Agape S T. G E O R G E G R E E K O R T H O D O X C H U R C H F E B

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1 S T. G E O R G E Agape G R E E K S T. G E O R G E G R E E K O R T H O D O X C H U R C H F E B Beloved in the Lord, Each year the clergy and lay leaders of our Metropolis come together for the Clergy-Laity Assembly. This annual gathering provides a forum for the leadership of all our communities to deliberate on important matters for our Metropolis and engage in dialogue and fellowship to enrich our common ministry. This years forum will focus on the newly-devised strategic plan of the Metropolis. Strategic planning is a great opportunity for unity and cooperation among the clergy and laity. A great opportunity to work together-in the unity of faith and love-for the fulfillment of God s Kingdom. In the past there have been misunderstandings about the role of clergy and laity in the Church. Since misunderstandings hinder our ability to get things done, it seems important to clarify a few of the misunderstandings that might still exist. Let s begin by restoring the true meanings of the terms, laity and clergy. The words lay, laity, layman come from the Greek word laos which mean people. A layman is the one who belongs to the people, who is a member of an organic and organized community. The word implies full, responsible and active membership as a member of the People of God. The layman, is the one, therefore, who shares in Divine election and receives from God a special gift and privilege of membership. It is a highly positive vocation. Since we believe that ordination means primarily the bestowing of the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the fulfillment of our vocation as Christians and members of the Church, we would also say that each layman becomes a layman through ordination. It is not only clergy who are ordained but also the laos. The word for clergy comes from clerus which means the part of God. Clergy means that part of mankind that belongs to God, has accepted His call, and has dedicated itself to God. In this initial meaning the whole Church was described as clergy, but gradually the term was limited to those who fulfilled a special ministry within the People of God, who were especially set apart to serve on behalf of the whole community. In one sense we could say that the clergy are needed to make the Church what she has to be: the special People or Part of God. One thing is clear, there is no opposition between clergy and laity in the Church. Both are essential. There does exist within the Church a distinction of functions, of ministries that complete one another. The clergy are ordained to make the Church the gift of God,-the manifestation and communication of His truth, grace and salvation to all. It is their sacred function, and they fulfill it only in complete obedience to God. The laity are ordained to make the Church the acceptance of that gift, the Amen of mankind to God. They equally can fulfill their function only in complete obedience to God. It is the same obedience: to God and the Church that establishes the harmony between clergy and laity, make them one body, growing into the fullness of Christ, and for the fulfillment of God s Kingdom. May it be so! Father Jerry Building a Stronger Orthodox Christian Community by: Spiritually growing together; Sharing the Orthodox Faith through fellowship, outreach, and philanthropy; Worshipping in a traditional Byzantine church; Supported through Stewardship 202 Hillview #1 Eugene, Oregon Website: Phone: (541) frgerasimos@sntgrg.org

2 S T. G E O R G E G R E E K O R T H O D O X C H U R C H Page 2 Fundraising Committee Great news! Our Holiday Bake Sale & Craft Show was our best yet - we made approx. $6000! Thanks again to everyone who supported us, and those who volunteered to help and/or have a craft booth. We're looking forward to this event next year, and have improved some things to make it even better. Looking ahead: We are preparing for our first Gyro-fest of the New Year, in May. All those interested in helping, please contact Presvytera Maria. Our next committee meeting will be Sunday, Feb. 23, after coffee hour. Presvytera Maria Missions & Evangelism Committee The M/E Committee has identified that St. George has a low profile in our community. One objective we have identified to raise the profile of our church is to find opportunities for the general public to walk through the doors. A great example of such an event was the Pastry Sale and Craft Fair in December. Church tours were offered. We are discussing how to highlight the Church tours and bookstore for more visibility and to attract guests. We are considering the development of a brochure about St. George that could be given to those taking the tour as well as being available with the other free brochures. We want to put something in the hands of guests, which they will take home with them. We will meet on February 5 th and 19 th at 4pm in the conference room. Anyone interested is welcome to attend. From the Mission in Roseburg The Roseburg Mission thanks you for your continuing prayers on our behalf. We are grateful to announce that your prayers may soon be able to be a little more specific: Metropolitan Gerasimos has given a blessing for selecting a name! Glory to God! The first step in this process took place at our annual Nativity Party on January 11. We came to the event with a list of around 15 names that had previously been submitted by parishioners. At the party, each name was presented along with a short explanation of the saint or feast, the Troparia and the Feast date, and a discussion on why that name would be appropriate for the mission. After all the names were presented and discussed, each person there submitted their top three choices. Father tallied the submissions, and we now have a 'short list' of 7 potential names: 1. Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church 2. St Xenia of Petersburg Greek Orthodox Church 3. Holy Resurrection Greek Orthodox Church 4. (Any Feast day) of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church 5. Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church 6. St Herman of Alaska Greek Orthodox Church 7. St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church The final selection will be made on Thomas Sunday; stay tuned for details! You are cordially invited to worship with us any time~ we'd love to have you! For service schedule and driving directions visit our website at roseburgorthodoxchurch.org. We look forward to worshipping with you! Melita Green In Christ ~ Lisa Buck

