Dear Friends St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church Sterling Heights, Michigan Volume 25 Issue 4 www.stjohngoc.net April 2018 Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen! al-masih qam! Haqqan qam! Kristo Amefufukka! Kweli Amefufukka! Христос възкресе! Воистина възкресе! Christ est ressuscité! Il est vraiment ressuscité! Cristo ha resucitado! En verdad ha resucitado! Χριστὸς ἀνέστη! Ἀληθῶς ἀνέστη! Hristos a înviat! Cu adevărat a înviat! Христосъ воскресе! Воистину воскресе! Christus resurrexit! Resurrexit vere! Cristo è risorto! È veramente risorto! Christos haryav i merelotz! Orhnial e Haroutiunn Christosi! Krishti u ngjall! Vërtet u ngjall! ΠιχρίςΤος αpτωνp! bεν ουμεθμηι αpτωνp! Christus ist auferstanden! Er ist wahrhaftig auferstanden!
Dear Friends is an in-print outreach effort to the Orthodox Christian community of St. John as well as the community at large. This monthly publication aims to inform, edify, and serve as a witness to its readers of the Truth of Jesus Chirst as confirmed in the Holy Gospel. Dear Friends is a ministry of: St. John The Baptist Greek Orthodox Church 11455 Metropolitan Parkway Sterling Heights, MI 48312 Phone: (586)977-6080 Email: parish@stjohngoc.net Clergy: Fr. Nicholas Kyritses, Proistamenos Chanter: Christos Strubakos Office Staff: Orsalia Kostakis Church Maintenance: Nicholas Markrides ST. JOHN PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS The Ladies Philoptochos Society plays an essential role in helping our parish prepare for Pascha. The women devote numerous hours to assembling palm crosses, dyeing the eggs, and decorating the epitaphion. There is one more tradition we have this time of year at St. John, and while it might not have any religious or spiritual relevance, we embrace it nonetheless-palm Sunday loukoumades. While this undertaking tends to be messy, time consuming, and chaotic, people seem to enjoy it and it raises a nice amount of money. This year the money raised will be going to help fund our participation in an organization called Rise Against Hunger an international hunger relief organization that distributes food to the world s most vulnerable. Working along with the GOYA, we will raise $3000.00 to host a meal packaging event here at our church. They bring everything and in two hours 40-50 people can package over 10,000 nutritious, dehydrated meals comprised of rice, soy, vegetables and 23 essential vitamins and nutrients. Their goal is to end world hunger by 2030- and I d like to see St. John be a part of that. We are in the process of finalizing the details so more information will be forthcoming, but for now you at least have an excuse to eat a lot of loukoumades! If you d like to find out more please visit: www.riseagainsthunger.org Please join us the morning of Holy Thursday to dye easter eggs and our Epitaphios on Holy Friday. Parish Council: Dr. Steve Kotsonis, President Philoptochos: Kim LaForest Seniors: Nick Prantzalos, President Choir: John Tangalos & Dr. Andy Kotsis YOUTH & YOUNG ADULT MINISTRIES College Connection: Cathy Kondoleon Sunday School: Dr. Maria Aretakis, Tara Kosmides & Sophia Papastamatis Greek School: Elli Patouhas Altar Boys: Matthew Vasilakis & George Collins GOYA: Tia Stathakios, President Advisors: Angela Kotsonis, Angie Stathakios, Maria Souris & Sky Bastounis HOPE & JOY ADVISORS: Irene Kourtesis, Dimetra Mansoor, Julia Thomas & Peggy Marselis Little Angels Advisors: Sofia Papastamatis, Popi Stavrou, Becky Patouhas & Erin Papakonstantinou Page 2 Everyone is invited to come and participate in these activities! Happy Easter
HOLY WEEK 2018 MARCH 31- APRIL 8 BY CHRISTO STRUBAKOS I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life A few drops of blood refashion all of creation Today, the curtain of the temple is torn in two Today, Judas abandons the Master. MARCH 31: LAZARUS SATURDAY SERVICES ORTHROS AND DIVINE LITURGY Page 3
APRIL 1: PALM SUNDAY Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna! Crucify Him! APRIL 2: HOLY MONDAY PALM SUNDAY EVENING Nymphios Behold the Bridegroom comes in the middle of the night APRIL 3: HOLY TUESDAY HOLY MONDAY EVENING Nymphios wise virgins Page 4
APRIL 4: HOLY WEDNESDAY HOLY TUESDAY Nymphios hymn of Kassiani and the hope we has that He will accept us again if we turn back to Him. HOLY WEDNESDAY Presanctified Liturgy APRIL 5: HOLY THURSDAY HOLY WEDNESDAY Sacrament of Holy Unction HOLY THURSDAY MORNING Divine Liturgy Last Supper washing of the feet prayer arrest betrayal APRIL 6: HOLY FRIDAY HOLY THURSDAY 12 Gospel Readings Page 5
