Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown

Transcription

1 ST NICHOLAS MONTHLY BULLENTIN ST NICHOLAS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 4967 FOREST PARK AVENUE ST LOUIS, MO Proistamenos: Fr Douglas Papulis (636) Parish Priest: Fr Michael Arbanas (314) Office (314) Fax (314) Website: wwwsngocorg December 2014 Volume 18 - Number 12 Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown An apt microcosm of our world at Christmas is the animated tale, A Charlie Brown Christmas Charlie Brown is the lovable loser He s the kid some of us were in grade school In the cartoon, he is given the task of organizing the Christmas pageant for the group Also, he s in charge of finding and buying the biggest, bestest Christmas tree for the pageant Charlie Brown finds a lonely and pitiful little tree for their event During their rehearsal for the Christmas Pageant, the Peanuts gang gets caught in the hassle and bustle of commercialism of Christmas and forget the true meaning of God s Promise When they see what kind of tree Charlie Brown has bought, they laugh and humiliate him Charlie Brown walks away with his pitiful tree in disgrace At this point, Linus takes the Peanuts gang to task by quoting to them Luke 2:8-14: Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid Then the angel said to them, do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men! The Peanuts gang, in their humility, hear Linus and they seek out Charlie Brown and show him their peace and good will (They help make the sad little tree a beautiful tree through their love of their friend) If only we could be like the Peanuts gang and love each other with the same passion that his friends showed Charlie Brown when they decorated the little tree More importantly, if only we could be as forgiving as Charlie Brown is towards his friends It s Christmas time again It is the fulfillment of God s Promise that He gave to us God s Promise is realized at the Crucifixion and then at the Resurrection Let s live that all of the time and not just in December -Lia Lewis graduated from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Seminary in Brookline, MA in 2001 with a Masters of Divinity degree She is employed by the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey 1

2 St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Monthly Bulletin December 2014 St Nicholas Servants 2014 Parish Council Dr Andrew Galatakos, President Steve Ott, Vice-President Demetrios Tsikalas, Treasurer Michael Ferretti, Secretary Nicky Antoniou George Bude Yemane Habtu Marilynn Jemas Alexandra Kavourinos Mary Ann Mastorakos Dr William Mastorakos Pete Papadopoulos Saki Salas Peter Takes Peter Vaccaro Audit Committee Roxana Couternais Peter Lemakis Janet Papageorge Mark Vleisides Stewardship Committee Fr Douglas Papulis Teddy Hart, Chairperson Michael Ferretti John Koch Mary Ann Mastorakos Steve Ott Michael Pappas Michael Tsichlis Demetrios Tsikalas Chris Varvares Cemetery Committee Pat Johnson William Karides Irene Schildroth Election Committee Roxana Couteranis Lee Hartley Helen Leara Christina Lemakis Tina Paradowski Library Committee Elaine Coulson Michael Kontominas Michael Tsichlis Physical Facilities Paul Efthim Pat Johnson Leo C Pashos Physical Facilities Family Life Center Mike Kamburis Robert Meyer Sam Mezines Nick Tharenos Planned Giving John Koch, Chairman Voula Francis Sakis Salas Dan Tarlas Peter Vaccaro Scholarship Committee Barbara Corrigan Tina Fakonas Denise Karras Philoptochos Georgia Ferretti, President St Irenaeus Orthodox Theological Institute Michael G Tsichlis, PhD x330 Church School Co-Director Bess Fitzmaurice Despina Hartley Handmaidens Rosie Hartley Dance Troupe Georgia Johnson GOYA Helen Carey Mark & Renee Vleisides JR GOYA Mimi Davis Debbie Palazzola HOPE Presvytera Caroline Arbanas OUR LITTLE ANGELS/CHERUBS -Presvytera Caroline Arbanas Upcoming Youth Events St Nicholas Exhibit and Celebration Sat 12/6 at the church After the Liturgy, come spend time with this special exhibit on our patron Saint from the St Nicholas Center in Hope, Michigan Enjoy tours of the exhibits, crafts, a boutique and a bake sale, as well as refreshments for the kids Junior GOYA Ice Skating Sun 12/14 Skating at Steinberg Rink after church After lunch at St Nicholas, we will head to Forest Park for some fun on the ice $5 per skater Please see Presvytera Caroline for more information HOPE/Cherubs Cookie Baking Sat 12/20 in the Church kitchen Preschool and elementary students gather for baking and decorating cookies, doing crafts and spending some fun holiday time together Volunteers are needed to bring cookie dough and cookie cutters, and to help the kids Please call Father Michael at GOYA Ski Trip Jan in Galena, IL Travel to northwestern Illinois on the Martin Luther King Day weekend for two days of skiing and fellowship, plus a return trip to St Elias parish in Dubuque, Iowa on Sunday Cost is $150 per child For more information, see Father Michael Coming in January Friday Night Basketball, Volunteers needed Please call Father Michael Announcements St Nicholas Book Group The St Nicholas Book Group will meet Monday, December 8 to discuss Skipping Christmas by John Grisham Best known for his legal thrillers, Grisham presents a humorous look at the Kranks, an appropriatelynamed couple who decide to skip all the holiday hoopla and head on a Caribbean cruise for Christmas We will meet from 7 to 8:30 pm at the Family Life Due to the holidays coming up articles for the January newsletter is due December 6th jenniferengish5674@gmailcom Thank You Jennifer English, Editor Children are like wet cement Whatever falls on them makes an impression -Haim Ginott 2

