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2. christianity
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VOICE
THE
Annunciation
Greek Orthodox Church
Metropolis
of Atlanta
8210 Cypress Lake Drive
Fort Myers, Florida 33919
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church
March & April 2015
Current Resident or
TO:
The Greek
Dancers,
instructors and
Fr. Dean getting
ready for the
Annual Greek
Festival of 2015!
GREAT AND HOLY PASCHA
APRIL 12th
35
02/01/2015
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church
8210 Cypress Lake Drive ~ Fort Myers, Florida 33919-5116
Ch. Phone: (239) 481-2099 Fax: (239)-481-0504 email: officeagoc@gmail.com
Fr. Dean’s cell: (239) 322-7553 email: revfrdean@gmail.com
www.annunciation.fl.goarch.org
Office Hours: Monday-Friday ~ 9:30 am-3 pm
Administrative Assistant: Kelsie Gregware
Rev. Fr. Dean Nastos, Proistamenos
Fr. Deacon John Howard
_________________________
PARISH COUNCIL
Executive Officers:
Nick Karras
President
Maria Mourgis
Vice-President
Council Committees:
Stewardship
Michael Peceri
Construction/Maintenance
John Simon
MINISTRIES
GOYA
Heidi Kubiak– Advisor
Sunday School
Jen-Hope Belis
Circle of Friends
Joan Simon
Virginia Headley
Treasurer
Welcome/Ushering
Effie Kapetan
All Council Members
Michael Peceri
Assistant Treasurer
Festival
Jen-Hope Belis
Bookstore
Virginia Headley
Dr. Theodor Bonstedt
Heidi Kubiak
Secretary
Car Raffle
Nick Karras
Stella Karras
DANCE TROUPE
Georgia Kline
____________
Board Members:
Tom Haley
Les Haynes
Pat Kemp
Marilyn Necak
Jon Shannon
John Simon
_____________________________
VOICE Editor
Fr. Dean Nastos
Altar
Don Headley
Choir
Adam Krotov, Director
Heidi Kubiak, Organist
Cantor
Theo Palis
Ladies Philoptochos
Ginny Amend, President
Organizations:
Hellenic American
Social Club of S.W. FL
Barbara Dionysopoulos,
President
VISIT US ON
FACEBOOK
Annunciation
GOC Fort Myers
Prosphoro
Polly Margaritis:(239) 634-6460
March & April VOICE 2015
3
10/01/2015
From the Desk of Our Proistamenos...
MARCH & APRIL 2015
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
“..that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer;…”
1 Corinthians 7:5
Our 4th decade of service to our community.
There are many constructive uses of time. For example – prayer, scripture reading (or other religious reading), participating in Holy Confession and Holy Communion, giving of our Stewardship
239-542-4733
(Time, Talents and Treasures) and fasting. Attending Church services is also something that should
become normal during Great Lent. Also, we should include sharing time and showing concern for
our loved ones and fellow Parish family. Our Parish has need of your time for many things and in
many ways. Great Lent gives us many opportunities to serve the Lord and our Parish. Time in this
Robert B. Burandt
Construction Law
Criminal & Civil Litigation
Injury & Auto Accidents
Real Estate, Landlord-Tenant Law
world is limited, it has value. Now is the time to use it wisely.
Great Lent begins on February 23rd and we encourage all members to participate in all aspects of
Great Lent. The period of time allows each of us to take advantage of the many opportunities offered
by the Parish in order to strengthen our spiritual lives. Great Lent gives each of us the ability to come
closer to our Lord through the various spiritual exercises prescribed by the Church. We must not only
fast during this period but practice the other spiritual exercises in order to achieve a balanced spiritual
life that will truly make our relationship with the Lord more meaningful. Now is the time to participate in Holy Confession if you have never done so or it has been a long period of time.
Robert C. Adamski
Wills, Trust, Probate and Estate Planning
Elder Law & Real Estate Law
Holy Week (April 5-11) and Pascha (April 12) allows each of us to experience the final week of our
Lord upon this earth. Holy Week gives us the opportunity to walk with our Lord and feel all the various emotions, thoughts and aspirations He goes through before His glorious Resurrection. Holy
Week is exactly that – a whole week. Let us attend every service every day in order to realize the fullness of our Lord’s sacrifice and triumph for each of us.
Eric P. Feichthaler
Local Government Law,
Tax, Wills & Trusts,
Probate, Real Estate Law
The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be
based solely on advertisement. Before you decide ask us for free
information about our qualifications and experience.
May Great Lent, Holy Week and Pascha be a spiritually moving time for everyone as we each participate in each period for our continued growth and sharing of love with each other as given to us by
our Lord.
Praying that you have a blessed Great Lent!
In Christ’s Service,
Fr. Dean
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04/01/2015
A Message from the President , Nick Karras
MARCH & APRIL 2015
Fellow Parishioners and Friends,
Often we look for the negative issues instead of the positive ones. Now is the time for
forgiveness. We have a lot to be thankful for. Our classroom/offices is very near to
completion that we all should be proud of. The Greek Fest will be a huge success again
this year because of all the hard work and talents of all our wonderful parishioners.
Our community continues to grow at a fast rate.
We have now become a landmark in Fort Myers. Our Annunciation Greek Orthodox
Church is on the map. The beautiful white and blue building stands out from afar.
Many positive and awesome compliments from various people who ride by and see
the progress. All the nearby neighbors are very happy to see such a huge improvement on our property and are very happy for our community. They enjoy watching us
grow as well as we do. Your support is greatly needed to continue with the progress.
With Great Lent and the Resurrection of our Lord, I hope you will attend all the church
services. It is very important to come to church and show your support. Please remember to give generously to our classroom/office project so we can move forward on
other projects.
