Promise. St. Justin Popovich

Transcription

1 Promise The 50 th HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH ANNIVERSARY March 2017 ^ Volume 41, Issue 3 holytrinity@htgocnj.org holytrinitywestfield.org All I want is YOU! Life without Christ, death without Christ, truth without Christ, the sun without Christ and the universe without Him all of that is absolute madness, a terrible martyrdom, a Sisyphean torment, hell! I don t want either life or death without You, Sweetest Lord. I don t want truth, justice, paradise or even eternity. No, no! All I want is You. For You to be in all things, in all people and above everything. Fasting In Volume One of the Philokalia, St. John Cassian s treatise On the Eight Vices is found. It is no small matter that he begins with the very issue of fasting. Many of the fathers of our Church have taught us that the key to overcoming sin in our lives begins with fasting. Remember the original temptation in the Garden of Eden was with food! St. John writes: Self-control and fasting are especially important for bringing about that specific purity of soul which comes through restraint and moderation. No one whose stomach is full can fight mentally against the demon of unchastity. Our initial struggle therefore must be to gain control of our stomach and to bring our body into subjection. As mentioned in Fr. Peter s article about fasting (see page three) it is not St. Justin Popovich simply about food and the physical body. First and foremost we are to fast from sin! St. John Chrysostom (+407) wrote in Concerning the Statutes : The honor of fasting consists not in abstinence from food, but in withdrawing from sinful practices Do you fast? Give me proof of your works! If you see a poor man, take pity on him! If you see an enemy, be reconciled to him! If you see a friend gaining honor, do not envy him! If you see a beautiful woman [or a handsome man ladies], pass her [him] by! For let not the mouth only fast, but also the eye, and the ear, and the feet, and the hands, and all the members of our bodies. Our ultimate calling is to a genuine and fuller kind of fast that truly pleases God and will be a spiritual springboard in our lives! A Lenten Prayer by St. Ephraim the Syrian O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, faintheartedness, lust of power, and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. Yea, Lord and King, grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother, for Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen. Kali Sarakosti Have a blessed Lent Wait for the promise of the Father 1

2 Dates in the Life of Our Church March / April 2017 MARCH 1 7:00 PM Presanctified Liturgy 8:30 PM Theosis 2 10:00 AM Women of Faith 7:30 PM Choir 3 7:00 PM Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos 4 8:00 AM Saturday of Souls Liturgy Sights & Sounds 5 Sunday of Orthodoxy 8:15 AM Orthros 7 8 7:00 PM Presanctified Liturgy 8:30 PM Theosis 9 9:30 AM TOTS 7:30 PM Choir 10 7:00 PM Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos 12 8:15 AM Orthros 14 5:00 PM Great Compline 7:00 PM Philoptochos General Meeting 7:30 PM Parish Council 15 7:00 PM Presanctified Liturgy 8:30 PM Theosis 16 10:00 AM Women of Faith 7:30 PM Choir 17 7:00 PM Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos 19 Sunday of the Holy Cross 8:15 AM Orthros 12:00 PM Oratorical Festival 21 11:00 AM Trinity Circle 5:00 PM Vespers 7:30 PM GOYA State meeting 22 7:00 PM Presanctified Liturgy 8:30 PM Theosis 23 9:30 AM TOTS 7:30 PM Choir 24 7:00 PM Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos 8:30PM Family Lenten Dinner 25 The Annunciation 8:30 AM Orthros 26 8:15 AM Orthros 1:00 PM Baptism :00 PM Presanctified Liturgy 8:30 PM Theosis 30 10:00 AM Women of Faith 7:30 PM Choir 31 7:00 PM Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos 8:30 PM Family Lenten Dinner APRIL 2 8:15 AM Orthros 4 5:00 PM Vespers 7:00 PM Philoptochos Board Meeting 5 7:00 PM Presanctified Liturgy 8:30 PM Theosis 6 10:00 AM Women of Faith 7 Spirit of Lent Concert, Perth Amboy 8 Saturday of Lazarus 8:45 AM Orthros 10:30 Tying of Palms 9 PALM SUNDAY 8:15 AM Orthros 7:00 PM Bridegroom Service 10 7:00 PM Bridegroom Service 11 9:00 AM Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts 7:00 PM Bridegroom Service 12 9:00 AM Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts 3:00 PM Sacrament of Holy Unction 7:00 PM Sacrament of Holy Unction 13 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy of the Mystical Supper 7:00 PM Divine Passion and Crucifixion 14 9:30 AM Royal Hours 10:00 AM Holy Friday Retreat 3:00 PM Unnailing/Apokathelosis 7:00 PM Lamentations 15 9:30 AM Vesperal Divine Liturgy 11:15 PM Vigil of the Resurrection 16 HOLY PASCHA 12:15 AM Paschal Divine Liturgy 11:00 AM Agape Vespers 2 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

