November 2010 - St. Sophia Cathedral

Saint Sophia Cathedral
Herald
HERALD
Page
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS
OF GREEK ORTHODOXY
IN LOS ANGELES
NOVEMBER
2010
INSIDE
THIS ISSUE
Dean’s Message
President’s Message
Stewardship News
Philoptohos News
Philoptohos VIP News
Philanthropia News
Youth News
2
3
4
5
5
5
6
Hellenic Academy
7
Choir News
7
Foundation News
8
Community News
Sacraments
Ministries List
Orthodox Calendar
Other News
8
9
10
11
12-17
Due Date for
December Herald
Monday, 22 November
Saint Sophia
Greek Orthodox
Cathedral
V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas,
Dean
Rev. Fr. Bill Tragus,
Associate
1324 S. Normandie Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90006
Tel. 323-737-2424
Fax. 323-737-7029
www.stsophia.org
Saint Katherine - November 25
Herald
Page 2
DEAN’S MESSAGE
“TRIUMPH OF THE SPIRIT”
loved one, the darkening trauma of abuse or
the searing heat of war
and/or violence.
On Thursday evening of
October 12th, you and I
and over a billion people around the world
watched the dramatic
and miraculous Chilean
miner rescue. We were
glued to our televisions
late into the night. Between tears of joy and
expectation, our souls
soared as we saw the
coffin-like capsule deliver 33 men from darkness to light – from
death to life. There is
something
especially
poignant and perhaps
even
metaphorical
about this 69-day ordeal, half a mile underground, which speaks
to each of us.
In a sense, we are all
miners of sort. Miners
descend everyday into
the darkness of the
earth and hope to
eventually
emerge
safely back into the
light. This is the same
daily hope’s journey of
anyone who knows the
depths of the struggle
associated with confronting
a
lifethreatening illness, the
loss through death of a
Within days of the disaster, family and friends
constructed a tent city
of sorts, which grew to
more than a thousand
people. A local politician commented on
the “explosion of solidarity” among local
businesses and municipalities helping with
daily operations. Finally
after 17 days, half a
mile down into the
bowels of the earth, a
6-inch drill broke into
that inferno of desperation and found 33 men
who, by the grace of
God, had not lost
hope, did not go insane, did not turn on
each other, but found
God
as
the
34th
“person” in their midst.
“I was with God, and I
was with the devil, but
God won”, gushed
miner Mario Sepulveda.
That 6-inch life-line to
life brought the 33 men
the hope of resurrection. It brought food
and mail.
Rescuers
asked the men to form
11 groups of three to
make sure each miner
had two buddies looking out for him. When
an iPod was sent down,
it was accompanied by
a set of speakers and
not headphones, so
they could all listen to-
gether. As we say here
at Saint Sophia, “the Joy
of Belonging.”
Ultimately, whether it is
the story of the miner’s
survival and rescue or
our own individual life’s
situations that require
some form of rescue,
hope of survival rests on
faith in God. Mario Gomez, the 63-year and
oldest of the 33, became
the spiritual leader and
prayer warrior of the
group.
He created a
make-shift chapel with
around
the
clock
prayers, not only during
the first 17 days, but
throughout the entire ordeal. When they were
found, an engineer sent
down 33 copies of the
New Testament. Each
Bible was personalized
with the name of the
miner and specific verses
were tagged to give
each man courage,
faith and hope.
One
miner was especially vocal in expressing his gratitude. “Give thanks to
those who sent us these
Bibles. It gave me so
much faith that I would
get out of this hell.”
Indeed the miners were
walking
hand-in-hand
with God. All of us who
attend the Divine Liturgy
should be inspired and
blessed as we turn to
one another and give
the exclamation that
“Christ is in our midst,”
with the answer of, “He is
and always shall be.”
This reassurance connects us in the bond
of faith, love and
hope.
As we reach deep
into our hearts and
question our values,
principles and most
cherished beliefs, the
riveting drama in Chile
has much to teach us.
When everything else
is
stripped
away,
when all the flimsy
props of life are removed, when the silly
distractions are re-
duced to the absurd, when what we
normally rely on becomes useless and
powerless, the triumph of the spirit
becomes
faith,
hope and love.
“Give praise to God
and Father of our
Lord, Jesus Christ !
He is the Father Who
gives tender love.
All comfort comes
from Him. He comforts others when
they are in trouble.
We ourselves have
received
comfort
from God.” II Corinthians 1:4
Christ is in our midst !
“When you write your will or update it, please remember Saint Sophia Cathedral. Your gift will live into eternity.”
Herald
Page 3
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
“Christianity is nothing more than the imitation of Christ” St. Basil the Great
I would like to convey my heartfelt appreciation for your Stewardship
support because it is your generosity
which makes it possible for our Cathedral to respond to our needs and
continue our ministries.
FESTIVITIES will take place. A brief
Blessing of the grounds will be conducted by our Dean V.Rev. Fr. John
assisted by Fr.Bill. All parishioners are
invited to be part of our new history
as it unfolds.
On behalf of the Parish Council
Board of Directors, I take this opportunity to congratulate Georgia Vasila
who will be honored on Nov. 12th by
the Saint Sophia Camp Golf Tournament Committee for her support,
dedication and years of contributions
to our beloved Cathedral. For more
information, please see the flyer on
page 12 and come to support Georgia and our wonderful camp program.
On November 7th after Liturgy,
the ANNUAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY will
take place. All eligible members are
invited to come and participate in
this important meeting. Several reports will be presented, including
the final plans for our new building.
Please review last year’s General
Assembly minutes on pages 14-17
of this newsletter.
