A night to remember - Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church

Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church
January 2007
Monthly / Issue No. 1
Trans-a-Gram
Rev. Demetrios T. Costarakis, Pastor
Nicholas G. Pappas, Editor
Inside this issue
Meet Fr. Demetri ………… 2
Our new pastor
tells us a bit
about himself
and his family in
an e-mail interview with Transa-Gram Editor
Nick Pappas.
Father Demetri is scheduled to
be installed by His Eminence
Metropolitan Methodios during a
vesper service on the night of
Jan. 4.
And the winners are ……. 6
The results of the Dec. 10 Parish
Council election remain up in the
air, given a tie for sixth place
between two candidates and a
protest petition lodged with the
Metropolis of Boston.
What child is this? ..……. 7
What would the
Christmas season
be without the
Sunday School’s
annual Christmas
pageant, which
was presented on
Dec. 17 with the help – among
others – of Mary and the baby
Jesus.
Storm warnings ………….. 8
A night to remember
Father Chris, with Presbytera Claire at his side, takes a moment to say a few words of
thanks at the close of the Dec. 15 farewell dinner held in their honor at the Olympia
Restaurant in Lowell. See story, more photos on Pages 4-5. (Photo by Nick Pappas)
Parishioners can now turn to two
Boston TV stations and a radio
station to find out if the Divine
Liturgy or church-sponsored
events have been cancelled because of inclement weather.
T RA N S - A -G R A M
PAGE 2
Fr. Demetri: Our new parish priest
EDITOR’S NOTE: Father Demetri
Costarakis, who will be installed as
our new pastor on Jan. 4, agreed to
participate in this e-mail interview
with Trans-a-Gram Editor Nick
Pappas so parishioners might know a
bit more about him upon his arrival.
Q: What are some of your personal accomplishments at your
current parish?
A: During my tenure, we revamped
the youth program, which includes:
religious education, GOYA, JOY,
basketball teams and altar boy retreats.
Q: Where were you born?
A: I was born in Troy, N.Y. My father was the parish priest at St.
Basil’s Greek Orthodox Church.
Q. Where did you grow up?
A: One year later he was assigned to
St. Prophet Elias in San Bernardino,
Calif., where I grew up.
Q. How old are you?
A: 30.
Q. What is your educational
background?
A: Hellenic College, bachelor of arts
in religious studies; Holy Cross
School of Theology, master’s of divinity.
Q. What is your professional
background?
A: I have been a summer/winter
camp director for both the Metropolis
of San Francisco and the Metropolis
of Boston. I have been the youth director/pastoral assistant prior to ordination at St. Demetrios in Weston.
I have been the assistant priest at
Father Demetri and Presbytera Gloria
(Ziagos) Costarakis are expecting
their first child.
St. Demetrios since March of 2005.
By appointment of His Eminence
Metropolitan Methodios, I am currently the Metropolis of Boston Oratorical Festival chairman. I have
been awarded the ecclesiastical
honor of Father Confessor, and on a
personal note I represent the sixth
generation of priests in my family.
Q. Tell us about your family?
A: My wife, Gloria, who grew up in
this parish, and I are expecting our
first child. My father is now retired
and living in the Northeast, while
my mother fell asleep in the Lord in
1999. I also have one sister who lives
in the area with her family. Gloria’s
parents (Anthony and Diane Ziagos)
are members of this community.
HOW TO REACH US
Pastor: The Rev. Demetri Costarakis
Secretary: Jeanne Brady
Address: Father John Sarantos Way, Lowell, MA 01854
Telephone: 978-458-4321.
Fax: 978-458-8726.
Church e-mail: [email protected]
Web page: www.transchurch.org
Office hours: Secretary: Tuesday-Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 1
p.m.; Priest: Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Editor: Nick Pappas
Telephone: 603-886-4717
E-mail: [email protected]
Q: What are your thoughts as
you prepare to become pastor at
a new parish?
A: It is with great anticipation and a
certain amount of trepidation that I
am looking forward to the ministry
with which the church is entrusting
me. Holy Transfiguration of Lowell is
not a strange parish to me. My wife
is from this parish; our wedding was
celebrated in this parish. And I was
ordained to the Diaconate at Holy
Transfiguration during the Blizzard
of ’05.
Q: What do you hope to accomplish here?
A: I know that Holy Transfiguration
is a God-fearing and Christ-loving
parish. It will be my responsibility to
do everything with the knowledge
that God has given me to serve our
parish so that this love and trust in
God will continue to grow, so that
the next generation to follow us will
find a Christ-loving church in which
to bring up their children.