3 St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Monthly Bulletin December 2014 PRESIDENT S NOTES Andrew E Galakatos MD PHONE: Galakatos@wudosiswustledu MAINTENANCE OF CHURCH FACILITIES: GEORGE MENOS is now limitedly & modestly retained to work in the Church and the Family Life Center for routine repairs and preventative equipment maintenance both facilities but Church, CHRIS PARADOWSKI will continue to focus on the cleaning & the Church exterior / landscape maintenance; assisting the parish in the preparation of various activities & events; etc Συντήρηση των εγκαταστάσεων ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ: ΓΙΩΡΓΟΣ menos είναι τώρα περιορισμένα & σεμνά διατηρούνται για να εργαστούν στην Εκκλησία και την Οικογενειακή Ζωή Κέντρο συνήθων εργασιών επιδιόρθωσης και συντήρησης προληπτικά εξοπλισμό δύο εγκαταστάσεις, αλλά Εκκλησία, CHRIS Paradowski θα συνεχίσει να επικεντρώνεται στην καθαριότητα και την Εκκλησία εξωτερική συντήρηση / τοπίο? επικουρεί την ενορία στην προετοιμασία των διαφόρων δραστηριοτήτων και εκδηλώσεων? κλπ FENCE AROUND PARKING LOT: Unfortunately, in the near future, the Hospital will be placing a fence around the parking lot adjacent & east of the Church where we will no longer have access to this convenient parking space However after the new Hospital building is built (directly across the street from the Church), that fence will come down but in 3 years Our use of the BJH multilevel parking building remains unchanged NEW CHURCH BOARD & OFFICERS: To briefly review the Church Board election process ( and by the time you receive this Bulletin), ELECTIONS to the CHURCH BOARD and to the STANDING COMMITTEES will haven taken place on Sun 23 Nov and the new members announced by that evening The installation ceremony of the entire Board will take place in Church the Sunday after the Archdiocese approves its members (generally around the 1 st of the Year) Shortly thereafter, the Board itself will elect its New Officers For any further details, the Regulations of the Archdiocese and the By- Laws of St Nicholas Church are readily available to you upon request ANNUAL AHEPA FUND RAISER: Starting Sunday 23 Nov, AHEPA 53/395 will initiate the SALE of its extensive ASSORTMENT OF NUTS through the generous support of Byron Smyrniotis and his Mound City Shelled Nut Inc company A display table will be available weekly in the Church auditorium for orders that can be picked up later or mailed directly to a recipient Please help support this philanthropic effort for the Holidays MEGALO WHOOPS: In last month s Bulletin, it was written incorrectly implying that RIP KASTARIS was charging the Church $4,000 for his artistic repair & touch-up painting of the Church which is not the case Whatever his final nominal charge will be upon completion, the rest of these funds will go to general painting also over the re-plastered areas of the Church Sorry Φράχτη γύρω ΣΤΑΘΜΕΥΣΗΣ: Δυστυχώς, στο εγγύς μέλλον, το Νοσοκομείο θα είναι την τοποθέτηση ενός φράχτη γύρω από το πάρκινγκ δίπλα και ανατολικά της Εκκλησίας, όπου θα έχουμε πλέον πρόσβαση σε αυτό το βολικό χώρο στάθμευσης Ωστόσο, μετά το νέο κτίριο του νοσοκομείου είναι χτισμένο (ακριβώς απέναντι από την εκκλησία), η περίφραξη θα κατέβει αλλά σε 3 χρόνια Η δική μας χρήση του BJH πολυεπίπεδο κτίριο στάθμευσης παραμένει αμετάβλητη ΝΕΑ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΔΙΟΙΚΗΤΙΚΟΥ & ΤΑ ΣΤΕΛΕΧΗ: Για μια σύντομη ανασκόπηση της εκλογικής διαδικασίας Εκκλησία Διοικητικό Συμβούλιο ( και από τη στιγμή που θα λάβετε αυτό το Δελτίο), εκλογές για την εκκλησιαστική επιτροπή και για τις επιτροπές ΜΟΝΙΜΗ θα καταφύγιο λάβει χώρα στις Κυρ 23 του Νοέμβρη και τα νέα μέλη που ανακοινώθηκε από εκείνο το βράδυ Η τελετή εγκατάστασης του συνόλου του Διοικητικού Συμβουλίου θα πραγματοποιηθεί στην Εκκλησία η Κυριακή μετά την Αρχιεπισκοπή εγκρίνει τα μέλη της (συνήθως γύρω από την 1η του έτους) Λίγο αργότερα, το ίδιο το Διοικητικό Συμβούλιο θα εκλέξει νέο προεδρείο του Για περαιτέρω λεπτομέρειες, οι κανονισμοί της Αρχιεπισκοπής και του Καταστατικού της εκκλησία του Αγίου Νικολάου είναι άμεσα στη διάθεσή σας κατόπιν αιτήματος ΕΤΗΣΙΑ ΑΧΕΠΑ ΤΑΜΕΙΟ ΑΝΥΨΩΤΙΚΟ: Ξεκινώντας Κυριακή 23 Νοέ, ΑΧΕΠΑ 53/395 θα ξεκινήσει η πώληση των εκτενή ποικιλία του NUTS με την ευγενική υποστήριξη του Βύρωνα Σμυρνιώτης και η εταιρεία του Mound City τσόφλι Παξιμάδι Inc Ένας πίνακας οθόνη θα είναι διαθέσιμα κάθε εβδομάδα στο αμφιθέατρο Εκκλησία για παραγγελίες που μπορεί να πάρει αργότερα ή αποσταλεί απευθείας σε έναν παραλήπτη Παρακαλώ βοηθήστε υποστηρίξει αυτή φιλανθρωπική προσπάθεια για τις διακοπές ΜΕΓΑΛΟ Ουπς: Στο δελτίο του περασμένου μήνα, γράφτηκε εσφαλμένα υπονοώντας ότι ΠΕΕ KASTARIS χρέωνε στην Εκκλησία 4000 δολάρια για την καλλιτεχνική επισκευή & αφή-up ζωγραφική του για την Εκκλησία το οποίο δεν είναι η περίπτωση Όποια και αν είναι τελική ονομαστική χρέωση του θα είναι με την ολοκλήρωση, το υπόλοιπο των κονδυλίων αυτών θα πάει σε γενικές ζωγραφική, επίσης, κατά τη διάρκεια των εκ νέου επίχρισμα περιοχές της Εκκλησίας Λυπάμαι 3

