2015 March NEWSletter.pub - St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church

St. Sophia
Greek Orthodox Church
Newsletter March 2015
This month, we will journey through the
five Sundays of Great Lent. Below, we are
• Rev. Fr. George Gartelos
happy to provide a brief summary of each of
these Sundays. It is important that we
• Rev. Fr. Dan Suciu, Pastor
Emeritus
remember the purpose of this journey. This
• Rev. Fr. John A. Mangos
is the time when Christians travel through
the whole period of Lent in prayer and
• Rev. Fr. John Kondratick
• Fr. John Stehling, Deacon, Ret. fasting to approach the Feast of Feasts to
celebrate the Passions of Christ and His
Resurrection. During the entire Lent the
•STAFF
faithful try to practice and live the ideals and
• Holly Brkich, Office Manager
standards of this period in the light of
Easter. Each day of Holy Week is dedicated
•PARISH COUNCIL
to the Events and teachings of Christ during
• Dean Danos - President
His last week on earth. The faithful who
• Belinda Gavallos - V. President participate in the services of this week are
more conscious of their duties to themselves
• Beth Tsounakas- Secretary
and to their neighbors through fasting,
• Brent Smith - Treasurer
praying, giving alms, forgiving the
• Pam Layden
trespasses of others; in other words,
participating, day by day, in the spirit of the
• Karen McQueen
Gospel of Christ.
CLERGY
• Harris Papahronis
• Christina Welzbacher
St. Sophia Greek
Orthodox Church
2504 N. St. Mary’s Street
San Antonio, TX 78212-3799
OFFICE . . . . . . . . . (210) 735-5051
HALL . . . . . . . . . . . .(210) 735-5043
FAX . . . . . . . . . . . . .(210) 735-7475
E-MAIL
[email protected]
WEB SITE
www.stsophiagoc.org
Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday thru Friday
First Sunday Of Lent-The Sunday Of
Orthodoxy (John 1:43-52)
This Sunday commemorates
the return of the Icons into
the churches, according to
the decision of the Seventh
Ecumenical Synod (787).
The Church determined that
this celebration would take
place each year on the first
Sunday of Lent, as the Sunday of
Orthodoxy, starting March 11, 843. On this
Sunday every year the triumph of the faith
of Orthodoxy is celebrated with ceremony.
The Icon of Christ, according to St. John of
Damascus, is a distinct affirmation and a
reminder of the fact of His Incarnation,
which has a vital significance for the
salvation of the faithful, an affirmation
which prevails to this day in the Orthodox
Church. The celebration of the day includes
the procession with the Icon of Christ
around the inside of the church with pomp
and reverence. The Sunday of Orthodoxy
calls upon the people to rededicate
themselves to the deep meaning of their
faith and to declare in unison, "One Lord,
one faith, one baptism, one God and Father
of all".
Second Sunday Of Lent-St. Gregory
Palamas (Mark 2:1-12)
This Sunday commemorates
the life of St. Gregory Palamas
(14th century). The Church
dedicates this Sunday to St.
Gregory for his orthodox
faith, theological knowledge,
virtuous life, miracles and his efforts to
clarify the orthodox teaching on the subject
of Hesychasm (from the Greek, meaning
quiet.) Hesychasm was a system of
mysticism propagated on Mt. Athos by 14th
century monks who believed that man was
able, through an elaborate system of ascetic
practices based upon perfect quiet of body
and mind, to arrive at the vision of the
divine light, with the real distinction
between the essence and the operations of
God. Gregory became noted for his efforts
to explain the difference between the correct
teaching and this theory. Gregory was
dedicated to an ascetic life of prayer and
fasting, which are practices of Lent.
Third Sunday Of Lent-Adoration Of
The Cross (Mark 8:34-38; 9:1)
This Sunday commemorates the
venerable Cross and the
Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The
Cross as such takes on meaning
(Continued on page 2)
PAGE 2
ST. SOPHIA GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
and adoration because of the Crucifixion of Christ upon it.
Therefore, whether it be in hymns or prayers, it is
understood that the Cross without Christ has no meaning
or place in Christianity. The adoration of the Cross in the
middle of Great Lent is to remind the faithful in advance
of the Crucifixion of Christ. Therefore, the Passages from
the Bible and the hymnology refer to the Passions, the
sufferings, of Jesus Christ: The passages read this day
repeat the calling of the Christian by Christ to dedicate his
life, for "If any man would come after me, let him deny
himself and take up his cross and follow me (Christ)" (v.
