ISSUE 3 MARCH 2019 Looking into March

Saturday, March 2nd, and 16th

Saturday of Souls , 10:00 am Liturgy Wednesday, March 6th March Usher Duty 7:00 pm Introduction to Orthodoxy Wednesday, March 13th Sunday, March 3rd- Team 8 5:30 Pre Sanctified Liturgy Nicky Stamoulis, George Klimis, 6:30 pm Dinner by Parish Council Christopher Klimis, Vivian Mendonides 7:00 pm Introduction to Orthodoxy Wednesday, March, 20th 5:30 pm Pre-Sanctified Liturgy Sunday, March 10th - Team 9 6:30 pm Dinner by Philoptochos Harriet Crozier, John Tischner, Bill Wednesday, March, 27th Pedroff, Jimmy Detsis, Andriana Detsis 5:30 pm Pre-Sanctified Liturgy 6:30 pm Dinner by Choir Sunday, March 17th - Team 10 Friday, March 15th, 22nd and 29th 6:30 pm Salutations Nikitas Dritsos, Jim Lenas, Sunday, March 3rd- Judgment Sunday Cleopatra Economou 9:00 am Orthros 10:00 am Sunday, March 24th - Team 1 Sunday, March 10th - Forgiveness Sunday Maria Olavarria, Kathy Foltz, Tori 9:00 am Orthros 10:00 am Divine Liturgy Foltz, Christine Klimis, Anastasia Klimis Sunday, March 17th - Sunday of Orthodoxy 9:00 am Orthros Sunday March 31st—Team 2 10:00 am Divine Liturgy Kathy Kokkinakos, Panagoula Sunday, March 24th –St Gregory Palamas Skoularakos, Alexander Janas 9:00 am Orthros 10:00 am Divine Liturgy Luncheon Please be on time for your duty and if you Sunday, March 31st - Veneration of the Holy Cross can’t be here, please find someone to fill 9:00 am Orthros in for you. 10:00 am Divine Liturgy Thank you!

Reverend Father John Stefero interim Proistamenos Reverend John Pantelis 3600 76th Street North · St. Petersburg, FL 33710 ● www.ststefanos.org 727-345-8235 ● fax: 727-345-8286 ● Email: [email protected]

FROM THE DESK OF FATHER John Stefero GREAT LENT – A TIME FOR ACTION

Once again Great Lent is upon us! This year it officially begins on Monday, March 11th. On Sunday, March 10th (Cheese-fare Sunday) we will join in reading the Prayers of Forgiveness following the Divine Liturgy so we can begin the Great Fast together in the appropriate manner. I will also give a sermon that day on the sacrament of ‘Holy Confession’ and pass out a pamphlet with guidelines to help everyone better prepare to make their confession. In the Orthodox Church there are 40 days of Great Lent plus Holy Week which commences with Lazarus Saturday and concludes on Holy Saturday. It is interesting to note that the Great Fast originated during the 2nd and 3rd centuries as a 2-day Fast on Holy Friday and Holy Saturday. This fast commemorated the absence of Christ from the time of His death to His resurrection. It was seen as conforming to the Scriptural passage described by Jesus’ words: “Can the children of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast” (Matthew 9:15). Towards the end of the 3rd century, the Didascalia (early text about the life of the early Church), mentions a fast of six days during Holy Week. In the 4th century we find that a fast of 40 days was an established custom in , commemorating the fast that Jesus underwent in the wilderness. By the 8th century the Great Fast of 40 days plus Holy Week was firmly established in the Church. In the lesson prescribed for Cheese-fare Sunday our Lord offers us three important guidelines for observing Great Lent. First, we begin with forgiveness. Having received His forgiveness, God calls on us to grant forgiveness to all who have hurt us and to seek forgiveness from those whom we have hurt. We are reminded of Jesus’ words “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” The second guideline is fasting. The main reason for fasting is love. An early Christian, Aristides, writes: “If there is a poor person among the Christians and they do not have the means to help him, they fast two or three days and give the food that they have saved through fasting to the hungry person.” We are called upon to fast not only for reasons of self-control and prayer, but also for reasons of love: to deny ourselves something that we may share what we have saved with a needy person. The third guideline is laying up treasures in heaven. These include love, prayer, doing God’s will and being of service to others. Maria Skobtsova, a Russian Orthodox nun said “At the Last Judgment I shall not be asked whether I was successful in my ascetic exercises, nor how many bows and prostrations I made. Instead I shall be asked, did I feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and prisoners. This is all I shall be asked. Let us begin the fast with joy and a sense of renewal – renewing our commitment to Christ, to one another, and especially to those in need. It is time for action!

