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December 2013 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church IEPOΣ NAOΣ KOIMHΣEΩΣ THΣ ΘEOTOKOΥ In the year of the Lord DECEMBER 2013 Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church 5761 East Colorado Street, Long Beach, CA 90814-1954 Phone (562) 494-8929 - Fax (562) 985-1379 Email – [email protected] Rev. Fr. Christos Kanakis, Proistamenos Voula Michail - Kitsios, Office Administrator Jorge Rivera, Sexton Penny Benetatos, Choir Director George Dorlis, Psaltis PARISH COUNCIL MEMBERS PHILOPTOCHOS Chris Dolas - President Bobbie Soupos - President David Matty - Vice President Karen Fic - 1st Vice President Jimmy Mentas - Recording Secretary Amelia Ladas - 2nd Vice President Jimmy Eleopoulos - Corresponding Secretary Mary Lofton- Correspond. Secretary Nick Zamvakellis - Treasurer Lia Kakaris - Recording Secretary Board Members Nikki Andrews - Treasurer Kathy Bastas, Dino Syrengelas, Matoula Batshoun, Marilyn Coats - Assistant Treasurer Peter Bouras, Olympia Stapakis, George Stavros, Kathy Bastas - Advisor Nick Monios, Sam Platis Board Members Eftihia Missios, Olympia Stapakis, Andria Salsman, AHEPA Matoula Batshoun, Zoe Falley, Vickie Hennig, Anne Pucket Tasos Papas - President GOYA Bulletin Coordinator President - Christina Karidakis Voula Michail - Kitsios Vice President - Sina Bacol Treasurer - Margo Papacalos Bookstore Corres. Secretary - Dena Bussa Zoe Falley - Administrator Rec. Secretary - Tasia Matty Choir Historian - Christa Demos, Lexi Varonos Pιnιό Benetatos - Director & Organist Advisors - Lucia Papacalos, Karen Fic - President Vickie Demos, Maria Bussa Choir Board Athletic Director: David Matty Email: [email protected] Church School Juliana Augoustatos - Superintendent Greek Cultural Arts and Dance Dina Lioulias - President Daughters of Penelope Maria Georgakopoulos - Vice President Catherine Vackrinos Georgia Alvertos - Corresponding Secretary Sofie Batshoun Dusty Hanson - Recording Secretary Family Night Elene Dalkos - Treasurer Sam Platis Senior Christians Junior Choir Nick Monios - President Pιnιό Benetatos - Director Sons of Pericles Karen Fic - Assistant Director Christo Beckas - President Greek School Stewardship Ministry Kathryn Condaras - Principal Kathy Bastas (Chair) Donna Stavros - P.T.A Camille Dolas, Max & Mary Lofton, Hope/Joy Kay Platis, Cathy Shweiri Maria Georgakopoulos - Advisor Trisagio Ministry Dusty Hanson - Advisor Max & Mary Lofton, Vickie Hennig, Yiota Beckas Junior GOYA Welcome Ministry Georgi Spirtos Francis - Advisor Kathy Bastas (Chair), Camille Dolas, Max & Mary Tia Kanavos, Vasso Conley Page 2 Lofton, Kay Platis, Cathy Shweiri Christmas Encyclical Pastor’s Message “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” Isaiah 9:2 Dearly Beloved, Christ is Born! Glorify Him! The Christmas season is a season of light. We see the decorative lights that brighten the night skies and herald the coming of the light of Christ into the world. The light has returned; the light of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior has shattered the darkness of the world. While natural cycles cause the darkness of win- ter, the real darkness is human pride, cynicism, and isolation which tear apart our relations with God, our neighbor and the world around us. The Nativity of Christ penetrates this darkness in the most unlikely of ways, the birth of a child. We expect God to act dramatically and with might to correct our world, to put things right. In the Church we often sing, “Who is so great a God as our God? He alone does wonders.” But not at Christmas, because in His Nativity, Jesus Christ enters the world in humility and poverty, almost unnoticed, except for a great light that draws attention. As a hymn of Vespers for Christmas says, “When the Lord Jesus was born of the Holy Virgin, all the world was enlightened. The shepherds watched in the fields, the Magi adored and the angels praised in song.” Most likely you will mark the coming of the light by decorating your Christmas tree with lights, placing lights in your home, or placing candles in your windows. Each one of these actions remind all who see them that yours is a Christian home and you have important news to proclaim: Christ is Born! and the world glorifies the Sun of Righteousness! The light has come into the world and his name is Jesus born of the virgin. Like the angles in the Gospels we will go to our churches and sing the doxology, “Glory to God in the Highest and on earth peace among men” Luke 2:14. Beloved brothers and sisters, do not let the darkness of our age overpower you. It is easy to be cynical and bitter at this time. The news is filled with ongoing war, financial disasters, endless political gridlock and widespread crime. But because we are Christians we know that God