Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
The Official Monthly publication of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Bridgeport, CT
Citation preview
SEPTEMBER 2013 THE ORTHODOX VISION 1
IN THIS ISSUE
The New Ecclesiastical
Year And The Future of
Our Church: Our Youth “As our Church celebrated the
Feast of the Dormition of the
Holy Theotokos, we began shifting gears and looking for-
ward to a new Ecclesiastical Church year. Xronia Polla to
all those who celebrated on this
important Feast! “
by Fr. Andreas Vithoulkas
<<Καθώς γιορτάσαµε την
Κοίµηση της Θεοτόκου, τώρα η Εκκλησία µας ετοιµάζεται να γιορτάσει το Νέο Εκκλησιαστικό
έτος. Χρόνια Πολλά σε όλους. >>
του π. Ανδρέα Βυθούλκας
ISSUE NO. 283 WWW.HOLYTRINITYBRIDGEPORT.ORG SEPTEMBER 2013
Chosen and Appointed by
God to Go and Bear Fruit
SEPTEMBER 2013 THE ORTHODOX VISION 2 September 2013 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
Beginning of
the Indiction Synaxis of the Recovery of
the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos
2
11th Monday
after Pentecost
Martyr Mam-
mas John, Abp. Of
Constantinople
3
11th Tuesday
after Pentecost
Hieromartyr
Anthimus Righteous The-
octistus and
4
11th Wednes-
day after Pen-
tecost
Hieromartyr Babylas
Prophet Moses
5
HP Zacharias Urban, Theo-dore, Medim-
nos, and 77 Companions at Nicomedea
6
Miracle of Mi-chael in Colos-sae
Martyr Calo-dotus
7
Saturday be-
fore Holy
Cross
Theotokos' Na-tivity Forefeast
Martyr Sozon
8 Sunday
School be-
gins /
Philoptochos
Champagne
Brunch
Nativity of the
9 Greek
School begins
at 4:30 pm
Synaxis of the Holy Ancestors
of God , Mar-tyr Severian
10
Martyrs Meno-
dora, Metro-dora & Nym-phodora
Empress Pul-cheria
11
Theodora of Alexandria Righteous Eu-
phrosynus
12
Apodosis of Nativity of the Theotokos
Hieromartyr Autonomos
13
Forefeast of the Exaltation Temple of the
Resurrection
14 Service-
Exaltation of
the Holy Cross
Commemora-
tion of the 6th Ecumenical
15 Commun-
ion Breakfast for Sunday School Chil-dren / Sunday
after Holy
Cross / Great Martyr Niki-
tas /Philotheus the Wonder-
16
Great Martyr Euphemia Sebastiana,
Disciple of Paul
17
Tuesday of the
1st Week
Martyrs So-
phia, Pistis, Elpis & Agape
Herakleides & Myron of
18
Wednesday of
the 1st Week
Eumenius, Bp.
Of Gortyna Martyr Ariadne
19
Thursday of
the 1st Week
Martyrs Trophi-
mus, Sabbatius, & Dorymedon
Afterfeast of the Holy Cross
20
Martyr Eustathi-us & His Com-panions
Eustathius of Thessolonica
21 GOYA Day
at Holiday Hill
– 11:00am-
7:00pm Saturday after
Holy Cross Apodosis of the Holy Cross
Apostle Quad-ratus
22
1st Sunday of
Luke
Hieromartyr
Phocas Phocas the
Cyprian
23
Conception of the Forerunner Xanthippe &
Polyxene the Righteous
24
Protomartyr Thekla Silouan of Ath-
os
25 Wednesday of the 2nd Week Euphrosyne of Alexandria ,
Paphnoutios & 546 Companions
in Egypt
26 TRANSLATION OF JOHN THE THEOLOGIAN
27
Friday of the
2nd Week
Martyr Callistra-
tus & Compan-ions Apostle Aristar-
chus
28
Chariton the
Confessor
Alkeisonus of
Nicopolis Prophet Baruch
29 GOYA
Picnic Day
after Church
Services 2nd Sunday of
Luke
Cyriacus the
Anchorite
30
Gregory the Illuminator Mardonios &
Stratonikos the Martyrs
MEETINGS Tuesday, Sept. 3 Philoptochos 7:00 pm
Monday, Sept. 9 PTO 5:00pm Wednesday, Sept. 11 Bible Study 7:00 pm Wednesday, Sept. 11 Senior Citizens 1:00 pm Wednesday, Sept. 18 Daughters/AHEPA 7:00pm
Monday, Sept. 23 Parish Council 7:30 pm Wednesday, Sept. 25 Senior Citizens 1:00 pm Wednesday, Sept. 25 Bible Study 7:00 pm
MEMORIALS Sunday September 1 Dino Stevens 3 years Sunday September 15 Tina Meropoulos 15 years
ΜΝΗΜΟΣΥΝΑ Κυριακή 1 Σεπτεµβρίου Κωνσταντίνος Σταυρόπουλος
3 χρόνια Κυριακή 15 Σεπτεµβρίου Κωνσταντίνα Μερόπουλου 15 χρόνια
SEPTEMBER 2013 THE ORTHODOX VISION 3
A s our Church celebrated the Feast of the Dormition of
the Holy Theotokos, we began shifting gears and looking forward to a new Ecclesiastical
Church year. Xronia Polla to all those who celebrated on this important Feast!
As many of you return to Church from your summer vacations , you will notice the beautiful restorative
work which has been done in the Dome of our Church. The damaged Icons have been restored, and we
have put new lighting in the dome. T h i s w a s a n i m p o r t a n t accomplishment in light of the celebration of our 100th anniversary,
which we will be celebrating this coming November.
The dome of our Church has the traditional Christ Pantocrator as its apex. It is the centerpiece of our
Church, both aesthetically and spiritually. The word Pantocrator means, “He who holds all things.” It is one of the titles given to God and
is so often translated in English as “Almighty.” Also, the majestic beauty of this bust of Christ denotes
His authoritative powers as Judge of the Universe. The Pantocrator serves an axis wherefrom sunlit of
bordered decorations emanate the Prophets of the Old Testament who prophesized the coming of the Messiah. Below the ring of prophets
are depicted the four Evangelists, who authored the four Gospels.