With love in Christ, Very Rev. John Stefero

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Dear St. Stefano's Parishioners and Friends, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a har- vest if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

We just finished with our 2019 Super Greek Festival. I would like to thank you all who worked endlessly, to make this a successful festival. It takes many hands and many hours to prepare not only the food and pastry but also to set up for this event and work through the weekend. Thank you to our KEFI dance groups for their awesome performances throughout the weekend. A big “Thank you” to our festival chairman Bill Pedroff for his continuous work as chairman. It is a job not too many people will want to take. His work and planning starts many months prior to the festival date. Working side by side with family and friends gave us all a feeling of pride to belong to this wonderful community.

This year thanks to the volunteers who stepped up and offered to stay in the church during that time, our church remained open during the festival hours. We had many visitors who came to pray, light a candle or just come visit and ask questions. Our church tours led by our very knowledgeable stewards, Anthie Riddle and Ronald Gregory, also were very well attended. Father John Stefero is also offering three classes, Introduction to the Orthodox Faith, on Wednesday February 27th, March 6th and March 13th at 7:00 pm. Several people already signed up during their festival visit to our church and if you would like to join the group please call the office, 727-345-8235 to put your name on the list.

March will be another busy month, please check your calendar, Presanctified Liturgies begin on Wednesday March 13th, Salutations to the Friday the 15th, and Saturday of Souls on the 2nd. Our different ministries will host the Lenten dinner after the Presanctified Liturgies, please check the calendar for that also. and Greek Independence Day is Monday, March 25th and the Greek Independence parade in Tarpon Spring will take place on Sunday, March 24th.

If you have not completed a stewardship card for 2019, I know many of you have been ask- ing for them, the new cards they will be mailed out to you in the next couple weeks. Thank you for being patient. I am pleased to report the members of the Parish Council have committed to donate at least $10,000.00 in 2019 to local, national and international charities. This was approved at our last General Assembly. Our donations have gone or will go to the following charities: Florida Dream Center ,Community Action Stops Abuse (CASA), Suncoast Voices for Children, Hope Children’s Home, Cohen Syndrome Association, Limbitless Solutions, Chil- dren’s Cancer Center, Beth Dillinger Foundation: Nourish To Flourish, K9s for Warrior’s, Children’s Home Network, International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC), Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF), Orthodox Chris- tian Prison Ministry (OCPM), Orthodox Christian Network (OCN),Ancient Faith Radio/ Ministries, Diakonia Center, Assembly of Canonical Orthodox of the USA Saint Innocent Orphanage/Project Mexico, and Hogar Rafael Ayau Orphanage, Guatemala.

With Love in Christ, Nicky

PASCHA DECORATIONS and EASTER CARD

As we approach the season of Great Lent on our journey to the Glory of Pascha, there are opportunities for each of us to contribute to the beauty of our Church and the Lenten services offered to ask that you prayerfully consider a donation toward the items on the list below, perhaps in memory of a departed loved one. Please note that we cannot guarantee a particular item in the event it has already been donated. Check with the Church Office to confirm available items.

Flower Frame for Panagia 1st Salutations $ 85.00 Flower Frame for Panagia icon 2nd Salutations $ 85.00 Flower Frame for Panagia icon 3rd Salutations $ 85.00 Flower Frame for Panagia icon 4th Salutations $ 85.00 Flower Frame for Panagia icon Akathistos $ 85.00 Flower Frame for Bridegroom icon $ 85.00 Flower Frame for icon $ 85.00 Flower Frame for Resurrection icon $ 85.00 Flower Frame for Crucifixion icon $ 85.00 Veneration of the Holy Cross - flowers for tray $ 85.00 Palm Sunday - palms $175.00 Holy Unction supplies $ 60.00 Flowers for Myrrophores $125.00 Candles for top of Crucifix - Holy Thursday $ 45.00 Candles for top of Crucifix - Holy Friday $45.00 24" Wreath for Crucifix $125.00 2 Floral arrangement for base of Crucifix $300.00 Candles for Candle lighters 12 total $60.00 Red candle cups for Holy Friday $100.00 White candle cups for Resurrection $100.00 Carnations for Holy Friday $250.00 Oil for Holy $ 50.00 Floral Arch for - Christ $235.00 Floral Arch for Iconostasis - Panagia $235.00 Resurrection candles for $75.00 Resurrection candles for Deacon $75.00 Candles for solea - set of 6 $180.00 Floral Arrangement for side of Royal Doors $175.00 Floral Arrangement for side of Royal Doors $175.00 Red Organza Bags for Eggs $15.00