4 St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Monthly Bulletin December 2014 YEAR END RESOLUTION START YOUR PLANNED GIVING WITH ST NICHOLAS CHURCH John R Koch, Chairman, Planned Giving I often speak with parishioners privately about making a gift to our beloved St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Our one-on-one conversations usually take place informally at many of the church related activities such as at the Men s Fellowship Meetings, or when preparing food for our church social events As we approach the end of 2014, it is my impression that many of our parishioners are charitably minded, and want to provide a gift but just don t know how to take the first step A number of you have already told me that you have provided a gift to the church in your will or trust It is comforting to hear this love for the future of our beloved St Nicholas Some have even told me that they are specifically planning in their wills or via trusts to instruct their executor or trustee to give a percentage of their estate assets to St Nicholas The question is: how much should go to the church? Of course, the main wish is to provide for surviving family members And there may be other charitable organizations that you might also plan to provide for in a will or trust As a rule, no gift to St Nicholas is too small or insignificant they are all received with love and appreciation for the future generations of St Nicholas parishioners But as to the appropriate amount of gifting to St Nicholas, let s be guided by the Lord s benchmark: 10% Even if you can provide for 5% of your estate assets to be gifted to St Nicholas, that amount would be significant to the future generations of St Nicholas families our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will be the benefactors of our gifts So as we celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus in the coming months God s greatest gift to mankind - let s remember to finally set up our wills and trusts to specifically provide a gift to St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church that will enable future generations to warmly remember those of us who preceded them You can even name St Nicholas as a beneficiary of a retirement plan (IRA, 401k, Roth, etc) Every gift no matter how large or small is a sign of love, and we all know that God loves a cheerful giver Μου συμβαίνει συχνά να μιλούν με ενορίτες ιδιωτικά περίπου κάνοντας ένα δώρο στην αγαπημένη μας Αγίου Νικολάου Ελληνική Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία One-on-one συνομιλίες μας λαμβάνουν χώρα συνήθως ανεπίσημα σε πολλές από τις δραστηριότητες που σχετίζονται με την εκκλησία, όπως στην Ανδρών υποτροφία Συναντήσεις, ή κατά την προετοιμασία των τροφίμων για την εκκλησία κοινωνικές εκδηλώσεις μας Καθώς πλησιάζουμε στο τέλος του 2014, η εντύπωσή μου είναι ότι πολλοί από τους ενορίτες μας είναι φιλανθρωπικά πνεύμα, και θέλουν να προσφέρουν ένα δώρο, αλλά απλά δεν ξέρουν πώς να κάνουν το πρώτο βήμα Ορισμένοι από εσάς έχετε ήδη μου είπε ότι έχετε δώσει ένα δώρο στην εκκλησία θέληση ή την εμπιστοσύνη σας Είναι παρήγορο να ακούσει αυτή την αγάπη για το μέλλον της αγαπημένης μας Αγίου Νικολάου Μερικοί μου έχουν πει ακόμα και ότι ειδικά το σχεδιασμό - σε διαθήκες τους ή μέσω καταπιστευμάτων - να αναθέσει εκτελεστή ή επιτρόπου τους για να δώσουν ένα ποσοστό των περιουσιακών στοιχείων ακινήτων τους στην Αγίου Νικολάου Το ερώτημα είναι: πόσο θα πρέπει να πάει στην εκκλησία; Φυσικά, η κύρια επιθυμία είναι να παράσχει για επιζώντα μέλη της οικογένειας Και μπορεί να υπάρχουν και άλλες φιλανθρωπικές οργανώσεις που θα μπορούσε επίσης σχεδιάζουν να παρέχουν σε μια βούληση ή την εμπιστοσύνη Κατά κανόνα, δεν είναι δώρο του Αγίου Νικολάου είναι πολύ μικρό ή ασήμαντο - αυτά όλα με την αγάπη και την εκτίμησή του για τις μελλοντικές γενιές του Αγίου Νικολάου ενορίτες Αλλά ως προς την κατάλληλη ποσότητα δώρων του Αγίου Νικολάου, ας να καθοδηγείται από το δείκτη αναφοράς του Κυρίου: 10% Ακόμα κι αν μπορείτε να παρέχετε για το 5% των στοιχείων ενεργητικού περιουσία σας να είναι προικισμένος με Αγίου Νικολάου, το ποσό αυτό θα είναι σημαντικό για τις μελλοντικές γενιές του Αγίου Νικολάου οικογένειες - τα παιδιά μας, τα εγγόνια και τα δισέγγονα θα είναι οι ευεργέτες των δώρων μας Έτσι, όπως γιορτάζουμε τη γέννηση του Χριστού Ιησού κατά τους προσεχείς μήνες - το μεγαλύτερο δώρο του Θεού για την ανθρωπότητα - ας θυμηθούμε τελικά να δημιουργήσει διαθηκών και καταπιστευμάτων μας να παρέχουμε ειδικά ένα δώρο στον Άγιο Νικόλαο Ελληνική Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία, που θα επιτρέψει στις μελλοντικές γενεές να θυμούνται θερμά εκείνους από εμάς που προηγήθηκαν Μπορείτε ακόμα και να ονομάσετε Αγίου Νικολάου ως δικαιούχος ενός σχεδίου συνταξιοδότησης (IRA, 401k, Roth, κλπ) Κάθε δώρο - δεν έχει σημασία πόσο μεγάλο ή μικρό - είναι ένα σημάδι της αγάπης, και όλοι γνωρίζουμε ότι ο Θεός αγαπά ένα χαρούμενο δωρητή 4