3 TRIODION HYMNS of WEDNESDAY In the First Week of Great Lent PREPARATION for HOLY CONFESSION The Sacrament of God's Forgiveness BY REV. FR. PETER DELVIZIS The Triodion is the hymnal of the Church containing all the sacred canticles sung during Great Lent and Holy Week. There is no better way for the faithful to learn about the proper meaning and purpose of Great Lent than reading these instructive verses. Too often we think of fasting as something restrictive, arduous, or even gloomy. Perhaps this is because we interject our own negative sentiments into this sacred experience. This testifies to the need of ongoing spiritual development, for the Church of Christ happily calls this season a time of illumination. Our hearts may well indeed be filled with all sorts of dark and consuming sins to the extent that we do not even wish to enter into its deepest chambers. For the Church, joy is a predominate theme throughout the course of the Fast. We rejoice in knowing that Christ s light illumines all. To be thoroughly cleansed by Christ and to be given a new lot in life through the Cross and Resurrection is indeed a reason to be glad. So let us rejoice in the Fast. As we embark on the Fast, let us meet it with humility, contrition, and repentance. For by so doing, we shall enjoy the freedom and new life offered by Christ. As we fast bodily, we are also called to fast from every experience of sin. By putting aside a sinful life and abstaining from all that is wicked, then we draw closer to Christ, the One who frees us from the bondage of sin. The following two hymns found in the Triodion liken Great Lent to the brilliant rays of the sun giving off its light providing the faithful a discernable path leading toward salvation. O Lord, You have consecrated and granted to us this light-giving season of abstinence. Enable all of us to pass through it in compunction and sincerity, living in peace by the power of Your Cross, O You who alone lovest mankind. The Fast shines upon all of us more brightly than the sun, bringing us the light of grace and proclaiming the Good News of the Cross, of the precious Passion and the saving day of Resurrection. Too often food becomes a central concern during Great Lent. We preoccupy ourselves with what can or cannot be eaten becoming almost Pharisaical in our approach to the Fast. The hymnology of the Church consistently drives home the purpose of fasting. While fasting is good and we derive many spiritual benefits from it, this is only a beginning. Abstaining from particular foods must be seen as a springboard leading us into the deeper mysteries of faith. We gain no additional spiritual knowledge of the Gospel nor do we deepen our faith by not eating a piece of meat or drinking a glass of milk. In order to deepen our faith and strengthen our bond with Christ, our souls need to plunge into the many church services provided for our edification. The Presanctified Liturgy, Vespers, Great Compline, the Akathist Hymn, as well as Sunday Liturgy all feed our souls with God s grace and wisdom. We become alive when we connect with Christ through the divine services. Fasting allows the physical body to be weakened so that its grip on our hearts may be released. Only through the opening of our hearts can it be softened for Christ s enthronement. To accomplish this, the Church instructs us to first abstain from all that is wicked while also offering charity to those around us. The inner development of the soul is the Church s main concern during Great Lent. A stronger soul in Christ is more important and desirable than the mere shedding of a few pounds. As the following hymn indicates, there is much more required from us during the Fast than the application of dietary restrictions. Come, O faithful ones, as we FAST in body, let us also FAST in spirit. Let us UNDO every tie to injustice; let us BREAK all stifling covenants with violence; let us BURST every wrongful contract; let us GIVE bread to the hungry and BRING the poor and homeless into our homes, that we may RECEIVE from Christ our God His GREAT MERCY. May this Great Lent be for us a time of inner spiritual development and the reawakening of our souls. May it be a time of joy in our reconciliation with Christ. The gift of God s forgiveness is received through private prayer, corporate worship, the discipline of fasting, charity and above all through the sacrament of Holy Confession. The values of Holy Confession are threefold. First, through this sacramental act of the ordained priest and the Christian believer, we have the assurance of divine forgiveness, according to the words of Christ. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained. [John 20:23] Second, Holy Confession provides the opportunity to talk about one s deepest concerns, and then to receive counsel and to be encouraged toward spiritua l growth. Lastly, it is a time for the repentant to humble himself before the merciful God. Holy Confession is appropriate whenever an Orthodox Christian feels the need for it. It is also a part of our total spiritual preparation during fast periods leading up to the great feasts of Pascha, Christmas, the Dormition of the Theotokos and the Feast of the Twelve Apostles. However, Holy Confession is especially necessary when a serious sin has been committed, when habitual sin has overwhelmed a Christian or when a Christian has stopped growing spiritually and needs a reexamination of their priorities. We confess our sins to God and the power of forgiveness is God s. However, the gift of God s forgiveness, although assured, is not magical. It does not automatically spare us from spiritual struggle - the continual vigilance against evil and the unceasing warfare against sin. Holy Confession will bear fruits in the Spirit only when the believer hates evil, utterly rejects sin and patiently cultivates positive habits of the life in Christ. How can one prepare for Holy Confession? Preparation is a prayerful examination of feelings, thoughts, works, acts, attitudes, habits, values, priorities, goals, direction and way of life. Our entire existence should be lived in Christ. The goal of this sincere search of conscience under the light of the Holy Spirit is to affirm our true selves in Christ. Pray and think about your confession over several days. Ask God to help you perceive your sins and make a thorough confession of them. Sometime before the sacrament of Holy Confession offer the following prayer of repentance: Oh Lord my God, I confess that I have sinned against You in thought, word and deed. I have also omitted to do what Your Holy Law requires of me. But now with repentance and contrition, I turn again to Your love and mercy. I entreat You to forgive me all my transgressions and to cleanse me from all my sins. Lord, fill my heart with the light of Your truth. Strengthen my will by Your grace. Teach me both to desire and to do only what pleases You. Amen. Now, ma ke a prayerful examination of your conscience regarding all things, reflecting on the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes. Take paper and pencil and specify your sins so that you can make a thorough Confession, without confusion or lapse of memory. The Ten Commandments I am the Lord your God and you shall have no other gods before Me. Has God been the source, center and hope of my life? Have I put myself, others or things before God? Have I failed to trust in God s existence, love and mercy? You shall not make for yourself a graven image in order to worship it. Have I valued anyone or anything above God? Have I given to anyone or anything the love, honor and worship that belongs to God alone? Have I made an idol of any person, idea, occupation or thing? You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. Have I blasphemed God s holy name in any way? Have I sworn a false oath? Have I broken any solemn vow or promise? Have I cursed or used foul Continued on page 5 The Promise ^ March 2017 ^ Volume 41, Issue 3 3

4 Holy Friday Religious Education Retreat < Journey Through Holy Week > Grades K-6 Friday, April 14, 10AM 3PM Registration is being accepted for the Holy Friday Religious Education retreat for grades K-6. This year s theme is Journey Through Holy Week. Students will discover the meaning of each day's event in Holy Week through icons, Scripture, and hymns. Activities include crafts and participation in the day's services, concluding after the Apokathelosis Service at 4:00 PM. A Lenten lunch and snack will be provided. Check-in for the retreat will begin at 10:00 AM. Registration fliers will be available through the Religious Education classes and the Joy/Hope table. For further information please contact Mary Ann Miehe at mabmiehe@aol.com His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos Of New Jersey Cordially invites you to a Byzantine Music Concert Featuring Selections from the Greek Orthodox Ecclesiastical Hymnology of Holy and Great Lent by The Greek Orthodox Byzantine Choir of the Metropolis of New Jersey Under the direction of Protopsaltis and Choirmaster Apostolos Combitsis Sunday, March 19, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. St. Thomas Greek Orthodox Church 615 Mercer Street, Cherry Hill, New Jersey (856) St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church Perth Amboy, New Jersey Celebrating their 100 th Anniversary Hosts The Eastern Federation of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians District of New Jersey The Spirit of Lent A Choral Offering of Ancient and Modern Works in English and Greek Kathryn Athanasoulas, Director E. Hope Demitry, Organist ~~~ Friday, April 7, :00 p.m. Donation $10.00 Children under 12 free Refreshments following program Sadowski P way & Wisteria St Perth Amboy, NJ Reception will follow the concert in the Danielle Kousoulis Greek Cultural Center. 4 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

5 Psalm of Repentance 50 (51) Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy; and according to the abundance of Your compassion, blot out my transgression. Wash me thoroughly from my lawlessness and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my lawlessness, and my sin is always before me. Against You only have I sinned and done evil in Your sight; that You may be justified in Your words, and overcome when You are judged. For behold, I was conceived in transgressions, and in sins my mother bore me. Behold, You love truth; You showed me the unknown and secret things of Your wisdom. You shall sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed; You shall wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow. You shall make me hear joy and gladness; my bones that were humbled shall greatly rejoice. Turn Your face from my sins, and blot out all my transgressions. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with Your guiding Spirit. I will teach transgressors Your ways, and the ungodly shall turn back to You. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue shall greatly rejoice in Your righteousness. O Lord, You shall open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise. For if You desired sacrifice, I would give it; You will not be pleased with whole burnt offerings. A sacrifice to God is a broken spirit, a broken and humbled heart God will not despise. Do good, O Lord, in Your good pleasure to Zion, and let the walls of Jerusalem be built. Then you will be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, with offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then shall they offer young bulls on Your altar and have mercy on me, O God. Hymns From the Triodion, Sunday Orthros Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit Open to me the gates of repentance, O Giver of Life, for early in the morning my spirit hastens to Your Holy Temple, bringing the temple of my body all defiled. But as one Compassionate, cleanse me, I pray, by Your lovingkindness and mercy. Both now and forever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen. Guide me in the paths of salvation, O Theotokos, for I have befouled my soul with shameful sins and I heedlessly squandered all of my life's resources. By your intercession deliver me from every uncleanness. Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy; and according to the abundance of Your compassion, blot out my transgression. When I ponder in my wretchedness on the many terrible things that I have done, I tremble for that fearful day, the Day of Judgment. But trusting in the mercy of Your compassion, like David I cry to You, "Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your great mercy. PREPARATION for HOLY CONFESSION The Sacrament of God's Forgiveness Continued from page 3 language using the breath of my mouth that God s intends to be holy? Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Have I worshipped regularly on Sundays and major feast days and have I helped others to do the same? Have I worked unnecessarily on Sundays or major feast days or caused others to do so? Have I spent the Lord s day in wholesome and edifying ways? Honor your father and mother. Have I loved and respected my parents as I should? Have I neglected them or failed to help them? Have I disobeyed them or caused them pain by my words or deeds? Have I treated all my family members with patience and love? You shall not kill. Have I caused the harm, injury or death of anyone? Have I wished my own or anyone s harm or death? Have I been cruel to animals or destroyed any life unnecessarily? Have I killed the spirit or enthusiasm of another by curt or offensive language? You shall not commit adultery. Have I committed any immoral acts alone or with others or caused others to do so? Have I committed immoral acts in my