The Orthodox Vision - December 2011 Issue #262

DECEMBER 2011 THE ORTHODOX VISION 1

December 2011

IN THIS ISSUE A Great Light In Jesus Christ we shall cling to the hope that life over-comes death, that love con-quers hate, and that truth will prevail over falsehood.

by Fr. Andreas Vithoulkas

The Christmas Story Behold, the virgin shall be

with child, and bear a Son,

and they shall call His name

Immanuel, which is translat-

ed, God with us.


2011 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Bpt. Ct Publishing &Design-VSA-11/16/2011

AHEPA J. Bochanis 203-254-7595

AROUND THE PARISH S. Capiris 203-259-7344

[email protected] ATHLETIC PROGRAM P. Koutroulas 203-556-0489

[email protected]

CANTOR G. Bakes 203-374-8561

CHOIR P. Leask 203-258-9160

[email protected]

COUNCIL OF CHURCHES S. Kapetaneas 203-926-1751

CULTURAL ASSOCIATION V. Hatzis 203-268-7231

[email protected] DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE H. Yeotsas 203-374-1729 [email protected] ECCLESIARCH D. Trigonis 203-374-0725

FORCC E. Vaniotis 203-374-0013 [email protected]

GOYA N. Pettas 203-925-0189

E. Yiannoulis 203-372-6591

GREEK PAIDEIA L. Protopapas 203-929-1582

GREEK SCHOOL E. Limberis 203-371-6305

[email protected]

GREEK SCHOOL DANCE GROUP E.Limberis 203-371-6305 [email protected]

M. Cook 203-375-9329

HISTORIAN & ARCHIVES ROOM S. Capiris 203-259-7344

[email protected] INTERIOR COMMITTEE B. Pappas 203-268-8907

JR. CHOIR J.Bogardus 203-736-6501

LIBRARY H. Vittorio

L. Protopapas

203-375-0670

203-929-1582

MAINTENANCE G. Hatzis 203-261-3247

L. Tsouris 203-334-2781 MEDIA-COMMUNICATIONS A. Loukrezis 203-268-5377

[email protected]

OLYMPIANS (GOYA) F. Papachristos 203-380-0566

ORTHODOX WOMEN C. Constant 203-380-0828

P.T.O. M. Gountas 203-650-3246

[email protected]

PARISH COUNCIL G. Mourizakis 203-373-0580

[email protected] PHILOPTOCHOS K. Tsitsipas

[email protected]

203-926-0137

PUBLICITY COMMITTEE E. Vaniotis 203-374-0013

[email protected]

SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE S. Karagiannis 203-820-1975 SCHOOL BOARD V. Boudreau 203-734-6754

[email protected]

SENIOR CITIZENS G. Agortsas 203-372-1015

STEWARDSHIP A.J. Metsopoulos 203-292-6418

R. Arvanitis 203-226-4140

[email protected]

SUNDAY SCHOOL E. Vaniotis 203-374-0013

[email protected] INTERNET MINISTRIES/

WEBSITE/ FACEBOOK/TWITTER/E-BULLETIN

V.Andriotis 203-371-6856

[email protected]

Church Office E. Limberis

Email: [email protected] Office: 203.374.5561 Fax: 203.374.5770

Hours: Monday Friday: 9:00am 4:00pm Sundays after Services: 12:00pm-1:00pm

On the Web -www.holytrinitybridgeport.org Shopping-Shop.holytrinitybridgeport.org

On Facebook - www.holytrinityfacebook.org

On Twitter www.twitter.com/holytrinitybpt

Services Sunday: Orthros 8:30am

Sunday School Special Services: 10:00am-10:15am Divine Liturgy,Sermons, Announcements:

9:45am 11:30am Weekday Services,Orthros,Divine Liturgy:

8:45am-10:15am

Summer Sunday Services (June-September): Orthros 8:45am

Divine Liturgy,Sermons, Announcements: 9:45 - 11:15am

The Ocial Monthly Publicaon of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

4070 Park Avenue Bridgeport, CT 06604

Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature. Mark 16:15 Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature. Mark 16:15 Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature. Mark 16:15 Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature. Mark 16:15

Robert Arvani,s 226-4140

Michael Bouloubasis 336-2116

Stella Capiris 259-7344

A.J. Metsopoulos 292-6418

John Mihalakopoulos 261-4732

George Mourizakis 373-0580

Chris Papachristos 380-0566

Peter Tsimbidaros 334-2578

Sco7 Vereb 520-2781

Constan,ne Vlamis 268-5464

Parish Council Newsle)er Editor

Vicky Andrio,s

Newsle)er Sta Eleni Limberis

George Mourizakis Vicky Andrio,s

Father Andreas Vithoulkas, Presbyter [email protected]

phone: 917-334-4192


A s we approach the Feast o f t h e N a t i v i t y according to the Flesh of

our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ it is a time of great anticipation expectancy looking forward to the future!

