra (Chouprakos) Koller of Dracut, was named the first-time recipient of the Dr. Christos Daoulas Memorial Scholarship. A graduate of Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, he undertook a demanding honors/ advanced placement course of studies with superlative grades. His consistent performance led to his distinction of National Honor Society, National Honor Roll, and Who s Who Among American High School Students. A GOYA member, Brian has decided to major in international management and finance at Boston University this fall. The Dr. Christos Daoulas Memorial Scholarship was presented by his sister, Dorothea Husson, and his brother, Col. Arthur Daoulas. Theodore Masse, son of Robert and Elaine (Sarantos) Masse of Dracut, was awarded the Peter A. Eliopoulos Memorial Scholarship by attorney Philip Eliopoulos on behalf of his (Continued on page 6)

6 PAGE 6 Philoptochos... (Continued from page 5) grandfather. A graduate of Lowell High School,, he pursued a college preparatory program of studies, achieving honor-roll grades in a demanding honors college prep program. Outside the classroom, he was active in the International, Science, and the Video Production clubs. Some of the highlights of these activities were trips to Spain and Paris and filming events in Lowell politics and Lowell High activities. A participant in Vacation Church Camp and Greek School, Ted intends to major in electrical engineering and minor in music technology at Northeastern University. Kristina Oakland, daughter of William and Doreen (Paquin) Oakland of Littleton, was awarded the Elizabeth Asimakopoulos Memorial Scholarship. A graduate of Littleton High School, she undertook college preparatory courses with science and math, her greatest interests. Aside from academics, she was a four-star student-athlete in field hockey and track. A participant in Vacation Church Camp, Kristina plans to major in meteorology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Since she was not able to attend, President Susan Pappas accepted the award on her behalf from attorney Jill Asimakopoulos in memory of her grandmother. Nicholas Simpson, son of Donald and Martha (Pappas) Simpson of Billerica, accepted the John and Kalliope Memorial Scholarship from Michael Karagianes in memory of his parents. A recent graduate of Billerica Memorial High School, he successfully completed a full complement of college preparatory courses with computers and German and achieved special recognition of honor roll and perfect attendance. At Transfiguration, he served in the altar and participated in Vacation Church Camp as both a camper and counselor. He also served meals at the House of Hope with his family. Nicholas plans to major in computer science at Wentworth Institute of Technology with the goal of becoming a developer of computer games. Scholarship Chairperson Patricia Mahoney extended special thanks to Father Demetri Costarakis and the Scholarship Committee Philoptochos President Susan Pappas, Melanie Pappas, Jill Laganas, Olivia Sintros and Yiota Simoglou for their unconditional support of the youth of the parish. Co-chairperson Melanie Pappas then recognized four parishioners who recently completed their college education. Christopher Dobi, son of Ernest and Ellen Dobi of Billerica, earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Merrimack College. He plans to pursue a career in business management. Elizabeth Lane, daughter of David and Nancy Lane of Chelmsford, graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in journalism from Suffolk University. Jennifer Simpson, daughter of Donald and Martha Simpson, received a bachelor of arts degree in history from Simmons College. Italia Stavrou graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Salem State College. She plans to take the licensing exam in order to become a registered nurse. A fifth parishioner, Andreas Eleftheriou, earned a master of science degree in biology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. After the presentation of scholarships, a reception followed in the church hall, where parishioners were able to greet the recipients. Five delegates to represent parish at Clergy-Laity By NICK PAPPAS Trans-a-Gram Editor Five members of our parish will serve as official delegates to the 39th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress, which is scheduled for the week of July at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. Father Demetri Costarakis will be joined by Parish Council member Ioannis Zaralidis and Anthony Ziagos in representing our parish at the congress, while Ladies Philoptochos Society 1st Vice President Patricia Mahoney will represent President Susan Pappas at the National Philoptochos Convention. Second Vice President Olivia Sintros also will serve as a delegate at the Philoptochos convention. Registration is open to parishioners who would like to attend the congress as non-delegates. The registration fee is $650, which includes all related meal functions, as well as admission to the various workshops, forums and computer labs. The theme of this year s Clergy- Laity Congress is Gather My People to My Home. For more information about this year s congress, please contact the archdiocese at

