St. Christopher Hellenic Orthodox Church

Transcription

1 Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Atlanta IEPA MHTPOΙΙOΛIΣ ATΛANTAΣ St. Christopher Hellenic Orthodox Church November Dividend Drive, Suite 210 Peachtree City, Georgia Phone: (770) Parish Website: Metropolis of Atlanta Website: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Website: Very Rev. Fr. George J. Tsahakis, Pastor Stephen Butler, Parish Council President Giving More to Our Prescious Children Often as parents, we wish we had more resources to offer to our children. Toward this aim, His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta has inaugurated the Department of Family Ministry. Headed by Paula Marchman (who has visited our parish and offered local workshops) and Fr. Gregory Georgiou, they are offering marriage enrichment and family workshops. To reinforce the importance of this ministry, I would like to offer insights they have shared to help us live healthy and spiritual family lives. First, we have the opportunity to spend more time together as a family. Turning off our televisions, computers, and electronic games can enable us to share one-on-one time to lessen the distance between parents and children. Playing with our children on a regular basis, beginning when they are young, and encouraging creative activities, taking walks in the park or biking together can lead us to closer family sharing. Eating family meals together will be remembered throughout our lives, and offering the opportunity for our family to share its daily activities, visions of life, and dreams when they grow up, will encourage communication that will never be forgotten. I fondly recall how every Sunday after church, we ate lunch together as a family no exceptions! Both my parents would share stories of their childhoods, my grandparents and family members who had died, and I have cherished their stories that helped me learn who I am. Second, we have the opportunity to not worry so much in general and to worry less about the little things by asking for God s help daily to overcome our challenges and struggles and seeking His will in addressing them. Learning to relax and accept from our family 1

2 Pastoral Remarks From Fr. George: Giving More to Our Precious Children its unique and special gifts is both inspiring and joyful. While we certainly will make mistakes as parents, we can learn from our efforts and through our life s lessons, thus enable our children to fulfill their potential. God created each of us in His image and likeness, so by turning to God s teachings in Holy Scripture, by sharing the triumphs of the lives of the saints, and asking for help from our family and close friends, we can trust that our Lord will help us bear much fruit in His behalf. Third, we have the opportunity to be more consistent. In other words, parents are responsible for creating the home rules and enforcing them consistently. That includes the areas of discipline, assignment of household chores and expectations, clear communication (in advance) between parents, and making sure our no means no. Otherwise, we experience more problems and our children learn lessons we never intended and which will hinder healthy relationships. In closing, these efforts all relate to the attitudes of us as parents and our managing our critical relationships. How we choose to respond or not to respond definitely affects our relationship with our children. As we consider our future responses with our spouses and children, let us remember to interact with love and respect, to listen and not just lecture, to apologize when needed, to not lose our temper and yell, nor argue with our spouse in front of our children. Ultimately, we are challenged to raise our children so that they can express themselves in a healthy manner and share their feelings, their hopes, and their dreams. We cannot afford to give up when times become tough,... as His Eminence always shares, let us never forget to use our best weapon unconditional love as modeled by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Have you hugged and kissed your spouse today, your children, and those whom you love? Don t wait! Very Rev. Fr. George Tsahakis Chancellor, Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Atlanta and Pastor, St. Christopher Hellenic Orthodox Church Visit the St. Christopher s Online Parish Calendar at for details about upcoming events and services! 2

3 News and Updates Psalm 100 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His Pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations. (Psalm 100) Thanksgiving is the chosen time for focusing on the good of our lives. In each day we can find small blessings, but we often overlook them. Choosing to spend our time paying attention to our problems and energy to those who cause us trouble instead of those who bring us joy and peace. Starting now, let s look for the bits of happiness in each hour, and appreciate those who bring us LOVE, HOPE and JOY. Let your LIGHT shine to everyone who is blessed to know you. You are one of those people for which I am thankful! Faithfully yours, Dina Kearns, President GreekFest Thank You! Dear Faithful of St. Christopher s, As this year s GreekFest co-chairs, we would like to thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for your efforts for GreekFest. We realize that many of you put in countless hours of your own time to ensure that we had everything that was needed. To Fr. George, to the parish council, to the committee chairs, to the Greek dancers, to the volunteers, to those who sold tickets, and to the sponsors and donors, we extend our heartfelt gratitude. Each of you played an important role that contributed to the success of this year s GreekFest. Good works contribute to our faith, as St. Paul teaches when he writes, For we are His workmanship, created in 3 Christ Jesus for good works, which God has prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Eph 2:10) When we seek to bring glory to God, not to ourselves, through what we do, and we rely upon the strength and grace of God all things are possible. Through everyone s love, faith and devotion to our St. Christopher s parish we all worked together to help us progress in our efforts to build a church in Peachtree City to the glory of God. Thank you all for making our job as co-chairs so easy! Faithfully, George and Julie Skouteris GreekFest Co-Chairs

