the word As we enjoy going to the beach during these summer months, it s interesting to know Jesus and the Beach Message by Fr.

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1 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Romans 10:17 the word Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church Andover, MA July/August 2017 Jesus and the Beach Message by Fr. Christopher As we enjoy going to the beach during these summer months, it s interesting to know that many amazing events happened in the life of Jesus when He was at the shore and around water. Summer hours have begun in church. Orthos is at 8:30 and at 9:30. He was baptized in the Jordan. He chose His disciples who were fishermen and made their living working on the water. He miraculously walked on water in an amazing revelation that He has control over all nature. After He was crucified and resurrected, He actually cooked breakfast on the shore for His disciples and ate with them - to their utter astonishment, as they were still in shock of how someone could die on the Cross and come back to life and mingle with them! You see, beloved, Jesus Christ is in control. He is in control of the heaven and the earth, of the land and of the sea. But have we allowed Him to be in control of us? VCS 2017 August 7, 8 & 9 To register or volunteer, please contact Diana Koster at dvlamis@yahoo.com or (781) Mark your calendars!! GREEK FESTIVAL 2017 September 9 & 10 Consider another amazing event that happened at the sea in Luke chapter 5. The disciples were fishing all night and caught nothing. When Jesus arrived on the scene He told them, Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch. Peter, completely exhausted from the night before, questioned Jesus s suggestion. Yet he followed it and put out to the deep. What happened next was truly extraordinary. They caught so many fish that their big strong fishing nets began to tear. They had to call other boats to help them bring in the catch of fish. There were so many fish that all the boats almost sank because of the weight. All this because they simply listened to Jesus. All this because they gave control over to Him and trusted. The large catch of fish represents the Christian life - overflowing abundance, blessings, joy, life! Conversely, I submit that life without Christ is like the experience of the fishermen the night before: nothingness. It s empty of joy and meaning. Without Jesus Christ in our lives, we have nothing. Beloved, this summer when we are at the beach and by the shore, let us remember the amazing events in the life of Christ. May we listen to Him and trust Him with our whole heart. He will bless us with a fullness and joy that we ve never known. Amen! Get news of additional events and announcements via . Go to the church web site and sign up to be on our LISTSERV ANDOVER GREEK FESTIVAL September 9 & 10 Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church 71 Chandler Rd., Andover 1

2 Fr. Christopher Makiej, Parish Priest Dn. Sal Fazio Dn. Gary Kent Parish Deacons Buzz Stapczynski, President John Terzakis, Vice President Jim Panagas, Secretary Carol DiPietro, Treasurer Chris Alexandrou Dylan Archambault Voula Danas Sam Diamantis Bess Gorman John Karafilidis Nicholas Miminos David Murphy Peter Souhleris Anthony Warren George Xifaras Church Office Karen Davies Office Assistants Dorothy Mastromonico & Ann Paris Philoptochos Olga Pithis, President Chanter Telly Papanikolaou Choir Pres. Katerina Makiej, Director Organist David Harvey Altar Boy Co-Captains Kyros Vergados & Nicholas Makiej Sunday School Patty Trant, Director Greek School Voula Nikitas Christian Lending Library Patti George, Director GOYA Advisor Connie Vergados GOYA President Kyros Vergados JOY Advisor Patty Trant YouthChoir/Women sfellowship Pres. Katerina Makiej Book Store Manager Elaine Demetroulakos Internet Ministry Christopher Primes AHEPA Steven Pithis Daughters of Penelope Nancy Pantazopoulos College Fellowship Telly Papanikolaou Young Professionals Ministry Nicholas Miminos Facilities George Perakis Archons Arthur C. Anton James Lolos Telly Papanikolaou The Word Elizabeth Xaros Bigelow, Editor The Word - July/August 2017 Parish Council Notes Dear Parishioners, This year our 2017 Ministry Award Recipients are Patty and Bob Trant. They were honored on Sunday, June 11, at the 31st Annual Metropolis of Boston Ministry Awards Banquet along with forty seven others from parishes across the metropolis. Patty and Bob are well deserving of this special recognition. Patty is our Sunday school director, a Sunday school teacher, a Joy and Jr. GOYA advisor, and participates in many other church activities. Bob served on the Parish Council for many years and was our treasurer for six years. They both lead our annual Thanksgiving turkey drive for the homeless shelters in Lawrence. On Sunday, June 4 we recognized seventeen high school graduates and awarded scholarships to nine outstanding seniors for all they did for our parish during their high school years. We also recognized ten parishioners who graduated from colleges or universities. Congratulations to all our graduates. May they be successful in their future endeavors! Don t forget our Vacation Church School on August 7, 8, and 9. This year the theme is Calling All Superheroes! With that theme, the kids are sure to have an exciting and educational time at VCS. Summer hours ( for Orthos and for Divine ) began on Sunday, June 18 and will go all summer until Sunday, September 10 when we are back to regular hours. In addition, there will be no coffee hours after for seven weeks beginning Sunday, July 2. (They resume on Sunday, August 20.) Remember our annual Greek Festival will be held on Saturday, September 9 and Sunday, September 10. Over the summer the co-chairs will be planning our big weekend. Stay tuned for s from the church office for the latest information on volunteering, cooking, baking, and donating. Last but not least is an update from the Long Range Planning Committee and the Mortgage Elimination Program. To date, one hundred and twenty one families have pledged a total of $574K. We are still about $426K shy of our goal of eliminating our $1M mortgage. If you haven t yet pledged, I humbly and prayerfully ask you and your family to consider all this parish means to you. We need your participation to achieve our goal and eliminate our mortgage. Finally, a heartfelt thank you to all our Sunday school teachers, choir members, chanters, church volunteers, ushers, etc. for all you did this year to make our parish so very warm and caring. May God bless you and your family. Have a safe and healthy summer and see you in September. Buzz Stapczynski, Parish Council President FESTIVAL HELP NEEDED! Help is needed September 9 & 10 to work the food lines, grill, bakery, children s area, gyro and loukomades booths, 100th Anniverary booth, and the bar. We also need cashiers and area leaders. To sign up, please call Volunteer Coordinator Martha Coravos at (978) or see her at coffee hours. You can also sign up on line in August. We need you! 2

