Promise. The. Consider the cross that lays across your back as precious and valuable as the golden one that hangs about your neck

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1 Promise The September 2015 ^ Volume 39, Issue 7 htgoc@westfieldnj.com holytrinitywestfield.org Consider the cross that lays across your back as precious and valuable as the golden one that hangs about your neck BY REV. FR. PETER DELVIZIS A brilliant magician was performing on an ocean liner. But every time he did a trick, the Captain s parrot would yell, It s a trick.. it s a trick He s a phony that s not magic! The magician yelled back, One day I will show you an even more wonderful trick you just wait! Then one evening during a storm, the ship sank while the magician was performing. The parrot and the magician ended up in the same lifeboat. For several days they just glared at each other, neither saying a word to the other. Finally, the parrot said, Ok, I give up. What did you do with the ship? The parrot couldn t explain the last trick! It was too much to comprehend, even for the small parrot. The miracles performed by our Lord are no tricks; they are real cures for the benefit of His people. The miracles we read about in the Holy Gospel are not only for the benefit of the one healed but for all those who witness the power of God. Miracles are important because they demonstrate to us the authority of God and His life altering power. Can you think of the many miracles performed by Christ in Scripture? Think how the lives of those healed were changed for the better. Those healed received a grace beyond imagine. By being made free of an impediment, they are now free to live their lives unencumbered and according to God s commandments. Miracles affect us too. By reading about those individuals cured by the Lord and seeing how radically their lives changed, we are encouraged and reassured that this powerful Lord is also ready to do the same for us. Like the parrot s brain, sometimes we cannot understand the things that are happening to us. But we would have bird brains to miss the many miracles performed by God on a daily basis. In stormy seas, in the brightest of days, from life s ups and life s downs, the Lord is here with us, reaching out to us, seeking to touch us and bless us with His mighty hand so that we may experience the miracle of new life in Christ. The Lord is ready and willing to perform miracles for us. May we be glad in the Lord and may He bless us. May His face shine upon us that we may know His way on the earth. As the Cross is lifted up it urges all creation to praise the immaculate Passion of the One Who was lifted up thereon. For by means of the Cross, He slew him that slew us; and He made the dead to live again, making them beautiful, granting them the Heavens as dwelling-place, because He is compassionate, in the unsurpassed and unspeakable excess of His goodness. With joy, then, let us all exalt His Name, while magnifying His infinite condescension towards our race. - Hymn of Great Vespers of the Exaltation of the Precious Cross, September 14 continued pg. 2 Wait for the promise of the Father 1

2 Dates in the Life of Our Church September October 2015 SEPTEMBER 6 8:15 AM Orthros 7 Labor Day - Office Closed 8 Nativity of the Theotokos 8:30 AM Orthros 8 7:30 PM Parish Council 10 10:00 AM TOTS 7:30 PM Choir 11 St. Euphrosynos the Cook 8:30 AM Orthros 13 8:15 AM Orthros Sunday School Begins Stewardship Family Picnic 14 Exaltation of the Holy Cross 8:30 AM Orthros 15 11:00 AM Trinity Circle 4:00 PM Greek School 7:00 PM Philoptochos Board Meeting 17 4:00 PM Greek School 7:30 PM Choir 20 8:15 AM Orthros OCTOBER 22 4:00 PM Greek School 24 10:00 AM TOTS 4:00 PM Greek School 25 7:30 PM Cultural Committee Meeting 26 St. John the Theologian 8:30 AM Orthros 26 3:00 PM Wedding 27 Holy Cross celebration at Asbury Park, parish closed 29 4:00 PM Greek School The Promise Mailing Opt Out Many of you have asked the possibility of opting out of receiving The Promise by mail. There are many reasons to do this. To begin with, on the first day of the month, The Promise is posted on the parish s webpage and similteneously a parish blast is sent out providing a link to the new publication. Both of these avenues make The Promise readily available by avoiding the delays associated with printing and mailing. Second, many prefer to quickly refrenece The Promise through digital means. Next, receiving it digitally saves the parish the cost of postage. Lastly, it offers a more environmentally friendly way of reading parish news. If you would like to opt out of receiving the parish monthly magazine The Promise, simply a brief note stating this. If you would like to continue receiving The Promise by mail, there is nothing you have to do you will continue to receive it. Send s to: dianaw@htgocnj.org or joyd@htgocnj.org 21 7:30 PM GOYA State Meeting 2 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