We are truly blessed to have completed our dome project with the
help of the daughter of the original Iconographer of our Church, Father John Spilios. Rev. Spilio devoted
more than 45 years of his life for the glory and beauty of the church. As a result, and through a long family tradition, he was ordained a priest on
August 6, 1988, to fulfill his inward, strong religious beliefs for the Glory of God.
Through a long, successful career,
Rev. Spilio has a record of 82 fully
decorated churches in the USA, Canada, and Greece, including the Chapel in the residence of His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos
(former Archbishop) and the chapel of St. Iakovos in the summer camp of the Archdiocese in Greece. Also,
hundreds of portable art works of his exist at galleries and private collections throughout the world.
May his Memory be Eternal! I would like to thank Katerina
Spilios for the beautiful restorative
work she did in the dome of our Church. She continues the beautiful legacy of her father and keeps his
memory alive through her artwork, which she learned under his guidance.
I would also like to thank our
President, George Mourizakis, John Stevens, Tom Hallas, and John
Tsiflides for their assistance and guidance with our dome project.
Our Vacation Church School , which ran the week of August 12th, was very successful. Our theme this
year was the Divine Liturgy, and our children enjoyed many activities and lessons that introduced them to the meaning of the Liturgy. I would
like to thank Cindy Waldron for organizing and teaching our VCS this year, the Teacher’s Aides:
Vasiliki Roussas, Irene Bal, Angelica Demestihas, and Effie
Hallas, and Mrs. Zoe Gountas for teaching the children how to make the Prosforo. I’d also like to thank
all the children who attended (15 in all) and who were so eager to learn and participate. They were a wonderful group, and Cindy
expressed what a pleasure they were to have in our VCS this year.
There are many exciting programs and events which will be available to all members of our Church this
c o m in g Ne w Ye a r. Th e Ecclesiastical Church year coincides with the beginning of a new school year. We need to not only help our
children prepare for a new year of school, but also prepare for a new year in Church. Just like we need
school supplies we need to think of spiritual supplies for our children. Some of the essential materials each
child should have are a prayer book, a prayer rope, an icon, and a Bible. These are the essential building blocks for all of our children in
order for them to grow and develop as Orthodox Christians.
The other essential building block for our youth is the Church herself, where there are many programs that
help build up our youth in their Orthodox Faith, Greek Heritage, and community involvement. Under the spiritual guidance of our Church of
Holy Trinity, there are several schools and programs for youth - Religious Education, Greek
Language instruction, and Sporting events. All these serve the purpose of continuing to make the Church of
Holy Trinity a "welcoming" and safe environment for young families, and this growth is critical for us to remain a viable place where
everyone's spiritual and intellectual needs can always be served.
(Connued on page 4)
T h e N e w
Ecclesiastical Year
And The Future of
Our Church: Our
Youth by Father Andreas
“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.” ― Meister Eckhart
SEPTEMBER 2013 THE ORTHODOX VISION 4
Through our programs, our youth receive a well -rounded formation in both the traditions of our Greek Orthodox Faith and heritage, but also put what they learn into
practice through involvement in the community. Our youth are able to interact with others in a safe and supportive environment. There are a variety of programs and events which fit each individual child’s needs. Our
Youth sports programs offer our kids the ability to compete against each other in a safe and healthy environment.
Our youth are involved in a variety of philanthropic,
religious, and social activities. Many of our youth
volunteer much of their time and give back to our community. I have watched them enthusiastically participate in various philanthropic and sporting events organized by the Clergy and Laity, whether it is food
runs at local supermarket or volunteering at the local soup kitchen serving food to individuals and families who are less fortunate. Our youth also volunteer in
teaching Sunday school, leading Altar boy groups, and even leading us in worship. Our Youth are giving back
to our community in many ways and I believe they will continue to do so throughout their lives.
It is your job as parents and volunteers to make sure
that our programs continue to operate and flourish. I
cannot emphasize enough the need for youth volunteer workers. We cannot continue to develop our programs without your support and love. We welcome you even if you can only volunteer a small portion of your time to
any one of our youth programs. It is an investment which you will not be sorry that you made. As parents , you must encourage your children to participate in our
youth programs and reinforce the religious values they learn at home. Learning about Christ and the Church must begin at home. We must work together to help our
children stay close to the Church and raise their own children as Orthodox Christians in the future. The future of the Church lies in our youth and in our ability to contribute our talents to our Church to make sure our
youth stays connected to the Church. I look forward to seeing all of you and your families
this coming year!
(Connued from page 3)
“The beginning is the most important part of the work.” ― Plato
Ανακαίνισης του
Τρούλου και Το
Νέο
Εκκλησιαστικό
έτος του π. Ανδρέα Βυθούλκας
Κ αθώς γιορτάσαµε την Κοίµηση της Θεοτόκου, τώρα η Εκκλησία µας
ετοιµάζεται να γιορτάσει το Νέο
Εκκλησιαστικό έτος. Χρόνια Πολλά σε όλους. Καθώς πολλοί από εσάς που επιστρέψατε στην Εκκλησία
από τις καλοκαιρινές διακοπές, θα
π α ρ α τ η ρ ή σ α τ ε τ ο ό µ ο ρ φ ο τελειοποιηµένο έργο που έγινε στον
Τρούλο της Εκκλησίας µας. Οι καταστραµµένες εικόνες έχουν ανακαινιστεί και βάλαµε καινούριο
φωτισµό στον τρούλο. Αυτό ήταν ένα σηµαντικό επίτευγµα φέτος, για την 100ή ε πέ τε ιο π ου θα γ ι ορ τά σ ου µ ε το ν ερ χ όµ ε ν ο
Νοέµβριο. ‘
Ο Τρούλος της Εκκλησίας µας έ χ ε ι π α ρ α δ ο σ ι α κ ά τ ο ν
Παντοκράτορα στην κορυφή. Πρόκειται για το κεντρικό κοµµάτι της Εκκλησίας µας, τόσο αισθητικά
όσο και πνευµατικά. Η λέξη Παντοκράτορας σηµαίνει «Αυτός που κατέχει όλα τα πράγµατα.» Είναι ένας από τους τίτλους που
δίδεται στο Θεό και τόσο συχνά µεταφράζεται στα αγγλικά σαν Π αν το δύνα µο ς. Επ ίση ς η
επιβλητική αυτή µορφή του Χριστού δ η λ ώ ν ε ι τ ι ς σ η µ α ν τ ι κ έ ς
αρµοδιότητες Του ως δικαστής του σύµπαντος. Ο Παντοκράτορας ε ξ υ π η ρ ε τ ε ί έ ν α ά ξ ο ν α ,
οριοθετηµένων διακοσµήσεων. Προέρχονται οι προφήτες της Π α λ α ι ά ς ∆ ι α θ ή κ η ς π ο υ προφήτευσαν τον ερχοµό του
Μεσσία. Ακολουθούν οι τέσσερις Ευαγγελιστές που έγραψαν τα
τέσσερα Ευαγγέλια.