3 2017 METROPOLIS OF BOSTON LAITY AWARD RECIPIENTS FROM OUR PARISH: Bob and Patty Trant Bob and Patty Trant are a dynamic and active presence in the life of Saints Constantine and Helen parish. Their three children, Alexandra, Eryn, and Theo are also very active in all youth ministries of the parish, and Alexandra was a finalist in the National St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival last year. Bob has served on the Parish Council for many years, including six years as treasurer. He can be found in church nearly every Sunday and at weekday Liturgies and often serves as a church reader. Bob is also very active in our annual Greek Festival. He is a member of the parish Finance Committee, and, along with his wife Patty, he co-leads the parish s annual Thanksgiving turkey drive for the homeless shelters of Lawrence. Patty is currently the Sunday School Director of the parish and has served as a Sunday school teacher for many years. She is Joy and Jr. Goya advisor and the parent advisor for the Orthodox Scouts group of the parish. She continues to coordinate the Good Friday Myrophori Girls ministry and often bakes prosforo for Liturgies. Finally, she oversees the parish s food box ministry to the homeless. Our parish is blessed to have such a dedicated couple and family serving the many ministries of our church. We are truly honored to have them representing our parish and receiving this year s Metropolis Laity Award! EMBRACING ORTHODOXY Converts and Inquirers Classes Wednesdays - August 16, 23, and 30 from 6:30 7:30 p.m. in the church. Join us for 3 casual and informative classes for: Parishioners who wish to convert into Orthodox Christianity from Catholic, Protestant, or other religious backgrounds through the sacrament of chrismation or baptism. Orthodox parishioners and inquirers who would like to know more about the history, faith, spirituality, and teachings of the Orthodox Christian Church. The class will also address the Orthodox Christian teachings on current events and contemporary social and moral issues. All parishioners are welcome to attend. Bring a friend. Fr. Christopher teaching. Please call or the church office if you plan to attend: (978) office@andoverorthodox.org 3

