Summer 2015 Edition PHILOPTOCHOS PERSPECTIVE The quarterly publication highlighting news and events from the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society Metropolis of Chicago Table of Contents Looking Ahead to Fall Calendar of Events Pages 2-3 September 19 - Metropolis of Chicago Philoptochos Luncheon Café La Cave Des Plaines Metropolis of Chicago Luncheon Page 4 St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine - Pages 5-8 Agape III Pages 9-13 Grand Opening St. Iakovos Retreat Center Pages 14-19 Metropolis Quilt-A-Thon Pages 20-21 Dress A Girl Around the World Pages 2223 St. Demetrios Outreach Pages 24-25 September 20 Deadline for Submissions for next Philoptochos Perspective. Send submissions to: philoptochosperspective@gmail.com or marilynnjemas@gmail.com October 3 Presidents Meeting St. Andrew Chicago October 15 St. Nicholas Shrine Quarterly Report Due to Georgia Sarlas November 15-18 Metropolis of Chicago ClergyLaity Madison, WI. Sts. Constantine and Helen Spaghetti Dinner Page 26 Chris Ellis Benefit St. Nicholas Pages 27-28 St. Spyridon Events Page 29 Presidents Meeting Pages 30-33 Lenten Retreat Pages 34-39 The Perspective is looking for Chapter Accomplishments for publication in future issues. Hope to see you at the Metropolis of Chicago September Luncheon. Metropolis of Chicago Philoptochos President Irene Arsoniadis
2015 September METROPOLIS OF CHICAGO Calendar of Chapters Events Please note Metropolis Chapter Presidents' Meeting Date on Oct. 3 09/19 Metropolis of Chicago Annual Luncheon: Our Faith & Our Foundation is Our Future @ Café La Cave, Des Plaines October 10/3 IOCC Annual 5K Walk / Run starts @ St. Andrew Church, Chicago 10/3 Metropolis of Chicago Philoptochos Chapter Presidents meeting @ St. Andrew, Chicago after IOCC Walk 10/4 Assumption, Homer Glen, IL: 99 th Anniversary Dinner @ Georgio s Banquets, Orland Park 10/9 St. Nectarios, Palatine: Dinner & Fashion Show Cirque Du Couture @ Concorde Banquets starts at 6:30 pm 10/17 Holy Apostles, Westchester: Annual Luncheon & Fashion Show @ Empress Banquets, Addison, IL 10/17 10/18 St. Nicholas, Oak Lawn: Fall Craft Show & Food Bazaar 10/18 Assumption, Chicago: 90 th Anniversary Dinner @ the Carlisle Banquets, Lombard 10/24 St. Basil, Chicago: 3 rd Metropolis-wide Philoptochos "Dress-a-Girl-Around-the-World Project, 9 am 4 pm 10/10 St. Nicholas, St. Louis, MO: FUN raiser 10/27 Feast Day Dinner Celebration for His Eminence Metropolitan IAKOVOS at the Chateau Ritz in Niles @ 6 pm 10/31 2015 National Children s Medical Fund Luncheon @ Renaissance Waterfront Hotel in Boston 10/31 St. Demetrios, Elmhurst: SS Cosmas & Damianos Great Vespers November 11/1 St. Demetrios, Elmhurst: SS Cosmas & Damianos Liturgy 11/7 St. Nicholas, St. Louis, MO: Grecian Kitchen Holiday Open House 11/15-11/18 Metropolis Clergy Laity & Philoptochos Conference in Madison, Wisconsin! 2
December METROPOLIS OF CHICAGO Calendar of Chapters Events 12/5-12/6 St. Spyridon, Palos Heights: Annual Craft Show 12/6 St. Andrew, Chicago: Holiday Dinner Dance @ Westin O Hare 12/13 Christmas Open House at the Metropolis House. 2016 January 1/10 Metropolis Vasilopita Celebration. Venue TBA 1/16 St. Antonio s Great Vespers at the Metropolis House 1/17 St. Antonio s Feast Day at the Metropolis House February 02/26 St. Demetrios, Elmhurst: Annual Fashion Show March Aliquam(dolor.( byline( Lorem(Ipsum( 3/5 St. Andrew, Chicago: Glendi, Fellowship 6 pm, Dinner 7 pm at St. Andrew s Church May 5/6 Zoodohos Peghe @ St. Iakovos Retreat Center, Brighton, Wisconsin July 7/3-7/8 43 rd National Clergy-Laity & 2016 Philoptochos Biennial Convention in Nashville, Tennessee Please Note: Every Chapter hosts Christmas & Easter Bake Sales, Palm Sunday Luncheons, Membership Drives and other usual internal events. Due to limitation of space, this calendar is designed as a tool to notify chapters about citywide events, to encourage participation from our chapters members, and as a vehicle for planning chapter events to assist in eliminating schedule conflicts whenever possible. To place your Chapter s events on the Calendar, please call or email: Christina Hiotis: christinahiotis@hotmail.com 847-699-7463 or 847-571-8188 updated 07/30/2015! 3
Please Join Your Philoptochos Sisters And Our National Philoptochos President Maria Logus At Our Annual Metropolis Of Chicago Philoptochos Luncheon. Co-Chairs: Peggy Vranas, Pat Gerbanas, Joanne Stavrakas! 4
