OCTOBER / ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΣ 2017 VOLUME 12, ISSUE 10 The H ARK - ΚΙΒΩΤΟΣ M ONTHLY BULLETIN OF THE AS S U M P T I ON OF OUR MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH Μ Η Ν Ι ΑΙ Ο ΔΕΛΤΙΟ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗΣ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗΣ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣ Τ Η Σ Κ ΟΙΜΗΣΕ Ω Σ Τ Η Σ ΘΕΟΤΟΚΟΥ Assumption Greek Orthodox Church 111 Island Pond Road Manchester NH 03109 Phone: (603) 623-2045 Fax: (603) 232-6347 info@assumptionnh.org www.assumptionnh.org Facebook: ASSUMPTIONgocNH Links and Resources Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America www.goarch.org Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Boston www.boston.goarch.org Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople www.patriarchate.org 1 ΑΓΙΟΣ ΔΗΜΗΤΡΙΟΣ 26 ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΥ / St. Demetrios October 26th
Parish Priest It is a great joy to see so many kids in the first day of our Sunday and Greek School classes! A church full of children is a sure sign of a blessed community! October is filled with Fall activities for everyone, from a Corn Ride, to our Philoptochos Bazaar. It is also the month we celebrate the Great Martyr St. Demetrios, St. Luke the Evangelist and St. Thomas the Apostle. Besides saying Chronia Polla to those named after these saints, we should all take a moment and contemplate the contributions of these saints to our faith. St. Demetrios, a commander of 1,000 Roman troops and the Duke of Thessaly at the young age of 22(!), did not hesitate to confess Christ in front of his then general (and future emperor) Galerius Maximinian. He readily gave up a certain future of honor, riches and glory, to receive instead the painful death of a martyr, getting pierced with spears. St. Thomas was also pierced to death with spears for having converted to Christ the entire family of the King of India. Before preaching in India, he preached in Persia and Media. But most of all, St. Thomas by doubting the Resurrection of Christ, he became an example of how faith should work, which is through the heart and not the mind. Finally, St. Luke, a student of St. Paul, wrote his gospel in Alexandria of Egypt, only 15 years after the Lord s Ascension. He preached in Greece, Italy, France and Dalmatia and still received the death of a martyr even though he was 80 years old! May we have their blessings. Parish News The next parish council meeting will be on Monday, October 16 th at 7:00 PM. Philoptochos News The Philoptochos Society will hold its annual Autumn Bazaar on Saturday and Sunday, October 28 th & 29 th. Please join us for our traditional celebration of the fall season. We ll have delicious Greek dishes and pastries, raffles, a penny sale, and other items sold by different vendors. We need volunteers to work at the bazaar, as well as donations of the following: PASTRY paximathia kourambiethes karidopeta finikia halva melachrino PLEASE LET LUCIE KNOW WHAT KIND OF PASTRY YOU PLAN TO MAKE! NEW ITEMS FOR THE PENNY SALE small appliances gift cards toys and gifts for children The next Philoptochos Board meeting will be held Wednesday, October 4 th, at 6:30 PM. New Horizons Soup Kitchen The New Horizons Soup Kitchen visit this month is on Sunday, October 22 nd, 4:00-6:00 PM. We are always looking for volunteers to join our group. This is such a rewarding experience! Please join us for less than two hours of fellowship with the group from the Assumption Church. If you have any questions, please call the church office. Thank you! 2
Choir We are looking for an organist and choir director. If anyone is interested in learning the organ, we will pay for their lessons. Please contact the church office. We are looking for volunteers to join our talented choir. All ages are welcome! Do not be shy if you do not have experience. All that is required is your passion and love for our church! During the summer the choir is not singing or practicing. Youth Ministry News OCTOBER HURRICANE RELIEF COLLECTION DRIVE In October, our Youth Ministry will be sponsoring a gift card collection drive to help families directly affected by Hurricane Harvey in Texas. Approximately 30 families from the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Houston TX, need assistance to rebuild their homes. Their immediate needs are gift cards to Home Depot, Lowe's, Target and Walmart. All checks should be made out to the: AGOC Benevolent Fund. Our Youth Ministry will mail everything collected directly to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral located at 3511 Yoakum Blvd, Houston, TX 77006, to the attention of the AGOC Benevolent Fund. For more information, please contact Ranya Karatzoulidis or any other Youth team member. PLEASE HELP OUR ORTHODOX FAITHFUL AT THE ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. Thank you for support and please keep all those affected in your prayers! Greek School Welcome back to all our Greek School families! It was wonderful to see everyone last week. We look forward to seeing the smiling faces of all our children every Thursday! Greek School Dance lessons will begin on Thursday, October 12 th. Once again, thank you to Mrs. Angela Bourassa for volunteering her time to teach our children. On Saturday, October 28th, all people of Greek descent and the Greek Orthodox faithful will commemorate