The date of the spring parish assembly meeting will be announced in the future.
Please make every effort to attend. All your opinions and suggested need to be heard.
May God Bless us all.
In the Lord's Service,
Nick Karras
Parish Council President
Agape Vespers—GOSPEL READERS NEEDED!
If you are able to read a foreign language
and would like to read the Gospel on
Sunday, April 12th during the Agape
Vespers Service (Begins at 11:00AM),
please see or call Fr. Dean as soon as
possible.
Can you read:
Albanian
Arabic
Czech
French
German
Italian
Latin
Russian
Serbian
Spanish
Ukrainian
Or Another Language
PLEASE SEE OR CALL FR. DEAN
THANK YOU!
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04/01/2015
Building Capital Campaign by Michael B. Peceri
AVENUES TO GIVING TO OUR “FAMILIES”
“The night your soul will be required of you, then whose will those
things by which you have been provided? So is he who lay up
treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God”
--Luke 12:36
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04/01/2015
04/01/2015
“The night your soul will be required of you,….” We never think in those terms but
it is inevitable that one day each of our souls will be required of us at the time of our
passing. In a previous VOICE article I wrote that: all of us are a part of other “families.”
Have you ever considered that beyond your immediate family how many other “families”
you are committed to? For example: clubs, volunteer organizations, religious or fraternal
organizations, a parishioner or steward of your church. All of these “families” return
something to you; a sense of belonging and even a sense for the welfare of these
organizations or “families.”
Being a member of a family we, at times, do recognize our own mortality and
agonize on how best we can distribute the abundance we have acquired during our life
time to our families. Most often we first consider through a will or other means of passing
on our treasures and parental love to our children or other family members. However, we
often neglect the one family that has over the years provided us with spiritual guidance,
peace and most importantly a sense of belonging, sharing the joys and gifts of the
Sacraments of our Orthodox Faith . The one family member that does provide these gifts
year after year without question is our Church, the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church.
Have you ever considered passing some of your treasures to your Church for the gifts you
have received of unquestioned spiritual love and comfort over the years?
At a recent coffee Stefanos Loisou, a Senior Financial Planner outlined many methods a parishioner could reach beyond his or her typical means of donating to leave a
legacy that would make a difference to our Church. I encourage each of you to fill out the
card provided with the brochure to learn how you can easily leave a legacy to your church
family. If you would prefer to join an informal workshop or seminar please let Father
Dean know and he will arrange it.
You don’t have to be a “millionaire” to make a difference for your Church!
Michael B. Peceri
Parish Council
Classroom Capital Campaign
04/01/2015
08/01/2015
31
Stewardship by Michael B. Peceri
“The rich man is not one who has much to give, but one who gives much. For what
he gives away remains his forever.”
--St. John Chrysostom
THE NEW STEWARDSHIP CHAIRPERSON: Patricia A. Kemp
After almost 20 years as Stewardship Chairman Michael Peceri informed the Parish
Council at its last meeting that it was time for him to step down and asked the Council to
appoint a new Chairperson. The Parish Council has appointed Patricia A. Kemp as the new
Stewardship Chairperson.
Pat was born in Jamestown, New York where she attended St. Nicholas Greek
Orthodox Church with her parents, Theodore and Theophania Depas Papageorge. Pat
moved to Cape Coral in l977 with her husband, Gordon who passed away in 2008.
Subsequently, Pat worked as a realtor/broker and administrator before retiring in 2009. Currently, Pat volunteers as a Guardian ad Litem, advocating for children in need and ensuring
the protection of their legal rights. In addition to her new position as a Parish Council
member, she is the recording secretary of the Ladies Philoptochos Society and Treasurer of
the Hellenic Club.
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7
12/01/2015
ANNUNCIATION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
2015 STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM PLEDGES
This listing contains the names of those Stewards of the Church who have signed the, blue, pledge
cards for 2015. Pledge cards are available in the Church Narthex or Church office. If you feel your
name has been omitted please contact: Kelsie Gregware, Administrative Assistant in the Church
Office (481-2099) Virginia Headley, Parish Council Treasurer or Pat Kemp, Stewardship Committee
Chairman.
10/01/2015
Rev. Albert & Ginny Amend
Kostantinos Georgiou
Presb. Aspasia Kontinos
James & Jodi Anderson
Joyce Gladis
Dr. George & Joyce Kopidakis
Anastasios & Darlene Bairaktaris
Mary Sue Gladis
Konstantinos & Marie Kostouros
Dr. Andrew & Jen-Hope Belis
Angelo Bitsis
Maria Gorrell
Ann Kotsalis
John & Elaine Green
Nicholas & Mary Koukos
Golfo Bitsis
Athanasios & Nicoletta Gritzalis
Theo & Nancy Koupelis
Joseph Boisvert
Thomas & Marlene Haley
Michael & Christine Kouvelis
Dr. Theodor & Dorothy Bonstedt
Ed & Mimi Hardgrove
Ann Kratsios
Robert & Helene Boucher
Richard & Matia Hawks
Adam & Sandra Krotov
Tina Brassel
Donald & Virginia Headley
Joseph & Heidi Kubiak
Robert & Brenda Burandt
Peter Hernandez & Poly Mavridou
Antonia Kurtis
George & Elaine Chakonas
Demetria Hughes
Cynthia Kyriacou
Penny Churchman
Alexander & Hope Hunter
John Lampiris
Leonard & Lois Colagrossi
Richard & Cheryl Johnson
Emanuel & Rana Levenderis
Evelyn P. Condoleon
Catherine Jokich
Thomas Loughney
Angelo & Anastasia Constan
James & Theresa Kalogridis
Dino & Jennifer Magas
George & Georgia Copulos
William & Helen Kaltsas
Jimmy & Valerie Magas
Katherine Del Monico
