Glad Tidings One Word of Truth Outweighs the Whole World

Transcription

1 St. Paul, MN June-July 2009 Volume 15, Issue 6 ST. GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH Glad Tidings One Word of Truth Outweighs the Whole World When Soviet dissident Alexander Solzhenitsyn gave his Nobel Lecture in 1970, he quoted this Russian proverb: "One word of truth outweighs the whole world." Let me say it again: "One word of truth outweighs the whole world." We know Solzhenitsyn's story. In WWII Solzhenitsyn was a Soviet Army officer who was arrested and sentenced to eight years in the Gulags under Stalin. In prison Christ captures him. The encounter changes him, so much so that he clandestinely wrote the three volume "Gulag Archipelago" that laid bare the moral bankruptcy of Marxism. His work caused the collapse of the Marxist establishment in Western Europe and tilled the intellectual ground that led to the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union. "One word of truth outweighs the whole world" is a proverb that draws deep from the well of Christian anthropology and cosmology. Solzhenitsyn, like the simple peasants from whom he drew this wisdom, grasped that the most powerful agent of change in the world is a word spoken in truth. The proverb captured the insight from Holy Scripture. In the opening pages of Genesis we read that God created the world by speaking it into existence. Unlike the polytheistic religions where the world is created by conflict among the gods (thus barring any ontological distinction between Creator and created), or the eastern religions where the material creation is merely differentiated and impersonal energy, the God of Abraham stands outside of space and time and creates apart from His creation through a spoken word. God said "Let there be light" and out of nothing light appeared. He separated the land from the sea, created the sun and the stars, and all the other events of the creation by the same spoken word. Only man is created differently. Man becomes a living soul when God breathed into the dust of the ground that was already spoken into existence. Later, after the world that God spoke into existence fell through the disobedience of Adam, God begins the work of restoring His creation anew. Again God speaks, first through the word of the prophet, then through the word of the apostle. The first spoke of the coming of the Christ, the second reveals Him through the preaching of the Gospel. The Risen Christ Revealed When the Gospel is preached, Christ is revealed. Christ is Savior, and our introduction to Christ the means by which we awaken to His existence and become aware of His benevolent love towards us occurs when we hear the Gospel. And the Gospel, in order to be heard, must first be preached. The Gospel is not a series of propositions, but the doorway into concrete, existential encounter with the Risen Christ. We can say then that God first enters the world through a word. Further, when a word is spoken in truth, it draws from and references Him who is Truth Jesus Christ. Christ said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." The Apostle Paul wrote that, "All things were created through Him and for Him He is before all things, and in Him all things consist" (Col. 1:17). Any Fr. Johannes L. Jacobse word of truth references the Truth, even if the words make no direct mention of Christ. A word spoken truth is never morally neutral. And a word spoken in truth contains its own verification because its final referent is Him who is the Truth. It commends itself to the conscience of those who have ears to hear, which is to say an inner orientation the tilled soil of the heart that receives the word with gladness. Further, the creative moral potency of a word spoken in truth elicits the warning to count the cost of speaking it. The man with a darkened heart will spit out the word of truth because of indifference, surfeit, preoccupation with mundane things and other reasons, and may persecute the speaker. Thus, sobriety and courage are necessary virtues in following Christ's command that his followers bring truth into the world. Solzhenitsyn understood this. He wrote knowing that he would be killed if his writings were ever discovered. When the word of truth is heard however, it redeems and restores the hearer. It can foster freedom and unleash deep creativity. The old can become new. Corruption can become wholesomeness. Sinners can become saints. It changes individuals. And as individuals change, their relationships change. As relationships change, culture changes. As cultures change, institutions change along with it. One word of truth outweighs the whole world. Special articles: Broker Turned Monk, pg. 2; Pictures From The Renovation, pg. 6