3 A G A P E Page 3 Stewardship The new year has brought us very positive news in the area of stewardship. In just four weeks, thirty-six families/individuals have pledged $99,290. This is over 75% of our goal of $127,000. We thank you very much for your continued support of Saint George. If you have not yet completed your stewardship card for 2014, please do so at your earliest opportunity. Cards are located on the smaller table in the narthex. There is also a box on the same table to submit your completed card, or you can give your completed card to a member of the parish council. Again, let us reiterate our most grateful appreciation for your stewardship - be it in time, talent or treasure. Parish Council news Congratulations to the recently elected members of the Parish Council. Liana Creech, Art Mehas and Neal Zoumboukos. Each of these members will serve on the council for a term of two years. The continuing members of the Parish Council include Haralambos Graham, Melita Green, Lisa Lilles, and Nektarios Kaelin. The continuing members will serve until the end of We are grateful to the retiring members of the Parish Council. Thank you to Michael Buck, Ann Campbell, and David Shafer for your commitment to the St. George community over the past two years. At the most recent Parish Council meeting, elections were held for the various offices within the council. Nektarios Kaelin was elected President. Art Mehas was elected Vice President while Neal Zoumboukos was elected Treasurer, and Lisa Lilles was elected Secretary. During the last Parish Council meeting, Neal also proposed a revised 2014 budget. Based on new projections related to income and expenses, the council voted unanimously to forward to revised budget to the St. George community for consideration at the next Parish Assembly. Additional details are forthcoming. On the youth front, the annual St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival is coming soon to St. George. The topics have been distributed to junior high and high school aged members of our community, and the topics are being individually discussed during church school. Since 1983, the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival has provided Greek Orthodox teenagers the opportunity to write and talk about their faith. The Oratorical Festival Program begins at the parish level and is divided into three divisions: Elementary Division (local festival only) for students in grades 4 6 Junior Division for students in grades 7 9 Senior Division for student in grades The top speakers in the Junior and Senior Divisions advance to the district level. Two finalists in each district division represent the district at the Metropolis Oratorical Festival. The top speaker in each metropolis division is then selected to participate in the Archdiocese Finals, which is hosted by a different metropolis each year. This year, the event will be held in Cleveland, Ohio. The Oratorical Festival Scholarship Fund provides college scholarships to the top speakers. In 2013, the top three speakers of each division received college scholarships of $2,000, $1,500 and $1,000. In 2013, each speaker who received honorable mention was awarded an ipad Mini. Please encourage your children to participate. This year, the festival also includes opportunities for participants to submit essays or poetry in lieu of delivering a speech. Detailed information on topics and resources for participation can be found at: You can also contact Neal Zoumboukos or Nektarios Kaelin with questions related to the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival.

