October With love in Christ, Fr. Nick

Transcription

1 October 2014 Matthew 7:6 Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. There is a standard and general interpretation of this verse. The Fathers of the Church interpret the holy and the pearls as the faith and teachings of Christ and the sacraments of the Church. The dogs and swine are interpreted as people who are habitually evil with no hope of change and people who are immersed in immorality and impurity. Let s expand on this idea of the holy and the pearls. In other words, how is this important and relevant to our lives today? Christ tells us not to give such sacred and beautiful things to that which is unworthy. Logically, this means we must possess something if Christ tells us not to give it away. It must be ours and it must be under our guardianship, stewardship, and care. Our faith in Jesus Christ combined with the Tradition and sacraments of our Greek Orthodox Church are the holy and the pearls. These pearls are meant to be imbedded in our souls and bodies in three ways: 1) How we worship and love God, 2) How we love our neighbor and 3) How we teach our children our Greek Orthodox Faith. If we think about it, the faith we received came to us at a price a great price. Our ancestors suffered under tyranny, were slain, were forced into slavery, and were often made to flee their native lands for fear of death or repression. Yet they maintained their faith unassailable, did not capitulate to slavery and tyranny and were able to give us these beautiful pearls, the heart of our Greek Orthodox faith as described above, without blemish. They offered this for us with only one unspoken request: that we present such a treasure to our own children. (This holds true for all Orthodox Christians, whether from birth or from joining later in life, for the blood of the martyrs ensured us the possession of our faith.) We try our best to give these pearls to our children, but we must be aware of the dogs and swine that attempt to break us away from our rightful inheritance. I offer, at this moment, that we should not look at the dogs and swine as people, but more insidious and crafty enemies. If we allow complacency to rule our lives and the lives of our children, as when we allow sports, school activities and the like to out-weigh Sunday morning worship, we are throwing our pearls to the dogs and are teaching our children to do the same. If we allow inattentiveness to rule our lives and do not care that our arrival at church is just prior to Holy Communion, not regularly hearing the majority of the Liturgy, particularly the Gospel, what example of the care of our treasured inheritance are we offering our children? If we do not practice love and forgiveness by refusing to speak to our family or others who have offended us, in great contradiction to the way of Christ, we are simply taking our faith and throwing it into the swine. And just as importantly, we teach and encourage our children to follow the same sinful and egotistical actions. If we do not teach our children to respect the institution of the Church and the people offering their ministry: the Metropolitan, priest, elders, council members, teachers, choir members, Philoptochos members, or anyone offering ministry for God s glory we are taking that which is holy and throwing it into the trash. (By the way, out of faith-based sincerity we may disagree with these people over particularities, but never show any of them disrespect.) We must be very careful and mindful about what has been given to us at a great price. We must be willing to make our own sacrifices to ensure it is passed down to our children uncorrupted. With love in Christ, Fr. Nick

2 A Message from George Kokales Parish Council President Fall is upon us and soon we will celebrate the feastday of our St. Nicholas Church. Please join us on November 8th, 2014 for our annual St Nicholas Dinner Dance right here at the church. Come and enjoy good food and entertainment with fellow parishioners. More details will be forthcoming. This month, the Philoptochos will embark on one of its largest fundraisers, the spanakopita and baklava bake sale. Hundreds are made and the Philoptochos needs your time and talent. Spanakopita preparation begins Monday, October 20-Friday, October 24, 9:30am-8:00pm. Please stop by and lend a hand, even if you only can spare a couple of hours. Every bit helps! If you are planning on arriving after 6:00pm, please call the Church Kitchen and ask for Jarnis, just to make sure they are still working. The Philoptochos may continue to prepare the spanakopita the following week, Monday and Tuesday, October 26 and 27, if they do not finish the week before. Stewarship pledges are critical to the activities and the on-going operations of our parish. We have said it many times, but we need to say it again. The Stewardship program is the primary means by which the church supports itself. It relies on the goodness of God and the generosity of its parish members. Stewardship pledges dollar amounts have increased ever so slightly, but the number of pledge members have not. What does this mean? It means that individuals are pledging more, while others are still not filling out a stewardship pledge card. The Parish Council always looks for ways to save the church money. But as you know, we do not have much control of unexpected expenses, such as building repairs. You may ask what does your stewardship support? 1) Sacraments & Services, 2) Religious education, 3) Youth Activities, 4) Salaries, 5) Archdiocese Assessment, 6) Insurance, 7) All publications and Mailings, 8) Professional Services, 9) All Maintenance & repairs and 10) Utilities. We are still a ways to go to meet our 2014 budget. We need each and every one of you to fill out a stewardship pledge card. Please take a moment and fill out one today. We still have a number of parishioners who have not pledged for Stewardship pledge cards are available on our website. If you would like one mailed to your home, please call the office. There is also good news to report. Our mortgage is under $100,000! Thank you to everyone for your hard work and support! Finally, the answer to last month s question, which of our two parishioners have the same name as two of our local sport athletes? Chris Webber is a former University of Michigan basketball player and Dave Price a current Detroit Tigers pitcher. Yours in Christ, George K Mark your calendars! The St. Nicholas parish family will honor Father Nick and recognize his ten years of service as our parish priest at an Anniversary Luncheon to be held on January 17, More details to follow.