34-35). This verse clearly indicates the kind of dedication
which is needed by the Christian in three steps:
1) To renounce his arrogance and disobedience to God's
Plan,
2) To lift up his personal cross (the difficulties of life)
with patience, faith and the full acceptance of the
Will of God without complaint that the burden is
too heavy; having denied himself and lifted up his
cross leads him to the,
3) Decision to follow Christ.
These three voluntary steps are three links which cannot
be separated from each other, because the main power to
accomplish them is the Grace of God, which man always
invokes. The Adoration of the Cross is expressed by the
faithful through prayer, fasting, almsgiving and the
forgiveness of the trespasses of others. On this Sunday the
Adoration of the Cross is commemorated with a special
service following the Divine Liturgy in which the
significance of the Cross is that it leads to the
Resurrection of Christ.
Fourth Sunday Of Lent-St. John Of The Climax
(Mark 9:17-31)
This Sunday commemorates St. John of
the Climax (6th century) who is the
writer of the book called The Ladder
(climax) of Paradise. This book
contains 30 chapters, with each chapter
as a step leading up to a faithful and
pious life as the climax of a Christian
life. The spirit of repentance and
devotion to Christ dominates the essence of this book,
along with the monastic virtues and vices. He was an
ascetic and writer on the spiritual life as a monk-abbot of
Sinai Monastery. These steps of the ladder as set forth by
St. John are to be practiced by the Christian especially
during this period of the Great Lent. Each step leading to
the top step of the ladder, is the climactic essence of the
true meaning of a Christian life.
Fifth Sunday Of Lent-St. Mary Of Egypt
(Mark 10:32-45)
This Sunday commemorates the life
of St. Mary of Egypt, who is a
shining example of repentance from
sin through prayer and fasting. She
lived a sinful life for many years, but
was converted to a Christian life.
She went into the wilderness to live
an ascetic life for many years,
praying and fasting in repentance of her previous sinful
life, and dying there. St. Mary's life exemplifies her
conviction about Christ, which motivated the changing
of her life from sin to holiness through repentance. Her
understanding of repentance involved not a mere
change from small things in her life, but an extreme
change of her entire attitude and thoughts. The Church
commemorates St. Mary for her recognition of her own
sins as an example of how one can free oneself from
the slavery and burden of wrongdoings. This
recognition of sin is imperative during Lent for the
faithful as a means of self-examination and preparation
for a more virtuous life in anticipation of the
Crucifixion and the Resurrection of Christ.
Palm Sunday (John 12:12-18)
This Sunday commemorates the
triumphant entrance of Jesus Christ
into Jerusalem. The people of
Jerusalem received Christ as a
king, and, therefore, took branches
of palms and went out to meet
Him, laying down the palms in His
path. The people cried out the
prophecy of Zechariah: "Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the
name of the Lord, even the King of
Israel" (v. 13; of Zechariah 9:9). The celebration of the
Jewish Passover brought crowds of Jews and converted
Jews to Jerusalem. They had heard of the works and
words of Christ, especially about the resurrection of
Lazarus. All the events related to Christ had a
Messianic meaning for the Jews at the time. This vexed
the high priests and pharisees. As usual, Christ went to
the Temple to pray and teach. That evening Christ
departed for Bethany. The tradition of the Church of
distributing palms on this Sunday comes from the act
of the people in placing the branches of palms in front
of Christ, and henceforth symbolizes for the Christian
the victory of Christ over evil forces and death
ST. SOPHIA GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
OFFICIAL NOTICE:
SPRING PARISH
ASSEMBLY
after Divine Liturgy
April 26, 2015
IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE AND VOTE AT THIS
MEETING YOU SHALL HAVE FULFILLED YOUR
STEWARDSHIP COMMITMENT FOR 2014 AND
HAVE TURNED IN YOUR STEWARDSHIP
PLEDGE CARD FOR 2015. IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR STATUS,
CONTACT THE CHURCH OFFICE.
