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MONTHLY BULLETIN OF THE ASSUMPTION OF OUR MOST HOLY THEOTOKOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH ΜΗΝΙΑΙΟ ΔΕΛΤΙΟ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗΣ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΗΣ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙ ΑΣ ΤΗΣ ΚΟΙΜΗΣΕ ΩΣ ΤΗΣ ΘΕΟΤΟΚΟΥ

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ARK - ΚΙΒΩΤΟΣ the H

Assumption

Greek Orthodox Church

111 Island Pond Road

Manchester NH 03109

Phone: (603) 623-2045

Fax: (603) 232-6347

info@AssumptionNH.org

www.AssumptionNH.org

Join us on Facebook

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Monthly Calendar (Greek) ..... 2

Ministries List ......................... 3

Parish News ........................... 4

Philoptochos News ................ 5

Youth News ........................... 7

Stewardship .......................... 11

Monthly Calendar (English) ...15

SEPTEMBER / ΣΕΠΤΈΜΒΡΙΟΣ 2016

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VOLUME 11, ISSUE 9

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ΣΕΠΤΈΜΒΡΙΟΣ 2016

ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗ ΔΕΥΤΕΡΑ ΤΡΙΤΗ ΤΕΤΑΡΤΗ ΠΕΜΠΤΗ ΠΑΡΑΣΚΕΥΗ ΣΑΒΒΑΤΟ

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4 11η Κυριακή του Ματθαίου Ορθρος: 8:00 πμ Θεία Λειτ: 9:15 πμ

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6 7 Συνάντηση Συμβουλίου Φιλοπτώχου: 6:30 μμ Στην αίθουσα της εκκλησίας

8 Γέννησις της Θεοτόκου ‘Ορθρος: 8:00 πμ Θεία Λειτ: 9:00 πμ

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11 Κυριακή πριν την Υψωση του Τιμίου Σταυρού ‘Ορθρος: 8:00 πμ Θεία Λειτ: 9:15 πμ

12 Συνάντησις Διοικητικού Συµβουλίου: 7:30µµ

13 14 Ύψωσις του Τιμίου Σταυρού ‘Ορθρος: 8:00 πμ Θεία Λειτ: 9:00 πμ

15 Ελληνικό Σχολείο Εγγραφές: 3:30-6:30

μμ Πρόβα Χορωδίας: 6:30 μμ

16 17 Εκδρομη στην Κατασκήνωση Μητροπόλεως 9:00 πμ

18 Κυριακή μετά την Υψωση του Τιμίου Σταυρού ‘Ορθρος: 8:45 πμ Θεία Λειτ: 10:00 πμ Εγγραφές Κατηχητικού Σχολείου 11:30 πμ "ΧΕΙΜΩΝΙΑΤΙΚΕΣ ΩΡΕΣ ΑΡΧΙΖΟΥΝ"

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22 Ελληνικό Σχολείο Aρχίζει: 3:30-7:45 µµ

Αγιασμός στο σχολείο: 5:00 µµ

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1η Κυριακή του Λουκά ‘Ορθρος: 8:45 πμ Θεία Λειτ: 10:00 πμ Κατηχητικό Σχολείο Αρχίζει: 9:45 πμ Συσσιτιο Αστέγων (New Horizons): 4:00-6:00 μμ

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Ελληνικό Σχολείο 3:30-7:45 µµ

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Ark published monthly by Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, 111 Island Pond Road, Manchester NH 03109

