ISSUE 6 JUNE 2018 Pg. 2 Some thoughts from Deacon John Pg. 3 President s Message Pg. 4 AHEPA/DOP Pg. 5 GOYA & Choir Pg. 6 The Mystery of Making and baking Prosphoron Pg. 7 June Calendar Looking into June June 3rd 8:45am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy Philoptochos Luncheon at 1:00 pm Isla Del Sol Yacht and Country Club June 8th 10th Jr Olympics, St. Johns June 10th -8:45am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy June 12th Parish Council Meeting 6:30 pm June 17th -8:45am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy Fathers Day June 27th-8:45 am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy June Usher Duty Sunday, June 3rd- Team 9 Theodora Danzig, John Tischner, Bill Pedroff, Jimmie Detsis, Andriana Detsis Sunday, June 10th - Team 10 Nikitas Dritsos, Jim Lenas, Cleopatra Economou, Christine Petsalis Sunday, June 17th - Team 1 Maria Olavarria, Kathy Foltz, Christine Klimis, Tori Foltz, Anastasia Klimis Sunday, June 24th - Team 2 Kathy Kokkinakos, Panagoula Skoularakos, Alexander Janas, Vicki Skoularakos, Lia Frantzvog, Pat Janas Please be on time for your duty and if you can t be here, please find someone to fill in for you. Thank you! Reverend Father John Stefero, Interim Proistamenos Reverend Deacon John Pantelis 3600 76th Street North St. Petersburg, FL 33710 www.ststefanos.org 727-345-8235 fax: 727-345-8286 Email: office@ststefanos.org
SOME THOUGHTS FROM DEACON JOHN There is a popular slogan used by Harley-Davidson that simply states It's not the destination, it's the ride". For someone tooling around on his or her Harley, that is most likely true. It doesn't matter much where you end up, so long as you got there by riding your motorcycle. For Christians however, nothing could be further from the truth. For us, it's just the opposite. For us, it s all about the Destination and the Journey we ride is the major determining factor about where we end up. We as Christians have the option of ending our Journey in one of two "Lands" - The Promised Land, or The WasteLand, and how we conduct ourselves in this life (our journey or ride) determines in which "Land" we will spend our next life for all eternity. In the Promised Land we are taught that there is no pain, sorrow or suffering. We are taught that there is a room for us that has been prepared by the Lord. Of course the Promised Land is heaven, paradise, or whatever term we can use to describe an eternity in the company and glory of God, worshiping Him for all eternity. The WasteLand is completely the opposite as we are taught and believe. There will be eternal anguish in the "Lake of Fire". We would spend eternity in the absence of the love of God, in suffering and torment. Our Journey determines our Destination. How we conduct ourselves, treat others and treat the blessings God has given us, will point us in one direction or the other. This is not an article about Stewardship, or money, or volunteering, or anything that has to do with those. This article wishes to emphasize our treatment of others and our service to others, or lack thereof. Jesus left us with two new commandments, to love God, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. He also emphasized forgiveness and loving our enemies (which is the first act towards forgiving them). The key word here is Love. If you love something or someone, you will be a positive force for them, not a negative force. You will be kind, helpful and respectful, not the opposite. If you show love to your neighbor, you encourage, support and assist them, not the opposite. Would you consider these positive actions acts of love? Absolutely. Would you consider these actions part of the Journey? I believe so. There is a great line from an Indiana Jones movie when the hero is looking for the Cup that Jesus used at the Last Supper - "You must choose, but choose wisely". We all have choices to make. These choices are also part of our Journey. Our Journey will determine our Destination and which "Land" we could find ourselves in for all eternity. For a Harley rider happiness is a full tank of gas and all green lights. For a Christian happiness is spending eternity with our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ. One journey depends on how big your gas tank is. The other Journey depends on how big your heart is. Choose, but choose wisely. In Christ, Deacon John
MESSAGE FROM THE PARISH PRESIDENT Let s consider that one month is not just a period of time in our calendar rather it s a period of our life. So let s not neglect it and make the most of it. Best places to visit, best people to meet, best books to read, best feelings to experience I wish you it all. Happy new month! Each new month always comes with new challenges and purposes for all of us. I like to share some of the things that happened since last month and what to expect in the next few months. First, I like to thank the Ladies of Philoptochos for their wonderful Thank you luncheon for Father Konstantinos and congratulate all our young students who graduated a couple weeks ago from Sunday school, Greek school and wish all our graduating seniors best of luck. This summer after much consideration we will not have the Vacation Bible School. Hopefully we can continue next summer. We have been busy getting estimates for replacing the fence due to the dilapidated condition of existing structures that allow trespassers on the property. The estimates are all about $7,000. We will start work soon. If you would like to make a donation towards the fence replacement, we have set up an account for all donations earmarked for this project. Your help, as always, will be greatly appreciated. We already have painted the walls and cleaned the carpet in the priest s office. All the gates also had a lot of rust and required work. All damaged