Dear Fellow Parishioners
We had our first Strategic Planning meeting and will
continue to work on developing our mission, vision and
goals. We will present a new financial format at the
general assembly in April and encourage everyone to
attend. I would like to thank Brent Smith who has
spearheaded this major tasking. In addition, Harris
Papahronis is in the process of reviewing all of our
contracts to ensure that we are receiving the service
required at a fair price. We have begun discussing the
2016 St. Sophia 90th Anniversary celebration.
Our stewardship committee has been working very hard
to increase the number of stewards. I would like to
encourage everyone to fill out a pledge card and become
a steward of YOUR church. We must face the reality
that it does take dollars to keep our community viable.
We have begun our 2015 Lenten journey. As we travel
toward Pascha, let us all come together in work and
prayer to share the enormous gift of love that God has
bestowed upon us. The gift is the basis of our faith.
There are many beautiful services during this time.
Check your church calendar. I hope and pray that each
and every one of you has a meaningful journey and that
we see you in church often.
We have as opening on the parish council for a steward
who would be willing to volunteer. If you are interested,
please contact a parish council member or Father
George.
Don't forget to set your clock ahead one hour on Sunday,
March 8th as daylight savings time begins. Of course,
we must not forget those of us with an Irish background
-- Happy St. Patty's Day!!!
In His service, Dean
PAGE 3
2015 Church Organizations
Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. George Gartelos....…210-735-5051
Parish Council, Dean Danos, President…...210-658-0098
GOYA
Panos Papanikolaou, President……….…...210-877-5270
Danny Organ, Advisor…………….…….....210-545-7597
YAL
Juleen Sanftner, President ………….….…...210-872-0844
Stewardship Committee
John Lyons……………………………......…682-556-2372
Steve Brown…………………………...….....…210-497-6915
Vanna Organ…………………...……..………..210-545-7597
Philoptochos
Laurene Dunn, President ……………...…….210-320-6343
Sunday School
Stephanie Moran……………………..……….330-458-9111
Outreach Committee Chair
Nena Bratianu……………………..….……...210-651-6566
Librarian/Archivist/WEB Master
Marlene Graham…………[email protected]
Hellenic Organizations
AHEPA
Costa Sgagias, President ……….....…………210-659-2677
Daughters of Penelope
Kathy Kaberides, President ……………...….....210-381-8135
Sunday School News
A blessed and joyous Great Lent to all of our
families! Sunday Church School students will be
given "Pascha Passports' in their classes to complete
during Great Lent. Students will return upstairs
following attendance in their SCS classrooms for
various services over the next few weeks including
the Sunday of Orthodoxy (3/1), service of the Holy
Cross (3/15), and Palm Sunday (4/5). Also, we
encourage everyone to participate in our folding
of palms and church clean-up projects for
Lazarus Saturday (4/4).
PAGE 4
ST. SOPHIA GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
GOYA
Daughters of Penelope
Camp Emmanuel registration is right around the
corner. We would like to encourage all the GOYAns
to participate in summer camp.
By the time you read this column, we will be
looking forward to a very busy Spring. Our March
meeting will take place in the double classrooms on
March 9th at 7:00pm. The meeting will be followed by
dinner with our AHEPANS in Mangos Hall. We will
be holding nominations for next year’s officers. We
will also be discussing important upcoming events. If
you’re interested in joining our organization, please
contact one of our officers or any member.
Save the dates!
Junior Session: June 8-15, 2015
Senior Session: June 15-21, 2015
at Manzano Mountain Retreat
Torreon, New Mexico (outside Albuquerque)
Early registration fees, processed by 11:59 p.m. MDT,
on April 5, 2015 will receive a 10% discount.
The Regular Registration Fee is $340 ($320 for additional
children in the same immediate family).
Annunciation
March 25
The new Mary Vamvoras Scholarship instructions and
application will be released this month. If you have
any questions, please let us know.
In the month of March, we will be baking the goods
for our upcoming Pascha Bake Sale. The order forms
were sent to the community by email and were also
available each Sunday in the weekly handout. Final
date for ordering and prepaying is March 8th. Baking
dates will be on March 19, 20, 26, and 27. Toni
Grauke is heading up the baking and will begin at 9:00
am each of these days. Please let Toni know if
you can help. Her contact is [email protected].
Pre-ordered goods will be available for pick up on Saturday, April 4th and Sunday, April 5th after Litur gy.