YOUTH MINISTRIES

DIRECTORS

GOYA ................ Stavroula Bakolas

JOY ................... Julie Karagianis

Mommy & Me …Ranya Karatzoulidis

PARISH SCHOOLS

Sunday School

Directors

N. Condodemetraky & T. Kapellakis

Teachers……….Nicole Condodemetraky

Theohare Kapellakis

Ranya Karatzoulidis

Rita Gallos

Joni Stamoulis

Greek School

Director ……………George Kitsis

Teacher …………….Alexandra Bruttaniti

Advisor …………….Connie Stamoulis

Newsletter Editors

Fr. Gregory Trakas James Folopoulos

Nick Karagianis Janet Malin

Sophia Annas Nancy Mardanes

Helen Rainey Kathy Papakostas

Ellen Healy

Reverend Father Gregory Trakas

Office Hours

Tuesday & Thursday 1 - 4 PM

or by appointment

Parish Council

President .................... James Folopoulos

Vice President ............. Nick Karagianis

Secretary .................... Mike Rokas

Treasurer .................... Ted Rokas

Arthur Bakolas Charles Mardanes

Costa Georgopoulos Kathy Papakostas

Harold Guidicelli Penny Papastathis

Peter Lazos Helen Rainey

Philoptochos Board 2016

President……………......Lucie Skouteris

Vice President…………...Maria Chronas

Recording Secretary…....Andrea Moutsioulis

Corresponding Secretary... Iris Belinsky

Treasurer………………..Georgia Palaskas

Assistant Treasurer……..Nancy Mardanes

Natl. & Local Boards Liaison…Mariana Gasis

Advisor………………....Esther Kereakoglow

Martha Galanis Evangelia Gregorious

Artemis Lazos

Staff

Secretary……………….…..Janet Malin

Chanter…………………….Vasilios Rokas

Choir Director …………….Joan Virga

ADDRESS CHANGES

Please notify the Church office if

you are moving so that we may

update our database.

Thank you!

Pastoral Home Visitation

If a loved one is in the hospital, in a

nursing home, or is house-bound due to

an illness, please feel free to contact Fr.

Gregory Trakas at the Church office to

arrange a visit.

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Parish News

We hope everybody had a blessed summer and we look forward to seeing everyone for the new

ecclesiastical year which started September 1st. Winter hours and coffee fellowship will start on

Sunday, September 18th – Orthros will start 8:45 AM and Divine Liturgy will start 10 AM.

Sunday School registration will take place during coffee hour in the church hall on September 18th

Parish Council The monthly Parish Council meeting will be held on Monday, September 12

st at 7:30 PM

Parish Council President

My fellow Parishioners,

I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank everyone for making this year’s Greekfest

a tremendous success!

I want to express my gratitude to our Chairman Costas Georgeopoulos for once again organizing

and seeing that everything leading up to our Festival ran smoothly. The following groups should

be acknowledged for their countless hours of time donated to our church, the Ladies of the

Philoptochos Society, our Youth Ministries, our cooks in the kitchen and on the grills, our runners

who delivered the food to all our food stations in a timely fashion, our set up and breakdown

crews, our Ad book committee, our Tour Guides and finally Fr. Gregory along with all the

members of Parish Council.

I am so grateful to have such a wonderful group who gives of their time to our church!

Thank you all,

Jim Folopoulos, Parish Council President

Parish Priest I would like to thank the Greekfest committee and its chairman Costa Georgopoulos, the board

members and president Jim Folopoulos, the ladies of Philoptochos and president Lucie Scouteris,

our youth group and their leaders, the sponsors, the donors, the volunteers and all of you, our

parishioners, who came to support our church and to help make Greekfest 2016 a big success!

September is the beginning of the new Ecclesiastical Year! This new year is a blessing from our

Heavenly Father. All of us have a new opportunity - myself as your priest, our boards, our

ministry leaders and all of you, the parishioners of Panagia in Manchester - to make a new and

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serious beginning in witnessing, living and spreading the Holy Gospel of our Lord God and Savior

Jesus Christ!

The last big feast of the old Ecclesiastical Year was the Dormition and Assumption of the Virgin

Mary. The first big feast of the new Ecclesiastical Year is the Birth of the Virgin Mary! This is not a

coincidence! We begin and end the year with the Theotokos. Her miraculous birth from her

barren and aged parents, Joachim and Anna, manifests the power of God, who “can raise up

descendants of Abraham from stones” (Matthew 3:9). Her birth begins the unfolding of the

eternal and secret Plan of our Salvation conceived through God’s Divine Economy.