Πραγµατικά είµαστε ευλογηµένοι που ολοκληρώθηκε αυτό το έργο µε την βοήθεια της κόρης του αρχικού
αγιογράφου της Εκκλησίας µας, του πατρός Ιωάννη Σπήλιου. Ο π. Σπήλιος αφιέρωσε περισσότερο από 45 χρόνια της ζωής του για την δόξα
και την οµορφιά της εκκλησίας. Ο π. Σπήλιος χειροτονήθηκε Ιερέας στις 6 Αυγούστου 1988. Μέσα από
SEPTEMBER 2013 THE ORTHODOX VISION 5
µια µακρά επιτυχηµένη καριέρα, έχει ένα ρεκόρ 82 πλήρως διακοσµηµένες εκκλησίες στις
ΗΠΑ, Καναδά και Ελλάδα, όπως το παρεκκλήσι στην κατοικία του Σεβασµιότατου Αρχιεπισκόπου Ιακώβου (πρώην Αρχιεπίσκοπος)
και το εκκλησάκι του Αγίου Ιακώβου –στην καλοκαιρινή κατασκήνωση της Αρχιεπισκοπής
στην Ελλάδα. Επίσης, υπάρχουν εκατοντάδες έργα της τέχνης του σε πινακοθήκες και ιδιωτικές συλλογές
σε όλο τον κόσµο. Αιωνία η µνήµη του.
Θα ήθελα να ευχαριστήσω την Κατερίνα Σπήλιου για το όµορφο
έργο που έκανε στην εκκλησία µας. Συνεχίζει την όµορφη κληρονοµιά του πατέρα της και διατηρεί την
µνήµη του ζωντανή µέσα από το έργο τέχνης που έµαθε υπό την
καθοδήγησή του.
Θ α ή θ ε λ α ε π ί σ η ς ν α ευχαριστήσω τον πρόεδρό µας Γεώργιο Μουριζάκη , Ιωάννη Σταυρόπουλο, Αναστάση Χαλλά και
Γιάννη Τσιλφίδη για την βοήθειά τους και καθοδήγηση για την
ανακαίνιση του Τρούλου.
Υπάρχουν πολλά προγράµµατα και εκδηλώσεις διαθέσιµες για όλα τα µέλη της ενορίας µας το
ερχόµενο έτος. Η αρχή το νέου εκκλησιαστικού έτους φέτος συµπίπτει µε την έναρξη της νέας σχολικής χρονιάς, που πρέπει να
προετοιµάσουµε τα παιδιά µας, όχι µόνο προµηθεύοντας τα σχολικά είδη, πρέπει όµως να σκεφτούµε και
πνευµατική προµήθεια για τα παιδιά µας. Μερικά από τα βασικά είδη που πρέπει να έχει το κάθε παιδί
είνα ι ένα βιβλίο προσευχής, κοµποσχοίνι, µία εικόνα και η Αγία Γραφή. Αυτά είναι τα βασικά δοµικά στοιχεία για όλα τα παιδιά
για να µπορέσουν να µεγαλώσουν
και αναπτυχθούν σαν Χριστιανοί
Ορθόδοξοι.
Το άλλο ουσιαστικό δοµικό υλικό για την νεολαία µας είναι η ίδια η εκκλησία, όπου υπάρχουν πολλά
προγράµµατα που θα βοηθήσει στη δηµιουργ ία των νέων µας, συµµετοχή τους στην Ορθόδοξη πίστη, την ελληνική κληρονοµιά,
και την κοινότητα γενικά. Υπό την πνευµατική καθοδήγηση της εκκλησίας της Αγίας Τριάδας,
υπάρχουν σχολεία και προγράµµατα για τη νεολαία – θρησκευτική εκπαίδευση , διδασκαλία της
ελληνικής γλώσσας και αθλητικά π ρ ο γ ρ ά µ µ α τ α . Ό λ α α υ τ ά εξυπηρετούν τον σκοπό και συνεχίζει να προσφέρει ένα ασφαλές
περιβάλλον και για τις νέες οικογένειες προσφέρει υλικό για την πνευµατική τους ανάγκη. Μέσω των
προγραµµάτων µας η νεολαία µας λαµβάνει τις παραδόσεις της Ελληνικής Ορθόδοξης πίστης και
την ελληνική µας κληρονοµιά µαθαίνουν στη πράξη µε το να συµµετέχουν στην Κοινότητα. Υπάρχουν ποικίλα προγράµµατα και
εκδηλώσεις που ταιριάζει στις ανάγκες του κάθε παιδιού. Το αθλητικό πρόγραµµα προσφέρει τη
δυνατότητα να ανταγωνίζονται µεταξύ τους σε ένα ασφαλές και
υγιές περιβάλλον.
