THE MINISTRY saint barbara greek orthodox church winter 2015

volume 19, number 2

Table of Contents

Father Peter’s Message.............................................................. 3 Marriage Preparation Seminars................................................. 4 Strength of Heart, Strength of Faith, Building Up Together........................................................... 5 Mustard Seed Faith Group for Adults.................................... 7 Great and Holy Week in Pictures............................................ 8 Worldwide Orthodox Missions..............................................12 Missions Trip to New Orleans...............................................13 Missions Trip to Turkana........................................................14 Real Break in New Orleans ...................................................17

Summer Camp Counselor 2015 Application Form............18 Service in Action - The Community Dining Room...........19 Service in Action - The Ronald McDonald House..............20 Mission Trip to Appalachia.....................................................21 Orthodox Appalachia Service Project....................................22 Odyssey Festival 2014..............................................................24 A Taste of Greece 2015..........................................................29 Saint Barbara Parish - Walk For Missions............................30 Saint Barbara Community Center Available to Rent..........32 Continued on page 2

Table of Contents

The M inistry The Official Publication of

Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church 480 Racebrook Road, Orange, CT 06477 (203) 795-1347 ite: www.saintbarbara.org e-mail: [email protected]

Rev. Peter J. Orfanakos Rev. Joel McEachen Rev. Steven M. Sarigianis

church office hours

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Wednesday 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm, and Sunday following Services Office Staff: Lea Loussides

SERVICES

Orthros (Matins) 8:30 am Divine Liturgy 9:45 am Sunday School 9:45 am Fellowship 11:30 am Weekday Services 9:00 am - 11:00 am Summer Hours 8:15 am - 10:45 am

parish council

President Maria Diamantis Vice President Cynthia Anasson Secretary Treasurer Mary Constantinidi Assistant Treasurer Mark Hojnowski George Antonellis Paul Redding Kevin Burr George Scarveles Paul Dalakas Vicky Vagenas John Kaiser Michael Wachter Theo Nicolakis Steven Yates

Parish Ministries and organizations

Parish Council Dr. Maria Diamantis Philoptochos Society Mercy Scafariello Religious Education Dr. Maria Diamantis, Clio Nicolakis Bible Study Rev. Joel McEachen Summer Camp Presbytera Vangie Orfanakos PTO Marcy Winkel PATCHES JOY Eugenia Spanolios, Stacey Kattis GOYA Elias Papadimitriou OCF Campus Ministry Rev. Peter J. Orfanakos YAL Jeannie Daniel Athletic Organization Elias Alexiades Greek School Irene Milas, Theodora Maccone Adult Greek School Nick Loussides Choir Stacey Grimaldi, Harry Pappas, Stephanie Halepas, Jane Hadjimichael Psalti Peter Proestakis, Theo Jenetopulos Golden Years Ministry Louis Basel, Mary Constantinidi A.H.E.P.A. Eugene Esares Parish Photographer Patric Marchitto Bookstore Bobby Chaltas, Flo Sarigianis I.O.C.C. Tony Delos Endowment Fund Bill Kambas Scholarship Committee Dr. Elias Lolis Web Site Shaun Berner, Stacy Moran The Ministry Presbytera Vangie, Eleni Hojnowski www.saintbarbara.org