George & Dorothy Kantarze
Mikes & Minna Mailakakis
Johanna DiMartino
Effie Kapetan
Steven & Jennifer Maillakakis
Constantinos & Barbara
Jimmy & Despina Karras
Stravos & Francine Maillakakis
Dionysopoulos
Joanna Karras & Andrew Pastrikos
Helen Mamukari
John & Caken Dopoulos
Nick & Stella Karras
Anthony & Marie Mankus
Frances Drakos
Apostolos Karydas
Paul & Jeannie Manos
Ted Drakos & Anne Hansen
Marianthi Kazakos
Pauline Margaritis
Kosta Eliopoulos
Richard & Barbara Keene
Ellen Matic
Robert & Aileen Fenton
Patricia Kemp
Victoria Matic
Anastasia Frangakis
Mary & Dub Kendrick
S. Charles & Lenore C. Mattoff
Helen Gallian
Panos Klentzeris
Helen Messerotes
Evagelos & Niki Georgatos
Irene Kleopas
Marilena Midgley
Continued on Next Page
29
George & Maria Mourgis
Roger & Maria Shields
Marilyn & Bertha Necak
John & Joanie Simon
Steve & Crystal Nelson
George Skaff
Manoli & Nomiki Neskes
Helen A. Sotiropoulos
Thomas & Celeste Niarchos
Bessie Spiridakis
Frieda Nicholas
Spero Stergiotis
Donald & Dorothea Nicholson
Thomas & Pamela Strikis
George & Helen Nicolaidis
Cornelia Talabac
John Nychis
James & Theresa Thomas
Rich & Carol Palatine
Michael R. Thomas, Jr.
Joe & Donna Paolina
John & Corgette Troutman
Basil & Linda Pappas
Effie Vlahos
Presvytera Evangeline Pappas
James & Vanthea Vouros
John & Amelia Pappas
Jack & Angie Weaver
Phillip & Petronia Pappas
Artemis Welsh
Michael B. Peceri
Marion Zachariades
06/01/2015
William & Phyllis Photinos
John & Ottilie Pistolis
BONDED CBC125950 INSURED
John & Bernadette Poulos
Pauline Poulos
04/01/2015
Patricia Reardon
Gary & Lyudmyla Robinson
Helen V. Rogers
Albert & Darlene Romanosky
Tony & Cathy Rubinski
John & Olympia Ruppe
Mitchell & Christina Samuels
Jamie & Anastasia Scime
Jon & Roman Shannon
Fr Dean blessing the Offering Envelopes on Stewardship Sunday.
STEWARDSHIP DATA
Total Stewardship Pledged:
2015 Stewardship Goal:
How many possible Stewards:
Total amount given (recorded):
Total # of Stewards Pledged:
Some of this charged to Stewardship but given by
Parishioners who have not signed Pledge Cards.
$106,196(as of Feb. 23rd, 2015)
296
138
$200,000
$ (Not updated as of yet)
9
10/01/2015
Greek Fest 2015 by Jen-Hope Belis
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO VOLUNTEERED!
WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT YOU!!
08/01/2015
27
Construction Update by John Simon
10/01/2015
YOUR AD CAN BE
HERE!!!!
EPITELOS!
Yes, the building is done!
Contact the Office or see
Stella Karras for more details!
We, of course, have some minor things to complete but for the most part we are DONE!
Starting after the Festival, I will be installing the telephone system and internet. Once that is complete,
we will move Father Dean & Kelsie into the new space. Father Dean's old office will eventually become
a Cry Room for young children. We will install a window in the wall so that they can watch the service without disturbing everyone's prayer. Kelsie's office will be converted into the Book Store which
will be removed from the rear of the existing hall. I would like to thank everyone for their continued
support of this project. I look forward to the children moving into their new classrooms.
01/01/2016
17620 Rockefeller Circle
Fort Myers, FL 33967
(239) - 284-0688
Hours
9am — 5pm
Mon - Fri
9am —12pm Sat
08/01/2015
08/01/2015
08/01/2015
08/01/2015
11
Thank You
Circle of Friends by Joanie Simon
The movie was cancelled last month so that our youth could hold an indoor dance practice before Festival.
SOUL SURFER will be shown on Thursday, March 12th at 6pm. Please join us.
There will be NO MOVIE in April as we will be in the midst of Holy Week.
To all the parishioners of Annunciation:
We want to thank you all so very much for your constant prayers, thoughts, encouraging note cards/phone calls and actual help during this miraculous time in our lives.
God's gracious hand continues to restore us back to good health, allowing our family
to look forward to many more beautiful years together :-)
Ο Θεός είναι μεγάλos!
Doug, Tina, Jimmy & George Kucera
03/01/2016
14131 Metropolis Ave., Ste. 104
Phone (239) 332-4099
Fort Myers, FL 33912
Near Gulf Coast Hospital
10/01/2015
04/01/2015
03/01/2016
02/01/2015
25
Sunday School News by Jen-Hope Belis
The teachers and students are SO EXCITED to be in the new classrooms!!!
We would like to take a moment to THANK JOHN SIMON for all his hard work overseeing the project. We know it was a daunting task that took so much of your time but the students and
teachers are thrilled to enjoy the fruits of your labor.
We also want to THANK John Nychis for teaching the students music lessons in the hall while we
waited for the classrooms to be finished. The kids truly enjoyed it and we hope the lessons
continue.
Oratorical Festival will be held on Sunday, March 15th during the LPS Luncheon. This is a
wonderful opportunity for 7th-12th graders to earn scholarships.
Pascha is fast approaching! Please note all the many events happening during that time. We love
seeing the students at all of them.
If your child is interested in being a Myrrh Bearer or reader during Holy Week, please contact Mary
Sue Gladis.
Don’t miss our annual Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday, April 12th after Agape Vespers.
THANK YOU to Dr. Bonstedt for being a guest speaker for our Sunday School students. He spoke
about Science & Faith and most recently conducted an enlightening session on The Lord’s Prayer. We
welcome anyone to come into the classroom to share their knowledge or stories!
SUNDAY SCHOOL EVENTS
March 1
Sunday of Orthodoxy Icon Procession
March 15
Oratorical Festival
April 4
Saturday of Lazarus Liturgy & Breakfast with Palm Making
April 5
Palm Sunday Processional
April 6-11
Holy Week Readers
April 10
Decorating Epitaphio. Holy Friday Vespers with Myrrh Bearers
April 11
Holy Saturday Liturgy followed by Confessions
April 12
Easter Egg Hunt following Agape Vespers at 11am
May 17
Last Day of Sunday School. Award Ceremony & Ice Cream Social
Heart Association—Wearing RED to show support for the cause!
EXAMPLE ABOVE
13
Great Lent

