Parish Mission Statement: To proclaim and live the Orthodox Christian Faith in its fullness as faithful members of the Body of Christ.

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1 VOLUME 41, ISSUE 2 FEBRUARY 2019 REV. FR. CHRISTOPHER H. STAMAS, PASTOR Parish Mission Statement: To proclaim and live the Orthodox Christian Faith in its fullness as faithful members of the Body of Christ. Meet the Deacon Philoptochos Plans Major Event for Heart Month New Parish Council is Sworn into Office GOYA Plans Collection for Souper Bowl Gravanis Family Shows Some Appreciation A Spring Retreat at the Camp? Let us Know! Personalized Liturgy Books Still Available Endowment Fund Rides the Wave It s Time to Think Seriously about Stewardship The Pastor s Page Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Not too long ago, I was given a book by one of our regular attendees at Bible Study. Finally having the chance to read it recently, I found it to be one of the best books I ve read in recent years. The book is called The Emmaus Code: Finding Jesus in the Old Testament by David Limbaugh. You may remember that Emmaus (ē-mā-us) was a village near Jerusalem and it was on the road to that village where something very significant happened. As Jesus walked with two of his followers, He explained to them, the Bible says, all the things about Himself from the Law (of Moses), the psalms and the prophets. Not only prophecies point to Jesus but literally hundreds of other references that may normally go right over our head unless they are pointed out. One of the most common ways that the Old Testament points to Christ is through something called typology. Typology is the study and interpretation of types and symbols. For example, when the Israelites were in the desert and they were thirsty, God commanded Moses to strike a rock and immediately, water flowed from the rock and the people drank. This is called a type. The antitype is Christ who is the Rock of the Church, whose message is Living Water, and who, because of being struck (by His accusers) satisfies the spiritual thirst of the people. Others see types of Christ in Abel (a shepherd), Isaac, Noah, Joseph (betrayed but later raised to glory), David (king and prophet), Aaron (priest), and so many more. Am I recommending this book? Yes, I am very strongly. It is an excellent book for young people (20s and 30s) especially those who are looking for real evidence or trying to make sense out of Scripture. It s even at your local library but this is the key: this book proves so many very valuable points. First, that the message of Christ is eternal, that the life of Christ was foreseen by many for hundreds of years and that He was/is truly God. Second, like so many others, we also need to experience Him on a daily basis because when we truly experience His grace and love, that makes us truly believe in and love Him. Appreciation, Empathy, Love and Wisdom People do various things for different reasons but what makes people connect with God? Why do some people connect with God and His Church very easily while others struggle tremendously with boredom, doubt, and even disdain for the Church? Ask most faithful people and you ll find that they feel blessed in a very special way. Appreciation for those blessings leads them home. Others want to serve out of empathy. They see suffering and want to help. Many, if not a great majority, simply love people, they love the comradery and the interaction with others. Still others feels that God s ways, His wise ways, have proven themselves true over and over again. What leads you to church or away from it? Send us a note, anonymous or not. We d like to know.