3 The Message of the Cross Is Foolishness to those Perishing For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 1 Corinthians 1:18-19 To the sick and gasping even wholesome meats are unpleasant, friends and family members become burdensome. They are ignored and considered as intruders. Those whose souls are perishing act like this. The things that lead to salvation are unknown by them; and those who follow the paths of salvation are troublesome to them. Illness is not from nature but from disease. The sick may become insane and begin hating those who care for them. The unbeliever will revile the one who nurtures God s commandments. Christ became a slave for you, having taken the form of a slave, (Phil 2:7) and was crucified, and rose again. For this reason, O man, you ought to adore Him risen and admire His lovingkindness. Because what person, whether it be your father, or friend, or son has done this for you? Do not say then, why did He not help Himself on the Cross? For He was hastening on into close conflict with death itself. The reason He did not descend from the Cross was not because He could not, but that He would not. The tyrant of death could not restrain Him and so the nails of the Cross could not restrain Him either What sort of philosopher, among those who have studied logic, of those knowledgeable in Jewish matters, has saved us and made know the truth? Not one. It was the fisherman s work, the whole of it But how did He destroy wisdom? Being made know to us by Paul and other like him, He showed it to be unprofitable For he means to say how by contraries God has overcome, and how the Gospel is not of man. So when the Greek calls me foolish, he shows himself excessively foolish: since I who am esteemed by him a fool, evidently appear wiser than the wise. When he calls me weak, then he shows himself to be weaker. For the mighty achievements of the tax collectors and fishermen were able to effect by the grace of God, these, philosophers, and rhetoricians, and tyrants, and in short the whole world, running ten thousand way here and there, could not with all their strength even imagine. St. John Chrysostom The foolish thing of God is wiser than man. These words are true because all human thinking is a sort of error when compared with the solid permanence of the perfect divine thoughts. St. Dionysios the Areopagite Continued from pg. 1 (Consider the Cross...) Come, all nations, let us worship the blessed Tree, through which was wrought the everlasting righteousness. For he (Satan) that by a tree beguiled our forefather Adam, is himself ensnared by the Cross; and he that by tyranny gained dominion over the creation of the King, is by faith overthrown in utter ruin. By the Blood of God, the serpent s poison is washed away; and the curse of a just condemnation is loosed by the unjust judgment passed against the Just One. For it was fitting that the wood should be healed by Wood; and that the suffering of him (Adam) who was condemned because of the tree should be done away through the Passion of Him Who is passionless. But, O Christ our King, glory to Thy dread dispensation toward us, whereby Thou hast saved us all, since Thou art good and the Friend of man. -Doxasticon of Great Vespers of the Exaltation of the Precious Cross, September 14 The Promise ^ August 2015 ^ Volume 39, Issue 6 3

4 The Life Of ST. EUPHROSYNOS Our holy monastic father Euphrosynos (September 11) was born of simple parents although he surpassed even those of noble lineage in good works. For there are many who are devoid of good works, despite their noble birth, and so are cast down into Hades while the simple in their humility are lifted up to paradise by God as was the godly Euphrosynos. Because of his virtuous life he was translated to paradise, as we will see, and was shown to be an inhabitant there. Saint Euphrosynos the Cook was from one of the Palestinian monasteries, and his obedience was to work in the kitchen as a cook. Toiling away for the brethren, St. Euphrosynos did not absent himself from thought about God, but rather dwelt in prayer and fasting. He remembered always that obedience is the first duty of a monk, and therefore he was obedient to the elder brethren. The patience of the saint was amazing: they often reproached him, but he made no complaint and