Saint Luke Greek Orthodox Church The MESSENGER Volume II, Issue 2 February, 2017 Beloved in Christ, A few days ago, our JOY Ministry group had an event at which they made vigil lamps. Part of the lesson involved going to the church, where there are vigil lamps lit every moment of the day. This was the first time many of our children realized the presence of the lamps, either in front of the icons that are on the icon screen, or on the altar table itself. A silent demonstration and a presence that does not use words -- simply, the placement of a lamp -- demonstrates a powerful teaching that the Church is always at prayer. And this prayer enters and re-enters our lives, embraced by us according to the spiritual condition in which we find ourselves. Are we joyful? Sad? Nervous? Hopeful? Any condition in which we find ourselves, the Church is at prayer regarding it. The sight of a vigil lamp is also something else -- a realization of God s mercy. In fact, this is why the lamps exist -- so long as they are lit, they remind us God s mercy. If this is so, then a vigil lamp also exists within our hearts, where it has been lit by God. The one in church is a physical reality to highlight the hidden spiritual truth. How do we know this? Does not the Lord Himself remind us that, the Kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17.21). If it is within us, then we need to search within to find Christ. The door through which He enters is one known to us. But like the lamp on the altar table, our 1
inner vigil lamp, which is within our heart, must also be daily trimmed to receive fresh spiritual olive oil. Made alive and warmed by this light of the Lord, we will see things differently. Elder Aimilianos, the former Abbot of Simonopetra, writes that the mercy of God not only draws us closer to Him, but it also heals us. And in the shelter of Your wings I w i l l rejoice. My God, just as a hen gathers her b r o o d under her wings (cf. Lk 13:34), gather me u p a n d cover me in Your love, in Your tenderness, and in Your compassion (cf. Dt 32:11). Why should I be distressed? Why should I be anxious? Why should I be troubled by negative thoughts? It is enough for me to have a heart that feels Your presence and loves You. And then I will rejoice; then my entire life will be a continual rejoicing...joy is the refrain of the true Christian. He revels in it, for the recollection of the past reminds him that God has never abandoned him. And here we find a valuable lesson. We too should call to mind God s mercies, which are without number, and bestowed equally and abundantly on all, and not least on the sick, the suffering, the poor, and all those that s e e m insignificant in the eyes of the w o r l d. T h e recollection of God s mercy is a source of h o p e a n d strength. The Kingdom o f G o d i s w i t h i n y o u! T r i m y o u r i n n e r v i g i l lamp -- and the Kingdom of God will dawn from within, and the walls of your heart will beat differently! God bless you all! In XC, Fr. Panteleimon Lent begins on February 27 -- may we have a most blessed lenten journey to Pascha! 2
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. 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 Pastor- Fr. Panteleimon Klostri 2017 Parish Council President - Nick Vamvilis Vice President - Judy Lelas-George Treasurer - Joe Dasco Secretary - Christos Nikolis Corresponding Secretary - Dorsey Cokkinias Anthony Antonopoulos Assaad Hallak Bea Syner Parris Ochsner Bill Sakel Harry Georgiades 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 -Elias Zovas and Aristidis Zaharis Choir Director - Toni Rizas Organist- Can Gao Endowment Fund Chair - John Piponidis GOYA Advisor - Kathy Kalaitzidis JOY Advisor - Sarah Kirchner O Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, intercede with our Merciful God, that He may grant our souls remission of sins Apolytikion of Saint Luke 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 3
NEWS FROM THE PARISH COUNCIL Greetings my Family, Friends and fellow Parishioners, First of all, I would like to thank the Parish Council for re-electing me to be Parish Council President. With the help of the entire parish, I know with the help of God and the entire parish, we can accomplish spiritual and financial needs through fellowship and hard work. February 19th is Meatfare Sunday. Let s come together as a whole parish and enjoy the fellowship of our entire community and support this event. The Lenten season begins on February 27 th. As we start our Lenten journey this year, let s look to our fellow parishioners to see how we may help them in any way. The Parish Council is looking for parishioners who want to help in ushering during services. Please contact a Parish Council member if you are interested. This upcoming year we will be looking to remodel our bathrooms. accomplish this. We will have a fundraiser to Please don t hesitate to contact me or the members of the Parish Council with your questions or concerns. With Faith and Love in Christ, Nick Vamvilis PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS A big thank you goes out to Nicole Cantarini for chairing Vasilopita Sunday, January 8. We had a great turnout. Congratulations to Leia Georgeopolus for receiving the coin. Our upcoming, Philoptochos Membership Drive will be on Sunday, February 5. We had a wonderful turnout last year and look forward to another great year. Old and new faces can make a difference, so please come and join us and receive a special token for signing up. In recognition of women s health, we are asking members of the community to wear RED in solidarity of Go Red for Women. Last but not least, we fulfilled our obligations for January to the St. Basil s Academy and Social Services/Cancer and Other Major Illnesses Fund. I wish you all a very warm month of February! Maria Londo Philoptochos President 4