KALO PASCHA-HAPPY EASTER “ I am the Resurrection and the Life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” John 11:25

The St. Stefanos warmly invites your family or business to participate in our 2019 St. Stefanos Community Easter Card. For a small donation, you may join the rest of our parish family in sharing our greetings in celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Please fill out the form below, detach, and return to the Church Office by April 14th, 2019. We will be collecting names during Sunday coffee hour.

Name (s) as you wish it to will appear: Must fit on one line ______

Phone (for contact purposes only): ______

Donation - $20.00 Family (one line only) OR $40.00 Business

ACOLYTE NEWS

12:00pm

Sat

-

10:00am Diven Lit- Diven 10:00am urgy Souls of Saturday Alcolyte Workshop 8:30am Retreat Lenten 2 9 16 10:00am Divine Liturgy SaturdayofSouls Coffee sponsored by Philoptochos 23 30

Fri

Group

10:00am Prayer Prayer 10:00am

6:30pm Salutations 6:30pm

Group 10:00am Prayer Prayer 10:00am Group Prayer 10:00am Prayer 10:00am Group Salutations 6:30pm 10:00am Prayer Prayer 10:00am Group Salutations 6:30pm 1 8 15 22 29

Thu

Practice Practice 7:00pm Choir 7:00pm 3:30 Wedding Choir 7:00pm Practice Choir 7:00pm Practice Choir 7:00pm 7 14 21 28

Wed

UAW

School 4:30pm Greek Greek 4:30pm Introduc- 7:00pm tionOrthodoxy to 6 13 20 27 5:30pm Pre Sanctified Sanctified 5:30pm Pre 4:30pmSchoolGreek 5:30pmSantified Pre Liturgy 6:30 Dinner by Philoptochos 4:30pmSchoolGreek Liturgy 6:30 Dinner bythe Choir 4:30pm Greek School4:30pmGreek Sanctified5:30pm Pre Liturgy 6:30by P.CDinner 7:00pm to Intro. Ortho-

Tue

School School 4:30pm Greek Greek 4:30pm AGAPE 12:pm Greek 4:30pm School meeting 6:30P.C. Greek 4:30pm School Greek 4:30pm 5 12 19 26

March 2019 March

Mon

School School 4:30pm Greek Greek 4:30pm Greek 4:30pm School Greek 4:30pm School Greek 4:30pm 4 11 18 25

Sun

10:00am Divine Divine 10:00am 9:00am Orthros 9:00am Liturgy Orthros 9:00am Divine 10:00am Liturgy 10:00amDivine 3 10 17 9:00am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy Church Oratorical Philoptochos 24 9:00am Orthros Liturgy 31 9:00am Orthros 10:00am Divine Liturgy

ST. STEFANOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 3600 76th Street North St. Petersburg, Florida 33710 www.ststefanos.org • E-mail: [email protected]

Return Address Requested

St. Stefanos Sunday School Presents: Holy Friday Retreat for all Church School families Friday, April 26th 11:00 am - 4:00 pm • There will be a special separate retreat for the kids in Pre-K and Kindergarten. • Each lesson will bring to life people in the life of Christ. • A Lenten lunch and craft project will be included. • Most importantly, at the conclusion of the instructional activities, all the children and adults will be able to see everything that they have learned come to life during the Apokathilosis Service at 3:00 PM.

Please return this portion to the Church Office by Wednesday, April 24th. Name:______Grade:______

Phone:______Email:______

If you have any questions or need a school excuse letter please contact Fr. Stefero at (678) 637-4425 or [email protected]