The MESSENGER Saint Luke Greek Orthodox Church D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 8 The year is nearly past and 2019 is upon us! So many people have commented how this year seemed like it began yesterday. The movement of time merges with memory so that 2018 almost appears as if it can continue on, so short does it seem. But alas, a new year dawns. Our Christmas shopping has likely already begun. We have our lists of gifts to buy and the people for whom we will buy them. Family, friends, neighbors, co-workers will be the beneficiaries of our generosity. The story of Christmas, as we refer to it, is first and foremost a self-emptying of the Son of God, who is born of the Virgin in a manger, beheld by shepherds. And why shepherds? One of the most important ways in which God is presented in Scripture is as the Good Shepherd. In Psalms 23, we hear David say, The Lord is my shepherd. There aren t many things we can truly say are ours in this life. But David can say that of the Lord. So can we all. The Lord guides us, shows us where the streams of water are, preserves us, and feeds us. Only a shepherd can do that, and the sheep who hear his voice will live. And so the shepherds witness the birth of the Lord, who is born in a place where animals are kept. That is, He is born away from the stone structures of this world and the power they represent. Out near the fields, where there can only be trust in God, the Lord comes to share the words of the Father with us so we may live. Father s Message- 1, 3 Ministry Contact List - 2 Ministry Calendar - 2 Schedule of Services - 3 Messages - 4-8 Parish Council News- 4 Philoptochos - 5 Youth- 6 Choir -6, 7 Church School - 6 Stewardship - 8 Memorials - 12 Events - 10-11 Photos - 9
The Messenger is a publication of the Saint Luke Greek Orthodox Church of East Longmeadow, MA located at 400 Prospect Street East Longmeadow, MA 01028. For mailing use PO Box 381. To contact the Church Office: 413-525-4551; 413-525-4552 (fax) and stlukego@aol.com. To contact the Pastor call 978-587-6488 or email at frpklostri@gmail.com. Please send any submissions to church email and designate for the Messenger. All rights reserved. Saint Luke Greek Orthodox Church 400 Prospect Street East Longmeadow, MA 01028 (413) 525-4551 (413) 525-4552 (fax) www.stlukego.org Fr. Panteleimon Klostri - Proistamenos frpklostri@gmail.com Church Office saintlukego@gmail.com Bible Study Tuesday @ 6:30PM/ Friday @ 11:00AM (unless otherwise stipulated) Orthodox Life -Weds 6:30 PM Council Meetings 2 nd Monday of the month @ 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 month @10:30 AM (unless otherwise stipulated) Romeos and Juliets 4 th Thursday of the month (unless otherwise stipulated) Choir Thursday @ 6:30 PM (September 10 th June10 th ) (unless otherwise stipulated) GOYA 3 rd Sunday of the month following Liturgy (unless otherwise stipulated) Hope/JOY 1st Sunday of the month following coffee hour unless otherwise announced 40 to 4 Club/-seeking a volunteer coordinator and meetings TBA Miles to Smiles- Walking Group Ministry, TBA Health Ministry- Monthly Blood Pressure during coffee hour, TBA Pastor- Fr. Panteleimon Klostri 2018 Parish Council Assaad Hallak President Judy Lelas-George Vice President Joe Dasco Treasurer Christos Nikolis Secretary Dorsey Cokkinias John Foscolos Evangeline Gouzounis Bill Sakel Harry Georgiades George Katsoulis Nick Vamvilis 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 - Aristidis Zaharis Choir Director - Toni Rizas Dee Organist- Amanda Endowment Fund - please refer inquiries to Parish Council at this time GOYA Advisor - Kathy Kalaitzidis JOY Advisor - Sarah Kirchner Memorials - Maria Laware Messenger - Editor - Maria Londo Stewardship Chairs - Joe and Meghan Dasco Sunday School Director - Priscilla Johnson Assistant Director - Leia Georgeopolus Outreach Committee - Harry Georgiades Facilities Committee - Jim Danalis. Jeffrey Clay O Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, intercede with our Merciful God, that He may grant our souls remission of sins Apolytikion of Saint Luke
Schedule of Services Orthros, 8:30 AM Divine Liturgy 9:30 AM SUNDAY SERVICES December 2nd December 9th December 16th December 23rd December 30th WEEKDAY SERVICES December 5th - Great Vespers of St Nicholas 6:30PM followed by a reception December 6th -Liturgy for St Nicholas December 12th - Liturgy for St Spyridon December 20th- Liturgy for St Ignatius at 9AM December 24th - Vesperal Liturgy of Christmas 6-7:30PM December 25th CHRISTMAS DAY Orthros 8AM Divine Liturgy 9AM Confessions can be heard by appointment cont from page 1 And what do we hear? We hear that Augustus wanted to record the names of all the living, so the Roman empire could tax them. Yet at the time this was being done, the Son of Man was born in the tiny village of Bethlehem, to enroll