650 Hanover Street Manchester, New Hampshire Tel Fax

Transcription

1 St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral 650 Hanover Street Manchester, New Hampshire Tel Fax President s MessAGe Dear Fellow Parishioners, As I sit here in the church office on this Thanksgiving morning writing my message to you I am struck by the fact that 32 years ago today was when I first assumed the position of President of St. George Cathedral upon the untimely death of my father who was always and will always be my hero. I took over this role out of a sense of duty and responsibility but also because that is what my father would have wanted me to do. As I reflect upon that time and all we have gone through this year I thought I would include a copy of one of my father s last messages to the community (reprint following this letter) during a time when we had division within the community over another issue and the hope that the community would weather the crisis and move forward. On this day of Thanksgiving I hope you have had the opportunity to give thanks to all that we have and reaffirm our love of family, friend, neighbor, and community. The month of December will bring a close to 2012 and 2013 will offer a New Year and hopefully a new beginning for all the parishioners of the St. George Community Family. I want to express my deepest thanks to all of you for your support and friendship throughout the years and I want to wish all of you the best that life has to offer. During this Christmas Season it is my fervent hope that we, as a community can put our differences aside and conquer this divide. We all need to show mutual respect to one another and talk to one another and greet each other when we come to God s House to worship. There is no one side that is right and the other side is all wrong. We all need to take responsibility for where we are today and begin the task of remending our community. The other day I ran into a parishioner at the grocery store that asked what is happening at the church and told me their relatives that belong to a Greek church in Massachusetts was also talking about our issues. We can be so much better than this. When I see an article in the Union Leader indicating this Manchester church has prepared hot meals for those citizens less fortunate than each of us and that they are providing 1500 pieces of winter clothing to those less fortunate I say to myself that used to be us. Hopefully once the special general assembly is scheduled and the parishioners decide the issue surrounding the constitution we can unite and get back to work on behalf of this community that we all love. There are big issues this community faces over the coming years and we don t want to have the same reputation that all of us have regarding our elected representatives in Washington: All they do is fight! Some of these issues we as a community face include the following: 1. Although the deficit this year will not be as great as last year we still have a deficit and we have some hard decisions that we have to make. This is one of our greatest challenges. D E C E M B E R How do we raise revenues and cut expenses so this community doesn t go off the fiscal cliff. Several years ago I wrote to each of you indicating at that time every time we unlock the door here our costs are $1, per day and $365, per year. Our costs continue to rise and the community needs to address this monumental issue. 2. How do we continue to maintain a church and community center that was built in 1966 when our community had in excess of 1500 families and in 2012 has a family membership of less than 700.In addition to the church and community center we also have an annex which we have rehabilitated. Our church elections will happen soon and all I can say is choose your board members wisely. We need to choose those members that have the experience, the energy, and the drive to address the tasks at hand. With that said the month of December brings the following events: December 2nd December 9th Greek Dance Classes December 16th Christmas Concert December 16th Sunday School Pageant December 19th Bible Study December 24th Christmas Eve Service December 30th No Sunday School Again I want to express my deepest thanks to: Father Andrew, The Board of Directors, Cathy Boisvert and the Anagennesis Ladies Board, Sunday School Director Nikki Moutsioulis and the Sunday School Teachers, our Chantors Nola Kalantzis and Mark Adam, Cathy Boisvert Choir Director, Helen Minkle Youth Choir Director, and Joyce Trapotsis Organist and all choir members, our GLENDI volunteers, Athletic Director John Mokas, our basketball coaches, our office staff Joyce Bourque and Janet Surak, our custodian Dan Robitaille, and last but always first in my heart all the parishioners of St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral. My Christmas wish for ALL of us is a reuniting of ALL of us as parishioners who all love one another and are working TO- GETHER for this church in memory of ALL that our grandparents and parents did to build our church, our heritage, our culture, and most importantly our faith. Wishing you and your families a Merry Christmas and A Happy and Healthy New Year. Please keep our armed forces in your thoughts and prayers. Sincerely Yours, George Copadis George N. Copadis President, Board of Directors St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral

2 Reprinted from a 1980 s newsletter THE PRESIDENT'S PAGE A Time to Love St. George Cathedral, in its short span of 75 years, has seen great turmoil within its community of parishioners, issues so sharply defined and so deeply divisive that its very survival to this day as a great, distinguished and leading Greek Community is a modern day miracle. Founded in 1905, long before the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese came into being, the Cathedral's existence depended upon finding Greek Orthodox priests, so few in number in those early days, who would serve the Community as Pastor. In 1936, our Church survived an issue so controversial that it was decided in Court, an issue so inflammatory in scope that 100 families left the Cathedral. Our Church survived that great schism in 1936, but, even now, those of us who were living at the time, remember the toll it took of families and friends who refused to speak to or even acknowledge each other because of that one issue. Time has made many of us forget who was right and who was wrong, but the damage has endured. Now we are faced with another great issue which has set the Community aflame and has set friend against friend. Nothing we can say now, nothing we can do now, can alter what is now a part of the history of the Cathedral; many of us might wish to change that history but it is not within our power. What we must now recognize is our duty, our obligation, to our Church: to work together, to unify our Community; to insure the fact that the dream envisioned by our parents shall never die: the immortality of our Church and Community. The one, single, unshakable goal of the parishioners of St. George has been the survival of the Church. Founded by immigrants, faced with incredible obstacles in a country dominated by other religious faiths, nurtured and sustained by the original founders, by their children and their children's children, overcoming the divisiveness of Greek politics when the parishioners of St. George and Evangelismos (Annunciation) were divided into camps of those who supported the Greek King and those who supported the liberal Venizelos, the parishioners of Evangelismos, realizing the survival of the Greek Orthodox Church demanded unification, and unhesitatingly and without bitterness, merged into St. George. Our Church this year celebrates its 75th anniversary. In the three months since I became President there are groups of parishioners who, for their own petty reasons, continue to act and speak against what I consider to be the best interests of this Church and Community. Everyone must remember that the allegiance, of each parishioner is to the Church and not to an individual. The very foundations of our Church nearly crumbled forty-four years ago because of the allegiance shown to one individual. The Church administrations change; priests come and go as Deans of the Cathedral. But one single fact remains: the parishioners are the ones who must carry on when traumatic events occur in out history. By the time this issue of the Observer is distributed, a new priest may have been appointed as Dean of the Cathedral. I hope so. But the selection of a priest is a difficult task and there are not many available to be interviewed. The Board of Directors is only able to interview those whose names have been furnished to it by the Diocese of Boston. I can assure all of you this: No selection will be made in haste; the selection will be made only after the Board is satisfied that it has found the right person capable of being Dean of a Cathedral. I call upon all church organizations to support 'the Cathedral in its hour of crisis, by word and deed, by attending church services and functions. I especially call upon the Anagennesis, called the right arm of the Church, to show its support of the present Board leadership by accepting the responsibilities it has discharged so effectively in the past and which it will be requested to do in the future. These are the times that try men's souls. There are some who will shirk from the service to their church yet those who serve willingly now, deserve the love and gratitude of all of us. The one consolation of all this is that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheaply, we esteem too lightly. The words and thoughts in Ecclesiastes, a book of the Old Testament, has