parts were removed, replaced, and painted, through the generosity Jimmy and Tanya Kalyvas. Thank you so much! I also like to thank all the Stewards who have already pledged for the year 2018. If you haven t filled out your pledge form please consider doing so today. Forms can be obtained at the office, in the narthex and are also on our website. As we say good bye to Father Dean, we welcome to our parish Father John Stefero. Father John comes to us from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Macon, Ga. He is moving to the Tampa area, close to his children, and will be our interim priest for the months of June, July and August. His first Liturgy at St. Stefanos will be June 3 rd, and I hope you are all there to welcome him. I like to thank you and your families for making our parish such a warm and welcoming community. Have a safe and healthy summer, Love in Christ, Nicky
AHEPA/DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE AHEPA/DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE: The 85 th Citrus District 2 Convention this year is June 7-10, 2018 at the Marriott Hutchinson Island Resort and Marina in Stuart, FL. The AHEPA Family Supreme Convention is July 22-27, 2018 at Harrah's Resort & Casino in Atlantic City, NJ! The Daughters of Penelope elected their officers for the 2018-2019 year. President- Bessie Adams, Vice Pres - Michele Carpintier, Secretary Maria Gregory, Corr. Secretary Nicky Stamoulis, Treasurer- Kali Weaver. AHEPA elected their 2018-2019 officers: President-Jimmy Detsis, Vice Pres. Eli Dalabakis, Secretary/Treasurer- Charles Stamoulis. ST. PETE AHEPA FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP: We had our Scholarship Banquet on May 4th at Isla Del Sol Yacht and Country club. Thank your for your support again this year. Congratulations to all our recipients! ΚAI Σ ΑΝΩΤΕΡΑ! ST PETE AHEPA FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP recipients: Anastasia Gregory, Cailyn (Carpintier) Ruff (not in the picture), Alexandra Frantsvog. AHEPA District 2 Scholarship Foundation recipients: Anastasia Gregory, Alexandra Frantsvog, Andrew Pedroff and Anastasios Halverson. Ronald Gregory, St. Pete AHEPA Family Scholarship Foundation Chair Charles Stamoulis, AHEPA District 2 Scholarship Foundation Chair Ourania Stephanides, DOP District Governor
St Stefanos GOYA will be attending the We will have Volleyball practice Sunday June 3 rd at 12:30pm Practice will be held at Park Street Baptist Church 3901 Park St. N. St Pete Choir Notes The annual conference of the Southeastern Federation of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians will be held in Mobile, Alabama at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church from July 26 to 29, 2018. The Conference will culminate with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning. St Stefanos Church will be represented at this Conference by Choir Director John Arambages, Maria Gregory, Ed Olavarria and George Spantidakis. Deacon John is also attending and serving, assisting Metropolitan Alexios and the Proistamenos at Annunciation GOC, Fr. Elias Stevens. Ron Gregory and Maria Olavarria are also attending the Conference. Please keep our representatives in your prayers as they travel and participate in this Conference.
Thine own of Thine own: The Ministry of Baking and Offering Prosphoron The word Prosphoron (in the plural, Prosphora) is translated from its Greek origin as offering and, as such, is a fitting name for the bread we bring to church for the Divine Liturgy. The making of Prosphoron in our homes is an opportunity for families to gather and participate in the life of the Church in a meaningful way. Elissa Bjeletich, Soak up the Son, an Orthodox Christian Blog. Throughout the centuries our faithful have brought gifts of bread and wine to the Church that these might be offered at the Proskomide and changed at the Consecration by the Holy Spirit into the Body and Blood of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ. It has been customary for the Prosphoron to be prepared by individuals who prepare themselves spiritually for this task, and who offer the very finest ingredients to be fashioned by hand and baked into bread in accordance with our tradition. Consisting of four ingredients, flour, water, salt and yeast, the baking of Prosphoron offers to your entire family a way to prepare a gift that will be transformed on the Holy Altar during the Consecration to the body of Christ during the Divine Liturgy. Recipes for Prosphoron are easy to find. One may be found on page 164 of our very own St. Stefanos Philoptochos Society cookbook. The Σφραγίδα (seal) may be purchased in our St. Stefanos Book Store. Please contact Christine Klimis, who chairs the St. Stefanos Prosforon ministry, to pursue this further. Christine can arrange to assist you by providing you guidance and instruction in addition to scheduling your donation. Call Christine at (727) 481-7070 Saints Peter and Paul, June 29th June 4th-29th Apostlles Fast
30 Holy Apostles Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 8:45am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy 1pm Philoptochos Luncheon 10 8:45am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy 17 Fathers Day 8:45am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy 24 8:45am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy 1 4 5 6 7 8 11 12 6:30pm Parish June 2018 13 14 15 GOYA Olympics- 18 19 20 21 22 25 26 27 28 29 Ss Peter & Paul 2 9 GOYA Olympics- Tampa 16 23
ST. STEFANOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 3600 76th Street North St. Petersburg, Florida 33710 www.ststefanos.org E-mail: office@ststefanos.org NON - PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #6203 ST. PETERSBURG, FL ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED