Promise. It is fitting that our Holy Orthodox Church chooses to honor. The. The Holy & Glorious & First Princes of the Apostles St. Peter & St.

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1 Promise The Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Westfield ^ New Jersey June-July 2010 ^ Volume 34, Issue 4 htgoc@westfieldnj.com holytrinitywestfield.org The Holy & Glorious & First Princes of the Apostles St. Peter & St. Paul Feast Day Celebration on June 29 The Reverend peter delvizis It is fitting that our Holy Orthodox Church chooses to honor her two greatest Apostles on the same day. St. Peter, whose missionary labors centered on winning converts from Judaism, is often referred to as the rock because of his strong, firm and committed faith. It was St. Peter, who boldly proclaimed his belief that Jesus was the Son of the living God in response to Christ s direct question: And who do you say I am? St. Peter was the first to proclaim Christ as the Saviour. St. John Chrysostom refers to St. Peter as the first-born lamb of the flock of the Good Shepherd. Although the Apostle Paul was not one of the original Twelve, he tirelessly spread the Gospel with an unmatched zeal and devotion. Prior to his conversion to Christ, he was a fierce persecutor of the Christians. St. Paul concentrated his ministry on taking the Gospel to the Gentiles those who were not Jews. He is commonly called the chosen vessel of Christ s Church. St. Paul, in his own words, labored more than any other Apostle. Through his tireless preaching among the Gentiles, the early Church grew and expanded at a rapid rate. It must be said, however, that both of these Apostles once fell woefully short of living up to the accolades they now receive. We might consider them to have been dismal failures in their early years! Despite his boasting, Peter s faith was weak. Remember how he tried to walk on the sea as Christ did, only to sink when his fears overcame his faith? Who could ever forget the shameful way he thrice denied Christ, claiming that he did not know Him? Likewise, in his own youth, Paul had no intention of winning souls for Christ. On the contrary, we know that he aggressively persecuted those who professed to be Christians, personally being responsible for the arrest and conviction of many believers. Fortunately, these great men allowed themselves to be touched by the Lord and thus became changed men. Out of their weakness, they became strong in faith. From misdirected intentions, they totally committed themselves to God and His divine commission. Nothing short of martyrdom was able to prevent them from carrying out the message of the Saviour. Holy Tradition tells us that both Apostles suffered martyrdom in Rome on the same day- June 29th. St. Peter was crucified before St. Paul was beheaded at the orders of the evil Emperor Nero. It is possible to draw a parallel from the lives of these two great leaders with ours. Using the following words of St. John Chrysostom regarding St. Paul, it is certain that we too can eradicate evil impulses in our lives by allowing the transfigurative power of Christ to re-direct our lives to His glory. If He did it for Paul, He can do it for us. Paul was a wolf, but he became a lamb. He was a thorn, but he became a fruitful vine. From an enemy [of Christ], he became a friend; from a weed, he became wholesome bread The blasphemer became a theologian; the persecutor, a herald of good news; the tormentor a leader; the traitor a fellow champion. St. John Chrysostom. We too, through Christ s power, can put behind us misdeeds and inappropriate behavior to become great voices of the Most High. This is done, not through our own power or resolve, but through the Divine Power and Will of our Lord. To Him be all glory, honor and worship. Amen. ^ Wait for the promise of the Father 1