3 GOYA News Please place your order for Easter Bread by April 6. The GOYA has been quite busy recently. We have been busy practicing basketball on Wednesdays at Mack Elementary The and price Thursdays is $10 per at one Saline pound Methodist loaf and it is Church. plain, without There the red have egg. been as many as 15 GOYAns at practices, and The both order the forms girls are and in the boys hallway teams near are the looking church office. solid for this year s holiday hoops tournament on November at Pickup St. Johns date is Greek April 13. Orthodox Church. We hope that you all can join us to cheer us on against the Greek Orthodox youth from the other local parishes. We will be competing in our soon For to questions, be tie dyed please jerseys! call Perry at (734) Thank you! We also look forward to entertaining our parishioners by performing traditional Greek dances at the St. Nicholas Dance in November. We have given up many hours on Saturdays and have been practicing diligently. We look forward to seeing you there. Keep in mind that our annual brunch will take place on Sunday, January 11, 2015! Stay tuned for more information! H.O.P.E (Hellenic Orthodox Primary Education) J.O.Y. (Junior Orthodox Youth) Our first meeting is scheduled for Sunday, Oct.19th, 2014 from 12:30 2:00 pm Please place your order for Easter Bread by April 6. We hope to have a great start to our school year with many new and returning faces. In the course of the year, Father will be The talking price is to $10 the per children one pound about loaf the and Sacraments it is plain, without of our the Orthodox red egg. Church. Our meetings will start with a lunch The provided order forms by one are in of the hallway parents. near (Please the church sign office. up for lunch at the first meeting or get in touch with Sophia Radwanski or Andrea Pickup Kahn.) date Father is April then 13. speaks to the children on a specific topic related to Orthodoxy. We end the meeting with a project or an outdoor activity. Many children bring a change of clothes so as not to For soil questions, their church please call clothes. Perry at At (734) our first meeting, Thank Father you! will be speaking on the Sacrament of Baptism. A tentative schedule for the year follows. Oct. 19 th Baptism Nov. 9 th Chrismation Dec. 7 th Communion Jan. 18 Confession Feb. 8 Unction March 8 th Marriage April 19 th Ordination May 3 rd - Review of Sacraments/Fun Day/Picnic Please consider bringing your children to HOPE or JOY. Increasing exposure to the Church early in your child s life is an important step in the building and strengthening of their Orthodox Faith. We can t wait to see your children there! For more information, please contact our HOPE and JOY advisors: Sophia Grias-Radwanski -sgrias@mhsi.us Andrea Kahn - mrsgroupfitness@aol.com Vasilia Tsilimingras - vtsilimingras@yahoo.com Eva Mikhail - evamikhail@yahoo.com

4 St. Nicholas Greek Stewardship Orthodox Report Church of Ann Arbor September 2014 Operating 10, Fund 2014 Budget versus Actual Revenue and Expense Your commitment as of 8/10/2014 to the Stewardship (preliminary Program 60.82%) of this parish is critical to our continued operation and ministries. For those who need to complete a 2014 pledge, please do so as soon as possible Pangare and Trays 51, Target 31, Actual 19,099 Actual 62.55% Pledged Amount $ 385,300 $261,464 $319,247 Number of pledges Average pledge amount $ 1,070 $ 1,080 $ 976 Total Paid $187,030 $303, Archdiocese Related 69 Costs You may find information and forms on Stewardship at Budget Variance Other Outlays ,000 2,983 2, % 23% % 20% % % 14% % 12% 14% 15% 14% 10 Operational Surplus (Deficit) for 2014 as of 8/10/ % (22,228) 12% 16% 5% 5% 6% % 7% 6% 3% 3% 0 $1 - $251 - $501 - $751 - $ $1,501 - $ more than $250 $500 $750 $1000 $1,500 $2,000 $3000 $3,000 Percent of Actual to Budget Budget Actual REVENUE Stewardship 406, , , % Other 43,950 14,364 29, % Total Revenue 501, , , % Number EXPENSES of pledges (full payment) 129 $ 292 Number Salaries of pledges and (partial Fringe payment) Benefits 164,734 98, ,756 $ % Office Costs 20,300 12,394 7, % Pledge Balance due $ 74,433 $ 15,990 Church Related Costs 9,600 8,111 1, % Youth and Education Expenses 12,600 8,187 4, % Pledge Distribution 2014, 2013 and 2012 Repairs and Maintenance Costs 68,320 13,783 54, % Utilities 44,000 30,373 13, % Archdiocese Fair Share 46,000 28,000 18, % Clergy Benefits 31,000 22,739 8, % Mortgage 49 76,500 15,908 60, % Insurance 11,000 5,972 5, % Miscellaneous 12,850 5,693 7, % Total Expenses 501, , , % NOTE - THIS IS CURRENT YEAR OPERATIONS ONLY - IT DOES NOT REFLECT PRIOR YEARS ENDING BALANCES

