The MESSENGER. Saint Luke Greek Orthodox Church. Vo l u m e I I I, Is s u e 1 Ja n u a r y Father s Message- 1, 3 Ministry Contact List -2

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1 The MESSENGER Saint Luke Greek Orthodox Church Vo l u m e I I I, Is s u e 1 Ja n u a r y The common ritual each year for people is to engage in New Year s resolutions. I remember in elementary school being asked to write down a list of things I would resolve to do in the coming year. What I wrote, and whether I accomplished any of it, I do not know and cannot remember. Growing up, and listening to people, it became clear that people wised up. Too many resolutions led to too many failed expectations -- with the cycle of self-guilt and even depression that set in. People have begun making fewer and fewer resolutions in recent years, instead focusing on one or two important goals for the year ahead. It is a noble effort and approach, but Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus (Philippians ) I sense we can look at this practice differently as well. In his letter to the Philippians, Saint Paul says to the young Christian community to look not to your own interests, but the interests of others. Indeed, this is for each of you. I very much doubt that in first century Philippi there were New Year s resolutions to be made, but I do have the very distinct impression that, if they did have them, Saint Paul would be telling the Philippians to make sure their resolutions concerned doing something for someone else. cont on page 3 C o n t e n t s Father s Message- 1, 3 Ministry Contact List -2 Ministry Calendar-2 Schedule of Services- 3 Festal Highlight -3 Messages - 4-7,10-12 Philoptochos-4 Youth-5 Choir - 5 Stewardship-5 Endowment -6 Photos -7,8,9 Memorials -12 1

2 The Messenger is a publication of the Saint Luke Greek Orthodox Church of East Longmeadow, MA located at 400 Prospect Street East Longmeadow, MA For mailing use PO Box 381. To contact the Church Office: ; (fax) and stlukego@aol.com. To contact the Pastor call or at frpklostri@gmail.com. Please send any submissions to church and designate for the Messenger. All rights reserved. Saint Luke Greek Orthodox Church 400 Prospect Street East Longmeadow, MA (413) (413) (fax) Fr. Panteleimon Klostri - Proistamenos frpklostri@gmail.com Church Office saintlukego@gmail.com Bible Study 6:30PM/ 11:00AM (unless otherwise stipulated) Orthodox Life -Weds 6:30p Council Meetings 2 nd Monday of the 7:00 PM (unless otherwise stipulated) Dance Practice TBA Loaves and Fishes Pick up on the 3 rd Friday of the month Knitting 1 st and 3 rd Wednesday of the (unless otherwise stipulated) Romeos and Juliettes 4 th Thursday of the month (unless otherwise stipulated) Choir 6:30 PM (September 10 th June10 th ) (unless otherwise stipulated) GOYA 3 rd Sunday of the month following Liturgy (unless otherwise stipulated) JOY 3rd Friday of the month 6pm-7:30 unless otherwise announced Endowment Meeting 2 nd 40 to 4 Club/Hope -seeking a volunteer coordinator and meetings TBA Miles to Smiles- Walking Ministry, TBA Health Ministry- Monthly Blood Pressure during coffee hour, TBA No Sunday School Feb. 19 th, Apr. 1 st, 8 th & 15 th, May 27 th *Pre Sanctified Liturgies Wednesday February 21 st, 28 th & March 7 th, 14 th, 21 st, 28 th at 6:30 pm *Salutations Friday February 23 rd & March 2 nd, 9 th & 16 th at 6:30 pm *Saturday of the Souls Saturday February 10 th, 17 th & 24 th at 8:30/9:30 am Compline Monday February 19 th, 26 th & March 5 th, 19 th, 26 th at 6:30 pm Pastor- Fr. Panteleimon Klostri 2018 Parish Council Nick Vamvilis Judy Lelas-George Joe Dasco Christos Nikolis Dorsey Cokkinias Assaad Hallak John Foscolos Bill Sakel Harry Georgiades George Katsoulis Philoptochos President - Maria Londo Vice President - Melissa Kaitis Treasurer - Vaceleci Zaharis Secretary - Rosanne Desautels Corresponding Secretary - Evangelia Tsikrikis Past President/Advisor - Dorsey Cokkinias Ministries Chanters -Elias Zovas and Aristidis Zaharis Choir Director - Toni Rizas Endowment Fund Chair - John Piponidis GOYA Advisor -Kathy Kalaitzidis JOY Advisor - Sarah Kirchner Memorials - Maria Laware Messenger - Editor - Maria Londo Organist- Eun Jin Lee Stewardship Chairs - Joe and Meghan Dasco Sunday School Director - Priscilla Johnson Assistant Director - Leia Georgeopolus Outreach Committee - Harry Georgiades & Parris Ochsner Facilities Committee - Jim Danalis. Jeffrey Clay Administrative Assistant - Helen Adamo O Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, intercede with our Merciful God, that He may grant our souls remission of sins Apolytikion of Saint Luke 2 *Hall not available for rent February 23, 2018 April 6, 2018