2 Glad Tidings Page 2 Broker Turned Monk Offers Home Truths on Crisis Brother Nikanor, a Nasdaq broker turned monk, advises former colleagues to put a jar with soil on their desks to remind them where we are all heading and what matters in life. As western banks fold into each other like crumpled tickets and commentators portray the current crisis as the last gasp of modern capitalism, Hristo Mishkov, 32, shares the pain -- and offers home truths. His story partly resembles that of Brother Ty, the monk-tycoon protagonist of the 1998 satire "God is my Broker" by U.S. writers Christopher Buckley and John Tierney -- he failed on Wall Street and became a monk. But 10 years later, the similarities are superficial: the Bulgarian had a successful broking career, does not write self-help manuals and aims to get happy, not rich. His interest in financial markets began under communism in the 1980s when he and other children created their own play stock exchange in their apartment block's basement in Sofia. Five years ago, after failing to find happiness in the life he lived, the Christian Orthodox who hadn't practiced as a child quit the New Yorkbased market for a dilapidated Bulgarian monastery that once served as a communist labor camp. Retaining one luxury -- a mobile phone, which connects him with both potential donors and former trading colleagues -- he has brought the rigor of his broking experience to his faith. He has helped to raise hundreds of thousands of levs (dollars) to rebuild the monastery -- a hard task in a country where charity is not part of the mentality and building shopping malls and golf courses is a priority. "Many people... in the world do not realize that they have not earned the food they eat, that they take without giving," Mishkov told Reuters. "But if someone consumes more than they have earned, it means someone else is starving. "It is right to see people who consume more than they deserve shattered by a financial crisis from time to time, to suffer so that they can become more reasonable." Being a trader has seldom been more traumatic: placing bets on political decisions about billiondollar bank bailouts which, if they fail, could mean much more than a bad day for yourself or colleagues, but also jeopardize livelihoods. Some have found solace in religion, others in humor, but a few fall. Surveys show traders reporting more stress and every news report of a trader suicide is accompanied by suggestions the pressure may have been too much. Happiness "We always search for happiness in the outside world, in material things, which makes us constantly unsatisfied, angry with ourselves and the world," said Mishkov, who exudes a sense of tranquility, intelligence, and humor. Greed and the marketization of our lives have reached the point where people have been turned into a commodity -- even their health can be traded like a stock, he said. "We have so quickly lost our human appearance, we have become beasts... There's no-one to count on and say 'hey neighbor come help me.' He will come but demand a payment." His monastery, tucked among hills 50 km (31 miles) west of Sofia, was founded in the 12th century. The communist regime which banned religion turned it into a labor camp, then a children's pioneer camp and a livestock farm. Now Mishkov works hard every day milking buffalo cows and building stone walls. He says he is not against rich people but can only respect those who contribute to the good of society -- pointing to Microsoft founder Bill Gates as an example. As a younger man working for more than two years for Karoll, one of Bulgaria's leading brokerages, Mishkov was good at his job, former colleagues say. "He was a religious person and that annoyed me sometimes," said Alexander Nikolov, head of international capital markets at Karoll. "There were occasions when he would not show up at work because of some religious holiday." His colleagues were stunned when he decided to become a monk, but Mishkov felt the time had come to look after people's souls. "Everybody can be a good broker but this does not bring much benefit for the world," he said. Religion can help people cope in today's stressful times and find answers, Mishkov added. Continued on page 4. TSURNOGORSKI MONASTERY, Bulgaria (Reuters) Courtesy

3 St. Paul, MN Page 3 Parish Announcements Philoptochos Update RSVP to Evelyn Boosalis to attend the decades birthday evening buffet on Thursday June 18, :00 pm at Evelyn s home at 85 Many Levels road in Dellwood, Minnesota Confer with Evelyn about rides, questions and directions. The fashion show luncheon will be Saturday Sept 26, :30 am at the Pool and Yacht club in Lilydale, Minnesota. Refer questions to President Reva J Adkins. May your summertime be full of many happy adventures. Daughters of Penelope News During May, June, July and August the Daughters of Penelope will be on vacation and will return Thursday, September 17, pm to conduct business. Sunday, June 7, 2009 AHEPA will be operating their Grand Old Day gyros booth. The AHEPA family of Grainfield District 14 will be in Sioux Falls, SD for the district convention during Friday, Saturday and Sunday of June 12, 13 and We are sorry about conflicting with the Oratorical Festival of the Archdiocese to be held in our Twin Cities. Archdiocese Oratorical Festival Please help us to cohost this event on June by making a generous donation. Several sponsorship levels and opportunities are available for everyone to participate. Thank you! Roselawn Cemetery Lots This notice is to inform and remind all Parishioners about availability of burial plots in our Greek Orthodox section at the Roselawn Cemetery. The price of the lots are sold at a significantly discounted price. The price for this year (2009) is: Monument Lot (2 graves) $3,380.00; Flat Lot (2 graves) $1,850.00; Flat Lot (1 grave) $1, Note that only three Monument Lots are available. Please contact Dimitri Dokos, , or the Church office at Sunday School Volunteers We are recruiting volunteers for the Sunday School year. Please see or Andrea Faches (afaches@msn.com) to offer your services. Activities we need assistance with will include: general planning, teaching and classroom support, Fall Kick Off, Christmas Program, Oratorical Festival, Saturday of Lazarus Youth Retreat and Graduation Sunday. Thanks to all the volunteers who`ve made such a productive and meaningful year for all involved Greek Festival August 22 & 23 The annual Greek Festival is the major fundraiser for the church and could not happen without the help of 200+ volunteers. The Greek Festival is also an important social activity for our community, and an opportunity for us the share the food, religion and culture of Greece. A Greek Festival flyer is attached as an insert. We look forward to seeing you at the 2009 Greek Festival. The Book Store Is taking order for A Guide to Greek Traditions and Culture by Marilyn Rouvelas. This books describes ecclesiastical traditions, everyday customs, recipes and ways to celebrate feast days and holidays. Rouvelas writing style is straightforward, with clear explanations, making the book invaluable reference and great giftgiving item. Hosea: A Love Story-lecture Series by Richard Benton A Minnesota Bible Lecture Series Spring 2009 at St. Herman s Orthodox Church, th Ave. S., Friday, May 29: vespers 6 pm, clergy retreat 7 pm; Saturday, May 30: Matins 8 am, breakfast 9 am, Session 1 9:30 am and Session 2 at 2 pm. Cost is $30. Register at the door or online:

4 Glad Tidings Page 4 Church Staff and Office Hours Church Office Hours Mondays-Friday 9:00AM--3:00 PM Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews, Presbyter (651) FatherRick@usa.com Lori Kurtyka, Administrative Assistant (651) Registry April 26, 2009 April 12, 2009 April 12, 2009 April 2, Day Churchings Aleka and Elisavet Powell Chrismation Dawn (Photini) Lampros with godparents Stella Hofrenning Jean (Marie) Pliakas with godparent Dina Koutroumanes Funeral Maria Theros Eric Chadwick, Parish Council President (507) chadwick@ptslaw.com Reva Adkins, Philoptochos President (651) rradkins@comcast.net Andrea Faches, Sunday School Director (507) afaches@msn.com Stella Hofrenning, Greek School Director Festal Icons Needed Please donate a Festal Icon (11" x 14") in memory of a loved one. The cost is $50.00 per icon. The icons are displayed in the church nave and are put out for veneration on the Feast Day of the Saint or event they represent. To donate an icon, fill out a form (found on the bulletin board by the kitchen) and return it to the office. St. Theodosia 5/29 St. Euphrosyne 9/11 St. Markella 7/22 Diane Anastos, Glad Tidings -Editor Broker Turned Monk, continued from page. 2. Churches in New York's financial district reported last month increased attendance at lunchtime meetings, with many more people in business attire than usual, when some of the world's biggest investment banks collapsed. Steven Bell, chief economist of London hedge fund GLC, said keeping a sense of reality is what traders needed. "It is very important to just remind yourself that there is a real world out there. In any job but particularly in financial markets, you need to try and keep your feet on the ground," Bell told Reuters by phone. Mishkov says the crash should also help correct a dangerous global trend of an excessive outflow of labor to the service sectors, by people attracted by high pay and an easy life. "Milk is not produced by computers, bread doesn't come from a good company PR. It is necessary to plow, sow and harvest before that," says the monk. This essay is drawn from a talk given to the leadership of Orthodox Christian Laity on March 9, 2009, in Pinellas Park, Fl.