The Holidays are rapidly approaching and the excitement of giving will reach new heights. On your
gift list do not forget the “CASH FOR
CHRISTMAS 2010” campaign. A ticket
or two will make a great gift and an
original stocking stuffer while you are
supporting a very worthy cause.
It is the 31st anniversary in which
our Foundation will administer this
campaign. The proceeds are primarily used to pay the insurance premiums on ALL Cathedral properties EXCEPT the apartment residence building, thus providing a great financial
support to the Parish Council budget
and to the General Fund account. It
is important that we all do our best
to sell or buy as many tickets as possible.
The Committee, under the new
Chairmanship of Timi Loomos Freshman, and with the expert guidance
of our Foundation’s President Mr.
Angelo Pappas, consists of volunteer
parishioners who have worked each
and every year to pay our insurance.
14th
On November
, after Liturgy,
the CEREMONIAL GROUND BREAKING
As we enter the last two months
of the year please remember your
cheerful giving. Consider your
weekly expenditures on entertainment, coffee, etc. when deciding
what amount you can afford to
give to your Church.
Next year will be a year with
great challenges, opportunities and
sacrifices. We all must come together as one, and together we will
succeed in making it happen.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALLXRONIA POLLA!!
In His Service
Panos A.Angels-Angeletopoulos
Correction to the October Herald
The Greek Prime Minister at the time
of the inception of Oxi Day was
Ioannis Metaxas.
“We give
thanks to God
always for all
of you, making mention of
you in our
prayers, remembering
without ceasing your work
of faith, labor
of love and
patience of
hope in our
lord Jesus
Christ “
Thessalonians
1:3
Herald
Page 4
The
Joy of Belonging
through Christian Stewardship
With the holiday season almost upon us, we are reminded of our blessings, and how truly thankful we are
to you and your families. It is your Christian Stewardship that provides the foundation for our thirty ministries
and enables our Church to continue enhancing our
spiritual and cultural growth entrusted to our care.
Stewardship is an opportunity to examine our priorities
and values, to express our thankfulness, and to participate in the work of God. As we are approaching the
end of 2010, we prayerfully hope that we will be able to
reach our stewardship goal of $1,000,000. As of this
writing, we are over $300,000 short.
We kindly ask you to consider this reminder during the
upcoming season of joy and good will by reviewing your
2010 stewardship commitment:
If you have fulfilled your commitment, we are deeply
grateful for your devotion.
If you have not yet fulfilled your commitment, we thank
you in advance for your consideration in fulfilling your
commitment by the end of December.
If you have not yet made a commitment, we encourage
you to please make your commitment today and enable
us to meet the many pressing needs of our Saint
Sophia Ministry.
To pay your stewardship, please visit our website at
stsophia.org/stewardship, or contact our church office at
[email protected] or at 323-737-2424.
With thanksgiving for His many blessings,
Irene Frankos
Stewardship Committee
Invest in your Community of Faith … and experience the Joy of Belonging
PLEDGED STEWARDS FOR SEPTEMBER 16th THROUGH OCTOBER 15th
$5,000 To $5,999
Caras, Mr. & Mrs. Chris
W.*
$2,000 To $2,999
Aronis, Dr. & Mrs. Constantine
Yaitines, Mr. & Mrs. Greg
$1,000 To $1,999
Arkoumanis, Mr. & Mrs.
Leontios
Baltazzi, Ms. Maria
Doumak, Mrs. Jennie *
$500 To $999
Buba, Zanetos, Mr.
Stephan
Dakoglou, Mr. Alexander
Diakoumopoulos, Mr.
and Mrs. Dimitri
Eraklis, Ms. Effie
Fafalios, Mr. Michael
$500 To $999
(continued)
Papachristos, Mr. E.J.
Papoulias, Mr. Tom
Papoutsis, Mr. and Mrs.
Vasilis
OTHER
Doukas, Mr. & Mrs. George
Karabatos, Mr. & Mrs. Christopher
Manikas, Mr. & Mrs. Anthony
Petropoulos, Ms. Renata
Mitropetros, Mr. and Mrs.
Constantinos
Sabatakos, Mr. Panagiotis
Xeniotis, Mr. George
Saltmar, Mr. & Mrs. Jim
Anonymous
Gianoukakis, Dr. and
Mrs. Andrew
Serras, Mr. & Mrs. Dennis
Gountoumas, Ms. Sera
Stamatis, Mr. & Mrs. Harry
James
Kyriazis, Mr. Theodore
& Trepinski, Ms. Kathryn
Toczek, Mr. & Mrs.
Andrzej
Tombros, Mr. and Mrs.
Alexander
+Blessed Memory
*Life Member and Active
Steward
Herald
Page 5
PHILOPTOHOS NEWS
Dear Philoptohos Ladies,
Our first general meeting in October was a joint meeting with the V I Ps and it was an outstanding success.
Together, we had a full house, to hear Dr. Rodanthi
Kitridou, who enlightened us in so many ways about
arthritis and osteoporosis. We would like to extend our
thanks to Dr. Kitridou for her wonderful and informative
lecture. This was truly an informatve gathering for all of
us.
Remember that 2011 is an election year, and members
who are interested in serving on the board should plan
to attend at least four general assembly meetings in
order to qualify. Please call Lola Gialketsis for more
information:
(323)
465-9664
or
e-mail
[email protected].
In November we will have the ground breaking of the
Building Expansion of our Cathedral. As a result we will
need to make special accommodations for our traditional Thanksgiving luncheon scheduled for Thursday,
November 18th.