4 Philoptochos The Word - July/August 2017 Daughters of Penelope Dear Parish Members, On Thursday, May 25 we ended our busy year with a final meeting at T's Tavern at the Hillview Country Club in North Reading. While enjoying fellowship with our members and guests, we got a lot done to wrap up this year and get ready for the year to come. On Sunday, June 4, Philoptochos gave gifts to all graduating high school seniors and a small award to those whose mothers have been members for at least two years for their contributions to our parish. We were also pleased to honor all college graduates with a small gift and recognition. Philoptochos needs a set of fine china for the head table at special occasions at our church. If anyone has a china service for 12 or more that you would like to donate, please contact Olga Pithis, olgacp@aol.com. We would be happy to provide you with a donation letter for tax purposes. We also hope to see many of you contributing your skills and time to help with our parish festival in September and at our fall "Pot Luck" meeting which will be held on Thursday, October 19. Have a great summer! With love in Christ, Olga Pithis Philoptochos President Dear Sisters and Fellow Parishioners, April and May turned out to be productive months for our chapter and our district. On April 27 at our chapter meeting, we hosted the District 8 (Massachusetts) Lodge officers as well as Grand Governor Lili Respass, who helped facilitate the initiation of five new members and the election of new officers of our own Chapter 330. Best wishes to our new officers: Cathy Gavriel, Elaine Kevgas, Robin Pappas, and Ellie Sangermano. Congratulations to our new members: Flora Katiskis, Christina Manikas, Heidi Marino, Eugenia Hatch, and Lainie Sentementes, on their initiation into our local Chapter 330! Kali Arhi! On April 5 and 6, Olga Pithis, Kathy Gavriel, and I went to Norwich Connecticut for the AHEPA Family Tri-District Convention. Daughters across the country and all over the world are continuing their efforts to raise money to support philanthropic endeavors including two family domestic violence shelters (Penelope House and Penelope s Place) as well as the Penelopean Day Care Center in Athens, Greece and Melissa s Orphanage in Thessaloniki, Greece. We also learned of the AHEPA National Project which funds the lifetime food supply, veterinary costs, and, most importantly, specialized training of dogs to be used in service to veterans suffering from Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder. Please be sure to support AHEPA in this noble and life-saving endeavor. In a call from Not Your Average Joe s restaurant at the Loop in Methuen, we were asked if we would like to again be Charity-ofthe-Month for June. We enjoyed a wonderful evening on June 6 at NYAJ s, with over twenty five members in attendance for our annual end-of-year dinner! We will again be the Charity-of-the- Month in October of this year, and we hope to see you all there on Tuesdays for lunch or dinner throughout the month. Lastly, as my time as president of Chapter 330 ends, I would like to thank each and every one of you for the opportunity to lead our chapter for the past four years. I truly considered it an honor! The sisters in Chapter 330 are an exceptional group of wonderfully warm and caring women. I love you, and I am proud to call you my sisters! With love in Christ, Theta Pi, Nancy Pantazopoulos The Word Volume 19, Issue 7 Published monthly except August and January by Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 71 Chandler Road Andover, MA Phone v Fax Periodicals postage paid at Andover, MA. Permit No POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Sts. Constantine & Helen Church. Elizabeth Xaros Bigelow, Editor. exbigelow@aol.com 4

5 With the summer months upon us, that can only mean one thing: festival planning time! This year s festival, our 100th Anniversary edition, will have some special features for everyone to enjoy. We hope all parishioners will offer a bit of their time volunteering in some way and sharing with the community the fellowship and dedication that has kept our parish vibrant for these 100 years. As we continue Celebrating a Century of Faith, what better way to celebrate than to work side-by-side to make this year s historic festival the best one yet? We introduced the sale of our commemorative anniversary t-shirt on Graduation Sunday. If you didn t get the chance to purchase one, they will be available for sale at the festival. Show your parish spirit with commemorative t-shirts for the whole family. We re halfway through our Anniversary Year! We ve had some very exciting and memorable events, and we re not done yet. As we look ahead to the fall, our choir concert on October 1 is an event not to be missed. More information and details will be available as we get closer to the date. Of course, the culmination of the year s activities will be the Anniversary Gala on November 4. Invitations will be mailed to parishioners, and we anticipate this will sell out quickly, so be sure to buy your tickets early. More information will be available on this as well in the coming weeks. If you ve taken photos during any of the anniversary events, please share! A special project is underway, and your photos will make all the difference. Please send photos to npatsios@hotmail.com, or better yet, save your pictures on a flash drive and drop if off at the church office. This month s interview in the 100 th Anniversary interview series is with Diane Miminos, a parishioner who has distinguished herself in the interests of Saints Constantine and Helen Church. Diane s dedication has been unparalleled, and she has represented our parish beautifully. Read how it all began in her interview. Have a wonderful summer. Happy Anniversary! Nancy Patsios BASKETBALL AWARDS 5