5 St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Monthly Bulletin December 2014 Metropolis Choir Conference October 9 12 St Louis was proud to host the Metropolis Choir Conference this year Over 85 attendees came together to share their love of Orthodoxy through music We were honored to have with us composer Christopher Kypros We were thrilled to hear for the first time his new music being sung at a Divine Liturgy Christopher directed and composed this piece Hearing the choir sing was like a chorus of angels! Philoptochos was honored to be a part of this, and we were thrilled to host the breakfast receptions during their time here Nicky Antoniou did a great job with the meals! We have heard nothing but praise for our Philoptochos chapter, how friendly our parish was to all, and how much they enjoyed their visit here in St Louis Many thanks to all the fantastic ladies of Philoptochos that helped make the delegates and their guests visit here a memorable one! Philoptochos Corner December 2014 that need long-term treatments, has translated for Greek patients responded to hospital visits, and supports dinners for Pre-sanctified church services She received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Rockwood School District for Partners in Education, has visited the Juvenile Jail to cheer the children whose souls were damaged and presented each child with a Greek Sailor Hat with their names on it and taught them the Zorba the Greek dance Georgia is truly a friend of all Her love, faith, and her spirit have made her an excellent role model and an exemplary Orthodox Christian woman a very deserving Woman of the Year for 2014 Philoptochos Sunday November 2 Philoptochos celebrated the Sunday of Philanthropy by passing a tray for the Needy We also kicked-off our Holiday ministries Seats and Feets, for the Little Bit Foundation We thank the church Board for the lovely coffee hour reception following the Liturgy in our honor It is with great pleasure that we announce the Woman of the year 2014 Georgia Johnson Georgia was born in Pyrgos Illias, Greece and came to St Louis in 1967 when she and her husband, Pat Johnson settled here as newlyweds Georgia and Pat have a daughter, Eleni who lives in California with her husband, Ryan Paul Stevens and their son Erol As a member of St Nicholas for many years, Georgia has been a Philoptochos member for over 30 years For more than 35 years, she has directed the St Nicholas dancers and has introduced our Greek culture throughout the greater St Louis area, including the Hellenic camp, Catholic churches, the St Louis Veiled Prophet Fair, Keiner Plaza, Festival of Nations, Nursing Homes, Holiday on the Plaza, Muny Opera, St Louis Art Museum, St Louis Zoo and many other events For the Annual St Nicholas Festival she has directed the dancers and has made them the drawing card During the year she prepares dancers for all ages and meets with the dancers to practice weekly In addition Georgia has prepared Memorial Koliva for over 15 years, has provided her home to Greek patients Georgia Johnson (seated, fourth from left) St Nicholas Philoptochos 2014 Woman of the Year at a ceremony following Divine Liturgy at St Nicholas on Sunday, November 2nd She was honored for her many years of service to St Nicholas and the Community as well as her great talent as Director and Choreographer of the St Nicholas Greek Dancers, who have performed at many venues in the Greater St Louis area Pictured with her are former Woman of Year honorees -submitted by George Souris Save the Date Saturday, December 13 Philoptochos Holiday Christmas Luncheon Please join us for our annual holiday luncheon at Algonquin Golf Club at 11:00 am Enjoy cocktails, appetizers, lunch, and attendance prizes as we wrap up the year $25 per person All reservations must be made in advance by December 7 th Please make checks payable to St Nicholas Philoptochos and mail to: Carol Kamburis, 1211 Bedford Falls Court, Ballwin, MO Calendar of Events: /5 - St Nicholas Vesper s Reception STN 12/6 St Nicholas Reception STN 12/7 - St Nicholas Day Luncheon/Children s Holiday Breakfast Church auditorium immediately following Divine Liturgy /08 Board Meeting 1/11 Vasilopita Luncheon 1/24 General Membership Brunch Meeting 5

6 St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Monthly Bulletin December Sunday School News I hope you are enjoying a blessed Advent season It s such a joyous time as we prepare ourselves and our surroundings for the arrival of our savior, Jesus Christ In Sunday School, we have been doing just that with activities and lessons about the Nativity of Christ Also during this Advent season, we are preparing for a very special exhibit about one of the world s most revered saints, St Nicholas, that will be displayed in our Sunday School from December 6th-21st The exhibit will include sixteen story boards that will explain our patron saint s life story; his influence on faith, traditions and customs around the world; legends and stories that surround him; and his development into our American Santa Claus The exhibit and related activities is for children of all ages and has been procured from the St Nicholas Center in Holland, Michigan (check out their website wwwstnicholascenterorg) We will commemorate St Nicholas on his feast day, Saturday, December 6th, with a special celebration and exhibit tour, following Divine Liturgy Parishioners will enjoy a three-minute introductory video, And Now We Call Him Santa Claus, then be led through the exhibit Afterwards, guests can enjoy family activities that will be set up in classrooms and will include woodmounted puzzles, paper miter-folding with instructions and rubbing plates paper crafts Refreshments will also be served In addition, we ll have a lovely boutique and bake sale featuring exquisite wooden icons and ornaments and gorgeous translucent silk icons (all hand made in the USA from Legacy Icons) We will also have nativity crafts and home baked treats for sale All proceeds will benefit our Sunday School and help pay for the exhibit A portion of the proceeds will benefit our local Orthodox Food Pantry-Focus Gateway We wish to thank our St Nicholas Philoptochos Chapter for their generous donation towards the cost of this enriching and inspirational program Admission to this high caliber event is free but donations are welcome to help pay for the exhibit We kindly ask that you RSVP for this event by contacting besscatering@charternet or calling our church office at If you would like to donate to, help sponsor or underwrite this event, again, please contact us at the above address We also need volunteers to assist as tour guides, activity hosts and boutique sales representatives We will also welcome your festively packaged home baked treats and Christmas crafts and handiwork for our boutique and bake sale Please bring it in by 10:30, December 6th Remember, it s all for a good cause-our Sunday School-our children, grandchildren, nieces & nephews, Godchildren and the future of our parish We also have our Christmas Pageant to look forward to on December 21st As always, it will be presented in Church immediately following Divine Liturgy and will last about 35 minutes Rehearsal for the pageant will take place immediately after Divine Liturgy the preceding week, December 14th and families can expect to wait 45 minutes or so for their kiddos to finish We appreciate your patience and support Finally, we wish to remind and encourage you to continue bringing your children to Sunday School We have a knowledgeable and devoted staff ready and waiting each week to teach, nurture, and guide your children in the teachings of Christ and our Orthodox faith Even if you have to miss for sports or other commitments, come when you can If you have sons serving in alter, they should go to Sunday School afterwards where they will enjoy a snack and some fellowship with classmates as well as a Sunday School lesson Don t just let it go because you ve missed for a while No one will be mad or judge you We ll just welcome you and your children when you come The children will have fun with their friends and hopefully, they ll have some fun doing something that doesn t involve an electronic device Remember, it s on you to bring them Most Sunday School students can t drive On behalf of our entire Sunday School staff, Despina and I wish you a joyous Advent, Merry Christmas and blessed New Year Your Co-Directors, Bess Fitzmaurice Despina Hartley 6