ST. NICHOLAS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH AND NATIONAL SHRINE Thank you to all of our Metropolis of Chicago Philoptochos chapters that have already contributed to the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine initiative. We appreciate your efforts to make individual donations and raise funds for this most worthy cause. Why contribute? In a world filled with turmoil, it is imperative that we have a Christian presence at Ground Zero/The World Trade Center. The challenge is ours, as Greek Orthodox faithful and as Philoptochos sisters, to ensure that Greek Orthodoxy is present at the heart of the most significant place in modern day history. It can never be said enough that Philoptochos is truly the backbone of our churches. Now is the time for us to push forward through all obstacles so that those who believe in us continue to have faith in the fact that when we work together we can do anything. It is never too late to help your Philoptochos chapter reach its goal. As a Philoptochos member here are some ways that you can help: -give a $100 personal donation -participate in a chapter fundraiser -talk to your Philoptochos Sisters about the importance of being part of the initiative to rebuild, relight and resurrect St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at Ground Zero Together let us rebuild Saint Nicholas for all future generations, and for the many millions of people who will visit the new World Trade Center, the National September 11 Memorial Museum and our National Shrine, the only house of worship at Ground Zero. ( Pam Argyris, 1 st Vice President! 5
ST. NICHOLAS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH AND NATIONAL SHRINE A Behind the Scene Visit to the site of the new St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at The World Trade Center! 6
REMINDERS All donations to the Shrine should be sent to Georgia Sarlas, Metropolis Treasurer. 2 Quarterly Report Dates Remain October 15, 2015 & January 30, 2016! 7
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AGAPE III Relight, Rebuild, Ressurect April 23rd Co-Chairs of the Event: Pam Argyris, Pat Gerbanas, Marilyn Tzakis Masters of Ceremony: Juliana and Angelo Mourelatos! 9
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GRAND OPENING - ST. IAKOVOS RETREAT CENTER Saturday May 30th! 14
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Metropolis Quilt-A-Thon Saints Peter & Paul and Saints Constantine & Helen! 20
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Dress A Girl Around the World - St. Demetrios, Chicago St. Demetrios Ladies Philoptochos Society of Chicago once again this year embraced Dress a Girl Around the World as our Lenten project. These dresses are sent to girls in underprivileged areas in countries, such as Malaysia, Uganda, India and the Philippines. Members of our community, under the chairmanship of Pitsa Antonakos, gathered on Saturday, March 29 th from morning to late afternoon to create over 150 of the beautiful dresses complete with decorative trim. This year 50 dresses from this collection were sent to Hatvikiriakio Orphanage in Greece for the first time under this program. By Pat Gerbanas! 22
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St. Demetrios Ladies Philoptochos Society of Chicago visits with the residents of the Greek American Rehabilitation and Care Centre in Wheeling, Illinois. Through our Outreach Committee, we have committed to host a minimum of four Greek Coffee Socials annually and offer homemade sweets, rice pudding, Greek yogurt, fresh fruit and of course, Greek coffee for all. However, the true treat for the residents is the camaraderie, warmth and love that is illuminated as our ladies visit with each of the residents. By Pat Gerbanas! 24
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Thursday, April 30, 2015, members of the Sts. Constantine and Helen Philoptochos Ladies Society hosted their 8th Annual Spaghetti Benefit Dinner for the Ross Township Food Pantry, located on the church property at 8000 Madison St., Merrillville, Indiana. Parishioners volunteer throughout the week, shopping, shelving and sorting, and every Friday these volunteers distribute food to hundreds of needy families. Last year an average of 500 families a month were served by the Ross Township Food Pantry. As a result of another successful Spaghetti Dinner, on June 9, 2015, a $10,000 check was presented to the Ross Township Food Pantry for food supplies and a $5,350 check to the Cathedral Helping Hand Fund to help pay bills of those in need. Along with these checks, the Cathedral Sr. and Jr. GOYA s were each also presented with checks for $450. This has become an anticipated and well-supported community, charitable event supported by a wide variety of local citizens and organizations. The ladies work hard and appreciate the community support and donations they receive in order to increase proceeds, all of which go to charity. We have quite a group of hard working and dedicated ladies in Merrillville. Fr. George Pappas, Sophia Pangakis, Maria Paviadakis, Joe Shudick (Ross Township Trustee), Fr. Ted Poteres, Mary Starkey, and Frances Klimis! 26
Chris Ellis Benefit - St. Nicholas Oak Lawn The turnout at the benefit we had for my godson, Chris, was wonderful. I would like to share these photos with the many St. Nicholas Philoptochos Volunteers that worked so hard preparing and serving at the event. Maria Regopoulos speaking on behalf of the entire Ellis Family.! 27
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On Mothers Day, St. Spyridon Philoptochos once again honored members who have given of themselves through the years. An icon was presented to Roula Karampelas, Litsa Alikakos, Rose Ayalianos, and Betty Catsogiannis. On May 17th the St. Spyridon Philoptochos had a Fundraiser for the St. Nicholas Shrine. The Greek Islands Restaurant donated our lunch. All funds collected from our members went to St. Nicholas Shrine. It was a great afternoon of fun and fellowship with a purpose. Submitted by Olga Paxinos.! 29