7 PAGE 7 FEAST DAY OF THE MONTH Feast of Transfiguration on Aug. 6 I n the icon of the Feast of the Transfiguration, Christ is the central figure, appearing in a dominant position within a circular mandorla. He is clearly at the visual and theological center of the icon. His right hand is raised in blessing, and his left hand contains a scroll. The mandorla with its brilliant colors of white, gold, and blue represent the divine glory and light. The halo around the head of Christ is inscribed with the Greek words O on, meaning The One Who is. Elijah and Moses stand at the top of separate mountain peaks to the left and right of Christ. They are bowing toward Christ with their right hands raised in a gesture of intercession towards Him. Saint John Chrysostom explains the presence of these two fathers of the faith from the Old Testament in three ways. He states that they represent the Law and the Prophets (Moses received the Law from God, and Elijah was a great prophet); they both experienced visions of God (Moses on Mount Sinai and Elijah on Mount Carmel); and they represent the living and the dead (Elijah, the living, because he was taken up into heaven by a chariot of fire, and Moses, the dead, because he did experience death). Below Christ are the three Apostles, who by their posture in the icon show their response to the transfiguration of Christ. James has fallen over backwards with his hands over his eyes. John in the center has fallen prostrate. Peter is kneeling and raises his right hand toward Christ in a gesture expressing his desire to build the three booths. The garments of the Apostles are in a state of disarray as to indicate the dramatic impact the vision has had on them. The icon of the feast directs our attention toward the event of the Transfiguration and specifically to the glory of God as revealed in Christ. This event came at a critical point in the ministry of our Lord, just as He was setting out on His journey to Jerusalem. He would soon experience the humiliation, suffering, and death of the Cross. However, the glorious light of the Resurrection was revealed to strengthen His disciples for the trials that they would soon experience. The feast also points to the great and glorious Second Coming of our Lord and the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God when all of creation will be transfigured and filled with light. * * * Courtesy of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Web site.

8 PAGE 8 Greek Fair 2008 needs your help By NICK PAPPAS Trans-a-Gram Editor The parish s annual food fair has a new name, a new date and some new ideas. Greek Fair 2008 is scheduled for the weekend of Sept The hours are Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m. The steering committee had met twice by the end of June to plan for the two-day fair, the first in many years to be scheduled for the fall. Traditionally, the parish has held its many festivals and fairs in the month of June. In addition to the serving of traditional Greek food, visitors will be able to dance to the sounds of DJ Penny, browse the marketplace of vendors, bring their children to Kids Town and enjoy a visit by radio station Oldies FM. Raffle tickets priced at three-for-$20 were expected to be mailed out to all parishioners shortly. Fair organizers are also seeking sponsors for the Greek Fair Chairman Ioannis Zaralidis shares a laugh with committee members on June 9 at the first planning session for the Sept event. (Photo by Nick Pappas) program book, as well as donors for meat, eggs, flour, spinach, cheese, vegetables and other items. Sign-up sheets for volunteers will be made available shortly; in the meantime, parishioners are encouraged to contact Chairman Ioannis Zaralidis or secretary Jeanne Brady in the church office. The next planning meeting is scheduled for July 8 at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend. Church still has bills to pay during the summer months By JAMES MURPHY Parish Council Treasurer As we enter the summer, I wanted to remind everyone the church is still open and as we do at home, the church still has bills to pay. We are currently running a shortfall of about $25,000 compared to a year ago, through May. If you have not sent in your stewardship pledge cards, please do so; and if you are able to send in your commitment to help offset some of this shortfall, it would be appreciated. Unfortunately, during the summer months attendance seems to dip, therefore it becomes harder to meet our obligations. As a reminder, I have listed below what some of our monthly costs are to run our parish: Salaries/Benefits: $8, Candles: $ Utilities: $3, Archdiocese commitment: $3, Insurance: $1, Maintenance: $2, Mortgage: $3, Office supplies: $1, Total expenses: $24, I would like to wish everyone a healthy and safe summer.

