June Church Bulletin 2016 - Greek Orthodox Church of the

June
Events
June 6
Youth Group
Meetings
June 5
Graduation &
Promotion Sunday
June 12
Parish Picnic
June 15
Greek Food Festival
Meeting
June 16
TNT
June 20-June 24
Vacation Church
School
Ascension Thursday
June 9
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:

Letter from
Fr. Jon

Pilgrimage to
the Holy Lands

Youth
Update

JUNE Namedays
GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
OF THE
ANNUNCIATION
313 TOKAY AVENUE
P.O. BOX 578128
MODESTO, CA 95357
Parish Website:
www.goannunciation.org
Parish E-Mail: [email protected]
Parish Telephone: (209) 522-7694
Weekly
Services
Greek Orthodox Church of the
Saturday
313 Tokay Avenue, Modesto, CA 95350
P.O. Box 578128, Modesto, CA 95357
Annunciation
Great Vespers
5:00 p.m.
Sunday
Divine
Services
9:00 a.m.
Summer
Church Hours
Begin June 19
Divine
Services
8:30am
Office: 209-522-7694 Fax: 209-522-3926
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m.– 5:00 p.m.
Website: www.goannunciation.org
Facebook: www.facebook/goannunciation
REV. FR. JON MAGOULIAS
PARISH PRIEST
ANNUNCIATION PARISH COUNCIL
JEFF BROWN
NICK FAKLIS
JAYLEN FRENCH
MARY GAVRILIS
TONY GAVRILIS
MICHAEL J. KORDAZAKIS
ANDREA MAYER
NICK PALLIOS
STEVE PALLIOS
MANOLI RODARAKIS
NICK STAVRIANOUDAKIS
STAMATIS TSATSARONIS
MITCHEAL WORD
PARISH ORGANIZATIONS
Parish
Organizations:
Please submit
your articles,
photos and
information
by the 15th of
each month
for inclusion
in
the next
month’s
bulletin.
Thank you!
ALTAR BOYS
MANOLI RODARAKIS
GREEK FOOD FESTIVAL
KELLY LEMONS
CHANTER
ANDONIOS TSIRELAS
GREEK SCHOOL SUPERVISOR
DESPINA RODARAKIS
CHOIR DIRECTOR
MARKELLA TSATSARONIS
G.O.Y.A. PRESIDENT
JONATHAN WORD
CHURCH SCHOOL
SUPERVISOR
HELEN KATOTAKIS
H.O.P.E. PRESIDENT
NICHOLAS AFFHOLTER
DANCE GROUP PARENTS
ALIKI ALEXANDER
DYNAMIS CHOIR
DENNA TSATSARONIS
J.O.Y. PRESIDENT
KYLIE AFFHOLTER
Y.A.L. COORDINATOR
SOPHIA THYMAKIS
MOTHERS OF ORTHODOX
MINORS
DIANE HILLAS
PARISH BOOKSTORE
LINDA FOSTINIS
PARISH WEBSITE
MITCHEAL WORD
PHILOPTOCHOS SOCIETY
PRESIDENT
GLORIA VINCENT
TOTS ‘N’ TODDLERS
HAYLEY KLEVMYR
LAURA PETRULAKIS
COMMUNITY PROGRAMS
A.H.E.P.A
PAUL FORAKIS
APOGONI TIS KRITIS
CONNIE SIMVOULAKIS
DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE
KAREN FORAKIS
LEFKA OREE
MICHAEL J. KORDAZAKIS
SISTERHOOD ELEFTHERIA
ARGIE THYMAKIS
OFFICE PERSONNEL
CAROL DUNN, MALINA KOKOLOGIANNAKIS & DIMITRA WILSON
Please remember your church in your will!
GRADUATION &
PROMOTION SUNDAY
June 5, 2016
Immediately following the
Divine Liturgy
GUS & KATHLEEN
RENTZIPERIS
BBQ HONORING ALL GRADUATES
(SPONSORED BY AHEPA)
Parents are asked to please contact the Church Office
before June 1st if your child is graduating from:
JR. HIGH, HIGH SCHOOL, COLLEGE,
UNIVERSITY, OR GRADUATE SCHOOL
(Please let us know if any adults are graduating, too!)
Reverend
Protopresbyter
Jon Magoulias
JUNE 2016
Dearly beloved in the Lord:
Reverend
Protopresbyter
Jon Magoulias
The day of Pentecost (June 19, 2016) is not merely a Church feastday
like other ecclesiastical celebrations. It is the great day in which the One, Holy,
Catholic, and Apostolic Church was born! It is also the day in which the Church
began Her wondrous mission! A new and dynamic period began with the
Church and Her faithful members. Those among the first to be filled with the
fruits of the Holy Spirit were the Apostles.
Rich in grace, this heavenly gift was poured out upon the souls present
on that first Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon them. It is possible
for us to experience this same outpouring of the Holy Spirit today, if we
spiritually transport ourselves to that moment.
The tragic situation of the disciples following the Crucifixion is known to
us. They were in a state of shock and fear for what might happen to them. It is
true that the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior had given them great joy, but
now He had ascended into Heaven. They felt alone - separated from their
Divine Teacher Who had given them support, strength, and comfort in their
struggle. Their lips are sealed, their hearts closed. Only one hope gives them
encouragement; one thought occupies their minds; one expectation warms their
hearts; it is the promise of Christ Himself! He had told them straight out - He
would not leave them alone as orphans. The Comforter, the Holy Spirit will be
sent to you - the Spirit of truth will be your greatest consolation and strength!
The power from on High!
The Holy Spirit comes and fills the home and hearts of the Apostles:
“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4). The immediate results
“Heavenly King,
Comforter, the Spirit of
truth, everywhere present
and filling all things,
Treasury of blessings and
Giver of Life, come and
dwell in us;
cleanse us of every stain
and save our souls, O
gracious One.”
are miraculous and unprecedented! The change in the disciples is radical. Who
could have imagined such a change taking place? The timid became bold. The
uneducated fishermen became wise preachers of God’s Word. Having hid
themselves from others and silent about what they had been taught, they are
now excited to share the message of the Gospel everywhere! The disciples who
had scattered and had forsaken the Lord at the time of His trial and Crucifixion,
now lift high the banner of truth and “Go...as a chosen vessel of His to bear His
name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15).
The Holy Spirit, however, did not come only for the day of Pentecost! It
continues to govern the Church and guide the faithful. This is what
strengthened the martyrs; this is the power that illumined the Holy Fathers of
the Church; the teachers and evangelizers of His divine word.
Residing in every Christian the Holy Spirit enables one to become a
fountain of strength and sanctification. This, of course, assumes that we remain
obedient to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and live our lives in accordance
with His teachings. The warning of God is wise in teaching us to be cautious:
“My spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh...” (Genesis 6:3). If we
reject the cares of today’s world, the Holy Spirit will continue to dwell within
our lives. Our every thought and action will be regulated by this holy presence.
It will be for us: the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of understanding, of goodness
and honesty, intelligence and sovereignty, a Treasury of blessings!
On behalf of the Parish Council, I thank you for your love and support
for our holy Church. May the Holy Spirit illumine and sanctify all of you.
In Christ’s love,
Rev. Fr. Jon Magoulias
PARISH PRIEST
The Ascension
of our Lord, God, and Savior
Jesus Christ
(June 9, 2016)
“And they returned to Jerusalem with great joy…”
(Luke 24:52)
Truly, an unheard of event!
Unbelievable
from
one’s
first
impression! Imagine, being separated
from a loved one and being happy about
it! And yet, “with great joy” is how St.
Luke the Evangelist describes the
emotions of the disciples when the Lord
is departing from them!
It is a
separation not accompanied by sorrow,
but abundant joy!
This is the feeling that the
Ascension of our Lord offers. As Jesus
Christ ascended into heaven the
disciples “returned to Jerusalem with
great joy...” (Luke 24:52). This is a
curious
and
wondrous
moment.
Immediately prior to the Lord’s Passion,
when He had told them that He would
be leaving them, they were overwhelmed
with sorrow (See John 16). At this
moment, however, when He is actually
leaving the disciples to be received into
heaven, He will never see them again
with the eyes of the body, not only are
they not sad, but they are overwhelmed
with joy! Instead of lamenting His
departure, they sing praise to God “and
were continually in the Temple blessing
God.” (Luke 24:53)
The Ascension of Jesus Christ
represents the greatest completion of a
miraculous life.
It is the glorious
fulfillment of the divine dwelling on
earth. It is a magnificent revelation of
heavenly power.
The Ascension
represents the zenith of the mystery of
humankind’s redemption. When we
celebrate this glorious event let us not be
sorrowful thinking that our Lord did not
enter heaven in some exceptional way,
but rather that His Ascension is a
beginning! The He has become “the first
-born from the dead, that in everything
He might be preeminent” (Liturgy of St.
Basil), the Head of the Church in which
the faithful people of God constitute the
Body. In this manner He elevated
humanity to partake of the throne of the
divine. He has not lifted up human
nature in an earthly manner, but in a
heavenly way. He has glorified us, He
has sanctified us, and He has taken us to
the right hand of our heavenly Father.
We have all ascended into heaven
together with the Ascended Lord
because wherever the Head may be
found is also the Body! We are called to
enter the heaven of glory, to be
partakers
of
the
kingdom
of
inexpressible joy and peace. It suffices
to say that we must therefore, at this
very moment, respond to this heavenly
invitation and let us “Lift up our
hearts.” (Divine Liturgy) AMEN!
L I T U R G I C A L C A L E N DA R
JUNE   
Saturday,
Great Vespers
June 4th
5:00 p.m.
 