Major Sunday Themes of Lent and Holy Week Themes and Services
Key Verse
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but
have everlasting life.” (John3:16)
Reflection
Several weeks before Lent begins, the Triodion period starts. The scripture passages for the Sundays during
Pre-Lent introduce us to the values and virtues which we are to pray about and incorporate into our lives
during Lent. The first Sunday of Pre-lent is the Sunday of the Publican (Tax Collector) and Pharisee and
contrasts the arrogant prayers of the Pharisee with the humility and repentance that characterize the prayers
of the Publican (Luke 18:9-14). Next is the Sunday of the Prodigal Son which depicts a return to the Father,
further exploring repentance, and the unconditional love the Father has for us (Luke 15:11-32). Judgement
(Meatfare) Sunday follows where we learn about loving others through our acts of charity (Matt. 25:31-46).
Forgiveness (Cheesefare) Sunday is the fourth and last Sunday of the Pre-Lenten period and immediately
precedes Clean Monday, the first day of Lent. Jesus encourages us to forgive others to fast in secret and to
concentrate on spiritual rather than material treasures (Matt. 6:14-21). The first Sunday of Lent is the Sunday
of Orthodoxy where we commemorate the return of icons back into the church (John 1:43-51). The Sunday of
St. Gregory Palamas commemorates this 14th century theologian for his many contributions to the Orthodox
Faith. The scripture reading is of Jesus” healing of the paralytic (Mark 2:1-12). The third Sunday of Lent is the
Sunday of the Holy Cross in which we are reminded to take up our personal crosses and make the decision
to follow Christ (Mark 8:34-9:1). The Sunday of St. John Climacus is based on St. John’s book, The Ladder of
Divine Ascent which gives a progression of 30 steps that are necessary to achieve a faithful life in Christ
(Mark 9:17-31). The fifth and last Sunday of Lent is the Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt commemorating St.
Mary’s radical turn from a sinful life to an extremely ascetical one of repentance, prayer, and fasting (Mark
10:32-45). Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem and begins Holy Week.
Endowment Fund Ministry Begins
On Sunday, January 25th a presentation was offered by Mr. Stefanos Loisou, a Financial
Strategies Planner to our members in our Parish Hall following Liturgy. Stefanos spoke
about Charitable Giving Concepts and Planned Giving programs in order to educate our
members on how we all can participate to bring about an Endowment Fund for our Parish.
This presentation was the kick-off for our Endowment Fund Ministry. Stefanos gave those in
attendance a clear picture of what we need to do as a Parish in order to establish our
Endowment Fund now in order to secure our future. Stefanos will be returning in the near
future to speak with our members in order to get more specific about the ways in which our
members can become part of our Endowment Fund Ministry. We thank Stefanos for his
presentation and look forward to him returning and making another presentation. If you
would like more information about our Endowment Fund Ministry or would like to speak
to Stefanos personal, please contact the Parish Office.
St. Patrick of Ireland
Our father amoung the saints Patrick of Ireland, Bishop of Armagh and Enlightener of Ireland, was born a
Briton. Captured and brought to Ireland as a slave, he escaped and returned home. Later, he returned to Ireland, bringing Christianity to its people. His feast day is March 17.
Life
Saint Patrick was born around 390 (likely in 387), at Kilpatrick, near Dumbarton, in Scotland. His name is
gfrom the Latin Patricius, meaning high-born. His parents were part of the Christian minority of Britain; his
father, Calpurnius, was a deacon, “the son of Potitus, a priest, of the village Bannavem Taburniae.”
At the age of 16, he was captured during a raiding party and taken to Ireland as a slave to herd and tend
sheep. During that time, he prayed frequently and came for the first time to have a true faith in God. At age
22, he had a vision in which God told him to be prepared to leave Ireland. Soon, he escaped, walking 200 miles
to a ship and returning to England. In a dream, he saw the people of Ireland calling him, “ We beg you, holy
youth, that you shall come and shall walk amoung us.”
St. Patrick sought clerical training. He was ordained by St. Germanus, bishop of Auxerre. Around 430 he was
ordained a bishop, after which he returned to Ireland. There, he preached the Gospel, reaching tribal chieftains, gaining their permission to teach their subjects also. During his episcopate, he was attacked for a sin he
confessed to a close friend, a sin he committed “in a single hour” when only 15, but he did not suffer as a result. He established an episcopal administration and led a monastic lifestyle establishing Christianity in Ireland. St. Patrick died at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland, on March 17th, 461.
Donated Flowers for Feast Day Icons
Flowers for St. Basil the Great Icon – Jan. 1st
Donated by Pat Kemp in memory of her
mother Theophania Papageorge.