On March 23rd, we will be hosting our Grand
President Anna-Helene Grossomanides, Grand
Vice-President Connie Pilallis and the Grand
Governor Anne-Marie Cariotis’ visit to San Antonio.
Sisters, watch your email for more information on this
exciting event.
As Pascha is early this year, we will not have a
meeting in April. Our May meeting will be held on
May 11th at 7:00pm in the double classrooms. We will
be having our elections at this meeting.
Our District convention this year will be held in
Shreaveport on June 18, 19 and 20th. Please see the
flyer on our bulletin board.
“To yield and give in to our sinful desires is
the lowest form of slavery. To rule over such
base desires is the only true freedom.”
St. Justin Martyr the Philosopher
As a final note, our Annual Rummage Sale will be
held on July 17th and 18th. We will begin collecting
donations in the double classrooms after Sunday
School has ended. All donations are welcome and we
will again be providing tax donation receipts as we are
a non-profit organization.
Thank you for your continued support and I look
forward to working with you on our upcoming events!
Kathy Kaberides, President
Hecabe Chapter #185
ST. SOPHIA GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
PAGE 5
Stewardship update
•
As we continue our Lenten spiritual journey with fasting, prayer, and preparation, we would like to reach
out to our brothers and sisters in Christ who have drifted away from the fellowship of St. Sophia, and
extend an invitation to come home.
•
If you’re reading this newsletter and miss the bonds of Orthodox Christian fellowship at St. Sophia,
please join us in His name. Together we can claim the blessings of His promise that “where two or three
are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20).”
•
During Great Lent, we are also reminded of our continual commitment to Jesus Christ and His Holy
Church, and that by willfully, lovingly, and prayerfully committing our time, talent, and treasures we
return thanks to our Lord who blesses us daily with His Divine gifts. If you have not yet done so, and
would like to become a committed steward of St. Sophia, please see any member of the Stewardship
Committee after Divine Liturgy, call or stop by the church office, or go online at www.stsophiagoc.org
and click on the donations tab at the top of the page.
•
Stewardship is a visible expression of our commitment, faith and love for Jesus. Once given to God, our
gifts are consecrated by the Holy Spirit, who translates them into works of mercy that bring Him glory.
PAGE 6
ST. SOPHIA GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
Agape Vesper Service
Sunday, April 12, 2015
12:00 Noon
As many of you know, we have been able to have
a number of our faithful read the Gospel passage
of the Agape Vespers in many different
languages. Last year we had thirteen readers. It
was wonderful to hear the different melodic
sounds of so many different languages.
This year we would like to expand our program
for more languages but also to have children or
grandchildren of last years readers join us to read.
If you read last year and have a child or
grandchild who can read in your respective
language please call me at 828-5712 before the
end of March so we can set the schedule and also
meet on Palm Sunday for 10 minutes.
Also, if you would like to swap places with one of
our readers or would like to join with a new
language, please call me.
Respectfully, Belinda Gavallos
ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM
ORATORICAL FESTIVAL
The Metropolis of Denver Oratorical Festival will be
hosted by Holy Trinity Church in Dallas, TX on the
weekend of March 20 through 22, 2015. Good luck to
Rini Tsounakas.
The purpose of the St. John
Chrysostom Oratorical Festival is to
provide
teenagers
with
the
opportunity to learn, write, and
speak about the Orthodox Faith,
Church
and
Heritage.
This
strengthens their understanding and
appreciation of their identity as
Greek Orthodox Christians and
cultivates spiritual growth and
maturity. The overall Oratorical
program is called an Oratorical Festival rather than a
contest to minimize the competitive spirit and
emphasize a joyful learning experience. Since 1983 the
Oratorical Festival has provided thousands of teenagers
the opportunity to discover the fullness of the Orthodox
Faith!
LENTEN SERVICES: PRE-SANCTIFIED LITURGY, SALUTAIONS/AKATHIST
As Great Lent begins, let us ask
ourselves how will this time be
different for each of us. Will we
pray mor e along with our fasting? Will we read the Bible more
with our fasting? Will we make
time to help others along with our
fasting? And, yes, will our worshipping be different?!
with your family. This year we
will once again encourage
everyone to participate in the
services by reading and singing.