Sunday,
June 5th
Sunday of the Blind Man
Epistle
Acts
16:16-34
Gospel
John
9:1-38
Sunday Divine Services
9:00 a.m.
Thursday,
Ascension Thursday
Epistle
Acts
Gospel
Luke
Divine Services
Saturday,
Great Vespers


 
June 9th
1:1-12
24:36-53

8:30 a.m.
 
June 11th
5:00 p.m.
 
Sunday,
June 12th
Sunday of the Holy Fathers
Epistle
Acts
20:16-18, 28-36
Gospel
John
17:1-13
Divine Services at
Gallo Park, Livingston
10:00 a.m.
 


Saturday,
June 18th
Saturday of the Souls
Epistle
1 Thess. 4:13-17
Gospel
John
21:14-25
Divine Services
8:30 a.m.
Great Vespers
5:00 p.m.


 
 
Sunday,
June 19th
Pentecost Sunday
Epistle
Acts
2:1-11
Gospel
John
7:37-52, 8:12
Sunday Divine Services
8:30 a.m.
Saturday,
Great Vespers



 
 
June 25th
5:00 p.m.
 
Sunday,
June 26th
Sunday of All Saints
Epistle
Heb.
11:33-40; 12:1-2
Gospel
Matt.
10:32-33, 37-38; 19:27-30
Sunday Divine Services
8:30 a.m.

  ; 
 
Wednesday,
June 29th
Ss. Peter & Paul the Apostles
Epistle
2 Cor. 11:21-33; 12:1-9
Gospel
Matt.
16:13-19
Sunday Divine Services
8:30 a.m.
Thursday,
June 30th
Synaxis of the 12 Holy Apostles
Epistle
1 Cor.
4:9-16
Gospel
Matt.
9:36, 10:1-8
Divine Services
8:30 a.m.

 

 


 
 
St. Martha
It is the practice of our Church to give the name of a Saint to the new born child. By
assuming the name of a Saint, we not only honor and express our gratitude to a Holy
Person for his exceptional contribution to the Orthodox Faith, but provide the new
Christian with an example worthy of emulation. The Saint then becomes the Patron of the
child protecting it from all danger. Through his prayers, God will grant the child the
necessary illumination to become a zealous member of the Church and an ardent follower
of Christ.
If by chance we accidentally miss someone's nameday, we ask that you please contact the
Church Office so that we may correct our records. We extend our prayers to all those
celebrating June Namedays and beseech our heavenly Father to grant them many years.
!
**************************************************************************************************************************************************
June 4th St. Martha,
sister of Lazarus
June 27th St. Joanna,
the Myrrhbearer
Martha Kokologiannakis
Cheryl Robinson
June 8th St. Kalliope,
the Martyr
Car ol Dunn
Kelly Kiliver os
Collette Pepelis
Chloe Pappas
June 9th St. Rhoda
Rodo Rodarakis
June 29th
Sts. Peter & Paul
the Apostles
Paul Forakis
Peter K atsufrakis
Paula Leffler
Peter Lolonis
Peter Mamalis
Paul Pronoitis
Allen Velthoen
June 24th St. Elizabeth,
Mother of the Forerunner
Elizabeth Davis
Elizabeth J aur eguy
Elizabeth Petr ulakis
K ar na Petr ulakis
Sts Peter and Paul
A Yearlong Study of Responsible Stewardship
Church of the Annunciation:
“…they that seek the Lord shall not be deprived of any good…”
(Psalm 34:10)
“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and proclaimed,
‘If any one thirst, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the scripture has
said, Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water’.”
(John 7:37-38)
The triumphal celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus
Christ and His glorious Ascension into Heaven (40 Days after Pascha) bring us to the Spirit
filled experience of Pentecost (June 19). In the Church's annual liturgical cycle, Pentecost is
“the last and great day.” It is the celebration by the Church of the coming of the Holy Spirit
as the end - the achievement and fulfillment - of the entire history of salvation. For the same
reason, however, it is also the celebration of the beginning: it is the “birthday” of the Church
as the presence among us of the Holy Spirit, of the new life in Christ, of grace, knowledge,
adoption to God and holiness.
Pentecost is the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the establishment of
the Church. The Holy Spirit, as the Third Person of the Holy Trinity and Lord, gives great
authority to those who are involved with completing His great commission (See Matt. 28:1820). Jesus said, “…you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you
shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the
earth” (Acts 1:8). In our prayer to the Holy Spirit, we must ask the Lord to help us
appropriate our faithful Stewardship in fulfilling His purpose of witnessing to His kingdom
and righteousness. The celebration of Pentecost is our invitation to dedicate ourselves once
more to build the Body of Christ – the Church!
The Holy Spirit inspires all who have conviction to serve Christ and His Church. In
the Book of Acts St. Luke wrote to the Stewards of the Church: “…they continued steadfastly
in the Apostles’ doctrine and fellowship…and many wonders and signs were done through the
apostles.” (Acts 42 & 43). We need to come forward as godly Stewards that participate and
support the ministries of our Parish. Assembling the most dedicated Stewards builds a
higher level of fellowship that will enable us to realize quantitative and qualitative growth in
the Church!
As we celebrate Pentecost this month, we must heed the Lord’s invitation to go to Him
and “to drink” of the “living waters” given by the grace of the Holy Spirit. What a
wonderful promise our Lord offers to all who come to Him to drink; a promise which brings
joy and peace by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Participation as a Steward of the Church enables us to establish the necessary goal that
is the call of every Christian. St. Seraphim of Sarov beautifully elaborated on this when he
wrote: “The goal of Christian life is the acquisition of the Spirit of God. Prayer, vigil, fasting,
charity and the other works of which are done for Christ’s sake, are only means for
obtaining the Holy Spirit…”
When we were baptized and chrismated, we were sealed by the “grace of the Holy
Spirit.” It is the duty of each parishioner to respond to Christ’s invitation to “Come” and to
be the type of Steward that is centered in Christ…”Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living
waters…”
As we celebrate the “birthday of the Church” we encourage you to consider your
Stewardship offering of Time, Talent and Treasure. Ask yourself if you are allowing the Holy
Spirit to work through you so that His Church may be filled with love, joy and peace.
This month’s Stewardship message speaks to each of us and calls us to examine not only
the type of Steward one may be, but what one must become! It is a message we must keep
every day of our lives. As St. John of Kronstadt wrote: “The strengthening of the Holy Spirit
we need every minute of our life, just as breathing…”
May the Holy Spirit guide you as you prayerfully consider and discuss these questions
with your family:




What percentage of my Time, Talents, and Treasure am I offering back to Christ
and His Church?
Am I offering the bare minimum or am I doing all I we can?
Am I giving a significant financial contribution but not attending the Divine
Services, and other ministries of the Church.
What more can I do?
Help 2016 Become the Year We Meet All of Our Stewardship Goals

Increase participation to 100%. Remember, the first $175.00 offered per steward
supports the ministry of our national Church.

Increase the average Stewardship offering by at least 10%. If you have not
pledged in the past we invite you to join us for 2016. If you have been a Steward
in the past, we sincerely thank you for your continued support and generosity!
We prayerfully encourage you to consider an increase in your Stewardship
offering. How much is a 10% increase? (Please refer to the chart below.)
PLEDGE GUIDELINES
Income
2.5%
3%
4%
5.0%
10.0%
$25,000
$625
$750
$1,000
$1,250
$2,500
$50,000
$1,250
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$5,000
$75,000
$1,875
$2,250
$3,000
$3,750
$7,500
$100,000
$2,500
$3,000
$4,000
$5,000
$10,000
$150,000
$3,750
$4,500
$6,000
$7,500
$15,000
$200,000
$5,000
$6,000
$8,000
$10,000
$20,000
The above chart is to assist you calculate your offering. In supporting “Christ and His
Ministries” please consider what percentage of your gross income YOU are offering to Christ
in support of His Church. Please realize that we need an average of $1,500.00 per steward/
family to meet our operating costs…Please contact Fr. Jon if you have questions.
Stewardship contributions may now be made online at our Parish Website:
www.goannunciation.org
ANNUAL EASTER
BAKE SALE!!!
PALM SUNDAY - Easter
Bread
and Koulourakia
ANNUAL EASTER
BAKE SALE!!!
PALM SUNDAY - Easter
Bread
and Koulourakia
PASCHA 2016
PHOTOS BY JORDAN AIVAZ & ERIK KLEVMYR
YOUTH UPDATE
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever…”
(Hebrews 13:8)
___________________________________________________
Questions and Answers
On a number of occasions, my friends have asked me about my
being a member of the Greek Orthodox Church. When I try to
explain our Faith to them, they seem to think it is “outdated.”
How do we, as Orthodox Christians, respond to this in today’s
world?
__________________________________________________________
The Changeless Faith in a Changing World
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN:
THE ORTHODOX CHURCH AND ROMAN CATHOLICS
THE SUPERABUNDANCE OF GOOD WORKS
Another novel and un-orthodox teaching of the Roman Catholic Church is the
superabundance of the good works of the saints. It teaches that the good works or merits
of the Holy Virgin and the saints are more than they need to save themselves and
therefore, the rest of them can be used for the forgiveness of the sins of other men. Of
course, the Pope himself, who invented many ways to gather money through the
administration of this supposed right to forgive sins, has assumed the dispensation of
these merits.
The Bible, however, is clear in this matter and warns us that every man will be judged
“according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5: 10). Each man’s sins
can be cleansed only by sincere repentance and by his conformation to the divine
commandments, and not by the surplus merits of the saints’ good works.
PURGATORY
An equally un-orthodox and un-scriptural dogma is that of the purgatorial fire wherein
the sinful souls stay for a shorter or longer period, in proportion to the number and
weight of their sins, in order to be cleansed and purified from guilt. The Lord, however,
spoke about an eternal fire only, which the sinful and unrepentant will suffer, and about
an eternal life, which the righteous and the repentant will enjoy. Nowhere did He speak
about a middle condition where a soul must be purified in order to be saved. The
Church believes the words of the Gospel, that both the righteous and the sinful await the
YOUTH UPDATE
resurrection of the dead, and that they enjoy in advance Paradise or Hell, in proportion
to their good or bad works, before the final placement. The Apostle Paul says: “And
these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise; God
having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made
perfect” (Heb. 39-40).
THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
Both Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism believe that the Virgin Mary is “the Mother of
God”, “The Theotokos”, and “the Ever-Virgin Mary.” On the December 8th, 1854 Pope
Pius IX presented the “dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary”. This
dogma holds that from the first instant of her conception, the Blessed Virgin Mary was,
by a most singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, and in view of the merits of
Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the human race, preserved from all stain of Original Sin.
It is a doctrine revealed by God, and therefore to be firmly and steadfastly believed by
all the faithful. As the Pope is infallible and cannot err then the dogma must be true.
For the Orthodox Church this dogma is totally ludicrous and even blasphemous because
then the Virgin Mary would no longer belong to the human race. The dogma breaks
Mary’s link to Adam and the rest of humanity and makes her a “super person” with the
attributes that we ascribe only to Christ. We can even say that it makes her God
incarnate, thus Joachim would not have been her father and Anna, her mother, would
have been the Mother of God. God Himself would not have needed to become man to
save us, because if Mary was born outside of original sin or rather we should say
without the consequences of the original sin, she would have been a perfect human
being, thus not needing to be saved and we could all find salvation through her.
On the other hand, the Orthodox Church believes that Mary was born with the
consequences of the original sin just like every other human being, but was cleansed of
this the moment she accepted to become the Mother of God. How this was possible is not
for us to ask, but remains one of the mysteries of salvation. All we need to know is that
the Holy Spirit prepared the Virgin Mary for her role as the Mother of God. She was
filled with the Uncreated Energy of the Holy Spirit of God in order that she might be a
worthy vessel for the birth of Christ.
One can try to explain this cleansing of original sin with the Mystery of Baptism. When
we are baptized, we are immersed into the water, which signifies the death of the Old
Adam, the death of the body that inherited the fallen nature. When we are raised from
the water, we are joined to the Resurrected Body of Christ. In a similar manner, with the
Annunciation narrative, where the Angel Gabriel tells the Virgin Mary that the Holy
Spirit shall come upon her, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow her, one can
interpret this as a form of baptism that cleansed Mary from the inheritance of the fall