3 Schedule of Services Orthros, 8:30, Divine Liturgy 9:30 January 1- St Basil the Great January 5- Epiphany Eve (Royal Hours and Liturgy and Great Agiasmos- Blessing of the waters) January 6- Epiphany and Great Agiasmos cont from page 1 As all this entails focusing on the needs of others, it is very much a change in perspective. Living for others can initially be a painful experience, because we build our identities around our ego, which we work hard to protect. But here is the change wrought by God the person who can fully live for others has no need for ego defenses. This is how Jesus lived. When it was time to ascend to the cross, for us, He did so in full obedience to, and trust in, God the Father. Epiphany The Feast of the Holy Theophany of our Lord is celebrated each year on January 6. January 7- Synaxis of John the Holy Glorious Prophet, Baptist and Forerunner January 14- Leavetaking of the Theophany of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ January 18- Sts Athanasios & Cyril January 21, 15th Sunday of Luke January 28- Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee (start of Triodion) January 30- Three Hierarchs How would this be done on a daily basis? Can someone use extra help with balancing work and family? Offer to be there for them. Do you have people in your life who have trouble forgiving others? This year remind them gently that pain and anger are burdens in life that can consume us and those around us. Is there someone who you used to see in church but do not anymore? Call them and invite them to join you on Sunday and feast days. Beloved in Christ -- let 2018 be the year we walk along this path! Yes, I encourage you to make your resolutions. Only make sure they involve doing something good for someone else who needs help and our prayers. May God bless you, your loved ones, and our parish, and may 2018 be truly a Year of the Lord! With love in Christ, Fr. Panteleimon The Feast commemorates the Baptism of Christ and the divine revelation of the Holy Trinity. At the Baptism of Christ, all three Persons of the Holy Trinity Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were made manifest. Thus, the name of the feast is Theophany, meaning manifestation of God. When You, O Lord were baptized in the Jordan The worship of the Trinity was made manifest For the voice of the Father bore witness to You And called You His beloved Son. And the Spirit, in the form of a dove, Confrmed the truthfulness of His word. O Christ, our God, You have revealed Yourself And have enlightened the world, glory to You! 3

4 All of us on The Parish Council hope that you had a Merry Christmas and wish you a Happy New Year. Last month we held our Parish Council elections, and I want to welcome John Foscolos and Angie Gouzounis as our newest members. It has been my pleasure working with the council this past year. We accomplished many things and brought fellowship back to the council. I look forward to working with our newest council members and our re-elected members. I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank Bea Syner and Bill Giokas. They both have served on the Parish Council for many, many years, and their dedication and hard work has been greatly appreciated by our community. We look forward to working with both of you in other aspects in the years to come. The remodeling of the bathrooms will begin shortly. We will keep everyone updated on the progress. We have named 2018 as the year of Outreach. I would like everyone to reach out to their families & friends and invite them back to St. Luke. The Parish Council will be working hard to reach out to everyone and ask about their needs from the church. With Faith and Love in Christ, Nick Vamvilis Parish Council President I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and New Year. I would like to take this time to wish everyone a prosperous We were able to put together 28 baskets and provide over 200 meals for those in need from our Food Outreach. Thank you to Anita Themistos and all the ladies who baked breads for these baskets. It is greatly appreciated! A thank you goes out to many people: P A R I S H C O U N C I L PHILOPTOCHOS N E W S 1) Nicole Cantarini and family for chairing the Vasilopita Workshop and all the helping hands. Please save the date for Vasilopita Sunday, January 7, Breads are also still on sale for $10.00 a loaf. 2) Christmas card - thank you to all who assisted on getting this card into your home - Judy Lelas-George, Dorsey Cokkinias, Marianne Sergides, Phyllis Lavallee, and Helen Adamo and all those that contributed to the card. 3) Lighthouse Project - thank you to Dorsey Cokkinias and Parris Ochsner for chairing and all those that supported with gift cards. 4) The poinsettias arrived and adorned the altar, beautifully. Thank you to everyone for supporting and making our church so festive and beautiful. Please save the date for our upcoming Membership Drive and Go Red for Women on Sunday, February 4, Philoptochos minutes and treasurers reports are posted on the bulletin board monthly in the parish hall. Volunteer Opportunities: 1. Two people to shop for Vasilopita Sunday (fruit, cheese, olives, etc.) 2. Preparation of the Bereavement Gift for those who have lost a family member. Please consider for signing up for a month. It s not difficult but means so much. Maria Londo Philoptochos President 4