4 S T. G E O R G E G R E E K O R T H O D O X C H U R C H Page 4. Over at the Bookstore Don't think of February as just after Nativity; rather, think of it as just prior to Lent. And this year it is. So I think it is time to revisit the most important book available in the Bookstore: The Orthodox Study Bible. First, let me tell you this is such a deal! They retail for $50 in the hardback version, but we have an availability for only $35, that's 30% off. You won't be able to do better unless you buy them by the case. Second, it's so valuable. Truthfully, most of us really can benefit from the extensive notes found throughout both Old and New Testaments, several thousand of them. Of course, these amplify our understanding of the text and have been prepared by leading Orthodox scholars and theologians. Many of you will particularly appreciate the Overview of the Books. If your Bible reading has been sporadic these will really put things in perspective and enable your subsequent reading to be much more meaningful and beneficial. There is also an outstanding section on the history and movement of our Church across the centuries. This is reasonably brief and quite useful. Throw in a helpful Orthodox glossary with all those words you might not be 100% sure about (meaning), some masterful full color icons sprinkled throughout the book, a small prayer book to carry you through the day and a lectionary to keep up the the prescribed readings for each day of the year, even if you miss a day every now and then. All in all, quite a deal with over 1800 pages of content. Honestly, I don't know why anyone in Orthodoxy would opt to use any other Bible. This is the pinnacle for us. And last time I looked, we still had a 2014 (calendar year) Devotional Calendar left on the forward table in the store. Numerous of you used to devotedly use these, so if you are one of them hasten over to pick your copy up. Columba/Dave COFFEE CHAT : To avoid unwanted science projects, please check the first refrigerator in the kitchen for any leftovers from previous coffee hours that may be incorporated into yours. Most items have expiration dates and some just expire on their own if not used up within a reasonable time. Thank you. Julie Lenkoff, Fellowship Coordinator CLEANUP CORNER: Please contact Neal at to coordinate a time for the church to be opened for your scheduled Saturday cleaning. Thank you. Julie Lenkoff, Cleanup Coordinator

5 S T. G E O R G E G R E E K O R T H O D O X C H U R C H Page 5 Philia Thanks to the efforts of the Ladies of Philia, our Vasilopita Luncheon was deemed a success. We had plenty of inviting entrees and scrumptious desserts to appease most palates, and all proceeds went towards St. Basil s Academy. The sound insulation project is in the works. Michael Creech had ordered the materials which could possibly arrive first week of February. Please let Michael know if you would be willing to help with the installation of the panels. With so few girls attending St. George, our Sunshine Girls and Jr. Philia programs are being revamped. The plan is to create youth activities for the whole year which will include all children. More information on this will follow. On Sunday, February 16, they will have some homemade goodies for sale to commemorate Valentine s Day. Please stop by and check them out! It had been suggested that I make the Glimpses of St. George DVDs available as a fundraiser for Philia. There are some copies of the last video on top of the wedding display cabinet available for $6.00. Please let me know if you are interested. For info on wedding or baptismal items contact Gloria at or via at zeazeastimmons@gmail.com. And check with Melita if interested in Rada products. Plans for the future: Lenten auction sometime in March. Next meeting is on February 2. Reminder: Philia is a philanthropic organization open to ALL women in the parish. Come and join us! We could always use helping hands and helpful minds. February Celebrations Birthdays February 5th Gwen Knerl February 10th-Brett Batterson February 15th-William Lilles February 19th-Richard Green February 27th-Veronica Lenkoff February 28th-Cassandra Batterson February 29th-Debbie Hall Feast Days February 10th-St Haralambos Bob Graham February 26th-St Photini Bonnie Graham, Debbie Hall, Svetlana Zotoff Wedding Anniversaries Happy Valentine s Day! Baptized in Christ/Chrismated February 25th Alex Titus February 28th Raphael Groomer Many Years! Chronia Polla! Julie Lenkoff, Philia Coordinator