If we go to church only on
Sunday, how will it be different
during Lent? Ever y Wednesday
and Friday we have services at the
church. Will you make a commitment to attend a least one of them?
Holy Communion can be
received during the service. With
the blessing of our Metropolitan,
we can receive if we abstained
from food and drink after a small
lunch.
The Pre-Sanctified Liturgy on
Wednesdays
is
a
beautiful
opportunity to worship along
On Fridays, we will have
Salutation Services, a beautiful
The services will begin at 6 pm
on Wednesdays starting February
25th. At the end of the service,
we will have a Lenten meal
together for those that can stay.
service to assist our spiritual
development.
Will this be the year when you
will join us every week? Please
come and make an effort to
convince others to join us. Your
experience with this service
in the past can be convincing
for those who have never
attended. Talk to your friends
about it. Participation in these
services help make each week in
Lent different, special. Let’s put
together such memories for our
children.
See you there!
Fr. George
ST. SOPHIA GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
PAGE 7
AHEPA
We want to thank everyone that stayed, supported and helped to make the Oratorical Festival and the Jonathan
Dolan Memorial Fund Luncheon another successful event for our community. Also a BIG thank you to
the Goyans for helping with serving the food and to everyone that stayed to help clean up after the luncheon - another great team effort!
PAGE 8
ST. SOPHIA GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
Thank you to all the brothers that supported the Memorial Service on Sunday, February
15th, to honor the Founders and the Departed Brothers from AHEPA Chapter 311.
“May their memory be eternal”
Make plans now to attend the Greek Independence Day Luncheon on Sunday, March 22nd. We are planning a
program that you do not want to miss!
Next AHEPA Blood Drive will be on May 3rd
Next AHEPA Meeting - - Monday, March 9, 7PM, Mangos Hall.
God Bless, Constantine
Come join us
Saturday, March 28th
For the First Meeting of our
J.O.Y. (Junior Orthodox Youth) Ministry Group
This Ministry Group will provide a vehicle in which children, ages 4-10, can further develop their faith in God
and friendships with each other. Parental support and involvement are a vital part of this ministry as the JOY
child is still open to having parents come and take part in activities. This fact presents us with a great
opportunity to take a family approach to this ministry. Parents are invited and highly encouraged to attend all
of the JOY activities throughout the year. This will help lay the foundation for your partnership in the spiritual
growth of your children, and your entire family. If you have any questions, send an email to
[email protected]
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Games, Crafts, Snacks, Singing and Fun for all!!
Easter Candles $ 10.00 each
As part of Greek-Orthodox tradition, every Easter godparents
give their godchildren a “lambatha”, a playfully decorated
candle. On Holy Saturday the child carries the lambatha to
church, where at the end of midnight mass its candle is lit by the
“Holy Light”, the Holy fire brought from Jerusalem to Orthodox
churches around world, signaling, thus, the end of fasting and
Christ’s resurrection.
ST. SOPHIA GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
PAGE 9
Ladies Philoptochos Society
St Nicholas Shrine Fund Campaign: Information was given at the January and February General Members
meetings on the St Nicholas WTC Shrine at Ground Zero - Philoptochos Fund Campaign that will be in
progress through December 2015.
We watched an inspiring 5 minute “Be the Bee” video, “Rebuild St Nicholas” with Steve Christoforou. If you
missed this meeting, you can watch this video at: ancientfaith.com/video/bethebee/rebuildstnicholas.
Each Philoptochos chapter is being challenged to raise $100 per steward. Donation checks should be made
payable to “Philoptochos” with “St Nicholas Shrine” on the memo line. Additional Information will be
forthcoming and shared in the coming weeks and months .
February Senior Valentine Luncheon and
Bingo: co-chaired by Georgia Carson and
Pamela Layden. A good time visiting and
indulging in chocolates and a delicious
lunch, was enjoyed by all. The talents of
Toni Grauke and Sandy Salas as Bingo
number callers added to the festivities.
Thank you to all who worked so hard to
make this annual event so much fun.
Lenten Suppers: Our Lenten suppers after
the Pre-Sanctified Liturgies during Lent will
be “pot luck” meals again this year, so pull
out your Lenten cookbooks and make your
plans! Philoptochos will provide plates,
bowls, napkins, etc. Volunteers are needed to help with set-up and clean-up on one of more of those evenings.