2 President: Vice President: Secretary: Treasurer: Building Fund Committee Choir Director Endowment Fund G.O.Y.A. Advisor Greek School J.O.Y. Over 60 Club Philoptochos Sexton Stewardship Sunday School Office Manager Office Volunteers 2019 PARISH COUNCIL Elizabeth Pappas Frogameni James Athens II Christopher Ciejek Anthony Lalikos Diane Arventos Calliope Hoffman Nicholas Kintgios Nicole Lipp Steven Manioudakis Paul Papadakis Liza Pappas Ilias Roumeliotis Joseph Spano Steve Stathis Cameron Walker COMMITTEE AND ORGANIZATION HEADS Despina Varelakis Costa Joan Marcil Andrew Psilakis Chrisoula Mahida Liza Pappas Stephanie Giannakopoulos Marika Hamilakis Dimitra Stathis Ciejek Susan Efremidis Doreen Psilakis Despina Varelakis Costa Sandra Dakis-Fiore Pat Mee Mary Anne Pappas Doreen Psilakis Betty Socha The Apostle is the monthly newsletter of St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Western Massachusetts, Inc., 22 St. George Road, Springfield, MA 01104, Tel: An online version is also available anytime at our web site: Simply click on Welcome. Let s Meet Deacon James (Demetrios) Whittaker For several months, Deacon James has been attending liturgy with us but many still have not met him. The deacon is a cradle Orthodox Christian although he is not fully of Greek descent. His is married and has five children, some of whom we have seen at Saint George. He lives in Salem, CT and, for most of his life, attended services at the St. Sophia Church in New London, CT. His grandfather, who was from Greece, had a restaurant where the deacon worked for many years in his youth. He attended college and received a degree in Business Administration. Later, he started his own trucking company which he worked at for about nine years. It was during these years that he attended the Permanent Diaconate training program at Holy Cross in Brookline and was eventually ordained. With this degree, he cannot be ordained into the priesthood. Leaving the trucking company, he became a police officer at the age of 48 but decided after a few years that it was not appropriate for a clergyman to be carrying a weapon. He now works for a construction company during the week. Philoptochos Annual Author s Tea featuring Linda Cardillo and Deb Rollend Sunday, February 24th $10 pp 12 noon after liturgy This is a wonderful event, not to miss! Please invite your family and friends Tea ~ Light Lunch ~ Finger Desserts Linda and Deb will read from and autograph their new books All proceeds to benefit To subscribe to The Apostle and notifications - go to click on Subscribe to Mailings under the Welcome heading. To reach Sandra in the office, please send an to: stgeorgeculturalcenter@gmail.com 2

3 Dear Fellow Parishioners, On January 6th, the Parish Council was sworn in for 2019 and elections were held. I am happy to announce the St. George Parish Council executive officers. I have the privilege of serving as president again this year. Also joining the executive committee is Jim Athens as Vice President, Chris Ciejek as secretary for another year and after a few years away as treasurer, Tony Lalikos is back. We also have new members Paul Papadakis and Cameron Walker and returning to us is Steve Manioudakis. A warm welcome to them and to all the returning members. We look forward to another successful year. Thanks to those members who have stepped down for the time being, Peter Coscore, George Couchiaftis and Tarsis Theofanidis. Parish Council has voted, again this year, to send any child to camp free of charge this summer when they meet the criteria set by Fr. Chris. Its a great opportunity so get started early so you can reserve your space. Remember that we don t do this alone. It takes many people to make St George successful. Please offer your time, treasure and talent to any of the ministries that we have to offer. Any one of us will be willing to help you get involved. We are easily reached either through the office, at the pangari, or a quick phone call. Respectfully submitted Liz Frogameni Parish Council President Council Votes to Fund MBC Campers Again At the December meeting, the Parish Council voted unanimously to fund 100% of the cost of attending MBC, our Metropolis Camp in New Hampshire, for The same rules apply: those who qualify must fulfill at least two (but hopefully all) of the requirements set out by either the St. Sophia or St. Basil Awards for the year If you re not sure what this means but would like to attend in the summer, speak to Mrs. Costa in the Sunday School and she will explain. Last year, we had one of our biggest years but we would like to see even more people participating. By now, most know the drill: come to church, participate in Sunday School and help us carry out our ministries. Donor Needed for Holy Friday Perfume It s a unique smell that defines the evening, in a way. A smell so special, so rich, that it reminds one of