endured every unpleasantness. St. Euphrosynos pleased the Lord by his inner virtue which he concealed from people, and the Lord Himself revealed to the monastic brethren the spiritual heights of their unassuming fellow-monk. Euphrosynos lived in a monastery where he served the brethren, laboring in the kitchen and serving them with great humility and submissiveness as though they were not men but God Himself. He labored in obedience day and night, but he never left off praying and fasting. His patience was inexpressible. He bore much abuse and disparagement and suffered frequent vexations. Scorched by the material fire of the cookstove, he was warmed by the spiritual fire of the love of God, and his heart burned with longing for the Lord. While passing his days preparing food for the brethren, he at the same time prepared a table for himself in the kingdom of God by his virtuous life, where he would eat his fill with those of whom it is said, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. He served the Lord secretly so that he might be rewarded by Him openly, even as it came to pass. The Lord s reward to His servant was made manifest in the following manner. A certain priest who lived in the same monastery prayed fervently to the Lord that He reveal to him the things which are prepared for them that love Him. One night he had a vision. It seemed to him that he was standing in a garden, and as he considered the unutterable beauty of this garden, he saw Euphrosynos, the monastery s cook, walking by. The priest approached him and asked, Brother Euphrosynos, what is this place? Can this be paradise? It is paradise, Father, answered Euphrosynos. Again the priest inquired, How is that you are here? Euphrosynos the cook replied, This is the dwelling place of God s elect, and by God s great goodness I have made my abode here as well. The priest asked, Do you have authority over all these beautiful things? Euphrosynos replied, As far as I am able, I distribute to others the things you see here. The priest inquired, Can you give me some portion of these things? By the grace of my God, take what you desire, Euphrosynos said. The priest then pointed to some apples and asked for them. Euphrosynos took three apples, placed them in a kerchief, and gave them to the priest, saying, Take what you have requested and delight therein. At that moment, the semantron (long wooden board used to call monastics to prayer) was struck for Matins, and the priest awoke and came to himself. He thought that he had been dreaming, but when he stretched out his hand to pick up his handkerchief, he found in it the three apples that he had received from Euphrosynos in the vision. They gave off an ineffable fragrance. Amazed, he arose from his couch, placed the apples on the bed, and went to church where he found Euphrosynos standing together with the brethren at the morning service. Approaching Euphrosynos, the priest implored him to reveal where he had been that night. Euphrosynos replied, Forgive me, Father; I have been in that place where we saw one another. The priest said, You must reveal God s greatness, so that the truth is not concealed! B u t the wise Euphrosynos humbly answered, You, Father, implored the Lord to reveal to you the reward given to His chosen. The Lord was pleased to make this known to your godliness through me, wretched and unworthy as I am, and thus, we found ourselves together in paradise. The priest inquired, What did you give me, Father, in paradise when I spoke with you? I gave you the three fragrant apples which you have placed on your bed in your cell, answered Euphrosynos. But forgive me, Father, for I am a worm and not a man. When Matins had finished, the priest summoned the brethren and showed them the three apples from paradise, and he told them exactly what had occurred. All smelled the ineffable fragrance emitted by those apples and discerned their spiritual sweetness, and they marvelled at what they were told by the priest. They hurried to the kitchen to reverence the servant of God, but they could not find him. When Euphrosynos left the church, he hid from the glory of men, and no one knew where he had gone. It is pointless to inquire into his whereabouts, for if he had access to paradise, where could he not have hidden himself? The brethren divided the apples among themselves and distributed pieces of them as a blessing to many, especially to those who were in need of healing. Whoever ate of these apples was healed of his infirmities, and thus, all received great benefit from the holy and venerable Euphrosynos. The account of the vision was written down not only on scrolls but also in the hearts of those who were told of it, and all who heard thereof strove to increase their labors and please God. By the intercessions of the venerable Euphrosynos, may the Lord deem us also worthy to dwell in paradise. Amen 4 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

