1 Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church 501 West 27th Street Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001 (307) 635-5929 office@cheyennegoc.org Inside this issue: KALO PASCHA? 1 Parish Life 2-3 Stewardship 4-5 Capital Campaign 6 "Always, in the midst of difficulties, I find Christ more easily and my prayer is more fervent. You say you lose Him. I honestly don t understand you. I must be a different kind of person." -Saint Theophan the Recluse Summer Edition KALO PASCHA? By. Father Jason There are two mothers days! There are also two Paschas! Why is this the case? Regarding the latter, there are many similarities between the Resurrection of our Lord and that of the Dormition of His Mother which is often referred to as the Summer Pascha! Both Holy Days are prepared for with fasting in order to make us hunger for the spiritual nourishment of the upcoming feast. The simplicity of abstinence also allows us all to make more time to for prayer and self-reflection. Like Great Lent, the time period of August 1-15 provides us with a tradition of rich hymnography. The Canons of Paraklesis, both great and the small, are more than pretty melodies. Instead, they are heartfelt prayers that provide us with the help of God s mother that we so desperately need in our lives! The Dormition season also includes a lamentation service that is similar to the lamentations of Holy Friday. As the short lived death of Christ was mourned, it was only natural to do the same for His mother. This sorrow was turned into joy! According to tradition, at the falling asleep of His mother, Her Son received Her soul and body into heaven. This is why she is alive and intercedes for us all as an advocate to her Son. Although the season ends nine days after the Dormition, her feast also has an apodosis (a leave taking). This is similar to what takes place after the Resurrection of our Savior after 39 days. Despite the similarities, there are also differences. The time leading up their respective both Feasts Days are broken up by Major Feast Days that reflect one another. For example, during Great Lent, the Feast of the Annunciation takes place. Meanwhile prior to the Dormition, the Feast of the Holy Transfiguration is celebrated. Also, while the Theotokos is the mother of God, and the first among the saints, she is not our Savior. Only Her Son Jesus Christ can save us! Thank God however for Her important place in our lives which is proved by Her miracles, and more so for Her vital role in the salvation of the world! She who lived perfectly also died perfectly. The Dormition reminds us that if we strive to receive the holiness that She attained, we will attain salvation in Her Son. In the meantime, let us ask for her help and her prayers! Most Holy Theotokos Save us!!! Join us for Daily Paraklesis beginning in August and for the Feast of the Dormition on August 15th!
Pastoral Visits I didn t want to bother the Priest is never a valid excuse for not calling him in the event of a pastoral emergency! In fact, pastoral visits are not only vital to us when we are in need, but they are important for the overall well being of the parish. We must support one another in every way possible. If you or someone that you know someone is in need of pastoral care, please encourage them or their designated caregiver to call the Church office or Fr. Jason s emergency cell phone number. Also, if you have a scheduled surgery or doctor's appointment, please ask Fr. Jason for the sacrament of Holy Unction following Divine Liturgy. Home Blessings Are you new to the neighborhood? Did you forget to have your house blessed this year? You don t have to wait until the Epiphany Season. The summer months are a wonderful time to have your home blessed, and to visit with your priest! Here are some helpful guidelines for having your home blessed: A candle with an icon should be placed somewhere suitable, such as kitchen or dining room table, or a home altar. Other helpful items should include a bowl and a towel. A list of first names for whom prayers can be offered, including members of the family and all those living in the house. The list should have a clear distinction between the living and the dead. Few things in life that more vital to us than our homes. The Epiphany reminds us that God has not only come into the world, but has reclaimed it as His own. Let us reclaim our lives, our families, and our homes for Office Hours Our Office Hours are: Mon Thurs (9am 4pm) Father Jason can always be reached on his cell phone (219) 895-0626 in the event of a pastoral emergency. Please call the church office for all other matters. If you would like to speak with Fr. Jason during the week, please stop in or call and set up an appointment. Memorials Memorials services are here to for us to pray for those who have fallen asleep, and to comfort those who pray for them. Parishioners interested in scheduling memorial services for family members after Liturgy The Sacrament of Confession Confession is necessary for our personal healing, and for the repentance and forgiveness of sins. It is also a vital element of our Lord s Commission to us as Orthodox Christians for the life and growth of the Church. Please speak to Fr. Jason before or after services or make an appointment in order to make the necessary arrangements for the sacrament of confession. Prayers at the Proskomidi Do you have loved ones (living or reposed) who you would like to have commemorated at the proskomidi, paraklesis, memorials, or other occasions? Please take a moment to fill out one of our prayer cards in the narthex or front office so that Father Jason can commemorate your loved ones so that we can pray for those "whom each of us has in mind, and all people everywhere." If you require assistance, a parish council member will be happy to assist you. 2