something extraordinary. It s the smell of Paris, a perfume we have used for years on the evening of Holy Friday. Each year, we ask for a donor and this year, we are requesting some generous person to contribute the $70 needed for a large bottle (or two). If you would like to contribute to this, please make your check payable to St. George Cathedral with Altar Supplies in the memo section These tabs and cartridges save us hundreds of dollars each year. Saving the tabs is very easy: just put them into a plastic baggie and bring to the office whenever you d like. We ll take care of the rest. The same goes for inkjet and toner cartridges. Please save them at work also. Just bring them into the office and we ll recycle them at Staples saving up to $40 per month on our supplies. PayPal Donation Button Added to Website Would you like to charge your stewardship? Now, you can s i m p l y g o o n t o o u r w e b s i t e and scroll down to the yellow donation button which will allow you use a credit card to make a donation to St. George. This payment will go through the PayPal system and St. George will be able to retrieve it very easily. You may, if desired, even pay your stewardship this way. 3

4 February 2 The Meeting of the Lord (40 days after Christmas), 9 am February 8 Theodore the Commander & Great Martyr, 9 am February 17 Beginning of the Triodion period; No fasting for one week February 18 St. Leo, Pope of Rome, 9 am February 25 St. Tarasios, Patriarch of Constantinople, 9 am 2 Φεβρουαρίου Η Υπαπαντή του Κυρίου, 9 πμ 8 Φεβρουαρίου Του Αγίου Θεοδώρου του Στρατηλάτη και Μεγαλομάρτυρος, 9 πμ 17 Φεβρουαρίου Αρχή Τριοδίου. Δεν νηστεύουμε. 18 Φεβρουαρίου Του Αγίου Λέοντος, Πάπα Ρώμης, 9 πμ 25 Φεβρουαρίου Του Αγίου Ταρασίου, Πατρ. Κων., 9 πμ The Importance of Worship I m a good person; I don t need to come to Church. Really? What if we said being good is not what God desires for you? What if we said that, of all the spiritual disciplines, worship is at the absolute top of the list the most important thing you can ever do?! It s true. Worship (which is always a public thing, unlike prayer) doesn t exist for the purpose of making us good but, rather, for making us holy, inspired and for supporting the Body. You cannot do that at home. Also, worship is about connecting with God, a personal God, not simply with the qualities that God possesses. So, let s not fool ourselves. Worship is key to the Christian life! We would like to thank the entire St. George community for the tremendous outpouring of love and support which you all shared with us during this most difficult time. Our family has been humbled by the expressed admiration to which this community has shown our father and husband. John was a devoted member of this community and always tried his best to further the mission of our parish and to live by our Greek Orthodox teachings. You, the family of St. George showed us how much you appreciated his devotion and acknowledged his efforts by the stories that you shared with us during our grieving. We as a family can never thank you enough for your friendship, kindness and love. On behalf of Aspasia, Jimmy and my Dad, I thank each and everyone of you and will forever be grateful for your love and support. May his memory be eternal and God s love always be with all of you. Dino Gravanis GOYA to Help Tackle Hunger Once again, our GOYA youth will be participating in the annual Souper Bowl event to help raise needed funds and awareness of hunger in our area and beyond. Since 2002, our GOYA youth have been present at the doors to the Church to accept your donations for the IOCC. We encourage everyone to give generously and to encourage the young people in their fundraising activities this Super Bowl Sunday, February 3. Whatever you can contribute will make a difference for someone. Find out how much God has given you and from it take what you need; the remainder is needed by others. Saint Augustine Riverdale Imports JOSEPH S. SPANO jspano911@yahoo.com We ve sold quality cars for 30 years and we also buy any car, including antiques 4

5 Sunday Morning Count Me In Let the children come to me, so not to hinder them; for to such belongs the Kingdom of God. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. Mathew 19:14. We live in a world of constant activity - from commitment to commitment, our days and often nights are filled with some sort of activity, and then of course we hope to fit in some sleep. Amidst this busy life of ours, and as parents, we try to pick activities outside of the standard education, for our children that help us raise them to be bright, motivated, responsible, loving, caring and respectful young adult Christians in the first 18 years of their life. Of course, our parenting doesn t end there but the foundation we build in those years has a lifelong value and significance. When we bring our children regularly to Sunday School we provide them with one of the greatest gifts and the most precious inheritance that we have to give to our children - Our rich Orthodox Faith. Jesus makes it clear that He wants children to come to know Him, as our introduction points out. Our Sunday School program offers - Bible knowledge - When your child knows and understands God s Word, and God s unconditional love, he or she are more likely to obey the Lord. The Bible also helps your child become more proficient in using God s Word, the Bible. Spiritual growth - Think of Sunday School teachers and other class members who have modeled the Christian life. Our children learn from their example. Most importantly, spiritual growth occurs best in the context of small-group Bible study. Christian adults interacting with Christian children. That s Sunday School!! A place to belong - In a Sunday School class your child is known. They can share needs and concerns from their life. As they participate in class discussions, they become part of the group. This is especially true for students in the older grades where the classroom discussion drives the theme or message the teachers are delivering to the class. Build meaningful relationships - Look around you every Sunday we have examples of this and in fact believe is a key benefit of belonging to our St. George Cathedral. They meet other children, hear their experiences, and meet their families. They share great interaction with class members. The learning takes place alongside other children and their peers. Opportunities to serve and to promote their Christian beliefs. Our children have the opportunity to participate in the outreach programs we sponsor, visiting churches of other denominations, and the privilege of sharing their faith in other activities such as the Girls and Boys Scouts. We give them the opportunity to show the love of Jesus by helping other class members in Sunday School, and at their Public or Private school, who have needs. Sunday School has a place for the whole family. In one trip to church the entire family can participate in any one of our many St. George ministries while also attending a fulfilling and re -energizing Divine Liturgy. We wish to thank all of our families who made a donation to support our holiday food drive for the local Open Pantry Community Services Soup Kitchen at 2460 Main Street (our neighbor). We filled their cupboards in early January and received so much appreciation from Kim Kennedy, the Development Director and Nia Rennix, the Food Pantry Director at the Main Street location. WE ARE IN ON SUNDAY MORNING ARE YOU? Please make God and our Christian Faith your family priority Despina Costa and the Sunday School Volunteers Let the little children come to Me. STEWARDSHIP COMES TO US IN MANY FORMS Recently a parishioner approached me about wanting to anonymously support but not host coffee hours. After a brief discussion, I was given a very generous amount of money which was to be used to fund any unsponsored coffee hours which covered the months of October, November and December. We acknowledge this unselfish gift and offer our thanks and deep appreciation for this expression of fellowship, thoughtfulness, commitment and support of St. George. Respectfully, Doreen Psilakis 5

6 JOY in February C JACK REALTY ASSOC. Real Estate Development P.O. Box 476 West Springfield, MA It is such a blessing to be the leader of this wonderful group of children. I love seeing their engagement and enthusiasm while learning about their faith, as well as building stronger friendships with their church family. Through this experience I have also gained a larger church family, and I am very grateful. In January we learned about the Baptism of Jesus and celebrated New Year s with a Vasilopita cake. Nicholas Snow was the winner of the coin. Congratulations, Nick! We will be meeting Saturday, February 9th from 12:30-2:30 at Shaker Bowl in East Longmeadow. Pizza and drinks will be provided for lunch. The cost per person will depend on how many children/adults plan to bowl. If you can make it, please let me know so we can plan accordingly. We had a wonderful time last year, so hope you can all make it! Come show us how you roll! f you are on Facebook check out our St. George JOY page to get our latest news, upcoming events and pictures. CHRISTOPHER CIEJEK, General Partner