Table of Contents continued Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival..........................36 Special Delivery from Constantinople..................................42 Trip to Hellenic College Holy Cross.....................................43 Greek Independence Day Parade 2015................................44 Saint Barbara Summer Camp 2014.......................................45 Saint Barbara Summer Camp 2015.......................................50 The Hellenic History Tournament........................................51 Horse Drawn Carriage Ride...................................................51 Prayer Vigil For Persecuted Churches in the Middle East.52 Panel Discussions at Fairfield University.............................54 Panel Discussions at YALE University.................................55 Thanksgiving Canned Food Drive........................................55 Interfaith Thanksgiving Service.............................................55 GOYA Day at Holiday Hill....................................................56 Ground Blessing for Saint Nicholas at Ground Zero........60 Young Adult Conference........................................................62 Website Exclusive Version of ‘The Ministry’......................65 Parish Honors Fr. Steven and Presbytera Electra...............66 Parish Honors Fr. Joel and Presbytera Sandra.....................70 Presbytera’s Paragraph.............................................................73 GOYA Retreat at Camp Jewell...............................................74 An Orthodox Theological Response to Poverty.................79 Camp Saint Paul 2015..............................................................82 Parishioner News.....................................................................83 Mustard Seed Faith Group for Adults..................................84 Parish News..............................................................................86 Saint Barbara Stewardship List 2014.....................................87 Greek Language School Christmas Program.......................92 Sunday School Christmas Program.......................................94 Philoptochos Festival of Trees..............................................97 Mustard Seed Faith Group for Adults................................100 Sacraments..............................................................................101 Sponsors..................................................................................102 Prayer of Saint Ephraim.......................................................104 Winter 2015 / The Ministry • 2

Father Peter’s Message

FROM THE PARISH PRIEST God is Great Two men set out on a journey together. They took a donkey to carry their packs, a torch to light their way at night, and a rooster, who was a friend of the donkey. The rooster sat on the donkey’s head during the entire journey. One of the men was deeply religious; the second was a skeptic. On the journey they frequesntly spoke about the Lord. “In all things, God is great,” said the first companion. “We will see if your opinion bears out on the trip,” said the second. Shortly before dusk the two men arrived in a small village where they sought a place to sleep. Despite their frequent requests, no one offered them a night’s lodging. Reluctantly, they traveled a mile outside of town, where they decided to sleep. “I thought you said God is great.” the skeptic said sarcastically. “God has decided that this is the best place for us to sleep tonight,” replied his friend. They fixed their beds beneath a large tree, just off the main road that led to the village, tethering the donkey about thirty yards away. Just as they were about to light the torch they heard a horrible noise. A lion had killed the donkey and carried it off to eat it, away from the two men. Quickly the companions climbed the tree to stay out of danger. “You still say God is great?” the skeptic asked with anger. “If the lion hadn’t eaten the donkey, he would have attacked us. God is great,” his companion declared.

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Moments later a cry from the rooster sent them further up the tree. From this new vantage point they saw a wildcat carrying the rooster away in its teeth. Before the skeptic could say a word, the man of faith declared, “The cry of the rooster has once again saved us. God is great.” A few minutes later a strong wind arose and blew out the torch, their only comfort in the black night. Again the skeptic taunted his companion, “It appears that the goodness of God is working overtime this evening.” This time the believer was silent. The next morning the two men walked into the village for food. They soon discovered that a large band of outlaws had swept into town the previous night and robbed the entire village of all its possessions. With this news the man of faith turned to his friend, “Finally it has become clear,” he cried. “Had we been given a room in the village last night, we would have been robbed along with all of the villagers. If the wind had not blown out our torch, the bandits who traveled the road near the place where we slept would have discoverd us and taken all our goods. It is clear, that in all things, God is great.”1 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16) When reflecting on this passage from the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Saint John Chrysostom states that this profound statement of Christ urges us to organize our life so that it is pleasing to God. Saint John continues, just as light effortlessly attracts people’s gazes, so a way of life pleasing to God draws their minds along with their eyes. Imagine that you are walking outside on a Winter 2015 / The Ministry • 3

Marriage Preparation Seminars very bright and sunny day. Your eyes are naturally pulled towards the sun. You may try to shield your eyes because the sun is so great but it is the first place that you are going to look. And because its rays bring forth such light, you notice all that is around you. You are no longer seated or standing in darkness but rather see all that surrounds you.2 God is great in all things! Saint John continues, “We do not praise the air which shines in the brilliance of the sunlight but the sun which is the source of this brilliance and bestows it upon us.”3 Reflect on the life of the believer in the story I shared above. In all things, in all circumstances, the person of faith gave glory to God; even when things seemingly were not going as planned. Even if things did not seem to make any sense to either one of the two travelers, the believer never lost his faith in God, proclaiming that God is great in all things. As Orthodox Christians, we are called to live our life as Christ Himself has shown us; according to the commandments of God. We are called to allow the Love of God to shine within us - not bringing praise or glory to ourselves - but rather giving Glory to our Creator for His Unsurpassing Love!