2 Dates in the Life of Our Church June - July TUE 1 THUR 3 FRI 4 SAT 5 6 TUE 8 WED 9 THUR 10 FRI 11 SAT 12 4:00 PM Greek School 8:15 AM Orthros 2010 Greek Festival. No Greek School 2010 Greek Festival 2010 Greek Festival 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy 4:00 PM Greek School 7:00 PM Philoptochos Board 7:30 PM Parish Council 10:00 AM TOTS 4:30 PM Greek School Commencement 7:30 PM Choir practice 4:00 PM Wedding 11:30 AM Baptism 8:15 AM Orthros 13 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy 12:00 PM Senior Brunch 11 THUR 17 10:00 AM until 6:00 PM Rummage Sale 7:30 PM Choir practice Parish News New Members of the Church FRI MON TUE 29 4 MON 5 SAT :00 AM until 4:00 PM Rummage Sale 8:15 AM Orthros 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy Father s Day Presentations Religious Education Commencement GOYA IOCC trip to New Orleans 8:00 AM Orthros Summer schedule begins 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy Sts. Peter & Paul 8:00 AM Orthros Independence Day 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy June 4-9 Clergy-Laity Congress, Atlanta, GA Church Office closed 4:00 PM Wedding 8:00 AM Orthros 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy 12:00 PM Baptism 1:30 PM Baptism 8:00 AM Orthros 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy Sacraments & Rites Andreas Evgeniou 7 Green Court Cranford, NJ Stephen Simantiras 345 Madison Avenue Morristown, NJ Elizabeth & Paul Yodice 30 Genesee Trail Westfield, NJ CHURCHINGS Sun., Feb Sofia Michelle Daughter of Lisett & Nicholas Frangoulis Sun., May 2 - Aiden George Son of Evelyn & Phil Viera CHRISMATIONS Sat., March 27 - Christina Warnick & her children, Christoforos, Chara, and Konstantinos BAPTISMS Sat., April 24 - Lucas Paul Son of Inga & Paul Donnelly WEDDINGS Sat., May 15 - Eleni Tzovolos & Sandro Iannella Sun., May 16 - Sofia Skordilis & Andrew Paisis FUNERALS Fri., March 5 - ^ Jean Chirgotis Fri., March 19 - ^ Anthony Simos Fri., Apr. 9 - ^ Andriana Evgeniou Mon., Apr ^ Areti Tula Adams Mon., Apr ^ Aphrodite Exadactelou Mon., May 3 - ^ Dimitroula Vasilatis Thurs., May 20 - ^ Felix DeVincentis 2 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

3 Communion on the Moon The Rev. alexander G. leondis n July 20, 1969, many of us saw O two human beings from planet earth step foot on the moon for the first time. The moving experience has another aspect that will inspire all Christians. An article written by Eric Metaxas describes a moment in history that has remained silent, until recently. Almost forty years ago two human beings changed history by walking on the surface of the moon. But what happened before Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong exited the Lunar Module is perhaps even more amazing, if only because so few people know about it. Buzz Aldrin took communion on the surface of the moon. The background to the story is that Aldrin was an elder at his Presbyterian Church in Texas during this period in his life, and knowing that he would soon be doing something unprecedented in human history, he felt he should mark the occasion somehow, and he asked his minister to help him. And so the minister consecrated a communion wafer and a small vial of communion wine. Buzz Aldrin took them with him out of the Earth s orbit and onto the surface of the moon. He and Armstrong had only been on the lunar surface for a few minutes when Aldrin made the following public statement: This is the LM pilot. I d like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his or her own way. He then ended radio communication and there, on the silent surface of the moon, 250,000 miles from home, he read a verse from the Gospel of John, and he took communion. Here is his own account of what happened: In the radio blackout, I opened the little plastic packages which contained the bread and the wine. I poured the wine into the chalice our church had given me. In the one-sixth gravity of the moon, the wine slowly curled and gracefully came up the side of the cup. Then I read the Scripture, I am the vine; you are the branches. Whosoever abides in me will bring forth much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing. I had intended to read my communion passage back to earth, but at the last minute they had requested that I not do this. NASA was already embroiled in a legal battle with Madelyn Murray O Hare, the celebrated opponent of religion, over the Apollo 8 crew reading from Genesis while orbiting the moon at Christmas. I agreed reluctantly. I ate the tiny host and swallowed the wine. I gave thanks for the intelligence and spirit that had brought two young pilots to the Sea of Tranquility. It was interesting for me to think: the very first liquid ever poured on the moon, and the very first food eaten there were the communion elements. And of course, it s interesting to think that some of the first words spoken on the moon were the words of Jesus Christ, Who made the earth and the moon - and Who, in the immortal words of Dante, is Himself the Love that moves the Sun and other stars. After reading this article, I can only conclude with the words of the Psalmist: Bless the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me, bless His holy name. ^ The Promise ^ June-July 2010 ^ Volume 34, Issue 4 3