5 St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church of Ann Arbor 2014 Operating Fund Budget versus Actual Revenue and Expense as of 9/7/2014 (preliminary 68.49%) St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church of A 2014 Operating Fund Budget versus Actual Revenue and Ex as of 8/10/2014 (preliminary REVENUE Percent of Budget Actual Budget Variance Actual to Budget Stewardship 406, , , % Pangare and Trays 51,000 35,041 15, % Other 43,950 14,370 29, % Total Revenue 501, , , % EXPENSES Salaries and Fringe Benefits 164, ,064 55, % Office Costs 20,300 12,904 7, % Church Related Costs 9,600 8,310 1, % Youth and Education Expenses 12,600 8,187 4, % Repairs and Maintenance Costs 68,320 15,714 52, % Utilities 44,000 30,373 13, % Archdiocese Related Costs Archdiocese Fair Share 46,000 31,500 14, % Clergy Benefits 31,000 25,754 5, % Mortgage 76,500 18,181 58, % Insurance 11,000 9,209 1, % Other Outlays 5,000 2,983 2, % Miscellaneous 12,850 7,009 5, % Total Expenses 501, , , % Operational Surplus (Deficit) for 2014 as of 9/7/2014 (32,183) Budget Actua REVENUE Stewardship 406, Pangare and Trays 51, Other 43, Total Revenue 501, EXPENSES Salaries and Fringe Benefits 164, Office Costs 20, Church Related Costs 9,600 8 Youth and Education Expenses 12,600 8 Repairs and Maintenance Costs 68, Utilities 44, Archdiocese Related Costs Archdiocese Fair Share 46, Clergy Benefits 31, Mortgage 76, Insurance 11,000 5 Other Outlays 5,000 2 Miscellaneous 12,850 5 Total Expenses 501, NOTE - THIS IS CURRENT YEAR OPERATIONS ONLY - IT DOES NOT REFLECT PRIOR YEARS ENDING BALANCES Operational Surplus (Deficit) for 2014 as of 8/10/2014 (22 NOTE - THIS IS CURRENT YEAR OPERATIONS ONLY - IT DOES NOT RE BALANCES

6 Philoptochos The Philoptochos always strives Please as place a philanthropic your order for Easter organization Bread by April to carry 6. out its mission statement and to work hard to bring all people together for greater acts of philanthropy and love. This can The price is $10 per one pound loaf and it is plain, without the red egg. only be accomplished by the participation, support and hard work of all the ladies, young and old, The order forms are in the hallway near the church office. married and single. I am asking all the women of our Parish, 18 and older, to become involved with Pickup date is April 13. Philoptochos. I assure you it will be a rewarding experience. Please come when you can! For questions, please call Perry at (734) Thank you! Thank you to Elaine Karam for chairing the program for the September 10 meeting along with Eleni Banos and Eva Makhail. A delicious dinner was served follow by a short meeting. Thanks to all the ladies who brought in books to donate to homeless children of Washtenaw County. On Sunday, September 14 a special collection tray was passed to collect funds in support of Holy Cross. Thank you for your generous donations, over $900 was collected. For over 75 years Philoptochos continues its strong commitment and financial support to Holy Cross through two programs, with scholarships and with operating expenses. The National Philoptochos for the past two years has designated a Sunday in September as National Philoptochos Fellowship Sunday On this day Philoptochos chapters throughout the country are asked to host a Parish Coffee hour in support of the campaign to raise funds for the Aid to Greece and Cyprus. Since we could not host a coffee hour, we are asking individuals who would like to donate to make a check out to St. Nicholas Philoptochos and mail it or bring it to church through the end of October. The annual Spanakopita making will start on Monday, October 20 Friday, October 24. This is the biggest fund raising event of our chapter, we need everyone s help, women and men, please come even for a couple hours. Please donate your time on Wednesday December 3 rd Join fellow St. Nicholas parishioners in bell ringing for the Salvation Army. We will man kettles at 5 locations in one-hour shifts from 12 noon until 8:00 pm. Contact Helen Garris at to volunteer one hour of your time to help those in need.

