Saturday, February 22, 2020

St. Nicholas Community Center, 1270 Davis Street, San Jose

No Host Cocktails 6:30pm   Dinner 7:30pm, Costumes Encouraged, Live Music

Adults $75, Students 9-18 $25, Children under 9 are free

Your Host: The San Jose AHEPA Family

Tickets will be available to purchase in the hall each Sunday after liturgy starting January 26th or call  Laurie Sahines at 408-823-0111, email: lsahines@comcast.net or contact Dr. George Zioulas at 669-444-0251, email: ahepa.c251@gmail.com;  Address: Dr. George Zioulas - PO Box 18703 - San Jose, CA 95158

Please make checks payable to: Ahepa 251

2020 marks the 75th anniversary year of the establishment of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.  A number of events and celebrations are being planned to mark this important milestone.  We wish to honor individuals and groups who were important to the development of our community and served selflessly. 

The candidates for the honor should be women and men whose accomplishments are truly outstanding to the St. Nicholas Church community.   A major criterion for selection should be service that enhances and betters the lives of our parish.   Such activities are felt throughout the church community.  These individuals have exercised considerable influence through their service.  The ideal candidate also inspires others to better serve our community. 

If you know someone you wish to nominate for this honor, please e-mail the 75th Anniversary Planning Committee at: 75ypc@saintnicholas.org with that person’s name and a brief paragraph on their contributions to our community.  Groups as well as individuals are eligible for consideration. 

Sunday Coffee Team: Niki Danopoulos, Soula Kardaris, Dora Koumoutsakis, and Olga Sarakinis. 

A big, warm thank you to our faithful coffeehour teams for bringing treats and half & half, serving the coffee and cleaning up afterward!   

For more information about joining the coffee hour teams or how to help the ministry, please contact the Church Office at 408-246-2770.  

Please note that the Philokalia Bookstore will be closed on Sunday, February 16th. 

The church office will be open limited hours on Thursday,  February 13th.  Please call before coming to the office at 408-246-2770 or you can leave a message on voicemail.   If you need immediate assistance, please text or call either Fr. Demosthenes at 408-784-9364 or Fr. Nebojsa at 707-315-7823.

Saturday of the Souls (Psychosavato) Saturday, February 22, 2020, and the only one before Great Lent, will begin with Orthros at 8:30am followed by the Liturgy and Trisagion.  All names of deceased family members, relatives and friends that have been received by Father Demosthenes and Father Nebojsa will be commemorated at that service. 

The next two Saturdays, February 29th, Cheesefare Saturday, and March 7th, are not Saturday of the Souls.  However, if you make kollyva on those days, please bring it with a list of names to Vespers at 5pm.

The next Saturday of Souls will be Saturday, June 6th, the day before Holy Pentecost.

Please join us for an evening of fun, food and games in our Community Center, Friday, February 28,2020 @ 6:30 pm!

We will be offering various board and card games to play!  All ages welcome!  We also invite you to bring your favorite games to share with the group.  We are also looking for anyone who would be willing to teach Tavli/backgammon (or other games) to participants.  

We provide the Pizza, you provide the beverages and snacks!

We hope to see there…please email 75ypc@saintnicholas.org, for any questions!

It is with great joy that we extend a warm welcome to His Eminence Metropolitan Tarasios, the newly appointed Director of the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute.  As our Saint Nicholas parish has been an enthusiastic supporter of the PAOI, we hope you will consider attending the liturgy and welcome reception on Sunday, February 23, 2020 at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Cross, Belmont.

Fr. Nebojsa Pantic will continue to offer a new adult education opportunity twice a month to learn more about our faith and traditions.  Every 2nd and 4th Monday of the month, please join Fr. Nebojsa at 6:00 pm in the church, for a lesson following the Paraklisis service (5:30 pm on Mondays).  Until Pascha we will be studying the Gospel passages that take place before Christ is crucified, as well as the culminating event of His Crucifixion. For more information or questions please contact Fr. Nebojsa Pantic directly.  

The next four classes are: 

February 10                 March 9
February 24                 March 30

The Greek American Professional Women’s Society (GAPWS) is proud to support and mentor young women who work towards advancing their education and becoming successful members of their communities. The Society announces a scholarship award to be offered to two female college students of Hellenic heritage in 2020.  Eligible applicants must be California residents, full-time, degree-seeking college students, pursuing an undergraduate degree at an accredited college or university of the USA. A minimum GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) is required.  The 2020 GAPWS scholarship award recipients will receive $1,000 each.