E-mail Change
The home e-mail address
of Trans-a-Gram Editor
Nick Pappas has changed
as a result of the recent
acquisition of Adelphia
Communications Inc. by
Comcast Corp. The new e-mail address is
[email protected]. Please e-mail all material
intended for publication in the Trans-a-Gram to this
address. The parish’s e-mail address remains
[email protected].
T RA N S - A -G R A M
PAGE 3
Church Services
Schedule of Services
Sunday Orthros ………………………..…. 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
ing the month you would like them read. If you would
like the name to be read in Greek, please include the
Greek spelling along with the English. Questions? Please
call Dyanne Mitropoulis at 978-256-2056.
Divine Liturgy …………………..…… 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
DECEMBER TRISAGIA
Special Services
Jan. 5 (Friday ) …………………………. Eve of Theophany
Blessing of the Waters: 6 p.m.
Eva Kotsios
JANUARY TRISAGIA
Andrew Andricopoulos
Olga Georges
Jan. 6 (Saturday) ……………………………….. Theophany
Blessing of the Waters: 9 a.m.
Stella Anganis
Mary Kalavetinos
Eugene Archambault
Soultana Kapsouris
Jan. 17 (Wednesday) ………………………… St. Anthony
Divine Liturgy: 9 a.m.
Anastasia Athanasopoulos
James Konstantinakos
Ethel Ballas
Tula Konstantinakos
Jan. 18 (Thursday) …………… Sts. Athanasios and Cyril
Divine Liturgy: 9 a.m.
Afrodite Bavelas
Charles Kostoulakos
Arthur Bavelas
Demetrios Kostoulakos
Helen Berolos
Georgia Kostoulakos
Jan. 30 (Tuesday) ………………….…….. Three Hierarchs
Divine Liturgy: 9 a.m.
Katherine Betses
Marigo Kostoulakos
Arthur Contos
Speros Lazouras
Sacraments
Nicholas Contos
Yianni Manelas
George A. Danas
Paraskevi Manolis
George P. Danas
Daniel Marcopoulos
Katherine G. Danas
Martin P. Martakos
Stephen A. Danas
Mary T. Mastas
Anthony Dimitri
Eva Merageas
Lillian Economopoulos
Mary Metropolis
Effie Sintros Economou
Stella Mitropoulos
Aphrodite Galanis
Panagiota Molivas
Chrisanthe Gefteas
Herbert Moser
Jan. 25 (Thursday) …………………………….. St. Gregory
Divine Liturgy: 9 a.m.
Baptisms:
Sophia Elaine, daughter of Drs. Kevin Malone and
Tanya Zouzas. Godparents: John Thibault and Elaine
Zouzas Thibault. (Dec. 9)
Chrismations:
Theresa Ann Kacavas. Sponsor: James Kacavas. (Dec. 9)
Weddings:
Eric Stephen Graham and Jill Cote. Koumbaros: Steven
Vercontaire. (Dec. 9)
Constantinos Georgacopoulos Pantelis Nicholaou
Funerals:
Amalia Kostoulakos of Dracut (Dec. 21)
Monthly Trisagia
Names of the deceased are read the first Sunday of each
month. Please send the names to be read in advance, list-
Marigo Georgacopoulos
John Piazas
Grace Georges
Johnny Piazas
Louis Georges
Pauline Poulakos
Michael Georges
Peter Poulakos
Continued on Page 14
T RA N S - A -G R A M
PAGE 4
FOUSTOUKAS FAMILY FAREWELL
Father Chris opens one of the farewell gifts he received from the parish during his farewell dinner
Dec. 15 at the Olympia Restaurant in Lowell. Father Chris is joined by Parish Council member Ioannis Zaralidis, who served as master of ceremonies, and his wife, Claire. (Photos by Nick Pappas)
Farewell, Father
Foustoukos family honored at special dinner reception
By NICK PAPPAS
Trans-a-Gram Editor
she shared with Father Chris and
Presbytera Claire in the Orthodox
life and St. Makrina classes.
O
ne by one they walked out
to the center of the floor,
taking the microphone in
hand to share their fondest personal recollections of life at
Transfiguration under the spiritual
stewardship of the Rev. Christopher
P. Foustoukos and his family.
Corrine Dubay spoke of Father
Chris’ vitality, wisdom, patience and
faith in God. Irene Manelas spoke of
how much she loved him – in both
Greek and English. Dyanne Mitro-
They were the first of more than a
dozen speakers who were among the
100 people to attend the Dec. 15
farewell dinner for Father Chris and
his family at the Olympia Restaurant.
Irene Manelas takes the microphone
with Master of Ceremonies Ioannis
Zaralidis to give an emotional goodbye
to Father Chris and his family.