We read the Scriptures in these coming days we note the rays of hope in the life of Christ. The Gospels speak to us of high hopes when the three magi seek him out. However, there was bad news, as well as, good news. Already when Jesus was just born and was being presented in the Temple after forty days we hear the prophecy of the righteous Simeon to Mary of his impending suffering, crucifixion and death. Simeon blessed them and said to our Panagia, Behold this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel and for a sign which will be spoken against yes a sword will pierce through your own soul also that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. Simeon forewarns Mary of her own impending grief and suffering which she will endure at the foot of the cross.

As we prepare to receive the light of salvation at Christmas we are also reminded of the darkness of oppression and suffering that exists in our own lives. I dont have to tell any of you about darkness because in one form or another, at one time or another, it has touched the life of each of you. You have all felt that piercing of the sword which the righteous Simeon forewarns Mary of in the Gospel of St. Luke. You

have been acquainted with the darkness of the night. Perhaps some of us have been oppressed by fear, sin, sorrow, loneliness, failure, or suffering from grief. For some the joy of the approaching Christmas season fades into darkness as we remember our loved ones who have passed away and are not here with us to rejoice in birth of Christ. Thus, our purpose is not to naively deny the existence of darkness or suffering. Nowhere in scripture do we receive a pep talk and argument that suffering doesnt exist. Rather, it affirms that the darkness is real and it is present, but

Scripture also affirms that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The prophet Isaiah wrote, people who walk in darkness have seen a great light. (Matthew 4:16, Isaiah 9:2) The Gospel of St. John records: The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. The good news of Christmas is that in the midst of a deep darkness there came a light, and the darkness was not able to overcome the light. It was not just a temporary flicker. It was an eternal flame. We need to remember that. There are times, in the events of the world and in the events of our personal lives, that we feel that the light will be snuffed out. But the Christmas story affirms that whatever happens, the light still shines. Just like the memory of all our loved ones who have passed

away will eternally shine in our hearts. We live in a world where darkness, oppression and suffering truly exist. But out of the darkness of the cave in B e t h l e h e m c a m e a n inextinguishable light which shines brighter and stronger than any darkness. Into the darkness God sent an eternal light. The greatest need in our mixed up and confused world this day is to let people know there is

hope. That life is worth living no matter what. We should not be discouraged to the point of despair. In Jesus Christ we shall cling to the hope that life overcomes death, that love conquers hate, and that truth will prevail over falsehood. We are all people of light and we must share that light in a dark and dreary land.

Why do you think that God chose to use a star to guide the Magi to Bethlehem? I am convinced that it was not by accident. It was an eternal reminder to them and to us that in a sea of darkness, it is the light that keeps us going forward. It is the light of hope and the light of Christ that leads and dispels the gloom. It is my prayer that the light of Christmas will shine and enlighten the dark corners of your life and that you, too, will discover the pathway to Bethlehem.

On behalf of myself and my family, we consider our ourselves extremely blessed to have been given the opportunity to serve the Church of Holy Trinity in Bridgeport and are truly looking forward to joining your family. We ant ic ipate building l ifelong relationships and friendships with each of you. I wish to extend an invitation to all and to let you know that my door is always open. If I can be of any assistance to any of you during this transitional stage please do not hesitate to contact me.

A Great Light By Fr. Andreas Vithoulkas

-Presbyter

The people who walk

in darkness have seen a great light. Matthew 4:16, Isaiah 9:2 NKJV


The Christmas Story

Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas.

Scripture quotations

marked "NKJV" are

taken from the New

King James Version.

Copyright 1982 by

Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Used by permission.

All rights reserved.

B ehold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, God with us.

A Biblical Account of the Birth of Christ Christs Birth Announced to Mary- Luke 1:26-38 NKJV

N ow in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgins name was Mary. And having come in, the angel

said to her, Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!