Flowers for Epiphany Icon – Jan. 6th
Donated by Mary Kendrick in honor of her
mother Potatesa Makos and sister
Tula Spyropoulos.
Flowers for St. Gregory the Theologian Icon –
Jan. 25th Donated by Helen A. Sotiropoulos
in honor of her friend Peggy Poulsen, who was
a member of The Ladies Philoptochos Society.
Flowers for Three Hierarchs Icon– Jan. 30th
Donated by Spero Stergiotis in memory of
Ruth & Helen Stergiotis.
Flowers for St. John the Baptist Icon - Jan. 7th Flowers for St. Tryphon Icon– Feb. 1st
Donated by Helen A. Sotiropoulos
Donated by Evelyn Condoleon in memory of
in honor of her friend Niki Fagerline, who was
her beloved husband John G. Condoleon.
a member of The Ladies Philoptochos Society.
Flowers for SS. Athanasios & Cyril Icon–
Jan. 18th Donated by Presb. Aspasia Kontinos Flowers for Presentation of our Lord into
in memory of her husband Fr. Arthur K. Konti- Temple Icon– Feb. 2nd Donated by Ann
Kratsios.
nos.
23
2015 Great Lent and Holy Week Flowers
Flowers always add beauty to whatever they adorn. It has always been a tradition among our
Orthodox Churches to decorate Holy Icons with flowers when the Feast Day is being celebrated.
Please contact the Church Office and donate towards the flowers you would like as soon as possible. As
always, this will be done on a first come, first serve basis. The names of those who donate the
flowers will be listed in the Annunciation Voice the month AFTER the Feast day is celebrated. Thank you
for your support in this project and may our Lord continue to bless you.
Flowers for 1st Salutations Icon – Feb. 27th
$45.00
Flowers for Sun. of Orthodoxy Icon – Mar. 1st
$45.00
Flowers for 2nd Salutations Icon – Mar. 6th
$45.00
Flowers for St. Gregory Palamas Icon – Mar. 8th
$45.00
Flowers for 3rd Salutations Icon – Mar. 13th
$45.00
Flowers for Veneration of Holy Cross Icon – Mar. 15th
$45.00
Flowers for 4th Salutations Icon – Mar. 20th
$45.00
Flowers for St. John Climacos Icon – Mar. 22nd
$45.00
Flowers for Annunciation Icon – Mar. 25th
$45.00
Flowers for Akathist Hymn Icon – Mar. 27th
$45.00
Flowers for St. Mary of Egypt Icon – Mar. 29th
$45.00
Flowers for Sat. of Lazarus Icon - Apr. 4th
$50.00
Flowers for Palm Sun. Icon - Apr. 5th
$50.00
Palms for Palm Sunday – Apr. 5th
$100.00
Flowers for Nymphios Icon – Apr. 5th
$100.00
Flowers for Nymphios Icon – Apr. 6th
$100.00
Flowers for Nymphios Icon – Apr. 7th
$100.00
Oil for Holy Unction Service – Apr. 8th
Cotton for Holy Unction Service – Apr. 8th
$10.00
$5.00
Flowers for Last Supper Icon - Apr. 9th
$50.00
Flowers for Crucifixion Icon – Apr. 9th
$50.00
Candles for Candelabra – Apr. 9th
$75.00
Rose Petals – Apr. 10th
$20.00
Rose Water – Apr. 10th
$10.00
Flowers for Apokathelosis Icon – Apr. 10th
$50.00
Good Friday Candles – Apr. 10th
$25.00
Flowers for Resurrection Icon – Apr. 11th
$50.00
Resurrection Candle for Priest – Apr. 11th
$50.00
Pascha Red Eggs – Apr. 11th & 12th (25 Dozen)
$50.00
LILLIES FOR PASCHA – Apr. 11th - 10th
$20.00 A PLANT
15
The Sacrament of Holy Unction
The Resurrection
The Sacrament of Holy Unction will be administered on WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8
at 7:00 PM.
Holy Unction is a Sacrament of the Orthodox Church and administered by the Priest to the Faithful who
have participated in the prayers of the service. It will NOT be given out to be taken home. The faithful
of our parish should make every effort to be in attendance.
TH
Please remember, only Orthodox Christians who are in good standing within the Orthodox Church, spiritually and canonically, can receive the Sacrament of Holy Unction. If you are unsure of your Spiritual and
Canonical standing within the Orthodox Church, please speak with Fr. Dean.
HOLY THURSDAY
On the evening prior to Good Friday, a special Orthros (Matins) service (Holy Passion of our Lord) is
chanted in the Orthodox Church which includes the reading of verses from the twelve selections of the
Gospels concerning the last days of our Lord on this earth.
The nature and purpose of this beautiful and spiritually inspiring service would imply that no one would
choose to be absent. However, many of our members are found missing and the service is not well attended. We urge you to make every effort to attend this service with your family. Let His word speak to you!
Put all your worldly cares and concerns aside. You will be deeply moved. Good Friday will have more
meaning and significance for you.
GOOD FRIDAY
Good Friday is a day of mourning, strict fasting and deep prayer. On this day we remember that our Lord,
Jesus Christ died upon the Cross to take away our sins. This is a day that we, the faithful of Christ, should
commit to Him. Every possible effort should be made for you to be in Church during the services of the
ROYAL HOURS (9:00 AM) and APOKATHELOSIS (3:00 PM) and EPITAPHIOS THRINOS
(LAMENTATIONS) (7:00 PM). It doesn’t do us any good to attend the evening service of the Epitaphios Thrinos (Lamentations) and singing the Lamentations in the evening if we have not come to the
morning and afternoon services of the Royal Hours and the Crucifixion and Burial of our Lord.
Proper reverence and love should be demonstrated by all believers. We should not go to work this day,