9 PAGE 9 Sunday School Graduation TOP: Nine of the 14 ninth-grade students were present on Sunday, June 8, for the annual Sunday School graduation ceremony. Joining Father Demetri and teacher Christine Faneros are, front row from left, Christa Murphy, Christopher Dufresne, Madeline Koufogazos and Jaclyn Casavant; back row, Melanie Simpson, Anna Manetta, Philip Lane, Elizabeth Garibaldi and Kathryn Demetri. Missing from photo are: Cassandra Coravos, Michael Howe, Amelia Karayianis, Mary Nestor and Dorothea Vaporis. RIGHT: Parish Council President Nikolaos Manolis and Father Demetri join Sunday School Director Connie Gkolias after she was honored with flowers and a plaque in recognition of her 35 years of volunteer service to the Sunday School program. (Photos by Nick Pappas)

10 By OLIVIA SINTROS Literacy Project Coordinator Thank you to the Ladies Philoptochos Society along with their parishioners and friends who collected 2,400 new and gently used books this school year for our literacy project. A specials thanks to Varvara and Boris Stanchev, who counted and readied the book bins for delivery, and to Jack Mahoney and Spike Sintros, who delivered the 24 book bins to the McAvinnue School on Mammoth Road in Lowell. TRANS-A-GRAM PAGE 10 Literacy project bags 2,400 books In conjunction with the book collection, the Philoptochos also provided a book bag for each student. The funds to purchase the bags were realized from our Thanksgiving bake sale last fall, which was spearheaded by Eleni Stavrou. It was with honor and pride that I was able to coordinate this project on the school side and place books in the hands of children who might not ordinarily have them. McAvinnue School s 475 students, McAvinnue School students display their new book bags, which were donated by the Ladies Philoptochos Society as part of this year s literacy project. The students used the bags to carry home some of the 2,400 books that were donated through the generosity of parishioners and friends. pre-kindergarten to Grade 4, were able to fill their bags with books of their choice, which was a real treat for the wide-eyed children. They say a picture tells a thousand words, and I believe the faces of the children convey the success of this extraordinary Philoptochos community outreach project. Mary Nicholaides accepts award Metropolitan Methodios presents the award to Mary Nicholaides. By NICK PAPPAS Trans-a-Gram Editor Surrounded by family and friends, Mary Nicholaides was recognized for her many years of dedicated service to the parish at the 22ndannual Boston Ministry Awards Dinner on June 1 at Lombardo s in Randolph. Mary was one of 59 honorees from 49 parishes across the metropolis who were chosen this year by each community on the basis of their stewardship of time and talent. She is a longtime member of the Ladies Philoptochos Society she served as president from and and has served in the church choir for more than 50 years, among her many other contributions to the parish. Other local recipients were Dona Zouzas of Holy Trinity, Katerina Gregoriou of St. George and Catherine Papachristos of the Assumption Church in Dracut.

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12 PAGE 12 Parish Council Church News Stewardship 2008 By CHRISTOPHER SELVAGGIO Parish Council Secretary The Parish Council took the following actions when it met on June 18: Special choir invitation: Agreed to contact the Rachmaninoff Festival Choir of Bowdoin College to express the council s interest in the choir celebrating the St. John Chrysostom Liturgy at the parish in the spring of The choir is offering to do so that year in conjunction with the 100th-year anniversary of that liturgy. Greek Fair: Accepted an offer from the Men s Guild to sponsor a book-signing appearance by Christos Papoutsy at this year s Greek Fair. Papoutsy is the author of Ships of Mercy, which tells the story of the rescue of Greek refugees from Smyrna in September The fair is scheduled for the weekend of Sept Clergy-Laity Congress: Were informed by Father Demetri that he has requested a substitute priest for Sunday, July 13, while he participates in the 39th-biennial Clergy-Laity Congress in Washington, D.C. The Rt. Rev. Leonard Faris of the St. George Antiochian Church will be on call during that time should any emergencies arise while Father Demetri is away. Next meeting: The council will next meet on Wednesday, July 9, at 7 p.m. in the boardroom. Treasurer s Report Here is a brief summary of income and expenses as of May 31 and how they compare to the same period last year: Category Change Stewardship 92, , % Other income 84, , % Total Income 177, , % Expenses 158, , % Balance 19, , % By NICK PAPPAS Trans-a-Gram Editor This year s stewardship Stewards program continues to run a (2007) bit behind last year at this time, according to figures Cards compiled in the church office through the middle of Returned Cards June. Participation is down Outstanding by three (386 stewards last year vs. 383 this year), Return while the amount of money Rate collected and pledged to date is down $1, Average ($135, vs. Pledge $133,815.12), which represents a decrease of about 1 percent. As of mid-june, 264 stewards already had fulfilled their annual pledge ($81,808.88), while another 119 stewards had contributed $14, of the $52, that they have pledged to the program over the course of the year. Based on those figures, the average pledge for the year now stands at $349.39, down 79 cents from the same period a year ago. If you have not yet submitted your stewardship card for 2008, please do so as soon as possible by returning it either by mail or in person to the church office. If you have any questions or have misplaced your card, please contact church secretary Jeanne Brady during normal business hours at Stewardship Summary FAMILIES percent $ (-$0.79) AMOUNT 225 $25 to $ $301 to $ $601 to $ $901 to $1,200 2 $1,201 to $1,500 3 $2,000 and up