GOYA NEWS AND NOTES At our meeting on January 15, we discussed some of the first events we have to start of the New Year. We made plans regarding the 30-Hour Famine, talked about the Oratorical Festival (which is happening sometime in late March or early April), determined future fundraising ideas, and went over ideas for a future event. Our next meeting is Sunday, February 19. We thank all who support GOYA as we continue to pursue our ministry. Philip Dimitroglou GOYA PresidentGOYA as we continue to pursue our ministry.at our meeting on January 15th, we The Free Will Giving Project for the Ionian Village Parishioners donated a total of $188.00 towards the Ionian Village via the Free Will Giving Project. In turn, the Parish Council donated $312.00 bringing the total donation to $500.00. Much appreciated are all those parishioners who donated to this worthy cause. We take pride in sending this donation on behalf of St. Luke so that our Orthodox youth can experience their Greek culture, history, and traditions together while having the Ionian Camp experience. Thank You!!!!!! Judy Lelas-George on behalf of the Parish Council If Interested in attending Ionian Village in 2017, https:// www.ionianvillage.org/ registrations open March 1st at noon. They fill up quickly so don t delay. 5
Stewardship Message Dear Fellow Parishioners: There is Joy and Good News in Stewardship! There are so many ways to get involved at St. Luke. from our parish ministries such as Bible Study, Taste of Greece and Sunday School to our various outreach committees such as Stewardship, Philoptochos, and Loaves & Fishes. Each time we devote ourselves to the greater good, we are fulfilled. That is Joy! We are thankful for all of the stewards who have submitted their 2017 Pledge cards and their Time and Talent cards. We have a very generous parish! Kindly be reminded to return yours if you have not done so already. We would also like to remind you that the mission of the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Luke is to lovingly serve the liturgical and sacramental needs of Orthodox Christians in our community through the world of Jesus Christ and the teachings of the Church. By practicing charity through stewardship and Christian ministries, we will create an environment where parishioners are involved in the life of the church. May God Bless our Many Gifts, Sincerely, Joe and Meghan Dasco Co-Chairs, Stewardship Committee 6
The Endowment Fund The following donations recently were made: The Endowment Fund The Endowment Fund recently received the following donation: ~ In Memory of George and Midge Roumas ~ George S. Cambourakis The Endowment Committee extends sincere appreciation to all donors for continued support of this Ministry. John Piponidis, Chair David Arthur, Jordan Chatis, Kathleen Kalaitzidis and Susan Metzidakis Endowment News The Endowment Fund Committee is very pleased to inform our ministries that our investment has had positive earnings and that we have an amount of $6,643.42 which we can distribute. Ministries are encouraged to pick up an application from either Helen Adamo, our Administrative Assistant, or any member of the Endowment Fund Committee. The Endowment Fund Committee has reported in previous issues of The Messenger that we have made changes to the bylaws of the Fund. These changes have been given to the Parish Council for approval. At its last meeting the Parish Council accepted, with some minor changes, our recommendations with the exception of Section 6 of the bylaws. Section 6 of the Endowment Fund bylaws deals with the process of amending these bylaws. Our recommendation was that in order for the Endowment Fund bylaws to be changed a resolution would have to be adopted by two-thirds of at least one-hundred members in good standing and voting at a Parish Assembly or Special Parish Assembly. When considering Section 6 of the bylaws, we went back to our previous bylaws. What we found was that a vote of two-thirds of one-hundred members was needed. At the time these bylaws were written the Fund had less than $100,000.00 in it. Since the Fund now has over $1,300,000.00 in it, we feel strongly that a vote of two-thirds of one-hundred members should be maintained. Proposals to the Endowment Fund are of such vital importance that any changes would necessitate and require a healthy proportion of parishioner participation. The Parish Council voted to change this to a vote of two-thirds of at least thirty-five members, which means that as few as twenty-two members could make changes to the Endowment Fund bylaws. The Endowment Committee, however, is firm it its belief that twenty-two to thirty-five members is not a strong enough representation of our parish to make such decisions concerning over one million dollars. The Endowment Fund Committee urges our parishioners to support the recommendation of the Endowment Fund Committee regarding Section 6 of the bylaws. Thank you and God Bless you, Your Endowment Committee 7