nor go shopping, color eggs, bake, clean house or a host of other things. Children should be excused from
school and attend services, so that they may learn the true meaning of this most holy day. Excusal letters
are available from Fr. Dean.
The Procession of the Kouvouklion (the Epitaphios is inside) will take place outside around the Church
grounds, weather permitting. The announcement will be made by Fr. Dean just before the time for the
Procession.
Christianity rests its case on the empty tomb. Apostle Paul wrote these words before any of the four Gospels was
composed, his writings are the very first books we have of the New Testament.
What is amazing about St. Paul in his peculiar perspective concerning the historical events surrounding our Savior’s
figure. Most of us, influenced by the Gospel record, are inclined to look at the life of Christ chronologically, that is, in
historical sequence. Paul, on the other hand, does not look forward from the Incarnation to the Cross and finally to the
Resurrection. He looks back from the empty tomb to the Cross. Perhaps this is due to the fact that he never knew Christ in
the flesh but only after the Resurrection.
The significance of the Cross can be understood only when looking out from the empty tomb toward Golgatha. St.
Paul is able therefore to preach a joyous doctrine– the doctrine of triumphant Love. There is a basic difference in looking
forward to the tomb from the Cross and viewing the Cross from inside the empty tomb. Looked at in chronological sequence, the betrayal, the denial, the cowardice, the torment, the crown of thorns, the nailing, the lance, and the dying are all
very ugly and almost intolerable. Viewed from the inside of the empty tomb all these things are transformed in the glow of
the Risen Christ; and, all tragedy is blotted out in the victory of Life over Death.
The stone was not rolled back from the tomb to let Christ out; he was alive and unconfined by matter. The angles
rolled back the stone to let the disciples and the myrrh-bearing women IN. It was only from within the tomb that they ever
fully understand the significance of the Life of Christ, their Master, who died in order to destroy Death. CHRIST IS RISEN!
Godparent Sunday—February 1st
21
Ladies Philoptochos Society by Carol Palatine
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday
Our first board meeting of the New
Year was held on January 26,2015. At that
time we discussed up-coming events for
the new year, such as Greek Fest, Dinner
Dance and the Antique Auction as well as
trying to have a general meeting in the
evening, perhaps at a restaurant or in the
community center.
The Church Guidelines for these days states that you
may NOT eat meat, oil, dairy products, fish or
wine (alcohol). Every Orthodox Christian is called
upon to follow the guidelines offered by the Church
through the entire Great Lenten Period and Christmas
Fast. If this is becomes too difficult and through
“Oikonomia” (Economy), the Church allows the following fasting paths:
Our January Dinner Dance has
been postponed until further notice. Our
General Meeting will take place at Plaka
II Feb.23, Monday at 11:30 am. Please attend and participate with any questions
you may have. We look forward to seeing
you.
Now, Greek Fest it's very close!
Marianthe Kazakos will be making aprons
to sell pre-fest and at the Greek Fest for
$10.00 each . Adult size and youth size ,
together for 15.00. They are really nice and
get yours while they last, limited quantities available. Don't forget Mother's day is
not far off, what a nice gift for Mom or
Grandma or a very special person.
The Antique Auction is March 14th.
Lets all attend and support Ginny Amend
for all her hard work for this event. She is
still looking for donations of antiques and
antique jewelry.
One last thing, we are going to try
and have an evening meeting in March, so
look for details in the bulletin for information.
Our monthly bake sales are going
well and we hope you will continue to
support them. Barbara D. works very hard
and your support at the bake sales is a
compliment to her. Thank you.
FASTING GUIDELINE FOR GREAT
LENT & CHRISTMAS FAST
Path 1. During the entire Great Lent & Christmas
Fast do not eat MEAT at the minimum on
these days.
Path 2. During the entire Great Lent & Christmas
Fast do not eat MEAT and also not eat OIL
on these days.
Path 3. During the entire Great Lent & Christmas
Fast do not eat MEAT and also not eat OIL
and DAIRY PRODUCTS on these days.
Pictured above and below: VASILOPITA—
Sunday, January 11th, 2015.
Path 4. During the entire Great Lent & Christmas
Fast do not eat MEAT and also not eat
OIL, DAIRY PRODUCTS and FISH on
these days.
Path 5. During the entire Great Lent & Christmas
Fast do not eat MEAT and also not OIL,
DAIRY PRODUCTS, FISH and WINE
(ALCOHOL) on these days.
Whichever path you choose, 1,2,3,4,5 or all 5, remain
faithful throughout the entire Great Fast. If it is not
possible to fast the entire Great Fast, try a week or
more. The goal is the entire Great Fast.
These guidelines are enforced even if you do not plan
to receive Holy Communion on Sunday morning, a