us into the Book of Life. He came to enroll us not so we can pay taxes, but so we can render appropriate and God-pleasing service to God by loving the needy neighbor. It is not an accident that the love of neighbor is found so extensively in the Gospel of Luke, from which so much of the Christmas story comes to us. We hear in Luke about the Good Samaritan, the Rich Man and Lazarus, as well as the Prodigal Son. All these parables are about love given to someone from unexpected places (Lazarus would receive kindness from animals!). As we prepare for the great celebration of Christmas, let us realize that the entirety of Creation rejoices in this day. It is not simply a matter of celebrating with presents and stories as fine and wonderful as they are but more importantly of seeing in the story of the birth of Jesus Christ, the words of the Father calling us away from the things of the world that attract us, towards the green pastures of the Heavenly Kingdom where we will find our true home. Merry Christmas! + Fr. Panteleimon Feast Saint Spyridon the Wonderworker December 12 Spyridon, the God-bearing Father of the Church, the great defender of Corfu and the boast of all the Orthodox, had Cyprus as his homeland. He was simple in manner and humble of heart, and was a shepherd of sheep. When he was joined to a wife, he begat of her a daughter whom they named Irene. After his wife's departure from this life, he was appointed Bishop of Trimythus, and thus he became also a shepherd of rational sheep. When the First Ecumenical Council was assembled in Nicaea, he also was present, and by means of his most simple words stopped the mouths of the Arians who were wise in their own conceit. By the divine grace which dwelt in him, he wrought such great wonders that he received the surname 'Wonderworker." So it is that, having tended his flock piously and in a manner pleasing to God, he reposed in the Lord about the year 350, leaving to his country his sacred relics as a consolation and source of healing for the faithful.
P A R I S H C O U N C I L Dear St. Luke Parishioners, May the blessings of our Lord and Savior be upon all of you and your families! As we close 2018, I want to wish all of you a Happy Holiday Season, filled with love, health, happiness, and prosperity. I pray to our Lord and Savior to grant us the health, wisdom, patience, and clear vision in 2019. I hope He guides us to serve him, the church and our parishioners, stronger with clarity in the new year. To my Parish Council Team: I would like to start by thanking you and your families from the bottom of my heart for your hard work, dedication, loyalty, and for enduring the tough long hours in 2018. I would like to recap few of your tangible and positive accomplishments. The intangibles are countless. Your record of success speaks volumes. Your support to the Dancing With Heart has brought a record 2 nd income to the church (special thanks to Dorsey, Judy and all that helped in that successful event). Your support and hard work for the Taste of Greece was beyond great, you broke last year s numbers and best net profits in the last 10 years (special thanks to Angie/Jim and all the parishioners that helped to make this event a great and successful event). Thank you to Jim and the Facilities Committee on the bathroom s renovation. Thank you for approving the Icons that has brought another beautiful touch and accent to our walls (special thanks to Marion Dasco). Thank you for approving the pews book racks (special thanks to Judy for not giving up). I want to thank Father Panteleimon and his family for being our spiritual leader. I want to thank all the committees leaders for all that you do for our church. I want to welcome the new Parish Council. We truly appreciate you volunteering into this elected body. It is beautiful and rewarding to serve our Church and Community. As we approach our 50 th anniversary, Vision 20/20 is the path to the future. Stay tuned, we are going to call on you, our parishioners, to be engaged. We will be approaching you and asking you to contribute ideas, time and talent to the 20/20 vision. Please let s not forget about our obligations towards our beloved St. Luke Church. I urge all parishioners to fulfill their obligations as soon as you can. With that said, I encourage you to keep your stewardship current. Assaad Andrew Hallak Parish Council President