5 St. Paul, MN Page 5 YOUTH NEWS UPCOMING YOUTH EVENTS 9am, June 13th Archdiocese Oratorical come support national finalists! June 29th to July 6th-St. Mary s Summer Camp July 11th Parish Community Night at the Lampros Home, 5pm. Contact Tom or Dawn tlampros@hotmail.com to make sure you get all the details! Holy Friday Acolytes & Myrrh bearers Traveling on the Ark of Salvation: Twelve Great Feasts will be the VCS theme presented on August 3rd 7th. This year s curriculum will focus on the Feasts of the Theotokos using a brand new curriculum from the Archdiocese. Children aged Pre-K to 6th grade will find fun in learning with their friends. To register your child or to volunteer, complete the enclosed VCS registration form or go online (see right) to register. July 11th Parish Community Night The Lampros family invites you to join the fun at their home 5pm, July 11th! To volunteer your family to host future community nights (in your home OR at church) please contact Andrea afaches@msn.com. Upcoming available dates are: August 9th, September 12th, October 10 and November 14th. Birth to 3 Faith Group Activities well under way! See right for upcoming meetings. Additional meetings September 19th, October 24th, November 14th, December 19th, from 9:30-11:30 am, snack will be provided. For more information, contact Kelly barbes11@msn.com.or GOYA News/Events June 6: GRAND OLD DAY PARKING RSVP to Pres Jane or Jean if you plan to help. We had a great time last year! Please help raise funds for the upcoming National Oratorical and Trinity Food Shelf. June 13: NATIONAL ORATORICAL BREAKFAST St. George and St. Mary s GOYA are working jointly to host the Saturday breakfast at the National Oratorical. RSVP to Pres Jane or Jean. Let s REPRESENT well! July 18: FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN & LUNCH We will be working at Feed My Starving Children from 9 11 a.m. Meet at St. George at 8:30 a.m. if you care to carpool. Details & RSVP to Pres Jane or Jean. July 18th- Faith BBQtime/place tbd Contact Kelly SAVE THE DATES: August 3-8th Traveling on the Ark of Salvation Vacation Church School at St. George register online today! RegistrationForms/ VCSRegistrationForm.html Youth & Family Ministry Meeting Monday, June 7:00pm. St. George Greek Orthodox Church - Monthly planning meeting. Sunday School Staff, Youth Workers, parents & others interested are encouraged to attend or participate: , participant code: , to teleconference. Upcoming Youth & Family Ministry meetings will be on: July 13 August 10th September 14th Vacation Church School is August 3-7th.

6 Glad Tidings Page 6 This Holy Man: Impressions of Metropolitan Anthony (book review) Metropolitan Anthony (Bloom) of Sourozh (+2003) was one of the most respected churchmen, spiritual writers, and broadcasters on the world stage, inside and outside of the Orthodox Christian communion. His books, School of Prayer, Living Prayer, and God and Man have become classics. However, besides his public persona as a leader of the Russian Orthodox Church in Great Britain, who was Metropolitan Anthony as preacher and pastor? How did his experience as physician, monk, parish priest, spiritual father, and bishop affect his writings? How did his life story mold his perspective? In this comprehensive examination of Metropolitan Anthony life and work, Gillian Crow presents a compelling portrait of a complex human being: a charismatic, warm person aglow with the joy of his faith, and a person who fought hard against the demons of shyness, insecurity, and depression. This sympathetic yet honest portrayal is essential reading for all those touched by Metropolitan Anthony writing, who wish to discover more about his inner life. Sanctuary Renovation Congratulations to James Simon & Katharine Chadwick on representing St. George at the Metropolis Oratorical Festival April 25th. James is in the Senior Division & Katharine the Junior Division. Each were recognized for their participation by blessings from His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos and by a certificate of participation.

7 St. Paul, MN Page 7 Metropolis & Archdiocesan News Volunteers Needed to Participate in Orthodox Family Study The Center for Family Care of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese is looking for volunteers to participate in the first national study Orthodox Family in America at Home and in Church. This study is a first step towards a better understanding of how our Church ministers to the particular needs of families and how Orthodox families in America organize their everyday lives with regard to living their faith. There are only two requirements to be eligible for participation: you must be a parishioner of a Greek Orthodox community, and you must have children 18 and under living at home (single parents are equally welcomed to participate as well as intermarried families where the parents are Orthodox/non-Orthodox) Call or you can also, download the form at departments/family/orthofamilystudy Daily Bible Readings for Facebook and igoogle The Department of Internet Ministries has launched an enhancement to its Online Chapel service that will now provide Facebook and igoogle users access to the daily Bible readings and lives of the saints directly from their customized home pages. Visit the Online Chapel at for more information on how to add the new Online Chapel for Facebook and Online Chapel for igoogle to your home pages Harris, Laura Morton, and Rhonda Webb; Theo Nicolakis. Information about the program, speakers, accomodations and registration information is now available at religioused/ We are also pleased to present the Children's Bible Reader - Spanish Edition, which is available now, as well as a number of academic bible study resources including the revised Septuagint, a critical edition of the Gospel of John according to the Byzantine Tradition and others html?MMCF_EB Soon we will release the new Orthodox Military New Testament, designed to be small and portable while also including adequate devotional references for Orthodox Christians who are deployed html?MMCF_EB Save the date for Summer Institute The Department of Religious Education and the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians will co-host the 2009 Summer Institute, July 30-August 1, 2009 on the campus of Hellenic College-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, MA. Speakers and workshop leaders: His Grace Bishop Savas of Troas; Rev. Dr. Philip Zymairs; Prof. Despina Prassas; Prof. Bradley Nassif; Prof. Vicki Pappas; Artist Niko Chocheli; Presv. Georget Photos; VCS Creators Barbara

8 ST. GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 1111 Summit Avenue St. Paul, Minnesota ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID St. Paul, MN Permit No. 177 Phone: Fax: Web Site: Weekday Worship Schedule REGULAR WEEKLY SERVICES Paraklesis at St. Mary GOC 6:00pm, Friday, June 12 St. Mary Magdalene St. Markella 8:00am, Wednesday, July 22 Holy Confession: By Appointment Vespers: Saturday 5 pm (September May) Orthros: Sunday 8:30 am Divine Liturgy: Sunday 9:45 am Sunday School: (September through May) starts after administration of Holy Communion

9 June 2009 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday FAST DAY +FAST DAY *1:30pm Philoptochos *5:00pm Radio Program KKMS 980am PENTECOST ARCHDIOCESE ARCHDIOCESE ORATORICAL ORATORICAL +8:30am ORTHROS +ST. FESTIVAL FESTIVAL +9:45am LITURGY BARTHOLOMEW- Patriarch's *6:00pm *10:00am *12:00pm Grand Nameday PARAKLESIS Oratorical Old Day- GOYA *5:00pm Loaves at St. Mary GOC Competition at Parking Lot & Fishes St. George GOC *7:00pm Parish *7:00pm Oratorical *1:00pm Oratorical *4:00pm MEOCCA *7:00pm Youth *7:00pm Bible Council Youth Activity at Awards Luncheon Pentecost Vespers & Family Ministry Study at Fr. St. Mary GOC at St. George GOC at Holy Trinity Mtg. Rick's Home *5:00pm Radio Serbian Program KKMS 980am + NO FASTING ARCHDIOCESE ORATORICAL FESTIVAL +ALL SAINTS +8:30am ORTHROS +9:45am *5:00pm Spiritual *5:00pm Radio HIERARCHICAL Life Cmte Program KKMS DIVINE 980am LITURGY at St. Mary GOC *12:00pm Oratorical Luncheon w/ + FAST OF THE HOLY APOSTLES + Archbishop Demetrios at St. Mary GOC Father's Day +2ND SUN. MATTHEW NATIVITY OF FORERUNNER +9:30am Liturgy in Eau Claire, WI +8:30am ORTHROS +9:45am LITURGY *5:00pm Radio *12:00pm Choir *7:00pm Program KKMS Practice Stewardship Cmte 980am + FAST OF THE HOLY APOSTLES RD +STS. PETER +HOLY APOSTLES SUN.MATTHEW & PAUL +8:30am ORTHROS +9:45am LITURGY + Church Camp at Wapogasset, Amery WI+ + FAST OF THE HOLY APOSTLES + St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 1111 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN Rev. Father Richard Demetrius Andrews -- Phone: (651)

10 July 2009 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Coming in August FAST DAY +ST. JOHN +FAST DAY INDEPENDENCE Strict Fast of the Dormition (MAXIMOVITCH) DAY 3-7. Vacation Church School OF SHANGAI 7. Transfiguration of our Lord 15. Dormition of the Theotokos 22. Greek Festival *5:00pm Radio 29. Beheading of John the Baptist Program KKMS 980am + SUMMER CHURCH CAMP AT WAPOGASSET, AMERY WI TH SUNDAY +ST. KYRIAKI +FAST DAY +FAST DAY OF MATTHEW +8:30am ORTHROS +9:45am LITURGY *7:00pm Parish Council *5:00pm Radio Program KKMS 980am *6:00pm Parish Family Night at Tom and Dawn Lampros TH SUNDAY +FAST DAY +FAST DAY *9:30am FAITH OF MATTHEW Youth Group +ST. MARINA +8:30am ORTHROS +9:45am LITURGY *12:00pm Acolyte *6:30pm Youth *7:00pm Bible *5:00pm Spiritual *5:00pm Radio Training & Family Ministry Study at Life Cmte Program KKMS Mtg. Fr. Rick's Home 980am ST. MACRINA +PROPHET +FAST DAY +FAST DAY ELIAS/ELIJAH +DORMITION OF +HOLY FATHERS +ST. MARY +ST. CHRISTINA ST. ANNA 4TH ECUMENICAL MAGDALENE COUNCIL +ST. MARKELLA +8:30am ORTHROS +9:45am LITURGY +8:00am LITURGY *5:00pm Radio *12:00pm Choir Program KKMS Practice 980am TH SUNDAY +ST. +FAST DAY +FAST DAY MATTHEW PANTELIEMON +ST. PARASKEVE +8:30am ORTHROS +9:45am LITURGY *7:00pm Stewardship Cmte St. George Greek Orthodox Church, 1111 Summit Avenue, St. Paul, MN Rev. Father Richard Demetrius Andrews -- Phone: (651)