Presidents Meeting St. Iakovos Retreat Center The 1st Metropolis Presidents Meeting in the new facility.! 30
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Lenten Retreat St. George Schererville, Indiana Co-Chairs: Christina Hiotis, Kathy Katrakis, Kathy Siavelis! 34
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Reconciliation: With God, With Self and With Others Chicago Metropolis Philoptochos Lenten Retreat Concluding Remarks Saturday, March 7, 2015, St. George, Schererville, Indiana by Christina Hiotis A gift is a token of love. When we give someone a gift, we are telling him or her we love you and we care for you. There are some gifts, which continue to give for years and years after we have received them. 33 years ago, a newly arrived Bishop in the Metropolis of Chicago, instructed the Ladies Philoptochos Society to set aside a day during the Lenten period for prayers, reflection, study, worship, fellowship, and to share a meal together in peaceful, quite, and serene surroundings, so that they can contemplate on the gifts of Hope, Love, and Salvation bestowed by our Lord. We want to thank our spiritual father His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos for being that new bishop, for giving us the gift of this event, the Lenten Retreat, which has now become an annual tradition in our Philoptochos. It is a gift that continues to give year after year. Not only do we get an opportunity to come together, each year in a new church in a new location, to meet new people, pray together, and enjoy camaraderie and friendship with fellow orthodox faithful, but we also get an opportunity to learn something new. In addition, what we learn stays with us for the rest of the year and thereafter. We are grateful to His Grace Bishop Demetrios, and wish to thank him, for leading us as the Grand Master of this serene event where we learned something new today. Each year he chooses a theme that is relevant to our lives in these difficult times, and we derive benefit by reflecting upon, understanding, and implementing the lessons we learn from it. What could be more appropriately described as the essence of our faith than the concept and process of Reconciliation? Reconciliation, with God, with Self and Others. The essence of our Christian faith and belief is our Hope of Salvation and Redemption, which is made possible by the life, death, and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. During this Lenten season, every one of us must think what our Lord Jesus has said: Be ye perfect, even as your Father in Heaven is perfect as stated in [Matthew 5:48.] We must utilize this season to journey towards perfection and to transform ourselves in order to understand His truth. We make this annual retreat together as one family in Christ that we may all be invigorated and inspired for our mission to rejuvenate the love of Christ in us. We cannot succeed in our goals unless we are filled with that love of Christ in us. We cannot carry His life-giving message of Salvation to our families and to the world unless we comprehend it ourselves. We cannot bring the revealing Light of Christ into the darkness of the world unless this Light of His love glows within our own hearts.! 38
The Love of Christ filled in our Hearts makes us Love our neighbors. It makes us Love Others because we find ourselves equal in the eyes of our Lord: whether we are white, brown, yellow, or black, men or women, old or young, weak or strong, we are all children of God and our humanity binds us together. That teaching of Christ gives us Love, the most powerful weapon in the world. Love is the only commodity that increases the more we use it. No recycling program in the world is more efficient or powerful than the program of Love. The only time it diminishes is when it is not used. And, Love, my dear brothers and sisters, makes Reconciliation possible. There is no Reconciliation unless there is Love. Without Reconciliation with our Lord, there can be no reconciliation with self. Without reconciliation with self, which is the key to live in peace and harmony with ourselves, we cannot have reconciliation with others. And, Reconciliation is only possible when our hearts are filled with Love: love of our Lord, love for ourselves, and love for others. Therefore, during this Holy Season love becomes the central theme of our lives. To love and to develop tolerance leads us to reconciliation, which is the cheapest remedy that heals what ails human society. Unconditional love does not take anything but gives everything we human beings need. Even a smile and a kind look becomes a charity. Agape is not a word of only five letters; it consists of thousands of sacrifices and acts of kindnesses. And, Agape is the only vehicle that leads us to Reconciliation. ( Essence of Philoptochos Is Still Available Contact Marilyn Tzakis (MGTLTD@AOL.COM) or Marilynn Jemas (marilynnjemas@gmail.com)! 39
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