5 Parish Council The Importance of Fellowship BY PETER TARCHANIDIS, PARISH COUNCIL PRESIDENT Parish fellowship is an indispensable means of accomplishing the purpose of the Church. As we return from our summer vacations to begin the new Ecclesiastical year, we kick off the year with a focus on fellowship. I encourage each of you to take a few moments to reflect on how we renew and nurture a deeper commitment to our Church. This reflection should span your personal journey to form your relationship with God and the individual bonds we create with each other to fulfill His will. As I considered the same reflection I want to share the highlights below that summarize our efforts in Holy Trinity. Fellowship is to be in communion with God and is the foundation of our purpose that drives our Parish! Fellowship describes the lovely bond of faith which fixes us to God and to all other believers In Greek, it is referred to as koinonia whose primary meaning is common sharing or communion The shared purpose of our Orthodox Christian fellowship is to do God s will together Fellowship is a key trait of Parish life and when we are engaged our purpose thrives! At Holy Trinity we have a solid fellowship foundation built on quality experiences that grow our Parish. Each of us engages the Parish fellowship when we: Participate in the weekly sacrament of the Divine Liturgy and by offering our stewardship to become in communion with God Volunteer our service in our ministries that one realizes their fulfillment and membership in the Body of Christ Engage in over 43 social events for other common purposes to support charitable giving, outreach and ministry projects that is the great responsibility - the Great Commission - to share Orthodoxy and the message of the Gospel with all people It is primarily through fellowship that we experience excitement and pride that our purpose magnifies! Each of us experiences the Parish fellowship when we: Enable inclusiveness of each other to balance the needs of the ministries Overcome financial constraints to achieve our ministry plans Build trusting bonds that increase our ministries value I find this to be inspiring and I want to express my gratitude to the entire Holy Trinity family. I look forward on the horizon of another successful Ecclesiastical year. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly or a Parish Council member to become engaged in our committees that support fellowship. Welcome Back! Philoptochos Report Destined to Help BY PENNY PEFANIS All things work together for the good of those who are called according to God s purpose. -Romans 8:28. The Holy Trinity Family is comprised of many dynamic individuals who contribute their time, talents, and treasures to The Ladies Philoptochos Society throughout the year, fulfilling the mission of helping those in need. We are most grateful for all these charitable donations. Our world, however, is an ever-changing place. Clouds are always on the horizon. The summer of 2015 has brought extreme financial pressures to the Greek Orthodox citizens of Greece. The National Philoptochos 2015 Initiative for Aid to Greece and Cyprus will bolster efforts to assist those facing these financial difficulties. The Hellenic Relief Fund, established in the US, will continue to fly much needed food resources directly to the people who are suffering in the towns in Greece, purchasing food items directly from stores there to additionally help the economy. The members of the HT Philoptochos Board work diligently in all their charitable endeavors, helping to ensure that each and every dollar donated through Philoptochos directly impacts the destitute. Although He may have not known every detail of His journey, Christ felt a sense of destiny about His life. Destiny is like a magnet that pulls you. One s intersection with destiny can be described as being surrounded by that state of grace where nothing else matters except the feeling you have within yourself. God s grace has pre-destined us to live here in America with an abundant bounty of fruits. Our destiny is to share that with those less fortunate. The generosity of Holy Trinity has known no bounds for the last 49 years. Please continue to support the efforts of Philoptochos through events and programs to aid our brethren in Greece and Cyprus during these turbulent times. After all, it s not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived The Promise ^ August 2015 ^ Volume 39, Issue 6 5