But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.

Then Mary said to the angel, How can this be, since I do not know a man? And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the

power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also con-ceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.

Then Mary said, Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her.

Christ Born of Mary - Matthew 1:18-25 NKJ V Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to

Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Jo-seph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an an-gel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.

So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, God with us.

Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS.

Glory in the Highest - Luke 2:8-14 "NKJ V"

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!

photo Copyright 2007 V. Andriotis


Wise Men from the East - Matthew 2:1-12 "N KJ V"

N ow after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gath-ered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

So they said to him, In Bethle-hem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;

For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My peo-ple Israel.

Then Herod, when he had secret-ly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star ap-peared. And he sent them to Beth-lehem and said, Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treas-ures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

The "W" in Christmas

L ast December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful experience. I had cut back on nonessential obligations - extensive card writing, endless bak-ing, decorating, and even overspending. Yet still, I found myself exhausted,

unable to appreciate the precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of Christmas. My son, Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six year old. For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school's "Winter Pageant." I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there'd be a

dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then. Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise.

So, the morning of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room, I saw several other parents quietly scampering to their seats. As I waited, students were led into the room. Each class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each group, one by one, rose to perform their song. Because the public school system had long stopped referring to the holiday as "Christmas," I didn't expect anything other than fun, commercial entertainment - songs of reindeer, Santa Claus, snowflakes and good cheer.

So, when my son's class rose to sing, "Christmas Love," I was slightly taken aback by its bold title. Nicholas was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads. Those in the front row- center stage - held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the song. As the class would sing "C is for Christmas," a child would hold up the letter C. Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding up his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love."

The performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a small, quiet, girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down - totally unaware her letter "M" appeared as a "W". The audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one's mistake. But she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proud-ly holding her "W". Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together. A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen. In that instant, we understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our festivities. For when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and clear:

"C H R I S T W A S L O V E" ~ Anonymous


O C h r i s t m a s Sun! What holy task is thine! To fold a world in the embrace of God!

Our Parish by George Mourizakis -Parish Council President

Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwil l

toward men! Luke 2:14

D ear Parishioners, Another Holiday season is upon us, but it is not the same as every

other year. This Christmas, our Lord Jesus Christ is born, and at the same time Holy Trinity is being born again.

We are starting a new chapter in our Churchs life. We are welcoming a new priest to lead us forward spiritually. Father Andreas Vithoulkas will be our new spiritual father.

On behalf of all of us, I would like to welcome him and his family to our parish .

Lets all join hands and move forward to a new beginning and a promising future for our beloved Holy Trinity. We are

making every effort to make his moving experience a smooth one. Lets all stand by his side and help him in any way we know how in order make his ministry a successful one. We could not ask for a better gift for Christmas than this one. Let him put Christ back into Christmas for all of us. On another note, I visited

Zacharias Pappas at Gaylord Hospital. I am sure that you already know by now about the tragedy in this young mans life. He has been an altar boy as long I can remember. It is so hard to see such a young man lying in his hospital bed, motionless from the neck down. I would like to urge every one of you and our church as a whole to reach out and help this young man, bring him back to health, and see him in the altar again, standing proud.

My wife and I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Healthy, Peaceful, and Joyous New Year. Thank you and God bless.

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.

The Fox

and the

Crow

A FOX once saw a Crow fly off with a piece of cheese in

its beak and settle on a branch of a tree. Thats for me, as I am a Fox, said Master Reynard, and he walked up to the foot of the tree. Good-day, Mistress Crow, he cried. How well you are looking today: how

glossy your feathers; how bright your eye. I feel sure your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as your figure does; let me

hear but one song from you that I may greet you as the Queen of Birds. The Crow lifted up her head and be-gan to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by Master Fox. That will do, said he. That was all I wanted. In exchange for your cheese I will give you a piece of advice for the future

DO NOT TRUST

F L A T T E R E R S .

~Aesop


For the spirit of Christmas fulfills the greatest hunger of mankind.

GOYA by Nicole Pettas and Evan Yian-noulis -Co-presidents

O ur GOYA events have been fun and successful thus far! Our latest ones were the car wash

and tag sale. We would like to thank all GOYAns and parishioners for their help and support.