5 N E W S Stewardship Message Dear Fellow Parishioners; "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." Colossians 3:23 With these words in mind, we call to your attention the many charitable works and accomplishments, fellowship, and worthy ministries that our parish has undertaken to the glory of God throughout the year. By now you should have received your 2018 Stewardship package whether by picking them up in church or by receiving them in the mail. Please take the necessary time to think about your commitment and return your pledge of treasure, and of time and talent, back to the church office as soon as possible. We also would like to remind you that we are closing our books for fiscal year Take a look at your statements and if you haven't fulfilled your pledge for 2017, now is the time. Your church needs you and counts on your support. Wishing you peace and blessings in the New Year, Joe and Meghan Dasco co-chairs Stewardship Committee GOYA We hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season! GOYA enjoyed participating in the Breakfast with Santa and hope everyone had a great time. We also enjoyed serving ice cream to residents at the Holyoke Soldier s Home on December 27th. We have much planned for the year ahead, which will be discussed at our January meeting on the 21st. We thank all who support GOYA as we continue to pursue our ministry. Philippos Dimitrolgou GOYA President CHOIR Our practices for Pascha will be starting shortly after the New Year. Please don t hesitate to contact Toni Rizas or any choir member if interested. Hope/JOY Our next meeting will be Friday January 19th and we will be having a fun photo scavenger hunt here at church! Ages 5-12 and siblings Sunday School Sunday church school will be resuming on January 7. There will be regular scheduling on all the Sundays of January, except January 7th. Children will go to class, after the Gospel reading and will return for the Lord s Prayer and communion, staying in church, for the blessing service. 5

6 Romeos & Juliets Join Us at Sylvia s Restaurant 23 North Main St, Enfield, CT Thursday 25th at 12:30 The Endowment Fund The following donations recently were made: ~In Memory of David L. Trial~ Sadly missed by Kiki, Alisa, Mark, Tracy, Michelle and Tony The Endowment Committee extends sincere appreciation to all donors for continued support of this Ministry. The Endowment Fund Committee wishes all our parishioners a Happy New Year and best wishes for a joyous, healthy and prosperous Our very best wishes to all in celebration of a new year full of much happiness and good health! As we enter this new year, we hope to continue to provide an opportunity for our parishioners to take some time to visit with each other on Sunday mornings during coffee hour. Following are the dates which are open for hosting a coffee hour during the next few months January 21, 28 February 18, 25 We thank you in advance for helping to continue this tradition. judy Our Endowment Fund has done very well this year. As of the end of November we have seen a return on our investment of about 10.75%. The December 2017 statement will be received in the next few days. Once we receive it, we will determine the amount we will have available to distribute to our ministries. As has been mentioned in the past, we encourage ministry chairs to speak with their members and talk about how they might use monies from the Fund to enhance and widen the scope of their ministries Thank you and God Bless you, David Arthur, Charles Bonatakis, Jr., Jordan Chatis (emeritus), Kathleen Kalaitzidis, Susan Metzidakis and John Piponidis (chair) 6

7 P h o t o s We thank our Carolers - the residents and staff of Wingate East Longmeadow expressed gratitude appreciation and look forward to our visit every year! Thank You to the Ma i n e S e a f o o d House for hosting o u r C h r i s t m a s M i n g l e Ni g h t We are grateful to our wonderful Vasilopita bakers and workshop! A great time together for another worthy causesupporting St Basil s Academy. VASILOPITA CUTTING on January 7th 7

8 Breakfast with Santa w a s a f u n a n d s u c c e s s f u l e v e n t, r a i s i n g s o m a n y s u p p l i e s f o r t h e Baystate Childlife Dept, which helps children during their hospitalizations. So many beautiful hands helped make the day so special, grateful for all donations of food and toys. Special thank you to Juliana Swain (who came in on her half day off from school to help set up), with Priscilla Johnson. T h a n k y o u t o t h e GOYAn s & Joy groups, t h e K a i t i s F a m i l y, Evangelis Valaziotis, Rosanne Desautels, Evangelia Tsikrikis, Judy Lelas-George, Jeffrey Clay and a special Thank you to Santa and Mrs Claus for participating in this day and the great storytelling. The day was filled with awesome food, our Christmas chefs added b l u e b e r r y s t u ff e d p a n c a k e s a n d chocolate chip waffles t h i s y e a r, s u p e r YUMMMMMMMM. We also added an escape room for GOYA and JOY. Big Hit! 8