As our Panagia grows up, she enters the Temple, she receives the good news of Incarnation, she

gives birth to the Messiah, she watches Him preach, perform miracles, get crucified, resurrected

and finally ascend to the throne of our Heavenly Father. Then, Panagia with her Assumption

shows what is possible for all of us in the future – to join her Son in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The beginning of the New Ecclesiastical year also coincides with the beginning of the eternal cycle

of nature. The agricultural cycle of harvesting, tilling and sowing is what keeps us alive. We, who

live in cities and working office jobs, often forget the abundant blessing of our Heavenly Father

manifested in the nature around us! He, “who weighted the mountains on a pair of scales” (Isaiah

40:12), “who stretches the heavens like a curtain, who grows grass for the cattle and brings bread

from the earth” (Psalms of David 104:2,14), is the One keeping us alive! We often take nature for

granted, like we take our lives and our Heavenly Father for granted. To remind us nature is NOT

for granted, our Ecumenical Patriarchate has designated September 1st as the Day of the

Environment. What does this mean for us? Let’s all make an effort to recycle at home, at work, at

school, at church and at the next Greekfest! Guarding the creation is part of loving God!

September is also the month of the Holy Cross! September 14th, the feast of the Holy Cross, is

one of four strictest fasting days of the year, and the day we prepare our body and soul to

venerate the biggest symbol of our faith! It is through the Cross Resurrection was made possible!

It is “through the Cross salvation came to mankind” (Galatians 5:11). And it is often with a Cross

that we must follow our Lord (Matthew 16:24).

Finally, September is the also the beginning of the school year. Our young ones are buzzing like

bees in school yards, reminding us of our own youth. We should also be reminded kids are the

future of our Church. It is upon us to teach them well, both by talking to them about the Lord

and by bringing them to church for services and youth ministries. Finally, our Lord reminds us to

try to be pure like them, because “to those belongs the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 19:14).

Both the Birth of Panagia on September 8th and the feast of the Holy Cross on September 14

th are

on weekdays. If your schedule allows, please honor these great feasts of our faith by participating

to the Divine Liturgy that day.

Philoptochos News

My first year as Philoptochos President was a wonderful, rewarding experience. Whenever I

asked for help, people came forward and gave of their time, talent, and treasure.

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I look forward to another successful year, and hope that we will all work together for the good of

our parish and those we serve. Our mission is philanthropic and is an important one. We support

our church, local charities, and ministries of the Philoptochos Society at the Metropolis and National

levels. Please consider joining our organization and attending our monthly meetings. We welcome

your ideas and assistance!

Coffee hours begin again on Sunday, September 18. Please contact the church office to reserve a

date if you wish to sponsor a regular coffee hour, or a memorial coffee hour. Philoptochos Board

members will help you with the setup and cleanup. We also need your help with coffee hours that

Philoptochos sponsors – especially the cleanup. If we all lend a hand, the burden will not fall on

just a few.

My sincere thanks to all who donated money for the flowers for the August services held in honor

of Panagia, and helped with the preparations for Greekfest and worked at the festival. I hope to see

everyone at our annual Autumn Bazaar, which will be held Saturday and Sunday, October 29 and

30. (See flyer below for details). Please let us know if you can help by volunteering your time,

making pastries or donating a gift for the penny sale.

The next Philoptochos Board meeting will be held Wednesday, September 7 at 6:30 pm. Also, If

you are growing fresh basil, please bring it to church for September 14th, the Feast of the Exaltation

of the Holy Cross. Please call the office to arrange a time to drop it off.

Lucie Skouteris, President

Greekfest 2016

Thank You to All!

On behalf of the 2016 GreekFest Committee, I would like to extend congratulations and gratitude

to all the volunteers and donors who contributed in any way in making this year’s Greekfest

successful. It could not have been possible without each and every one of you!

Many of you put in countless hours of planning and months of meetings, while others organized the

baking and cooking preparations prior to the event. Many worked tirelessly for days, before, during

and after Greekfest. Although many believe the hard work ends Sunday evening at the close of

festivities, it does not! All the tables, chairs and supplies that have been set up, now need to be

taken down. All the equipment, pots and pans need to be washed and put away as well. So, thank

you to EVERYONE, including our Philoptochos members, our young adults, our Parish Council

members and all the other volunteers who continued working and cleaning up all week after

Greekfest was over!