13 PAGE 13 By SUSAN PAPPAS Philoptochos President Philoptochos Society Membership: This is the first year in many that we have fewer than 200 members in our organization. As of June 11, 167 ladies had submitted stewardship cards for the 2008 year. I thank these ladies for their continued support. For those who have not yet submitted your cards, I hope this is an oversight and that you will contact Jill Laganas, our membership chairperson, soon. The Transfiguration Philoptochos is a very active organization, and we need everyone s talents to continue our work in helping those in need locally, as well as fulfilling our Metropolis and National commitments. While working on these events that help support our ministries, many lifelong friendships have been formed. When we work on projects with our friends, the work becomes all the more enjoyable. If you have any questions about your membership or would like to join, please contact Jill Laganas or Susan Pappas. Treasurer change: Elizabeth de la Torre, who has served as our treasurer for the past year, is unable to continue in this position for the remainder of the term due to an increase in her work responsibilities and extended family obligations. We thank Elizabeth for all her work and dedication and are grateful she will remain on the board and continue to work with us in other capacities. Corrine Dubay has graciously volunteered to finish the term as treasurer, which ends in June Corrine has served as president, corresponding secretary and treasurer in past years. We thank Corrine for stepping up to the plate. Shoes for Orphan Souls: Thank you to all who supported this new project. We collected more than 100 pairs of children s shoes and 50 pairs of socks, which we will be sending on to the missionaries going to the orphanages in St. Petersburg, Russia, in mid-november. The Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Dallas, Texas, which started this project in 2007, was very grateful for our help this year. We hope to continue helping them in the future. Scholarship/Graduate Sunday: On Sunday, June 22, Happy Father s Day Ladies Philoptochos Society member Freda Gkolias passes out a few carnations to Dr. Evan Coravos at the close of the Divine Liturgy in honor of Father s Day on June 15. As is tradition, Philoptochos members distributed carnations to all fathers in the parish in recognition of their special day. (Photo by Nick Pappas) the Philoptochos coordinated the distribution of memorial/honorary scholarships for our high-school graduates and honored our college graduates as well. Thank you to Patricia Mahoney and Melanie Pappas for continuing this Transfiguration tradition. Congratulations and best wishes to all our graduates as you continue to reach for your goals. Graduate Sunday is only made possible by the generosity of our scholarship donors and the accomplishments of our students and their parents. Thank you to all who made this day possible. Literacy project: Thank you to all parishioners who donated more than 2,400 books for the children at the McAvinnue School in Lowell. On June 6, I went with Patricia and Jack Mahoney to distribute the book bags to all the students. It was truly an incredible experience to see their faces light up. A special thanks to Olivia Sintros for coordinating this project, which she will present later this month at the Clergy-Laity Congress in Washington, D.C. We will continue to collect books for children in Grades K-4 again in September to donate to another school in Lowell. Board meeting: The board met on June 11 to wrap up the events of the past year and discuss improvements for the coming year. As an active philanthropic organization, (Continued on page 14)