7 St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Monthly Bulletin December 2014 On the Bible: How much we need to listen to Christ today! I remember once a man stopping his car to park in a strange city He looked and looked for the coin slot in the parking meter but could not find it Finally, he asked someone about it The answer he received was, Try reading the directions on the meter He did and he immediately found the coin slot We, too, have many questions about life We fumble about not knowing who we are or where we are going or why we are here All the while the Lord Jesus is trying to tell us Why don t you try reading my directions for life in this Book Here is where I tell you what life is all about Whenever we buy a gadget or appliance the manufacturer gives us a set of directions to explain how it works and how to maintain it Do you think God would give us the gift of life without at the same time giving us directions now how to live life? Of course not His directions are to be found in this wonder book, the Bible -Fr Anthony M Coniaris The Truth About Christmas Traditions Enliven familiar holiday traditions by talking about their roots For more on holiday traditions, consult Susan Card s book, A Season of Joy (Harvest House Publishers), from which these explanations were taken Christmas trees Evergreen trees have long been used to brighten the darkness of winter But it wasn t until the 16 th century that bringing cut trees inside became a holiday tradition in Germany Decorations often consisted of candy, fruit, nuts, tinsel, and small, unwrapped presents for children Candles were used for lights until the 1880s Christmas cards Traditional Christmas cards are a fairly recent custom compared to other holiday traditions The first cards weren t sent until the mid-1800s mostly because mail service wasn t all that great The steam locomotive helped speed the process In 1843 the first printed Christmas cards were sent by Sir Henry Cole of England He hired a man to design the cards and a shop owner to color them by hand A few years later, America saw its first cards Advent Advent means coming and is a time when many Christians prepare for Christ s coming, or Christmas Beginning the fourth Sunday before Christmas and ending on Christmas Eve, many Christians use an Advent wreath or Advent calendar to mark the days leading up to Christmas a holy day, which is where we get the word holiday In the Middle Ages, people believed Christ s return was imminent, so the weeks before Christmas were set aside to prepare for the Second Coming Candy canes the candy cane s unique J shape is believed to stand for Jesus or a shepherd s crook Its characteristic hardness symbolizes Jesus as the rock of ages The white stripe signifies his virgin birth and purity, and the red stripe symbolizes his shed blood for our sins Peppermint is in the same family as hyssop, an herb used during Old Testament times for purification and sacrifice DAILY BIBLE READING GUIDE December M 1 Tim 1:7 2 T 1 Tim1: W 1 Tim 1:18-20;2: T Gal 3:23-4:5 5 F Gal 5:22-6:2 6 S Heb 13:17-21 Sun 7 Eph 5: M 1 Tim 5: T Gal 4: W 1 Tim5:22-25;6: T 1 Tim 6: F Eph 5: S Gal 5:22-6:2 Sun 14 Col 3: M 2 Tim 1: T 2 Tim 3:16-17;4: W Heb 11:33-40;12: T Titus 1: F Titus 1:15-16;2: S Gal 3:8-12 Sun 21 Heb 11:9-10, M Heb 3:5-11, T Heb 4: W Mt 1:18-25 Lk 2: T Gal 4: F Heb 2: S Acts 6:8-15;7:1-5,47-60 Sun 28 Gal 1: M Heb 2: T Heb 9: W Heb 10: Christmas Day 7

