National Philoptochos Responds to the COVID-19 Pandemic
|
|
RNational Philoptochos Director of Social Services, Paulette Geanacopoulos immediately streamlined the social services application to facilitate a faster approval of requests. Mental health resources were posted on the website to provide support and assistance for individuals struggling with anxiety. A plea went out over all Philoptochos social media platforms to support the drive in order to enable Philoptochos to assist Orthodox individuals and families financially impacted by the crisis. To access the COVID-19 application for assistance and mental health resources, please click here.
|
|
All Church services, events & ministries have been cancelled until further notice.
Fr. Panteleimon will be providing online live streaming of church services through both Facebook Live (Search for the user FrPanteleimon Dalianis) & YouTube Live. You can subscribe to Fr. Panteleimon's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4kQORmUAb0GQUEhySGoquw and you will receive an email everytime there is a new video or live streaming.
Plus, now you can "Light a Candle - Say a Prayer". Just visit https://onrealm.org/StsCnH/-/give/candles to make your donation online and send us an email (father.pgd@gmail.com and church@stsconstantinehelenwi.org) with the number and type of candles along with who/what you would like us to pray for and will do so at our next church service.
Online Programs
This situation has given everyone incentive to branch out and try new ways to connect from the comfort of our own homes! Y2AM's calendar of different online/streaming/conference ministry events is embedded in our online calendar and it contains a treasure of programs & activites:
- Virtual Sunday School
- YES movie of the week: Watch a movie at home & then join the group to discuss it on Sunday afternoon (This Sunday movie discussion is about "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" with Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers)
- "Goodnight Stories with Zuko and Jane"
- Comfort Food for Families
- Silence Workshop
- Pop culture Coffee Hour
- OCF @ Home Lenten Cookbook
- "3 Men and a Bible"
- ...and the list goes on and on! There's even a weekly live call-in Bible Study on online radio.
Check out our online calendar at: http://stsconstantinehelenwi.org/parish-calendar/ as new programs are being added as they become available.
Plus!
March 27, 2020
NEW YORK – The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA announces a resource center for clergy and faithful during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Resource Center includes updated news from the various jurisdictions as well as practical guidelines and resources for families, ministry leaders, parish leadership, and everyone.
The Center can be accessed at http://www.assemblyofbishops.org/covid19 and will be updated regularly with new materials and expanded selections.
_________________________________
Community
I'd like to remind everyone that Realm (onrealm.org) & it's app, Connect, is not for one-way communication, from our church to you. It can (& should) be used for the communiation between the members of each Group. JOY is the first ministry that has adopted Realm as their communication tool. Ask them.
By the way, would anyone like to lead a Group? What if we created a Group where the members could help each other out during this pandemic? If someone is immunocompromised, for instance, or has young children, and can't go to the grocery store, they could ask if anyone else is going and if they are willing to pick up whatever they need (or, pick up their prescription, or a 10,000 piece puzzle for the kids...) and deliver to their house... Email the church (church@stsconstantinehelenwi.org) your ideas but keep in mind, that no Groups can be created/activated until someone steps up to lead them. (Hint: It's not hard... just accepting requests to join the Group and keeping the conversation going).
Want to test it out? You can join our Prayer Requests Group (In Groups, search in Community for Prayer Requests).
--//--
--//--
Many have struggled with COVID-19, but many in the Metropolis have struggled before. Every other week, the Metropolis will share stories of parishioners who dealt with pain in their lives, but were made whole by their faith.
|
|
"My heart was hardened, because I closed it off to Christ"
|
|
One day, years ago, I opened my eyes and a doctor told me I had awoken from a month-long coma. I had dropped to 156 lbs. from 235 lbs. Over the coming weeks and months, I would have to relearn how to move my fingers, hands and legs as well as chew, eat and talk. This was the lowest point of my life. My reaction was to blame God, just as I had for my other, past misfortunes.
When I finally went home, a visiting neighbor heard me complaining. In response, he said nothing, but dropped a Bible on my desk and walked out. When I eventually opened it, I was struck by Ezekiel 36:26: “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.”
Reading this verse brought back a flood of memories from my church: being part of GOYA, celebrating the Divine Liturgy, receiving spiritual guidance from my church’s clergy. Those memories reminded me of what a heart filled with Christ’s love felt like. At that moment, I realized something painfully true of me. My heart had become hardened because I had closed it off to Christ. The coping tactics I relied on - blaming God and everyone in the world for years of bad decisions did not do anything for me. It only made my heart harder and plunged me into deeper pain.
In many ways, my incapacitated body makes me feel defenseless like a child. Today, I freely accept this. I am blessed to be a child of God, who strengthens and protects me.
- A parishioner, St. Demetrios of Elmhurst
|
|