heart? Have I viewed pornography through image or written text? You shall not steal. Have I taken anything from anywhere that was not my own or caused others to do so? Have I cheated anyone, or damaged or destroyed things that are not mine? Have I paid my debts or given to the poor in proportion to my means? Have I withheld time, talent or treasury from Christ s Church? You shall not bear false witness. Have I given false testimony against anyone, spoken evil, told lies or spread rumors? Have I disclosed the sins and faults of another or made careless statements that are damaging to another? Have I engaged in idle gossip? You shall not covet. Have I looked with envy, jealousy or hatred toward the possessions, talents or achievements of others? Have I grieved that God has bestowed greater blessing on others than on me? The Sacrament of Holy Confession is heard upon the faithful s request. Simply call Fr. Peter to arrange a time. The Promise ^ March 2017 ^ Volume 41, Issue 3 5

6 Parish Council President Report Change - Jesus was an innovator! BY A.J. KARANIKOLAS, PARISH COUNCIL PRESIDENT Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 As it states in the Orthodox Study Bible regarding this verse, because God created all things through Christ, He will transform and reunite all things - material as well as spiritual, to Himself through Christ. The scriptures cite that change is good provided that it is Christ centered. Our faith helps guide us through change and nowhere is it more evident than at our blessed Holy Trinity. Holy Trinity is in different place today than it was ten, five, or even two years ago. We main-tained the courage to evolve as we adapted to the changing times while adhering to our Ortho-dox Christian faith. This trust in God allowed us to make great strides in all of our ministries. The growth of Y2AM, Outreach, Religious Education, Greek School, Fellowship, Stewardship, and the Endowment are all direct results of progressive thoughts and actions - which resulted in success! Looking ahead we will continue to employ a forward thinking strategy, one that is filled with in-sights and ingenuity. This approach is not limited to the ministries listed above, but also the committees that support the ministries - i.e. Communications/Social Media, Festival, and 50th Anniversary Gala where exciting opportunities for growth are in the works. We are blessed with a multitude of talent within our parish, and are stronger when we work together across all minis-tries. The Parish Council encourages everyone in the Holy Trinity family to become engaged in these ventures by joining a ministry/ committee, thereby becoming a stakeholder in future of our church. As we follow Christ s lead, let us all trust God in order to have the courage to change and con-tinue to grow Holy Trinity for the next two, five, ten, and many years beyond! 11 Holy Trinity members attend Metropolis Teacher s Seminar 6 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

7 Vasilopita BY NITSA CONSTANTINIDES BRUNO AND JANET ZERVAKOS O SULLIVAN, 2017 VASILOPITA CHAIRS On Sunday, January 22, 2017, the Holy Trinity family gathered once again to celebrate the beautiful and spiritual Greek Orthodox tradition of the Cutting of the Vasilopita, hosted by the Ladies Philoptochos. More than 200 parishioners were greeted upon entry to the Bouras Center with a flute of champagne and then enjoyed mezethes, salad, a delicious buffet dinner, and delightful desserts. We are always in awe of the generosity of our parishioners in supporting this event, and especially the food contributions of Marco Polo Restaurant, Prestige Diner, Snuffy s Pantagis Renaissance, and the Greek Store. We were honored to celebrate the day with the Saint Basil Academy children and their advisor Evan Whitson. Also honoring us was our Metropolis President Anne Michals and her husband Jeff. Mr. Whitson thanked Philoptochos for being the major financial supporter of the Academy, since the Academy does not receive any State assistance and is not a line item under the Archdiocese. Since 1944 when Archbishop Athenagoras proposed that Philoptochos purchase the 250 acre Rupert Estate on the Hudson, across from West Point, Philoptochos continues to be the paramount financial supporter of the Academy through two ministry commitments. These are (as per the National Philoptochos website): The Vasilopita Held in January by every chapter in the United States, this event provides a major source of funding for the Academy s operating expense. Sisterhood Fund The Sisterhood Fund provides for the physical needs of the children, including clothing, furnishings, equipment