11

12 May 14, 2009 Mid-Pentecost Dear Parishioners: Our parish is privileged and blessed to co-host the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival (SJCOF) this June 12-14, Along with Archbishop Demetrios and Metropolitan Iakovos and other Archdiocese and Metropolis representatives, we will be hosting eighteen (18) young people with their family and friends. We are expecting seventy (70) guests in total. These eighteen young (7 th -12 th grade) people from across the United States, each representing their own Metropolis, will offer their best oratory while sharing their faith in Jesus Christ and knowledge of Orthodoxy. Our planning committee has been meeting for several months to prepare for this special occasion. We are offering a weekend of food, fellowship and recreation to our guests. A youth night, an awards luncheon, a tour of the Twin Cities area and Hierarchical Liturgy and Reception are among the weekend s activities. In the spirit of philoxenia/hospitality, we plan to offer all of these at no cost to our guests. Therefore, we wish to give you an opportunity (see list below) to help underwrite the expenses of the weekend. Your benevolent offering will help host these young people in the Twin Cities. It will provide shared meals for the participants and their families. It will also provide fellowship and faithenhancing time spent with other inspiring Greek Orthodox youth. Additionally, the funds you contribute in excess of the weekend s expenses will provide scholarships to the top three speakers in both the Junior (7-9 th Grade) and Senior (10-12 th Grade) division. We ask that you give generously to support this event. Donors will be recognized for their contributions in the 2009 SJCOF Guide and Program booklet. Attached you will find a form to submit with your contribution or pledge. We ask that you submit this completed form no later than June 1 st to be properly recognized and acknowledged. Thank you in advance for your support. Please call us if you have any questions or comments about the Archdiocese St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival Christ is Risen! Father Richard Demetrius Andrews, Co-Chair St. George Greek Orthodox Church, , fatherrick@usa.com Father Paul Paris, Co-Chair St. Mary Greek Orthodox Church, , frpaul@stmarysgoc.org * Mr. Eric Chadwick, Parish Council President

13 26 th Annual Archdiocese St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival June th 2009 Cohosted by: St. George Greek Orthodox Church, St. Paul, MN Fr. Rick Demetrius Andrews: St. Mary s Greek Orthodox Church, Minneapolis, MN Fr. Paul Paris: frpaul@stmarysgoc.org; Sponsorship Form To assist in the success of this year s St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival (SJCOF) and the continued witnessing of faith by our youth, I wish to sponsor the following activities (you may check more than one) Saturday Dinner $2100 Saturday Tour & Boat Cruise $1500 Transportation for Weekend $1200 Awards Luncheon at St. George $1000 Friday Dinner at St. Mary $700 Saturday Breakfast at St. George $700 Printing & Postage $700 Hospitality & Entertainment $500 Promotional Items & Gifts $500 Great Benefactor $400 Benefactor $300 Sponsor $100 Friend $ 50 Please print name as it should appear in the 2009 SJCOF Program/Guide: Please enclose a check payable to: St. George Greek Orthodox Church Attn: SJCOF Summit Avenue St. Paul, MN Or for online contributions, please go to Please return this form with you contribution or pledge by June 7th, Name: Address: City: State/Zip Telephone:

14 St. George Greek Orthodox Church, St. Paul, MN Parish Council Meeting Minutes March 12, 2009 Attendees: Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews, Eric Chadwick, Paul Pliakas, Frank Mortari, Jason Barbes, Joe Weiser, and Stacy Katsiyiannis. I. The meeting was called to order at 20:05. It should be noted that there were not enough members present for a quorum. II. The Parish Council meeting opened with a prayer. III. Submission of minutes from Feb 12, 2009 meeting. IV. Treasurer s Report Frank M. submitted the financial report for February. Frank M. was asked to provide a monthly report on all account balances. A discussion took place on ACH fees and whether it was worth looking into accepting online payments. It was determined that it was too costly. V. Father s Report Father wanted to recognize Antonia Kontenakos passing, expressed sympathy to her family and recognized her service to the church. Father reminded the Council about the upcoming Lenten Retreat. Council was asked to try to attend the weekday services during lent. Father gave a report on the Bball tourney: Men- 1 st place, Women-3 rd place, Girls-4 th place, Boys-3 rd place. April 23 rd Feast Day for St. George. Vespers on 4/22 followed by a reception and Liturgy on 4/23 followed by Bright Week breakfast. VI. Committee Reports Capital Projects Paul P. notified Council that the carpeting and tile have been approved. Financials: we need the money in hand to start. Paul P. is asking for ideas and it was mentioned that a list of donors will be posted in the social hall. Greek Festival Jean Pliakas askied if we could get an electrical upgrade and expense it to the Greek Festival account. It was decided that it should be a Capital Project. VII. New Business Parish Assembly - Need to meet for Board of Auditors report. The suggested meeting date was April 26th, 2009 Contract for Grounds Upkeep - Tabled to next month s meeting - Computer and Network Upgrade - Frank Mortari brought up the need to hire a professional service to help with computer upgrades and maintenance. The initial cost would be $500- $800 with an hourly cost thereafter. Father Rick was in favor of this. Need Parish Council approval to proceed. - Conference Room Storage

15 - It will cost $ for three drawer file cabinets. Need Parish Council approval to proceed. VIII. Unfinished Business Pan-Orthodox Vespers Lenten Dinner Not discussed Archdiocese Oratorical Festival A discussion about the hotel contract (see enclosure) and whether we should sign it. Frank Mortari had a question about the financial ramifications of signing the contract. The maximum potential financial liability is less than $5,000. IX. Adjournment The meeting adjourned at 21:45 with a closing prayer. A separate meeting was held on Sunday March 15, 2009 to pass the motions below: Attendees: Father Richard Andrews, Eric Chadwick, Paul Pliaka, Joe Weiser, Jim Theros, Frank Mortari, Diane Anastos, and Stacy Katsiyiannis I. The meeting was called to order at 12:40 II. Frank Mortari moved to allocate funds of up to $1100 for the purchase of a replacement computer for Father Richard Andrews. Motion was seconded by Joe Weiser. Motion carried. III. Frank Mortari moved to accept the proposal to proceed with upgrading the network and related peripherals using Phoenix for an initial 5 hours of work. Motion was seconded by Diane Anastos. Motion carried. IV. Frank Mortari moved to allocate funds up to $2500 to install approved storage proposal for the conference room. Motion was seconded by Jim Theros. Motion carried. V. Frank Mortari moved to authorize St. George to co-sign the contract (along with the Archdiocese) with the Radisson Hotel Bloomington by the MOA for the Archdiocese St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival National Finals. Diane Anastos seconded the motion. Motion carried. VI. Meeting adjourned at 12:47, 2009 Eric Chadwick, President, 2009 Stacy Katsiyiannis, Secretary, 2009 Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews, Presbyter

16 St. George Greek Orthodox Church Parish Council Meeting Minutes April 9, 2009, 7:00 p.m. I. Call to Order - meeting was called to order at 7:06pm. Eric Chadwick, Jim Theros, Joe Weiser, Paul Pliakas, Jason Barbes, Frank Mortari, Diane Anastos, Stacy Katsiyiannis, Christ Kontenakos, and Father Richard Andrews were in attendance. II. II. III. IV. Opening Prayer-by Father Rick and Bible readings were read by Jason Barbes, Paul Pliakas, and Diane Anastos. New Member Appointment Diane Anastos moved to appoint Christ Kontenakos to fill a vacancy of the Parish Council for a term expiring December Motion was seconded by Frank Mortari. Motion carried. Jim Theros moved to appoint Tom Lampros to the Parish Council. Motion was seconded by Frank Mortari. Motion carried. Submission of Minutes - February 2009 minutes were approved as submitted. March Minutes were not available. Treasurer s Report - Frank Mortari presented financials for March 2009 and Yeart-to-Date results. See attached. Uncategorized expenses include expenditures for the office cabinets. This will be re-categorized as office equipment. Please see attached report for account balances. There was a discussion about the Reserve Accounts including where the money is, how it should be tracked, and how it should be designated. A discussion took place about opening up a Money Market account for Memorials and calling it Designated Funds to better account for funds. V. Fr. Rick s Report 1. Father talked about the Parable of the Good Samaritan from the book Of Life & Salvation. 2. Review of things in the community: a. Father expressed his condolences on the passing of Maria Theros. Please pray for the family and may her memory be eternal. b. The Lenten Retreat with Frederica Mathews-Green was well attended but more participation from our parishioners would be appreciated.