4 Parish Council Update by peter t. arbes, president Father Peter and Father Alexander are thanked for providing us with a very moving and spiritual Holy Week culminating in a beautiful Resurrection Service. This year, we were blessed to have His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos officiate at Holy Unction Services at Holy Trinity. Since our last report, we have received many favorable comments from our parishioners on the new format and design of The Promise. We hope you are enjoying reading about the life of the parish. If you have missed any prior issues, they can be located on our website which is holytrinitywestfield.org. Recent events and happenings at Holy Trinity include the following: On April 26, Dr. Katherine Panagakos spoke in the Bouras Center on Herodotus & Hollywood: Leonidas and the 300 Spartans. The presentation was very lively and informative. Thanks to the Cultural Committee for arranging the event. In light of recent violence in Mexico, it was decided that for the safety of our children, the Project Mexico trip would have to be cancelled. Many thanks to Dr. Fotinos Panagakos, who has agreed to act as a chaperone and accompany the Holy Trinity youth to St. Tamanay Parish, Louisiana, where they will take part in a home building missionary activity with IOCC and Habitat for Humanity. Philoptochos Cookbook Happening by Helen Bozonelis The Cookbook Committee finished hosting its series of 3 complimentary Movie & Meze (M&M) Nights at Holy Trinity. Audience members watched featured films while nibbling a wide assortment of foods from our upcoming cookbook, Tastes of Greece. Our 2nd M&M Night was during Lent, and the dishes that were whipped up for that evening showed the remarkable inventiveness of Greek Lenten cuisine. Our last M&M Night featured POLITIKI KOUZINA A Touch of Spice- a bittersweet film about the lives of a Greek family deported from Constantinople to Athens during the population exchange. The audience that night feasted on the regional specialties from Constantinople (the Poli) with its unique use of spice. GREEK FEST 2010 Look for us at GreekFest 2010 where we will set up shop in the tent marked Yiayia s Kouzina on Thursday, June 3 and Friday, June 4. Not only will we promote our upcoming book, Tastes of Greece, but also we will offer free cooking demonstrations. You can join a cooking class called Phyllo Phobia to learn how to overcome your fear of handling phyllo dough. As a thank you for visiting, you will receive a free recipe card/order form. In addition to the above, we have a number of exciting events coming up. On Monday, May 17 the Grand Banquet of the 2010 Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey Clergy/Laity Assembly and Philoptochos Convention was held at the Venetian in Garfield, NJ. This wonderful and well-attended annual event for our Metropolis is an opportunity for all of us to enjoy an evening with friends from other New Jersey parishes. This year the Metropolis honored three parishioners from Holy Trinity for their service to the Church. Holy Trinity had over 30 individuals attend. Our honorees were: Linda Piniat, Steward of Holy Trinity; Barbara Manos, Philoptochos; & David Athenson, GOYA. Just days away is the Greek Fest This year s Greek festival is in the final stages of preparation. This year we will have three days, June 3, 4 & 5 of fun, good food and fellowship. The festival promises to be fun for all ages. Included in the events will be activities for children, Greek dance lessons for all ages, Greek cooking classes, as well as top entertainment on each evening. Please mark your calendars and tell your friends. We are planning to have something different and exciting on each day. To learn more please check out our website: Please plan to attend; this is a great way to meet and get to know your fellow parishioners. We look forward to seeing everyone there. ^ BOOK PARTY We are throwing a book party this fall. You will be invited to join us in the official book launch celebration of our beautiful cookbook, Tastes of Greece. This isn t your typical book party it will be a tasting event and cooking show. You will be able to sample some of the scrumptious dishes from our cookbook. The book features more than 300 recipes, ranging from mezedes, soups, and salads, to main courses, sweets, and cocktails, and some surprise offerings from celebrity chefs! And for the first time, book sales will begin and you will be able to purchase copies at $30 each. Hope to see you at both events! Visit our website at tastesofgreece.org or contact htcooks@yahoo.com for more info. 4 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