On November 19, 2011, we served at the Thanks-giving Meal of Love for the citys hungry and home-less, sponsored by our Parish. We are looking for-

ward to our upcoming events during the Holiday season, starting with the Dis-trict GOYA retreat, hosted by us at our church on December 11th. Our Christ-mas GOYA brunch is on December 18th, and, of course, we are planning some fun outings such as a GOYA Christmas Dinner and a day ski trip. On behalf of GOYA, we would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Hap-py and Healthy New Year.

Daughters of

Penelope by Helen Yeotsas - President

T he Daughters of Chapter 41 wish everyone a wonderful Christmas

season with much health and love, and filled with God's blessings!

Thank you to everyone who

supported our Turkey Raffle and our Christmas Wreath Sale! All our proceeds go to our Scholarship fund, as well as our various

National and Local causes. The "Let's Keep Them Warm" drive will run through the winter months, and we wish to ask you all for your continued support of this very worthwhile project. The Daughters handed out gloves, scarves, etc, at the community's Meal of Love luncheon on November 17th, along with candy goody bags. We are always moved by the appreciation from those who receive these small gifts. We will continue to donate these items to the shelters, schools and crisis centers in the Greater Bridgeport Community.

In December, we plan to have

our Christmas Dinner along with the AHEPA in place of our regular meeting. Daughters will work on a Food basket project this month, as well as donate more of the "Warm" items to students from "Project Learn".

Our normal January meeting

will be on January 16th, back to

our regular time of 7:00 pm. Please plan to attend as we would like to discuss the upcoming Luncheon we plan to have in February. If any women are interested in joining this wonderful group please don't hesitate to contact me or any member for more info.

We have been lucky enough to

have new members join us at each meeting so far this year, and hope to continue this trend! For information on what the Daughters do, please visit the national w e b s i t e a t www.daughtersofpenelope.org. To contact me you can email at [email protected].

We join the rest of the

community in extending a warm welcome to Father Andrew, Presvytera and their boys! We look forward to working together in the upcoming year and beyond!


Never worry about the size of your Christmas tree. In the eyes of children, they are all 30 feet tall.

A re you w i l l i n g t o

believe that love is the strongest thing in the world - stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death - and that the blessed life which began in B e t h l e h e m nineteen hundred years ago is the i m a g e a n d brightness of the Eternal Love? Then you can keep Christmas. -Henry Van Dyke

Athletic

Committee by Pericles Koutroulas

-Director

B asketball games started the weekend before Thanksgiving. Volleyball

games are scheduled to begin sometime around mid-December.

New uniforms were provided for all the children in basketball and for all the new girls in volleyball.

I am happy to report that the gym water fountain is working. Thank you to George Andriotis for donating his time, resources, and expertise in repairing the water fountain.

The cosmetic upgrade of the 1st floor

womens bathroom in the gym has begun. The bathroom is currently out of order. We ask that the women use the upstairs bathroom for now. We a p o l o g i z e f o r a n y inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. The Athletic Committee is looking into purchasing drain

tarps as a temporary measure for the leaking roof. The claim put in for roof damage due to the hurricane is still pending.

On behalf of the Athletic Committee, I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

Please feel free to call me at (203) 556-

0 4 8 9 o r e m a i l m e a t [email protected] with any ideas, questions, and/or concerns.

AHEPA by John Bochanis -President

T he Bridgeport C h a p t e r o f AHEPA recently

held a surprise 95th birth-day party for AHEPA member Alex Vlantes at Viales Restaurant. The birthday party was well attended, not only by our Chapter members, but also our AHEPA District and Regional Governors. Alex has been an AHE-PAN for almost 75 years and currently serves as Secretary of our Chapter. His enthusiasm and ener-gy in supporting the phil-anthropic goals of AHEPA is an inspiration

to us all. On November 13th, the

AHEPA sponsored their annual chicken luncheon. Our AHEPANS prepared a delicious chicken lunch-eon for the communitys enjoyment and the Daugh-ters of Penelope, prepared the delicious deserts. Thank you to everyone who helped make this

event a success and thank you to the community for your support. The pro-ceeds from this luncheon also contribute to the scholarship fund support-ing the youth of our com-munity.

In January AHEPA will be sponsoring a lecture by Professor Konstantina Maragkou of the Yale Hellenic Studies Depart-ment. Her lecture will be about the Junta Period of Greek History. Refresh-ments will be served after the lecture. Please join us for this lecture which will open to all.

AHEPA welcomes its newest members, Sotirios Zachariadis, James Leach, Harry Vlandis and Jordan Bochanis.


The worst gift is a fruitcake. There is only one fruitcake in the entire world, and people keep sending it to each other. ~Johnny Carson

Sunday School by Eva Vaniotis -Director

Teachers are preparing our Sunday school children to receive the birth of Jesus reverentially. Planning for the Christmas Pageant is underway and will be held as planned on Sun-day, December 18th.

Schedule: Children, Teachers/Aides are requested to be in Church by 9:45 A.M. All the children will remain in

Church with their teachers. Please plan for your children to

receive Holy Communion on that day.

They will go to their class-rooms for Communion break-fast.

Prepare for the Christmas Pag-eant.

Program to start around 1:30 P.M. or earlier.

After the program, grades PN through 2nd grade will return to their classroom for the par-ents to pick up.

Grades 3 12 will be dis-missed right after the program.

Children in grades PN through 6

will receive Christmas gifts from PTO and will be distributed in their classroom after Communion.

Our sincere appreciation to PTO for their kind generosity and sup-port they extend to our children. . Their effort in working diligently to raise money throughout the year is for the welfare of our children. Many, many thanks to our PTO.

Sunday, December 25, 2011, and January 1, 2012: Family Worship Sundays. Requesting all the chil-dren to attend Liturgy with their parents.

Sunday, January 8, 2012, all the children return to Sunday school for regular classes.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Greek School

by Eleni Limberis -Director

!

21 2011

4:30 .

: ,

. : ,

. .

2012

Good news from the North Pole!

Santa Claus will be visiting our Greek School on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 4:30 p.m.. We invite all of you to be here and welcome Santa. Thank you. Boys: will wear white shirt, navy blue or black pants and Red tie.

Girls: will wear a white blouse, red or black skirt. We wish you Merry Christmas and Happy New

Year! Thank you, kiria Eleni Our appreciation and many thanks to our PTO for

their help, support, and love throughout the year to our children...and Teachers.


M any thanks to everyone who participated in any way in the "Meal of Love" for the needy people of the City of Bridgeport.

The Community wishes to extend Happy Birthday greetings to our golden Senior Citizen, Alex Vlantes. He recently celebrated his 95th birthday and was given a party by his brother AHEPAns - also a t t ended b y AHEP A D is t r i c t representatives . Alex served as Treasurer of AHEPA for many, many years. He is still involved with the activities of our parish and we wish him many more years filled with good health.

Congratulations to Gus and Christine Vlastaris on the recent marriage of their son. We wish George and Krystie many years of good health and happiness. This completes the circle for Gus and Christine, who were blessed with the marriages of both of their children in one year.

Congratulations to Dennis and Stephanie Kokenos on the birth of their baby girl, Asimena. The grandparents are so very happy. Na sas zisse.

Congratulations to Lily (Valakas) Valmas, former parishioner now living in Greece, on the birth of her baby girl. Yiayia Effie Valakas is so delighted. Na sas zisse.

Correction: Congratulations to Maria Geleki on the "marriage" of her grandson. The proud parents are

Irene (Geleki) and Sava Rallis, who are former parishioners. We wish the couple much happiness!

Congratulations to George Andriotis, who ran in and finished the 2011 ING New York City Marathon on November 6th. Kai Eis Anotera!

Congratulations to Father Stratton Dorozenski, a former parishioner who grew up in our parish, on being honored at the Detroit Clergy-Laity Conference. We have fond memories of Father Stratton and his family. Father Stratton now serves as the priest at St. Nicholas Church in Troy, Michigan.

Our Church organizations have been most busy with their many activities. They thank the Community for their support. GOYA - Christmas Card, PhiloptochosThanksgiving Bake Sale, HELLENIC Hellenic Cultural Society- Lecture, AHEPA- Annual

It is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas when

its mighty Founder was a child Himself. ~Charles Dickens

Around the Parish by Stella Capiris

GOYA Tag Sale GOYA Picnic Crew

Welcome to Holy Trinity!


I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. -Charles Dickens, Ebeneezer Scrooge

Chicken Luncheon, Daughters - Christmas Wreath Sale, Greek School - "OHI" Day celebration, P.T.O. - Christmas Boutique. Philoptochos had a delicious annual pot luck dinner meeting in November, where everyone brought in their own favorite dish. Also, a most interesting presentation followed the dinner with Dr. Artemis Morris, a naturopathic physician and nutrition professor, as the guest speaker. Our Greek School children learned how to make Prosforo offerings and we thank Zoy Gountas for her assistance. Perastika and get well wishes are extended to Ann Kissel following her recent surgery. Perastika and get well wishes are also extended to Barbara Anton following her recent fall. The Community extends its deepest

sympathy to the family of Helen Hiotakis, a longtime parishioner and a devoted Philoptochos member, upon her recent death.

The Community extends its deepest sympathy to the family of Konstantinos (Dino) Yiannoulis upon his recent death. He will be deeply missed by all the members of his loving family. The Community extends its deepest sympathy to the family of Helen Alexios upon her recent death. The Community extends its deepest sympathy to Jimmy Leach and family on the death of his father-in-law. May all of their Memories be Forever Eternal! We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a healthy, happy Holiday Season. See you next year.

Philoptochos Thanksgiving Baskets for

the Evergreen Network

Ladies Philoptochos

Society Kalliope Tsitsipas-President One Woman Asking Another Woman to Care. Join us & Bring A Friend!

The Philoptochos, the philanthropic heart of the Archdiocese, and one of the largest womens philanthropic organizations in the United States, is a society of spiritually faithful Chris-tians united in love and service to others.

Upcoming Events for December 2011

December 6th Philoptochos Christmas Dinner

7:00pm Post Caf in Fairfield-$42 per person For the month of December, please help us in pre-

paring gifts and food for the needy. December 4th Annual Christmas Luncheon By December 11th Place your order for the Christmas Baked Goods & Food Sale Pick-up on December 17th - see flyer for details December 17th Gift & Food baskets

pick-up by Evergreen. These baskets are provided to people with or affected by HIV/AIDS. We appreciate your support and generosity.

Week of December 17th Visits to Nursing homes,

shut-ins, and hospitals for the holidays. , Merry Christmas, and


The Meaning

of Christmas

J ust a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened. I just finished the

household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room, and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out from behind the Christmas tree. He placed his finger over his mouth so I would not cry out. What are you doing? I started to ask him.

The words choked in my throat, as I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement, Teach the children!

I was puzzled: What did he mean? He anticipated my question, and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree.

As I stood there bewildered, Santa said, Teach the Children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that a now-a-day Christmas has forgotten!

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a fir tree and placed it on the mantle.

Teach the Children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind. All the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of mans thoughts turning toward heaven.

He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant star. Teach the children that the star

was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of that promise.

He then reached into the bag and pulled out a candle.

Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness.

Once again he reached into his bag and then removed a wreath and placed it on the tree.

Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the eternal

nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection.

He then pulled out from his bag an ornament of himself.

Teach the children that Santa Claus symbolizes the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December.

He reached in again and pulled out a holly leaf.

Teach the children the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berries represent blood shed by Him.

Next he pulled out a gift from the bag and said, Teach the children that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift. Teach the children that the wise men bowed before the holy babe and presented Him with gold, frankincense, and myrrh. We should give gifts in the same spirit as the wise men.

Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a candy cane and hung it on the tree.

Teach the Children that the candy cane represents the shepherds crook. The crook on the shepherds staff helps bring back strayed sheep from the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brothers keeper.

He reached in again and pulled out an angel.

Teach the Children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Saviors birth. The angels sang Glory to God in the highest, on earth, peace and good will.

Suddenly I heard a soft , twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a bell.

Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of a bell, it should bring people to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return.

Santa looked at the tree and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas, and not to put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One who is, and I bow down and worship Him, our Lord, our God.

- Unknown


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Our Sunday School Children (Grades 5 through 8) learn

about the preparation of the prosforo oering and what it represents from Tom Hallas and Kalliope Tsitsipas.

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Place your order by December 11, 2011 SPONSORED BY THE LADIES PHILOPTOCHOS SOCIETY OF BRIDGEPORT

4070 PARK AVENUE BRIDGEPORT, CT

CHRISTMAS BAKED GOODS

AND FOOD SALE

To Order: Call either Holy Trinity at 203-374-5561, Kalli at 203-926-0137, or Bessie at 203-375-4695 by December 11,2011. Pick-up your order on Sunday, December 17, 2011, between 10:00am and 1:00pm at Church or by appointment.


The Holy Trinity SeniorsThe Holy Trinity SeniorsThe Holy Trinity SeniorsThe Holy Trinity Seniors Christmas LuncheonChristmas LuncheonChristmas LuncheonChristmas Luncheon

Sunday, December 11, 2011 12:00pm

Cinzanos 1920 Black Rock Tpke Fairfield, CT

Choice of: Chicken Parmigiana/ Ziti Broiled Salmon

Manicotti Prime Rib

Paid Members: $20.00

Others: $30.00

For reservaons, please Call Van Hatzis at

203-268-7231.Reservaons with payment

must be made no later than December 7,

2011.


Please Help. The Children Need YOU.

Sunday School Christmas

Dinner

Thursday, December 15, 2011

6:30 P.M.

Cinzanos

1920 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield

Telephone: 203-367-1199

Entre: Choice of One

Chicken Marsala, Veal Parmigiana,

Baked Stuffed Shrimp, New York Strip

Served with Mixed vegetables, Oven

Roasted New Potatoes

Including: Homemade Manicotti, Sal-

ad, X-Mas Dessert, Coffee, Tea,

Wine and Soda

$33.00 With Tax and Tip included.

CASH BAR

Must Notify

Bill Vaniotis at 203 929-1205 or E-mail

[email protected]

DECEMBER 2011 THE ORTHODOX VISION 26 LIT URGY HOURS / ()

Orthros: 8:30 Divine Liturgy,Sermons, Announcements: 9:45am 11:30am

Sunday, December 25th CHRISTMAS DAY- Orthros: 8:45am & Divine Liturgy: 9:45am 25 . - : 8:45 -- : 9:45

Weekday Liturgies (9:00am) Tuesday Dec. 6 St. Nicholas Monday Dec. 12 St. Spyridon the Wonderworker Thursday Dec. 15 St. Eleftherios Saturday Dec. 24 Christmas Eve -Vespers LITURGY Choir Candlelight Service & CAROLING SINGING - 6:30 pm Tuesday Dec. 27 St. Stephen First Martyr Thursday Jan. 5 Eve of the Epiphany Friday Jan. 6 EPIPHANY DAY Saturday Jan. 7 St. John the Baptist

( 9:00 ) 6 . 12 . 15 . 24 . , 6:30 27 . ,

1 . . , (8:45 11:30 5 . 6 . 7 . .

MEMORIALS: Sunday, December 11th Konstantinos (Dino) Yiannoulis- 40 days

Events, Activities, Programs Friday Dec. 2 PTO Christmas Party Tuesday Dec. 6 Philoptochos Christmas Party Sunday Dec. 4 98th Anniversary Luncheon after Church Services at the Aegean Room Wednesday Dec. 7 AHEPA/Daughters of Penelope Christmas Dinner Saturday Dec. 10 Joy/Hope Santas Workshop Sunday Dec. 11 Goya Retreat after Church Services. Sunday Dec. 11 Seniors Citizens Christmas Party after Church Services Thursday Dec. 15 Sunday School Christmas Party Sunday Dec. 18 Goya Brunch after Church & Sunday School Christmas Program Wednesday Dec. 21 Greek School Christmas Celebration - 4:30 pm.

PHILOPTOCHOS

CHRISTMAS OFFERING PLEASE HELP US TO STOCK OUR

FOOD PANTRY AND PREPARE

GIFT BASKETS FOR THE NEEDY Our pantry is in need of the following items:

Please bring your items to the Church or Contact Kalliope Tsitsipas for more info: 203.926.0137

Rice Pasta Sauce Canned Vegetables Olive Oil Cake or muffin mixes Crackers Cranberry Sauce Non-dairy Creamer Peanut Butter & Jelly Pasta Canned Soup Cookies

Vinegar Canned Sweet Pota-toes Chocolates Coffee/Tea Canned Fruit Toothpaste/toothbrushes Shampoo & Soap Mens Socks Combs

651 Villa Ave. Faireld, CT

203-384-8176

w.androsdinerfaireld.com

Licensed to Practice Law in CT & NY

Peter

Tsimbidaros Attorney at Law

For All Your Legal Needs (203)333-5111

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DECEMBER 2011 THE ORTHODOX VISION 28 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

4070 Park Avenue Bridgeport, CT 06604

Address Service Requested

The Ocial Monthly Publicaon of Holy Trinity

December 2011

Issue #262

Documents

The Orthodox Vision - December 2011 Issue #262