7 Philoptochos News, Philoptochos began the year off with a bang! We had a successful Vasilopita coffee hour/soup cook-off and membership drive. The results, many of you paid your 2019 stewardship or became new members for We want to welcome all our new members an invite you to join us for fun and fellowship. Please feel free to ask any board member about our ministries and how you may want to become involved in the largest Christian Women s organization in the United States. If you have not paid your stewardship, not to worry, there is time. Please feel free to mail it or give it to any board member, however, we are encouraged by our National Board in N.Y. to have our membership list sent in by the end May. We would like to thank everyone who made a soup for the cook-off. They were all delicious and we were asked to make copies of the recipes available for you. We will let you know when recipes will be available. Congratulations to Marcia Eliopoulos for making the number one soup of the day, French Onion. Congratulations to Georgette Piponidis for winning the Dunkin Donuts gift card for becoming a new member paying her membership early. Now upcoming events: On February 24th, we will be hosting the annual Author s Tea benefitting Go Red/Heart Health for Women. The cost per person is $10 and all proceeds will go the American Heart Association. All are invited so bring your family and friends for an afternoon of fun. This year again, we are pleased to have Linda Cardillo return and read from her new book and we hope to have another author join us. If you would like to help with the Tea Social, please call me, or any board member. The time for the event will be announced soon, so look to the weekly bulletin for further details. March brings us to our annual Lentin Luncheon which will be held on March 24th, with set-up on Saturday the 23rd. We are always looking for volunteers to help with food prep and table set-up. More details will follow. Philoptochos is host to many events and ministries. However, the goals of our ministries cannot be accomplished without the help of our church community. It takes a village to help assist the many charities and church family who may be in need. We are a board of 15 women and we need your help. It could be something as little as delivering toiletries to the Veteran s at the VA Hospital or clothing to the Rescue Mission, etc. It takes little time to make someone feel good so please consider asking how you may be able to help. As always, we thank you for your constant support and donations to the food banks and all our charitable ministries. We wish you a beautiful February. Stay warm. With Love and Appreciation, Dimitra (Debbie) Stathis-Ciejek and Philoptochos Board Winter Camp at MBC If you enjoy summer camp, you ll love being there in the winter also. This year s Winter Camp session runs from February 15-18, during winter break from school. Registration is now open on their website: metropolisofbostoncamp.org and the good news is that winter camp is far less expensive per day than summer camp. Another great thing: if you like winter sports, there s lots of it. Plus: reconnecting, sessions with counselors, chapel, dancing, games, it s just awesome! Ordering Your New Liturgy Book As we have mentioned the past two months we will be offering personalized Liturgy books for our parishioners beginning in the new year. Below, you have the option to add various additions to the text of the liturgy. For example, those who attend weekday services may want to have the text of the hymns of the various feast days. This book will be printed on high quality paper and will have a spiral binding. Liturgy Book Order Form Name: Address: Telephone: Name as it will appear on the cover: Options: Price Total Text of Divine Liturgy only $15 Trisagion and Memorial $2 Feast Day Hymns $3 Artoclasia $2 Total $ Please make check payable to: St. George Cathedral Please use a separate order form for each book. 7

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9 Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. George, On behalf of the Committee I hope that you had a most enjoyable, peaceful and healthy holiday season and also wishing you a joyous, prosperous and successful Charitable Gifting In the last issue of the Apostle we presented, in brief, the easiest option for donating to a favorite charity during one s lifetime with cash, stocks, bonds, etc. In this issue we present another option: Last Will and Testament is another easy option for making a bequest to a charity through one s last will and testament. During the preparation of these documents the charity one wishes to support is identified as well as the amount of cash to be donated. The bequest can also include stocks, bonds and real estate; however, their transfer to the charity may take longer to distribute. It should be noted that upon the donor s death the full amount of the gift that is bequeathed can be deducted from the donor s taxable estate. This reduces the estate tax liability and will leave a larger piece of the pie for the designated heirs. In the next issue of the Apostle another gifting option will be presented. Portfolio Update In reference to the stock market performance I am sure that by now everyone is aware that December 2018 was an extremely volatile and painful month. In terms of the constant barrage of bad news that investors faced on daily basis was