Please contact Kathy Nelson or Annette Cash. The Pre-Sanctified Liturgies are scheduled on Wednesdays,
February 25th, March 4th, 11th, 18th . The Feast of the Annunciation will be on March 25th with a morning
Liturgy at 9:30 am. Donations from these evenings will go to Holy Cross Seminary.
Calendar of Events
March 2nd, Monday, 6:30 pm Philoptochos Board Meeting
March 16th, Third Monday Mobile Loaves and Fishes lunch prep team to feed homeless and the hungry in
need. We meet at the MLF kitchen on St Mark’s Catholic Church at 9:30am. If you are interested in
volunteering and need directions, contact Lauri Dunn 320-6343 or [email protected]
April 2nd, Thursday 6:00pm Philoptochos Board Meeting date & time is moved due to Holy Week Services.
Elections for Philoptochos Executive Board is set for May 2015. Nominating and Search Committee will be
chaired by Cindy Hughes and Ellen Pepps. Please consider serving in this important and rewarding capacity
with a group of loving, supportive and strong women. We want your talents and ideas. Contact Cindy or Ellen
for information.
Festival of Tables: will be Saturday, May 9th in Mangos Hall. Mark your calendars for this fundraising event
to benefit the San Antonio Food Bank and local charities. More information will be coming from Co-Chairs,
Eleanor Watkins and Amy Smith.
May God grant each of you a blessed Lenten journey toward Pascha
PAGE 10
ST. SOPHIA GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
2015 Stewardship Pledges As of February 24h
Mr. & Mrs. Barclay Anthony
Mrs. Chrissy Anthony
Mr. & Mrs. Greg Asvestas
Mr. & Mrs. Jack Bellos
Mr. & Mrs. Edward Bishop
Mr. James Borum
Mr. & Mrs. Nasr Botros
Mr. & Mrs. John Bouloubasis Jr.
Mrs. Estelle Bournias
Mrs. Nena Bratianu
Mr. & Mrs. Steven Broadaway
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Brown
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Callins
Mrs. Catherine Carson
Mr. & Mrs. George Carson
Mrs. Annette Cash
Ms. Niki Cascio
Mrs. Katherine Catsifas
Mr. Paris Constanzos
Mrs. Katherine Copas
Mr. & Mrs. Nick Costas
Mr. & Mrs. Dean Danos
Mr. John Danos
Mrs. Beatrice Demitre
Mr. Phillip G. Demitre
Mr. & Mrs. Dimitrios Dimas
Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Dimotsis
Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Dolan
Mr. & Mrs. Doyle Dunn
Mr. & Mrs. Mike Eldred
Ms. Kalliopi Evans
Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Fadrowski
Mrs. Maggie Flannery
Mr. & Mrs. Sostenes Flores
Mr. & Mrs. John Fotopoulos
Mr. Joe Fugate
Fr. & Prsv. George Gartelos
Mr. & Mrs. George Gavallos
Ms. Mary Ellen Georgoulakis
Mr. & Mrs. Victor Gerleman
Mr. & Mrs. William Goodwin
Mr. & Mrs. John Graham
Ms. Antoinette Grauke
Mr. George Hathaway
Ms. Jean Homitsky
Mrs. Athena Houghtaling
Ms. Lauren Houpt
Mr. & Mrs. Marq Hughes
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Kaberides
Mr. & Mrs. Bill Karras
Mr. & Mrs. Kostantinos Kastis
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Kastis
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Kastis
Fr. & Mrs. John Kondratick
Mr. & Mrs. Iraklis Kouroumousis
Mr. Jerry Kouroumousis
Mrs. Eunice Kritsidimas
Mrs. June Laurel
Mr. & Mrs. William Layden
Mr. Albert Lymberry
Mrs. Fran MacDonald
Mr. & Mrs. Constantine Malouf
Mr. William Mastoris
Mr. & Mrs. Paul Mayo
Mrs. Karen McQueen
Mr. & Mrs. Symeon Michaelidis
Mr. & Mrs. Chris Morrell
Mr. & Mrs. Manuel Munoz
Mrs. Helen Nelson
Mr. & Mrs. John Nikolaou
Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Organ
Mr. & Mrs. Harris Papahronis
Mr. & Mrs. Nikos Papanikolaou
Mr. Chris Paris
Mr. & Mrs. Tony Pena
Ms. Ellen Pepps
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Poenitzsch
Mrs. Catherine Postolos
Ms. Danielle Rappaport
Mr. & Mrs. John Reeves