6 My son, do not forget My laws, but let your heart keep My words; for length of days, and years of life and peace they will add to you. Do not let almsgiving and faithfulness forsake you, but hang them upon your neck; and you will find grace and provide good things before the Lord and men. Trust in God with all your heart, and do not exalt your own wisdom. In all your ways know wisdom, that she may cut a straight path for you; and your foot will not stumble. Proverbs 3:1-6 First Portion Giving Giving to the Church QUESTION: I have read in some evangelical Protestant books that, unless you give 10% of your income to the Church, God won t bless you. This seems to be an Old Testament ideology, contrary to the spirit of the Gospel, in which God demands our love and not our offerings. I have no credit cards, no car payment, no cable television, and no retirement fund. I rent a small apartment, support two children who live with me, and pay child support for two others who do not. After I am done paying rent, utilities, student loans, the orthodontist, etc., I am left with far less than 10% of my take home pay, out of which has comes gas, food, and bare essentials for my children. I simply can t afford to give 10% unless I stop paying rent, paying child support, or buying food, etc. Yet I have read that I must still give 10%, and that God will take care of the rest, and that if I do not do this, I will always struggle financially and will not be blessed. This does not seem right, yet I feel guilty that I am not able to contribute, even though I know that I have little to give. Do you have any thoughts on this? ANSWER: Here are a few thoughts on your question: 1. While tithing giving 10% of our financial resources, or treasures is an Old Testament imperative, it certainly is not inappropriate for Christians to set aside a tithe, or percentage of their income, for God s work. If one can contribute 10%, then let him or her do so; if one can contribute more, then let him or her do so. But if one can only contribute a smaller percentage, then let him or her do so, making no comparisons with others, and as a sign of thanksgiving for the blessings God has bestowed. 2. What is crucial is the fact that God indeed expects us to give of our treasures for His work. Your observation, that God demands our love and not our offerings, is not consistent with what is revealed in the New Testament, where it is clearly stated that where your heart is, there also will be your treasure. Further, the model for giving to the work of God through His Church is found in the story of the widow s mite. A rich man enters the temple and offers his tithe - 10% - which fulfills the Old Testament law, with little regard for the spirit behind the law; he gives not out of love, but out of duty and pride, and he could well afford to offer even more, given his means. Meanwhile, a poor widow enters the temple and offers two coins - hardly a great sum of money, but it was the sum total of all that she possessed. Our Lord praised her, rather than the rich man who fulfilled the law by offering 10%, for she gave all that she had, expecting nothing in return, and surely not expecting to be praised by others. 3. The principle found herein is that we must recognize that all we have is a gift from God, that we are called to be wise stewards, or managers, of His gifts, and that ultimately, we must give all that we have to Him. This does not mean that we are to ignore our own needs. To the contrary, we are urged to offer a portion of our treasures to God and to set aside our gift to God through His Church before paying our other expenses. Whether this represents 5%, or 10%, or 20% is a secondary matter; the point is to give the first portion of what we have for God s work, as did Able, who offered the first portion and the best portion of his harvest to God, u nlike his brother Cain, who offered God his leftovers. 