After long consideration, the board voted to hold this
function at the “The Clubhouse” at Griffith Park. A delicious Thanksgiving Luncheon will be served for a donation of $20.00 per person and Maria Props will once
again be bringing a collection of her jewelry and Christmas gifts. You will be receiving a flyer with detailed
driving directions to the “The Clubhouse” very soon. For
reservations please call or e-mail Scarlett Billis @ (323)
214-6711 or Lola Gialketsis @ (323) 465-9664, as soon as
possible.
Congratulations and endless thank yous to the ladies I
omitted in my last letter: Evridiki Demetriadi, Ilca Moskos,
Georgia Kades, Dorally Spiropoulos, Vivi Demopoulos,
Maria Psaras, Katerina Constantine, Tina Callas, Joanna
Callas, Kristin Thomas, Vasiliki Ellis, Helen Ellis, Vasiliki
Stamtopoulou, Voula Eliopoulos, Tonifaye Palomares,
Emily Valladou, Helen Evangelatos, Athena Lolonis, Tina
Kolovos and Timi Freshman. I hope that I have included
everyone this time. Thanks a million for all your time and
effort in making and baking the delectable pastries for
the greatest Greek Festival ever!
With love in His service,
Dina Skouras Oldknow
PHILOPTOHOS VIP NEWS
Sunday, November 7, 2010: Artoklasia is offered for the
health of the Philoptohos VIP members (senior citizens)
and their families.
December Christmas Luncheon: Due to the demolition
of the Fellowship Hall, this year we regretfully have to
announce that we will not be able to hold our traditional Christmas Luncheon. It has always been a festive
celebration, and we anticipate having a beautiful Fellowship Hall in the very near future so we can again join
together in celebrating the holiday season.
Please see our 2010-2011 calendar on page 8...
Seven Day Mexican Riviera Princess Cruise: The VIPs of
Philoptohos would like you to join them on a beautiful
and fun-loving 7-day Princess Cruise sailing roundtrip,
departing from San Pedro on March 19, 2011. We will be
visiting Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas.
The following prices apply, PER PERSON, based on double occupancy and including port taxes and government fees: Inside Cabin $750.52, Ocean View $800.52,
Ocean View with balcony $950.52, Mini-Suite with Balcony $1150.52. To make a deposit and reserve your
space, please call Catherine Erwin at 818-783-4811.
Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving.
In His Service, Vivi Demopoulos
PHILANTHROPIA NEWS
Canned Goods and Used Clothing: Thank you all
for your support of our Parish Festival. We will,
again, resume accepting your donations of good
used clothing. Grade school ages of children’s
clothing are especially needed. Please continue to
bring your canned goods. As always, your donations of both are very much needed & welcomed.
Please call Father Peter for delivery location.
Also, we are in need of a double bed for a single
mother with two children. If you wish to donate this
item, please leave a message at the church office
with your name and phone number. Father Peter
will be in touch with you.
Bless you everyone!
Father Peter
Herald
Page 6
YOUTH NEWS
Contacts for Youth Programs
ALTAR BOYS
Fr. Bill Tragus
[email protected]
BASKETBALL
Paul Cooper
[email protected]
CAMP AXIOS
September Sucher
email:[email protected]
CAMP ZOE
Presvytera Mia Tragus
[email protected]
GOYA
Fr. Bill Tragus
[email protected]
Mary Sarantes
[email protected]
GREEK DANCE
Barbara Kappos
[email protected]
HELLENIC ACADEMY
Helen Dumas, Director
[email protected]
RITE OF COMMITMENT
Helen Lambros
[email protected]
SAINT SOPHIA CAMP
Melanie O’Regan
[email protected]
saintsophiacamp.org
SUNDAY SCHOOL
Eleni Yokas
[email protected]
18 – 30 FELLOWSHIP
Trip to St. Nicholas Ranch in Dunlap, California
stnicholasranch.org
November 5-7, 2010
Our trip includes, 2 nights, three days lodging (hotel
style rooms) at St. Nicholas Ranch, most meals, and
transportation to Ranch. We will be visiting the Monastery of the "Life Giving Spring," and the Sequoia National Forest and have a guest speaker give two talks
and a concert. There will be Liturgy at the Monastery.
We’ll eat brunch on Sunday with the Orthodox nuns
and also visit a winery in Madera County. Last year
was a blast. We hope you can make it this year. We
can only take 30 people, so register early to reserve
your spot. There are scholarships available for anyone
who needs financial assistance. Please contact Fr. Bill
for financial assistance: [email protected]
Our retreat guest speaker and musician will be Andrew
Anthony. Andrew is a contemporary Christian singer
who is an Orthodox Christian. He is also well versed in
traditional Orthodox music and chanting. He has done
ministry for the Archdiocese for over 15 years all over
the US and was recently the Pastoral Assistant at a
Greek Orthodox Church in Baltimore, Maryland for several years. He now lives in Florida where he is working
on projects and presentations for the Orthodox Church
in his studio. We are happy to have him speak with us
and share his music.
Registration is $105.
The retreat is for Young Adults 18 - 32 age.
Register here now and you can send a check at a
later date:
http://www.stsophia.org/ministries/fellowship.htm
Calendar of events
November
Sunday School Fall Service Project Due
Sunday 7
Fri.5-Sun 7 GOYA Trip to St. Nicholas Ranch
Saturday 13 IOCC Walk-a-Thon
Sunday 14 Sunday School
Sunday 21 Sunday School
Sunday 21 Camp Zoe Dinner & Movie Fundraiser
December
Saturday 4 Bible Bowl—Grades 6-12
St. Mary’s Orthodox Church, Anaheim 10:00-2:30
Sunday 5
Sunday School
Sunday 5
Christmas Concert
6:30 p.m. in the Cathedral
Saturday 11 Christmas Pageant Rehearsal
& Breakfast @ 10:30am
Sunday 12 Sunday School
Sunday 19 Christmas Pageant
Saturday 25 Christmas Day Divine Liturgy
GREEK FOLK DANCE
On Sun Nov 21st St. Sophia Parent Dance Council will be
sponsoring a Pre-Thanksgiving Bake Sale to support our
dance program . The deadline for preorders is Nov 13th.