That is why Saint John Chrysostom says that we do not praise the air which shines in the brilliance of the light, but the sun which is the source of this brilliance. So we don’t give praise or thanksgiving to ourselves for being great, puffing ourselves up with words of glory for things that we really have very little to do about. But rather through the way that we live our life, we must give glory to God from Whom all blessings come, to Whom we owe all things. Saint John concludes his comments with the following words “So it is when someone makes the brilliance of the Son of righteousness visible through his virtuous deeds as soon as anyone looks at him they are immediately led towards the glory of the Father in Heaven, of Christ, a true Son of righteousness.” As we reflect on this beautiful Gospel truth found in the fifth chapter of Matthew, let us pray that God continues to use us as vessels of His Grace to bring glory to His name and to give thanks to God in all things. God is Great! Amen.

† Father Peter

___ Stories for Telling, pages 23 and 24. 2 Orthodox Study Bible 3 Orthodox Study Bible 1

“The Journey of Marriage” Preparation Seminars for 2015 Offered by: the Direct Archdiocesan District

February 7 - Holy Trinity Church, Bridgeport, CT; March 21 - Saints Constantine & Helen, Brooklyn, NY; March 28 - Church of the Resurrection, Brookville, NY; September 19 - Annunciation Church, Stamford, CT; October 17 - Cathedral of Saint Paul, Hempstead, NY; October 31 - Annunciation Church, New York City, NY www.saintbarbara.org

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Strength of Heart, Strength of Faith, Building Up Together

Strength of Heart, Strength of Faith, Building Up Together Seven years ago, as a community of faith, we undertook a five-year capital campaign entitled “Growing in Faith and Commitment.” This campaign sought to raise funds to construct an Educational Center with Classrooms; Permanent Bookstore and Library; Industrial Kitchen; Community Center/Social Hall; and to pour the foundation for a future gymnasium. The goal of the project was to meet the growing needs of our faith family by providing the necessary infrastructure for all of our parish ministries. The capital campaign was very successful as we were able to raise $1,651,579 through the generosity of our fellow parishioners as well as the “Friends of Saint Barbara.” Through the diligent work of our Building Committee www.saintbarbara.org

and Parish Council the project was completed ahead of schedule and under the projected budget of $6,409,700. In order to bridge the gap between the amount that we had collected through the campaign and the amount of money that we, as a community, had saved, the General Assembly of our parish voted to take a $3,200,000 loan from Milford Savings Bank while acknowledging the fact that we would need to commence with a second capital campaign by the year 2015. As a community we have always been aware that the loan from Milford Savings Bank would require another capital campaign in the “near future.” In fact, charts with projections were prepared, sent and discussed by the community at large. Since 2009 we have all enjoyed the new infrastructure and have seen all of our programs and ministries Winter 2015 / The Ministry • 5

Strength of Heart, Strength of Faith, Building Up Together increase in size and scope. The continued development and success of both our Sunday School and Greek Language School are related to the expanded availability of classroom space and resources. In addition, all of the youth, young adult, adult and golden year ministries have expanded and continue to reach out to members of our parish as well as the surrounding community. The newly constructed Industrial Kitchen has assisted us in our preparations for the Odyssey Festival, countless luncheons, dinners and fellowship events throughout the year. During this time we have been making monthly payments of $21,647 to Milford Savings Bank using monies that were donated to the Saint Barbara Building Fund as a result of the “Growing in Faith and Commitment Campaign.” The truth is that we have all been enjoying the benefits of our new buildings and amenities; we just have not finished paying for them yet. The time has come for us to officially close this campaign. And, in the course of the next few weeks, we are making arrangements to honor the donors to this fund drive in a Tree Mural that will be located just outside the Library. As we close this campaign we will need to start a new capital campaign to help pay off the Church mortgage that currently stands at $2,800,000 ($21,647monthly) and raise enough money to finish the Saint Barbara Gymnasium and truly complete the “Master Plan” that was passed unanimously by all parishioners at a General Assembly on June 1, 2008. Our current Building Fund balance is $46,106. And to date, even with a recently completed successful Odyssey Festival, the fund is not sufficient to pay the mortgage for the coming year.