Our sincere gratitude, as well, to all those who supported this event by donating in any way,

including our Corporate Sponsors, Ad/Program book donors and sponsors, and the food and

supplies donors. It is this combined effort of so many coming together as one for the good our

parish that makes me especially proud to be a member of the Assumption Church!

With Sincere Appreciation,

Costa Georgopoulos, 2016 GreekFest Chairman

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New Horizons Soup Kitchen

New Horizons Soup Kitchen is Sunday, September 25th, 4 – 6 PM. We are looking for volunteers to

join our group. This is such a rewarding experience! Please join us for less than two hours of

fellowship with the group from the Assumption Church. If you have any questions, please call the

church office at 603-623-2045. Thank you!

Choir

On Thursday, September 15th at 6:30 PM we will be having our first choir rehearsal of the season.

Calling all parishioners! We are looking for volunteers to join our talented choir. All ages are

welcome! All that is required is your passion and love for our church! Please contact our Choir

Director, Joan Virga at 603-553-9525 or the church office

Youth Ministry News

Greek School and Greek Dance

➢ Greek School registration for all students will be on Thursday, September 15th from 3:30 to

6:30 PM in the School Building

➢ We encourage all parents to register their children for Greek School and for all additional

Youth Ministries (Sunday School, GOYA, JOY, MOMMY & ME and Altar Boys).

Registration forms for all Youth Ministries will be available that day

➢ Greek School classes will begin on Thursday, September 22nd

at 3:30 PM

Session One from 3:30 – 5:00 PM (1st and 2

nd year Beginners)

Session Two from 5:00 – 6:30 PM (1st and 2

nd year Intermediate)

Session Three from 6:30 – 7:30 PM (1st and 2

nd year Advanced)

➢ Greek Dance classes will begin in October, schedule to be announced

There will be Agiasmos (Blessing of the Water) for all Greek School classes on Thursday,

Sept. 22nd

at 5:00 PM in the School Building. All students and their families are welcome!

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Sunday School

➢ Sunday School registration for all students will take place on Sunday, September 18th during

coffee hour in the church hall. At that time, children can also register for all other Youth

Ministries. Registration forms will also be available on Thursday, September 15th from 3:30

– 6:30 PM during Greek School Registration. (Please visit the “Youth Ministries

Registration” table)

➢ Sunday School classes will begin on Sunday, September 25th. All students and parents are

asked to meet the teachers in the School building at 9:45 AM.

There will be Agiasmos (Blessing of the Water) for our Sunday School in church. All classes

will attend church as a group with their teachers

Goya - Joy - Mommy & Me - Altar Boys

➢ Registration for GOYA, JOY, MOMMY & ME and Altar Boy Ministries will take place on

Sunday, September 18th during coffee hour in the church hall. At that time, children can also

register for Greek School and Sunday School. Registration forms will also be available on

Thursday, September 15th from 3:30 – 6:30 PM during Greek School Registration. (Please

visit the “Youth Ministries Registration” table)

Finally, an additional registration opportunity for all Youth Ministries will be on Sunday,

September 25th, during coffee hour in the church hall.

MBC Open House & Feast of the Holy Cross

Please mark your calendars! Our September Youth Family event will be a day trip to the

Metropolis of Boston Camp ( MBC)!

Saturday, September 17th, at 9:00 AM, please meet at the Assumption Church parking lot.

From there, we will carpool to MBC, aiming to be there at 9:45 AM for Divine Liturgy at

the camp chapel. We will then have a number of fun festivities, including BBQ and diving

for the Cross – please see the attached flyer!

Please RSVP by September 11th to Stavroula Bakolas at: ssbakolas@gmail.com

We look forward to an amazing and blessed year in all our Youth Ministries!

