AUGUST 2011 CHURCH PROFILE Founded: 1973 Proistamenos: Rev. Fr. Dr. Sokratis Dimitriadis Church Phone: 856-696-0917 Fr. Sokratis Cell Phone: 202-230-3539 Community Center: 856-794-5155 Church Fax: 856-696-6990 Web: www.stanthonyvinelandnj.com Email: contactus@stanthonyvinelandnj.com Patron Saint: St. Anthony the Great PARISH COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT SECRETARY TREASURER STEWARDSHIP 2010 Steward Families: 118 Potential Stewardship: 168 Families Community Composition: Greek Families: 116 (71%) Senior Citizens: 47 (29%) Mixed Couples: 26 (16%) Greek-speaking only: 20 (12%) Romanian Families: 2 (1%) Children <18 yrs: 103 Mr. Louie Isihos Mr. Nick Kaskabas Ms. Georgia Giannikopoulos Ms. Carol Duble Mr. George Frangakis Dr. Tom Tassakis Mr. Manny Kanos Mr. Doug Albrecht Mr. Byron Calakos Mrs. Evelyn Stergiou Mr. Panagiotis Isihos COMMITTEES/PROGRAMS 1. Church Bulletin Committee 2. Web Site Committee 3. Byzantine Chant Choir 4. Welcoming/Ushers Committee 5. Altar Boys Program 6. Adult Religious Education Program 7. Sunday School Program 8. Greek School Program 9. GOYA Program 10. HOPE & JOY Program 11. Campus Ministry Program 12. Sr. Hellenic Pride Dance Group (Sr.) 13. Jr. Hellenic Pride Dance Group (Jr.) 14. Scholarships Committee 15. Philoptochos 16. Church By-Laws Committee 17. Stewardship & Fundraising Committees 18. Auditing, Budget & Finance Committee 19. Buildings & Grounds Maintenance Committee 20. New Buildings Committee 21. Greek Festival Committee 22. Community Center Committee 23. Greek Market 24. AHEPA
OUR PAST The formation of a Greek Orthodox Community was uppermost in the hopes and dreams of many Greek Orthodox families who settled in Cumberland County more than 70 years ago. They had brought their faith and strong religious convictions to worship Jesus Christ in this new land, and their hope to build their church here. As a matter of fact, the first organization of the Hellenic community was the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA). They organized in 1928 in neighboring Millville and their first president was Peter Blackpool. It was in 1973 when the Greek Orthodox Community met at the Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church on Landis Avenue in Vineland, NJ. At that time, temporary officers were elected: Nick Papadopoulos- President, Anthony Moniodis-Treasurer, Helen G. Mougakos-Secretary. Prior to establishing their own church, the Greek Orthodox community met with Dr. Demetrios J. Constantelos for religious and organizational advice on requirements for obtaining sanction from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America. In 1973, under the direction of Mary Moniodis, the Greek School was offered for the first time at the Millville Diner and Fr. Athanasios Ninnis was their first Greek School Teacher. In 1974 the Greek School was taught by Mr. Panagiotis Kaskabas at the Vineland High School. The first worship service was celebrated on Sunday, May 5, 1974 at the Vineland YMCA. In September 1974, Rev. Dr. Constantelos was officially appointed by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese as Interim Pastor. Father Constantelos served the Greek Orthodox Community of St. Anthony for more than 9 years, occasionally replaced by Dr. Fr. Andrew Missiras. On January 22, 1977, The Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Anthony celebrated its Name Day and officially opened its doors at its current location at 430 West Wheat Road in Vineland, NJ for its dedication. The Church was named St. Anthony in honor of Mrs. Katina Andreadis blessed late son Anthony Argiropoulos who died in a tragic home accident at a young age. Mrs. Andreadis blessed the community with an offering of land. St. Anthony continued to prosper during the years of Father Spyrou who served the community in 1983 and Fr. Joseph Antonakakis who served during 1984 to 1991. Subsequently, Fr. Christos Pappas served the Parish for 10 years since May of 1991 before moving back to Greece, his native land in 2001. From 2001 until 2004, Fr. Gerasimos Rassias served the Parish on a part-time basis. Fr. Chrysostom Maniudakis arrived in 2004 and served the Parish for 1 1 2 years before becoming ill with a disease that would eventually take his life. Fr. R. Nicholas Rafael II had been St. Anthony s full-time priest from December of 2006 to January 2011. His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos had temporarily appointed Rev. Fr. Dr. Sokratis Dimitriadis to serve our community from January until June 14, 2011 and since Jun 15, 2011 officially appointed Fr. Sokratis permanent status at St. Anthony s Greek Orthodox Church. OUR PRESENT We are the sole Greek Orthodox Church serving the Cumberland County and neighboring Counties in South New Jersey. We have parishioners from all over South New Jersey. We are currently a Greek-American Orthodox community of 118 paid stewards (2010). It is estimated that the community has a potential of about 168 families with the following composition: Greek Families: 116 (71%). Mixed Families: 26 (16%). Greek-speaking only: 20 (12%). Senior Citizens: 47 (29%). Children <18 yrs: 103. Our current Priest is Fr. Sokratis Dimitriadis and our current President of the 11-member Parish Council is Mr. Louie (Elias) Isihos. We celebrate Orthros and Liturgy every Sunday and on an extensive number of Church Feasts, as well as a good number of Evening Services, all with traditional Byzantine chanting in 8 modes and a 50-50 mixture of Greek and English. On the Feast Day of its patron saint, St. Anthony, on January 17 of each year, the community hosts a celebration with Hierarchical Great Vespers, Orthros and Liturgy, followed by a Dinner Dance with various
festivities. One of our most successful and joyful activities is the Christmas Kalanta: we visit over 120 homes and restaurants, we handout calendars, sing Kalanda and raise money. We are also involved in various greater community events and activities throughout Vineland and surrounding areas. In its current organization the parish includes: A Sunday School. A Greek School. A GOYA program. A Junior and a Senior Greek Dance Groups. A Scholarships Committee. A Byzantine chant choir. A Ladies Philoptochos Society. A chapter of the AHEPA. A Finance Committee. A Stewardship and a Fundraising Committees. An Expansion Project Committee. A Website Committee. A Greek Festival Committee. A Greek Market. Recent improvements in the community s organization and operation include: A new website (www.stanthonyvinelandnj.com). The publication of a new Monthly Bulletin (also to be found on our website). Computerized church calendar, contact lists, stewardship lists, sacraments paperwork. A web-based computerized door-lock and temperature control system to improve security and energy consumption in the church building. Near-future planned organizational improvements include: An extensive Adult Religious Education program (to start in September 2011). Restart a HOPE and a JOY program (in search of a Director). Restart an Acolytes program (to start in September 2011). Restart of a University Campus ministry (to start in September of 2011). Enrichment of the GOYA, Sunday School and Philoptochos programs (to start in September 2011). Restart our involvement with the Vineland Ministerium, an inter-christian clergy association which collaborates in charity programs. A computerized archive for sacrament certificates and other official documents (cross-checking of the paper-based records is underway before they are converted to computer form). St. Anthony s community is particularly proud of its GOYA, which was established in 1998 under the advisement of Sinthia Obelenus. Mary Calakos Kaskabas took over as advisor from 2000-2004. Steven Calakos and Niki Kaskabas became advisors in 2004 and have remained the current advisors. Over the years, our GOYA has increasingly grown in members and in activities adding events and fundraisers to their agenda. Many of our children who are older and have graduated from GOYA have come back as mentors to help and support the GOYA. Our GOYA has participated in Vineland's annual Holiday Parade, as well as in various activities with the neighboring churches in the Delaware Valley such as the DVYC Lock-In's, Missions Walk in Ocean City, NJ and Sights & Sounds. St. Anthony s GOYA holds a 3-times record within the Metropolis of New Jersey of catching the cross thrown in the ocean by His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos in the Sanctification of the Waters ceremony held yearly in Asbury Park, NJ on the Feast Day of the Elevation of the Cross, the last time being in 2010 by Eleni Dendrinos, (photo) and in previous years by Elena Obelenus and Katina Doulis. Our GOYA has also won a long series of trophies in sports competitions and in Sights & Sounds.
OUR FUTURE We have undertaken a $2.3 million 3-phase expansion project to accommodate our community and parishioners: Phase 1: Bell Tower/Elevator expansion (cost: $193,000, paid in full) to accommodate our senior and handicapped parishioners to be able to attend church services. The ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Sunday June 28, 2009 at 12:00 noon with the presence of important state dignitaries and lunch was served immediately following the ceremony at our community center. A 500 pound bell hangs now from the newly built elevator/bell tower Phase 2: 16,000 square feet multipurpose gym to accommodate our youth programs and classrooms. Phase 3: Remodel church into a cross-shaped with dome classical Byzantine style, to expand the church to accommodate 100 more Parishioners and to build a School with 6 new classrooms to accommodate the Sunday School and Greek School Programs. The church has already received approval from the Vineland Zoning Board to build Phase 2 and 3 and the parish is currently underway with its fundraising efforts. More information about this expansion and how one can donate and be a part of our dream can be found on our web site at www.stanthonyvinelandnj.com. 2011, Our church as it stands now with the addition of the Bell/Elevator Tower.
In 1992, the community bought a neighboring building, which was converted to the Parish s Greek Community Center, and subsequently bought the land between the church and the building. The Community Center houses the Greek School, many of the Parish s events and, with its surrounding grounds, the Greek Festival of the community. The exterior and interior of our Community Center.
DRAWINGS SHOWING OF OUR PLANNED EXPANSION
RECENT PHOTOS St Anthony s Parishioners visit His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew and the Church of the Holy Wisdom of God, 2009 Constantinople
2011 Greek Independence Day parade, Philadelphia, PA 2011 Sights and Sounds competition: St Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, Upper Darby, PA St Anthony s GOYA won first place in American Dance
2011 Greek School March 25 Greek Independence Day Celebration 2011 Greek School Three Hierarchs Day Celebration
2011 Greek School Graduation Day Celebration 2011, St. Anthony s AHEPA members with other AHEPA dignitaries
Hellenic Pride Sr. Dancers, Greek Festival 2010 Hellenic Pride Sr. Dancers, 2011
Greek Festival, 2009
Greek Festival 2009
Christmas Kalanda 2008
St. Anthony s Byzantine Choir is generally acclaimed to be the best in South New Jersey. St. Anthony runs the only Greek Food and Church items market in the Vineland, NJ area.
HISTORICAL PHOTOS Angela Evrenoglou, Mr. & Mrs. Budike-God Father presented with church key, 1976 Bishop Silas, Rev. Fr. Constantelos, Rev. Fr. Katerlis, Rev. Fr. Combitsis, Feast of St Anthony 1984
_, Helen Mougakos, Nick Frangakis, Rev. Fr. Constantelos Bishop Silas and Rev. Fr. Constantelos, 1991
Despina Cotrotsos, Peter Frangakis, Rev. Fr. Constantelos, 1991 Helen Frangakis, Presbytera Stella Constantelos, Bishop Silas, Rev. Fr. Constantelos, 1991
Ilias Isihos, Bishop Silas, Rev. Fr. Constantelos & Fr. George Demopoulos, V. Rev. Fr. Nektarios Cottros at Dinner of the Feast Day of St. Anthony 1998