For details, please call Demitra Koutsos @ 818 903-7059.
CAMP ZOE DINNER AND A MOVIE
Sunday, November 21st
We will be having our 3rd annual Dinner & Movie night on Sunday November 21st from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. The event will be
held at St. Katherine's Greek Orthodox Church in Redondo
Beach, and will be
fun for the whole
family. We will have
dinner, nachos,
& soft drinks along
with
a
great
C h r i s t m a s
movie. There will
be a raffle of gift
baskets
from
Warner Bros., gift
certificates from
the Honey Baked
Store as well as
other prizes. This
event is a fundraiser
for
Camp
Zoe, one of our
youth outreach ministries here at the cathedral. It is a weekend camping program for inner-city children with special
needs. The camp is located in Crestline and is staffed jointly
by members of St. Sophia and the Salvin Special Education
School . The campers attend free of charge. Most of our
campers come from the local neighborhood. To let us know if
you are attending, please contact: Presbytera Mia Tragus via
e-mail [email protected]. St. Katherine's Greek Orthodox
Church is located at: 722 Knob Hill, Redondo Beach.
Herald
SAINT SOPHIA HELLENIC ACADEMY
HELLENIC ACADEMY ADMINISTRATORS
HELEN DUMAS, DIRECTOR
Email: [email protected]
Page 7
Saint Sophia Cathedral 13th Annual Christmas
Musicfest under the Byzantine Dome
"Glory to the New Born King"
Sunday, December 5, 2010 at 7:00 p.m.
Phone: 310-800-6338
SARA PALASKAS, ASST DIRECTOR
Email: [email protected]
Welcome to our Saint Sophia Hellenic
Academy. Classes began on Saturday,
September 18. The Academy’s mission is to
teach children the Greek language, culture,
heritage, customs, traditions and religion in the
context of the Greek Orthodox faith.
CURRICULUM
The Academy’s curriculum is designed for 10
academic classes preferably for
8 to10
students per class, and children are grouped
according to age and level of Greek. We
welcome children from the age of 3 and up.
PRE-SCHOOL: 9:30—11:30am
students learn through music, arts & crafts,
poems, prayers and games.
KINDERGARTEN & FIRST GRADE: 9:30—11:30am
students are introduced to the Greek
alphabet, simple reading, and grammar.
HIGHER GRADES: 9:00—11:30am
as students progress, they learn to read and
write in Greek, and also learn about Greek
history, mythology, literature, religion,
geography, culture and traditions.
ADULT CLASSES: 11:45am-1:30pm
classes are specifically designed for adult
students.
The most important addition to our curriculum
last year was a course, preparing students of
advanced classes for the yearly examinations
leading to the Certificate of Attainment in
Greek, issued by the Greek Ministry of National
Education and Religion.
Candidates are
prepared on any of four levels of linguistic
proficiency.
The program will include Orthodox Christmas
Hymns and Chants, selections from the
"Christmas Oratorio" by Camille SaintSaëns, and traditional carols of the holiday
season. The concert will feature Carole Choucair Oueijan, Chanter Saint Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, Michele Patzakis
Prappas and Ernest J. Gekas as soloists, the
Saint Sophia Cathedral Choir and Chamber
Ensemble under the direction of Jim H. Kollias,
and the Harmonies of Saint Thomas all Girls
Choir, under the direction of Antonio Espinal.
Freewill offering…
Join the Saint Sophia Choir
Do you find yourself singing liturgical music out
loud for no reason? In the car? In the shower? Do
you listen to the choir on Sundays and say to yourself “This year I’d like to be a part of that wonderful group? Or teens – do you sing in your high
school choir? If you answered yes to any of these
questions, it may be time for you to join the St.
Sophia Choir. Don’t wait for January to make that
New Year’s resolution! You don’t read Greek? The
first Sunday of each month is an all-English Liturgy
and there are phonetics to help on the other Sundays each month.
We are looking for 5 new members! Please contact director Jim Kollias: [email protected], call
or text 714-337-7352.
Herald
Page 8
FOUNDATION NEWS
Great News! The time has come!
Please join us to celebrate the Ground Breaking Ceremony and Blessing for
OUR NEW COMMUNITY CENTER
Sunday, November 14 following the Divine Liturgy
By the Grace of God, Saint Sophia Cathedral is moving forward.
We thank all our contributors who have made this day possible.
Now, we kindly ask all parishioners for their donations to the building project
so we can truly call it our Community Center.
For information, please contact the Foundation Office at 323.737.2424 Ext 119 or 120
COMMUNITY NEWS
PHILOPTOHOS BOARD VIP
2010-2011 CALENDAR
Meets the 2nd Wednesday of each month,
except July and August
Month
Time
Type of Meeting
November 10, 2010
10:00 AM
Board Meeting
December 8, 2010
10:00 AM
Board Meeting
January 12, 2011
10:00 AM
Board Meeting
February 9, 2011
10:00 AM
Board Meeting
March 9, 2011
10:00 AM
Board Meeting
April 13, 2011
10:00 AM
Board Meeting
May 11, 2011
10:00 AM
Board Meeting
June 8, 2011
10:00 AM
Board Meeting
JUL Y & AUGUST
NO MEETING
September 14, 2011
10:00 AM
Board Meeting
October 12, 2011
10:00 AM
Board Meeting
November 9, 2011
10:00 AM
Board Meeting
December 14, 2011
10:00AM
Board Meeting
In last month’s HERALD, we overlooked a couple
of items that should have been noted. In recognizing people
for their worthy contributions, we were remiss in not offering
special thanks to NIA VARDALOS and IAN GOMEZ for their
sincere and energetic support of the FEST.