and other essentials for the dormitories and kitchens, graduation celebrations, awards and gifts. Additionally the Fund facilitates the The bread in your box belongs to the hungry- The cloak in your closet belongs to the naked- The shoes you do not wear belong to the barefoot- The money in your vault belongs to the destitute. Saint Basil mission of Saint Basil Academy, which is to shelter, protect, love and educate the youth so that they grow up to be healthy, wholesome, well rounded Orthodox Christians, as well as productive members of society with vision and hope. The Bouras Center was full of kindness and generosity the day of the event. Anne Michals presented our chapter with a donation to be sent along with the proceeds of the Vasilopita to the Academy. Our Philoptochos President Penny Pefanis presented the Academy with a donation to be used by the children for a night out and our newly elected Parish Council President AJ Karanikolas, presented the Academy with a generous donation on behalf of the Parish Council. Two of our HT family members Notis Kotsolios donated his 50/50 winnings back to Philoptochos and Stephen Xenakis donated his 50/50 winnings to the Academy. We thank you for your kindness and generosity. The Vasilopita luncheon also kicked off our annual Stewardship Drive. Membership co-chair Ellen Manos-Athenson delivered an outstanding address for the 2017 kick-off. Ellen spoke about the mission of Philoptochos and encouraged all women to become Philoptochos members. Ellen, together with co-chair Maria Stevens, beautifully jump-started the drive with their enthusiasm and love of Philoptochos. Following the presentation, there was a collection of Stewardship envelopes. Father Peter Delvizis led us in prayer and blessing of the Vasilopita and presented each ministry with a slice of the Vasilopita. Bill Theofanous, who received a slice representing our Holy Trinity Veterans, was the worthy recipient of the commemorative Saint Basil coin. We are so thankful for our reservations chair, Debra Vlahakis, for such a great job in receiving reservations and planning the seating arrangement. We could not have done it without Debra, who played such an integral part, since we all know that the success of the Vasilopita depends on receiving the reservations and flawlessly arranging the tables and seating. Also, we are very grateful to our outstanding Board, especially our President Penny Pefanis, and volunteer force which included so many parishioners- men and women- of our wonderful Holy Trinity Family. They helped make the Vasilopita a success from set-up through clean up and everything in between. They cheerfully performed whatever task needed to be done and made our job easier and lots of fun. Finally, we would like to thank Father Peter, Parish Council President, A.J. Karanikolas, and the entire Parish Council for their continued support. We wish everyone a happy, healthy 2017, full of God s blessings. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love. Saint Basil The Promise ^ March 2017 ^ Volume 41, Issue 3 7

8 GOYA BY GEORGE KONIARIS, GOYA PRESIDENT Hello everyone! I hope this letter finds you well. Since last month, the youth of Holy Trinity has really accomplished a lot together. In addition, we have been hard at work helping those in need. Since January, our GOYA has sponsored some very successful charity drives. The Outreach committee teamed up with Philoptochos to hold a coat drive with the One Warm Coat National Organization, throughout the months of January and February. By the end, over 215 coats were donated (over 45 coats for children). This was a wonderful joint effort to help keep those less fortunate warm throughout the winter. The coats will now be distributed throughout Union County by The Greater Central Jersey Clergy Association located in Plainfield, NJ and to The Mercy House in Perth Amboy, NJ. In addition, the annual Souper Bowl Sunday drive was held on Super Bowl Sunday, February 5th. Our parish collected over 200 canned goods to benefit the The Emmanuel Cancer Foundation. This organization provides New Jersey families facing the crisis of pediatric cancer a place to turn for comfort and support through professional in-home counseling and a uniquely tailored package of assistance. They also support a food pantry for the many families dealing with childhood cancer. These families face insurmountable costs, and often need to stay home to be with their child. As a result, they become financially strapped. In addition during Souper Bowl Sunday, over $400 was raised for the IOCC. We gratefully thank you for your generous donations and support. Finally, our