4. You mention that you have read certain things in evangelical Protestant books on tithing. Some things found in some evangelical writings are not exactly consistent with the teaching and practice of the Orthodox Christian faith. I know from personal experience, and from the experiences of many other Orthodox Christians who have committed themselves to first portion giving, that God indeed blesses us if we give willingly and joyfully. Yet I also know that some [but not all, certainly] evangelical Protestants preach what is known as the Gospel of prosperity that by giving a tithe, God will bless us with material wealth, and that material wealth is, in fact, a sign of being blessed by God. This is not The Gospel, and Our Lord Himself warns against laying up treasures here on earth. Giving of our treasures out of the desire to acquire material goods, rather than out of pure, simple, and innocent love is hardly Christian. Some [but not all] TV preachers who proclaim the Gospel of prosperity and live lavish lifestyles, projecting themselves as icons of God s blessings as evidenced by their wealth, are hardly preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know of at least two mega-churches that require their members to submit their tax forms in order to calculate the precise 10% tithe that they are then expected to give - a practice that violates the very principle of giving in secret, not letting the right hand know what the left hand is doing. Longtime parishioner Christina Romas Connant is pleased to announce the publication of her new book entitled "Since God Loves You and You Know It... Sing Out Loud!". This book is a collection of spiritual songs that is crafted to teach the youngest Sunday School students lessons in an engaging way. Geared to pre-school aged children (ages 1-5 years), Christina started writing songs to childhood favorites, such as nursery rhymes. Examples include, the familiar tune of "Itsy Bitsy Spider" as the base for the song about "The Good Samaritan" and "Row Row, Row Your Boat" as the base for a song about receiving "Holy Communion". The title song about God's love comes from "If You're Happy and You Know it". The lyrics of each song are intended to teach Church Basics, God's Love, and Bible Stories though the repetition of familiar tunes that are fun to sing. This book of songs can be used for circle-time in a lesson to familiarize children with things they see and do in church. It is also fun to sing these songs 6 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

7 Religious Education Update BY CHRIS ECONOMIDES, DIRECTOR Welcome back! We hope everyone had a great summer making new memories with family and friends! Religious Education classes begin for students in Pre-K through 12th grade on Sunday September 13. Please note there will be no class on Sept 27 due to the Holy Cross Celebration in Asbury Park. The Pre-K class is open to children who turn 4 years old on or before December 1, Please register your child/ren online at religious-education-registration/ or in person on Sundays at the Registration Table in the Bouras Center during the first few weeks of classes. Registration will continue through October 4th. All students, new and returning, must register so that we have current contact and emergency information. Since there is no direct fee for Religious Education, all registered families must be stewards in good standing. If you are a new family to Holy Trinity, please see Chris or Iris in the Bouras Center for registration and orientation to our program. We would like to welcome to the teaching team, our new 2nd grade teachers - Vanessa Papoutsoglou and Melissa Krikos. And we welcome back all the returning teachers to another year of faith, fellowship and learning. Thank you all for volunteering your time and knowledge to our children! This year s teaching staff (lead teacher noted first) is as follows: Pre-K: Kindergarten: Grade 1: Grade 2 Grade 3: Grade 4: Grade 5: Alix Martin, Irene Cohen, Dina Colonias Michele Georgeadis, Alexandra Mavridis Anna Decavalles, Sandy West Vanessa Papoutsoglou, Melissa Krikos Despina Apostolou, Laura Berwind Felicia Karsos, Helen Kyritsis Areti Ticas, Manuela Dragana Grade 6: Grade 7: Grade 8: Grade 9: Grade 10: Grade 11: Grade 12: MaryAnn Meihe, Beth Gryvoyannis Leon Carayannopoulos, Elias Gryvoyannis Anthony Bosco, Bill Sallas Penny Mavridis-Sales, Anthe Angelides Evans John, Tiberiu Dragiou-Luca Miriam Kotsonis, John Kotsonis Agapios Kyritsis, Zenon Christodoulou We are always looking for volunteers to the Religious Education program in these areas: future teachers, substitute teachers, Angel/Mitten tree, Christmas Program, Communion Breakfast, Oratorical Festival and more. Please indicate your interest and availability when you register. Lastly, we would like to wish our June graduates well as they embark on their new adventures in life. We look forward to another great year. Please check the bulletin board periodically for updates and photos. If you have any questions, contact Chris Economides at economides2@aol.com, or Iris Love at ilove45231@gmail.com at home with your child. Special thank you to our own Fr. Peter for providing spiritual guidance in making sure that the teachings are correct. Books are available at the church bookstore. About the Author Christina has dedicated her life to the service of others. From an early age, the church has played a very powerful role in her development. Her love for wholesome values, learning, and the sharing of ideas has shaped her into a dedicated and influential Sunday School teacher. For well over ten years, her classes strive to make church teachings accessible and understandable to children of all ages, including the very young. She accomplishes this through various methods, including original instructional songs. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and two inspiring daughters. Customer Review I love this book! I am a Sunday School teacher for 2-4 year olds and their parents and have been using this book for the last year as the core to my curriculum and it has been wonderful! The songs are easy and fun and best of all, I actually feel like they are learning about church while singing them! While I have heard children's songs about God and Jesus and such, this one goes a step further to also include songs about things you see in Church like candles, Communion, the Bible, Bible stories, Mary, Easter, Pentecost, and has a song about how to do their cross. My daughter loves the songs and sings them all the time at home. I would recommend this for any Sunday School program or for parents who are looking for fun and easy songs to sing at home to get your child engaged and excited about God and Church. My daughter actually loves and looks forward to church every week and feels like she is a part of it and it is thanks to this book! The Promise ^ August 2015 ^ Volume 39, Issue 6 7

8 50/50 CASH RAFFLE Drawing to be held on Sunday, October 25, 2015 During Fellowship Hour Donation $5.00 Each 6 for $25.00 FIRST PRIZE SECOND PRIZE THIRD PRIZE 25% of Raffle Money 15% of Raffle Money 10% of Raffle Money Thank you for supporting PHILOPTOCHOS with their ongoing charitable work. GOYA Holy Trinity Scout Wins National Scholarship BY CHRISTOPHER BOUTSIKARIS, GOYA PRESIDENT The 33rd Annual HOLY TRINITY Golf Classic Tuesday, October 6 Since 1982, Holy Trinity has planned a special day of golf dedicated to supporting National Charities and Community Outreach programs. This year's event will be held on Tuesday, October 6 at the Echo Lake Country Club in Westfield. The day begins with lunch at 10:45; shotgun starts at 12:15; Marina LoAlbo Chairman The Ladies Philoptochos Society Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church 250 Gallows Hill Road Westfield, New Jersey Telpephone (908) Facsimile (908) cocktails and dinner at 6 PM. Total package cost is $225. For those who want to come for cocktails and dinner only, the cost is $75. To register or for sponsorship information, please Church htgocnj,or George Paras at gparas@parasandparas.com or Harry Panagos@hapkay@ aol.com. Welcome back from summer break everyone! As the new Goya President, I am looking forward to this upcoming year with great anticipation and enthusiasm as we grow together as a Goya and strengthen our bond as Christians in our Orthodox faith. I say this in part since this past summer I had the exciting opportunity to attend Ionian Village with some of my fellow Goyans. The trip to IV, as it is known, was exactly what former Goyans told me it would be. It was truly the best summer of my life; it was a life-changing and inspiring experience. It enabled me to strengthen my faith as an Orthodox Christian whilae making friendships that I will keep for the rest of my life. This is the basis of the GOYA ministry that exists in our church. Being an active member of Goya for the past 5 years has enabled me to participate in all the events that Goya has to offer that have enabled me to make these lasting friendships as well as grow spiritually in my Orthodox faith. There are a number of great events coming up this year that every Goyan can participate in. Some of these include our Annual Retreat, Dances, Athletics, Sights and Sounds, and Olympics. Therefore, I encourage each and every prospective youth member of Holy Trinity who is between the ages of 12 and 18 to become a member of Goya this year. There is something for everyone in this great organization whether you are artistic, athletic, spiritual, outgoing, or shy. I am looking forward to encouraging our new members to become involved, and to working with each and every one of you to make this an exciting and productive year for our Goya. I would like to congratulate and introduce the new Executive Board, Board Members, and Outreach Committee who are just as energized, enthusiastic, and passionate as I am about Goya and the events that we have planned this year. Executive Board: Christopher Boutsikaris (President), George Leichtling (Vice- President), Christina Kallinosis (Treasurer), Nick John (Recording Secretary), Ava 8 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