5 Philoptochos Avi Kiriakatis, President To aid the poor, the aged, the hungry, the needy, and the sick through charitable works performed with discretion, courtesy, and kindness. Belles Femmes 9 th Annual Fashion Show We are happy to announce that we had another successful fashion show this year with beautiful fashions presented by Emily s Boutique of Staten Island. Emily s is owned by parishioners Emily and Stathis Afendoulis. The Shackamaxon venue was full of joyous women having a great time visiting with friends and preparing for the show itself. There were a number of very happy winners by the end of the evening! Our sincere congratulations and gratitude to our Co-Chairs Nina Anastasiou and Marianne Savorgiannakis and their committee for all their hard work. That evening, we were honored to have in attendence Aphrodite Skeadas, National Philoptochos President, who spoke regarding the mission of Philoptochos. She was very impressed with the fine ladies in our organization and all our good deeds. There was positive energy in the room and it appeared that every person was having fun. This year the Philoptochos Society of Holy Trinity will proudly donate the proceeds of the Grand Raffle to: Autism Speaks to change the future for all who struggle with autism spectrum disorders and Lainie s Angels dedicated to helping families with a child who has a cancer or blood disorder by offering ongoing guidance and support. For everyone who so willingly supported this annual event, please know that we are very appreciative and will always remember your generosity. Working together we can accomplish everything. Mother & Grandmother Of The Year On Mother s Day May 9, 2010, we honored two deserving women from our Parish as Mother and Grandmother of the Year. Mother of the Year was Ellen Conti. Ellen is a loving mother to Jenifer, wife to Joe and loving Youth Advisor for over 10 years. Grandmother of the Year award went to our beloved Maria Grafas. Loving Mother and Grandmother, Board Member of TAG and member of Trinity Circle. Maria is a remarkable woman who is more than just a Grandmother of the Year but a special person to everyone who has been blessed to know her. Metropolis of NJ - Clergy-Laity Grand Banquet, May 17, 2010 The Assembly was held at The Venetian in Garfield, NJ. Philoptochos will be represented by three delegates: Helen Hadzitheodorou, Avi Kiriakatis and Cynthia Ladas. The Metropolis Philoptochos Award goes to Barbara Manos for all her good work, love, guidance and dedication to Philoptochos. Fine Art & Photography The Fine Art & Photography Show on May 21, 22 & 23, in the Bouras Center, under the capable leadership of Chairperson Maria Halkias, was a beautiful affair. Art enthusiasts purchased one-of-a-kind original art in a full spectrum of art mediums, which were on display. The artists displayed their finest work, giving visitors the opportunity to talk with the artists, learn about their art and how they were inspired. The Greek-American Artists at our show were: Helen (Nitsa) Bruno, Maria M. Halkias, Euripides (Rip) Kastaris, Avi Kiriakatis, Constantine Kiriakatis, Chrysoula Lile, Kostas Lymperopoulos, Effie Pappas and Apostolos Tsoris. Kathleen Kakaletis, Education Program Coordinator, of The Division of Cultural & Heritage Affairs of Union County is recognized for her continuous contribution to our Annual Fine Arts & Photography Show. Heartfelt thanks are given to The Woodland String Quartet, directed by violinist Lubove Schnable, for their enchanting musical performance of classical and modern melodies on Friday evening. Annual Rummage Sale June 17 & 18, 2010 Bouras Center - Cynthia Ladas Chairing fundraiser Clean your unwanted valuables and come buy new ones, sharing the camaraderie. May we have love and peace in our hearts as we continue to do the good work of Philoptochos here at Holy Trinity. Please join us and become a Philoptochos member. ^ The Promise ^ June-July 2010 ^ Volume 34, Issue 4 5