Father Chris announced in midNovember that he would be leaving
Transfiguration after more than four
years to become the new pastor at
his home parish, St. Vasilios in Pea-
poulis spoke of the wonderful times
(Continued on page 5)
T RA N S - A -G R A M
PAGE 5
FOUSTOUKOS FAMILY FAREWELL
An open (farewell) letter from Fr. Chris to the parish
Dear Transfiguration Family,
As Claire, Peter and I prepare to
leave our ministry here at the
Transfiguration Church, it is hard to
say goodbye. How can we express
how much you have meant to us over
the past four-plus years?
It has been a pleasure working and
planning with you. But most of all, it
has been a sheer delight just knowing you and sharing the joyous moments together!
My deepest thanks to all of you for
your gifts and party honoring my
ministry here at the Transfiguration. You have always been generous
and thoughtful to me, my family, as
well as the church, and I shall be
forever grateful.
I know that you will continue to be
as thoughtful and supportive to our
new priest, Father Demetri Costarakis.
You will always be in my prayers.
May the Lord bless you and the
Transfiguration Church.
Rev. Christopher P. Foustoukos
Pastor
Farewell ...
(Continued from page 4)
body. The Rev. Demetri Costarakis,
the assistant priest at St. Demetrios
in Weston, was scheduled to be installed by His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios as the new Transfiguration pastor on Jan. 4.
Ioannis Zaralidis, who served as
president of the Parish Council during Father Chris’ entire tenure here
as pastor, served as mater of ceremonies for the affair, which attracted priests and laity leaders
from parishes across Greater Lowell.
At the close of the ceremonies, deejay Nick Hamourgas entertained
those in attendance with some
Greek music for their dancing pleasure.
Dyanne Mitropoulis says a few words.
Father Chris accepts a icon from Nikitas Flaris on behalf of the Assumption of the
Virgin Mary Church in Dracut. (Photos by Nick Pappas)
A pectoral cross was among the gifts.
Presbytera Claire was all smiles.
T RA N S - A -G R A M
PAGE 6
CHURCH NEWS
Council election remains unsettled
By NICK PAPPAS
Trans-a-Gram Editor
THE WINNERS
Three former members – and a
fourth yet to be determined – were
elected to serve two-year terms on
the Parish Council during the
church’s annual election of Dec. 10.
Arthur Faneros (tie)
Nick Pappas, Olivia Sintros and
Spiros Sintros Jr. will return to the
council after a one-year absence,
joining Michael Karagianes and
Christopher Selvaggio, who were reelected to another term.
Michael Karagianes
Nikolaos Manolis (tie)
Nick Pappas
Christopher Selvaggio
Olivia Sintros
Spiros Sintros Jr.
Former council members Arthur
Faneros and Nikolaos Manolis tied
for the final seat. The new council is
expected to break that tie when it
meets in early January to elect officers for the new year.
Three council members were unsuccessful in their re-election bids – Andrew Govatsos, Ioannis Zaralidis
and Christian Zouzas – in an election that attracted 13 candidates for
the six available seats.
The newly elected councilors will
join the six members who were
elected to two-year terms last year:
Matthew Blake, Margo DiBenedetto,
John Gkolias, George Malliaros,
James Murphy and Chris Tournas.
Their terms are due to expire in December 2007.
The other three unsuccessful candidates were Andrea Garibaldi, former
council member Susan Pappas and
Demetrios Tsichlis.
Man of the hour
Parish Council President
Margo DiBenedetto and
Father Chris presented
Ioannis Zaralidis with a
plaque and icon in recognition of his many years of
service on the Parish Council, including five as president. Following the presentation after the Divine Liturgy on Dec. 17, a brunch
in his honor was sponsored
by Margo and parishioner
Nick Manolis downstairs in
the church hall.
– Photo by Arthur Sparages
In addition to the two-way tie for the
sixth and final spot, a petition was
filed by some parishioners protesting
the election results to the Metropolis
of Boston over the unusually high
number of absentee ballots cast in
this year’s election.
Article 25 / Section 9 of the archdiocese’s Uniform Parish Regulations
states that any five parishioners in
good standing can file a written protest to the metropolis within five
days of the election. At that point,
the metropolitan can either ratify
the election results as they stand or
declare the election void and order a
new one.
Under the parish bylaws, parishioners in good standing this year were
able to request absentee ballots by
contacting the church office between
Nov. 20 and Dec. 3. The deadline for
the return of those ballots was by
the start of voting the following Sunday, the day of the election.
The parish was still awaiting a final
determination of the election results
from the metropolis as this issue of
the Trans-a-Gram went to press.
The results of that ruling will be
published next month.