like an extreme roller coaster ride. In fact, the negative investment activity in December was the worst since Everyone was hoping for a Santa Clause rally, a traditional uptick in the markets in celebration of the Christmas holidays which never materialized. Many attributed this market negativity to a perfect storm of events: (1) the Federal Reserve raising the interest rate in December and announcing that interest rates will continue into 2019; (2) the continuing trade disputes between the U.S. and China; (3) the global economic slowdown; (4) the government shutdown; and (5) the continuing drop in oil prices. All of the above combined created fear and uncertainty in the capital markets. Investors hope that the markets will reverse course in the beginning of the New Year and start a new uptrend in As a result of this downturn the Trust s portfolio has been impacted negatively during this time period. Hopefully with anticipated market optimism in the New Year the Trust s assets should improve as well. 100 Club Update We would like to welcome and thank John Kontekakis for his membership to the 100 Club for We now have a new membership record of fifty-six (56) for 2018 surpassing the previous record of fifty-two (52) set in I would like to congratulate the following fifty-six (56) members for making 2018 a record breaking year. Charlie & Sue Alvanos, Dan & Diane Arventos, Demos & Ralitsa Axas, Stefanos & Joanna Axas, Nick & Estelle Bazos, Cesare & Virginia Ciantra, Chris & Debbie Ciejek, Peter Coscore, George Couchiaftis, Gloria D Angelo, Peter & Zoe Demos, Florence Dunia, Chuck & Marcia Eliopoulos, Jan Ghareeb, Sheila Joseph, Ray & Ann Judycki, Thea Katsounakis, Penny Kratimenos, Georgette Laios/Maryellen Knapp, John Kontekakis, Tony & Barbara Lalikos, Gus & Maria Levanos, Philip & Evangelia Loukellis, Georgia Malandrakis, George & Connie Manioudakis, Steve & Anastasia Marangoudakis, Angelo Metzidakis, Bessie Metzidakis, Kathie & Gus Mouneimneh, Steve Nemphos, Nick & Maria Papadoulias, Catherine Pappas, John & Liza Pappas, Mary Anne Pappas, Theodore Pappas, Andy & Doreen Psilakis, Alexandra Schoolcraft, Bob & Tina Schmidt, Bob & Margaret Schwarz, Gary & Marie Setian, Crawford Smith, David & Betty Socha, Joe Spano, Father Chris & Penny Stamas, Nick & Helen Stavarakis, Nancy & Ray Suchak, Dennis & Leslie Tighe, Pons Tougias, Kiki Trial, Steve & Eva Trikas, Georgia Williams, Aphro & Stan Wojnar, Anonymous, Anonymous, Anonymous, Anonymous A bottomless thank you to all of the members and let s continue setting new membership records in 2019 and beyond. A Happy and Healthy New Year to all, Andy Psilakis Chair, Endowment Trust Committee 9

10 Participants Wanted for Retreat at Camp We did it a couple of years ago and we had a wonderful time! We need to get away and visit the camp in New Hampshire for an overnight retreat. We re leaving on Friday early or late, whenever people can make it and sleeping over in the beautiful Retreat Center. Activities would include discussions for adults and for children, perhaps a game or two, time to walk the trails or just relax, some worship time, and three or four meals together. Last year, we had a just a few families so we re looking for something much bigger this time. We had a wonderful response but we need to hear from you this time. If you would like to attend this event, please contact Father Chris either by phone or at: frstamas@verizon.net Right now, we re looking at mid-may. So, let us know. We would like to see at least 25 families join us. Rooms at the Center are like hotel rooms, i.e., two queen size beds, fitting four people easily. The cost is yet to be determined but we ll report back on that next month. In the meantime, set the dates aside. You won t want to miss it. I/We would like to come to the Retreat Center at the St. Methodios Faith and Heritage Center. Family Name: How many coming? We would like to come: overnight just for the day Saturday How many adults? How many children? Ages? Planning Meeting January 27 We re off to a slow start but we re now ready to begin a monthly ministry feeding the needy in our area. On Sunday, January 27, we will have a brief meeting at liturgy when we ll report on the progress of our collection and we will begin assigning teams for the next few months. Volunteers will have the opportunity to share when they re available (weekday and/or weekend) and how much knowledge they have about preparing a large meal. The plan is to mix up the groups (husbands and wives together, of course) so that we have not only cooking knowledge but also new relationships being formed. If you haven t signed up yet, it s not too late. Join us on the 27th or sign up with the front office. SACRAMENT STATISTICS FOR 2018 Baptisms 9 Weddings 4 Funerals 25 Sacrament Statistics Obviously, no one likes to see statistics like the ones to the left. We had twice as many deaths as baptisms and weddings combined. This is due to a wide variety of factors but it basically comes down to a lack of faith. People are not marrying and they are not baptizing their children. If our church is to survive, parents need to impress upon their children the importance of faith, worship, and the Church in their lives. Theodore P. Carellas William G. Carellas Carellas Insurance Agency, Inc. HOMEOWNERS AUTO COMMERCIAL 207 Park Avenue West Springfield, MA