Strength of Heart, Strength of Faith, Building Up Together This is the theme of our new three-year capital campaign. It seeks to invoke the essence of our Christian Family and who we are as a community of faith. Having grown in faith and commitment, we are now poised to work together with the strength of heart and the strength of faith in God to build up His Church together, hand in hand as one! “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:9

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Saint Paul’s use of the phrase “fellow workers” refers to the biblical concept of synergism shown here, by the way the Apostles work together with God in carrying out the ministry of the Church. So too, we as God’s fellow workers, cooperate with Him to do His will. By this cooperation or “synergy with God”, we do not mean a working together of equals or a so-called 50/50 arrangement. Rather, we mean that He is the Lord and we, His servants, are called to participate in His work. It is for this reason that this new outreach initiative, “Strength of Heart, Strength of Faith – Building Up Together” will not simply consist of a capital campaign. For while it is a necessary aspect of the continuing presence of the Church it is not the sole purpose of our efforts. We will also be looking to gain a better understanding of how our Saint Barbara parish continues to meet the spiritual needs of its parishioners. We seek information to continue to assist our parish to grow and to see how it is we need to expand our ministries to meet the continuing needs of our parishioners. We will undertake this task in the following manner. If you have not already, you should be receiving a phone call from a fellow Saint Barbara parishioner who will seek to introduce themselves and ask you several questions regarding our parish. Please be courteous, honest and respond in a manner that you would want someone to respond to you if you were asked to volunteer for this important task. If you miss their phone call, please call them back. Please do not wait for them to get back to you. Again, this will only help us facilitate the process. Soon, we will ALL be asked to contribute, not simply with our time and talent but with a monetary contribution as well. After ninety-five years of existence, it is time for our parish to finish building and paying for its infrastructure and to move onto using the parish facilities to their fullest extent. In so doing, we can focus on becoming a true Beacon of the Light of Christ in this world – teaching; preaching; and living according to God’s Commandments. Truly we can. I thank you, in advance, for your participation, cooperation and generosity. Faithfully,

† Father Peter Winter 2015/The Ministry • 6

                          Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church   480 racebrok road - orange, ct                                                                

Mustard Seed Faith Group For Adults

Join us for a panel discussion on the

greek orthodox church's role in the civil rights movement Wednesday, February 25, 2015 - 7:00 p.m. Saint Barbara community center “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Martin Luther King Jr. Join us for the next gathering of the Mustard Seed Faith Group for Adults on Wednesday, February 25th as we welcome Very Rev. Dr. Nathanael Symeonides, the Director of the Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations. Fr. Nathanael will lead a panel discussion on the Greek Orthodox Church’s role in the Civil Rights Movement.

The Mustard Seed Faith Group for Adults is open to all adults - Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike and is a Above: Greek Orthodox Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America ministry of Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church in   Racebrook Orange, Connecticut 06477 - www.saintbarbara.org walks together with Martin480 Luther King Jr. andRoad others- in Selma, AL 1965. Orange, Connecticut.

Great and Holy Week in Pictures

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Great and Holy Week in Pictures

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Great and Holy Week in Pictures

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Great and Holy Week in Pictures

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Worldwide Orthodox Missions M

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WORLDWIDE ORTHODOX MISSIONS

God’s Showers of Love in

Turkana page 8

Orthodox Christian Missions Center

inside: Orthodox Witness

Open Mission Teams

Current Mission Team opportunities available through the OCMC are listed below. Visit the following link to find out more information about each Mission Team or to Sign-Up as a Volunteer if you are interested in sharing in a journey of faith as an Orthodox Team member. http://www.ocmc.org/about/open_teams.aspx Airfare is not included in Team costs. Team members must travel on scheduled dates; air travel to be coordinated with OCMC. Ground transportation will be provided. Team members are encouraged to raise additional funds to cover the cost of domestic and international travel.