is with us. The Almighty God kept His promise to send a Savior of His people. Christ Jesus is Born. He is Emmanuel; He has entered our world and never left us. We are not alone. We know this in our hearts and we experience this is our churches, we are hopeful people. We can reflect the light of Christ in our workplaces, among our friends and neighbors, in our communities. We no longer live in darkness, because we have seen the light of Christ. We can overpower the darkness of our time through kindness and respect for all people. We can do this by our willingness to be generous stewards and philanthropists in our churches and in our society support- ing the many needs of both. Parents will, in these days, read storybooks to their children at bedtime. They may attend a Christmas show at a theater. These are wonderful family experiences that will create a lifetime of memories. But do not limit a child’s understanding of Christmas to television specials or sugary spectacles that avoid the real story of Christmas.This year, one night, open the Bible and read the story of Christ’s Birth. Tell your chil- dren you have a beautiful story to share with them, one that changed the world and changes lives. Tell them it is a love story, a story of God’s love for all of us. May the light of the Star of Bethlehem, the light of Christ, illumine your path and shine in your hearts in these Holy Days of Light. Wit,h Love in Christ the Newborn King, + G E R A S I M O S Metropolitan of San Francisco Page 3 Greetings Panagia Parishioners! President’s Message Happy Thanksgiving to you and all of your families! Wow!!! If you did not attend the Ministries Fair on Sunday, November 17th, you sure did miss a great event. Congratulations to all the Parish Ministries on a very successful event. Many parishioners thor- oughly enjoyed the discussing, signing up and taking their pictures for the Parish Directory. If you and your family were not able to take a photograph for the Parish Directory, look at the weekly bulletins or call the church office for make-up sessions. Special thanks to Kathy Bastas, Stewardship Char and the Stewardship Committee, you all did an excep- tional job in preparing the Stewardship Letters for Stewardship Sunday. Again as stated in the November Monthly Bulletin, in order for our Panagia Parish to operate for the next three to five months, we are requesting our members to try and pay their unpaid pledged balances as soon as you possibly can. We are also requesting each and all of you to really pray and put sincere thoughts in increasing your pledge amount for 2014. We are also requesting that as we come to next year, if you are able to adjust your actual Stewardship payment earlier in 2014 rather than later. Remem- ber, this is our Panagia Parish. We all need to take care of our Panagia Parish. We all love, respect and appreciate our church. Please make your best sincere effort in assisting in our Panagia Parish’s need for help! I am confident, by working sincerely and diligently we will make it through these upcoming financial challenges in the next upcoming three to five months! THANK YOU! Thanks to all for attending and participating in the Fall General Parish Assembly Meeting. Please mark your calendars for the upcoming events: x Parish Council Elections – Sunday, December 8th x New Year’s Eve Party hosted by our Assumption Greek Dance Ministry – Tuesday, December 31st x Epiphany 2014 – Sunday, January 5th Please look both in our Panagia Bulletin and our weekly Sunday Bulletins for other events! You can always visit our new web site at www.assumptionlb.org and check the web calendar to see all the church services, ministry events and many more postings. Our Parish Council is here to serve you and our Panagia Parish. Please do not hesitate to call or ask any of your parish council members or me with any questions! We will provide you with the answers we know and get back to you with the answers we don’t know. On behalf of the entire Parish Council, we wish you and your families a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Thanks for all of your continued support! Chris Dolas President Page 4 Philoptochos The Holidays are upon us and WE need your support! This time of the year is always such a hustle, bus- tle time. A time of the year that many are down and out! Families who are desperately in need of help are depending on ALL of US. Think of all the children who do not know the difference between rich and/or poor. They are happy with a hot meal and warm clothes. Unlike our own children who are fortunate to have so much. Please, select a name from the Christmas Tree in the Narthex and fulfill that child’s wish. We accept gift cards all year round for this purpose as well as a check and/or cash.
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