7 Church School Please place your order for Easter Bread by April 6. St. Nicholas Church School Directors: Katherine Phan and Photios G. Ioannou The price is $10 per one pound loaf and it is plain, without the red egg. The order forms are in the hallway near the church office. Pickup date is April 13. For questions, please call Perry at (734) Thank you! On behalf of our St. Nicholas Church School, we extend a heart-felt welcome to all our students and teachers for the new academic year, ! We would like to remind all parents of children ages three to 12th Grade, who have not already done so, to please register their children for Church School. The religious education of our children in our true Orthodox faith is extremely important as it is the foundation on which we base our lives. Today, everyone with an agenda is bombarding our children with all sorts of messages. Coming to church, learning about our religion and strengthening our faith is our only defense and cannot be postponed until tomorrow. Church School registration is quick and easy. Instructions and forms are available on-line at our Church School website. On October 5 th our Church School starts its annual Thanksgiving Food Drive to help SOS Community Services of Ypsilanti. SOS-CS started in 1970 as a small, grassroots effort by local college students to serve their peers during times of crisis. Every year more than 5,000 people receive food, crisis help, and a place to call home because of SOS. For more than 40 years, SOS volunteers and staff have been a lifeline to tens of thousands of homeless families in our community. Each Church School student should please donate one item based on their classroom as shown below: Preschool: 1 can of Corn K 1st Grade: 1 box of Potato Flakes 2nd 3rd Grade: 1 can of Green Beans 4th 5th Grade: 1 box/bag of Stuffing 6th 7th Grade: 1 can of Cranberry Sauce 8th 9th Grade: 1 can of Mixed Fruit 10th 12th Grade: 1 small box/bag of Rice For reference, a collection box with a sample food item is in each classroom. All donated food items are due no later than the Sunday before Thanksgiving, i.e., November 16, Please try to bring your donated food item as early as possible. Students will also begin working on their essays for our Parish St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival that will be held on March 15, This is a very important event for our Church School. More information is available at the Church School website under the "Oratorical" menu. If you have never attended the speeches delivered by our Church School students on past Oratorical Festivals, please watch our YouTube videos ( You will be pleasantly surprised.

8 Greek School Please place your order for Easter Bread by April 6. OUR ST. NICHOLAS GREEK SCHOOL, Joanna P. Ioannou (Principal) The price is $10 per one pound loaf and it is plain, without the red egg. The order forms are in the hallway near the church office. Pickup date is April 13. Greek School classes started on September 14. Our Greek School offers nine afternoon sessions for children. This year we have sixty one children registered in our school. Our program is based on the approach of learning Greek as a second language. Our objective is for the students to learn to speak, read and write Greek as it is used in everyday life. For questions, please call Perry at (734) Thank you! This year we are using the books from the series «My Greek-Τα Ελληνικά μου. These books come to us from our Archdiocese free of charge. They were written by teachers here in the United States and I was personally involved as an author in the writing of two books. We also use handouts with teacher-developed materials and pages from Margarita-Μαργαρίτα, Things and Letters Πράγματα και Γράμματα, Papaloizos publications, and a number of other books. We also use a computer and a flat screen TV to practice speaking and reading Greek and enrich our learning with Religion, Geography, History and Mythology. In the month of October we celebrate some very special days. On October 26 is the day our church celebrates the feast day of St. Demetrios, the protector Saint of Thessaloniki and on the same day we also celebrate Greek Flag Day. On October 28th we commemorate the Greek resistance and victory against fascist Italy at the beginning of World War II known as ΟΧΙ DAY. On October 28, 1940, Benito Mussolini demanded that Greece give free passage to Italian troops through Greek territory. The Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas responded, OXI- NO. Although outnumbered, the Greek forces fought bravely and drove the Italians far back into Albania. This was the first Allied victory against the Axis powers in WWII. Winston Churchill recognized the significance of defeating the heretofore unstoppable Axis and proclaimed From now on we will not just say that Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks. To prepare for this celebration we will have three rehearsals on Saturday October 11, 18 and 25 with all Greek School students. On Sunday, October 26 we will present a program in our church at the end of the Divine Liturgy, with poems and songs. Our celebration will continue in the social hall with Greek Traditional Dances. Ζ ΗΤ Ω Η Ε Λ Ε Υ ΘΕ Ρ Ι Α Ζ ΗΤ Ω Η 28η ΟΚΤ ΩΒ Ρ Ι ΟΥ 1940 Σήμερα με περηφάνια, ο παππούς μου εκοιτούσε, τη γαλάζια μας σημαία κι όλο ονειροπολούσε. Εθυμήθηκε που τότε, την κρατούσε με καμάρι, στα βουνα της Αλβανίας, νέο τότε παλικάρι. Ο παππούς και η σημαία Αυτά όλα τα θυμάται και περήφανος δακρύζει, μα θυσίες και αγώνες στην πατρίδα χαλαλίζει! Την ετρύπησαν οι σφαίρες, μα ανέμιζε με χάρη κι απ τα χέρια του οι εχθροί μας, μια στιγμή δεν είχαν πάρει. Κι όταν ξάφνου το κοντάρι, έσπασε το πολυβόλο, έκαμε ιστό καινούριο, το ψηλό κορμί του όλο.