Albania Teaching - February 27, 2015 to March 8, 2015 Work with youth leaders on outreach to university students and nurture college students and young adults in Tirana. Youth Work - June 15, 2015 to July 1, 2015 Participate in the annual summer youth camp program at the Children’s Home of Hope in Shen Vlash.

Against New Challenges page 4

The Necessity of Missions: A Missionary’s Perspective page 14

Indonesia Teaching - June 28, 2015 to July 12, 2015 Teach religious education at one of two Orthodox church schools and offer catechism to the faithful in Medan.

Kenya Teaching - April 9, 2015 to April 19, 2015 Work at the Makarios III Seminary in Nairobi and teach the Faith to catechists (local church leaders) from outlying areas of Lodwar. Construction - May 28, 2015 to June 12, 2015 Assist the community of St. Peter with the construction of a school in the remote village of Loupwala in northern Kenya.

Moldova

Guatemala

Teaching - April 29, 2015 to May 8,2015 Plan and lead spiritual retreats for clergy wives, women lay leaders and a women’s group in Orhei.

Outreach - June 26, 2015 to July 8, 2015 Work with the community in Nueva Concepcion to restore facilities to a senior center and offer outreach to surrounding communities.

Youth Work - July 11, 2015 to July 23, 2015 Assist with a youth camp in Orhei focused on Orthodox spirituality and culture among the youth of Moldova.

Healthcare - August 17, 2015 to August 26, 2015 Take part in a holistic health outreach ministering to spiritual and physical needs in Northern Guatemala.

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Uganda Healthcare - June 1, 2015 to June 12, 2015 Provide health care as part of the ongoing initiative of the Orthodox Church to minister to the needs of Eastern Uganda. Winter 2015/The Ministry • 12

Mission Trip to New Orleans

MISSION TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS New Orleans Trip - January 2014 By: Peter Romanowsky

In January I had the opportunity to go to New Orleans to assist in IOCC, International Orthodox Christian Charities’ first seminary home build. Different seminarians from North America’s Orthodox Seminaries traveled to New Orleans to help build a home for one of the families still struggling from the effects of Hurricane Katrina. I was one of three seminarians representing Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. In addition, there were seminarians from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary; Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary; St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary; Christ the Savior Seminary; and St. Herman Theological Seminary. It was a weeklong trip where we all came together to help build homes for people affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. This seminary build team worked in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity who was leading us for the week and guiding us in the construction progress. Many people are still putting their lives back in order from this disaster. This ministry that Habitat for Humanity performs is an excellent one that provides lower income housing to people while also helping those who are buying a home, learn fiscal responsibility to become good homeowners. The first evening most of us gathered at the airport and then headed to Slidell at one of the local Lutheran Evangelical Churches. We were greeted with a home cooked meal of gumbo and sausage made by one of the parishioners, who was a gracious host and cook for the duration of our stay. The first day we only worked a half day putting up sheet rock. Sheet-rocking the house was our main task for the week. The rest of the first day we had a tour of the lower ninth quarter, where a lot of www.saintbarbara.org