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Romell
Mr. & Mrs. Frank Rosenkranz
Mr. & Mrs. Earl Ryburn
Mrs. Mary Saflekos
Mr. & Mrs. Luis Salas
Mr. & Mrs. Roger Sanftner
Mrs. Dorothy Sawyer
Mr. & Mrs. Costas Sgagias
Mr. & Mrs. Brent Smith
Mrs. Helen Stanley
Mr. & Mrs. James Stutzman
Mr. & Mrs. Tim Swainhart
Mr. & Mrs. Yeshewadar Teferra
Mr. & Mrs. Aynalem Tegene
Mr. & Mrs. Spyros Ticoras
Mr. & Mrs. Dan Titerle
Mr. & Mrs. Tom Tsirigotis
Ms. Beth Tsounakas
Mr. James Vamvakias
Mr. & Mrs. James Varelas
Mr. & Mrs. John Velentzas
Mr. & Mrs. Panagiotis Velentzas
Mr. & Mrs. James Verreos
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Vlattas
Mr. & Mrs. Flyod Walker
Mr. & Mrs. John Watkins
Ms. Christy Welzbacher
Ms. Stephanie Wilkinson
Dr. & Mrs. Jerome Wolf
Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Wolf
Mr. & Mrs. Demetrios Yiannos
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Zgonis
Thank you to the following
stewards who have returned their
2015 Stewardship Pledge Forms.
The actual numbers to date
are 113 stewards and
$149,825 pledged. At this
rate we'll need a lot of lost
sheep to reach 300
stewards, but may reach the
monetary goal of $325,000
(we're almost halfway!) if
enough stewards increase
their pledge amounts.
Some Suggestions for Action During this Great Lent
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
Prayer
Attend Lenten Services:
Pre-Sanctified Liturgy
on Wednesdays
Salutations on Fridays
Prayers for Loved Ones
Living and Dead
Jesus Prayer/Lord’s Prayer
Read the Bible
OT-Psalms
NT-Gospel
Trisagion Prayers
Lenten Prayer of Saint
Ephraim
Offer/Ask for Forgiveness
Holy Confession
Fasting From
Foods (See Fasting Guidelines
♦ Arguing
♦ Gossip/’Idle Talk’
♦ Profanity
♦ Road Rage
♦ TV/Music/Video Games
Watch/listen less
Play Less
Substitute Orthodox
books/music instead
♦ Teasing/Picking On others
♦ Telling/Listening to Crude
Jokes
(These are good ideas all year…)
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
Alms/Helping Others
Bring Someone to Divine
Liturgy
Feed Hungry
Give Blood
Offer/Ask for Forgiveness
Financial Support for
IOCC
Support OCMC
Phone/visit those who are
unable to leave their home
Volunteer
Visit Hospitals/Sick
Support Philoptochos
Make a donation to CAM
Renew an old friendship
Forgive someone
Ask for forgiveness
PAGE 11
ST. SOPHIA GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
Our Church Family
Happy Birthday!
1 Wya John Anthony
1 Bre Shannon
1 Jennie Villa
1 Robert Welzbacher
2 Jeanne Mary Coutros
2 Kaitlin Petrutsas
5 Faris Araj
5 Constan"ne Macris
5 Nicholas Oserov
5 Alexandria Villarreal
6 Julia Ellis
7 Annee Cash
7 Wilson Evans
7 Nikolas Papanikolaou
7 Constan"ne Sgagias
9 Nathanael Hathaway
10 Rowalda Khory
10 Amanda Morris
10 Alex Sayfi
12 Mahew Brown
12 Alemeshet Buta
13 Peter Sarantopoulos
13 Lindsey Walker
13 Sylvia Wolf
14 Nikos Kypreos
14 Jacob Woods
15 Peter Chilla
15 Wharton Colby
15 Victoria Gartelos
15 Elizabeth Heacox
15 Kathleen Kaberides
16 Daniel Cavanaugh
16 Kassandra Frey
16 Ally Shannon
16 Kristen Zgonis
17 Jacob Tegene
18 Danny Organ
19 Michael Albrecht
19 Ka"e Copas
20 Samuel Crandall
20 Arron Geer
20 Sofia Marcantoni
20 James Verreos
20 Francine Zannidachis
20 Ariyanna Zogbi
21 Jennifer Colby
21 Chris"na Walker
22 Howard Quinton
22 Alexandra Ticoras
23 Kenneth Bergquist
23 Frances Flores
24 Estelle Bournias
24 Athena Houghtaling
25 Kayliegh Hood
25 Tessa Maropis
25 Alexia Velentzas
25 Diana Wolf
27 Matei Manta
28 Peter Kaberides
28 Jerry Kouroumousis
28 Stephanea Sotcheff
29 Ruth Maropis
29 Jus"n Petrutsas
29 Spyros Ticoras
30 Andrew Fafoutakis
30 Presbytera Ka"na Gartelos
30 Kaliana Gartelos
30 Katherine Green
30 Alembergan Taye
31 Christopher Erck
31 Aspasia Erian
31 Paula Kas"s
Happy Anniversary!