and prepared her to receive God in her womb. What is definite is that God could not
have taken His abode in Mary’s womb if her body still had the scars of original sin,
because God can have no part with sin.
(To be continued)
Pilgrimage 2015: Saints Alive
Constantinople – Trabzon – Greece
DAY 5
We concluded our pilgrimage to
Constantinople and Trabzon
and flew to Thessaloniki. We
arrived around 8 pm, Saturday
evening and were met at the
airport by our guide Marianne
and our driver Demetri.
The trip to the airport to the
hotel is about 30 minutes and
even though it was evening, the
streets were filled with cars and
people walking the streets.
Thessaloniki is the second
largest city in Greece with a
population of about 1 million
people. The total population of
Greece has fallen from 11
million to around 10 million in recent years. The reason for this is the economic crisis that the country
continues to face. We were told that 3500 doctors have left Greece in the last couple of years to open
practices in Germany, Britain, Australia and the USA. There is an exodus of professionals that are
leaving Greece to find work in other countries. Many young adults are also trying to enroll in American
universities to give themselves more opportunities for the future.
Most of us were tired when we
arrived but a few of us decided
to go out to dinner. We chose a
traditional restaurant with
authentic
Thessalonian
cuisine.
The
food
was
outstanding
and
in
the
background were two musicians
playing
Greek
Rembetika
music.
The proximity of Thessaloniki
with Constantinople and the
historical overlapping of these
two great cities make them
different from the environment
of Athens. This is seen in the
architecture, the arts and the
cuisine. The thing that always amazes me about Greece is that for such a small geographical area, there
is such a diversity of culture within its boundaries. We are aware of this from the many different
costumes and dances that our young people learn in our Greek Folk Dance Ministry but it goes beyond
that to other cultural expressions in art, architecture, etc. The ONE thing that remains a constant,
however, is that our Christian Orthodox Faith is expressed on almost every corner and in every
shop. Churches are everywhere and people strategically place icons in their businesses to seek the
blessing of God in their daily responsibilities.
Our tour began the next day by attending the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of St. Demetrios.
DAY 6
Our first day of touring Thessalonica began with our
attending the Divine Liturgy for the feastday of St.
Luke the Evangelist. Thessalonica, the second largest
city is Greece, was the appropriate place to be to begin
our Pilgrimage. The capital of the Province of
Macedonia, we had a marvelous experience visiting the
sites of this modern city that has beautifully
incorporated the much older architecture of churches,
buildings and homes with the modern development of
the city.
Thessalonica is city rooted deep in the culture of our
Christian Orthodox Faith and heritage. We visited
highest point in the city: Old Thessalonica. It was in
the Byzantine period that Thessalonica flourished as
never before, and became the most important political
and economic center of Macedonia, as well as being the
focus of Christianity there.
The second most
important city of the Byzantine Empire, after
Constantinople, the examples of Byzantine art and
architecture are marvelous. Included in these
historical sites are: the Arch of Galerius; the Rotunda;
and Lefkos Pyrgos (The White Tower). In the late 4th
and early 5th century, strong new walls were built and
sections of them have survived to the present day. We
went through the walls, and discovered that what was inside was pretty much the same as outside, but the
view was fabulous!
It is in Thessalonica that St. Paul first brought the message of our Christian Faith (50 AD). It is to the
church he established in Thessalonica that his First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians are
addressed. This is also the city of St. Demetrios the Great Martyr and Myrrh-flowing (303 AD) and is the
patron saint of Thessalonica.
We attended the hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the
beautiful Basilica of St. Demetrios the Great Martyr
where we had the opportunity to venerate his relics on
the first day of preparation for his feastday on October
26.
The church is one of the most important
monuments of Christian art of any period, both in its
architecture, and its ornamentation with same amazing
icons.
The liturgy was celebrated by His All Holiness
Metropolitan Anthimos of Thessaloniki. At the end of
the liturgy, 8 priests carried the reliquary of St.
Demetrios to the front of the church where a Doxology
was prayed. The relics will remain in front of the Holy
Altar for three weeks so that the faithful may venerate
them during this time of his feastday.
Once liturgy concluded, we had the opportunity to
venerate the relics of St. Demetrios and then to go to the
Crypt where the Great Martyr was imprisoned and martyred. The crypt is located below the Holy Altar
of the church. As the level of the ground gradually rose over the centuries, this area acquired the form of
a crypt. According both to tradition and to archaeological findings, it was an old bathhouse, in which
Demetrios was imprisoned and eventually martyred.
In the 5th century, when the first Church of St
Demetrios was built, the site of his martyrdom
was incorporated into the church and the
fountain was converted into a source of holy
water. In the years that followed, the fountain
acquired basins, from which the faithful could
collect myron, the sweet-smelling oil produced
by the saint’s relics.
During the Ottoman rule, the crypt filled up
with earth and was not rediscovered until after
the fire of 1917. It has since been restored by a
team of archaeologists and in 1988, it was
converted into an exhibition space. Located in
this area are a collection of sculptures, capitals,
closure slabs, and vessels from the Church of
St. Demetrios. More specifically, these include
the remains of the original ciborium, which was
constructed to first house the saint’s icon and later
his reliquary. The reliquary is hexagonal and made
of wood and overlaid in silver. There are also an arch
and fragments of arches from a Byzantine ciborium
over the altar, which latter is ornamented with
crosses in medallions and crosses resting on orbs. An
inscription indicates that the donor of the ciborium
was Theodore, Bishop of Thessaloniki in the 13th
century.
Following our visit to St. Demetrios, we took a break
for lunch. Gyros, souvlakia, salads, the usual while
visiting Greece.
We then went to the Rotunda Church which
was built by the Roman emperor Galerius (30511) as part of a large palace complex in
Thessaloniki. It was probably intended to be his
mausoleum, but it was never used as such.
Many Christian legends about the persecuting
emperor's last years developed in Thessaloniki,
such as his repentance on his deathbed as he