Oratorical Festival
The deadline for students to submit
their essays and applications to their
Sunday School teachers for consideration in this year’s St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival is Jan. 21.
The event is open to students in
Grades 7-9 (Junior Division) and
Grades 10-12 (Senior Division).
Parish oratorical festival information
is available in the church office and
further guidelines for topics can be
found at the www.goarch.org religious education Web site.
– Yiota Simoglou
Festival Co-chairperson
T RA N S - A -G R A M
PAGE 7
CHRISTMAS PAGEANT
Glory to the newborn king
Melanie Simpson and Philip Lane portrayed Mary and Joseph during this year’s Christmas pageant,
which was presented by the Sunday School on Dec. 17. Playing the role of the baby Jesus this year
was Sophia Malone, the daughter of Drs. Kevin Malone and Tanya Zouzas. (Photos by Nick Pappas)
Athena McCann and the second-graders were the angels.
The baby Jesus (Sophia Zouzas Malone) rested silently in Mary’s lap for the duration of the Sunday
School’s annual pageant.
First-graders represented the
donkeys in the pageant.
T RA N S - A -G R A M
PAGE 8
Church News
Parish Council
Stewardship 2006
By MARGO DiBENEDETTO
Parish Council President
By NICK PAPPAS
Trans-a-Gram Editor
The Parish Council took the following actions when it
met on Dec. 14:
As we prepare to enter the
Stewards
515
new year, the stewardship
(2005)
rolls were running pretty
much on par with the previ- Cards
496
ous year as of this time.
Returned
Another 12 cards arrived in
19
the church office during the Cards
Outstanding
past month, raising to 496
the number of families and
Return
96 percent
individuals who had submitRate
ted their stewardship cards
for 2006. That’s only three
$334.64
Average
less than the number re+$9.76
Pledge
ceived during the previous
year as of this time and 19
less than the total number received during all of 2005.
Maintenance: Noted that the towers are in the final
stage with a few items left to do. There is some plaster
peeling off the ceiling of the church. EDM Contractors of
Westford can erect scaffolding and repair it for approximately $2,500. A motion was passed to repair the ceiling.
Christmas gifts: Voted to give Christmas gifts to several people working in the church.
Priest installation: Discussed Father Demetri’s official
installation on Jan. 4. We will be hosting a reception in
the church hall following the Vespers at 7 p.m. His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios will be in attendance.
Financial commitment: Reported the parish’s financial
commitment to the archdiocese has been reduced due to a
new formula introduced at a meeting in November. In
2006, we will have paid $39,600, and in 2007 that
amount has been reduced 13.2 percent to $34,392.
Building Committee: Recommended that the parish
thank the committee for all it has accomplished and decide at the April Parish Assembly if it should be disbanded and re-formed at a later date as needed.
Absentee ballots: Voted to recommend to the April Parish Assembly that a new bylaw committee be formed in
order to address the issue of absentee ballots.
Next meeting: The council is tentatively scheduled to
next meet on Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. in the board room.
Treasurer’s Report
Here is a summary of the operating budget as of Nov. 30
and how it compares to the same period last year:
Category
2006
2005
Change
Stewardship
151,646.43
149,616.00
+1.36%
Other income
127,663.12
122,286.75
+4.40%
Total Income
279,309.55
271,902.75
+2.72%
Expenses
258,332.74
256,507.60
+0.71%
Balance
20,976.81
15,395.15
+36.26%
As of mid-December, those stewardship cards represented $165,984.16 in actual contributions and pledges
toward last year’s annual operating budget of
$285,146.96. Some 456 stewards had fulfilled their stewardship pledges in full, while another 40 stewards paying
on account had $7,515.50 outstanding as of this time.
To put those numbers into perspective, the amount contributed and pledged so far in 2006 was running
$3,868.66 ahead of the previous year, an increase of 2.4
percent. If the remaining $7,500 were to be collected, the
parish would end the year nearly $6,000 ahead of the
$160,000 projected when the operating budget was approved at the November 2005 Parish Assembly.
Finally, even though the New Year has arrived, it’s not
too late to make your stewardship contribution for 2006 if
you have not yet done so. Please contact the church office
during regular business hours if you have any questions.
Cancellation Notices
Parishioners can now turn to Boston TV and
radio stations to find out if the Divine Liturgy or Greek School classes have to be canceled because of inclement weather this winter. Cancellation announcements will be aired
on CBS-TV (Channel 4), WCVB-TV (Channel 5) and radio station WBZ (1030 AM).