9 Η Hμέρα του ΟΧΙ Ιωάννα Ιωάννου Στις 28 Οκτωβρίου, ο Μουσολίνι ζήτησε από την Ελλάδα να σκύψει και να αφήσει τα Ιταλικά στρατεύματα να την καταπατήσουν, παραχωρώντας έτσι τα κυριαρχικά μας δικαιώματα στα εθνικά μας εδάφη. Με τη φωνή του τότε πρωθυπουργού Ιωάννη Μεταξά η Ελλάδα, είπε μονάχα μια λέξη, "ΟΧΙ"! Η περήφανη απάντηση της Ελλάδας κατέπληξε την τρομαγμένη Ευρώπη και προκάλεσε το σεβασμό όλων των ελεύθερων ανθρώπων. Όλοι οι λαοί, έμειναν κατάπληκτοι μπροστά στην γενναία απόφαση της πατρίδας μας. Μέσα σε λίγες ώρες άρχισε ένας άνισος αγώνας. Η Ελλάδα από τη μια και ο φασισμός από την άλλη. Με τη σκέψη της σωτηρίας της πατρίδας, θερμαίνονται οι καρδιές των Ελλήνων πάνω στα χιονισμένα Ηπειρωτικά βουνά. Με όπλα το εθνικό πιστεύω και το "Πιστεύω εις ένα Θεό" ρίχνονται στον αγώνα. Κάθε μάχη γίνεται και ένας θρύλος. Σε λίγο η νίκη απλώνει τα φτερά της και στεφανώνει τους ήρωες. Με όπλα το θάρρος και την ανδρεία κατάφεραν οι Έλληνες μαχητές του σαράντα να συντρίψουν τον εχθρό, ο οποίος πανικόβλητος υποχώρησε στο εσωτερικό της Αλβανίας και θα είχε σίγουρα σαν τελικό αποτέλεσμα να ριχτεί στη θάλασσα, αν δεν έρχονταν σε βοήθεια του οι σιδερόφρακτες γερμανικές ορδές. Ο κόσμος όλος παρακολουθεί την εξέλιξη των γεγονότων και βλέπει την ελληνική νίκη σαν ένα θαύμα. Η ελληνική νίκη χαρακτηρίστηκε σαν νίκη όλης της Ευρώπης, σαν νίκη του πολιτισμού, σαν νίκη της ελευθερίας. Η νίκη αυτή άλλαξε το ρεύμα της ιστορίας. Με την ελληνική αντίσταση βράδυνε η γερμανική επίθεση και δόθηκε πολύτιμος χρόνος στους συμμάχους, για να ετοιμάσουν την άμυνα τους. Η Ελληνική αντίσταση παίρνει παγκόσμια σημασία. Ο Τσόρτσιλ ομολόγησε ότι "Αν δεν υπήρχε η ανδρεία και η γενναιοψυχία των Ελλήνων, δε γνωρίζουμε ποιο θα ήταν το αποτέλεσμα του δεύτερου παγκόσμιου πολέμου". Η σημερινή επέτειος ανήκει στα μεγάλα εκείνα ιστορικά γεγονότα που νικούν το χρόνο και φωτίζουν το δρόμο των λαών. Το ίδιο πνεύμα που οδήγησε τους Έλληνες στο Μαραθώνα και στις Θερμοπύλες οδήγησε και τους Έλληνες του σαράντα στην Τρεμπεσίνα, στην Κλεισούρα και στο Τεπελένι. Όπως και τότε έτσι και τώρα πολέμησαν οι Έλληνες για τα ίδια ιδανικά. Το εθνικό χρέος μας καλεί να μείνουμε εθνικά ενωμένοι, προσκολλημένοι στα ιδεώδη της πατρίδας, της θρησκείας και της ελευθερίας. 28η ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΥ 1940 Μια μέρα φθινοπωρινή, κρύα χωρίς λιακάδα, οι Ιταλοί θελήσανε να πάρουν την Ελλάδα. Μα οι Έλληνες απάντησαν ΟΧΙ με ένα στόμα. Eχθρού ποδάρι δεν πατά στο Ελληνικό το χώμα. Γιατί είναι χώμα ιερό, με αίμα ποτισμένο, κι από τα χρόνια τα παλιά δάφνες, μυρτιές, σπαρμένο. Πίνδος Πάνω στην Πίνδο στης τιμής τα μαρμαρένια αλώνια πολέμησαν οι Έλληνες με κρύο και με χιόνια. Πολέμησαν για λευτεριά για πίστη, περηφάνια κι η δόξα τους στεφάνωσε με αμάραντα στεφάνια. Πάνω στης Πίνδου τα βουνά προτείνοντας τη λόγχη, είπε ο στρατός μας στον εχθρό: «Δεν θα περάσεις, ΟΧΙ!»