the answer for all of us: "To everything there is a reason and a time to every purpose; a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance; a time to be born and time to die; a time to love and a time to hate." I hope that everyone would agree with me that now, at this critical period of time for the Cathedral, this is the time for love. At this critical juncture, the Cathedral needs the visible support of its members, not only in the financial area, but in committees and in the Choir, and, most importantly, at Sunday services. Now is the time for the healing process to begin and the time to love. To him that doubts the message I preach today, I can only point out the truism expressed in the Proverb: "He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind." Written by Nicholas G. Copadis Past President, Board of Directors St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral 2

3 FAtHer AndreW s MessAGe the shepherds and the Wise Men Have you ever imagined what it might have been like to be present at and to have borne witness to the Nativity of Christ? Can you imagine what it might have been like to be one of the shepherds sitting outside on a cold night watching over the sheep, hoping that no wolves would come and attack them, shivering and waiting for the light of the sun to come and warm you? You would have been a social outcast, away in the fields, far from the busyness of Bethlehem, unnoticed, probably not even being counted in the census being taken. That is how unimportant the shepherds were on the social level. All of a sudden, the sky brightens brilliantly and is filled with angels singing and announcing the birth of a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. In the midst of your fear and awe, you wonder, What on earth are they talking about? I am just a shepherd. Do I dare go to Bethlehem and see what I am hearing about? Will I be welcome there? Does this Savior want to have anything to do with me, a simple shepherd? Can you imagine being one of the three wise men? You are a king, a member of the ruling class, well educated, looked up to and adored, revered, perhaps even feared by others. Looking up in the sky one night you see an exceptionally bright star among the multitude of stars and are moved to leave everything you have and know to follow it to a far and distant land. Can you imagine the moments of doubt. Of all the stars in heaven, am I following the right one? Am I meant to be a part of this journey, and for what purpose? After a long and arduous journey, is there any bit of disappointment that the prize is an infant rather than a new kingdom? Is it not ironic that three men, to whom people bow down to, now bow themselves down to worship an infant in a manger? The Christian life is very much like the experiences of the shepherds and the wise men at Christ s Nativity. Just as the wise men perhaps wondered, Am I following the right star? many times we as Christian s wonder, Am I really following the right faith? As the shepherds wondered over the meaning of the angel s message, how many of us have wondered, What does this all mean the Church, the Divine Liturgy, Holy Communion? What trust the wise men must have had to follow the star, almost blindly, for they did not know where the journey would end, but only trusted that they would be rewarded at its completion. Of all the people to reveal the message of Christ s birth, the shepherds were the blessed hearers of the Good News precisely because they were the only ones who were ready to listen. It would have been impossible to hear the hymns of the angels above the din of the rush of people on the streets of Bethlehem. In the same manner, it is impossible for us to sing God s praises or to feel the warmth of His love when we are constantly bombarded and over-stimulated by the many distractions and technological intrusions of our modern society. Being a Christian is a lot like being a shepherd or a wise man. God came for everyone; from the mighty ruler to the social outcast, from the one praised by many to the one scorned by all. God came for each and every one of us. That is why at the Great Entrance, when the Gifts are being processed around the church, it is with prayer that God remembers all of us in His Kingdom. God s message to us is one of hope, that anyone can find salvation in God, that He is the God of everyone. The shepherds and the wise men give us lessons on how to find God. From the shepherds, we learn the virtues of stillness and vigilance. Likewise, the Church celebrates the service of the Royal Hours at Christmas, a time for quiet and peaceful reflection. Prayer, when done in a peaceful and darkened place like the church at night or a quiet corner of the home, brings one to the same stillness as the shepherds at the Nativity. Prayer is much easier when you remove distractions and temptations, when