9 Leichtling (Corresponding Secretary) Board Members: A le x Apostolos, Nicole Boutsikaris, Daniella Cohen, Andrew Economides, Georgiana Katsingris, George Koniaris, Niko Monfalcone, Nicholas Savorgiannakis Outreach Committee: Yanni Angelides, John Katsingris, Christina Karsos (Senior Coordinators) Evan Koniaris, Caroline Maglaras, Olivia Manousos, Alexandra Monfalcone, Julia Sales UPCOMING GOYA EVENTS Mark your calendars! We have some terrific events coming up that are opportunities for you to be involved and join in! September 19 St. Basil's Walk-a-thon: This is a state-wide event to be held in Garrison, New Jersey to show our support for the children at St. Basil s along with the Goyans from other Greek Orthodox communities. I encourage everyone to take part in this important event. September 27 Holy Cross Celebration: The annual Holy Cross Celebration will take place in Asbury Park, New Jersey, on September 27th. This year our participating divers are: George Leichtling, Daniella Cohen, James Cerini, and Lea Cerini. Come and show your support for our divers! We wish them all the best! Good luck! October 2 4 Christ Encounter Retreat: Our 39th annual Christ Encounter Weekend will be held at Camp Bernie in Port Murray, New Jersey, on October 2-4. It is a time for us to gather together as a Goya in order to strengthen our spiritual bond with Christ and with one another. This is a Westfield event that all Goyans are strongly urged to attend. October 11 Mr. & Miss GOYA: This is a state sponsored event that will be held at the Pines Manor, in Edison, New Jersey. Yanni Angelides and Christina Karsos are our Goya representatives this year. Let s show our support of our two worthy candidates by attending this event. We wish both our candidates all the best as they have started this past summer to prepare for this event. October 23 Harvest Dance (tentative): The first state sponsored dance this year is to be hosted in Clifton on October 23rd. The dances are always a great way to have a good time together as a Goya as well as meet other Goyans from other communities. ATHLETICS Welcome to all new and returning team players! The athletic season will soon be underway with the start of our basketball and volleyball team practices. I encourage everyone to come and be a part of our Goya teams. We are looking forward to another exciting season this year! Jr. Boys Basketball Grades 5-8 Practices- Monday 6:30-8:00pm Sr. Boys Basketball Grades 9-12 Practices- Monday 8:00-9:30pm Jr. and Sr. Girls Volleyball Grades 7-12 Practices- Saturday 9:30-11:30am and Tuesday 6:30-8:00pm For additional information on the Goya Youth Program at Holy Trinity please YHTGOYA@aol.com or stop by the Goya table during fellowship hour. The Promise ^ August 2015 ^ Volume 39, Issue 6 9

10 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church CLASSIFIEDS Contact the Church Office if you would like to advertise in the next issue of The Promise! 5FINGERS FITTING5KEYS PIANO INSTRUCTOR & WEDDING ORGANIST PHYLLIS A. VERENES 9 SAND HILL ROAD, MORRISTOWN, NJ TEL: CELL: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

11 The Promise ^ August 2015 ^ Volume 39, Issue 6 11

12 Non Profit Org. US postage PAID Rahway, NJ Permit No. 654 Metropolis of New Jersey Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Contact Information Office Staff Ministries Mailing Address 250 Gallows Hill Rd. Westfield, NJ Phone Office Manager Caretaker Admin. Assistant Diana R. Waltsak Ocione Nunes E. Joy Daniledes Parish Council Philoptochos Religious Education Peter Tarhanidis Penny Pefanis Chris Economides Fax Web site holytrinitywestfield.org Presiding Priest Rev. Peter Delvizis Worship Psaltis Choir Director Organist Head Acolyte Pascalis Kuvalakis Kathryn Athanasoulas Phyllis Verenes Andreas Vlahakis Greek School Youth (GOYA) JOY / HOPE TOTS Bookstore Cultural Rita Fitanidis Alexandra Maglaras Iris Love Joanne Paras & Jenny Stellakis Sandy Mouratoglou Barbara Manos Schedule of Services The Promise: Volume 39, Issue 7 Greek School PTO Trinity Circle Jenny Stellakis Antoinette Genakos Sundays Weekdays Orthros 8:15 AM 8:30 AM Divine Liturgy 9:30 AM 9:30 AM 10 issues published annually. No subscription fee. Article deadline - 10 th of the preceding month 12