Good News at Saints Constantine & Helen 3 Fellow Parishioners, Parish Council As summer quickly approaches I would like to thank you all for all that you do. We had a successful and well attended Holy Week. Also our Church Name Day luncheon was also a huge success. I wish you all a safe and joyful summer and please do not forget about the Church and all the good work that goes on here. In Christ Always, Bill Harrison Parish Council President Greek Dance Greek dance practice is now taking place after church and during the latter part of coffee hour. Little Athenians will start Sunday, June 18th during coffee hour. Practices will continue through to the Greek festival. Please stay posted for announcements for dress rehearsals prior to the festival. Please contact Anna or George Andrikopoulos if you have any questions about the older group. See Presbytera Tiffany with any questions regarding the Little Athenians. Ages for groups are 13 and up for the older kids, and 12 and under for the Little Athenians. Please keep in mind that both groups have different dance routines and levels of difficulty. All young people are invited to participate. Saint Macrinas Academy A special thanks goes out to all of our children, teachers, and Sunday School families who have participated throughout the year, and will continue to participate during this summer's Capital Campaign Puzzle Project. Altar Boys AXIOS!!! Congratulations to our newly tonsured altar boys: Darian and Shehadi who were tonsured as Acolytes and Readers on the Feast Day of Saints Constantine and Helen by His Eminence Metropolitan ISAIAH. GOYA Many thanks goes out to our young people for donating to our Capital Construction Campaign as well as participating in this year s name day dinner celebration. Also remember that our Church Picnic is coming up on August 20th. As always, we count on the help of our youth! Baking Don t forget to join our Festival Committee in the Kitchen on the following days: July 14-15 at 9am for Baklava. Please stay posted for other information about baking and other news about our Greek Festival! Philoptochos Congratulations to the board members of our Three Hierarchs Philoptochos Chapter who were sworn in on May 21st: PRESIDENT Nancy Tsandes VICE PRESIDENT Kathy Johnson TREASURER ASSISTANT TREASURER Angie Andrikopoulos Helen Dudash RECORDING SECRETARY Eleni Kledaras CORRESPONDING SECRETARY Helen Costopoulos BOARD MEMBERS: Fay Zaharas Joanne Meares Stella Contos Anna Barker Ida Mae Apostolou Ex Officio Remember to support and pray for our local Philoptochos chapter here at Saints Constantine and Helen.
4 Stewardship at Saints Constantine and Helen It is not enough to give. We must have a heart that gives. In order to give, we must have a compassion deep enough for our gift to be forgiven, because if we give dutifully, if we are charitable only in our actions, the recipient receives humiliation and sorrow and pain together with our gift. -Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh We re in the summer of a year that has been very good to our parish family. With this in mind, it is also very important to remember that these summer months are crucial to try and achieve our stewardship goals for 2017. Though our focus right now is on supporting our capital campaign project, improving the physical structure of our Church, and beginning the physical work of preparing for our festival, we can t lose sight of the importance of having ALL of our parishioners supporting and contributing to our Stewardship program. Don t forget to invite your family and friends to our Church services, and to the events that are taking place at Saints Constantine and Helen over the summer. Even during the summer, these can be wonderful opportunities for our Church family to grow! If you have already made a Stewardship Commitment for 2017, thank you so much! If you haven t made a pledge to Saints Constantine and Helen, please consider doing so. This community works best when we all work together towards a common goal. Have a safe rest of your summer. Please feel free to contact Gust Hatanelas or any member of the parish council if you have any questions or concerns about your Steward-ship Commitment. The responsibility of stewardship is the responsibility of everyone by virtue of being a member of Saints Constantine and Helen. Let us continue to support one another so that we can continue to fulfill our mission and purpose as Orthodox Christians.