1
1
1
3
4
7
11
14
21
28
30
Kenneth & Diane Bergquist
George & Cynthia Callins
Dionysios & Monica Nikolaou
Harris & Alita Papahronis
Anil & Helen Dua
George & Carolyn Presses
Stan & Kim Masters
Richard & Elianna Vasquez Jr
David & Elena Umbel
Nicki & Paul Weston
James & Melissa Georgaoulakis
Remember in
your Prayers
Chrissy Anthony
Argie Bonduris
Tim Caris
Katie Copas
Dora Costa
Megan Crandall
Phillip Demitre
John Dracopoulos
Lili Dracopoulos
Doyle Dunn
Kristina Frey
Michelle Frey Gutt
Don Hucthinson
Fr. John Kondratick
Olga Kouchoukos
Fr. John Mangos
Fred Marsh
Mimi Moultrup
Katie Nelson
Helen Noumas
Tomi Papanikolaou
Elaine Pena
Tom Poulos
Harry Rokas
Walt & Mina Sidler
Sophia Sotiriou
J. Tyler Stanley
Helen Stanley
Fr. Dan Suciu
Beth Tsounakas
Georgia Varelas
Ismene Valescu
Nikki Walker
Sylvia Wolf
Anthony Zannaras
Please pray for the brothers and
sisters listed on the this page who
are sick. If you are sick, please let us
know so we can pray for you as
God’s family. Please let us know
when you are having surgical
procedures and Fr. George will
perform the PARAKLESIS Service
during your procedure. In the event
of any hospitalization, please let us
know so we can bring the Lord’s
comfort in prayer or sacrament.
Editor’s Note
Remember that the Newsletter deadline
is March 15 for the April 2014 issue. You
may either mail, fax or e-mail your
articles or items before the deadline to
the Church Office. (Addresses are on the
front page). If your name does not
appear in the birthday or anniversary
lists, please call the church office. If you
know anyone who is ill and not on the
Prayer List and would like their name
listed, call the Church Office at 7355051.
The First Sunday
of Lent:
The Sunday of Orthodoxy
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
San Antonio, TX
Permit No. 1212
Change Service Requested
SERVICES AND SCRIPTURE READINGS
MARCH SUNDAY SERVICES
MARCH WEEKDAY SERVICES
DIVINE LITURGY 9:30 AM
Sunday
March 1
Epistle Reading: Galatians 5:22-26; 6:1-2
Gospel Reading: Matthew 6:1-13
Sunday
March 8
Epistle Reading: II Timothy 2:1-10
Gospel Reading: Mark 2:23-28; 3:1-5
Sunday
March 15
Epistle Reading: Hebrews 3:12-16
Gospel Reading: Mark 1:35-44
Sunday
March 22
Epistle Reading: Hebrews 10:32-38
Gospel Reading: Mark 2:14-17
Sunday
March 29
Epistle Reading: Hebrews 6:13--20
Gospel Reading: Mark 9:17-31
March 25
Wednesday
Annunciation
Epistle Reading: Hebrews 2:11-18
Gospel Reading: Luke 1:24-38
\
LENTEN SERVICES
Pre-Sancitified at 6 pm on Wednesdays
Salutations at 6 pm on Fridays.