14 PAGE 14 (Continued from page 13) it is very important that we have business meetings throughout the year to inform our membership of our work, obligations and, of course, to solicit help. One of the goals of this board is to increase membership, since many hands make light work. However, we would like to make meetings and events more enjoyable for you. We have many events that have not changed in structure for many years: the Benefit Tea, Family Dinner and No Bake Cake Sale, to name a few. Though these events are successful in themselves, we are always looking for new ideas to make the traditional events better and add other projects and events to help meet our obligations while perpetuating our sisterhood with camaraderie. If you have any ideas about what Philoptochos can do that would help bring new talent to our organization, we would love to hear from you. The board decided to continue for another year sending out postcards as a reminder for the meetings. However, we will only send to them out to those members who live in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Two general meeting letters will go out listing the meeting dates and many events to all the membership in September and January. We will also change the days of the meetings to try to accommodate everyone s schedules. St. Basil s Academy: We are very excited to announce a day trip to St. Basil s Academy in Garrison, N.Y., on Saturday, Sept. 20. The bus will leave the church at 7 a.m. and will return between 10 and 10:30 p.m. The cost is $34 each for the bus. Contact Martha Sintros if you are interested at Spring Raffle: Thank you to Elizabeth de la Torre and Presbytera Gloria Costarakis for chairing the Spring Calendar Raffle. Congratulations to the lucky winners: $100: Joan Tsoukalas Name day: Please remember the parish s name day on Aug. 6. We will need help with a reception after the evening vespers on the 5 th and with a luncheon on the 6 th. It is never too early to volunteer your services. Please let Susan know if you are available. Greek Fair: Once again, the Philoptochos will be running the pastry booth at the Greek Fair in September. Anyone available to help bake or give some hours at the fair should let Susan know. Tea date: Mark your calendars for the 2008 Annual Benefit Tea. Once again, we will hold this event on the first Sunday in December, which falls on Dec. 7. More information will be coming in the fall. First meeting: The first general meeting of the ecclesiastical year will be Thursday, Sept. 25. Connie, Freda and Clara Gkolias will host a potluck dinner. All are invited to come. Enjoy your summer and please remember that we are always here for you. By FRANK STEVENS Men s Guild President Men s Guild 125 Club: The grand-prize drawing was conducted at the coffee hour on Father s Day, June 15. Our thanks to all who participated in this year s 125 Club. The winners this year are: $500: Alice Danas, drawn by Chris Tournas, last year s winner. $50: Sophia De Veau, Alfred Finocchiaro, Mary Moskovites, Dyanne Mitropoulis, Andrew Spanos II, Nick Spanos, Pauline Sparages and Joan Tsoukalos. $25: Mrs. John Chiungos, Helen Colas, Thelma Coravos, Demetra Courtois, Peter Dulchinas (twice), Strat Dukakis, Kalli and John Michael Karagianes, Gregory Kostoulakos, Gregory Kourembis, Katie Kourembis, Dianne Madeville, Vangie Manalopoulos, Joan Pappas, Beverly Patsourakos, Mr. and Mrs. Vito Selvaggio, Mr. and Mrs. George Spanos, Pauline Sparages, Robbie Beggan-Stevens, Thea Tully, Agnes Yankopoulos and Michelle Ziogas. Thank you to all parishioners for your continued support. $200: Chris Ziogas, drawn by Presbytera Niki Sarantos. $100: Georgia Zamanakos, drawn by Presbytera Gloria Costarakis. $50: Ana Fokas, drawn by Susan Pappas. $50: Elias Manolis, drawn by Margo DiBenedetto. $25: Freda Gkolias, drawn by Vasilike Stevens. $25: Presbytera Niki Sarantos, drawn by Christine (Continued on page 15)