suffered from painful and disgusting sores (an affliction ascribed to many enemies of the Church in early
writings). It was also said that his daughter was secretly a Christian, who was martyred as well.
The Rotunda of Galerius was converted into a Christian church in the late 4th century or mid-5th
century. The date of conversion to a church has been difficult to determine since there is no written
documentation about the event, so dating has to be based on analysis of the style of the mosaics and the
historical situation of Thessaloniki in these early centuries.
The Rotunda is an austere structure built
entirely of brick on a circle-within-a-circle
plan with 20-foot-thick walls. To transform it
into a church, Thessaloniki's Christians
converted the southeast niche into an arch,
added a sanctuary, moved the main entrance
from the southwest to the northwest side,
added a narthex, and built another
ambulatory around the outside (which has
not survived). The slender, freestanding
Turkish minaret is the only one to survive in
Thessaloniki.
The interior was covered in glittering
Byzantine mosaics, of which only a few
fragments survive. Most of the damage was
done by earthquakes over the centuries.
They mosaics are Hellenistic in style and are some of the finest examples of mosaic work to survive from
this period. The quality of the work and complexity of the job suggests to some scholars that the workers
were from Constantinople , probably sent by the emperor.
From the fragments and other sources it has been possible to reconstruct most of the original mosaic
program, the overall theme of which seems to suggest the Second Coming of Christ.
The dome mosaic is now lost entirely, but its subject is known from the fortunate survival of its
underdrawings. It depicted Christ, dressed in imperial purple and seated or standing on a shield. He held
a cross in his left hand and raised his right hand upwards. This is a notable example of the influence of
imperial elements in Early Christian art - the Roman army would often proclaim an emperor by elevating
him on a shield.
This central scene was surrounded by 24 stars and a garland border (which survives intact) and
supported by four Victories or angels, whose heads and wing tips survive. Between the angels were a
phoenix and a luminous cross. Lower on the dome was a set of 24 to 36 standing figures, perhaps apostles
and angels, of which only some sandaled feet remain.
The drum of the dome bears fragments of eight scenes, each in an architectural framework full of
symbolic decoration (crosses, lamps, books, doves, peacocks, etc.) and centering on two or three martyred
saints in prayer. Each saint wears slightly different vestments and has individualized features and a lively
expression.
Inscriptions provide the name, occupation and festival month of each saint. They are all eastern saints
and many were martyred under Diocletian
(r.284-305). They are as follows: The choice
and grouping of these saints is intriguing.
There is no other known example in
Byzantine art of this grouping of saints or
even its compositional arrangement. Many of
the festivals contradict known church
calendars, both Greek and Latin, and some
of the names (e.g. Basiliskos and Therinos)
are not known anywhere else. There is no
record in Byzantine writings of a soldier
named Leo who was martyred in June.
Golden mosaics with medallions of birds and
fruit (restored 1885) decorate the southeast
recess, and the apse vault bears a faded
fresco of the Ascension from the late 9th
century.
In the yard around the Rotunda are marble fragments from the Byzantine church (including an ambo
and various other carved marble slabs), Jewish tombstones, and other artifacts.
The Ottoman Turks ruled Thessaloniki
from 1430, and in 1591, Agios Georgios was
converted into a mosque. On the Islamic
calendar it was the year 999, when the end
of the world was expected by some.
Fortunately, the mosaics that survived until
then were not harmed further by this
conversion; they were simply painted over.
After serving three religions, the Rotunda
is now a deconsecrated museum. It has
been undergoing extensive restorations ever
since the destructive earthquake of 1978.
The Rotunda reopened in 1999, but at the
time of writing (late 2009) the ancient
mosaics around the dome are still covered
in scaffolding. During the year, there are
only three church services held there.
We then walked down the street to enter the Arch of
Galerius. The arch was built as part of a grand complex he
was building to mark the success of his military campaigns.
Located next to the arch is the Church of Panaghia Dexia. A
beautiful church, it houses a replica of the Icon of the Virgin
Mary of Kykkos Monastery. The original is at the Kykkos
Monastery on the Island of Cyprus.
Our visit to Thessalonica then took us to the Holy Monastery
of Vlatadon. The Monastery of Vlatadon is where the
Patriarchal Institute of Patristic Studies is located.
This location was the site of the Jewish synagogue where St.
Paul preached. It was also the site of the home of Jason,
where St. Paul stayed while in Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9).
has a stunning view of the city.
Following our visit to Vlatadon we drove by the Church of St.
Paul. This church
was
built
to
commemorate
his
missionary efforts to
the Thessalonians. It
In the late 15th century, Thessalonica became a haven for Jews
exiled from Spain. They became an important part of the city,
both socially and economically, until the Nazi occupation in
World War II. The Nazis gathered all the Jews of the city and
sent them to concentration camps. It is important to note that the
Church leadership of Thessalonica was instrumental in
protecting thousands of Jews during that occupation. The Nazi
efforts, however, succeeded in ending four centuries of Jewish
influence in the city.
We then drove to Suroti to venerate St. Paisios. There
were many people who were making a pilgrimage to the
monastery of St. John the Evangelist to visit the grave of
the saint. We first entered the church to light a candle
and then to say a prayer.
Paisios, a monk who spent most of his life in the nearby
Mount Athos monastic community, was essentially made
a saint by popular acclamation. Revered among the
faithful as a wise man and a prophet, he was canonized
on Tuesday, July 12, 1974 by the Synod of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate bishops in Istanbul, Turkey,
just over 20 years after his death, on July 12, 1974, at the
age of 70.
Behind the church is the grave of St. Paisios. It took us
just over an hour, waiting in line, to venerate the grave
of St. Paisios.
We then returned to Thessaloniki to get some rest before
our supper.
Thessaloniki was always an important city and it was
given a further boost after Constantine developed its
harbor. The city became even more important after the
mid-5th century, when it became a provincial capital
and the base of the main military general of the west.