Η νεολαία µας συµµετέχει σε π ο λ λ έ ς φ ι λ α ν θ ρ ω π ι κ έ ς , θρησκευτικές και κοινωνικές δραστηριότητες. Πολλοί νέοι είναι
εθελοντές και δίνουν ένα µεγάλο µέρος του χρόνου τους πίσω στην κοινότητά µας. Πολλοί µε
ενθουσιασµό συµµετέχουν σε: είτε π ρ ό κε ιτα ι γ ια τ ρ όφι µα να αγοράσουν στο τοπικό σούπερ
µάρκετ ή εθελοντές σε τοπικές κουζίνες να σερβίρουν σε άτοµα και οικογένειες που έχουν ανάγκη. Επίσης είναι εθελοντές και στο
Κατηχητικό σχολείο, στο Ιερό και
έτσι βοηθούν την κοινότητά τους και πιστεύω ότι θα συνεχίσουν να
κάνουν το ίδιο για πολλά πολλά
χρόνια.
Το καλοκαιρινό θρησκευτικό
σχολείο πήγε πάρα πολύ καλά. Συµµετείχαν είκοσι παιδάκια, βοηθοί και η υπεύθυνη ήταν η Σταυρούλα (Cindy) Waldron. Τα
παιδιά µας έκαναν πρόσφορα για την εορτή της Παναγίας –συµµετείχαν στην Θεία Λειτουργία
και γενικά είχαν µία ευχάριστη, διασκεδαστική, και εκπαιδευτική εβδοµάδα. Ευχαριστούµε όλους που
βοήθησαν και έλαβαν µέρος.
Είναι καθήκον µας σαν γονείς και εθελοντές να βεβαιωθούµε ότι τα προγράµµατα θα συνεχίσουν να
λειτουργούν. Είναι αναγκαία η εθελοντική εργασία από τους νέους µας. ∆εν θα µπορέσουµε να
αναπτύξουµε τα προγράµµατά µας χωρίς την υποστήριξή σας και την αγάπη σας. Σας καλωσορίζουµε,
ακόµη και αν µπορείτε να δώσετε έστω και ένα µικρό µέρος του χρόνου σας για οτιδήποτε εσείς µπορείτε να κάνετε για την
κοινότητά σας. Είναι µία επένδυση που ποτέ δεν θα µετανιώσετε. Ως γονείς, θα πρέπει να ενθαρρύνουµε
τα παιδιά µας να συµµετέχουν στα προγράµµατα νεολαίας µας και να µαθαίνουν. Η µάθηση σχετικά µε το
Χριστό και την εκκλησία πρέπει να αρχίσει στο σπίτι. Πρέπει να εργασθούµε µαζί για να βοηθήσουµε τα παιδιά µας να µείνουν κοντά
στην εκκλησία σαν Ορθόδοξοι Χριστιανοί . Το µέλλον της εκκλησίας βρίσκεται στα χέρια της
νεολαίας µας, και πρέπει εµείς να τους καθοδηγήσουµε ώστε να παραµείνουν συνδεµένοι µε την
εκκλησία.
Αναµένω να σας δώ όλους σας µε τις οικογένειές αυτό το νέο
εκκλησιαστικό έτος.
(Connued from page 4)
“A Sunrise is God's way of saying, ‘Let's start again.’ “ ― Todd Stocker
SEPTEMBER 2013 THE ORTHODOX VISION 6
“It is our a*tude at the beginning of a difficult task which,
more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.”—William James
Our Parish by George Mourizakis -Parish Council President
I would like to welcome everyone back from their summer vacations. Our new Ecclesiastical year is
beginning in September, and our facilities are all ready
for you. Our Dome Restoration Project has been completed.
Our dome was restored to its original colors and state. As you know, the entire project was funded by our
insurance, and it didn’t cost our church a dime. We came in under budget and on time. We are good for the next 50 years!
I would like to Thank Tom Hallas and John Tsilfides for the electrical work, and John Stevens for his advice and help on the lighting options on the dome.
All of our attention is now focused on the preparation for the 100th Anniversary Gala. All the formal invitations are out, the tickets are coming out shortly, and the hotel is booked. What we need are more of your
personal ads for our Centennial Book that will be published for the event. Be a part on this important anniversary for our community. Commemorate a loved
one or present your family to the community and for the future generations. You all need to be a part of this. This is not a time for politics or agendas. We all have to
be united . Please call the office today to reserve your
page.
On another note, all our organizations are getting ready with their agendas and programs for the New Year. We are looking forward to working together with all the new officers that were elected, and I would like
to take this opportunity to remind everyone that we have to communicate and work together.
We have great plans for our community in the near
future. Last year, we had a great year with our Athletic department. Now, I would love to see the same excitement and progress on all of our committees and
departments. Please support our Sunday and Greek schools by participating in their programs. Bring your children to church. Church is not only for Sundays any more.
We just had a great Vacation Church School. Our kids had a great time during the week as they learned a lot of basics about the Divine Liturgy. For the grand
finale to a successful week, the kids were treated to a water slide and an ice cream truck. Thanks to Cindy Waldron and Vassiliki Rousas who ran the program for
the week. Also, thank you to all their helpers who took care of the kids, and to Zoe Gountas, who taught them how to make Prosforo.
As you know, to run a successful church, we also
need your monetary donations. If you have not sent your stewardship for 2013 yet, please do so now. We will send out another reminder shortly. Thank you for
your support and God Bless.
Happy New Year!
Ecclesiastical New
Year - September 1st
W hat is know as the
C o n s t a n t i n o p o l i t a n induction, adopted by the
Patriarchs of that city after the fall of
the Eastern Empire in 1453, begins on the 1st of September and is observed with special ceremony in the Church. Since the completion of
each year takes place, as it were, with the harvest and gathering of the crops into storehouses, and we begin
anew from henceforth the sowing of seed in the earth for the production
of future crops, September is considered the beginning of the New
Year. The Church also keeps festival this day, beseeching God for fair weather, seasonable rains, and an
abundance of the fruits of the earth. The Holy Scriptures (Lev. 23:24-5 and Num. 29:1-2) also testify that the people of Israel celebrated the
feast of the Blowing of the Trumpets on this day, offering hymns of thanksgiving. In addition to all the
aforesaid, on this feast we also commemorate our Saviour's entry into the synagogue in Nazareth,
where He was given the book of the Prophet Esaias to read, and He opened it and found the place where it is written, "The Spirit of the Lord
is upon Me, for which cause He hath anointed Me..." (Luke 4:16-30).
It should be noted that to the present day, the Church has always
celebrated the beginning of the New Year on September 1. This was the custom in Constantinople until its
fall in 1453 and in Russia until the reign of Peter I. September 1 is still festively celebrated as the New Year a t t h e P a t r i a r c h a t e o f
Constantinople; among the Jews also the New Year, although reckoned according to a moveable calendar,
usually falls in September. The service of the Menaion for January 1 is for our Lord's Circumcision and
for the memorial of Saint Basil the Great, without any mention of its being the beginning of a new year.
- Submitted by Vicky Andriotis,
source: goarch.org
SEPTEMBER 2013 THE ORTHODOX VISION 7
“Each time you fail, start all over again, and you will grow stronger until you have accomplished a purpose - not the one you began with perhaps, but one you'll be glad to remember.” -Anne Sullivan
Daughters of Penelope by Kathy Yiannoulis — President
W hat a wonderful time of year! We welcome the
fall season with all our hopes
and anticipation for the beginning of our new season of service, giving, and social events. We pray, along with the
rest of our parish community, that the beginning of the Ecclesiastical year is filled with health and happiness.
The Daughters helped our AHEPANs with their
Taverna night event last month and we wish to extend our gratitude to all who came out and joined us. We thank our helpers and bakers especially for their love
and support. What a wonderful event! Our first meeting will be on September 18th at 7
pm, where we plan to reconnect and talk about our calendar of events and activities for the new year. I am planning for an extraordinary year with the extraordinary group of sisters we have!
If you wish to become a member of our group,
please reach out to me or any of the members for more
information. We would love to have you!
Η ΕΝΟΡΙΑ ΜΑΣ ΓΕΩΡΓΙΟΣ ΜΟΥΡΙΖΑΚΗΣ,
ΠΡΟΕ∆ΡΟΣ
Σας καλωσορίζω όλους πίσω
από τις καλοκαιρινές σας διακοπές. Με την 1η Σεπτεµβρίου αρχίζει και το νέο εκκλησιαστικό
έτος και όλες οι εγκαταστάσεις είναι έτοιµες για όλους µας.
Η ανακαίνιση του Τρούλου ολοκληρώθηκε. Όπως γνωρίζετε,
ολόκληρο το έργο δεν στοίχησε ούτε δεκάρα στην εκκλησία µας διότι όλο το κόστος καλύφθηκε
από την ασφάλεια. Είµαστε ήσυχοι για τα επόµενα 50 χρόνια.
Θα ήθελα να ευχαριστήσω τον
Αναστάση Χαλλά και τον Γιάννη Τσιλφίδη για τα ηλεκτρικά και τον Γιάννη Σταυρόπουλο για την βοήθειά του σχετικά µε την
επιλογή φωτισµού στον Τρούλο της Εκκλησίας µας.
Όλη µας τώρα η προσοχή είναι
για την προετοιµασία των 100 χρόνων. Όλες οι επίσηµες προσκλήσεις έχουν σταλεί, τα ε ι σ ι τ ή ρ ι α σ ε λ ί γ ο θ α
ταχυδροµηθούν και η αίθουσα έχει
κρατηθεί. Αυτό που χρειαζόµαστε είναι περισσότερες προσωπικές αγγελίες για το αναµνηστικό
λεύκωµα, που θα δηµοσιευθεί για την εκδήλωση αυτή. ∆εν θέλετε να λάβετε µέρος σε αυτήν την
σηµαντική επέτειο της Κοινότητάς µας; Τιµήσατε ένα από τα αγαπηµένα σας πρόσωπα ή την οικογένειά σας για τις µελλοντικές
γενεές. Πρέπει να λάβετε µέρος στην εκδήλωση αυτή. Όλοι πρέπει να είµαστε ενωµένοι. Παρακαλώ
τηλεφωνήστε στο γραφείο για κρατήσεις.
Οι οργανισµοί της ενορίας µας
ετοιµάζονται µε τα προγράµµατά τους για τη νέα χρονιά. Όλοι πρέπει να συνεργασθούµε µε τα νέα µέλη που εξελέγησαν –και θα
επωφεληθώ της ευκαιρίας να υπενθυµίσω σε όλους ότι θα πρέπει να επικοινωνούν και
συνεργάζονται. Έχουµε µεγάλα σχέδια για την
κοινότητά µας στο µέλλον, πέρυσι
είχαµε µια προοδευτική χρονιά µε το αθλητικό πρόγραµµα. Τώρα θα ήθελα πολύ να δω τον ίδιο
ενθουσιασµό και πρόοδο σε όλους
τους οργανισµούς. Παρακαλώ υποστηρίξτε το κατηχητικό και ελληνικό σχολείο, συµµετέχοντας
στα προγράµµατά τους. Φέρτε τα παιδιά στην εκκλησία. Εκκλησία δεν είναι µόνο για τις Κυριακές.
Ε ί χ αµ ε τ ο κ αλ ο κα ιρ ι νό κατηχητικό σχολείο. Τα παιδιά µας κατά την διάρκεια της εβδοµάδας έµαθαν πολλά βασικά
στοιχεία της θρησκείας µας και σ υ ν ά µ α ε ί χ αν κα ι κα λή διασκέδαση µε νεροτσουλήθρα και
µε το παγωτό. ευχαριστούµε την Σταυρούλα
Waldron και τη Βασιλική Ρούσσα
που ήταν υ πε ύθυν ες του προγράµµατος. Θα ήθελα επίσης να ευχαριστήσω τους βοηθούς και τα παιδιά που έλαβαν µέρος.
Όπως όλοι γνωρίζετε για να γίνουν όλα αυτά απαιτείται και χρηµατικό ποσό. Αν δεν έχετε
ακόµη στείλει την προσφορά σας για το 2013, παρακαλώ µπορείτε να το στείλετε. Θα σας στείλουµε
σύντοµα µία ακόµη υπενθύµιση. Σας ευχαριστώ για την συνεχή
βοήθειά σας, και ο Θεός βοηθός.
SEPTEMBER 2013 THE ORTHODOX VISION 8
PTO by Effie Vlamis — President
W elcome back! We hope that everyone
had a pleasant summer break and is now looking forward to an eventful and fun Ecclesiasti-cal year. The executive board for the 2013-2014 year
is: Co Presidents: Sylvia Bal & Effie Vlamis , Vice-
President: Anna Papanikolaou, Past President & Cor-
responding Secretary: Maria Gountas, Recording Sec-retary: Bessy Tsilfidis, Treasurer: Faye Demestihas, Historian: Christina Hasiotis, Board Members: Vicky Hasiotis, Irene Manalis (If you are interested in
becoming a board member please contact Effie). The primary aim and goals of the Parent Teachers
Organization are to support the Greek and Sunday
Schools, encourage parent participation and volunteer-ism, and to support and encourage the teachers and stu-dents, community involvement, and welfare of students
and families. In order to have a successful organization, we are
asking you to become a member of the Parent Teachers Organization. We will be passing out membership and
volunteer forms in September; please do fill them out. Any input/suggestions on your part will be heard and
brought to the meetings. Our meetings will be held once a month, in the evening.
Our first meeting will be on Monday, September 9th at 5pm in the YAL Room. If you cannot make a meeting, the meet-
ing’s minutes will be either posted onto our Church page, or will be gladly for-warded to you through email. PTO news
and information will be posted up as well on the PTO
bulletin board, which is located by the back entrance of the Church.
The Sunday snack that was served for all the children
in the area outside of the hall, will now be served inside the back area of the hall. Since the snacks are donated, please keep in mind that some children may have aller-
gies, and I am asking if snacks could be peanut free. Looking forward to see old and new faces and having
a fun year. Important dates for September:
9/8 - First day of Sunday School & PTO and GOYA swearing in. Executive and Board members. 9/9 - First day of Greek School. First PTO meeting
5pm in YAL room. 9/15 - PTO will serve breakfast for children after Communion.
9/21 - GOYA Holiday Hill trip. Please make sure you have contacted Faye Demestihas or Eleni Demestihas . 9/29 - GOYA picnic
Until next month!
Ladies
Philoptochos
Society Kalliope Tsitsipas, President
W e l c o m e b a c k ! K a l o s o r i s a t e !
Philoptochos is the philanthropic and charitable organization of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, whose goal
is to help the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the orphans, the
imprisoned, the widowed, the handicapped, and the victims of disasters around the world.
The following are on our National Ministry Commitments
for September, 2013: Hellenic
College Holy Cross School of Theology -In 1937, Archbishop
Athenagoras directed a special appeal to the Philoptochos to
"devote" themselves to the School, "where your sons will be educated as priests and teachers" and urged
the ladies to "prove once again your strong faith." In the ensuing years, the Philoptochos was, and
over seventy years later continues to be, actively involved in offering financial support to Holy Cross.
Retired Clergy and Widowed
Presbyteres Benevolent Fund - The monies ra ised through this commitment will be donated to the
RCA Benevolent Fund which provides support and guidance for retired clergy who are facing
financial difficulties.
Our upcoming events are as
follows: September 8th—Join us in celebrating our Church’s 100th Anniversary at our annual Champagne Brunch.
September 10th, 7:00pm coffee/7:30 regular meeting. We are looking forward to having all
the women in our community join us!
Thank you for your continuous
s u p p o r t o f t he N a t i o n a l Philoptochos commitments and programs. The impact that your d o n a t i o n s p r o v i d e i s
immeasurable. Through your faithful and dedicated service, the quality of life for so many is
greatly improved. Please join us. Even if you are unable to attend our evening meetings, your
participation in the many daily functions is always appreciated.
SEPTEMBER 2013 THE ORTHODOX VISION 9
Athletic Department by Chris Danas— Director
W e hope that this month finds you all enjoying the
summer , and we look forward to
hearing about all the fun and ac-tive things that you've been do-ing. In mid-September, we'll
have signups for both basketball and volleyball
leagues. Please stay tuned for more details in the up-coming weeks.
As you know, we launched “Inspire Blue” last year,
and we'll continue to make improvements to our athlet-
ic programs this year as well. In fact, we'll need coaches this year, and all parents are encouraged to help out at games, events, etc...
Mark your calendars for October, when we'll start conditioning with our teams, host a Zumba fundraiser , and keep the momentum of “Inspire Blue” going to
kick off a great season.
“When we dream alone it is only a dream, but when many dream together it is the beginning of a new reality.”
ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΟ ΣΧΟΛΕΙΟ Greek School by Eleni Limberis, Director
O ur Greek School will start this year on, Monday,
September 9, 2013 at 4:30 pm
• Days & Hours: Monday and Wednesday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. – Tuesday-7th and 8th grades (4-6pm)
• Registration: A registration form is enclosed to be filled out and returned to the
Office. It is a requirement that parents are Stewards of the Church for their children to attend
the Greek School Program. •Tuition: for Church Members 1st. child
$425.00 2nd child (of the same family) $370.00
3rd child (of the same family) $350.00 •NON-MEMBERS 1st child $750
2nd child $650 3rd child $500 • Age: 5 years and older.
We encourage the participation
of your children to the Greek School program of our parish. This is an opportunity for all our children to learn the language,
religion, traditions, dances, and songs and thus maintain our Greek Heritage and Culture.
For more information call kiria Eleni at the Church Office at 374-5561.
Το Ελληνικό µας Σχολείο φέτος
α ρ χ ί ζ ε ι ∆ Ε Υ Τ Ε Ρ Α 9 ΣΕΠΤΕΜΒΡΙΟΥ 2012-4:30µµ • ΗΜΕΡΕΣ & ΩΡΕΣ:
∆ευτέρα και Τετάρτη- 4:30 – 6:30 µµ. 7η & 8η τάξη – Τρίτη - 4-6 µµ.
• ΕΓΓΡΑΦΕΣ:
Συµπληρώστε την εσώκλειστη
φ ό ρ µα κ α ι πα ρα κα λ ού µ ε επιστρέψτε την στο Γραφείο. Απαιτείται όπως οι γονείς είναι
µέλη της Εκκλησίας, για να παρακολουθήσουν τα παιδιά τους το ελληνικό σχολείο.
• ∆Ι∆ΑΚΤΡΑ:
για µέλη 1ον παιδί 425 δολάρια
2ον παιδί 370 δολάρια (ιδίας Οικογενείας) 3ον παιδί 350 δολάρια (ιδίας
Οικογενείας) για µη µέλη 1ο παιδί 750 δολάρια
2ο παιδί 650 δολάρια 3ο παιδί 500 δολάρια • ΗΛΙΚΙΑ: Από πέντε (5)
ετών και άνω.
Προτείνοµε την συµµετοχή
όλων των παιδιών της ενορίας
µας, στο ελληνικό σχολείο. Είναι µία ευκαιρία τα παιδιά να µάθουν την γλώσσα, την θρησκεία, τους
χορούς, τα τραγούδια και ύµνους, και έτσι να διατηρήσωµε την ελληνική µας κληρονοµιά και Πολιτισµό.
Για πληροφορίες τηλεφωνήστε την Κυρία Ελένη στο 374-5561. Ευχαριστούµε πολύ.
SEPTEMBER 2013 THE ORTHODOX VISION 10
Around the Parish by Stella Capiris
W e hope that you all had a pleasant summer and are now ready to prepare and look forward to the
new Ecclesiastical Year. Many thanks to our male choir
whose lovely voices we enjoyed during the summer months. Place the following dates on your calendar. Sept. 8th- Sunday School begins.
Sept. 8th - Philoptochos "Champagne Brunch". Sept. 9th - Greek School begins. Sept. 14th - Seaside Park.
Sept. 29th - GOYA Picnic. Oct. 11th - Rembetiki Vradia - sponsored by the Hellenic Cultural Association.
Nov. 3 0th - 100th Anniversary celebration. Bible Study will once again resume with sessions on Sept. 11th and Sept. 25th.
Many thanks to the Dougiello Family for donating the lovely plaque, in the front of our Church as you en-ter the front doors, commemorating our 100th Anniver-
sary. Congratulations to Maria Gountas, outgoing P.T.O.
President on her dedicated and outstanding job as P.T.O. President, and good luck to the new Co-
Presidents: Sylvia Bal and Effie Vlamis and their Board. They will receive their Oath of Office on Sept. 8th. Their first meeting will be on September 9th.
Congratulations to Helen Yeotsas on the super job
she did as the President of the Daughters. Good luck to Kathy Yiannoulis, the new President and her Board.
Their first meeting will be on Sept. 18th. Congratulations to our Golden Senior Citizen , Anast.
(Jim) Kaklamanos, who recently celebrated his 93rd
birthday. God grant him many Blessings. The Seniors will meet on Sept. 11th and Sept. 25th.
Congratulations to Mrs. Amalia Bletsas and Father and Presvytera Recachinas on the marriage of their chil-
dren Yarifalia and Tassos in Greece. Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. John Thomas on the marriage of their daughter, Kiki. Congratulations to Jim and Angela
Englis on the marriage of their daughter, Anna. May all the couples have a long, healthy, and happy life.
Congratulations to Andy Tsilfides, Zeny & Maria
Tziolis, and Dimitri Alatakis on their ownership of the Monroe Diner on Rt. 25. The Monroe Architectural Re-view Board recently presented their Diner with a design award for their quaint, New England-style brick and
clapboard building. Kai eis anotera. So nice to see Elaine Petron and Sophie Magoulas
back in Church following their recent surgeries. We
wish them continued good health. Perastika and get well wishes are extended to Dean
Baker, son of Miranda Baker, and to Lucille Delos fol-
lowing surgery. We also pray for the health of John Spyrou, son of Helen Spyrou.
The Community expresses its deepest sympathy to Mary Carawlanis and family on the loss of their beloved
husband and father, Lou. He will be remembered as a dedicated parishioner for many years as his life centered on the Church. May his memory be forever eternal!
Please send in your ads for the 100th Anniversary Commemorative Album.
VCS 2013—Training the
Next Genera8on of Prosforo Makers photo courtesy of V. Andrios
Vaca8on Church School 2013—Last Day / Fun Day Photo Courtesy of B. Tsiflides
Holy Trinity Centennial Anniversary Celebration Saturday, November 30th, 2013 – Holiday Inn, Bridgeport, Connecticut
Commemorative Book
◊ Gold Page $ 1,000.00 (with photo)
◊ Blue Page $ 750.00 (with photo)
◊ Black & White(Full Page) $ 500.00 (with photo)
◊ Half –Page $ 250.00 (with photo)
◊ Quarter Page $ 125.00 (No photo)
◊ One Line for Name $ 50.00 (No photo)
(Please Print)
NAME: ______________________________________________________________________
ADDRESS: ___________________________________________________________________
CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE: ______________________________________________________
TELEPHONE: ________________________________________________________________
EMAIL (In case we need to communicate with you):______________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
In the space below (or attached message), print your greeting as it is to appear in the Commemora-
tive Book. Please include any photos with this form if you wish to be included:
Kindly please make submissions prior to September 15, 2013. Deadline will be
strictly enforced and late ads will not be accepted. The “full payment” must be in-
cluded with the ad. All proofs will be final as submitted with this ad form. Please
make check payable to: “Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church”.