15 (Continued from page 14) Nicholaou. Next year s 125 Club will begin on Jan. 1, June meeting: If you weren t there, you missed a great time. Twenty-six members gathered at the Dracut House of Pizza on June 17 to celebrate one of the most progressive years in the history of the Guild. Following a prolonged social hour, Father Demetri led us in prayer, blessing the members and the good works of the Guild. The business of the meeting was conducted while attendees feasted on choice of menu. Members indicated their feelings of generosity by adopting the following motions: A gift of $100 to Father Conan Gill on the occasion of his ordination to the priesthood. TRANS-A-GRAM By NIKOLAOS MANOLIS Parish Council President President s Message PAGE 15 Hello, everyone. Summer is upon us, but the work at the church continues as always. We are now finalizing the plans for the remodeling of the kitchen and should be ready for a special Parish Assembly by the end of the summer. We are at this time looking for pledges for the kitchen project. No money will be collected. We need to have an idea of how much we can raise to determine how extensive the remodeling will be. As stated at the last Parish Assembly, we will not start this project until 120 percent of the contracted price is collected and deposited into the parish's account. We will not do more than we can afford. A gift of $300 to Michael Gregory to cover part of his expenses for being selected to the state all-star wrestling team, which will compete in North Dakota. $200 for a raffle gift for the parish s Greek Fair to be held in September. Mr. Tony Ziagos addressed the group concerning the Guild s sponsoring a lecture by Mr. Christos Papoutsy regarding his book, Ships of Mercy. The book, based on 10 years of research, dispels many of the rumors related to the rescue of hundreds of thousands of Greek refugees from Smyrna in September Members approved a motion to invite Mr. Papoutsy to the upcoming Greek Fair. Next meeting: Please watch the Sunday Trans-Notes for the announcement of our next meeting and for Guild activity this summer. As of this writing, the Guild will be sponsoring a meal at the Vacation Church Camp and will be involved in the Extreme Makeover of the old church office. Anyone wishing to help in these activities should contact Frank. Tip of the capello: Our everlasting thanks to all the members of the Transfiguration family who participated in any and all of the Guild s activities this year. The Guild remains a vital ministry of our parish because of your help and support. Remember This: Resolve to be a participant in parish life; begin no later than the September Greek Fair. We need each other! So if you would like to make a pledge, please contact me or call the church office and speak with Jeanne. For any further clarification, please contact me directly. Have a great summer! By CONNIE GKOLIAS Sunday School Director Sunday School Graduation Day: Congratulations to all our girls and boys who graduated from Sunday School on June 8, completing another year of religious studies. I would like to thank: Father Demetri for all his help and guidance through the year. Hariklia Zouzas for all her help and dedication to the Sunday School. All the teachers and assistants for all their help teaching our children the Greek Orthodox faith. And to all the parents for bringing their children to us. We must all work together for our children. Summer wishes: We wish everyone a safe and happy summer. We will resume Sunday School in September. (Continued on page 16)

16 PAGE 16 (Continued from page 15) Choir By LOUIS STAMAS Choir Director Congregational signing: The Senior Choir is on break for the summer. On Sundays during the summer, many choir members sit together in the south side of the nave, near the chanter's stand, and lead the congregation in singing the hymns and responses. Parishioners who enjoy chanting and singing are welcome to join us and are urged to speak with any choir member or myself about officially joining the choir at the start of the new church year in September. By TOULA SPARAGES Assistant Choir Director Youth Choir I encourage all the young people in our parish who plan to attend the St. Methodios Camp in Contoocook, N.H., to participate in the music program there with Tony Vatousios, the Metropolis Youth Choir acting director. He has indicated that he will be at the camp every Wednesday during each session this summer, and he will meet with two age groups (9-11 and 12-14). Tony and Father Nicholas Kastanas of Arlington are working on the music binders that should be ready for distribution to all interested parishes by August. They will contain secular and sacred music in both Greek and English. As of this writing, plans are under way for the first Metropolis Youth Choir performance to take place on Saturday, Sept. 13, at the New Hampshire camp for the liturgy of the Holy Cross. VCC: I look forward to seeing all the Trans Youth Choir members at this year s Vacation Church Camp on the last week of July. Since Mrs. Thea Tully will be assisting with some of the younger students, I will have an opportunity to schedule some time during that week to meet with the choir members and discuss our participation in the September liturgy at the camp. Stay tuned for more information. Summer request: Enjoy the summer months I ll see you all in church on Sunday mornings, and I encourage GOYA Car Wash GOYA members soap up one of the cars in the church parking lot during its car wash fundraiser following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, June 8. Numerous parishioners offered to have their cars washed on what turned out to be a hot, sunny day. (Photo by Nick Pappas) you and your parents to pick up the hymnals and join in the congregational singing. Let s praise God together! GOYA Special thanks: As the GOYA begins its summer hiatus, we would like to thank everyone who has supported us throughout the year. We especially want to thank Mr. Nick Manolis of Dracut House of Pizza for his generosity throughout the year. Summer plans: The GOYA might have a few activities in the summer months. Please keep an eye on your e- mail accounts for updates. If we don t get together over the summer, we know we will see you in church and when we kick it all off in the fall again. We want to wish all the GOYA members and parish families a healthy and great summer. By SANDRA GULEZIAN HOPE/JOY Coordinator HOPE / JOY Family picnic postponed: Plans were in place to have our second-annual HOPE/JOY picnic at the home of Michael and Lynne Karagianes on Sunday, June 22. All were looking forward to a nice afternoon when the kids could swim and parents could socialize with one another. (Continued on page 17)