PAGE 9
T RA N S - A -G R A M
CHURCH NEWS
Philoptochos Society
By CORRINE DUBAY
Philoptochos President
A note from the president: As I begin to
write a few words for the New Year, I ponder upon the full extent of events and activities this church community has
achieved during the past year, 2006. All of
us are responsible for the success of our
church through actions and daily gifts of sacrifice. Each
act of giving, however small or large, bonds us together
in love for the church and our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. We are connected in this, a common goal felt in
our minds, our souls and our hearts.
Above all else, the church is the center of our lives, it
strengthens us and together we are a loving church family. I am happy and grateful that we have each other,
we're a great team and we never give up. With this said,
I am confident that 2007 promises a new year of continued commitment in achieving the best for our church. In
this, we are always united.
For the New Year 2007, the Ladies Philoptochos Society
extends to all wishes for continued unity and love for our
church and our families. I am looking forward to another
wonderful Transfiguration year. As in previous years, we
are off to a winning start!
Christmas Card Committee: Acknowledgement and
thanks go out to the individuals who helped in the
Christmas card fundraiser this year. Thank you Cathy
Economou for the gathering of the names and first mailing; Kathy Allen, Maria Tournas, Melanie Charko and
Ellen Vercontaire for stuffing, labeling and stamping the
envelopes, and a special thanks to Evan Coravos for use
of his office and printer. All the committee hopes that
everyone liked the card this year. I would like to also express appreciation and acknowledgement to the following
parishioners whose names were unfortunately received
after cards were sent to the printer:
♦
Arthur and Toula Sparages
♦
Ellen Simorellis and daughters Victoria and Alana
♦
George Chouprakos
♦
Anonymous
To these above-mentioned church family parishioners, we
express our sincere appreciation for your donation to this
fundraiser. And to all of you who participated, thank you
for supporting our mission of philanthropy.
From the heart
Presbyteras Mary Velonis and Claire Foustoukos look over
the multitude of Christmas gifts donated as part of the parish’s Adopt-a-Family program. In all, parishioners donated
gifts for 165 needy adults and children in Greater Lowell in
conjunction with Community Teamwork Inc. The program
was coordinated this year by Presbytera Claire and Sally
Chvany. (Photo by Nick Pappas)
Vasilopita: On Sunday, Jan. 7, the Philoptochos will
again help in the tradition of cutting the New Year's Vasilopita. Parishioners who have taken advantage of the
special pieces of St. Basil’s bread will have their minds
focused on winning the piece with the gold coin. A tradition of our church, this event brings us together to honor
St. Basil. Donations received will benefit St. Basil's Academy and fulfill the January national commitment. Please
contact Corrine Dubay if you wish to participate. Donation per piece: $20.
Family Dinner: Mark your calendars! The annual
Philoptochos Family Dinner will be held on Sunday, Jan.
28, following the church service. As of this writing, two
co-chairladies are needed to coordinate this event. Please
contact Corrine Dubay if you and a friend could help coordinate this fundraising event. There will be a raffle to
delight all ages, too. As in year’s past, this is an opportunity to share a delicious lunch together with family and
friends. Take-out is also available. Please plan on coming
and helping.
General membership meeting: Please take this opportunity to mark your calendars for our upcoming meetings:
♦
Saturday, Feb. 3: Brunch with a speaker from the
American Heart Association at 10 a.m.
(Continued on page 10)
PAGE 10
T RA N S - A -G R A M
CHURCH NEWS
(Continued from page 9)
♦
Thursday, March 15: Interior designer Debbe
Daley will speak to us about colors for our house.
♦
Monday, May 15: The Gkolias sisters again have
graciously offered to put together a lovely meeting to
honor mothers at our Mother’s Day meeting. At this
meeting, the swearing in of the newly elected Philoptochos Board will take place. Hope to see you there!
Chapter elections: Per bylaws of the Ladies Philoptochos Society, a new board of directors will be elected this
year in May at our Mother's Day meeting. Philoptochos
welcomes any member in good standing to join the board.
To be qualified for election to the board, a member must
have been a member in good standing of the parish and
the chapter for a period of one year. Please see a member
of the Election Committee if you are interested in running.
Membership: Philoptochos members will soon be receiving the upcoming information for the 2007 membership year. Please return your membership donation upon
receipt in order that we can forward our membership list
to national and the diocese in a timely manner. Thank
you always for your generous support.
Men’s Guild
Brunch brigade
Men’s Guild members played a key role in the Dec. 17
brunch honoring Ioannis Zaralidis for his many years of service to the parish: preparing the food. From left: Chris Selvaggio, Angelo Koukos, Matthew Blake, Nick Manolis and
Frank Stevens. (Photo by Arthur Sparages)
were taken home by Bill Karayiannis, Gary Mastas
(attending his first-ever meeting) and Tom Amick.