6 Parish Life Events 2010 Holy Trinity Mother and Grandmother of the Year. Avi Kiriakatis, Fr. Peter, Ellen Conti, Maria Grafas, Fr. Alexander and Marina LoAlbo. Belles Femmes Philoptochos Fashion Show Marianne Savorgiannakis, Fr. Peter, Avi Kiriakatis, Presvytera Victoria & Nina Anastasiou. Belle Femme Alexandra Afendoulis. Members of Holy Trinity Philoptochos and National Philoptochos Kassandra Romas; Avi Kiriakatis; Aphrodite Skeadas, National Philoptochos President; Anita Kartalopoulos, National Legal Counsel; Noula Chatzopoulos. 6 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

7 T.O.T.S. Trinity Orthodox Toddler Social Happenings: by julie vagelos Spring has sprung and the TOTS are in full swing. In early May we planted flowers for our mothers with a little help from Miss Joanne. In Church, Fr. Peter spoke to us about the beauty of God s creation. Later in the month, we prepared for Memorial Day by making patriotic red, white and blue wind socks for the holiday. No Memorial Day would be complete without a TOTS parade through Holy Trinity. The children enjoyed making a lot of noise with their musical instruments as they marched through the halls to the office! The TOTS will end their year with an awesome picnic at the Loop Playground in the Watchung Reservation on June 9th. The TOTS will enjoy playing on all the great playground equipment and eating lunch outside. Please bring a yummy treat to share. Two very special TOTS are graduating this year and moving on to Kindergarten. We wish Elizabeth Connant and Allie Vagelos only the best as they begin school. Young families are invited to join TOTS when the group resumes their schedule again in the fall. TOTS meets every 2 nd & 4 th Wednesday in the Preschool Room from 10AM to 12 noon. It is with mixed emotions that I close my final Promise article for the TOTS Group. More than five years ago, my family and I joined TOTS and along the way we have made wonderful friends, learned more about our amazing church, and made countless (messy) craft projects. Our daughters looked forward to being with Father Peter and Miss Joanne in church every other Wednesday. They loved lighting their candles and then listening closely as Father Peter told them a story. We appreciate all the wonderful projects and games Miss Joanne has organized for us. Our Wednesdays will not be the same. ^ Bookstore Honoring The Greatest Father Of Them All By Sandy Mouratoglou Oltmann, Dana Banu, and Andrea Blasi In June, we honor our fathers; without whom we would not be here. Without their love and all the many things they do for us throughout our formative years, we would not become the people who we are today. Physical and Spiritual Needs: Human fathers lovingly provide for all our physical needs (Luke 11:9-12). God, our Heavenly Father, goes beyond this, providing us with both the physical (Matthew: 6:25-32) and spiritual needs (Matthew: 6:33). But Saint Luke describes the most important spiritual gift of all. (11:13). God, our heavenly Father, is unknowable, except: Through His Son (Matthew 11:27). But Who is Jesus? The Word of God! (John 1:1) Let s think about two ancient Greek words translated as word in the New Testament: logos and remata. The word logos has many meanings, especially the word by which an inward thought is expressed, also, the inward thought or reason itself Remata is derived from rem, a verb that means to flow, the following example is given: let the land flow with milk, honey Logos & Remata It is quite interesting to note, that Saint John, who referred to the Lord as the Logos in John 1:1. But when the person of Christ is not meant, he uses the word remata as in John 6:63 & 68; 15:7. Although the Bible is inspired by God, the various evangelists express this Divine inspiration using their own stylistic approach. For example, Saint John emphasizes that God gives both physical sustenance, harkening back to the land flowing with milk and honey (Ex 3:8, Num 13:27, Deut 6:3, Josh 5:6, Jer 11:5, Ezek 20:6), as well as spiritual sustenance, rivers of living water (John 7:38).^ The Promise ^ June-July 2010 ^ Volume 34, Issue 4 7