you seek to truly be alone with God. It is then that prayer is beautiful, timeless, comforting, and reassuring. It is said that it is the darkest just before the dawn; so the light of Christ is the brightest when it is dark and still. From the wise men we learn patience and trust. The Christian journey is much like the journey of the Magi. There are many mountains and valleys to be crossed, deserts to be survived, and doubts to be conquered. The journey is much easier if we keep our eyes on the prize. We ought to keep our eyes on the Lord as they kept their eyes on the star. When the star came to rest over the place where the child was with His mother Mary, the Magi fell down and worshipped Him. They were exceedingly joyful. No longer did they see themselves as the high and mighty rulers, but as true servants of God who fell at His feet and said, God, I am nothing without You. When we come to the point where church is more than a place to go once in a while, where Communion is not simply a ritual we do out of habit rather than an encounter with God, and when we fall down before God and confess, I am nothing without You, then we will know how it feels not only to be a servant of God, but a child of God. One of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is the gift of peace. Peace is an important part of our worship in the Orthodox Church. We ask God that our prayers be in peace, we pray for peace in the world, peace in the churches, for peaceful times, and we bless ourselves with the words, Peace be with you all. The message of the angels to the shepherds was Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace towards men of goodwill. (Luke 2:14). This is a more correct translation of the original Greek phrase because God s message through the angels was not peace on earth 3

4 and goodwill to all people, but rather peace to those people of goodwill. True peace is found in God. Peace is the absence of conflict whether that conflict is war with another country, hostility towards your neighbor, or inner conflict within yourself. Peace comes only to the one who seeks to be a person of goodwill. Indeed, peace in the world begins with peace within ourselves, with lives that are under control, with lives that desire to bring out the best in ourselves and in others. If we want peace in the world, we must seek at all times to make life peaceful for others. Peace in the world begins with peace within yourself and those around you. Patience, trust, stillness, vigilance, peace; if you want to find God this is where you will find Him. The Christian journey is not one of immediate gratification. The Christian journey is the long journey of the Magi and the cold night of the shepherds. The reward for the shepherds was the witnessing the glory of God in the hymns of the angels. For the Magi, it was to behold the Lord with their own eyes. It is not easy being a Christian and the modern world makes it increasingly difficult every day. Our Church, founded by the Lord, is a piece of heaven on earth. Because human beings run the Church, it sometimes does not feel much like heaven. To those of you who struggle with your faith, offer a gift to God this Christmas, the gift of the shepherds. Offer God some of your time every day to spend in stillness and silence. Ask God to help you be still and silent, to block out distractions and help you experience the warmth that the shepherds felt when the light of the angels illumined them. Offer the gift of the wise men. Come worship and bow down to God and confess to the Lord, I am nothing without You. Ask God to bring peace into your life and in turn help bring peace to others. When the last present is opened and when we take down the lights and the tree, do not pack up your Christmas joy into a box until next year. Let your joy be something that becomes a part of your everyday life. The joy of the wise men and the shepherds is something we can find every day of the year, but only when we are silent, patient, faithful, trusting, and peaceful. I hope and pray that all of you have a joyous and wondrous Christmas Season, and may the blessings and love of the Incarnate Christ be with you all. +Rev. Dr. Emanuel S. Chris, M.D., M. Div. 2nd Sunday, 5th Wednesday, 9th Sunday, schedule OF services & sacraments december 2012 Orthros, 9am; Divine Liturgy & Sunday School, 10am 1 year Memorial for Mary Lucas NO BIBLE DISCUSSION Orthros, 9am; Divine Liturgy & Sunday School, 10am 12th Wednesday, NO BIBLE DISCUSSION 16th Sunday, Orthros, 9am; Divine Liturgy & Sunday School, 10am Sunday School Christmas Pageant 6:30pm Before Christmas Concert 19th Wednesday, 23rd Sunday, 24th Monday, 25th Tuesday, Bible Study in Annex, 11:30am 12:30pm Orthros, 9am; Divine Liturgy & Sunday School, 10am Christmas Eve Vesperal Liturgy at 6pm Christmas Day, Orthros, 9am; Divine Liturgy, 10am (Father Emanuel Chris is a Psychiatrist and a priest with a lay vocation who serves as an assistant at our Annunciation parish in Crantson, RI) This sermon was sent to all the clergy and I simply could not let it pass. It was excellent and I thought I should share it. May you all have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year. Father Andrew 26th Wednesday, 30th Sunday, NO BIBLE DISCUSSION Orthros, 9am; Divine Liturgy, 10am NO SUNDAY SCHOOL 31st Monday, New Year s Eve, Vesperal Divine Liturgy for Saint Basil, 5:30pm 4

5 COMMUnity news Free blood Pressure screening The Blood Pressure Screening will be the 2nd Wednesday in December. It will be December 12th from 9:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m. in the Community Center. Funeral John X.Tsirimokas and George Samara. May their memory be eternal. baptism Child of Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Bisson. Congratulations! GOyA news GOYA would like to thank everyone for their support in their fund raising efforts. The Fall Bake Sale and Pie Sales were a success! Best Wishes to everyone for a safe, peaceful and joyfilled Christmas Season! Happy Thanksgiving- Kathy OUtreACH PrOGrAM The Outreach Program is forming a group of individuals who are interested in visiting parishioners in nursing homes, those who are shut-ins, or in hospitals. If you are interested in participating, please call the church office at and leave your name and phone number. We will have a meeting sometime right after Glendi to make plans. OLd Greek 78 rpm record drive AeGeAn MArket During the upcoming "Glendi Appreciation" dinner individuals that ordered additional items from the market can pick up their products that evening in the community center. Also, they'll be some products available to purchase so you can get a jump start on your Christmas shopping. How nice! support your church- not the Malls. Following the dinner, items can be picked up at the the church office. Thank you for your continued support from Chairperson, Cindy Gatzoulis Klinefelter and the Aegean staff. Have a blessed and healthy holiday season! Thank you Paul Pappas for answering our request for the use of your easels while we work on the Cadillac Banquet theme. Very much appreciated! "The Cadillac Committee" UrGent need FOr FOOd The demand for food assistance is at an all time high and food bank supplies are at a record low. Help is needed to fill their shelves and ensure that some of the poorest residents of our community receive food. The greatest needs are: peanut butter, jelly, tuna fish, canned vegetables, canned fruit, cereal, pasta, and sauce. Please drop your items off at the Community Center and we will deliver them to the soup kitchen. New Horizons and the recipients of the food are very grateful for your generous donations. Donate your old 78rpm Greek records to the Church and help us reduce our expenses. DJ Meleti will offer the Church a credit in return for old Greek 78rpm records. The records must be in good condition, without and chips or cracks. The credit we receive will help reduce our expenses for upcoming dances and for our festival. You may bring the records by the office anytime during the day. AdULt Greek CLAsses The classes have started. Anyone interested in attending class. The classes will be every Monday from 6 8 p.m. in the Community Center Classroom. bingo VOLUnteers needed We are in need of volunteers. If anyone is interested in volunteering to help with Bingo one Saturday a month. Please give St. George Cathedral office a call at tri-ortho CHristMAs PArty The Christmas Party will be on Thursday, December 6th at 12 noon., It will be held at the Puritan Conference Center- Suite B. Tickets can be purchased at the St. George Cathedral office. Advanced ticket sales- Members Only $

6 - - A Holiday Concert! New music, guest artists, Christmas favorites, Come join us. Free admission, Reception following the performance. Sunday, December 16th at 7pm St. George s Greek Orthodox Cathedral 650 Hanover Street, Manchester CATHEDRAL CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS Please join us with a contribution as we decorate our beautiful Cathedral for the Christmas season. We appreciate any donation that you are able to make. Please make checks payable to the: Anagennesis Ladies Society 650 Hanover Street Manchester, NH Attn: Electra Voulgaris Joaquin Should you have any questions: please call Electra at This project cannot be accomplished without your assistance. st. George board of directors Dean of St. George Cathedral: Very Rev. Fr. Andrew H. Mahalares George N. Copadis President Dick Anagnost 1st Vice President Timothy Giotas 2nd Vice President Frank Comerford 2nd Vice President John Mokas Treasurer Nicoletta Moutsioulis Secretary Philip Blatsos Asst. Treasurer George Kitsis Tamam Smith John Stavropoulos Gregory Timbas Anagennesis Ladies society board 2012 Cathy Moufarge Boisvert President Kelly O Brien Hebert Vice President Kathy Dovas Jaskolka Secretary Carol Dionis Treasurer Dorothy Chakas Membership Diane Spiro LaRoche Sunshine Marga Bessette Angela Dion Jenny Dakos Tana Gustafson Cindy Gatzoulis Klinefelter Enid Lawrence Diane Orr Stephanie Orr 6

7 COMMUnity COntribUtiOns Donations were made in memory of: The st. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral beautification Fund, by: Menelaos Kokolis $75.00 Theodore Demetrakopoulos $ Emily Vasil $50.00 Jane Samara $25.00 Irene Botop $25.00 The Anna theodosopoulos scholarship Fund, by: Aphrodite (Effie) Zitrides $ The Greater Manchester Hellenic scholarship Fund, by: Irene Botop $ The Gregory Pappas scholarship Fund, by: Sharon Kotekas Joyce $25.00 Menelaos Kokolis $25.00 Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Hartofelis generously donated $ to the st. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral Choir Fund. Mr. Teddy and Daniel Demos generously donated $50.00 to the st. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral beautification Fund. 7 AnAGennesis news thank you: As 2012, draws to a close, the board would like to thank you all for your continued support throughout the year. Community: Christmas Card: In lieu of a Christmas card this season, the Anagennesis Ladies Society will be donating to The Santa Fund For The Salvation Army. Additional donations can be made to the Anagennesis Ladies Society Christmas Fund. The deadline for donations is December 16th. Fellowship: In order for us to provide a Christmas Eve fellowship on Monday, December 24th, we need volunteers to help make it happen. Please contact Cathy Moufarge Boisvert ( ) if you are able to help set up and/or help in the kitchen. Vasilopita: The annual Vasilopita breakfast will be held on January 6th. sunday school nikki Moutsioulis The children are excitedly preparing for our annual Christmas Pageant which will be presented on December 16 in the evening before the Christmas Concert. They are looking forward to giving back to their community. I hope that many of you will be able to join us on this special evening. They are learning the lessons of the Nativity. In the ancient long ago, when I was a child, these are lessons were taught in public school. This is not the case today. So it s very important for children to come to Sunday School to learn them and for families to reinforce them at home. This holiday season is the perfect opportunity to teach/remind our children that Christmas is not all about the toys and gifts we receive but the gifts we can give to others the gifts of time and love. Give them the opportunity to make loving memories of time spent with family and friends. The memories will last a lifetime whereas the toys may not make it to Wednesday morning. Let us choose carefully how we will spend our time this holiday season worshipping together as a family, recounting family stories and history for young listeners, cooking/baking special family recipes, singing Christmas carols in the car and come away enriched and enlightened. On behalf of the Sunday School staff and children I would like to wish all of you a Blessed and Holy Christmas. May the New Year find you blessed with good health, happiness and love.

8 SAINT GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL 650 HANOVER STREET MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE Non Profit Org. US Postage PAID Permit No Manchester, NH Return Service Requested HeLPinG HAnds stitchers The Helping Hands Stitchers of St. George recently made donations to the needy in our community for the fourth year since the group was formed. The small group works all year to make hats, scarves, and mittens to give those who have need of them during the cold New Hampshire winters. would love to have you. If you can sew, you could make fleece hats, mittens, and scarves. We meet the third Thursday of every month at 7 pm in the Annex. Some helpers prefer not to attend, but they send in their knitted goods at distribution time. If can t meet with us, you can work from home. Either way, please consider joining us! This year items went to Liberty House which provides support to veterans and to Child and Family Services for homeless teens. A donation was also made to the Salvation Army for children. If you have knowledge of other groups in the city or surrounding communities who might need the items we are producing, please let us know. Helping Hands Stitchers provide their own materials and patterns, but we would gratefully accept any worsted or bulky weight yarn in quantities with enough yardage for our projects. You can just drop them off at the church office. The group always welcomes new helpers to provide goods for distribution each year. If you can knit or crochet, we

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