11 END OF THE YEAR CONTRIBUTION RANGE REPORT January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018 Dollar Amts. # Givers Total Gift Average , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Total 404 $217, $ Stewardship Report The numbers say it all. After more than 375 funerals from 2001 until now, our membership is down only about 100 families. In those days we had just over 500 families. Since then, we and the whole country have seen a demographic shift of young people toward the big cities. Unfortunately, many young people are moving to Boston after their college studies are done. In addition, Christianity has taken it on the chin from every angle of society. Between scandals in the churches, the most recent social media and smartphone addictions, the denial of traditional Christian principles by some churches, and ignorance of the Christian message on the part of most Christians, the Churches have a lot of work to do to bring people back. Here at St. George, we have been extremely blessed to have a financial safety net given to us but we should not, for even a second, think that St. George does not need your continued donations. End of Year Individual Stewardship Contribution Report In the past contribution statements were mailed to all parishioners in good standing. This practice was expensive and labor intensive. Due to the recent Federal tax changes enacted in 2018 many will choose to take the standard deduction offered instead of itemizing expenses. Therefore, it has been decided that year end contribution statements will be provided by request only. If you would like a copy of your statement, please contact: The Stewardship Committee (Doreen Psilakis, Betty Socha) or call Sandra Fiore at the church office Past Years Stewardship 2017 Total 395 $210, $ Total 437 $229, $ Total 420 $215, $ Blessing of Homes This year, we would like to make a concerted effort to bless some homes of the faithful following the Theophany holy day. In some parishes, every home is done every year. Here at St. George, most have never been blessed formally with a priest. So, we would like to encourage you to contact Father Chris and set up a time for him to come over and bless your home, which takes only about 15 minutes of your time. If you re on the Internet, all of the instructions on how to set up the blessing are on our website under Sacraments. It s very simple: a bowl with water and sprig of a branch, and everything else is just a bonus. Please contact him as soon as possible so that you can get him in at a convenient time. By phone at or by at: frstamas@verizon.net Αγιασμός των Σπιτιών Φέτος, ο ιερέας μας, Πατήρ Χριστόφορος, θέλει να πάει σε κάθε σπίτι των πιστών να τα ευλογήσει με το νερό του Αγιασμού. Όποιος θέλει μια επίσκεψη, να τον στείλετε ένα μήνημα ή να τηλεφωνήσετε το κινητό του Χρειάζεται μόνο ένα μπολ με νερό και βασιλικό ή ένα κλαδάκι από τα δένδρα της αυλής. 11

12 There s a lot happening for adults and our kids in the coming days. Please join us for Trivia Night on February 23rd. Also, it s not too late to register for Winter Camp. If you ve been to summer camp, you shouldn t miss this. As far as the summer program, St. George Week will be Week 3 this year: July 22 - July 28. St. George will pick up the tab once again for those who are eligible. For our young adults who have attended and benefitted from camp, we strongly recommend offering yourself to the program as a counselor. Training is needed and is mandatory. Don t miss this opportunity to enjoy the program and to give back a little of what we given to you. 12

13 St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Western Massachusetts 22 St. George Road Springfield, MA PRE-SORT STANDARD NON-PROFIT U.S.POSTAGE PAID SPRINGFIELD, MA PERMIT #708 TIME DATED MATERIAL RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED The Flower Stop 540 Main Street, West Springfield, MA For over 10 years, the service provider to St. George Cathedral Visit our website at: ees-security.com We are complete service provider for homes and businesses 1146 Memorial Ave West Springfield, MA Ruby Perakis, Owner St. Pierre Phaneuf Funeral Chapels A Lasting Memory of the Journey Home St. Pierre-Phaneuf Springfield Chapels (413) St. Pierre-Phaneuf Aldenville Chapels (413) St. Pierre-Phaneuf Fairview Chapels (413) Paul A. Phaneuf, Matthew D. Sabat, and Anthony J. Hanke, Directors P.O. Box 1459 MN008-W235 Minneapolis, MN