6 An interview with Diane Miminos Seventh in a series of 100th Anniversary parishioner interviews conducted by Bessie Liponis BL: Diane, in the late 1980 s it seems you started your church career by volunteering in the church office along with Helen Doikos and Dee Stassen? Do you think this hands-on service helped to spur you on to your long career in Philoptochos? DM: Most definitely. I was new to the community but knew Helen through my family. She was looking for some assistance in the office and, knowing my background, asked if I would be interested in volunteering my time. I felt it would be a good way to get to know our parish. Helen then became my mentor and good friend. She encouraged me, along with Fr. George and Presvytera Lee, to join the Philoptochos - which I did. It was a much smaller group of ladies in those days, but we managed to fulfill all of the commitments handed down to us from the national and metropolis levels and then some! BL: Philoptochos has taken up a large portion of your life. You served as our own Philoptochos president for six years. Can you give the readers some idea of the duties and the time necessary to carry out these duties on local, metropolis, and archdiocesan levels? DM: Among the duties of the chapter president are: to call and set the agenda for monthly meetings, to oversee all of the chapter s sub-committees, and to make sure that the chapter is following the bylaws of the organization and fulfilling its obligations to both the metropolis and to National Philoptochos. There are currently seventeen national and two metropolis commitments to which each chapter is asked to make an annual contribution, plus local projects. This is why you always see our ladies fundraising. These projects include Saint Basil Academy, Hellenic College/Holy Cross, and a cancer/social services fund. Collectively, from the funds raised by all of the chapters nationwide, National Philoptochos distributes well over two million dollars annually to its projects and programs. BL: You were appointed to the Metropolis Board by Archbishop Dimitrios in What did that involve? DM: I chaired major fundraising events and participated on various committees. From , I served as president of the board where my duties were similar to those of chapter president, except now I travelled to Brookline and reported directly to His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios. I also visited many chapters in our metropolis with my board members for meetings and social events and attended national board meetings and biennial conferences. BL: You then went on to the National Board. DM: Yes. As a member of the National Board, I served as chairman of the Hellenic College/Holy Cross Committee for several years acting as liaison between the school and Philoptochos. National Board meetings were held in New York and in different metropolises, so there was long distance travelling involved. Countless hours over the years were spent in front of the computer writing reports and speeches. But, the rewards were many as I met wonderful, dedicated, and talented women from coast to coast, from chapters large and small, all working together in the name of philanthropy. BL: You received the Laity Award In 2005 for many years of service in diverse areas. In 2011, you received the Metropolitan Methodios Ministry Award. What did receiving these awards mean to you? DM: Receiving both of these awards was truly an honor. You never expect to be singled out for anything you do for your church. When I was sitting on the stage at the Ministry Awards Dinner with the other recipients and listening to the many years of service they had given to their parishes in so many different capacities, I felt truly humbled to be in their presence. For me personally, the mission of Philoptochos was something I strongly believed in, and I strived to always perform my duties with compassion and integrity whether it was here in our Myrofori chapter or at the metropolis and national levels. BL: You have witnessed many events as our church grew over the years. Have you had one particular experience that stands out? DM: There is no one particular event that stands out, but, rather, the many positive changes that have occurred since our parish moved to its Andover location. Watching the parish grow with so many new families becoming a part of our church family and seeing them involved in our ministries, working together with love, respect, and in harmony, has been a joy to witness. These are the values that I have tried to live by and instill in my children. It reinforces my belief that our faith in God and the teachings of our church should be what guides us through life and all that we do. BL: Thank you, Diane, for the input on your exemplary life. I, for one, feel blessed by knowing you. 6

7 Lawn signs advertising our 2017 Greek Festival will be available in August. If you are willing to put a sign on your lawn, please pick one up at church or call/text/ Volunteer Coordinator Martha Coravos at or martha0007@juno.com, and she will drop one off at your house. 7

8 CONTINUED PROGRESS ON OUR MORTGAGE ELIMINATION Dear Parishioners, We pray that you are enjoying this beautiful summer season. We would like to take this opportunity reach out to you regarding our mortgage elimination campaign which has the goal of eliminating our mortgage in 2017, the 100th anniversary of our parish. We are very excited about the dramatic progress we have made during this three-year campaign. In 2015 the PRINCIPAL was $1,000,000. As of May 1, 2017 it is down to $619,000. TOTAL amount pledged to date is: $547,500. Total amount received to date is: $374,000. Monthly Principal and Interest payment in 2015 was $9,000. per month. It is now down to $4,852. per month. Number of families who have pledged: 121. Average Pledge: $3,599. IF YOU HAVE NOT YET PLEDGED, we now humbly ask you to prayerfully consider making your pledge and joining the 121 families who already have thus far. We truly depend on you to achieve our goal. This project is crucial to the long term sustainability of our parish for all future generations. We have included a pledge card in this edition of The Word for your convenience to fill out and return to the church. All pledges must be completed this year and will be recognized on the "I am the vine you are the branches" plaque which will be located in the narthex. THANK YOU SO MUCH. We are depending on you to reach our goal. Sincerely in Christ, Fr. Christopher & the Mortgage Elimination Committee Team Nicholas Miminos (Chairman), Buzz Stapczynski, John Terzakis, Ed George, and Nancy Patsios 8