17 PAGE 17 (Continued from page 16) Unfortunately, the one thing that couldn t be controlled was the weather. Since the forecast called for thunderstorms, we decided to cancel and will try to come up with an alternative date. Stay tuned for details Day trip: We are planning to coordinate a day trip to an amusement park for later in the summer. Details will be sent to HOPE and JOY families by , so if you would like to get on our list, please send a note to Sandra at msgulezian@comcast.net. Greek Fair: We, as a group, plan to volunteer our time at the Greek Fair scheduled for September. We ve gotten to enjoy some fun activities this past year and realize that it takes many hands to make such an event a success. We want nothing more than to offer our help and contribute to that success. So, HOPE and JOY families, please set aside time the weekend of Sept Let s show our kids, by example, the rewards of volunteering. (Older JOY kids can certainly volunteer as well). Stay tuned for details by . Mortgage Elimination By JAMES MURPHY Mortgage Elimination Chairman I wanted to thank everyone who responded to the letter sent out in early May regarding the mortgage elimination program. The responses have slowed down considerably since the initial push. We need everyone to help eliminate this debt. If 239 families contribute $300 per year, we could eliminate this debt in 10 years. If you haven t contributed, please do so. If you can afford to give more than $300, please do so. They key here is an average contribution of $300. No contribution is too small. By SUSAN PAPPAS Coffee Hour Coordinator Coffee Hour May 25: Sponsored by Arthur and Alice Danas and family in memory of George A. Danas; also sponsored by the Parish Council in honor of Father Elias Stevens service to our parish. June 1: Sponsored by the Manolis and Zaralidis families in honor of the Greek School graduation. June 22: Sponsored by the Ladies Philoptochos Society in recognition of Graduate Sunday. Greek School certificates Greek School students assemble with Father Demetri and their instructors during the Greek School certificate ceremony at the close of the Divine Liturgy on June 1. Registration is now under way for the fall session. For more information contact the church office. (Photo by Nick Pappas) Vacation Church Camp This summer s annual Vacation Church Camp is scheduled for July 28 through Aug. 1. The sessions run Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. On Friday, an optional field trip is planned to the St. Methodios Faith and Heritage Center in Contoocook, N.H. A snack and lunch will be provided each day. The cost of the weeklong camp is a stewardship donation. For more information contact the church office. Greek School Registration form: Enclosed in last month s Trans-a- Gram was a registration form for next year. Please fill it out and return it to the church office as soon as possible. This will allow us to plan for the number of teachers needed for next year and the curriculum. The registration fee will remain the same at $300 per child for the school year. If you have lost the form, additional forms are available in the church office. School survey: The Greek School also had enclosed a survey in the June Trans-a-Gram to see what you are looking for in the Greek School. We are also asking that if you haven t already done so, please complete the survey and return it to the office. If you have misplaced the (Continued on page 18)

18 PAGE 18 (Continued from page 17) survey, additional copies are available during coffee hour and in the church office. Summer wishes: We at the Greek School want to wish all of our students a healthy and safe summer. See you in the fall. Web Site Parishioners might want to keep an eye on the parish s Web site ( for information about church activities. Among the recent additions is an online version of the weekly church bulletin and some information about the parish s two-day Greek Fair in September. The goal is to make the Web site the place to go for the most up-to-date information on parish life. 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 Soultana Kapsouris Irene Kondili Peter Lellos Yianni Manelas Paraskevi Manolis Martin P. Martakos Thalia Milionis Arthur Pappadopoulos AUGUST TRISAGIA Continued from Page 3) George Pappadopoulos Mary Pappas Christine Patsavos Virginia Raras Rabias Alice Raras Constantine Raras Spyros G. Tsechrintzis Steve Xifaris Dimitroula Pappadopoulos Charles Zounes 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 Special Offer: Receive 10% off food bill up to $10 w/this ad. Not valid holidays. Expires 12/31/08.

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