8 St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Monthly Bulletin December 2014 St Nicholas We commemorate St Nicholas on December 6 About all most of us remember about him is that he was the prototype of Santa Claus He certainly is a very popular saint a patron of countries, dioceses, cities, churches and of many people Sailors, merchants, pawnbrokers and children all claim him There is much love for him He was born in the Fourth Century and became the bishop of Myra, which is in southwestern Asia Minor, which we would now identify as being in the area of Turkey He was present at the First Ecumenical Council, which was held in Nicaea in 325 He was so incensed at Arius (who held that Christ is a created being, inferior to God the Father in nature) that he slapped him This created a scandal and the 318 bishops present expelled him and relieved him of his bishop status However, upon closer examination, he was immediately reinstated and was then treated with the great respect due him However, he is best remembered as a benevolent person We can recall the story of how he provided dowries for the daughters of a poor man Many parishes now hold programs on St Nicholas Day rather than yolkas at Christmastime They follow much the same order with presentations by the children, Christmas music and St Nicholas appearing with his bag of toys But some parishes are modifying this St Nicholas is presented as a bishop instead of the jolly Santa Children bring him wrapped gifts intended for the less fortunate and then tell St Nicholas how they have tried to be charitable and helpful during the year St Nicholas speaks a few words about their efforts and then gives them a small bag of goodies, including a honey cookie (medovnik) and a gold chocolate coin reminding the children of the gold coin he threw into the window of the poor girls The Nativity of Christ: The Feast of Renewal We are approaching, beloved brethren, the world-saving feast of the birth in the flesh of our Lord God and Saviour, Jesus Christ In general, we should not allow ourselves to celebrate any Christian feast without seriously considering: what is its meaning and what is its purpose? What is our responsibility towards it? We must know the Christian meaning behind every feast Then the feast will become profitable for our soul s salvation The incarnation of the Son of God requires from us, above all, mutual love, humility, that we help and serve one another; for how can we not love one another when we see the love that God has towards us? How can we not be humble, seeing such humility, such voluntary condescension for our sake of the Son of God? How can we not help one another in every way possible, when the Son of God Himself came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many? (Mt 20:28) Like the wisemen, let us, brothers, also prepare gifts for the new-born King Instead of gold, frankincense and myrrh, let us bring Him the gifts of faith, hope, and love Amen -St John of Kronstadt Carrot, Egg, Coffee: Which Will You Be? A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up She was tired of fighting and struggling It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose Her mother took her to the kitchen She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire Soon the pots came to boil In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans She let them sit and boil, without saying a word In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners She fished the carrots and placed them in a bowl She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl Turning to her daughter, she asked, Tell me, what you see? Carrots, eggs, and coffee, she replied Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots She did and noted that they were soft The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma The daughter then asked, what does it mean, mother? Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity boiling water Each reacted differently The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak (cont on pg 9) 8

9 St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Monthly Bulletin December 2014 Carrot, Egg, Coffee: (cont from pg 8) The egg had been fragile Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened The ground coffee beans were unique, however After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water Which are you? she asked her daughter When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean? Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean? MEMORIAL DONATIONS October 10th thru November 10th CHURCH FUND In Memory of Peter Tomaras Harry, Tiffany & Olivia Yiatras In Memory of Stephen Ferris Bob & Mary Muckler In Memory of Athena Rejos Bo & Georgia Prstojevich In Memory of Kyriaki Patakas Nick & Kathy Ginos Irene Kallaos George & Dianne Zotos CAPITAL CAMPAIGN In Memory of Athena Rejos Katherine Siromas Rutter Harry & Georgia Pliakos In Memory of Kyriaki Patakas Pete & Tonya Ferretti George & Kim Tarlas Ann & Kay Zotos FAMILY LIFE CENTER In Memory of Athena Rejos Dan & Andrea Tarlas In Memory of Kyriaki Patakas Ron & Elaine Been Dr & Mrs A K Dagartzikas Katherine Georgen Tim & Aliki Bibas Bess Millonas Mr & Mrs George A Souris Bessie Conis Nicky Antoniou Dan & Andrea Tarlas In Memory of Irene Davis Cynthia Milonas PHILOPTOCHOS SOCIETY In Memory of Kyriaki Patakas Harry Karagiannis Parish Life BAPTISMS All you who have been baptized in Christ RYAN JACOB Son of James & Cristina Welsh Godparent: Sophia Hinely PENELOPE CLAIRE Daughter of Steven & Kathryn Mastorakos Godparent: Kathleen Todd WEDDINGS Crown them with Honor and Glory Madison Brown and Alexander Kamakas Alexandra Sheridan and Richard Barton MEMORIALS December 28 th 3 Year Gladys Benos FUNERALS Where the Righteous Rest September 17th October 8 th Athena Rejos Kyriaki Patakas 9