Deadline for applications is March 31, 2020. The scholarship award will be announced in early May, 2020.  For information and to apply visit www.gapws.org

The St. Nicholas Golden Years Valentine's Luncheon, took place last Sunday, February 9. We would like to thank all of you who attended and all those who worked very hard to prepare a most delicious lunch and decorate a festive environment in the Community Center.

Many, many thanks to our gourmet cooks and their helpers: Louis Pappas, Antonia Komianos, Elias Psycharis, Steve Baras, Jim Barrous, Ted Karakekes, and Mina Masters for the Baklava.
Olga Koutalides and Jinny Antone for coordinating our youth servers!!
To Maria Halatsis, Nikos Tsellas and the “Enosi” dancers!! Vasilis Petrakis, Sound Engineer!
A very special thank you to “our” Saiyanna, the Church Office Administrator, for her invaluable support, advice and assistance in organizing this event!! KAI TOY XRONOY.

Our next regular meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, 11:00am in the Small Hall, with a very special presentation from Vasiliki Fkiaras, titled:

"Healthy habits and how they are vital to living a healthy lifestyle".  The Presentation will include some exercises that promote movement as well as basic information on nutrition.  Don't miss this very special meeting.  For more information, please call Mina at 408-515-8301.

Presvytera Anastasia Karastamatis has been gone almost a year now and we will be celebrating her One-Year Memorial on Sunday, March 8th at the Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church in Santa Cruz with Orthros and Liturgy beginning at 9:00am. Her daughter, Maria, and her son, Foti, will be here and will prepare lunch for everyone. Please join us to show the love and respect we have for our dear Presvytera Anastasia.  

Please RSVP so we have an idea how many will attend.  Call the church office at (831) 429-6500 or email info@propheteliassc.org

The Center of Hellenic Education invites you to celebrate this special day on Sunday, March 22, 2020 in the Small Hall following the Liturgy.  Come join us as we honor the heroes of Greece who fought for our freedom with a program by our Greek School students and teachers and the Saint Nicholas dancers.  More details to come.  Save the date!

The annual Greek Flag Raising, in recognition of Greek Independence Day, will be held on Wednesday, March 25th at 4pm at the San Jose City Hall Plaza, 200 E Santa Clara Street.  Reception on the 17th floor immediately following the ceremony compliments of the AHEPA and Daughters of Penelope.  

Keep an eye for a special guest who will be with us during lent, in March.  Jennifer Rice, an OCMC Missionary to Guatemala & Southern Mexico, has spent several years in this part of the world and has devoted her time to support instruction in liturgical music, production of publications for use by indigenous clergy and catechists, hosting short term mission teams, and assisting with the Seminary of St. Andrew in Aguacate, Guatemala. Jennifer is returning to the United States to share with us a more detailed update on the mission in Guatemala and her experience as a missionary.  Don’t miss the opportunity to welcome her and get inspired by her.

For more information on the Saints Peter and Paul Missions Ministry please contact Maria Aji at maji@valbridge.com or join one of our monthly meetings.  Our ministry meets the third Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm in the school building.  If you have the time, please consider joining our team.  We need you! 

St. Anna Philoptochos has its annual spring tea the Saturday after Pascha in the home of one of our parishioners.  This year the Spring Tea is planned for Saturday, April 25, 2020.   If anyone would like to volunteer their home for the annual spring tea, please call Stacy Panayotopoulos at (408) 295-0387 or e-mail stacypanayotopoulos@yahoo.com.  You provide the home, and the Board provides the rest.  Thank you for your support.

Our annual Greek Festival is only four months away.  If you have gently used items that you no longer need, please consider donating them to St. Anna Philoptochos to sell in their boutique.  Items can be brought to church on Sunday, and we will store until festival preparation time.  For more information, contact Laurie Sahines, Festival Boutique Chairperson, at lsahines@comcast.com.