Their attendance always makes for an exciting & energetic addition to
the festivities, and we deeply appreciate their friendship and
gracious participation.
Sincere appreciation is extended to our distinguished panel of
judges for this year’s ZORBA Night Dance Contest. Kudos
and thank you to the Greek Consul General, Elisabeth
Fotiadou, City Councilwoman Jan Perry, model / actress &
TV hostess Cristina Ferrare, stage, screen & TV star Billy
Zane, and the incomparable “Uncle Frank” (the Jimmy
Kimmel Show). They provided that extra touch of celebrity
and pizzazz to help make the evening’s festivities a special
night to remember.
We also want to offer special thanks to Perry Lambert for
sharing M.C. duties with Eleni Constantine during ZORBA
Night as well as for his lively banter and professional onstage introductions & announcements throughout the FEST
weekend. Great job as always.
Lastly, kudos and heartfelt thanks are extended to: Joyce
Kokkinides, Nick Begakis and Ann Pappas for their fantastic
efforts with the FEST food service, Allen Altchech for his
unique & memorable FEST photography and to George Varentges & the set-up crews who worked so diligently in prepping the grounds during the pre-FEST week.
Herald
Page 9
NOVEMBER SACRAMENTS
BIRTHDAYS
WEDDINGS
At the time of publication,
no weddings were scheduled for this month...
BAPTISMS
NOVEMBER 14
NOVEMBER 20
NOVEMBER 21
NOVEMBER 21
Demetrious Anathanasios Pitsos
Maya Hatziris
Nicholas and Vitorria Hawatmeh
Emilene Katcherian
MEMORIALS
NOVEMBER 7
Kaplanis, Konstantinos
Kirages, Kassandra
Korkos, Thalia
Llauro, Jorge Alberto
Lubian, Stephanie Caiopoulos
Lyons, Fay
Makkar, Francisco
Demosthenes Caiopopulos
Christine Darais
Basil Darais
Tom Darais
Alex Darais
George Darais
Dimitri Kokkinides
Tom Lappas
Diane Lappas
Ananias, Georgia
Angels, Panos
Apostolos, Margo
Baln, George
Begakis, Nicholas
Berry, Debbie
Cappos, George
Clute, Jessica
Constantine, Eleni
Curren, Richard
Gallanis, Andreas
Kaplanis, Athanasios
EPISTLE READERS
November 7
November 14
November 21
November 28
Theoni Trangas
Dina Demetrius
Stephanie Caiopoulos Lubian
Sebastian Opffer
William Lappas
Nicholas, Marlene
Noyes, Virginia
Papajohn, Michael
Pastras, Ted
Patzakis, Michael
Peters, Elpida
Poullos, Jayne
Sarentes, Nicholas
Spiropoulos, Jimmy
Spirus, Dorothy
Stamatiades, Dorothea
Suchy, Georgia
Travassaros, Frances
Tripodes, Orion Aeneas
Vackrinos, Catherine
Wuerth, Richard
Xsnthos, James
Zoolakis, Anthony
ANNIVERSARIES
Fuller, Fred and Chrisoula
Kitchens, Russell & Aspasia
Alexandra Lappas
ushers
Sam Lappas
Katherine Mike
Stephen Roumeliotis
Theofanis Vrahlioti
Angeliki Vrahlioti
Spiridoula Vrahlioti
11/7 Alexandra Georgiou, Christina Georgiou,
Rosemary Georgiou
Prappas, William & Michelle
11/14 Niki Korbakis, Maria Pelargos
Spiropoulos, Jimmy & Doraly
11/21 Alexandra Guirguis, Dinah Wellington,
Shelmadine Wellington
11/28 Electra Koutsoukos, Gene Chronopoulos
Genevieve Zaharakos
George Zaharakos
NOVEMBER 14
Mandia Chagares
Hraklis Hatjidamianou
Thekla Hatjidamianou
Sophia Kontiza
NOVEMBER 28
George Bonorris
Lyons, Barry and Faye
Please note…
If your birthday or anniversary is not listed in the
monthly Herald newsletter and you would like it to
be
listed,
please
e-mail
Stephanie
at
[email protected]
Also, we will be adding a new section in our newsletter for the announcements of births and deaths
in our community. Please e-mail us any updates..
Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral
Very Reverend Father John S. Bakas, Dean
Jim Kollias, Choir Director
Menelaos Trigonis, Protopsaltis
Christopher Yokas, Organist
James Karatsikis, Sexton
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Executive Officers
Angelo L. Pappas, President.
Andrew Evangelatos, Vice President
Dr.. James A. Demetriou, Vice President & C.F.O.