The most special part of the meeting was afforded us as
we had the opportunity to personally bid farewell to Father Chris. The Guild unanimously adopted the following
two motions in respect of Father Chris’ service to the
Transfiguration community:
By FRANK STEVENS
Men’s Guild President
1.
“To elect Fr. Christopher Foustoukos as a lifetime
member of the Transfiguration Men’s Guild.
Christmas meeting: Thirty-nine members
assembled on Monday, Dec. 11, at Dracut
House of Pizza to enjoy “choice of menu”
and especially each other’s company. Vito
flew in (direct to Dracut) to join us in time
for the meeting, while Nick Manolis proved
to be a gracious host. Elections for 2007 were held with
the following results:
2.
“That the Men’s Guild present a gift to Father Chris
at the dinner honoring him at the Olympia Restaurant on Dec. 15, ’06, in recognition of his service to
the entire Transfiguration Parish.”
♦
President: Frank Stevens
♦
Vice president: Michael Fokas
♦
Treasurer: Marc Gulezian
♦
Recording secretary: Thomas Amick
♦
Corresponding secretary: John Gkolias
“Although your time with us was too short, we will long
remember your efforts not only as our spiritual leader,
but as our guide and comforter. Your perseverance, your
boundless energy, your constant concern for our beloved
parish, your courage in times of adversity and your unbounding good humor will always remain with us. On
behalf of the Men’s Guild, we present to you a token of
our esteem and affection and wish you and your family
‘Godspeed.’ ”
The officers will be sworn in this month.
Three bottles of ouzo were available as door prizes and
The following commendation was read into the Guild’s
minutes on Dec. 11 and repeated at the dinner on Dec.
15:
Christmas raffle: By the time you read this at least 35
of you will be the “lucky winners” of this year’s raffle,
(Continued on page 11)
T RA N S - A -G R A M
PAGE 11
CHURCH NEWS
(Continued from page 10)
which was held on Dec. 24. We hope this will contribute
toward brightening your Christmas. Major prize winners
will be announced in the next Trans-a-Gram. A complete
list of winners will be available at the church. We take
this opportunity to thank all of you who so graciously
contributed prizes and each and every one of you who
purchased raffle tickets.
Membership drive: Our efforts to increase our membership continue. Our average age is declining as we are
continually signing up young parishioners. Stewardship
cards will be mailed in January. It is through your generous participation that we are able to continue the good
works of our Guild.
125 Club: Please see Treasurer Marc or Secretary John
with your entry fee at your earliest opportunity as the
official closing date is Dec. 31. Our first drawing will be
held in February. Announcement of the date will be made
in the next Trans-a-Gram and in the Sunday bulletin.
Visitations: On Friday, Dec. 15, Harry Stamas, Chris
Tournas, John Gkolias and I visited with our parishioners who are confined at the Northwood and D’Youville
Manor nursing homes. We had the opportunity to wish
Sophie Chiklis, Dr. Chris Daoulas, Stephen Sotakos and
Jim Metilinos a Merry Christmas and best wishes from
the Guild. John and I also had visited with Andy Spanos
at home earlier in the week. If you have relatives or
friends who are members of our parish and are confined
or recovering from illness or surgery, please inform us by
leaving a note at the church office as we are planning
visitations at least monthly in the future.
Next meeting: The Guild will next meet on Tuesday,
Jan. 9, at 6:30 p.m. in the church hall. In addition to another fine meal prepared by our “top chefs,” we will be
planning activities for the upcoming months. Also featured at this meeting will be our resident expert on financial planning. If you have questions regarding finances or income taxes, bring them with you.
A personal note: There are too many of you to thank for
what I feel has been a most successful year for the Men’s
Guild. Whenever I’ve asked for assistance, preparing
meals for the meetings, working on our many fundraisers, visiting the less fortunate, helping with the family
dinner, contributing to many worthwhile charities and
much more, you’ve been there. I consider myself very fortunate to be able to serve with you to enhance the work
of our Guild and our beloved parish. Thank you.
Remember this: A year is comprised of 365 gifts. Cherish and enjoy each one of them.
President’s Message
By MARGO DiBENEDETTO
Parish Council President
New Year’s greetings: Happy New Year to
everyone! I hope that 2007 brings health and
happiness to all! As usual, there are many
things happening at the Transfiguration
Church. The most important is the arrival of
Fr. Demetri and his wife, Gloria. We welcome
them and hope that God helps Fr. Demetri as he begins
his ministry here.
Adopt-a-family: I am proud to announce that we were
able to give the gift of love to 165 needy people in the
Lowell area. These moms, dads, and children would not
have had any presents for Christmas if not for the wonderful generosity of all of you! Thanks to all of you who
shopped, wrapped and dropped your packages off on time
and thanks to all who made a monetary donation.