10 Iconography Iconography West Phase II The crown jewel in the Greek Orthodox Church is the iconography. The sacred images painted on the walls, the ceilings, the iconostasis, and the moveable icons are integral to our faith. There is nothing better for the eyes and the soul, than attending the Church Services, Sunday Liturgy, Baptisms, Weddings, Funerals, and every other occasion and be surrounded by the sacred and holy images of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, and His Most Holy Mother, His Saints and Martyrs, His Hosts of Angels and Archangels. As we all know we have begun and finished Phase I of the iconography project. It is excellent. The colors, the expression of the faces, they give us serenity for our souls. The icons look miraculous, mystical, and heavenly. The iconography in the Greek Orthodox Church has a life of its own. The believer, while gazing up and around at the icons without reading a book or listening to someone s story, will know exactly what it is all about by following the correct order of the icons. From the beginning to the end (from the Alpha to the Omega). The creation, the sin, the expulsion from Paradise, the Old Testament, the people, the kings, the prophets, the rewards and punishments to humanity from God. And when the right time had come we were gifted with His glorious birth from the Most Holy Virgin Maria. His growing up with humans, His preaching, His miracles, His Baptism, the Mystical Supper, His new commandment to love one-another even our enemy, His most holy and honorable gifts to us from His Own hands the Eucharist (His Holy Body and His Holy Blood), His saving and horrific Passion, His brilliant and full of hope for humanity Resurrection, the spreading of His new Church that bears His name (Christianity), the persecution of the ones who believed in Him, and die in his name, and still do today, and of course the promise of His glorious and fearsome Second Coming. All that and more we get from the iconography. The Orthodox Christianity does enjoy the icons, and for that we are thankful to the Empress Theodora. Theodora was Empress of Byzantium. She was the wife of the Emperor Theophilus. When the Emperor died the crown went to his and her very young son Michael III. She became Regent to this child Emperor, she ended the iconoclastic era, which was the fight for pro icons or against icons. She stood for the pro icons and defeated the opposition and restored the icons back in the Churches. The Church honors her with Sainthood. We honor her by placing the icon of her image to be venerated by us and adorn our Church. She is known as Saint Theodora the Empress, Restorer of Veneration of Icons. We at Saint Nicholas are embarking in the implementation of iconography Phase II, which is the west side of the Church. All the feelings we had at the previous phase are coming back. The electrifying energy, the excitement, the anticipation, the implementation, we are all looking forward to the completion of Phase II. I would like to thank every single one parish member for their enthusiasm and support. Most of all I thank Mr. Michael Challis and the dynamic driving force beside him Mrs. Natalie Challis, for what they have done for the Church and keep on doing they have undertaken the iconography project it is an enormous endeavor. It is monumental both physically and mentally and they are doing excellent job. Also a great thanks goes to Father Nick. He is tireless and relentless. With all the things he does, He is also spear-heading the iconography project. Good luck to all of us as we must become what we behold. With respect and love in Christ, Lambrini B. Lagos