Constantine Boukidis, Secretary
Tina Callas, Treasurer
Members
V. Rev. Fr. John S. Bakas
Panos A. Angels
Nicholas Bissias
Timi Loomos Freshman
Gig Kyriacou Alek Haidos William H. Oldknow
John T. Pappas
George Preonas
Harry C. Vournas, Trustee Emeritus
Peter C. Latsis, Honorary
Presidential Appointments
Anthony A. Demetriou, Assistant to the President
John G. Marakas III, Sr. V. P. of Wells Fargo,
Advisor to the Board
PHILOPTOHOS SOCIETY
Executive Officers
Dina Skouras Oldknow, President
Marianna Politis, 1st Vice President
Dr. Maria T. Toczek, 2nd Vice President
Dorothea Ales, Recording Secretary
Virginia Noyes, Corresponding Secretary
Lola Gialketsis, Asst. Corresponding Secretary
Scarlett Billis, Treasurer
Mary Gallanis, Assistant Treasurer
Connie Cooper, Advisor
Honorary Life Members
Jennie Doumak
Christine Peratis
Members
Helene Ballas Frances Bissias Judith Christopoulos
Pauline Evangelatos Olga Jordan A. Electra Koutsoukos
Tricia Kremer Constance Manders Sophie Mastor
Diane Pruett Sonia Stathes
Rita Stephanou
OFFICE STAFF
Christina Ajalat, Office Manager/Accounting
Ann Pappas, Facilities Director
Leonard Hart
Reverend Father Bill Tragus, Assistant
CUSTODIAL STAFF
Jesus Gambino
Miguel Rosales
PARISH COUNCIL
Executive Officers
Panos A. Angels, President
Tom Martin, 1st Vice President
Loula B. Moschonas,
2nd V. P./Chief Financial Officer
Stephanie Caiopoulos Lubian, Recording Secretary
Karen Sarames, Corresponding Secretary
Members
Luke Richard Curren Dina Demetrius Jeanine
Hanna Toula Kalatzis Sebastian Opffer Peter
Pallas Ted Pastras Zafiris (Zaf) Tsimahides
Associates
Angela Karavedas, Sunday School Liaison
Irene Frankos, 2010 Stewardship Chair
Auditing Committee
Tom Moore
Anthony Demetriou
OTHER MINISTRIES
ALTAR BOYS
Rev. Fr. Bill Tragus/Chris Halekakis
BASKETBALL
Chris Markos & Paul Cooper
BIBLE STUDY
Rev. Father John Bakas
Rev. Father Bill Tragus
BOOK STORE
William Striglos
CAMP AXIOS
Andrea Boerger
CAMP ZOE
Rev. Father Bill Tragus
CHURCH SCHOOL
Eleni Yokas
CHOIR
Jim Kollias
COFFEE HOUR
Georgia Vasila
DANCE GROUPS
Barbara Kappos
DOCENTS
Mrs. Faye Demetriou
EASTER PICNIC
John T. Pappas
Ted Pappas
Dean Treantafelles
Tony Dres
G.O.Y.A.
Rev. Father Bill Tragus
HELLENIC ACADEMY
Helen Dumas, Director
Eleni Tsaggouri, Assisant Director
Joanna Papachristou,
Parent Representative
HOSPITALITY
Niki Korbakis
Maria Pelargos
L.A. GREEK FEST
Jan & Ted Pastras
MR. & MRS. CLUB
Christine & Dean Peratsakis
PARENTING
Nick Stefanidis
Barbara Kappos
PHILANTHROPIA
Rev. Father Peter Lambert
PHILOPTOHOS V.I.P.
Vivi Demopoulos, President
SAINT SOPHIA CAMP
Melanie O’Regan
Kathleen Kyriacou
Vicki Kades
YOUTH
Rev. Father Bill Tragus
EDITOR IN CHIEF Timi Loomos Freshman
[email protected]
Herald
Page 11
NOVEMBER 2010
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
1
2
Thu
3
Fri
4
Sat
5
Cosmas/Damian
8:30am Orthros
9:30am Divine
Liturgy
7
8am Orthros
9:15am StudiesFaith
9:45am Memorials
10am Divine Liturgy
Noon Philoptohos
VIP Artoklasia
14
8
21
9
10
8am Orthros
9:15am Studies in
the Faith
9:45am Memorials
10am Divine Liturgy
12
15
16
17
18
19
Matthew, the
Apostle and Evangelist
8:30am Orthros
9:30am Divine
Liturgy
22
23
20
Hellenic Academy
9am, 9:30 am, &
11:45am
24
25
26
Katherine, Great
Martyr of Alexandria— No Liturgy
29
13
Hellenic Academy
9am, 9:30 am, &
11:45am
John Chrysostom
8:30am Orthros
9:30am Div. Liturgy
8am Orthros
9:15am StudiesFaith
9:45am Memorials
10am Divine Liturgy
Entrance of Theotokos into the Temple
28
11
Synaxis if the
Archangel
Michael
8:30am Orthros
9:30am Divine
Liturgy
8am Orthros
9:15am Studies in
the Faith
9:45am Memorials
10 am Divine Liturgy
6
Hellenic Academy
9am, 9:30 am, &
11:45am
27
Hellenic Academy
9am, 9:30 am, &
11:45am
30
Andrew, the First
called Apostle
8:30am Orthros
9:30am Divine
Liturgy
Strict Fast
Fish Allowed
Wine and Oil
Allowed
Dairy, Eggs,
and Fish
Allowed
Fast Free
Herald
Page 12
Greek Obituary Service is now available
for Saint Sophia Cathedral
We are working with a service called Greek Obituary. This service will add a valuable optional service for Cathedral members and friends. Too often
when a loved one passes, we may not have an
easy and straight-forward method to contact everyone in the community about Trisagion and funeral services. Traditional newspapers can cost
over $600 for a death notice with a photograph.
Fortunately, Greek Obituary’s fee is much less than
publishing a notice in the newspaper. For only $50,
patrons can include a photo and a much longer
biography. Like large national obituary services,
visitors have the option of signing a complimentary
online guest book. One of the major improvements
over the large national services is that Greek Obituary’s obituary list and guest books are free to access and read. They will not expire after a year or
require you to pay for access to an obituary. This is
not only a wonderful remembrance for our community, but a portion of the proceeds will benefit
Saint Sophia Cathedral.