PHILOPTOCHOS The Christmas season is underway for Philoptochos. I would like to take this time to thank everyone who has participated in many of our planned events: 1. Food Outreach - we were able to put together a Thanksgiving package which included 25 turkeys, baked breads, and gift cards to help those in our community who are in need. Thank you to all the ladies who baked these delicious breads. We also were able to support the local food bank, Springfield rescue mission, and the Open pantry serving over 500 people. 2. 2018 Saint Luke Christmas card - we are grateful for our very generous community who supported this major fundraiser and to the anonymous donor for their contribution in supporting this ministry. 3. Christmas Poinsettia Sale - the beauty of our Christmas Poinsettia will soon adorn the Alter. If you wish to honor a loving family member during the holiday season, please consider supporting this yearly St. Luke Philoptochos campaign. Please complete the necessary form along with payment by Sunday, December 9, 2018. Thank you all for your generosity in our new endeavor, Blessing Bags. We are quite overjoyed by the response. This mission will help many people in need who are out in the cold this winter. Philoptochos had their 3rd annual Vasilopita Workshop on December 1st. Thank you to the many hands who came to help and we are very grateful to John Tsikrikis, Jim and Angie Gouzounis and George Koulisis for their assistance. This workshop is dedicated to raising funds for Saint Basil Academy and all the children who need our support! Pickup date will be Sunday December 16th Philoptochos Christmas Food Outreach is underway. If you wish to contribute to those in need, please consider making a monetary donation. No amount is too little to help someone in need. Please see a member of Philoptochos during coffee hour to make a donation or send a check directly to the church office. Once again, Philoptochos is helping our friends in need with our gift card Christmas tree. The $20 gift cards will go to the members of the Lighthouse Clubhouse, which all are challenged with a chronic mental illness. Won t you open your hearts and help make their Christmas brighter. Please stop by the tree on your way to coffee hour. Donations will be accepted until December 17. Please see Parris & Dorsey with any questions. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Maria Londo Philoptochos President
CHOIR Our practices are weekly on Wednesdays at 6:30. Please don t hesitate to contact Toni Rizas or any choir member if interested. USHERING If you would like to help out with ushering on Sundays, please contact Harry Georgiades at 413-883-2560. We welcome GOYANS and any other parishioners who would like to volunteer. GOYA Romeos & Juliets We hope everyone is enjoying the New England fall! GOYA had our fall outing to the Apple Place on October 21st, which was our first event for the multiple new members who have joined us. Among our usual activities, this year, we are focusing on outreach to other GOYAs, starting with the St. George GOYA. We look forward to seeing them at our events and attending theirs. Our November meeting is scheduled f o r t h e 1 8 t h. W e w i l l b e discussing our GOYA dance on the 1st of December. We thank all who support GOYA as we continue to pursue our ministry. Romeos & Juliets schedule is 12:30 pm on 3rd Thursday that month our next day is 12/20 Christmas Party at Figaro s in Enfield, CT. Tentative schedule for 2019 is 1/24, 2/28,, 3/28, 4/18* (early due to Holy Week), 5/23, 6/27, 7/25, 8/22, 9/26, 10/24, 11/21* (early due to Thanksgiving) and 12/19* (Christmas Party). Sunday School Our teachers are continuing to incorporate the new curriculum- there will be another Art-full Sunday event in January. All children are welcome- every Sunday, even if you are visiting. Hope/JOY With all the holiday activities - enjoy the festivities and our next meeting will be in January 2019. Family Fun Fridays We are starting a new fun way to connect. All families are welcome! We are looking for a coordinator to help plan some fun outings in the New Year! Too many festivities in December but if there s snow let s see if we can have a sledding event! Any takers??? We may change the date to a Sunday?
Congratulations St. Luke Choir Members Attend Conference Nine St. Luke choir members, Lorraine Ahladas, Joanne Buckowski, Lynne Georgeopoulos, Meri Kassanos, Vickie Lanides, Rita and Peter Rozantes, Toni Rizas and Cindy Rodolakis participated in the annual Metropolis of Boston Federation of Greek Orthodox Musicians conference held in Newburyport, Massachusetts the first weekend in November. The Annunciation Church hosted the conference in honor of their parish's 100th anniversary. The Hierachical liturgy was celebrated with His Eminence Methodios using the music of Nicholas Roubanis which included Greek and the newly approved English text. It was an inspiring and emotional experience for all of us to share and sing with others the hymns that so many of us sang in our youth. At the conference, three of our choir members were recognized and awarded certificates for their choir membership. They were Michael Kennedy for 10 years and Lorraine Ahladas and Toni Rizas for their 50+ years. May God continue to bless us with voice so we may continue to sing to His glory.