Breakfast Eggs , Bacon , Sausage, Tsoureki
French Toast
Carving Station Turkey Breast , Ham Smoked Salmon
Drinks– Champagne, Mimosas, Coffee & Tea
Bread & Cakes Assorted Breads , Muffins,
Cakes, Donuts, Bagels
Ice Cream Station– Make your own Ice Cream Sundae ,
Fresh Fruit
Pasta Quiche, Pasta w/Feta, Pasta w/ Pesto Sauce
hosted by The
Ladies Philoptochos Society
Donation
Adults: $15 Children: $8
September 8, 2013 after services
The Hellenic Cultural Association Invites you to
An Unforgettable Evening of Entertainment
Live Bouzouki,Kithara,Singers followed by dancing and a sing-a-long Cabaret StyleƒBYOB & Mezedakia
$10.00 donation Coffee & Dessert provided CALL GEORGE BAKES—374-8561, VAN HATZIS-268-7231,
JIM TRIGONIS– 374-0725 FOR INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS
The Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
4070 Park Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06604
Dear Parishioner,
Our Society invites you to join our vital philanthropic organization. We would like you to know about our various activ-ities that realize our mission to aid the poor who need the help of our Church, to promote the charitable and benevolent
purpose of the Archdiocese, to preserve and perpetuate the Orthodox Christian concepts and to participate in the life of our Greek Orthodox community. A partial list of our activities are:
At the National and Diocesan level: Visits and sponsorships at St. Michael's Home for the Aged in Yonkers, NY Contributions to
the Holy Cross/Hellenic College Scholarships Provide for the physical needs of the children of Saint Basil's Academy Raise funds for the Cancer Fund and the General Medical Fund
At the local Bridgeport level:
Support to Center for Women in Bridgeport for abused women & children Drives to aid the Evergreen Network for victims of AIDS & HTV Service to the Merton House in Bridgeport where we cook & provide meals Collection of donations for the Bridgeport Food Bank
At the Parish level: Assist parishioners in need Donate funds for Alter and Kitchen needs
Decorate the Parish Gold Room for each season Serve the community at Sunday fellowship hours Bake and volunteer for our annual Greek Festival
Complete various Church projects and aid national emergencies & disasters, here and abroad
As you can easily see, there is a variety of initiatives in which your particular talents can contribute to our mission. We
encourage you to call us to discover how this dynamic group can fulfill your personal goals of participating in the life of our Greek Orthodox Community.
Join us to return to God a portion of the time, talents and resources you have received.
Sincerely, Phani Papachristos at 203-380-0566 The Membership Committee Maria Cook at 203-375-9329
Christine Vlastaris at 203-929-3573
Philoptochos Membership Form 2013—2014
©2013 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Bpt. Ct Publishing &Design-Vicky Andrio's-08/15/2013
The Official Monthly Publica8on 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 Arvanitis 226-4140 Michael Bouloubasis 336-2116
Stella Capiris 259-7344 Phil Georgas 257-7452 Petros Karayiannis
631-258-3933 A.J. Metsopoulos 292-6418
George Mourizakis 373-0580 Chris Papachristos 380-0566
Pericles C. Rountos 268-7173 Peter Tsimbidaros 334-2578 Scott Vereb 520-2781
Constantine Vlamis 268-5464
Parish Council Newsletter Editor Vicky Andriotis
Newsletter Staff Eleni Limberis
George Mourizakis Father Andreas Vithoulkas
Vicky Andriotis
HISTORIAN & ARCHIVES ROOM S. Capiris 203-259-7344
HOSPITAL MINISTRY S. Kapetaneas 203-926-1751
JR. CHOIR J.Bogardus 203-736-6501
MAINTENANCE G. Hatzis 203-261-3247
L. Tsouris 203-334-2781
OLYMPIANS (GOYA) F. Papachristos 203-380-0566
P.T.O. S. Bal 203-814-2131
[email protected] E. Vlamis 203-685-5464
PARISH COUNCIL G. Mourizakis 203-373-0580
PHILOPTOCHOS K. Tsitsipas
203-926-0137
PUBLICITY COMMITTEE E. Vaniotis 203-374-0013
SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE S. Karagiannis 203-820-1975
SENIOR CITIZENS G. Agortsas 203-372-1015
STEWARDSHIP A.J. Metsopoulos 203-292-6418
R. Arvanitis 203-226-4140
SUNDAY SCHOOL E. Vaniotis 203-374-0013
INTERNET MINISTRIES-WEBSITE- FACEBOOK-TWITTER
-E-BULLETIN-VISION
V.Andriotis
NURSING HOME MINISTRY S. Capiris 203-259-7334
ALTAR DIRECTOR P.Bozikis 917-692-2317
AHEPA J. Bochanis 203-254-7595
AROUND THE PARISH S. Capiris 203-259-7344
ATHLETIC DIRECTOR C. Danas 860-916-3777
BOOKSTORE V. Andriotis
CANTOR G. Bakes 203-374-8561
CHOIR P. Leask 203-258-9160
CULTURAL ASSOCIATION V. Hatzis 203-268-7231
COUNCIL OF CHURCHES S. Kapetaneas 203-926-1751
DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE K. Yiannoulis 203-372-6591
ECCLESIARCH D. Trigonis 203-374-0725
FORCC E.Vaniotis 203-374-0013
GOYA E. Demestihas 203-380-2923
GREEK SCHOOL E. Limberis 203-371-6305
GREEK SCHOOL DANCE GROUP E.Limberis 203-371-6305
A. Papanikolaou
Church Office
Eleni 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 Bookstore Online -bookstore.holytrinitybridgeport.org
Shopping– shop.holytrinitybridgeport.org On Facebook—www.facebook.com/holytrinitybridgeport
On Twitter – www.twitter.com/holytrinitybpt
Father Andreas Vithoulkas, Presbyter
[email protected] phone: 917-334-4192
Services
Sunday: Orthros 8:30am Sunday School Special Services:
10:00am-10:15am Divine Liturgy,Sermons, Announcements:
9:45am – 11:30am
Summer Weekday Service Hours (Starting May 21st)
Orthros 8:15, Liturgy 9:15, Dismissal by 10:30
651 Villa Ave. Fairfield, CT 203-384-8176
www.androsdinerfairfield.com
PETER G. KARAYIANNIS ATTORNEY AT LAW
857 Post Road, #110 Fairfiled, CT 06824
(631)258-3933 [email protected]
DeJesus Dental Group
Cosme8c, Family & Implant Den8stry
Pericles Rountos, D.M.D. General Den8st
T:(203) 372-1220 www.dejesusdental.com
F:(203)371-8540 4131 Main St. Bpt, CT
Friends, We are in need of Basil for
the service on September 14th. -
Χρειαζόµεθα ΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΟ Για τις 14 ΣΕΠΤΕΜΒΡΙΟΥ
VCS Making Prosforo & Last Day/Fun
Day—photos courtesy V. Andrio's
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church 4070 Park Avenue
Bridgeport, CT 06604
Address Service Requested
The Official Monthly Publicaon of Holy Trinity
September 2013—
Issue #283