Goyans also collected over 30 pairs of jeans for local kids in need through Westfield High School s Jeans for Teens fundraiser. In other news, the Holy Trinity athletic season concluded with great success! The senior boys basketball team beat Holmdel by one point for the championship title in Asbury Park! Thank you to coaches Mr. Op Kyritsis and Mr. Jimmy Angelides for leading our GOYANs to the title. In addition, the girls volleyball team won second place in the championship games against Flemington. Thank you to Mr. Zenon Christodoulou, Ms. Vicky Zourzoukis, and Ms. Stephanie John for your dedication and commitment to the team. Congratulations to both of our teams on an extremely successful season! 8 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

9 Church Book Store Final Exam "Sur viva l Kits" were sent to our beloved Holy Trinity college freshmen at their respective campuses around the nation in early December This was a joint effort by the Holy Trinity GOYA and Young Adult Ministry (Y2AM.org), Penny Pefanis, Themis Ganifas, Helen Hadzitheodorou, Joanne Kallerges, Avi Kriakatis, Marina Loalbo, Kathy Maglaras, Sophie Stappas, Jeannie Arida, GOYA, and The Parish Council. The "survival kit" care packages contained items that would provide comfort and support for our youth as they prepared for their first semester's final exams. There were fourteen survival kits mailed out to the freshman students. Each kit contained home-baked koulourakia, chocolate chip cookies, pretzels, chocolate, popcorn, fresh mandarin oranges, candy, a Starbucks gift card, an Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF.net) pen/stylus, a Student Prayer, and a loving note of best wishes. The Holy Trinity freshmen were so happy and grateful to receive this gift from their home parish. Many called home to tell of the wonderful surprise they received from their church family and how it brought smiles to their faces and warmed their hearts. Thank you notes were sent in as well from some students. This endeavor was so well-received, it will be an annual outreach project for the Holy Trinity Y2AM, Ladies Philoptochos, the Parish Council, GOYA and whoever wants to join in. Lent is such a special time of year! It is the time when we strive to bring our hearts and minds closer to God. The Church Book Store has many offerings to help you on this spiritual journey that does not take a mere 40 days each year, but every moment of every day strengthened by our Lenten activities! The first and most important tool the Book Store offers is The Orthodox Study Bible. It is truly a "pearl of great value since it is Holy Scripture. This Bible in unique in that it offers many articles and commentary on each verse of scripture. Another tool is My Daily Orthodox Prayer Book by Fr. Anthony M. Coniaris, valuable every day, but especially during Lent! The faithful will find help in their spiritual journey by studying "The Orthodox Rule of Prayer", "What is Prayer", and "Praying the Daily Hours". Perhaps one of the best cookbooks is, A Lenten Cookbook For Orthodox Christians, by the Saint Nectarios American Orthodox Church. In this book the life of Saint Euphrosynos is described. He is the paragon of humility and unschooled prayer "from the heart", maker of the miracle of the healing golden apples, and keeper of God's heavenly garden. The Book Store offers many other religious books and cookbooks which have either special sections on fasting or even just vegetarian meals that would apply to Lent. Stop by our table and browse them any time during the Fellowship Hour after Church! The Promise ^ March 2017 ^ Volume 41, Issue 3 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 Ioanna Tsolaki, DDS, DMD, MS Board Certified Periodontist Rutgers School of Dental Medicine Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey 135 Somerset Street, Suite A New Brunswick, NJ p f it120@sdm.rutgers.edu rutgersdentists.org Permit #: 6526 The Promise ^ March 2017 ^ Volume 41, Issue 3 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 Nicholas John Parish Council Philoptochos Religious Education Greek School Greek School PTO Youth (GOYA) JOY / HOPE TOTS Bookstore Peter Tarhanidis Penny Pefanis Chris Economides Anna Mikros Alexis Kiriakatis George Koniaris Iris Love Joanne Paras & Jenny Stellakis Sandy Mouratoglou Schedule of Services The Promise: Volume 41, Issue 3 Cultural Trinity Circle Barbara Manos Hellen Kiriakatis Sundays Weekdays Orthros 8:15 AM 8:30 AM Divine Liturgy 9:30 AM 9:30 AM 10 issues published annually. No subscription fee. Article deadline - 10 th of the preceding month Fellowship Lauren Karanikolas 12