6 S T. G E O R G E G R E E K O R T H O D O X C H U R C H Page 6 News and Events What s New! First Saturday Breakfast: The dates for this month s First Saturday Breakfast events are Friday, January 31st and Saturday, February 1st. Additional volunteers are needed to help in this ministry to the homeless. For more info, please contact Bonnie or Bob Graham, Blessing of the Waters: On January 19th we joined the faithful of St John for a Great Blessing of the Waters at the Willamette River. For photos of the event please visit our website Memory Eternal: Adrienne Bonosevich s mother Nada reposed in the Lord on Monday, January 26th. Her funeral and burial took place back East on Saturday, February 1st. May her memory be eternal. Interfaith Shelter Project: Wanted to share a thank you letter Gloria received after we participated again this year in the Interfaith Shelter Project: Gloria, as always, I am gratified that St. Thomas, St. George and St. Matthew's have come together again to provide warmth, wonderful food and shelter to families who have lost so much; their home. It must be an incredibly upsetting experience. Many thanks for all your help in organizing members of St. George who assist in preparing the excellent meal. I know Fr. Jerry has a real commitment to this mission.. I have really treasured our combined efforts to host homeless families. It is wonderful to be assured that members of St. George will be available with good cheer, tasty food and a Christian desire to be of service. Again, I really appreciate your personal commitment and that of the members of St. George. Janet Calvert, Sue Colvin, Lindy Moore, co- chairs St. Thomas week of hosting from First Place Night Shelter Discovering Orthodox Christianity is a series of talks, shows, and presentations designed to introduce and explain the basic teaching of Orthodox Christianity. The series features presentations on topics such as; What is Christian Orthodoxy, The Bible in the Orthodox Church and, Orthodox Worship and Life. Sponsored by the Leadership 100 Endowment Fund the series covers a wide range of topics with the goal of education in simple and easy to understand terms. In order for us to be able to share our Orthodox Faith with others we must first know it ourselves. This series will help you grow in your understanding of Christian Orthodoxy and to empower you to; always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15). The series will be shown here at St. George on Wednesday evenings at 6:30, following Paraklesis. The first presentation will be Wednesday, February 12th. Should you want to watch the presentations at home on your computer, they can be accessed by going to and clicking on the Discovering Orthodox Christianity link. CrossRoad: The CrossRoad Summer Institute is an engaging 10-day program for high-school juniors and seniors at Hellenic College/Holy Cross, where students study Orthodox Christianity, pray as a community, form lifelong friendships, engage in service, and prepare for their future. CrossRoad offers two sessions, June 21st-July1st, and July 5th-15th. Applications are now being accepted. Apply online or download an application at or call for more information. Ionian Village: Ionian Village is a summer camping program in Greece for Orthodox youth currently in grades 8 to 12. Registration opens February 1st for one of two sessions, June 23rd-July 12th or July 20th- August 8th. For more information please visit In our prayers: Pray for one another that you might be healed (James 5:16)-Jim, Eleni, Fr. Luke & the kids, John, Yelena, Sarah, Sharon, Alexandra, Christopher, Ruth, Elaine, Presbytera Krissy, Fr. Constantine, Fr. James, Kevin, Lisa, Eugenia, Niko, Maria, Anastasia, Zinaida, Katherine, Rachel, Nektaria, Leda.

7 S T. G E O R G E G R E E K O R T H O D O X C H U R C H Page 7 2/2 2/9 2/16 2/23 FELLOWSHIP Beauchamp Knerl Creech Lenkoff GREETER Liana C Sarah S Larissa L Sharon S. PROSFORON Hauser Shafer Beauchamp Creech FLOWERS OPEN OPEN OPEN OPEN READERS Brad Thomas Brad Thomas Brad Thomas Brad Thomas CLEANING CREW 2/1 Zoumboukos 2/8 Knerl 2/15 Creech 2/22 Knerl GET INVOLVED!!! Look through this list of organizations, programs, and ministries at our parish, then call the contact person and get involved!!! PARISH COUNCIL David Shafer ACOLYTES Bob Graham BOOKSTORE David Shafer PHILIA WOMEN S GROUP Julie Lenkoff CHURCH SCHOOL Lisa Lilles CHANTER/CHANT GROUP Brad Thomas , Ann Marie Kaelin FRIENDS OF ST. JOHN CONVENT Art Mehas FELLOWSHIP Julie Lenkoff STEWARDSHIP Brian Kaelin GREETERS Sarah Shafer OUTREACH/1ST SAT. BREAKFAST Bonnie Graham O.C.F. Ann Campbell MISSIONS & EVANGELISM Melita Green FUNDRAISERS Presbytera Maria SUPPER FOR SIX Kay Mehas

8 Saint George Greek Orthodox Church 202 Hillview 1 Eugene, OR A word from the Fathers... Spiritual Antibodies by Metropolitan Athanasios of Limassol In addition to prayer, the reading and study of holy texts, like the word of God in the Gospels, and the life and work of the holy elders, is of crucial importance. They help so that our mind gets nourished with spiritual meanings that can displace the meanings of anger, envy, greed, and such other base emotions. Through the reading of divinely inspired literature we create spiritual antibodies that can combat destructive spiritual viruses.* Just by reading this material the individual becomes spiritually empowered by the Grace embedded in the words themselves. * note by Kyriacos Markides