February 16 - No Sunday School

February 23 - No Sunday School

March 1 - Sunday School in session and InService for Sunday School staff

March 8 - Sunday School in session

March 15 - Sunday School in session

March 22 - Sunday School in session

March 29 - Sunday School in session

Basketball Practices start this week. See the practice schedule below:

• Middle School Boys (6th, 7th, 8th): Tuesday’s 6:30-8pm

• Middle School Girls (6th, 7th, 8th): Wednesday 6:30-8pm

• Elementary Girls (3rd, 4th, 5th): Wednesday 6:30pm - 7:30pm

• Elementary Boys (3rd, 4th, 5th): Thursday’s 6:30-8pm

• High School Boys—Spring season (more details later)

The Center of Hellenic Education (CHE) is looking for teachers and helpers. The ideal candidate should have a mastery of the Greek language, teaching skills, as well as a desire to provide students with an exemplary, Hellenic education.   If you are interested in becoming a teacher, helper, or know anyone that might be interested, please email our director, Petros Balaskas at petros.balaskas@gmail.com.   

Donations directly help the moms and families facing a crisis pregnancy.  We currently have 2 clear bins labeled for donations to The Real Options Medical Clinic. One in the bookstore and the other bin is outside the Sunday school office. You can put your donations of diapers, baby products and clothing for newborn thru 2 yrs. Gift cards to Walmart and Target are also accepted. You can also contact me directly to receive the above items. Tax receipts are available.  For more information please contact Ruth Duterte ruthrad1@aol.com  or 408-483-3009.

Confessions with Father Demosthenes are available by appointment.  Please call the church office or Father Demosthenes directly at 408-784-9364.   

In case of a special need and you would like a pastoral visit, the priests would be happy to visit after receiving a call from an immediate family member due to privacy concerns.   Please text or call either Fr. Demosthenes at 408-784-9364 or Father Nebojsa at 707-315-7823 or call the church office at 408-246-2770.

Saint Nicholas is happy to present another option for our parishioners to contribute to Saint Nicholas through our Fidelity brokerage account.  If there are stocks, bonds or funds you wish to contribute, please use the following  information:

Account #: Z40-125155

DTC #: 0226

As stewards of Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, God has gifted us with the honor of being the caretakers of our Orthodox faith.   As caretakers, we are responsible for ensuring that there is a safe and welcoming spiritual home in which to come together to worship for the glory of God. 

Your continuing support spiritually, socially and financially are vital to the well being of our parish.  We humbly request if you have not had an opportunity to complete your 2020 stewardship pledge, use the following link to do so online.  When completing this, we ask that you make time to pray and reflect on the many gifts that the Church has given you.  Increasing your stewardship contribution will assist in growing our parish and provide an environment in which our community will flourish.

Stewardship Links:

https://saintnicholas.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/36/responses/new    OR

https://saintnicholas.org/donate

Father Demosthenes and the Stewardship Committee: Mary Ann Devetzis, Jeff Contos, and Peter Panayotopoulos

We are a registered non-profit on Facebook and you can donate any time (without any fees for the church) by pressing the donate button in this link:

https://www.facebook.com/SaintNicholasOrg/

If you wish to order kollyva, paximadia, koulourakia or other Greek pastries, or artoklasia, please see below.  Payment is arranged with the makers and not the church.  If there is anyone who wants to be added to the makers list, please call the church office.

For kollyva:  Maria Anagnostou 408-316-6609

For paximadia, koulourakia, and other Greek pastries:

Maria Tsaboukos 408-723-5175

Antonia Komianos 408-472-3888

For artoklasia:

Maria Anagnostou 408-316-6609

Antonia Komianos 408-472-3888

We now have a few blue redemption recycling garbage cans with small holes cut out where you can put your aluminum cans and empty plastic water bottles. Please, do not put garbage in these blue garbage cans! Only put cans and bottles so this new program can work! Thank you!

To avoid any confusion on our part as we compose and print the Sunday bulletin, we ask that anyone who wishes to include a notice in the Sunday bulletin submit the notice in writing to the office BY TUESDAY AT 5PM!  Please don't wait until the last minute or send a note into the altar on a Sunday morning while the liturgy is in progress.

In addition, all ongoing (same message) bulletin entries will be in for four weeks, four times a year.  Please review these entries and plan accordingly.

Please check with Father Demosthenes in the office before posting anything on the bulletin board in the Small Hall.  Notices, announcements, advertisements, etc. that have not been approved will be removed.  Thank you for your kind cooperation.

Please note that all information in the weekly bulletin is subject to change.