people lost their lives in Hurricane Katrina. Many people have gone back to rebuild amidst the many destroyed homes. We then had a small tour of the French Quarter with a trip to a museum dedicated to the events and people that were involved directly with Hurricane Katrina which included personal stories and accounts as well. Visiting the site of such destruction and suffering changed my view on how life can change in an instant. The remainder of our time was spent sheet rocking the house. We had some difficulty in the beginning, but eventually got the hang of it. The Habitat for Humanity workers were patient with us and very helpful. Every morning and evening we closed with an abbreviated Matins and Vespers service with reflection time after Vespers with Father Paul, a local Orthodox Priest. We closed out the week on Saturday, with one last tour of the city and a small Vespers service followed by a reflection of the week. On Sunday we went into the city for Divine Liturgy at Holy Trinity, the oldest Greek Orthodox Church in the Greek Archdiocese (150 years old). We had a wonderful Sunday which coincided with the Feast of Theophany, to which we witnessed the diving for the Cross in one of the bayous right across from the Church. Afterwards we made our way to the airport. For me, this trip was a witness to the sufferings that occur around the world and a small glimpse into the reality people face in different parts of the world. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:31

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Mission Trip to Turkana

MISSION TRIP TO TURKANA Africa Trip - March 2014 By: Ana Baba

Being embraced by the support and the prayers of many members of the Orthodox Church, including my parish here in America, Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church, I am so grateful for the opportunity to go to Kenya on an OCMC (Orthodox Christian Mission Center) mission trip. I have always dreamt of going to Africa someday on a mission. This year I had the opportunity to go while studying at the OMSC (Overseas Ministries Study Center) in New Haven. Since I became a Christian, at the age of 20, I realized that the greatest gift to offer to all people is the treasure of the Gospel. I am so grateful to all the missionaries who God sent to Albania to share the light of Christ in a country that was conquered by the darkness of atheism. I am a product of the missionaries in Albania. After graduating from seminary in Albania, 12 years ago, I have been working for the Church of Albania. I have been leading our Church’s College Students’ Ministry and Center in Tirana, as well as running the Church’s summer

Girl’s Camp program. In each of these ministries I have tried to share the light of Christ and help others become members of His Kingdom, just as previous missionaries had helped me on my own spiritual journey. While I was flying to Kenya one specific thought kept going through my mind. “What can I do in Kenya?” Then the answer came to me, “It is enough for a disciple that she be like her teacher…” (Mt. 10:25a). I felt that it was something special for me to follow the steps of the great contemporary missionary, Archbishop Anastasios of Albania, who has brought the Gospel to Albania over the past 23 years, and of my teacher and my spiritual father, Father Luke Veronis, a former missionary in Albania. On the day that we celebrated the Sunday of Orthodoxy, March 9th, I arrived in the Turkana region of Kenya, and I said to myself, this is the Orthodox Church, which continues to share the Gospel and to build God’s Kingdom around the world. Many church communities and people were involved in making this mission trip happened. Our mission team, led by Fr. Martin Ritsi, the Executive Director of OCMC, led us in sharing the Gospel and teachings of Christ in the two villages of the Turkana tribes, Katanaruk and Nakenya. In this region there are about 300,000 people desperately thirsty and hungry for the Word of God. I’ve also learned that there are still more than 4.7 billion people around the world who do not know the hope, love and joy of a life in Christ. I am so grateful to have gone on this trip, and I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all who contributed to this mission of Christ! How can I describe this experience? Words cannot fully express what I experienced in Kenya. We all witnessed

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Mission Trip to Turkana how the Turkana face a very difficult life. They live in nature, having little to fulfill their daily needs - no houses, just tents of sticks; no system of public education; women have to carry as much as eight to ten gallons of water from a watering hole and walk for three to five miles back to their homestead. And yet, the people I met and the faces that I saw have touched my heart. At the same time, however, my heart was touched seeing and experiencing their love, compassion and hospitality towards each other and towards us. It was really amazing to see all the members of the family who would come to listen to the Word of God. Whenever we gave something to a child, the first thing he would do is run to find somebody else to share it with. Syndia, a 12 year old girl from Katanaruk said, “I want to be like the Good Samaritan to help my people. Are you coming to help me do that?” A 13 year old girl whom I named Teacher, said, “I would like to go to school to study and become a teacher, so that I can teach the children in my village. Right now, though, we don’t have a school here.”

