Please note that the e-bulletin
will not be issued next week.
Christ is Born
Glorify Him
Merry Christmas and a
Peaceful, Joyous, Healthy New Year
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Christmas Pageant
Our Catechism School students presented the Christmas Pageant on Sunday, December 16. Our Youth Choir, newly-established, made their debut during the Christmas Pageant. The pageant was presented at the close of the Divine Liturgy. Following the presentation our students proceeded to the social hall where they discovered a special visitor awaiting them. Lunch followed as did the putting together of the kits for the Winchester Rescue Mission. We had 19 students participating (a few others were not able to make it).
What a wonderful, inspiring and joyous program. And our Youth Choir did exceptionally well. Many thanks to Georgia Yeatras, our Choir Director/Chanter for all her hard work with the Youth Choir. Bravo to all the children, teachers and of course Santa who made a special stop just for us. When asked why his beard was not white, Santa deftly responded that his beard turns white only on Christmas night. Kudos to the student who asked the question and to Santa for his off-the-cuff response. Special thanks to our Catechism School Director, Norman Wells, who spent many hours preparing a new program for us and brought together music, hymns, carols to the Nativity Story and included a rabbi, something a bit different. We appreciate all Norm's efforts in his desire to guide and nourish. Thank you!!!
Lunch was also served for everyone during the Social Hour. Many thanks to John and Annitsa Spanos for hosting the luncheon for everyone.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you...
Our Catechism students adopted a Christmas giving project this year of helping the Winchester Rescue mission. During these upcoming cold weeks and months, our children wanted to help the Rescue mission keep its guests warm. Our students last Sunday prepared the kits for this project. A total of 28 kits were prepared, 12 for men and 16 for woman. Many thanks to our students for helping others at this time of year. And thank you to all those who contributed to this project.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
National Philoptochos Members Outreach
A few days ago, members of the National Ladies Philoptochos gave out hot food, snacks, blankets, gloves, scarves and much more to the hungry, the homeless, the less fortunate in New York City. See pictures below.
We are grateful our own chapter of Philoptochos reaches out to those less fortunate as they did recently at the WATTS dinner, providing food to the hungry that is special and not just a bowl of soup that they might get anywhere, but a specialty Greek meal that they won't find anywhere else. It goes along with what is famously known as Greek hospitality. Greeks are noted for serving their guests the best they have, not left-overs, rejects or crumbs from their table, and pulling out the best china to serve it on. Many a Greek teenager had eager friends who wanted to come by and visit because their Greek friend's mother always pulled out lots of snacks and drinks. No one left a Greek home hungry. Thus the Philoptochos mission to care for those hungry or poor.
And this year our Catechism School students began a recurring project to help those in need by providing much needed items for the winter months. Quality items, not hand-me downs or cheap, flimsy items that do nothing to protect from the cold.
Bravo to our Philoptochos and Catechism students. Thank you for showing how it's done. They will offer even more next year. Why? Because they should and can. And it's what Jesus expects.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Parish Record Form
As I mentioned at the Parish Assembly on June 24th, the parish records are lacking and need to be updated. Everyone will need to complete a Parish Record Form (click on link below for the form) in order to be certified as eligible (upon review) for membership in the parish. Only Orthodox Christians in good standing are eligible to be members of the parish. Completed Forms are to be returned to me. Only I will be seeing them and after review, keeping them with the Sacramental Records. You may drop them into the slot at the top of the locked box located on the wall next to my office door if you like or mail them to the church.
Please review the following information from the Uniform Parish Regulations...
Article 18, Section 7
Each Parish shall maintain a Parish Record which shall include, at a minimum, the following information concerning each parishioner: baptismal and family name, occupation (optional), dates of baptism and/or chrismation and marriage, complete family record of spouse and children, date of entry into the Parish indicating if transferred from another Parish, date of death, and such other information that shall be deemed appropriate.
Article 18, Section 1
Every person who is baptized and chrismated according to the rites of the Orthodox Church is a parishioner. The religious, moral and social duties of a parishioner are to apply the tenets of the Orthodox Faith to his/her life and to: adhere to and live according to the tenets of the Orthodox faith; faithfully attend the Divine Liturgy and other worship services; participate regularly in the holy sacraments; respect all ecclesiastical authority and all governing bodies of the Church; be obedient in matters of the Faith, practice and ecclesiastical order; contribute towards the progress of the Church's sacred mission; and be an effective witness and example of the Orthodox Faith and Traditions to all people.
A parishioner in good standing practices all the religious and moral duties as described in this Section 1. At a minimum, a parishioner in good standing must: be eighteen years of age or over; be current in his or her stewardship and other financial obligations to the Parish, abide by all the regulations herein stated and the Parish Bylaws; and cooperate in every way towards the welfare and well being of the Parish. (Stewardship is recommended to be ten percent (10%) of one’s annual income as stated in Holy Scripture to help meet the financial obligations of the Parish, the Metropolis and the Archdiocese.)
Parish Record Form