weekday Liturgy or at a Pre-Sanctified Liturgy.
and wine (alcohol).
Every Orthodox Christian is called upon to follow the
guidelines offered by the Church through the entire
Great Lent & Christmas Fast. If this becomes too
difficult and through “Oikonomia” (Economy), the
Church allows the following fasting paths:
Path 1. During the entire Great Lent & Christmas
Fast do not eat MEAT at the minimum on
these days.
Path 2. During the entire Great Lent & Christmas
Fast do not eat MEAT and also DAIRY
PRODUCTS on these days.
Path 3. During the entire Great Lent & Christmas
Fast do not eat MEAT, DAIRY
PRODCUTS or FISH on these days.
Whichever path you choose, 1,2,3, or all 3, remain
faithful throughout the entire Great Fast. If it is not
possible to fast the entire Great Fast, try a week or
more. The goal is the entire Great Fast.
These guidelines are enforced even if you do not plan
to receive Holy Communion on Sunday morning, a
weekday Liturgy or at a Pre-Sanctified Liturgy.
Do not eat or drink anything after midnight Saturday
night. The first thing you should partake of on Sunday morning or at a weekday Liturgy is Holy Communion.
If you plan to partake of Holy Communion at a PreSanctified Liturgy, you should not eat anything after
2:00 PM that afternoon. You may drink water after
2:00 PM but no other kind of liquid.
If you are taking medicine and need to take it in the
morning you may do so and partake of Holy Communion. If you need to take your medicine with water
or another liquid or with food, you may do so and
partake of Holy Communion.
You may brush your teeth in the morning and you
may spit.
Saturday & Sunday
The Church Guidelines for these days states that you
may NOT eat meat, dairy products and fish. On
these days the fast is loosened and you may eat Oil
If you have any questions about these guidelines,
please contact Fr. Dean.
17
Orthodox Fasting Guidelines
During the forty (40) day period of Great Lent,
which begins on Clean Monday (February 23, 2015)
and the Christmas Fast, which always begins on November 15, all Orthodox Christians are called upon
to undertake the spiritual exercises which will allow
them to properly prepare themselves to meet the
Lord at His Resurrection at Pascha and in the flesh at
His Nativity. The Church offers us these spiritual
exercises so that we may prepare our soul and body
in order to rejoice at the Resurrection. The Spiritual
exercises are as follows: increased prayer, the increased reading of Holy Scripture and other religious
materials, the greater participation in Holy Confession and Holy Communion, the increased offering of
our Time, Talents and Treasures (Stewardship) to the
Parish and upon those in need and fasting from
foods. Let us commit ourselves to keeping the Great
Lent and Christmas Fast all forty days and not just
one or two weeks.
The word “fast” means “not eating all or certain
foods.” As Orthodox Faithful, we can fast completely at certain times of great importance, like Great
Lent and the Christmas Fast, and especially each time
before receiving Holy Communion. Usually, fasting
means limiting the number of meals and/or the type
of food eaten. The purpose of fasting is to remind us
of the Spiritual teaching, “Man does not live by bread
alone.” The needs of the body are nothing compared
to the needs of the soul. Above all else, we need
God, Who provides everything for both the body
and the soul. Fasting teaches us to depend on God
more fully.
We fast from food, or a food item, as a reminder that
we are to fast from sinning and doing evil. Fasting
helps us pray more easily. Our spirit is lighter when
we are not weighed down by too much food or food
that is too rich. Through fasting, we also learn to feel
compassion for the poor and hungry and to save our
own resources so that we can help those in need.
Fasting is more that not eating food. St. John Chrysostom teaches that it is more important to fast from
sin. For example, besides controlling what goes into
our mouths, we must control what comes out of our
months as well. Are our words pleasing to God, or
do we curse God or our brother? The other mem-
Hellenic-American Social Club of S.W. Florida, Inc. By Ann Constan
bers of the body also need to fast: our eyes from seeing evil, our ears from hearing evil, and our limbs
from participating in anything that is not of God.
Most important of all, we need to control our
thoughts, for thoughts are the source of our actions,
whether good or evil.
Fasting is not an end in itself. Our goal is an inner
change of heart. The Great Lent is called “ascetic.”
This refers to actions of self-denial and spiritual training which are central to fasting. Fasting is one of the
spiritual exercises. It is not imposed or forced upon
us. In the same way that true repentance cannot be
forced upon anyone, each of us makes the choice to
turn away from our sinful ways and go toward our
loving forgiving Father in Heaven.
What are the spiritual benefits of fasting?
Fasting provides the strength to fight the many temptations which we face in life by helping us to subdue
the passions and to control our self-will. These are
lessons learned by the great ascetic Fathers of the