10 St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Monthly Bulletin December 2014 St Nicholas OXI Day Speech Ladies and gentlemen, First, I would like to thank Father Doug and the St Nicholas Church council members for inviting me to give this speech It is a true honor to be here with all of you today My name is Nikos Poulopoulos and I am here to speak about the OXI day Before I turn to the historical events of the Greek-Italian War, I would like to remind our audience that today the Orthodox Church celebrates one of the great military martyrs of Christianity, Agios Demetrios of Salonica Furthermore the 28 th of October the actual date that we celebrate the OXI day, coincides in Greece with the celebration of the Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos (or Agia Skepi), a holiday that was transferred to October 28th after World War 2 (originally it was celebrated on October 1 st ) In fact this was done to commemorate the great help and protection of the Panagia to the Greek nation throughout its history, and especially during World War II during which many miracles were reported We should be reminded, finally, that On the Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos we implore the defense and assistance of the Queen of Heaven with the following words: "Remember us in your prayers, O Lady Virgin Mother of God, that we not perish by the increase of our sins Protect us from every evil and from grievous foes, for in you do we hope, and venerating the Feast of your P r o t e c t i o n, w e m a g n i f y y o u " It was actually on August 15, 1940, off the eastern coast of Greece near the Aegean island of Tinos, an island especially dedicated to the Holy Virgin more than any other, that the first great tragedy of the war struck As thousands upon thousands of pilgrims were celebrating the joyous Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, the crew of a Greek cruiser Elli was also participating in the festivities off shore Suddenly the ship was torpedoed and sunk by an Italian submarine This was the prelude of the ensuing war between Italy and Greece that started only a few months later On October 28, 1940, at 3am in the morning, the Italian Ambassador in Athens presented an insulting ultimatum to Greek Prime Minister Metaxas, demanding the unconditional surrender of Greece or Italy would declare war and invade the country The Italian fascist leader, Mussolini had given the Greek Prime Minister Metaxas three hours to reply Metaxas responded immediately with the now historic word OXI which means no in Greek His statement embodied the true spirit of the Greek people His words of defiance echoed the same devotion and love of country that Greek patriots exhibited during their war of independence against the Ottoman Empire when they shouted liberty or death Prime Minister Metaxas actions marked the beginning of one of the world s most heroic efforts against tyranny and oppression Italy a few hours later invaded Greece from 3 different fronts in Hpeiros and Makedonia The outcome of the decision made on October 28, 1940, had a profound impact on the course of World War 2 even much later, by Nazi Germany We re talking about a stand made by a small, poor, yet courageous nation, Greece, against the larger, more powerful aggressors Italy and Germany It is important to note here that in addition to Greece having a population seven times smaller than Italy, the disparity in their armed forces was even greater: Italy had close to ten times the firepower of Greece Yet, against all odds, the Greek army proved to be another David against the Italian Goliath Within a week of the invasion, it was clear that Italian forces were suffering serious setbacks despite having control of the air and fielding superior armored vehicles A few weeks later, the Greek forces had managed to push the Italians some 100 miles within Albanian territory Due to Mussolini s humiliating defeat by the Greeks in Albania and Greece, Hitler was compelled to invade the Balkans, delaying, thus, his Barbarossa plan to invade and capture the Soviet Union before the winter of 1941 The Greek resistance, both in Albania, and in the other famous battle, in Crete, altered, favorably for the allies, his Barbarossa timetable by at least six months Unfortunately, nearly one million Greeks died during the Greek-Italian War and the subsequent German invasion and occupation after 1941 That was 15% of the population in 1940 That is equivalent to losing 40 million people in this country TODAY in the case of a war to defend the country A catastrophe of biblical proportions! Yet, the entire Western world, discouraged and fearful of the power of Germany and its allies, took hope from these incredible early Greek victories In fact, one of the most well known salutes to the heroism of the Greek people was given by the US President Franklin D Roosevelt, who summed it all up beautifully saying: "On the 28th of October 1940 Greece was given a deadline of three hours to decide on war or peace but even if a three day or three week or three year were given, the response would have been the same The Greeks taught dignity throughout the centuries When the entire world had lost all hope, the Greek people dared to question the invincibility of the German monster raising against it the proud spirit of freedom" The Russian leader, in turn, Joseph Stalin, was more laconic but equally thankful, I am sorry, he said, Because I am getting old and I shall not live long to thank the Greek people w h o s e r e s i s t a n c e d e c i d e d W W 2 Joseph Stalin (From speech broadcast over radio after victory of Stalingrad January ) And finally the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, offered what is yet the most celebrated quote: Today we say that Greeks fight like heroes, from now on we will say that heroes fight like Greeks In fact, even Greece s most notorious foes were openly expressing their admiration for the Greek heroism, Adolf Hitler in a speech he gave in 1942 he confessed before the members of the German War Council: "For the sake of historical truth I must verify that only the Greeks, of all the enemies who confronted us, fought with genuine courage and highest disregard of death Adolf Hitler (speech he gave at Reichstag, 4 May 1941) OXI day is an inspiration to all those who cherish democracy and freedom It marks defiance against terrible odds And this community of the St Nicholas Church should be proud of its contribution and the support it offered back then to the Greek brothers who were fighting thousand of miles away, along the Greek borders in Epeiros and Macedonia; and especially later, during the long and unbearable time of the German Occupation Myself, I am proud to honor the memory of those brave patriots who fought for freedom for themselves, for their country, and ultimately for all the free world on this important day Even more, I m extremely proud to say that my grandfather, his name was Nicholas of course, was one of those Greek heroes who fought and survived in World War II He used to share, by the fireplace, his wartime stories from the front, when I was just a little kid back in Greece, and he would always conclude his narrative recollecting the bravery and resolve of all those people, especially from the regions of Epeiros and Makedonia, from the cities of Grevena and Ioannina, from Kastoria, Florina and Arta, all those who first found themselves either fighting the Italians on the front lines or assisting and supplying with food and ammunition the Greek soldiers there His concluding words is perhaps an important message that we can all take out of that Greek struggle for survival and freedom: he used to say, my son those people had literally nothing, and yet they gave everything for the freedom of our country! For all those people, I proudly say, Zito the OXI Day Thank You Nikos Poulopoulos 10

11 St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Monthly Bulletin December 2014 The Nicholad A weeklong celebration of worship, fellowship and learning in honor of our heavenly patron St Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia Monday, December 1 7:30pm Tree-lighting, caroling, and Hot Chocolate with the St Nicholas Youth Choir Family Life Center Wednesday, December 3 10am Mom-and Tots Bible Study looks at The Life of St Nicholas with special activities for the kids Church Philoptochos room 10:30am Akathist to St Nicholas with Anointing, followed by lunch for the seniors in the Philoptochos room Family Life Center Friday, December 5 5pm Great Vespers, with Lenten reception following Saturday, December 6 Feast of St Nicholas 9:30am Divine Liturgy, with brunch reception following St Nicholas Exhibit and Celebration right after the Divine Liturgy, featuring exhibit tours, family activites, boutique, bake sale, and refreshments Sunday, December 7 After Divine Liturgy, St Nicholas Day Luncheon and Children s Holiday party in the Church Hall 4:30pm Family Night at the Family Life Center FOR MORE INFORMATION, AND TO RSVP FOR EVENTS MARKED (*), PLEASE CALL THE CHURCH OFFICE AT

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13 St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Monthly Bulletin December 2014 FESTIVAL FRIDAYS! WEEKLY LUNCHEONS 11AM TO 2PM St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church 4967 Forest Park Avenue St Louis, MO Join us for a mouthwatering menu of St Nicholas Greek Festival favorites Shish-Kabob & Rice Pastitsio Lemon-Butter Cod & Rice Gyro or Chicken Gyro Spanakopita Greek Salad Baklava, Kataifi, and more Dine-in or carry out! We're off to a great start, let's keep the momentum going Please be an ambassador and help us spread the word Or place a carry-out order for your office or gathering (deliveries available for corporate orders) Thank you to our office patrons Helen Carey, Bill Mastorakos, Demos Argyros, Chris Varvares, George Patakas, Dan Tarlas & Rich Shasserre In observance of the holidays, Festival Fridays will be closed on November 28, December 5, December 26, and January 2 13