Standard obituaries can have one (1) page of
obituary text, about 350-400 words, and one photo
for their tribute. If a more extravagant obituary with
multiple photos or more text is desired, enhanced
obituaries are also available. Obituary text should
be sent either by standard e-mail, or as a Word/
WordPerfect
attachment
to
greekobituary
@gmail.com. Enhanced obituaries can also have
an optional background image as a tribute, including the cross and military branch logos.
Greek Obituary is managed by one of our Cathedral members, Dean Tripodes. After working with
several churches, AHEPA chapters, and the national Pan-Icarian Brotherhood, it was determined
there was a need for reasonable cost Greek obituaries. Greek Obituary is integrated into our Cathedral website, and includes obituaries and tributes
from several communities throughout the United
States. Greek Obituary welcomes all Philhellenes
too, non-Greeks (including spouses) who are family
members and friends of the Greek community.
Most importantly, the service welcomes everyone
who has been a part of the Greek Orthodox
Church.
Please go online to our Cathedral website at
stsophia.org and click on the Events menu tab,
and then on Obituaries.
THE JOY OF PARENTING
Nikolaos Stefanidis, Ph.D
Barbara Kappos, LCSW
The parenting classes are offered free of charge on Sunday at
the conclusion of Holy Communion. All are welcome to attend!
October 31
Our Faith and Parenting
November 7 Dealing with Oppositional Behaviors
November 14 Aggression and Bullying
Guest Speaker: Stephanie Mihalas, Ph.D., NCSP
November 21 Helping our children develop compassion, empathy and self-esteem
November 28 No class
December 5 Special Education Law
Guest Speaker: Stephanie Mihalas, Ph.D., NCSP
December 12 What does Christmas mean to our children?
Holiday Break Returning on January 9, 2011
Congratulations to our very own
Kenyatta Smith !!!
Published by Dennis J. Zheng on September 18, 2010 at 9:53PM
The Crimson confirmed today that men’s basketball
coach Tommy Amaker has secured a verbal commitment from 2011 big man Kenyatta Smith.
The No. 13 center in the nation according to
Scout.com, Kenyatta Smith, a senior at Flintridge
Prep School (La Canada Flintridge, Calif.) chose Harvard over Vanderbilt and league rival Penn.
“It was just a great visit. I love the campus; I love the
people, everything—just beautiful,” the 6'8, 255-lb
Smith said while in attendance at the Crimson football
team’s opener against Holy Cross Saturday night.
“I thought about [visiting other schools], but I’ve been
to Penn before. I saw the campus and everything,
and I just didn’t feel the connection that I did here,”
Smith said of his first visit to the area. “I just love Boston as a city.”
Smith sounded unfazed by Harvard’s lack of longstanding men’s basketball success.
“We haven’t had a lot of history of winning, but that’s
what I want to be a part of,” Smith said. “I want to
start a history of winning, a tradition. I want to be
there when that first happens—and I know it’s going
to happen. It’s coming soon, and I want to be a part of
it.”
Giving Amaker a much-needed front court boost,
Kenyatta joins Minnesota forward Jonah Travis in the
Crimson’s future class of 2015. Prospects Andre
Hollins, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Steve MoundouMissi also took in the football game
SAINT SOPHIA CAMP
GOLF TOURNAMENT
FRIDAY, November 12,2010
MONTEBELLO COUNTRY CLUB
11:30 A.M TEE OFF SHOTGUN-STROKE PLAY
~
$175.00 GolfEntry Fee
Includes green fees, cart, tee gifts, brunch, Awards Banquet
with hors d'oeuvres at cocktail hour and prime rib dinnpr;::)
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL GORDON FRESHMAN
(310) 273-7565 or e-mail [email protected]
A WARDS DINNER
Honoring Georgia Vasila
Quiet Cannon Banquet Room
- NON GOLFERS WELCOME -
(Reservations Required)
\ COCKTAILS 4:30 PM
DINNER 5:30 P
Adults $40.00 Youth (18 and younger) $30.00
FOR RESERVATIONS CALL GEORGIA
(213) 380-4228
I
Herald
Page 14
SAINT SOPHIA CATHEDRAL
GENERAL ASSEMBLY MINUTES
Sunday, November 22, 2009
12:45 P.M.
Call To Order – Opening Prayer by Father John Bakas
Election of Officers (Chair Pro-Tem & Secretary Pro-Tem)
Chair Pro Tem:
Elector:
Second:
Panos Angels
Tony Demetriou
Tom Martin
Secretary Pro Tem: Karen Sarames
Elector:
Loula Moschonas
Second:
Tom Martin
Approval of Minutes:
Elector:
Second:
As Submitted
Tony Demetriou
Tom Martin
Reading of Correspondence - None
Dean's Report
▪
Stella Contos: We are looking carefully for a replacement. Stephanie Lubian prepared a
description of the job duties. Peter Devries, a head hunter, is assisting us in our search.
▪
Sunday School and Youth Programs: Father Bill Tragus works with these groups, and all are
presently doing well. FDF will be held in San Jose in January 2010.
▪
Business Improvement District: Ted Pastras continues to work with the city. The new police
and fire stations are in operation. The neighborhood has been revitalized, and according to
LAPD statistics, crime in the city is down 42%.
▪
Christmas Concert: Our concert is scheduled for December 9, 2009. We invite nonorthodox churches to sing in our Christmas Program each year in order to introduce them to
our community.
▪
Stewardship: We are struggling this year. Stewardship Sunday is set for January 10, 2010.
Irene Frankos will be the new Chair of Stewardship. Attendance is down at many churches
because members are embarrassed by job loss and demotions.