Church who spent their entire lives focused on prayer
and growing closer to God. They have taught that
certain foods – or even too much of any food – can
have a significant effect on our spiritual well-being.
For example, when we eat too much we get sluggish
and instead of being alert for prayer, we get tired and
sleepy. Other foods actually excite the passions and
cause us to lose self-control in many areas of life,
making it much easier for us to fall to the temptations
that lead to sin.
Fasting from food also reminds us of our dependence upon God. When we fast we liberate ourselves
from dependence on the things of this world and are
able to concentrate our attention on the things of the
Kingdom of God. The most important thing to remember about fasting is that its main purpose is to
gain mastery over oneself and to conquer the passions of the flesh. Follow the fast closely and you
will discover this for yourself. The positive effects of
fasting are difficult to understand until you actually
experience them. So, if you want to really understand
how fasting can benefit your spiritual life, make a sincere effort to fast.
Continued on the next page...
Another fun time in the history of our Hellenic
Club – The “Panigiri” was another success,
thanks to President Barbara and Costa Dionysopoulos.
Fantastic food, music and great
friends; the weather didn’t keep us away, and the
best part is we’re helping support the new Classrooms Building.
Next on our agenda is a day trip by bus to Tarpon Springs. We will stop for lunch at the
“Greek City” restaurant in Clearwater, and then
continue to Tarpon Springs for shopping, sightseeing, browsing, snacking and enjoying the day.
This is scheduled for Saturday, March 21st, and is
open to our entire parish, Club members and
friends. The cost of the transportation will be determined by the number of attendees. Please see
Barbara Dionysopoulos or Phyllis Mino to signup. It is important that we have an accurate
number of those planning on joining us as soon
as possible so that proper bus transportation can
be arranged.
Reservations for the Tarpon Springs trip will be
accepted on a “first come” basis. Please know
that we should all be respectful of those planning
events, and if you have made a reservation and
realize you cannot join us, kindly notify the proper persons ahead of time. This is always expected and appreciated.
The March meeting is scheduled to be held on
Tuesday, March 10th, at 7:00 p.m. – and just maybe, we’ll be meeting in the new Classroom Building. If not, we’ll be in the Kontinos Community
Center, as usual. By that date we should have a
final head count for the Tarpon Springs bus trip,
Phyllis will announce details and will know the
exact cost of the trip. Payment will be accepted
at that time. Such a great time was had by all on
our last day-trip, we don’t think anyone will
want to miss out on this one.
The April meeting is on April 14th. Details to be
announced. The May meeting, for members only, will be held on May 12th at Perkins Restaurant in Cape Coral.
A group trip has been planned for Wednesday,
April 22, on the “Big M” for a day of cruising and
fun. This is open to all members and friends.
More information will be offered at a later date.
The Hellenic-American Club is a social club for
people to meet and make lasting friendships.
Our annual dues of $20 per year are used to defray the costs of venue and refreshments at meetings, subsidize certain costs to members for outings, compensate speakers and contribute to
charitable organizations. It is not too late to join
us for the year 2015 fun times and experiences.
For information, please contact our President,
Barbara Dionysopoulos (239-267-2014), or speak
with any of our Board members.
Please remember to contribute food staples and
canned goods for our Food Pantry for the needy.
These can be delivered to our Community Center
and deposited in the large box indicated – at the
back of the Center. Thank you in advance.
We extend best wishes for the coming of the holiest of Holy Days – Easter.
Kalo Pascha to all.
19
Say YES! To the Greek Fest
THANK YOU FOR
SAYING YES! TO THE
GREEK FEST!
FRIENDS & FAMILY

Cape Cod Fish Co. Restaurant

CHIPOTLE Mexican Grill

COSTCO

EAT PDQ Fresh Tenders, Gulf Coast

Fairfield Inn, Cypress Lake & 41

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, Naples

FIRESTONE AUTO CARE, 19420 Tamiami Tr.

Anastasia Frangakis – General

FIRST WATCH Daytime Café

Rana and Immanuel Levenderis - General

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

Maria Kostouros - Wristbands

Ice Cream Club, Cape Coral

Maria Gorrell – Pita Bread

Lobster Lady Seafood Restaurant, Cape Coral

Dcn. John and Lanette Howard – Tablecloths

Mel’s Diner, Fort Myers

Stavros and Francine Maillakakis –Cheese

NICK AND STELLA’S Family Sports Pub

James and Terry Kalogridis – Pita Bread

Paint Nite, Maria Guinto

Helen Messerotes – Coffee Cups

Publix Super Market

Paul Karydas - General

Scanlon Lexus of Ft. Myers

Ann Kratsios – General

SONIC Drive-in, Gladiolus & Winkler

Church of the Resurrection Catholic Parish

SPADA Salon & Spa

Cypress Lake Presbyterian Parish

SUNHARVEST Citrus

TRADER JOE’S, Naples