Thanks to the GOYA for shopping for some special children. A special thanks to Claire Foustoukos and Sally
Chvany, who spent those donations on great gifts and
organized the event.
Sunday School
By CONNIE GKOLIAS
Sunday School Director
Looking back: As we begin the new year, let us reflect
back on our accomplishments from last year, and my
resolution is to always try to do more the next year and
for the future.
Christmas pageant: The Sunday School children presented our annual Christmas pageant on Sunday, Dec.
17, for everyone to enjoy. Congratulations to all for a
great performance as always.
Special thanks: Thank you to all the teachers and assistants for all their hard work through the past year and
the new year to come. Special thanks to Hariklia Zouzas
for her help and dedication to the Sunday School. We also
would like to thank all the parents who help us through
the year.
Reminder to all children: Please remember to bring
your envelope donation to Sunday School every week.
Bake sale: The Sunday School will hold its annual Valentine’s bake sale and raffle on Sunday, Feb. 11. Raffle
gifts will be on display the previous Sunday of Feb. 4.
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CHURCH NEWS
(Continued from page 11)
Please support the Sunday School.
Choir
By TOULA SPARAGES
Choir Director
A new year: Happy New Year to all from
Toula, Marc and the Trans Choir! The
choir is looking forward to singing the
hymns and responses of the Divine Liturgy
on Sundays with our new and energetic
priest, Father Demetri. I remember his
lovely chanting when he was a deacon, and I’m happy to
be “working” with him again.
Pavillion dedication
Rehearsal schedule: Attendance at rehearsals is still
weak; therefore, I have decided to hold only two rehearsals per month – one in the morning and one in the evening. The schedule for January is as follows:
The city of Lowell dedicated an area across from the front of
the church as the Kacavas Pavillion in honor of that family’s
many contributions to the city. (Photo by Nick Pappas)
♦
Jan. 4, Thursday, at 9:30 a.m.
you to Mr. Nick Manolis of Dracut House of Pizza for donating the pizza for the party.
♦
Jan. 18, Thursday, at 7 p.m.
Bad weather protocol: Please call me at 978-256-6310
if the weather looks “unfriendly’” and be sure to ring the
bell by the front doors when arriving for the morning rehearsal, as the secretary prefers to keep the doors locked
for safety reasons. At the evening rehearsal, the doors
will be unlocked.
GOYA
By GEORGE MURPHY
GOYA President
Turkey raffle: Our turkey raffle was a success. We were
able to raise $150, which went to Project Helping Hands
coordinated by Mr. Nick Manolis. Thank you to everyone
who purchased a ticket and a special thank you to Mr.
Christopher Selvaggio for contributing all the items for
this year’s basket.
December activities: In the month of December, the
GOYA purchased a new Christmas tree from the proceeds of our apple pie sale. In addition, the GOYA sponsored a family in this year’s adopt-a-family program, and
we also purchased more than 15 items for the Toys for
Tots drive. Thank you to everyone who went shopping for
both of these worthy causes. I am pleased to also announce we had our Christmas party on Dec. 16 and had
a great time. Thank you to everyone who came and thank
Family Glendi: We are planning our annual family
dance with the Andover GOYA on Feb. 10 from 7 p.m.
until 11 p.m. at the Olympia Restaurant. The cost of tickets will be $25 for anyone over the age of 10 and $15 for
ages 5 to 10. Please plan on purchasing your tickets in
advance from one of our GOYA members. All proceeds
from the tickets we sell will remain with our GOYA, and
any tickets sold at the door will be split between the
GOYAs.
Pasta dinner: The GOYA will be hosting a pasta dinner
on Feb. 18 after the Divine Liturgy. All proceeds from the
stewardship offering will benefit the GOYA.
Coffee Hour
By SUSAN PAPPAS
Coffee Hour Coordinator
Nov. 26: Sponsored by George and Anne Patterson in memory of their dear friend, Katherine Tzanetakos Ziakos; also by Chris Tournas in memory of Anna Tournas.
Dec. 3: Sponsored by the Parish Council to mark the initiation of the Transfiguration Greek School; also by Kathleen Mamalis in memory of her husband, George.
Dec. 10: Sponsored by Joe Licciardello and family in
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CHURCH NEWS
(Continued from page 12)
memory of his wife, Mary.
Like to help?: If you would like to sponsor a coffee hour
for any occasion, or would like to help serve at one,
please call coffee hour coordinator Susan Pappas at 603886-4717, e-mail her at [email protected] or see
her any Sunday after the Divine Liturgy.