Herald
Page 15
CES Complex: We are rebuilding the complex. Now is the best time construction because costs
are at an all time low. We have raised $9,000,000.
Foundation Report by John Sakellaris
▪
Building Program: This is “the best of times and the worst of times.” We must think ahead
and ask ourselves where we will be in 25 years. If the community raises $10,000,000 in
pledges, Michael Huffington will give an additional $2,000,000. The donations to the building fund must not interfere with stewardship, therefore, giving must be sacrificial. Charles
Skouras passed away at age 64 and did not enjoy the fruits of his labor.
Philoptohos Report by Dena Oldknow
▪
Philanthropic Achievements: To date, $35,000 has been given in assistance to families in
need. Assistance was also provided to a woman to help her move out of state for new job
opportunities. Through the efforts of Irene Frankos and Dr. Stephanides, another woman received help paying her rent and moving to Greece. Philoptohos pledged $200,000 to the
building fund.
▪
An Evening With Friends: This is an important fundraiser for Philoptohos. Funds were provided
to an individual requiring a bone marrow transplant. Additional funds were provided to a
family in the metropolis of Denver after a mother and daughter were involved in a horrible
accident. The daughter survived while her mother did not. Financial assistance was provided to a child from Greece who is both blind and deaf.
Treasurer and Stewardship Reports by Loula Moschonas
▪
Budget: This was a tough year. Our budget is $1,500,000. It will not be increased. In 2008,
we earned $700,000 from stewardship. By November 2009, we had raised only $500,000
from stewardship.
The budget for 2010 was approved as submitted.
Elector:
Tom Moore
Second:
Tony Demetriou
▪ Expenses: Currently we spend $1,200 a month to water and fertilize the grounds. Artificial
turf will cost $120 per month, however, our water bill will be decreased dramatically. This is
important since the city is getting tougher on the use of water.
Herald
Page 16
Other expenses in our budget include:
Archdiocese
6%
Youth Ministries
7%
Utilities
7%
Maintenance
3%
Other Expenses
16%
We replaced our air conditioner which now works fine. This item belongs on the Foundation’s budget. According to Alex Haidos, we have $1,530,000 in the Kolocotrones Fund; and
therefore, have the financial resources to maintain our Cathedral. The Foundation also
contributes money toward repairs.
Easter Picnic Report by John T. Pappas
We had 2000 attendees at Brookside Park this year. We had expenses of $44,300, and an
income of $44,000.
President’s Report by Panos Angels
The Estate of Harry Pappas was donated to the Parish Council for maintenance.
City Hall will not issue permits to anyone attempting to open a dance hall in our neighborhood.
A special thank you is given to Timi Freshman for editing the bulletin and to Dean Tripodes
for creating our website.
Board of Auditors by Tom Moore
No written report was provided by the committee. As a result of Stella Contos’s passing,
they are behind. A new modern system has been integrated and a report will be filed by
the end of the month.
Festival Report by Ted Pastras
The volunteers are a strong link behind the festival. We had another record breaking year.
Our revenue was $446,537.42. Our expenses totaled $242,053.42. We realized a profit of
$204,484.39.
The LA City Council voted the LA Greek Fest as one of the top 15 cultural events in the entire metropolitan area. Our efforts have been recognized because our festival was described as one of the best run and safest events in Los Angeles. Over 5,000 people attended the festival Saturday night because Anna Vissi performed. Ted Pastras has received
calls from all over the country asking for our assistance in not only getting Anna Vissi to perform at their festivals, but also seeking his advice on how to improve their festivals.
Churches around the country want to know why our festival is so spectacular.
Herald
Page 17
Jan Pastras acknowledged Romy Romely for printing posters, magnets, and murals.
Stephanie and Dan Lubian were acknowledged for all of their hard work; together they
were called: “Ted’s right hand man.” Odie Demetriades was called: “Ted’s left hand man.”
Jan Pastras acknowledged Nick Hronis for his family’s donation of hundred pallets of grapes
from Hronis Grapes; Loula Moschonas was responsible for accounting; George Varentges
handled the lighting; and Timi Freshman solicited underwriters.
Youth Programs by Fr. Bill Tragus
A youth website was developed and has now been connected to the main Saint Sophia
website.
Camp Zoe is a camping program offered by our church for the benefit of our challenged
parish children as well as students who attend the Salvin School. The students at this school
face physical disabilities and other serious challenges. The cost to run the camp program is
approximately $18,000 or $600 per child. The next camp is scheduled for the last weekend
in April 2010.
This evening GOYA is sponsoring an event called: “Dinner and A Movie,” in order to raise
money for the camp. This is just one example of the types of events our youth support.
Adjourn
▪
Motion to adjourn by Tony Demetriou
▪
Motion seconded by Jim Demetriou
▪
Closing Prayer by Father John Bakas
Respectfully submitted,
Karen Sarames, Secretary Pro Tem
Panos Angels, Parish Council President
Rev. Fr. John Bakas, Dean of the Cathedral
www.stgeorgepublishing.com
For information about ad sponsorship, please call St. George Publishing at 262-650-0030 or 1-800-447-0030. ©St. George Publishing, Inc. N0196 4c mss
Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral
1324 South Normandie Avenue
Los Angeles, California 90006
DR
AD
D
TE
E
S
E
IV
IT QU
S
E
N
SE E R
IC
ME
TI ERV
SS
ES
Phone
323 737 2424
Fax
323 737 7029
E-mail
[email protected]
We’re on the Web!
www.stsophia.org
Please join us for
The Community Center Ground Breaking
Sunday, November 14
following the Divine Liturgy
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