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11 2017 HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES Evan Christopulos graduating from Andover High School; will be attending Bentley University. Marisa George graduating from Presentation of Mary Academy; will be attending College of the Holy Cross to study mathematics. Alexandros Giannakopoulos graduating from Andover High School; will be attending UMass-Amherst. Aleksey Gorman graduating from St. John s Preparatory School; will be attending College of Charleston in South Carolina to study International Business. Corina Gudinas -- graduating from Phillips Academy Andover; will be attending University of New Hampshire to study Ocean Engineering. Diana Karamourtopoulos graduating from Central Catholic High School; will be attending Drew University in New Jersey. Yiannis Koutsogiannopoulos graduating from Austin Preparatory School; will be attending Suffolk University. Nicholas Makiej graduating from Andover High School; will be attending Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Olympia Menhitas graduating from Andover High School. Jacob Nicolakakis graduating from Andover High School; will be attending Endicott College to study Film. Christopher Nikitas graduating from Salem (NH) High School; will be attending Wentworth Institute of Technology. Alexander Nikopoulos graduating from Acton-Boxborough High School; will be attending Miami University Farmer School of Business in Oxford, Ohio. Alexa Plentzas graduating from Central Catholic High School; will be attending UMass-Amherst as a Pre-Med major. Philip Popken graduating from Landmark High School; will be attending Emerson College. Alexandra Sangermano Kyros Vergados graduating from North Andover High School; will be attending UMass-Lowell. Nikos Wallingford completed his vocational and life skills training at Andover High School in March He has transitioned to a community-based adult program where he enjoys volunteering and vocational opportunities COLLEGE GRADUATES Michael Brandon graduating from UMass-Amherst with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. Panos Coufos graduating from Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering; will be attending Hellenic College/Holy Cross in the fall to pursue his Master s Degree in Divinity Arianna Demetroulakos graduating from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, Coastal Management & Leadership; will be teaching in Maine. Christopher George graduating from Fordham University with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. Andrew Hatch graduating from Trinity College in Hartford, CT with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience; Andrew was awarded The Nestor Memorial Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Sciences. Nicholas Kalantzakos graduating from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Arts in Acting and Musical Theater. Victoria LaFortune graduating from Bridgewater State University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology; will be attending Merrimack College for her Master s Degree in Special Education. Dina Roumeliotis graduating from Rollins College with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication; will be working in Miami, Florida as a Signature Consultant. Jason Smith graduating from UMass-Amherst Isenberg School of Management with a major in Sport Management. Kristina Terzakis graduating from Villanova; will be working as an R.N. at Georgetown Hospital in Washington, DC. 11

12 July 2017 SAINTS CONSTANTINE & HELEN GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Baptism (Hunt) 12 p.m. 3 Metropolis Summer Camp Session I July :30 Metropolis Summer Camp Session 2 July Metropolis Summer Camp Session 3 July Long-Range Planning Meeting 7:00 p.m Metropolis Summer Camp Session 4 July Metropolis Summer Camp Session 5 July 31-Aug. 6 12

13 August 2017 SAINTS CONSTANTINE & HELEN GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Metropolis Summer Camp Session 5 July 31-Aug Paraklesis 6:30 p.m Paraklesis 6:30 p.m. 12 VCS 5:00-8:00 p.m. CALLING ALL SUPERHEROES VCS 5:00-8:00 p.m. CALLING ALL SUPERHEROES VCS 5:00-8:00 p.m. CALLING ALL SUPERHEROES Paraklesis 6:30 p.m Dormition of the Theotokos 9:00 9: Parish Council Meeting 7:15 p.m. Embracing Orthodoxy 6:30 p.m Embracing Orthodoxy 6:30 p.m Baptism (Robinson) 11:00 a.m. Embracing Orthodoxy 6:30 p.m.

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