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16 St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Monthly Bulletin December 2014 Adopt a Child This Christmas The St Nicholas Prison Ministry would like to ask parishioners to adopt 50 children this year for the holiday season You will be given the children s wish lists, and asked to make their holiday a little happier by purchasing a child s requested item In consideration of everyone s budget, we are asking that the total purchase price should not exceed $25 All items must be new and unwrapped For more information on the Christmas adoption program, please contact Clark Porter (314) CONTACT US! Do you have an idea, an observation, a suggestion, compliment or complaint? Well, now there s a way to contact the Parish Council directly with your thoughts Simply go to our website at wwwsngocorg and choose the Contact Us option You can make your input in the Question or Comments box, then select Submit Be sure to include your name and address, so that we may respond to you promptly Thoughts that would appeal to the Parish at large will be published in succeeding monthly bulletins Thank you, Mike Ferretti Parish Council Secretary 16

17 St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church Monthly Bulletin December 2014 The Moore Missionary Family Arrives in Mongolia! by Chris and Jen Moore After months of red tape, the Moore family (Chris, Jen, and their son Andrew) arrived safely in Ulaan Baatar on October 27, 2014, to begin their long-term missionary service in Mongolia Please pray for them as they offer themselves as teachers and evangelists in a country that has only one Orthodox church Thank you so much for your prayers! We ve arrived safely in Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia We are doing well and adjusting to the 12-hour time change Our 2-room apartment is lovely and came furnished The past couple of days we ve been purchasing kitchen items and a few appliances It s been good to get out into the city for these excursions and for some general exploring The mornings and evenings can be chilly (around freezing), but the sun comes out in the day and warms up to the 50's, which is really nice The apartment stays very warm We have so much to be grateful for! Yesterday we had our first opportunity to celebrate the Divine Liturgy service at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church It was great to worship our God with our brothers and sisters and a pleasure to make some new acquaintances in the church after the service Our son Andrew tends to draw a lot of attention from Russians and Mongolians alike! We were also able to touch base with the Mongolian International University and High School administration and teachers on Friday It was good to put some faces with names that we d been in contact with through There will even be opportunities for us to study Mongolian at the Language Institute attached to MIU before our work begins there in February Please pray for opportunities to get better acquainted with church members and co-workers and to meet neighbors! (submitted by Rosie Hartley) 17

18 DECEMBER 2014 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY St Nicholas Day 6 8:00am-Orthos 9:30am-Divine Liturgy Greeter: Frieda Perkins St Nicholas Day Luncheon and Children s Holiday Party 4:30pm Family FLC 8:00am-Orthos 9:30am-Divine Liturgy Greeter: Ellen Piskos Market Days Jr GOYA Steinberg Rink 7:30pm Bonfire, treelighting & caroling with the St Nicholas Youth FLC 10am Mom-and-Tots Bible Church Philoptochos room 7am Men s Fellowship Family Life Center 10am Mom s & Church 10:30am Akathist to St FLC Καφενείοv 9am-12pm Family Life Center No Festival Friday Luncheon 5pm Church, Lenten reception 9:30am Divine Church, Brunch reception St Nicholas Exhibit and Celebration pm St Nicholas Book FLC 10am Women s Faith Group 7am Men s Fellowship Family Life Center 10am Mom s & Church Καφενείοv 9am-12pm Family Life Center 10a Divine Ahepa Apt 11am-2pm Festival Friday Church am Men s Fellowship Family Life Center 10am Mom s & Church Καφενείοv 9am-12pm Family Life Center 6p Grief Support 11am-2pm Festival Friday Church 10:30am Cherubs & Hope Cookie Church Christmas Eve 24 Christmas Day :00am-Orthos 9:30am-Divine Liturgy Greeter: Lyndia Finer Sunday School Pageant 5:00pm Candle Light Divine Church 8:00am-Orthos 9:30am-Divine Liturgy Greeter: Becky Liringis New Year s Eve 31 7pm Divine FLC Chapel 10am Divine Church Merry Christmas No Festival Friday Luncheon 18

19 St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church 4967 Forest Park Avenue St Louis, MO RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID ST LOUIS, MO PERMIT NO 1029 Please visit us at wwwsngocorg Philoptochos Philanthropy PHILANTHROPY REPORT December 2014 FOOD BAGS for the HUNGRY December Chopped Ham Yams Crushed Pineapple Jello Cornbread Mix Powdered Milk (optional) Toothbrush (optional) January Vegetable Beef Soup Crackers Deviled Ham Powdered Milk Baby/Children s Shampoo Hand Sanitizer / Liquid Soap (optional) A very special Thank You to Mary Mezines, our Food Bag Chairperson We pray that you had a Prayerful and Blessed Thanksgiving with your Family & Friends We look forward to celebrating St Nicholas Day with all of you May we wish you the Blessings of this Beautiful Celebration of our patron Saint May we take the opportunity to thank you for all of your donations of clothing furniture and food items that have been so helpful to our parishioners and our outreach community & we are grateful for your generosity when we ask for donations to continue our philanthropy to the community We continue to accept gently used furniture, appliances, clothing for adults and children of all ages we thank Clark Porter for his help thru his Prison Ministry -- we have shared many of the items you have donated to his Ministry and he has shared helping us pick up furniture donations that we distribute to our Charity organizations and our parishioners in need We are pleased to support and share with FOCUS-Gateway City our Orthodox Food Pantry and Special Men s Program and are so blessed to work with Eric Shanburne ~ their Director ~ who has been so helpful to us to administer & aid our outreach community We are so Blessed to have the counsel of Father Doug and Father Michael to guide us in our Philanthropy endeavors May we wish them & their families GOD s Blessing for their health & happiness and may HE keep them safe in HIS EMBRACE Johanna Spanos and Jeanne Tompras Philanthropy Committee 20