Thessaloniki flourished, and developed at a fast pace into the mid-6th century.
We then drove to Suroti to venerate the shrine of St.
Paisios. Thousands of faithful have made the pilgrimage to
the monastery of St. John the Evangelist in a small town in
northern Greece to visit the grave of the Orthodox
Church's latest saint, Saint Paisios. When we arrived,
there was already a line that required about an hour wait
to approach the relics.
Paisios, a monk who spent most of his life in the nearby
Mount Athos monastic community, was essentially made a
saint by popular acclamation. Revered among the faithful
as a wise man and a prophet, he was canonized last
Tuesday by the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
bishops in Istanbul, Turkey, just over 20 years after his
death, on July 12, 1974, at the age of 70.
In the Orthodox Church, specific miracles aren't required
to become a saint — instead the reputation of the faithful
plays a major role. But Paisios' sainthood happened
quickly according to church standards, and was the second
-fastest sainthood in recent church history.
This concluded our day of touring. We returned to our
hotel for a nice supper and to relax for the next day of our
pilgrimage.
(To be continued)
Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos
June 2016 Newsletter
One Woman Asking Another Woman to Care. Philoptochos is women with
compassion, love, and strength. Philoptochos is YOU. Please become a member
of this dynamic organization by sending your stewardship to the church office!
We look forward to seeing you at our
Potluck Dinner Meeting
TUESDAY, June 7, 2015 6:00 P.M.
We will meet in the Church Hall. Bring your favorite salad to the
meeting to share. R.S.V.P. to Maria Berris at 526-4864 or
[email protected].
Our important fundraiser, Tastes of the Mediterranean wine tasting
event, is Thursday July 21, from 6 P.M. to 9 P.M. You can help by:
 Sending our preprinted postcards (available at the church
office) to your friends and telling everyone you know about
the event.
 Sending the flyer out to all of your email addresses. It will
be sent to you.
 Selling tickets!!!!!! This is what makes this event successful.
You can get them at our June 7, meeting from Maria
Skordos Moore during fellowship hour on Sundays or from
the church office.
 Bring a Mediterranean dish to be served at the event.
THE LADIES PHILOPTOCHOS SOCIETY
OF THE ANNUNCIATION CHURCH
313 Tokay Avenue PO Box 578128 Modesto CA 95357
(209) 522-7694
Dear Parishioners and Students
May 1, 2016
The Philoptochos Society is offering a $1,500.00 Scholarship to our 2016 graduating high school
students and/or present college students pursuing further studies. Twelve additional scholarships
are also being offered and distributed through Philoptochos. They are:
ANNUAL EASTER
BAKE SALE!!!
Angie Hayes Memorial Scholarship
Georgia Grillos Scholarship
Anthony Paul Forakis Memorial Scholarship
Katherine Velthoen Memorial Scholarship
Maria Kalmatis Memorial Scholarship
Blanas Family Scholarship
Anthony G. Petrulakis Memorial Scholarship
Tony and Anna Boodrookas Scholarship
Annunciation Dance Groups
John and Mary Tronis Scholarship
John and Argery Pallios Memorial Scholarships (2)
$750.00
$500.00
$700.00
$500.00
$700.00
$500.00
$1,000.00
$1,000.00
$1,000.00
$1,250.00
$1,250.00 (each)
PALM SUNDAY - Easter
Bread
and Koulourakia
In addition to the criteria set forth by those families donating scholarships, strong emphasis
will be placed on your involvement within the Greek Orthodox Church. Those interested, please
complete the application on the reverse side of this letter and submit it to the Scholarship
Committee postmarked by June 30, 2016. Please mail applications to:
LADIES PHILOPTOCHOS SOCIETY
SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE
ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
P.O. BOX 578128 -- MODESTO, CA 95357
Additional applications are available from the Church Office.
SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE
ANNUNCIATION PHILOPTOCHOS
Check List Before Mailing
1 . Fill out completely and sign the application.
2 . Include two (2) current and dated letters of recommendation (from someone not related to you,
such as a clergyman, teacher, employer etc.)
3 . Include most recent sealed transcript from your educational institution
4 . If college transcripts are being sent separately, check with Church office to confirm receipt
5 . Include an updated resume and autobiography.
6 . Review again and mail. Application to be postmarked no later than Thursday, June 30, 2016.
7 . If a student is awarded a scholarship, enrollment verification must be received by October 1, 2016;
or the scholarship will be forfeited.
8 . If a scholarship is granted, the student must be enrolled as a fulltime student, or the scholarship
will be forfeited.
PHILOPTOCHOS SOCIETY SCHOLARSHIP FORM
ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH ~ MODESTO, CA 95357
APPLICATION DUE BY: June 30, 2016
NAME: _____________________________________________ GPA : ___________________
ADDRESS: ___________________________________________ PHONE : _______________________
____________________________________________________________________
ANNUAL EASTER
BAKE SALE!!!
Birthdate:____________________
Place of Birth____________________________________________
Father's Name: _________________________________ Occupation _____________________________
Mother's Name: _________________________________ Occupation _____________________________
Number of children in Family: __________________
How many are living at home? __________ Ages of Children? (include self) ________________________
Are you or your parents Stewards of the church
Yes____
No____
Are you or your parent(s) a member of Philoptochos
Yes____
No____
Names of brothers and/or sisters attending college now:
PALM SUNDAY - Easter
Bread
and Koulourakia
NAME
COLLEGE
__________________________________________ ____________________________________________
__________________________________________ _____________________________________________
__________________________________________ _____________________________________________
List the Philoptochos Scholarships you have received in the past:
_______
_______
What college do you plan to attend during the next academic year? __________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Present year in college:____________ Major:_____________________________________________________
If in junior college, do you later plan to attend a higher educational institute and where
__________________________________________ Major: _________________________________________
If undeclared major, what are your interests?
___________________________________________________________________________________________
What activities have you taken part in---in your Parish Church, in the school and in the community?
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
(Attach additional page if necessary.)
Applicant’s Signature:________________________________________ Date:
Please submit with this application, a sealed copy of your transcript, current resume, autobiography and two
current letters of recommendation. These documents will be helpful to the Scholarship Committee.
Pascha Flowers
Thank you to all who donated towards the flowers which beautifully adorned
our church during Lent, Holy Week & Pascha. If you would still like to
contribute, please make checks payable to The Annunciation Church.
Aliki Alexander
Mr. & Mrs. Bill Amerine
Irene Angelo
Galatia Aretakis
Effie Bazos
Dena Brown
Roberta Burge
Katharine Chituras
Harriet Christie
Christina Christodulis
Angelo Cougiamtzakis
Agatha Galas
Mary Gavrilis
Pauline Gianulias
Argie Gionis
Katina Hallis
Christopher & Constance Hillman
Petula Kakridas
Haroula Kalmantis
Zeffie Karam
Hope Katakis
Marlene Katsufrakis
Chryssi Kocolas
Zoi Kondarakis
Kounias Family
Mary Lamatis
Eleni Machado
Caroline Mitri
Voula Mitsopoulos
Nina Pallios
Pam Pallios
Sophie Pallios
Papadopoulos Family
Sophia Papadoulis
Koula Paras
Carol Paras
Anna Petrulakis
Karna Petrulakis
Laura Petrulakis
Youla Polakis
Mary Poloynis
Kiki Shaw
Pat Stavrakakis
Loula Tasiopoulos
Bessie Tavernas
Pagona Varvatakis
Joan Nicholson-Wahl
Helen Woods
Helen Zacharias
Midge Zagaris
Paula Zagaris
Daughters of Penelope
Philoptochos
Sisterhood Eleftheria
Greek Food Festival 2016
Baking Schedule
June 20th - Koulourakia 8:00am
Sept. 12th— Melomakarona (after church)
June 21st - Paximadia 8:00am
Sept. 13th— Kourambiedes 8:00am
July 18th - Baklava 8:00am
Sept. 14th— Packaging (after church)
July 19th - Baklava 8:00am
Sept. 15th— Packaging & Melosi 8:00am
Sept. 6
th
- Diples 8:00am
Sept. 16th— Packaging 8:00am
ANNUAL EASTER
BAKE SALE!!!
PALM SUNDAY - Easter
Bread
and Koulourakia
GOLDEN CIRCLE
We would like to thank Philoptochos for hosting this year’s
Golden Circle events and the dedicated volunteers that create
this beautiful event each month.
Each gathering was filled with amazing food, friendly
May & Summer
Birthdays!
servers and plenty of laughter! Golden Circle will resume in
October 2016.
M.O.M.S & Adult Religious Education
M.O.M.S and Adult Religious Education have concluded for this ecclesiastic
year and will begin again in October 2016.
Thank you to all who have participated throughout the year and we hope
more can join these worthwhile groups next year.
Our Parish Youth Ministry is designed to teach our Faith through fellowship and service.
The success of this ministry rests with the parents. We urge the parents of our young people to
support this ministry with enthusiasm and love. Our Youth Ministry is comprised of young
people in:
H.O.P.E. – Grade 3-5; J.O.Y. – Grades 6-8; G.O.Y.A. - High School; Y.A.L. - College
Important Dates To Remember:
Monday, June 6
Monthly Youth Group Meetings - 7:00 p.m. in the classroom building
Thursday, June 9
HOPE/JOY End of Year Swim Party at Noon
Affholter Family Home; 4016 Cortona Drive, Modesto
Thursday, June 16
GOYA End of Year Swim Party at Noon
Kakridas Family Home; 3313 Yerington Court, Modesto
A fun time for infant to preschool age kids to get together and play!
Thursday, June 16th
at 9:30 a.m.
Coffee Claratina Park
4400 Highlights Way, Modesto
E-mail Hayley if you have any questions.
[email protected]
Summer
Sunday Church School
Begins June
th
19 !!!
This Summer’s theme is
“Passages of the Parables”
Parents are encouraged to bring their children every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. The young
people are to sit in the first pews so that they may be able to receive the Holy Eucharist
first, then proceed to the classroom with their teachers.
It is our hope that ALL of our youth will participate
in this wonderful program!
Calling all Kids
Age 4 years old to 14 years old!
You are invited to a week filled with
Heroic Bible Stories, Crafts and More!!!
June 20th - June 24th
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Cost is $15.00 per child or $25.00 per Family
Please Pre-Register during Fellowship Hour or
Call the Church Office for more details.
Snacks will be provided.
We are pleased to announce the meeting schedule in preparation for our
Greek Food Festival 2016
June 15
July 20
August 17
September 7
October 19
All meetings scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in the Classroom Building.
Committee Chairpeople are to attend all meetings.
Parishioners and friends of our Parish are
asked to please make their plans to be a part
of this year’s Greek Food Festival.
Kelly Lemons
Tony Gavrilis
Chairperson
Co-Chairperson
Rev. Fr. Jon Magoulias
Jeff Brown
Parish Priest
Parish Council President
ANNUAL EASTER
BAKE SALE!!!
PALM SUNDAY - Easter
Bread
and Koulourakia
REGISTRATION
Registration for the 2016-2017 year
GREEK FOLK DANCE PROGRAM
of our Annunciation Parish will be held from:
APRIL 24 – May 15 in the cultural center after the Divine Liturgy
th
th
Before 5/15/16
After 5/15/16
1 Dancer per Family
$25.00
$50.00
2 Dancers per Family
$30.00
$60.00
3 Dancers per Family
$35.00
$70.00
Maximum
$35.00
$70.00
REGISTER EARLY!
The Annunciation Folk Dance Ministry
is offered to families who are stewards of our Parish.
Young people from the age of 4 (by 12/1/16) are welcomed and invited to join!
Dance practice begins May 15 , 2016 after the Divine Liturgy. Young people must be
prompt in attending Sunday Church School in order to participate in Dance Practice!
UPCOMING EVENTS
FIREWORK SALES is coming up and we will need everyone’s help! Firework
sales are our biggest fundraiser and we need everyone’s support!
Please volunteer your time to our booths. Please contact Janelle Hatton.
GFF 2016
September 17 & September 18
Annunciation Greek Folk Dance Registration
2016-2017
Please Complete One (1) Form For Each Dancer
Please Print
Dancer’s name: __________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________________
City & Zip: ______________________________________________________
E-mail:_________________________________________________________
Home phone: ____________________________________________________
Birth date:______________________ Age:____________________________
School grade in September 2015____________________________________
Mother’s name: __________________________cell #___________________
Father’s name: ___________________________cell #___________________
Parents must be stewards of the Annunciation Church for 2016
*A dancer must turn 4 years old by December 1, 2016*
Registration Fee
Before May 15, 2016
After May 15, 2016
1 Dancer per family
$25.00
$50.00
2 Dancers per family
$30.00
$60.00
3 Dancers per family
$35.00
$70.00
Maximum per family
$35.00
$70.00
***************************************************************************************************************************** *****************************************************
Office Use Only
Dance Group____________________________________________________________
Date Registered___________________________________________________________
Amount Paid $___________________________Cash/Check #____________________