The Barbara J.Olender Scholarship a role model.an example of dedication and caring an inspiration. In an effort to familiarize the parish with this scholarship, I spoke to Barbara s husband Bernie and received permission to write this article. As she was a relatively new member at St. Luke, many parishioners probably did not know her well enough to know details about her background. Barbara was a cheer leader for education. Because of that, her husband and children have set up an annual scholarship in her memory to be given to a student who is a member of St. Luke and whose field of study is education or areas related to education. Barbara was a long-time member of St. Nicholas Church in Enfield, CT. Her parish participation included being the parish organist, a Sunday school teacher, and a member of the parish council. At the time of her death on January 31, 2014, she was a member of St. Luke. While a member of St. Luke, Barbara attended Liturgy regularly and attended and participated in many church events. Barbara grew up in Ludlow, MA and was valedictorian of her high school class. She went on to receive her Bachelor s degree from Fitchburg State College and her Master s degree from Central Connecticut State University. Barbara felt education was the pinnacle of life. You could see this in her zest for learning as well as her enthusiasm for teaching. Barbara was born with spina bifida and was told that by age 30, she would be restricted to a wheel chair. This was her main reason for going into the field of special education. She taught at Memorial School in West Springfield from 1964 to 1969. In 1968, Grade Teacher Magazine named her one of the top 150 Special Education teachers in the United States. This was only one of the many awards and recognitions she received during her teaching career. In 1982, Barbara began teaching in the Enfield, CT school system and continued teaching there until her retirement in 2000. In the years prior to retirement, she was a special education teacher at John F. Kennedy Middle School where she was known and loved as a role model. Due to her own physical condition, she was able to identify and help others who were dealing with physical and cognitive conditions that might affect their ability or will to learn. And that she did well.. 8
If you are a student studying in the field of education and/or its related fields (see listing of all areas below) and are interested in applying for this scholarship, please call the church office for more information. You may apply for a scholarship as a high school senior, at any point during your college/graduate school career, or if you are a student in a continuing studies program. Judy Lelas-George Elementary/Secondary Education Early Childhood Education Special Education Remedial Reading and/or Writing and Instruction Speech Pathology School Guidance Linguistics Certification in specific disciplines (i.e. Math, Social Studies, Science) Theology/Divinity Occupational Therapy Technology in Education Curriculum Development/Instruction Education Administration Child, Family, and School Social Wok Librarian Learning Disorders Ongoing Professional Certification as Related to Education 9
Important Dates February 5 - Teaching Liturgy!!! Philoptochos Membership Drive February 12 - GOYA Meeting and Skating February 14 Remember someone today February 19- St Luke s Famous Lamb Shank Dinner (Meatfare Sunday) February 27- First day of Lent Clean Monday Save The Date St Luke s Famous Lamb Shank Dinner It seems like we just finished taking down our tree, packing away all our Christmas decorations, and getting our house back in order. So.how could it be that we are talking about the Lamb Shank Dinner already, an indication that Lent is about to begin! I guess there are two explanations.one...easter arrives a bit early this year (April 16th ) and the other time flies. This year as always, the kitchen crew promises a delicious meal. For those of you who like lamb, the shanks will be prepared perfectly as they are for the Taste. And for those of you don t like lamb, in spite of the fact that you are Greek, another favorite Mediterranean meal will be provided pasta and meatballs. Either way, you can t go wrong. So, save the date, let your family and friends know, make your reservations, and join us! I ll be selling tickets every Sunday following Liturgy deadline is February 12 th. Judy Lelas-George 10
Coffee Hour I d like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have hosted or contributed to our coffee hours thus far. We look forward to many more opportunities to sit and chat with our fellow parishioners as we start the New Year. If you haven t already hosted a coffee hour, you ll find a listing of available dates below. You can do this with your family, friends, or the ministry you are involved in. The following are dates that are still available at this time: February 26 March 5, 26 April 2, 23, 30 May 7, 21, 28 June 4, 11, 25 Please contact the Church office to schedule a date. In advance we thank you for your participation! Judy 11
Sunday February 5th It s Time for the Annual Souper Bowl of Caring Food Drive Please bring cans of soup any kind to church this day or any day before. Donations may be left in the Pappas Hall 12
13
MEMORIALS In memory of Ervin Henault Faith and Joe Perrault In memory of Peter and Mike Vamvilis Patricia Vamvilis In memory of George Megas Pons and Angie Tougias Marina Taliadouros Genevieve Mroczek In memory of Aglaia Ploubides Elizabeth Haller In memory of George Kedas Eugenia Kedas In honor of Father Panteleimon Father our family appreciates and thanks you for your help during our time of loss and bereavement. Sincerely, Irene P. Sergentanis and family In memory of our dear father and papou George Sergentanis, with love always, Jason, Andrea, Benjamin and Adam Sergentanis In honor of Angelo Petropoulos Paul and Anthi Quatrano In memory of James Kaloroumakis George and Magda Galiatsos In memory of my dear husband George Sergentanis, sadly missed everyday. May his memory be Eternal, your loving wife Irene. 14
Baptisms Antonia Zaharis, baptized on January 14, 2017. Godparents are Savvas and Kyriaki Kazantzidis. Na sas Zese! We wish to thank Christine Kennedy for baptismal changing table cushion. May God bless you for all you do! For Orthodox Littles Print and then fold the paper in half, in half again and in half again, then cut just the center vertical fold. Then you can fold it into a zine. 15
Saint Luke Greek Orthodox Church 400 Prospect Street, P.O. Box 381 East Longmeadow, MA 01028 NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID SPRINGFIELD MA PERMIT NO P12424 16