4 November 20 th Operation Homefront Hands of Love We are collecting monetary donations to support Operation Homefront., which provides emergency, financial and other assistance to families of service men and women and their families. Thank you for your generosity! For the poor will never cease from the land; therefore, I command you to do this word which says, You shall surely open your hands to your brother, to your poor and needy in your land. (Deut. 15:11) Prayer Shawls for Christmas The Prayer Shawl Ministry will once again be collecting Prayer Shawls for Christmas. Fr. George will bless the shawls on Sunday, December 18th, before they are distributed to The Community Welcome House and Promise Place. Please help make this a special Christmas for women in need of our unique offering of support and Christian love. If you would like to be involved in this ministry, but do not knit or crochet, a prayer shawl can be made on your behalf. All you have to do is supply the yarn! Please contact Susan Kleto, by phone at (770) or by at sbkleto@gmail.com, to get more information and a Prayer Guide. November Prosfora Baking Schedule The following families are scheduled to prepare Prosfora in November: Sunday, November 6 (before 7:15 am) Sunday, November 20 (before 7:15 am) Monday, November 21 (before 3 pm) Friday, November 25 (before 7:15 am) Sunday, November 27 (before 7:15 am) Tuesday, November 29 (before 3 pm) Georgia Lungaro / Claudia Sliwinski Pat MacDougall / Stella Christodoulopoulos Costas & Tammy Soulakos / Pat Bassett Becky Butler / Presbytera Marinda Tsahakis Anna Pelky / Presbytera Marinda Tsahakis Helen Psihountas / Julie Skouteris PROSFORA BAKERS: PLEASE BE SURE TO MARK YOUR CALENDARS! 4

5 Community Calendar November 2011 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Daylight Savings Time Ends at 2 am on Sunday (move clocks one hour back) 6 7th Sunday of th Sunday of No Services at PTC this week. Pls attend services at Annuciation Cathedral 8 am Orthros 9: 30 am Div Liturgy 7:15 am Orthros 8:15 am Baptism - Baby Spezzano 10:15 am Memorial Svc, Mary Ellinas - Luncheon to follow 11:30 am Hellenic Lang Class Entrance of th Sunday of 10:15 am GOYA Sponsored Commun Luncheon 11 am Gen l Parish Assembly 12 pm GOYA Mtg, Mtg Eve, Feast of 30 13th Sunday of 11:30 am No Religious Educ/ Hellenic Dance Practice - Holiday- Weekend the Theotokos into the Temple 5:30 pm Great Vespers 6:15 pm Div Lit 7:15 pm Commun Dinner (fish allowed) Begins today and continues through Dec 24 St. Andrew the First Called of the Apostles 5:30 pm Great Vespers 6:15 pm Div Lit 7:15 pm Commun Dinner (fasting, wine, oil permitted) 6-9 pm Baklava Feast of St. Andrew the First Called of the Apostles Services celebrated on the Eve of the Feast pm Baklava Thanksgiviing Day - Let Us Give Thanks to God for All His Blessings! 9 am Philop Kourambiedes 6 pm Archangel Michael Feast and Honors Banquet - Annunciation Cathedral 3-6 pm Greek Appetizer & Dessert Sale Pickup for Fundraiser 9 am - 12 pm Greek Appetizer & Dessert Sale Pickup for Fundraiser St. Katherine the Great Martyr of Alexandria 9 am Div Lit