11 The 2014 Annual Saint Nicholas Dinner-Dance & Auction Fundraiser SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2014 Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church of Ann Arbor 3109 Scio Church Road Ann Arbor, Michigan :00 pm - Auction Arrive, mingle and browse auction 7:00 pm - Dinner Prime Beef, Potato and Green Beans (Children s meal chicken tenders and green beans) 8:00 11:00 pm Dancing and Entertainment (Supervised children activities: balloon maker, crafts, movie) DJ Jimmy Michos will provide both Greek & American dance music! Auction Items: Please contact Michael Kasotakis, Maria Papefthymiou or Athena Papageogiou to donate. Tickets: $55 per person $30 for University Students & 4-12 year old children Limited seating is available. Tickets must be pre-purchased by Nov. 1 st. Please contact Christina Vlahopoulos at (734) or vlchristina@yahoo.com to order your tickets.

12 Milestones by Nicholas S. Stamos As I sit here at my kitchen table with pen in hand staring at an empty page and pondering what I might affix to it, my attention is drawn to the leafs falling from the Oak trees laying a golden blanket on my lawn. As I look further to my neighbor s yard, the maples have turned a scarlet red. This mixed splash of colors against the greenery is God s way of telling us that many of His living things will soon hibernate and sleep away the cold winter. This brings to mind the many amongst us who are now preparing to follow the Robins, Blue Jays, and other birds, south to the warmer climes. May they have a safe trip and return home to us in the spring. For those of us remaining, it signals the renewal of our ecclesiastic year and the beginning a new life as we have seen the energy of the autumn which has already brought the gathering of over 100,000 cheering crowds at the corner of Main Street and Stadium Blvd. For many the excitement of the many adventures of the summer have ended and the new job, or going to school for the first time or being away from home, be it off to college or military service are some of the new challenges to be faced with faith and trust in their God to guide them. As the new year starts, we have had the Ladies of the Philoptochos Student Supper, the beginning of the Church School, and the Greek School is conjugating verbs, the GOYA, YAL, fraternal organizations, the Iconography implementation committee, the Yassoo Festival and the Parish Council have set their agendas in motion, and finally under the shepherd s guidance of our beloved Fr.Nicolaos, and the assistance of Deacon Vasilis, we launch our new year to the Glory of God. Yours in Christ, Nicholas S. Stamos Kyp Papageorgiou was one of seven students to be awarded MEFGOX Memorial scholarships at July's convention in Columbus, OH. This scholarship fund was established for the musical education & training of parishioners in the Detroit & Pittsburg Metropolises, in service to the Greek Orthodox Church and its ministries as choir members, chanters, organists, composers, directors, and educators. Kyp is the most recent of four St. Nicholas college students & choir members to have been awarded MEFGOX scholarships since Super Lawyers magazine has once again recognized two Ann Arbor attorneys as among the finest attorneys in Michigan. Michael J. Garris and Steven Z. Garris have been honored for their work in personal injury law. The selection process for this achievement is multiphased and includes independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations. Brothers Michael J. Garris & Steven Z. Garris stand in front of the Garris Law Building in downtown Ann Arbor, which the law firm has owned for 30 years. The firm was started in 1952 by their father Jack J. Garris.

13 October Calendar Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Altar Boys: A Ushers: A 5 Orthros 9 am D. Liturgy 10 am 10 am Bible Study :30 am Senior Exercise Fall General Assembly 7:30 pm Bible Study 7 pm Outreach & Evangelism Mtg 7:30 pm Philoptochos Mtg 7:30 pm Parish Council Mtg 7:30 pm Paraklesis 12 Altar Boys: B Ushers: B Orthros 9 am D. Liturgy 10 am AHEPA Lamb Luncheon 10 am Bible Study 7:30 pm Bible Study pm AHEPA & DOP Mtgs 11:30 am Senior Exercise Altar Boys: C Ushers: C 19 Orthros 9 am D. Liturgy 10 am 10 am Bible Study 7:30 pm Bible Study St. James Orthros 9 am D. Liturgy 10 am 11:30 am Senior Exercise 24 7:30 pm Paraklesis St. Demetrios Altar Boys: D Ushers: D 10 am Bible Study :30 am Senior Exercise 31 Orthros 9 am D. Liturgy 10 am 7:30 pm Bible Study 7 pm Physical Plant Mtg

14 Church Registry 2014 Births Benjamin, son of Brion and Theresa Cooley William Daniel, son of Nate and Julia Knapp Naomi, daughter of James and Nicole Courtney Melpomeni, daughter of Christos and Xanthippi Sidiropoulos Maria, daughter of Stamati and Panagiota Kloumasis Baptisms Alexander, son of Steven & Angela Normand - Nonoi: David Curtis & Emily Rosdal James, son of James and Demetra Reid Nona: Christos & Panorea Katsikas Fiona, daughter of Thomas and Chantall DeMurry Nonoi: Conrad & Mira Valade Nicole, daughter of Nick and Melinda Linas Nonoi: Emmanuel & Venetta Tsikoudakis William, son of Brian and Marie Fitzgerald Nona: Rachel Ambler William, son of Nathaniel and Julia Knapp Nona: Maria Pliakas Gavin, son of Greg and Megan DeGrand Nona: Katherine Nicholls Maria, daughter of Tom and Heidi Kussurelis Nono: Nicholas Stamos Alexander, son of Mathew and Sally Merkling - Nona: Antonia Antonopoulos Elaine, daughter of James and Irene Koukios: Nona: Demitra Calagias Alexandra, daughter of Michael & Sarah Carvaines-Nonoi: James & Irene Koukios Weddings Brandon Morris and Metaxia Roumanis Koumbara: Konstantina Boutsikakis Peter Andruskiewicz & Helen Ioannou Koumbaroi: Irene & Constantine Ioannou Fallen Asleep in the Lord George Gochis Esther Valvanis William Rupas (Funeral: : Bethlehem) Nicholas Dekeon (Funeral: Massachusetts) Fred Veigel (Funeral : Bethlehem) Mara Krause (Funeral : Washtenong) Nicholas Stamadianos (Funeral : Bethlehem) Koula Walton (Funeral : Bethlehem) Nicky Gazis Ioannou (Funeral : Sydney, Australia) James Miner (Great Lakes National Cemetery) Kosta Georgiadis (Funeral : Bethlehem) Suzanne Vithoulkas (Funeral: Texas) Constantine Preketes Nicholas Michos (Funeral: : Bethlehem) Christopher Opple (Funeral: : Bethlehem) Penelope Barlow (Funeral: : Bethlehem) Esther Starnal (Funeral: : Bethlehem) Nick (Nikiforos) Yoanides (Funeral: : Washtenong) (If there are any mistakes or omissions, we apologize. Please contact the office so that we may correct it. Thank you.)

15 ADVERTISING IN THE COMPASS If you would like to advertise in The Compass, please contact Demetra Mitropoulous-Rundus at the church office at or send an to RATES: Business Card Quarter Page Half Page Full Page $25.00/month $35.00/month $55.00/month $100.00/month

16 Parish Ministries PARISH COUNCIL President George Kokales Vice-President Chris Webber Secretary Dr. Michael Kasotakis Controller Patricia Douglas Treasurer Christos Kitromelides Asst. Treasurer Elizabeth Mitropoulos Corresponding Secretary Christina Vlahopoulos Members: Robert J. Ashley Jr., Christopher A. Bekiares, Chris Bilakos, Lambrini Lagos, George Michos, Eva Mikahil, Lana Panagoulia, Nicholas Stamos PSALTES: Zannis Res (Protopsaltis) ALTAR BOYS: Dani Nadra MUSIC MINISTRY: Dr. Jon Wardner, Teresa Stokes PHILOPTOCHOS: Vicky Masters JOY: Andrea Kahn HOPE: Dr. Sophia Grias-Radwanski, Vasilia Tsilimingras GREEK SCHOOL: Ioanna Ioannou, Principal/Teacher AHEPA: Costas Boutsikakis DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE: Perry Katsikas OCF (UM Campus Ministry): Brian Johanides HSA (UM Hellenic Student Association): Maria Pliakas YOUTH ENRICHMENT COMMITTEE: Sam Roumains, Dr. Anthony Kales BOOKSTORE: Aggeliki Evangelinos, Dr. Artemis Leontis, Joy Melzian, Dr. Sophia Roumanis COMPASS EDITOR: Panagiota Stamoulis Kloumasis COMPASS COMMUNICATION: CHURCH SECRETARY: Demetra Mitropoulos-Rundus PARISH PRIEST FR. NICOLAOS KOTSIS For emergencies: (734) ST. NICHOLAS SENIORS: Diane Geczi CHURCH SCHOOL: Katherine Phan, Dr. Photios Ioannou GOYA: Angelo G. Bairactaris OUTREACH & EVANGELISM: Robert J. Ashley Jr. If you would like to contribute to the content of The Compass please forward all communication to our at: by the 17th of each month. St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church reserves the right to edit, change or omit content as deemed appropriate. Visit us on the WEB! Copyright 2014 St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church 3109 Scio Church Rd, Ann Arbor, MI (734)