9 P h o t o s 9

10 D a n c i n g w i t h H e a r t Dancing with Heart Greetings for a Happy New Year from the 2018 Dancing With Heart Committee! As the new year begins, so does the planning for this year s Dancing With Heart event. With St. Luke s Fellowship Hall bursting at the seams at last year s event, those of you who attended can attest to the fact that it was truly an enjoyable night for all. We are in the process of the initial event planning which we are sure will be just as successful! This year, we have chosen Shriner s Hospital for Children-Springfield to join us in a charitable partnership. As most know, this hospital is well known for the philanthropic medical services it offers children nationwide as well as worldwide. The event will offer delicious hors d oeuvres as well as a dessert table; a cash bar; a 50/50 raffle; and an entertaining show. There will also be a program book with various levels of participation. Next to the Taste of Greece, this event is the largest fund raising event for our church; so we look forward to each and every one of our parishioners supporting the event in one way or another. So open your calendar to the month of April and circle April 28th! Be on the look-out for an information packet to be forth coming during the month of January which will give you all the particulars of the event. Co-chairs: Dorsey Cokkinias and Judy Lelas-George 10

11 The Barbara J.Olender Scholarship a role model.an example of dedication and caring an inspiration. Barbara was a cheer leader for education. Because of this, her husband and children decided to offer an annual scholarship in her memory, to be given to a student who is a member of St. Luke and whose field of study is education or areas related to education. Barbara was active in both St. Nicholas Church in Enfield, CT and at St Lukes. Over the years while at St Nicholas she was the parish organist, a Sunday school teacher, and a member of the parish council. At the time of her passing on January 31, 2014, she was a beloved member of St. Luke and regularly attended and participated in many church events. She was deeply loved and is missed by her community and family. Barbara grew up in Ludlow, MA and was valedictorian of her high school class. She went on to receive her Bachelor s degree from Fitchburg State College and her Master s degree from Central Connecticut State University. Barbara felt education was the pinnacle of life. You could see this in her zest for learning as well as her enthusiasm for teaching. Barbara was born with spina bifida and was told that by age 30, she would be restricted to a wheel chair. This helped motivate her into the field of special education. She taught at Memorial School in West Springfield. In 1968 Grade Teacher Magazine named her one of the top 150 Special Education teachers in the United States. This was only one of the many awards and recognitions she received during her teaching career. In 1982, Barbara began teaching in the Enfield, CT school system and continued teaching there until her retirement in The Barbara J. Olender Memorial Scholarship is given in memory of Barbara Olender to a high school senior, college/graduate student, or a student in a continuing studies program pursuing studies in education or its related fields. This includes but is not limited to: education, speech pathology, theology, occupational therapy, curriculum development, library studies, social work, learning disorders Her family wishes to honor the memory of Barbara and her accomplishments with a scholarship of $ each year. Application Deadline is May 15th Please call the church office for more information regarding eligibility requirements for this scholarship. Last year we were blessed to have three scholarships awarded to people in college and graduate studies. Bible Study Opportunities Gospel of Mark Tuesdays 6:30pm in the Conference Room First Timothy Fridays 11am in the Conference Room Orthodox Life Join us on Wednesdays at 6: 30 pm for hour long sessions and discussions on Orthodox life understanding and connecting our Faith with the world Men s Fellowship Night Join us for another evening of fellowship on February 2, location To Be Announced via Judy 11

12 M e m o r i a l s In memory of Eia Ploubides Ann Marie Foustoukos In memory of John Vamvilis Demosthenes and Marion Dasco Elizabeth and Thomas Haller In memory of Peter, Mike and John Vamvilis Patricia Vamvilis In memory of John Vamvilis Lanie and Peter Alexopoulos 5 Reasons to Have Your Home Blessed for Epiphany 1. We do this every year the celebration of Epiphany, or the Baptism of our Lord, is a yearly event like Christmas and Pascha. It is part of our spiritual routine. 2. Our Home and Work our home is where we spend a great deal of our time, but businesses also are places that get blessed. Actually, if we could even bless our place of work, like a school, we would (in traditional Orthodox lands this is done yearly). This is why some people even bring their bottle of Holy Water to their work and place the bottle on their desk. 3. Newness Epiphany is a reminder of the newness brought about by the coming of Christ, and the dawn of the Kingdom of God. Yes, our homes are icons of the Kingdom. A house blessing re-establishes this fact. 4. Family a home blessing is a beautiful way to strengthen the bond of family and making it a tradition/ occasion. It is wonderful for young children to participate in these service, for example, by holding the bowl of Holy Water for the Priest as he walks around the house. A house blessing is a great way to involve our children and ourselves in this spiritual practice of the Orthodox Church. 5. Meet Your Priest It is a wonderful opportunity to invite your Parish Priest into your home to meet him, to get to know him better, and for him to be able to appreciate some uninterrupted time with you. Don t forget to have your homes/business blessed this year! 12