OXI DAY. This is a national day of celebration in Greece, equal to the 25th of March! On this day we celebrate the heroic resistance of Greece against the Nazis during the Second World War. On Thursday, October 26th, Fr. Gregory will give a brief history lesson on OXI DAY at the end of each Greek School session. Sunday School Welcome back Sunday school families! We look forward to seeing the children and their families in church and Sunday School every Sunday. We would also like to welcome and thank our 2017-18 Sunday School team, co-directors Theohare Kapellakis & Ranya Karatzoulidis, our returning teachers: Theohare Kapellakis, Ranya Karatzoulidis, Nicole Condodemetraky, Joni Stamoulis, Laura Labore and our new teachers: Jon Horton, Jeanne Tsekrekas, Vaso Tsihlis and our assistant teacher, Joan Xintaras. We are so blessed to have such a.dedicated team! 3
IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING SUNDAY SCHOOL TIME CHANGE Please note that the Sunday school class schedule has changed this year. Children shall accompany their parents to church by 10:15 AM and sit together in the designated Sunday School section. Immediately following Holy Communion, students will follow their teachers.to class for their.lesson. Teachers will dismiss students to our church hall at approximately 11:45 AM. Please feel free to speak with your child's teacher if you have any questions. Goya - Joy - Mommy & Me - Altar Boys Our GOYA (Greek Orthodox Youth of America) Ministry is for young adults age 13-18. We will be, reviving our Jr. GOYA (Junior Greek Orthodox Youth of America) this year, which will be for youth age.11-12. Have your child participate in GOYA or Jr. GOYA, it is a worthy experience! Our first GOYA & Jr. GOYA meeting will be held on Sunday, Oct. 8 th in the church hall, followed by a Pizza Social at Kapelli s Pizzeria in Boscawen, NH. October 28 th &.29 th, our GOYANS & Jr. GOYANS will be volunteering at the Philoptochos Autumn Bazaar. For more details, please.contact Stavroula Bakolas at ssbakolas@gmail.com. Our JOY (Junior Orthodox Youth) Ministry is for our youth age 5-12. Have your child participate in JOY by contacting Julie Karagianis at karagianis@comcast.net. Please see the enclosed flyer for the October JOY event. Our Mommy & Me (M&M) Ministry is for our little ones (age infant thru 4 years old). It is a great opportunity to have them involved in God s church from a young age! If you would like to participate in M&M with your child, please contact Ranya Karatzoulidis at rkapellakis@gmail.com Our Altar Boy Ministry is for boys age 7-18. Have your son serve the Holy Table: a task performed invisibly by angels! To join, please contact Fr. Gregory at frgregory33@yahoo.com, or Jeanne Tsekrekas at jmtea@comcast.net. Thank you to all our dedicated altar boys! YOUTH MINISTRY IS SPONSORING THE COFFEE HOUR The Assumption Youth Ministry families will be sponsoring the coffee hour on the 3 rd Sunday of each month. We are looking to put together teams of volunteers to help set up, serve and clean up on Youth Coffee Hour Sundays. Please come join our teams! If you are interested, please contact Connie Stamoulis at: stamoulishorio@comcast.net, Stavroula Bakolas at: ssbakolas@gmail.com, or Michelle Kapos at: michellekapos@comcast.net. Everyone is welcome to bring a favorite morning snack to share during coffee hour. Items can be dropped off in the church kitchen after 9:30 AM of that Sunday morning. The Youth Ministry will also be sponsoring a variety of fundraising events during our Youth Coffee Hour Sundays. Please keep in mind that some schedule changes may occur due to events such as 40-day memorials which take precedence. Your participation and understanding is greatly appreciated! YOUTH SEATING AREA The church hall area on the left side, as you enter the hall from the staircase, will be the youth seating area after Sunday School and during the coffee hour. Within the next couple weeks, there will be new games, toys, crayons and books for children to use and play together while having their snack. Parents and children, please help clean up this area when finished. Thank You! 4
YAL (Young Adult League) All Young Adults are invited to: ORTHODOXY ON TAP. The Metropolis of Boston invites all those ages 19-35 to join YAL (Young Adult League) and their Orthodoxy on Tap gathering held every 3 rd Thursday of each month at UNO S PIZZERIA, 645 Beacon St. in Boston, MA. A fun evening with FREE, all-you-can-eat pizza / BYOB! The next gathering is on Thursday, October 19 th. Orthodoxy and pizza never went so well together! For more information, please contact Fr. Gregory at frgregory33@yahoo.com, FB: Frg Gregory Matthew and Kelly Kitsis 5 Giovani Kotromanos DeJesus Chelsea and Kristian Garces