8 Youth Corner Happenings THANK YOUS By David Athenson, President Thank you to the youth members who donated their time on Saturday, March 27 th to participate in the charity volleyball game at Rahway High School: Stephanie John, Diana Kallinosis, Alexandra Maglaras, Alexandra Panagakos, Dina Savva & Vickie Zourzoukis. The money raised was donated to Healing the Children for doctors who provide surgery in third-world countries. Thank you to our current Executive Officers and Board for their efforts and interest to serve the youth group: David Athenson, Rebecca Kotsonis, Vickie Zourzoukis, Angeline Apostolou, George Stevens, Gus Exarhakos, Evie Kyritsis, Alexandra Panagakos, Christina Philippou, DeanRoros, Jonathan Savorgiannakis and Chris Wolff ELECTIONS On Sunday, May 4, elections were held for the new Executive Officers and Board. Congratulations to the following youth members: President: Christina Philippou Vice-President: Vickie Zourzoukis Treasurer: Angeline Apostolou Recording Secretary: Dina Savva Corresponding Secretary: Jonathan Savorgiannakis Outreach Co-coordinators: Gus Exarhakos & Rebecca Kotsonis Your new Board members are: Elena Arida Stephanie John Evie Kyritsis Matt Martin Chris O Sullivan Andreas Vlahakis Gregory Vlahakis: OUTREACH By Chris O Sullivan The youth will once again collect school supplies for children in need through the Bridges program through June. We hope to repeat the success we had last year with this drive. A complete list can be found on the Youth bulletin board or at the Youth table. Items include backpacks, binders and paper, composition notebooks, pens, pencils and erasers. Items can be dropped off at the office if marked for youth drive. Thanks in advance for your support. The Outreach program for this year has been very fulfilling. The main goal for each month throughout the year is to have a charity drive and outreach projects. The most successful collection we had this year was the DVD/VHS drive. A total of 336 VHS tapes and 30 DVDs were collected and were donated to local hospitals and thrift shops. In May, youth members 16 years and older went to Newark with Habitat for Humanity to work on the construction of two houses. This is a wonderful experience, as you meet members of the family who will move into the house. They are so appreciative of all the help CONGRATULATIONS: To the following youth members who will represent Holy Trinity in these upcoming fall events. September 19 Holy Cross Celebration, Asbury Park Sr. Boys Holy Cross Diving Representative -- Gregory Vlahakis Jr. Boys Holy Cross Diving Representative Andreas Vlahakis Sr. Girls Holy Cross Diving Representative Angeline Apostolou Jr. Girls Holy Cross Diving Representative Stephanie John October 10 Mr/Ms GOYA Miss GOYA representative Christina Philippou Mr. GOYA representative Aris Psyhojos The Advisors and youth members would like to take this opportunity to say thank you and good luck to our seniors as they prepare for a new chapter in their lives when they begin their college years. We appreciate their participation, talents and contributions to the youth program and hope that they take with them the many fond memories of their time in the Holy Trinity youth program. We will miss you! May God bless you in your future endeavors. The graduating youth members are: David Athenson Sophia Baurkot Alex Daifotis RJ Hedinger Nicholas Liakas Olivia Maurer Katie Sofianopoulos George Stevens UPCOMING EVENTS: Sunday, June 13th Senior Send-off Brunch and End of the Year Brunch immediately following Religious Education at Snuffy s. Youth Families and friends are invited. Seniors honorees Adults: $30 Youth: $25 8 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

9 Holy Trinity Choir DONATION TO IOCC $ has been sent to the International Orthodox Church Charities from The Spirit of Lent Concert held March 26, 2010 at St. Demetrios, Perth Amboy, directed by Kathryn Athanasoulas. It was the 20th Anniversary of these concerts. Thank you to those who supported this event given by the Eastern Federation of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians. Many choir members from our New Jersey churches participated including Holy Trinity, our Angel Choir, Byzan teens and youth from St. George, in Clifton and Trenton. A MUSICAL PROFILE OF OUR SENIOR BYZAN TEEN You probably have heard a beautiful voice during the Liturgy but could not see who was singing. Many times it was Olivia Maurer who started singing in the Angel Choir at the age of seven and has continued until now at seventeen. She has been somewhat of a mystery soloist every year. Olivia has sung in every Lenten concert since 2002 with the youth. For the last two years, she sang with both the adult and youth groups. Olivia has also sung with the youth at several Federation conferences. She has composed a hymn Se Imnoumen which she has sung at these concerts and occasionally sings