Received By_____________________________________________________________
ANNUAL
ANNUNCIATION MODESTO
PARISH PICNIC
Hosted by the Cretan Clubs of Modesto
Lefka Oree - Sisterhood Eleftheria - Apogoni tis Kritis
SUNDAY, JUNE 12TH
Located at Gallo’s “Paisano” Park near Turlock, CA
● Divine Liturgy begins at 10 am at the Park
Picnic Immediately after the Divine Liturgy
● Tri Tip (or Chicken), Pilafi, Salata & Hot Dogs
for the Children
 Free Drinks ALL DAY – Soft Drinks, Bottled Water, Coors Beer,
Gallo Wine, Snow Cones
 You’ll
have an enjoyable day of Fellowship with Friends!
Softball, Horse Shoes, a “Bounce House”, Music,
Dancing & Assorted other Activities
$15.00 Adults - $6.00 Children 12 - Under
For more information contact: John Stathoudakis 209-495-6586
OR Mike J. Kordazakis 209-404-7007
DIRECTIONS TO “PAISANO PARK”
- South on Highway 99
- Exit Lander Avenue
- Turn Right onto Lander Avenue (Hwy 165)
- Drive approx. 8 miles to River Road
- Immediately after crossing the bridge, turn left (East ) onto River Road
- Once you pass Gallo Winery (Approx.1 mile) turn left
- PLEASE NOTE: You cannot see “Paisano Park” from River Road
Saturday of the Souls
(June 18, 2016)
“Among the spirits of the righteous perfected in faith,
give rest, O Savior, to the souls of your servants...”
(Trisagion Hymn)
ANNUAL EASTER
BAKE SALE!!!
Prayers for the eternal memory and repose of:
PALM SUNDAY - Easter
Bread
and Koulourakia
PLEDGED STEWARDS 2016
(AS OF MAY 24, 2016)
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest…”
(Matthew 11:28)
Amerine, William &
Rosanda
Andriopoulos, Christos &
Hariklia
Angelo, Elizabeth
Angelo, Irene
Aretakis, John & Galatia
Bazos, Alex & Effie
Berris, Kostantinos & Maria
Birakos, Dimos & Allison
Bird, Charles & Connie
Blanas, George & Donna
Borden, George
Borden, Jeff & Tina
Boutsikakis, Arestides
Boutsikakis, Christopher &
Jacqueline
Bouzeneris, Anne
Bouzeneris, Mike & Joanne
Bouzeneris, Zabia
Bowren, Ron “Spyridon”
Brown, Dean & Yianna
Brown, Jeff & Dena
Burge, Roberta & Harold
Moore
Burrage, Andrew &
Capous, Alex & Joanne
Catherine Castillo, Efthemia
Cerny, Ryan & Babia
Chilles, Chris & Megan
Chituras, Katharine
Christie, Chris Nino
Christie, Harriet
Christie, Harry
Christodulis, Stephen &
Christina
Christy, Steve
Cocoles, Stamus & Mary
Condor, Bogdan & Voica
Conley, Jason & Ileana
Constantinou, Andy &
Anthoula
Constantinou, Panayiota
Cooke, Brian & Elizabeth
Cougiamtzakis, Angelo
Darpinian, Sherri
Davis, Brian & Anne
Despotakis, Janet
Despotakis, Janet
Duerr, Troy & Kristina
Durrer, Justin & Michelle
Eranossian, Irina
Faklis, Holly & Nick
Fisher, David & Christina
Flesoras, Dean & Angie
Forakis, Paul & Karen
Fortin, Ryan & Kari
Fostinis, Mike & Linda
Fraioli, Tom & Vikki
French, Jaylen & Maria
Galas, Agatha and Chris
Gavrilis, Mary
Gavrilis, Tony & Jeannette
George-Pardini, Elaine
Gikas, Michael & Wanda
Gikas, Steve
Gomez, Danny & Anna
Grillos, Steve & Bessie
Hallis, John & Katina
Haskin, Bradley & Janet
Hatton, Warren & Janelle
Hilladakis, Bruce & Emily
Hillas, John & Anne
Horning, Nick & Mary
Jacobs, Michael & Tasia
Jaureguy, Mike & Irene
Jensen, Karen & Chet
Johnson, Don & Nicole
Kakridas, Pete & Petula
Kalfakis, William & Sharron
Kalmantis, Haroula
Kappas, Mary
Karabinis, Demitrios &
Robyn
Karabinis, Peter
Karam, Zeffie
Karas, John & Sinie
Karaszi, Dena
Katakis, Andrew
Katakis, Argy
Katakis, Hope
Katakis, Ronald
Katakis, William
Katotakis, Manuel & Eleni
Katsufrakis, Peter & Marlene
Kennedy, Beverly
Kennedy, Susan
Khoury, Saliba & Dawn
Klabanos, Alex
Klevmyr, Erik & Hayley
Kocolas, Jim & Chryssi
Kokolas, Bill
Kokologiannakis, Bill &
Malina
Kokologiannakis, Martha
Kokoris, Stan & Mary
Kondarakis, Nick & Zoi
Konstantelos, Nick &
Evmorfia
Korakas, Angela
Korakas, Nick & Joanne
Kordazakis, George &
Angela
Kordazakis, John & Dimitra
Kordazakis, Mike & Eleni
Kordazakis, Stephen M.
Kosmadakis, Mathew &
Kelsey
Kounias, George & Elizabeth
Kounias, Helen
Kounias, Stratos
Lagos, Marie & John
Lallas, Mike & Jennie
Lambros, Pete
Lane, Christopher
Leffler, Duke
Leffler, Duke Z. & Julia
Leffler, Paula
Legatos, Dennis & Tula
Lewis, Fred
Lodewyck, Ronald & Betty
Lolonis, John & Anna
Lolonis, Voula
Louis, Dennis & Georgina
Machado, Bob & Eleni
Malekos, Cindy
Malekos, Olivia
Mamalis, Peter
Mandarakas, Krystalo
Manganas, Antoun
Markantonis, Michael
Maroudas, Maria
Mason, James & Gina
Mastras, Chrissy
Mastras, Nick
Mayer, Andrea
Mayer, Jordan
Mayer, Paul & Dr. Diana
Demetrulias
McCoy, Jason & Niki
McMillen, David & Maria
Mellis, Ilene
Merciadis, Gregory
Metropoulos, Nick & Helen
Micheletos, Greg & Dora
Mitri, Jalil & Caroline
Mitri, Salim & Mervet
Mitri, Seri
Mitsopoulos, Andy & Tamara
Mitsopoulos, Leo and Voula
Mitsopoulos, Tom & Stella
Moore, Kevin & Maria
Moraitis, Steve & Peggy
Moraitis, Steve & Sarah
Mouzes, Gus & Lauretta
Myrtakis, Manuel & Jennifer
Nicholson, Karen
Nicholson, Mark
Nicolacakis, Dean & Maria
Pagonis, Sophie
Pallios, Aleta
Pallios, Diane
Pallios, George & Sophie
Pallios, Jim & Lindsay
If we have mistakenly
left your name off the
STEWARDSHIP ROSTER,
please contact the
Church Office. God Bless You!
Pallios, Jimmy
Pallios, John & Judy
Pallios, Kylie
Pallios, Mike & Irene
Pallios, Nick & Nina
Pallios, Steve & Pam
Pallios, Tony & Joy
Papadogiannis, Yianni & Sara
Papadopoulos, Christos &
Dimitra
Papadopoulos, Stelios
Papadoulis, Sophia
Paras, Andy
Paras, Gus & Carol
Paras, Jim & Koula
Pepelis, Collette
Peros, Irene
Peros, Pete & Esther
Petrulakis, Anna
Petrulakis, Dean & Laura
Petrulakis, George & Karna
Pindel, Daniel & Sandra
Poloynis, Mary
Poulos, Ted & Antonette
Prepoutse, Ted & Kiki
Pronoitis, Paul & Charlotte
Quick, Bob & Chris
Radcliff, Violetta
Ramirez, William & Cassandra
Reeder, John & Barbara
Robinson, Cheryl
Rodarakis, Manoli
Rodarakis, Michael & Rodo
Rosso, Bob & Elaine
Sakaldasis, George & Joann
Sakaldasis, George & Joann
Shaw, Mike & Kiki
Simvoulakis, George & Georgia
Simvoulakis, John
Sirogiannis, George & Helen
Sonnenberg, Jon & Lea
Stamos, Nick & Michelle
Stathoudakis, Mike & Olympia
Stathoudakis, Stavros
Stathoudakis, Yianni & Megan
Stavrakakis, John & Pat
Stavrakakis, Mike & Mary Jo
Stavrakakis, Steve
Stavrianoudakis,Darleen
Stavrianoudakis, Nick &
Suzette
Summers, Ken & Lynne
Swehla, Terry & Karen
Tam, Tony & Carol
Tasiopoulos, Loula & Gus
Tasiopoulos, Theodore
Tavernas, Bessie
Tavernas, Brian & Marcy
Thompson, Fred & Marianne
Thymakis, Argie
Thymakis, Sophia
Thymakis, Tony
Trabookis, Ann
Tripp, Karen
Tsirelas, Antonios
Tsompanas, Pres. Mary
Tsoulouhas, Dr. Theofanis
Tsoulouhas, Theofanis
Tzagarakis, Efthemios &
Martina
Tzagarakis, Evthimios &
Martina
Velthoen, Allen & Ella
Venierakis, Emmanouil & Eleni
Vilhaur, Craig & Kristin
Vincent, Gloria & George
Volk, Drew & Ashleigh
Wahl-Nicholson, Dr. Donald &
Joan
Whitely-Myrtakis, Evelyn
Wigt, Pete & Valli
Wilson, Byron & Dimitra
Woods, Helen
Word, Mitcheal & Chrysi
Zacharias, George & Helen
Zagaris, Denise
Zagaris, Jon & Grace
Zagaris, Mike & Midge
Zagaris, Steven & Lena
Zigounakis, Stella
STEWARDSHIP
2016- 249
2015 - 237
2016 goal – 350