Hellenic Dancers
By ANDREA GARIBALDI
Hellenic Dancers Coordinator
After taking a break for the Christmas and New Year’s
holidays, the next practice for the Hellenic Dancers has
been tentatively scheduled for Jan. 28 from 12:30 to 2:30
p.m.
Greek School
The church will be starting classes for the afternoon
Greek School in January 2007. This year’s program will
run from January until the end of May. We are very fortunate to have Niki Ladakos as the coordinator and advanced Greek teacher. The classes will be broken down
into beginner, intermediate and advanced and will be
held on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from 4 p.m.
until 6 p.m. For more information contact the church
office.
Winter Camps
The Metropolis of Boston Office of Youth and Young
Adult Ministries is accepting applications for its two
winter camps next month at the St. Methodios Faith and
Heritage Center in Contoocook, N.H. The JOY Winter
Camp is scheduled for Feb. 9-11, while the GOYA Winter
Camp will take place Feb. 16-19.
Running for Effie
Susan Sintros of Milford has been selected as a member
of a team in training by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to run in the 111th Boston Marathon in April. She
will be running the 26.2 mile race in memory of her
cousin, Effie Sintros Economou, who died on Dec. 18,
2005, from non-Hodgkin's small cell lymphoma. Susan
has set a goal of raising $3,000 by Jan. 15. If you would
like to donate, please make out a check payable to the
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and mail it to her at 3
Dewey Circle, Milford, MA, 01757. Or you can go online
to her Web page at www.active.com/donate/tntma/
tntmaSSintro and follow the instructions.
You’re our hero, too
Longtime parishioner Angie Rigs, second from right, accepts the Marjorie McDermott Award after being designated by Community Teamwork Inc. as one of its “Local
Heroes” on Oct. 26. Angie was recognized during an awards
dinner at Lenzi’s in Dracut for her tireless volunteer work
over the past 30 years serving those in need at area hospitals, nursing homes and shelters.
IOCC Internships
International Orthodox Christian Charities is offering
two three-month internships for college and graduate
school students in Lebanon and Ethiopia next year. The
internships require a 10- to 12-week commitment. The
deadline to apply is Jan. 31, 2007. For more information
visit the Web site www.iocc.org, e-mail the internship
coordinator [email protected] or call 410-243-9820.
Orthodox Radio
The National Orthodox Christian Radio Program of Fort
Lauderdale, Fla., has announced that its “Come Receive
the Light” radio program can now be heard in this region
over Boston radio station WROL (950 AM). The radio
show, which now can be heard in more than 100 cities
across the country, began airing Dec. 9 on Saturday
mornings at 8 a.m. For more information visit the organization’s Web site, www.receive.org, write to P.O. Box
4690, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33338-4690 or call 1-877-2732348.
Tuesday Morning Group
The Tuesday Morning Ladies Group would like to invite
other ladies of the parish to come join them on Tuesdays
from about 9:30 a.m. until noon. It’s a great place to
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CHURCH NEWS
(Continued from page 13)
DECEMBER TRISAGIA
meet, socialize, enjoy a cup of coffee, bring your ideas for
crafts or whatever and enjoy new or “old” friendships.
Mommy and Me
The Mommy and Me Group meets regularly for a variety
of activities. All mothers and children through age 4 are
welcome to join the group. If you would like more information, please call Susan Mitchell at 978-453-4551.
Prayer List
The Orthodox Life class will continue to pray for the
names on our current prayer list. Please continue to
submit the names of those who are in need of prayer.
You may do so by contacting George Tsoukalas by e-mail
at [email protected] or by placing your prayer
requests in the can that is located in the narthex.
Newsletter Deadline
Transfiguration organizations are asked to submit entries for this newsletter as early in the month as possible
and no later than the 15th. If at all possible, please submit your material by e-mail to Editor Nick Pappas at
[email protected]. Entries also can be faxed to the
church office at 978-458-8726 or dropped off in the office
during normal business hours. It is important that all
church organizations be represented in the Trans-a
Gram, so please make an effort to participate.
(Continued from Page 3)
Arthur Poulios
George Tournas
Louis Sakelakos
Joanne Tournas
Polita Sakelakos
John Tournas
Helen Skaperdas
Stephanos Tournas
Vasilios Stavrou
Angelike Tsaknopoulos
Aristotle Tavoularis
Katherine Tsaknopoulos
Carolyn Tavoularis
Vasilike Tsaknopoulos
John Tavoularis
Vasilios Tsaknopoulos
Katherine Tavoularis
Steve Xifaris
Louis Tavoularis
Costas Zymaris
Anastasia Tournas
Maria Zymaris
Chris Tournas
PAGE 15
T RA N S - A -G R A M
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