5 Stewards for 2017 So far 84 families (127 parishioners) have made a financial commitment as stewards for the year 2017. If you have not yet made a commitment for 2017, please take the time to prayerfully do so. 1. PETE ANADIOTIS 2. BILL & IDA MAE APOSTOLOU 3. NICK ANEST 4. JAMES & VASO ANEST 5. JAMES & ANGIE ANDRIKOPOULOS 6. CHRISTOS & KATERINA ANDRIKOPOULOS 7. GEORGE C. ANDRIKOPOULOS 8. GEORGE ARGERIS 9. ANNA BARKER 10. NICHOLAS & ALEXIS BELLACK 11. AARON & CHRISTINA BLOODING 12. MARIANE BOURIS 13. JOHN CONTOS 14. STELLA CONTOS 15. HELEN COSTOPOULOS 16. EVAMARIE COTTON 17. HAROLD & ELAINE CUNNINGHAM 18. CHRIS & ANASTASIA DAIFOTIS 19. FR JASON & PRES TIFFANY DICKEY 20. NICK & HELEN DUDASH 21. ANGIE ELIOPOULOS 22. JOHN & CORRINA ETCHEPARE 23. MOUSA & AIDA FINO 24. SAM & STACEY GALEOTOS 25. SHARON GAUS 26. NIKISHA GRAY 27. TOM & JONI HARLAN 28. AMALIA HARRISON 29. FR. PETER & PRES DINA HARRISON 30. WILLIAM & SUSIE HARRISON 31. GUST & DAWN HATANELAS 32. MR. JAMES D. HUNTER 33. JENNI JACKSON 34. JENNIE JOANNIDES 35. TIMOTHY & KATHY JOANNIDES 36. C. ROBERT & DEBRA JOHNIGAN 37. ROBERT & IRENE JOHNIGAN 38. KATHY JOHNSON 39. TARA JOHNSON 40. NICK & CARLENE KALOKATHIS 41. GEORGE KALLAS 42. TASO KALLAS 43. TONY & ELENI KLEDARIS 44. KAREN KITHAS 45. PETE KITHAS 46. TIM & GEORGIA KRANTZ 47. PAUL T. & PATRICIA LAFKAS 48. DION LAMBOUSIS 49. JOHN AND SOPHIA LAMBOUSIS 50. DION LAMBOUSIS 51. WILLIAM LAGOS 52. JULIE LEHMAN 53. STEPHANIE, GEORGE & EMILY LEPAS 54. KELLY & STEPHANIE LINDHOLM 55. TED & NORA MAKRIS 56. DR A.J. MEARES 57. JOANNE MEARES 58. PATRICIA MEARES 59. ANASTASIA (SUSIE) MESSER 60. JIM MESSER 61. MARY MESSER 62. MASON & VALERIE MITCHELL 63. BETTY MORGANDO 64. TAYLOR OLSON 65. IRENE PANOS 66. ANDREW & THEONI PAPPAS 67. DRIKO & CHRISTINE PAPPAS 68. GREG & TARA PAPPAS 69. WILLIAM & JACQUE PAPPAS 70. STEPHAN & KAY PAPPAS 71. MARIE PITT 72. VINCE & MARTI PORRECO 73. NIKO PORRECCO 74. SECIO PORRECO 75. ALEKSANDER RADICH 76. CHARLIE RADICH 77. BARRY & GEORGIA SIGMON 78. MARK & TINA SLIZESKI 79. JEREMY & ALLISON TROY 80. KOSTA & NANCY TSANDES 81. GEORGE & FAY ZAHARAS 82. NICK ZAHARAS 83. CHARLIE & BILLIE ZUMO 84. DR. TOM & ANN ZUMO
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN UPDATE 6 Dear Parish Family, It is largely due to the responsiveness of our Parishioners, both past and present, that we are half way in reaching our Fundraising Goal. The completion of the basement ceiling was a step forward in progressing toward our much needed Church repairs. Thanks to the volunteers and committee members of the Capital Construction Campaign, we were able to successfully host the Saints Constantine and Helen name day dinner. In anticipation of summer arriving, we are planning to host a series of activities for our parishioners, friends and families. To that end, plans are underway for the first of our activities being a family Bingo Night with treats and prizes in mid June. The Committee remains active and committed to raising the necessary funds that will assure our Church renovations are completed as planned. Yours in Christ, Julie Lehman Chair Community Snapshots To learn more about our CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FUND and to view out GIVING TREE please visit our parish website: www.orthodoxcheyenne.org
7 At Saints Constantine & Helen, we started our King Soopers gift card fundraiser for the church in April. In 3 months, we have met our first goal of $5,000.00! The church will receive its first check for $250.00 and we are working on our 2 nd goal of $5,000.00! Thank you to everyone who has participated and shopped at King Soopers or has purchased gas at Loaf & Jug with their gift cards. For those who not aware of the fundraiser and would like to know more or how to receive a gift card to King Soopers, please call or email the church office. The card is free to anyone who wants to participate.
Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church 501 West 27th Street Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001 (307) 635-5929 office@cheyennegoc.org NON-PROFIT ORG. 8 U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 148 CHEYENNE, WY Return Service Requested Address Label... His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver www.denver.goarch.org Rev. Father Jason Dickey Proistamenos Our Parish Council President Bill Harrison (307) 256-8505 Vice President Bill Apostolou (307) 634-6985 Treasurer Gust Hatanelas (307) 421-4291 Secretary Nancy Tsandes (307) 638-8632 Assist. Treasurer Patrick Pace (661) 713-0155 Betty Morgando 307) 286-4804 Jim Messer (307) 286-1727 Stella Contos 638-6200 Charlie Radich (307) 634-3478 Saints Constantine and Helen is the spiritual home for Orthodox Christians in Cheyenne with a mission and purpose to not only strive for our own salvation, but for the salvation of every person in Jesus Christ. This is how we share the Good News of Jesus Christ, and preserve the pure and undefiled faith as it has been handed down to the apostles by the Lord himself who commands us to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded. (Matthew 28:18) Whether you are looking for a spiritual home, or you are currently a parishioner of Saints Constantine and Helen, join us for worship. If you have any questions about the Orthodox Faith, our ministries, or upcoming events, please feel free to contact us. WORSHIP SCHEDULE Sunday: Orthros (Matins) 8:30 am Divine Liturgy 9:30 am Weekday Services: Divine Liturgy 9:30 am Please see our Monthly Calendar or visit us online at www.orthodoxcheyenne.org