HOLY FRIDAY MORNING Royal Hours Unnailing service HOLY FRIDAY EVENING process Epitaphios APRIL 7: HOLY SATURDAY HOLY SATURDAY MORNING First Resurrection service Arise O God and judge the earth! APRIL 8: PASCHA HOLY SATURDAY NIGHT Resurrection service Christ is risen Divine Liturgy MORNING ON PASCHA Agape vespers Christ Is Risen! ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! Page 6
LITTLE ANGELS (under 4year), HOPE(K-2 nd grade) & JOY(3 rd -6 th grade) ST. JOHN GOYA (6 TH -12 TH GRADE) BY: GRACE AND LILY ARETAKIS Page 7
ST. JOHN COLLEGE CONNECTION GREETINGS FROM HOPE COLLEGE Page 8
Panayiotis Stavropoulos GREEK SCHOOL NEWS In March we honored our Greek Independence Day with a beautiful program of poems, songs, and dances. The children did a wonderful job. A large turnout of relatives and friends were present to support the students. For the rest of the school year teachers and students will continue with the class curriculum, and will celebrate the Graduation on Thursday, May 17. The Greek school will have a break on April 3 and April 5, for the Holy Week and the celebration of the biggest day of the year, Easter! Χριστός Ανέστη! Ανοίγουν και υμνολογούν τα χείλη Εχθροί και φίλοι σμίγουν και γίνονται όλοι φίλοι. Χριστός στο θρόνο ανέβει Και αγάπη βασιλεύει! Ο θάνατος εχάθει, ο Αδης ενικήθει Αφάνισε τα πάθη κι ενδόξως ανεστήθει Ο Λυτρωτής του κόσμου Ο Πλάστης κι ο Θεός μου. Page 9
ST. JOHN SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS 1ST PLACE Philip Tangalos 1ST PLACE Amanda Dowd St. John Sunday School Page 10
ST. JOHN ALTAR BOYS Beloved parents of St. John, many of your boys would like to attend and participate as Altar Boys and they are very interested in arriving on time for service. Please help them and demonstrate your good example by bringing them each Sunday to service on time and prepared. All boys grade 3 12 are welcome to serve in the Holy Altar each and every Sunday. Please come prepared for Church and arrive no later than 9:50AM. Readers from the Salutations Service on Fridays of Great Lent Page 11
MEET OUR ST. JOHN ORGANIST Page 12
ST. JOHN SENIOR CITIZENS Our meetings are on the first Thursday of each month at the Royalty House in Warren. Please join us for lunch and fellowship! KALO PASCHA FROM ALL ST. JOHN SENIOR CITIZENS! Page 13
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To hang this page on fridge, tear at the perforated edge. Page 16
To hang this page on fridge, tear at the perforated edge. Meetings ADULT GREEK SCHOOL Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:30pm -7:30pm Call the church office if interested GOYA (7-12 grade) Goya Meeting Sunday, April 1 HOPE and JOY & LITTLE ANGELS No scheduled activities GREEK SCHOOL Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30pm- 6:30pm PARISH COUNCIL Meeting Tuesday, April 10, 7:00pm PHILOPTOCHOS Meeting Monday, April 16, 7:30pm SENIOR CITIZENS Meeting & Luncheon at Royalty House Thursday, April 12, 12:00pm SUNDAY SCHOOL Every Sunday These are your opportunities to get involved in your parish! Engangement Spiros Kollias and Evelyn-Vasiliki Tomaras Prayers and Condolences to the family and friends of Philippos Vlassopoulos Tom Demos father of Kathy Yoannides Young Costas Papadopoulos family for his sister s death in Toronto May their memory be eternal Baptisms Saturday, April 14 Emmelia Zoe and Marianna Nikoletta daughters of John and Katina Papakonstantinou Sunday, April 15 Felicia Alexandra daughter of Alex and Linda Boosalis Saturday, April 21 Leonidas son of Demetrios and Le Samohin Friday, April 27 Enzo Theofanis son of Danny and Stavroula Lucci O Lord and Master, our God, call your servant (name) to your holy illumination and make him (her) worthy to receive this great grace of Your Holy Baptism. Take away from him (her) the old ways and renew him (her) unto eternal life, and ill him (her) with the power of Your Holy Spirit unto union with Your Christ, so that he (she) may no longer be a child of the body but a child of Your Kingdom. Though the good will and grace of Your Only begotten Son, with Whom You are blessed, together with Your most holy and good life-giving Spirit, now, and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen. Page 17
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CHECK OUT OUR PARTY ROOM FOR UP TO 50 GUESTS Catering for all events! High School Graduations or any kind of party! We also offer family style setups for our in house banquet room! PARTIES BIRTHDAYS BANQUETS EVENTS 586-978-0080 3577 Van Dyke Ave. Sterling Heights, MI 48312 Delivery options available through Grub Hub Page 19
Dear Friends St. John Greek Orthodox Church 11455 Metropolitan Parkway Sterling Heights, MI 48312 Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Sterling Heights, MI Permit No. 4 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED Page 20