Sacraments & Services When planning a baptism or wedding, please check church availability BEFORE booking your reception hall. Thank you! Baptism October 7 th Melina Marie, daughter of Shawna and George Kalantzis Funeral September 13 th Stephanie Papajohn Memorials October 1 st Thomas and Angeliki Lekkas October 15 th Stephanie Papajohn Planning Memorials When planning for a memorial, please contact the church office at 603-623-2045. There is a particular altar wine and incense we use. Please call for details! PLANNED GIVING is a gesture that comes from the heart! Leave a legacy! As you plan your financial future, please remember your Parish. There are several types of planned donations to consider. Here are a few of them to consider. In all cases, please consult your financial advisor for more information. Charitable Bequests: Once you secure the well-being of your family, you may choose to include in your will a significant donation to your church. Gifts of Life Insurance: Using a life insurance policy makes it possible to make a major gift while protecting the inheritance of one s heir(s). Gifts of Listed Securities: The gift of publicly listed securities, bonds, mutual fund units or other similar securities is one of the most fiscally advantageous ways to make a substantial donation to a charitable organization because the donor will avoid paying tax on capital gains. The gift of shares or other securities will give rise to a tax credit. It is more advantageous to transfer the securities directly rather than to donate the proceeds collected from selling the securities. This type of donation is advisable to those who wish to make a substantial donation without encroaching on their liquid assets, or to those who own shares or other securities which have significantly increased in value since their acquisition. Charitable Annuities: A charitable gift annuity consists of a donation of money or other assets to a charitable organization in exchange for guaranteed earnings for life or for a determined period of time. RECOGNITION It is with much love and appreciation we have received three considerable bequests made to our parish which we feel should be recognized. The benefactors are Doris Springer (Alex Demos sister), Phyllis Brown and Anastasia Galanis. Their thoughtfulness is a tribute to their caring and desire for our parish to prosper and grow for generations to come. May their memories be eternal. 6
August Stewardship 2017 Mr. & Mrs. Ilias Apostolos Raymond Buckley James Camberis Peter Camberis Mr. & Mrs. Richard Dryer Patrick Healy Lindsay Kalantzis Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Kamberis Mr. & Mrs. Stathis Kapellakis Stephanie Kotromanos Mrs. Demetrios Krideras Thomas Krideras Jane Lawson Mr. & Mrs. Robert Leuchs Mr. & Mrs. John Stergiou Please submit your 2017 Stewardship Stewardship is our God-given OBLIGATION and the PRIMARY source of income for our church! Seek first God s Kingdom and His Righteousness and all other things shall be added to you. (Matt 6:33) And some seeds fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold. (Luke 8:8) Give to Cesar what is Cesar s and to God what is God s. (Mark 12:17) Reap bountifully. God loves a cheerful giver. (St. Paul 2 nd Corinthians 9:6-8) Rich is not the one who has much, but the one who gives much. For what one gives away, he keeps for all eternity. (St. John Chrysostom) August Offerings Mr. & Mrs. John Xintaras Greekfest Donation Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Papanikolaou Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Sysyn Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Vailas Fuel Fund Todd Vanderheyden Sprinkler System Fundraiser $652.38 Donations in Memory of: Mary Franggos Dimitrios Krideras August Donations Sophia Annas Voula Annas Father Peter Day Louise Hart Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Kamberis Eleftheria Makris Betty Xintaras Thank you for your love to the House of the Lord and Panagia! 7
1 st Annual Pita Fest WHO MAKES THE BEST PITA AROUND? Do you think you know? Is it YOU? Let s find out at our 1 st Annual Pita Fest Saturday, November 11, 2017 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM Sign-up and enter your pita into a friendly Bake-off to earn bragging rights and a nice small prize, or just come to taste and see which are your favorite pitas Judging at 8:00 PM Tickets: $10 adults (includes pita samples, desserts & coffee) Bring your dancing shoes along, as there will be music & dancing for all! Mezethakia platters & assorted beverages will be available Donations gratefully accepted Get your pita moves on and join us! To enter, please contact Joni Stamoulis 603-674-4255, Effie Kalampalikis 603-785-4208, or Kathy Papakostas 603-867-1655 8
Taverna Night St. George Cathedral 650 Hanover Street, Manchester, NH October 21 st, 2017 7:00 PM 11:00 PM $20 admission (Children under 16 Free, includes Greek appetizers) Greek and American Music THE SALONICA BOYS Beer and Wine Bar Tickets available at Church Office, Sundays after Divine Liturgy BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISING If you would like to advertise your business card in our monthly bulletin, please contact the Church Office. A business card format, about 2 ½ x 1 ½ will run for a period of 12 months for one set fee of $150.00 a year. This will help us defray the ever-increasing costs of printing and mailing these bulletins to our homes and at the same time you will be advertising your business to our parishioners, and through word of mouth, to their friends. This is a great opportunity for all! 9
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ASSUMPTION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 111 Island Pond Road Manchester, NH 03109 NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID MANCHESTER, ASSUMPTION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH LADIES OF AUXILARY / PHILOPTOCHOS SOCIETY ANNUAL AUTUMN BAZAAR OCTOBER 28 th & 29 th, 2017 SATURDAY 10:00 AM TO 7:00 PM SUNDAY 11:30 AM TO 3:00 PM GREEK FOOD & PASTRIES RAFFLES & PENNY SALE 111 ISLAND POND ROAD MANCHESTER, NH 11