Stewards of the Faith: All Things are Possible to the One Who Believes in Christ Dear St. Luke Steward, Our founding mission at St. Luke still holds true today. This parish was born 40 years ago from a group of like-minded Orthodox faithful to lovingly serve the liturgical and sacramental needs of Orthodox Christians in our community through the word of Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Church. The ongoing mission of our beloved St. Luke is to practice charity through Stewardship and Christian ministries, and to create an environment where parishioners are involved in the life of the church. With the holiday season upon us, we are truly thankful for you and your family here in our Church. You are a vital part of our Church Community and without you our mission would have no cause. Our parish has a wonderful endowment that will assist us in fulfilling its mission. It is a restricted fund that is earmarked for charitable donations and funding ministries. However, it cannot be used to pay the operating expenses of our parish. To meet those expenses our parish depends on the support of our stewards. Currently St. Luke is operating under a deficit. Our monthly bills and commitments outweigh our monthly income. Remember that your Stewardship provides the foundation for our Parish Ministries and this is an opportunity to examine our priorities and values, to express our thankfulness, to give of ourselves and to grow in grace. It allows us to participate in the work of God. On January 6, the parish will participate in the traditional lamplighting ceremony in church at the end of Divine Liturgy. This serves not only as a physical demonstration of your commitment but also is an expression of your dedication to our mission. May the grace of our Lord bless you and your loved ones to experience the joy of Christ s Birth through the joy of giving. Yours in Christ, Stewardship Message Joseph & Meghan Dasco Co-chairs Stewardship Start the Day with a Grateful Heart! Fellowship time /coffee hour is a vital ministry of church - please consider signing up and stewarding a Sunday. Make it as simple as you like- it is all appreciated. It is a beautiful offering to remember someone or show friendship and gratitude to those around you. These are the Sundays in December that are open for anyone wishing to make an offering to their friends, family and new friends yet to be. December 23, & 30 Coffee is made and set up is taken care of by our w o n d e r f u l H a r r y Georgiades. Thank you Harry! All anyone needs to do is bring something to share and place it on the table with plates and cutlery ( which are all provided)
P h o t o s Much Gratitude to the Vamvilis Family and friends for their beautiful time and talent in making such a delicious Harvest Luncheon and time together. Everyone enjoyed and then participated in the making of the Blessing bags. Almost 100 bags were made to be given.
Get your Angels ready! It s time to start preparing for the Nativity Pageant. Sunday December 23rd following Liturgy - children s rehearsal Sunday December 16th All children are welcome to participate! Please contact Kelly Dimitroglou, Toni Rizas or Prez Eleni if you know a child to be interested. It makes for a beautiful memory. The purchase price of the Poinsettia plant is $25 Please fill out the attached form and send it to the church office to place your order. Deadline for placing your order is Sunday, December 9, 2018 (Philoptochos cannot guarantee your loved ones name will appear in the booklet if order or check is received beyond the deadline date)
In Appreciation,,, A Christmas Concert Featuring The Dan Kane Singers Sunday, December 9, 2018 2 pm Limited seating / First come First served No admission fee - a free will offering will be graciously accepted Light refreshments will be served Hosted by: The Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Luke 400 Prospect Street East Longmeadow MA 413-525-4551 01028
M e m o r i a l s In memory of Karen Louis Tom and Kathy Themistos Victor and Mary Galiatsos Phyllis LaVallee Thia Ploubides Christine and Joseph Babineau Kiki Trial Doris Henault Kathy Rodolakis Vicki and Lou LaRoche Cindy Rodolakis Meri Kassanos Lorraine and Luke Ahladas Mary Poulos Marianne Sergides Rita and Peter Rozantes Saint Luke Choir Mary Ann Rodolakis Robert Snyder John and Anne Tancredi Thomas and Linda Athas John and Deborah Coburn Connie and George Manioudakis The Materetsky Family Priscilla Kolpak In memory of the Costa's Family Nathalia Costa In memory of Tony Delis Victoria Lanides In memory of Alex Bazos Chris Delis In memory of Samuel Crescione Doris Henault May Her Memory Be Eternal Elizabeth (Bette) Cokotis fell asleep in the Lord on November 25th and her funeral was held on November 29, 2018. Bible Study Opportunities Gospel of Mark Tuesdays 6:30pm in the Conference Room Colossians 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 Will resume in January Men s Fellowship Night Join us for another evening of fellowship -planning for a January get-together - watch for it!