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ASSUMPTION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

LADIES PHILOPTOCHOS SOCIETY

ANNUAL AUTUMN BAZAAR

OCTOBER 29 & 30, 2016

111 ISLAND POND ROAD

MANCHESTER, NH

SATURDAY 10:00 AM TO 7:00 PM

SUNDAY 11:30 AM TO 3:00 PM

GREEK FOOD AND PASTRY

RAFFLES

PENNY SALE

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Donations

Fr. Gregory Trakas

Memorial Donations

In memory of George & Effie Kalantzis

In memory of Thomas Lekkas

In memory of Mary Mitchell

In memory of Vasilios Palaskas

Planning Memorials

When planning for a memorial, please contact the church office at 603-623-2045. There is a certain

kind of altar wine and incense we use. Please call for details

Sacraments & Services

When planning for a baptism or wedding, please check the availability of the church

BEFORE booking your reception hall. Thank you!

Baptism

September 24

Zoi, daughter of Stephen & Irene

Gordon

Funeral

August 30

Anastasia Galanis

3-Year Memorial Service

September 18

Yvette Podsadowski

Leonidas & Helen Chalas

1-Year Memorial Service

September 25

Vasiliki Bakolas

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Stewardship

July Stewardship Contributions

Anastasia Ahern

Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Bakolas

Raymond Buckley

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Dryer

James Camberis

Peter Camberis

Mr. & Mrs. Lazaros Kalampalikis

Mr. & Mrs. Stathis Kapellakis

Esther Kereakoglow

Theodora Nakos

Mr. & Mrs. Lewis Poplin

Helen Rainey

Mr. & Mrs. William Semos

Mr. & Mrs. John Stergiou

Fr. Gregory Trakas

Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Tsekrekas

Mr. & Mrs. Vaios Tzimas

Todd Vanderhayden

Betty Xintaras

Mr. & Mrs. John Xintaras

Pledges paid for 2015

Theodora Nakos

Thank you for your love to the House of the Lord and Panagia!

May our Lord bless you hundredfold and remember you in His Kingdom

Remember please

to submit your 2016

Stewardship Pledge

Stewardship is our God-given

OBLIGATION and the PRIMARY

source of income for our church!

“Seek first God’s Kingdom and His

Righteousness and all other things shall

be added to you.” (Matt 6:33)

“And some seeds fell into good soil

and grew and yielded a hundredfold.”

(Luke 8:8)

“Give to Cesar what is Cesar’s and to

God what is God’s.” (Mark 12:17)

“Rich is not the one who has much,

but the one who gives much. For what

one gives away, he keeps for all

eternity.” St. John Chrysostom

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BUSINESS CARD ADVERTISING

Anyone with a business that would like to advertise in our

monthly bulletin, please contact the Church office.

A business card format, about 2 ½” x 1 ½” will run for a

period of 12 months for one set fee of $150.00 a year.

This will help to defray the ever-increasing costs of printing

and mailing these bulletins to our homes as well as

advertising your business to our parishioners and through

word of mouth, to their friends.

This is a great opportunity for all!

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SEPTEMBER 2016

Sunday Monday Tueday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

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4 11th Sunday of Matthew Orthros: 8:00 AM Div. Lit: 9:15 AM

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7 Philoptochos Board Meeting: 6:30 PM In church hall

8 Nativity of the Theotokos Orthros 8:00 AM Div. Lit. 9:00 AM

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11 Sunday before Holy Cross Orthros: 8:00 AM Div. Lit: 9:15 AM

12 Parish Council Meeting: 7:30 PM

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14 Exaltation of the Holy Cross Orthros: 8:00 AM Div. Lit: 9:00 AM

15 Greek School Registration: 3:30-6:30 PM

Choir Rehearsal: 6:30 PM

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17 Metropolis of Boston Camp Outing 9:00 AM

18 Sunday after Holy Cross Orthros: 8:45 AM Div. Lit: 10:00 AM Sunday School Registration: 11:30 AM “WINTER HOURS START”

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22 Greek School Begins: 3:30-7:45 PM Agiasmos / Blessing in School: 5:00 PM

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25 1st Sunday of Luke Orthros: 8:45 AM Div. Lit: 10:00 AM Sunday School Begins: 9:45 AM New Horizons Soup Kitchen: 4:00-6:00 PM

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29 Greek School 3:30-7:45 PM

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NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID MANCHESTER, NH

PERMIT NO. 6249

ASSUMPTION

GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

111 Island Pond Road

Manchester, NH 03109

Greekfest 2016