May 2019 60 Years of Faith and Fellowship PASTORAL THOUGHTS Honor Your Mother, Grandmother, Godmother, Sister, by Fr
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The Epistle of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church May 2019 60 years of Faith and Fellowship PASTORAL THOUGHTS Honor your mother, grandmother, godmother, sister, By Fr. Andrew Lentz aunt or even a special friend with a gift to Philoptochos Transform Yourself No, this is not the beginning of a motivational speech, nor is it a new self-help guide (Although it is part of a 2,000 year old collection of wisdom handed down to us by God Himself). In this Paschal period we are Mother’s Day Sunday, May 12 riding the wake of the Cross and Resurrection on our way to the A printed program will be distributed in Church decent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, Who came into the world for our salvation and to show us honoring all individuals remembered by loved that we were made not for this transient life on earth, but rather ones both living and deceased and a special for an eternal one with God, calls us from the Cross to memorial service honoring the beloved Mothers transform ourselves, to join Him in the Resurrection, and to of our community will also take place. share the Comforter that we receive on Pentecost with the rest Your free will donation enables us to continue our charitable of the world. giving to individuals and families in need, area food banks, The Orthodox Christian Faith is one that, as Fr. John Behr homeless shelters, and countless research efforts in the battle puts it, “Contemplates the transforming power of God revealed against cancer and other catastrophic diseases. through the Cross, the eternal, timeless power that upholds all Forms for names will be available in church or the office. things, inviting and challenging us also to be come transformed Checks payable to St. Demetrios Philoptochos Society, 22909 in its Word, putting on the identity of Christ.” As Christians, Center Ridge Road, Rocky River, Ohio 44116 through our baptism and Chrismation, we are grafted onto the Due to printing deadlines all names must be received by Living Vine that is Christ and put on His identity. We, in a Tuesday May 7, 2019 Thank You. way, are “little Christs!” We are to act in such a way that St. Paul goes so far as to say, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ Thanks to the Kariotakis family who continue the who lives in me.” tradition of offering carnations to all parish moms! His All Holiness, Patriarch Bartholomew, notes in his book, Encountering the Mystery , that the way of the Gospel is one of Philoptochos will pass the 2 nd basket that day and all social transformation. In the parable of the sheep and the goats proceeds will go toward local welfare needs. (Matt. 25:31-46), we are told that we shall not be judged on how many prayers we made, or how strictly we fasted, or how As His All Holiness says, “Transformation in this sense is many converts we persuaded, or how many formal good deeds essentially a vision of connection and compassion. It is the we performed. We won’t be asked about how much we way of acting in community. We Christians have achieved in worldly terms, or our reputation, or what level on disassociated our spirituality from responsibility for the the corporate ladder we reached, or how we measured our community. Looking inward should not be contrasted sharply success. We will be asked one question: Did we share? Did we with looking outward; what we aspire to achieve is a way of feed the hungry and clothe the poor? Patriarch Bartholomew seeing more clearly what lies inside us and also around us.” puts it quite simply, “Love for God can only be demonstrated We have a commission, handed down to us by the through love for other people. There is simply no other way; Apostles who received it from Jesus Himself after he any other way is deceit.” Resurrected from the dead, to “Go therefore and make In this same parable, Jesus says “I” about every person that is in disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the need or distress: “I was hungry,” “I was thirsty,” “I was a Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to stranger, sick, naked, and a prisoner.” Jesus, the Suffering observe all that I have commanded you...” (Matt. 28:19-20). Servant prophesied by Isaiah and Who suffered ultimately on We have received the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, and the Cross for us, sees us through the suffering ones. If we understand because we have this Good News. This gift is not desire to encounter God, it will be through our love of the least something to be hoarded. The only way we can keep it is if of us human beings. If we want to transform ourselves, we we give it away! If we wish to transform ourselves, we must must transform the world around us. It is through this do so by transforming the people we meet each day; sharing unconditional love of others that God bestows His Grace upon this Good News and abiding in the Spirit and Grace of God. us and we thereby become filled with the Holy Spirit. Amen. The Epistle is the official publication of the Greek Orthodox Community of St. Demetrios 22909 Center Ridge Road, Rocky River, Ohio ~ Phone: (440) 331-2246 ~ www.saintdemetriosrr.org Sunday Services: Orthros 8:20 a.m.; Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m. Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.; Closed for lunch 1:00-2:00 p.m. Publication Deadlines : Weekly Bulletin – Wednesday . Monthly Epistle – The 15 th of the preceding month Clergy and Office Staff Parish Organizations Fr. Andrew Lentz, Priest….……[email protected] Acolyte Coordinator …………..…Tom Hlepas…216-269-3265 Eleni Papouras-Jenks, Office Manager/ Newsletter Editor AHEPA …………………………...Costa Petros…440-937-8079 [email protected] American Legion …………Spyro Farmakidis…...440-779-8190 Nick Hillman, Operations Mgr [email protected] Bible Study :……...………Evangeline Richards…216-221-3003 John Stamatiades, Church Accountant…440-331-2246, ext. 4 Bookstore ……….....……...…….Donna Vassos…440-331-5547 Parish Council Cantor ……………Andrew Meena [email protected] Lilly Anitas, President.….………………….…..440-734-3440 Choir Director/Canto r…..…....Bill Matzorkis…..216-496-4230 Dimitrios Tsatiris, Vice President…………..…..216-310-5233 Youth Choir …….…..Diane Matzorkis…440-463-3068 Kostas Mathiellis, Treasurer.....…..……..……...440-572-1799 Daughters of Penelope ..…….……Elisa Demis…440-665-1348 Floyd Trillis, Jr, Financial Secretary ……....…..440-835-6552 Greek School Principal Eleni Papouras-Jenks...216-965-8131 Sarah Kazanas, Secretary………………………..216-409-2532 Board of Education Maria Mougianis…...440-835-2888 Irene Georgantas ………………………………..585-703-5005 PTO Kelly Steffas ……………………...440-808-8788 Anna Kachevas……………………………….….563-542-4692 GOYA Advisor , Athena Diamantis………...……216-469-8607 Andreas Koustis……………………….……..….216-513-8905 Student Presidents : Manny Katrakazos & Angelia Poulopoulos Evanthia Pallam………………………………….216-402-7646 Hellenic Dance Groups Tom Theodore. ………………………………….440-331-1927 Aeraki……………………………… Lia Fresty…330-715-1704 Gary Thomas…………………………………….440-356-1032 Kymata ….……………....Angelia Szekely…440-724-3807 Anthony Trakas………………………………....440-385-7741 Kyklonas ………………. Eleni Papouras-Jenks…216-965-8131 Sophia Tjotjos, Legal Counsel Κόλλυβα (Memorial Tray): Christina Carpadis………………..…216-215-4232 Orthodox Organizations Becky Giallourakis……………….....440-610-3516 Legacy Fund …....…………Manuel P. Glynias…216-857-3388 For Local Orthodox events ,visit www.orthodoxcleveland.us Library Committee ….………..…...Andie Titas...440-779-8581 Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America …www.goarch.org Philoptochos ……………………[email protected] Metropolis of Pittsburgh …….… www.pittsburgh.goarch.org President …………..…Maggie Steffas …440-871-6362 International Orthodox Christian Charities … www.iocc.org Sunshine Committee ….Elpida Kosmidis…440-779-8959 Orthodox Christian Mission Center …….…. www.ocmc.org Welfare Committee …………………..Crystal Thomas Orthodox Christian Network ………...……. www.myocn.net Sunday School ….…………... [email protected] Orthodox Christian Fellowship ………..………… www.ocf.net Christina Carpadis Schraff……………………216-215-4232 St. Herman’s FOCUS Cleveland ….. www.sainthermans.com Spiritual Life Committee ...Angie Giallourakis…216-387-2681 FOCUS Friends …………..…Linda Glynias…216-469-2663 Individuals w/ Disabilities Liaison....Tina Kolas...216-970-3737 St. Panteleimon Orthodox Christian Outreach www.stpanteleimon.com Zoe for Life ! ……………………. www.zoeforlifeonline.org Speaking of Stewardship… 3 2019 Goal: $400,000 Pledged: $304,900 Paid: $158,424 (as of 4/29/19) From the President’s Pen Stewards: 278 (out of 581 households) Christ is Risen! I hope everyone had a very Happy Pascha with family THANKS TO OUR PLEDGED STEWARDS (as of 4/21/19) and friends. It’s been awhile since I’ve written in The Epistle. Between Steven and Maria Alex Diamond Economy my family, church business and the Athanasios & Linsey Anagnostos Jim & Solveig Elios festival I’ve been busy! I hope you Nancy Andos Spyridon and Cathy Farmakidis all are doing well and enjoying our Teresa Andrews Michael and Christine Foisel new Priest Father Andrew. He has John and Barbara Anezinis Helen Fox been busy himself, cleaning the altar George T. Angelato Damon Frangos and making St. Demetrios his new home. I, for one, John and Lily Anitas Louis and Ann Marie Frangos am very happy to have him here with us. I hope you Anthony and Kathryn Apotsos Paul and Lia Fresty all are as well and are being patient with the changes James N. and Mary Apotsos Peter and Mary Gastis that are occurring, because in my opinion they are all Mimi Apotsos Irene Georgantas for the better of the church. Allen and Aggie Arabian Pat George Festival 2019 is quickly approaching. We started Tammy Asimakis Angelo Georgeson cooking in March and are filling up the freezer. I Tom G. and Helen Asimou Michael and Carrie Gesing would like to thank, first and foremost, Nick Hillman Tom S and Helen Asimou George and Janet Giallourakis for the countless hours he puts in between March and Alex & Lia Augoustidis Harry and Angeliki Giallourakis June.