17 c. The Greek Independence Day Celebration was well attended with possibly the largest attendance in history. 3. Upcoming Events a. Holy Week b. Feast of St. George-invite Clergy to Vespers with an evening reception. Morning Liturgy with breakfast to follow. 4. Phoenix technology has helped productivity 5. File cabinets are installed. Clark Smith will be designing a wood top to cover the file cabinets to help blend in with the older file cabinets. 6. Father mentioned that we received a bequest of around $5000 from the estate of Georgia Boosalis. 7. There is a Clergy-Laity meeting for the Metropolis of Chicago Nov 4 /09- Nov 7 /09 in Milwaukee, WI. We can send 4 total delegates, with 2 being from the parish council. VI. Committee Reports a) Capital Projects-Work on the church is scheduled to start on April 27. It will take approximately 2-3 weeks and we will need to clear the church after Liturgy on 4/26. There was a discussion about finding a way to honor Antonia Kontenakos for her generous donation to this project. Diane Anastos moved to officially recognize Antonia Kontenakos in an inconspicuous place on the solea for her generosity. Joe Weiser seconded the motion. Motion carried. b) By Laws - Paul Pliakas updated Council on his progress with the update of the by-laws. He hopes to have written communication ready to publish to the parish community. c) Greek Festival- we are in need of an update to the electrical system before the next Festival. Paul P. will have three estimates in time for presentation to the PA. d) Festival of Nations - please encourage friends to work on April 30th to May 3 rd, e) Building & Grounds - Tuckpointing is going well. Jim Theros is working with the contractor on potential roof issues and will work with manufacturer if problem isnot easily solved. We need to schedule Spring cleaning for mid-may. We will check with Jean Pliakas. f) Glad Tidings-We are currently looking for someone to assist with this responsibility. We cannot turn it over the printing company as we originally planned. VII. New Business a) Contract for Grounds Upkeep - We will keep the service agreement with Tom Fisher b) Marsden & general cleaning issues - Frank M. gave us an update on Marsden and explained that they are looking to increase some business with us. We will look into this if our needs warrant additional cleaning help.

18 c) Ushering - Everyone is asked to sign up for specific dates. d) Holy Week Schedule & Duties - Please sign up. The schedule was passed around. e) Youth Bucks - We had a discussion about the current state of the youth bucks program. The budget is $1800 and the program will be administered by the committee. f) Pascha & St. George Feast Day Meals - Jason Barbes is organizing the Lamb Pascha dinner and is still looking for donations. Stacy K. is coordinating the St. George Feast Day Vesper refreshments. g) Altar Table Contracts - Father Rick has a contract from Douglas Trail Johnson for the altar for $9850 and a contract from Mother Theodora for a Mystical Supper Icon for the front of the Altar for $3000. The contracts still need to be signed. VIII. IX. Unfinished Business a) Parish Assembly - Scheduled for April 26 th, We need to approve the funds for the electrical work. The funds are to come from the proceeds of the Greek Festival. b) Archdiocese (National) Oratorical Festival- June 14 th. We are getting close to finalizing the details and are looking for donations to cover the costs. Adjournment & Closing Prayer- Joe Weiser moved to adjourn the meeting and Christ Kontenakos seconded the motion. Meeting concluded with a closing prayer at 22:13., 2009 Eric Chadwick, President, 2009 Stacy Katsiyiannis, Secretary, 2009 Rev. Fr. Richard Demetrius Andrews, Presbyter

19 From: Sent: Sunday, May 17, :44 PM To: Cc: Subject: Greek Festival Announcement for Glad Tidings Hi Diane, Jean asked me to see if you are able to include this announcement in the June/July issue of Glad Tidings Greek Festival August 22 & 23 The annual Greek Festival is the major fundraiser for the church and could not happen without the help of 200+ volunteers. The Greek Festival is also an important social activity for our community, and an opportunity for us the share the food, religion and culture of Greece. A Greek Festival flyer is attached as an insert. We look forward to seeing you at the 2009 Greek Festival! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Thank you, Paul Pliakas

20 Greek Music & Dancing Lamb & Chicken Dinners Gyros Greek Pastries Church Tours Kid s Games St. George Greek Orthodox Church 1111 Summit Avenue, St. Paul Corner of Lexington & Summit Ave Rain or shine!