during the Liturgy. She has graciously produced a training CD of the entire Liturgy for new Angel Choir members. If all goes as planned Olivia will conduct the Angels and Byzan teens singing the entire Liturgy on June 6. Because of her encouragement we now enjoy her mother Joy Sacalis in the adult choir. Olivia will be attending The College of New Jersey as a physics major and music minor. We will miss her but wish her the best. Congratulations! Olivia Mauer and Alex Daiforos singing a duet in the 2002 concert. NEW MEMBERS NEEDED The Adult choir welcomes new members at any time. September is especially a great time to join. We are looking for people who like to sing and commit to rehearsals. Men are especially needed. The Angel choir is for boys and girls 7-12 who like to sing. Short rehearsals are after Religious Education classes. At age 13, they may continue as part of the Byzan- teens. A big thank you to all choir members who participated this year and every year and who direct their God-given talent back to our Lord. ^ Olivia singing her own composition in 2009 concert. The Promise ^ June-July 2010 ^ Volume 34, Issue 4 9

10 Parish News & Updates Frs. Peter and Alexander, along with the Holy Trinity family, congratulate all the 2010 graduates. Here is a partial list of the graduates. COLLEGE Earning a BA in Communications with a minor in Philosophy, Andrew F. Jayson, graduated from Western New England College in Springfield, Massachusetts. Andrew will, for the second consecutive year, be on the staff at Ionian Village this summer and, upon his return, will pursue a career in Communications. Alexandra Psyhojos, Syracuse University, College of Visual and Performing Arts, received her degree in Communication and Rhetorical Studies. She was President of her sorority, Delta, Delta, Delta, Tri-Delt. HIGH SCHOOL David Athenson, Westfield High School will be attending Franklin and Marshall College in Pennsylvania and was the Youth Honoree for the Holy Metropolis of New Jersey; Sophia Baurkot, Ridge High School in Basking Ridge, will be attending Clemson University in South Carolina; Alex Daifotis, The Pingry School in Martinsville and is graduating Cum Laude. He received the Sr. Science Prize, was a National Merit Scholar and an AP Scholar and will be attending Princeton University in New Jersey; lettering in track [2 years] and Lacrosse [3 years], R.J. Hedinger will graduate from Morristown High School where he was a member of the Science Academy and nominated by the faculty for Boys State. In the fall, he will be attending the University of Arizona, in Tucson, Arizona where he plans to major in veterinary science and play Lacrosse; honor roll student, Katie Sofianopoulos, Ridge High School in Basking Ridge will be attending Butler University, Indianapolis, Indiana; George Stevens, Jonathan Dayton HS in Springfield will be attending the County College of Morris in Randolph, NJ. Elliot Antokas, the son of our former pastor and Presvytera, Fr. Dimitrios and Pres. Maria, will graduate from Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, Maryland and attend American University School of International Studies. ^ The Promise Classifieds 10 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

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12 Wait for The Promiseof the Father Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church 250 Gallows Hill Road ^ Westfield, NJ Change Service Requested 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 htgoc@westfieldnj.com Web site holytrinitywestfield.org Presiding Priest Rev. Peter Delvizis Priest Rev. Alexander G. Leondis Schedule of Services Fall, Winter & Spring Sundays Weekdays Orthros 8:15 AM 8:30 AM Divine Liturgy 9:30 AM 9:30 AM Administrative Assistant Worship Accountant Caretaker Psaltis Choir Director Organist Head Acolytes Irene Panagakos Diana R. Waltsak Ocione Nunes Pascalis Kuvalakis Kathryn Athanasoulas Phyllis Verenes Chris Wolff Haralambos Hedinger The Promise: Volume 34, Issue 4 10 issues published annually. No subscription fee. Article deadline - 10 th of the preceding month Parish Council Philoptochos Religious Education Greek School Trinity Circle TAG Youth (GOYA) JOY / HOPE TOTS Bookstore Cultural Greek School PTO Peter Arbes Avi Kiriakatis Louis Martin Eleftheria Wolff Rita Fitanidis Athena Manos George Skorinko David Athenson Kathy Maglaras Yiana Leichtling Sandy Boutsikaris Joanne Paras Sandy Mouratoglou Barbara Manos Jenny Basis