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During our presentations to the youth, many asked how to live according to the teachings of Jesus Christ because they struggle with the difficulties of their daily life and the reality of death that is all around them. What great lessons I have learned from these people! I saw children wandering barefoot in the desert. I saw some of these children use a crayon for the first time in their lives. I met young people with many dreams in their hearts, so eager for the light that Jesus brings. I saw women smile as they found comfort in the Word of God. I saw men listening carefully to what we had to share with them. We prayed for rain and God gave us the miracle of rain. We even had a flash flood in the river and the people thanked God for that, because this water would quench not only their thirst, but the thirst of their livestock as well. What a great experience to pray under a tarp and to thank God who blessed our coming to these people, who are in such need of the Word of God.

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Mission Trip to Turkana literal sense of the word. But all can have a concern for the missionary function of the Church; feel responsible for it; help and support it. In this respect, each diocese, each parish, and each member of the Church is involved in the missionary ministry.” Let us work together to fulfill the final commandment that Christ has given us: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” in order that “All nations may come to know and glorify Him.” We do this not because God needs us to do it, but when we allow Him to use us as His instrument to build His Kingdom, He gets the glory. People get to know Him as their Lord and we get the joy. I cannot express adequately my gratitude to God, and to all who supported our mission to Kenya and helped me to participate in this mission. Thank you. And to God be all the Glory! Witnessing the difficult reality of life in the bush, I kept reflecting on the question “Why?” I was unable to come up with an answer. When I saw the need of others around me I realized that maybe it is better to ask, “What can I do to help?” instead of “Why?” “What can I do to build His Kingdom? What can I do to help make the world a better place?” The answer that kept coming back to me was, “I will bless you…so that you shall be a blessing to others” (Gen 12:3). This is the great responsibility and privilege that God has given us. As Jesus said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” (Jn. 13:35) Indeed, the greatest need of the world is the HUNGER for GOD. Fr. Alexander Schmemman describes it this way, “Man is a hungry being. But he is hungry for God. Behind all the hunger of our life is God. All desire is finally a desire for Him.” Fr. Alexander Schmemman reflects, “Missions is the organic need and task of the Church in the world, the real meaning of the Church’s presence in history between the first and the second advents of her Lord, or in other terms, the meaning of Christian history. Obviously not all members of the Church can go and preach in the

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Real Break in New Orleans

MISSION TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS Real Break in New Orleans By: James Maccone

“Through Lenten worship we are able to participate in its ‘bright sadness,’ in the joyful repentance by which we are liberated from the mad rush, obsessive consumption, and thoughtless routines of daily life.” (Meditations for Great Lent by Vassilios Papavassiliou.) I feel the term “bright sadness” is a great way to describe my experience in New Orleans. I arrived Sunday afternoon at Louis Armstrong Airport with 13 other college students from across the country. Over the rest of the week we grew together in Christ while trying to bring love and hope to others, particularly those affected by Hurricane Katrina. However, I discovered that we did not bring Christ to New Orleans rather, we discovered that He had been there all along. Throughout the week we visited the famous French Quarter, walked down Bourbon Street and even had dinner once at Acme Oyster House. Seeing these tourist sites gave us a preliminary exposure to life in New Orleans. We were then able to experience the devastation that Hurricane Katrina wrought in the lower 9th Ward. We visited the oldest Greek Orthodox Church in North America (Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral) and viewed the Hurricane Katrina exhibit at the Presbyter Museum. We even went to Presanctified Liturgy on Wednesday night at Saint Basil’s Antiochian Church just outside of New Orleans and shared in the parish’s potluck dinner. Later, we returned to the church and chanted hymns on the Solea for almost two hours. That same night we heard about the passing of Metropolitan Philip and we all decided to meet before bed to say our evening prayers together, in his memory. In collaboration with IOCC and Habitat for Humanity, www.saintbarbara.org

we worked to renovate a house damaged by Hurricane Katrina. Our group leader from Habitat for Humanity, Spencer, gave us an introduction to various projects and we took things from there. I worked with a few others, on building a fence around the yard. From surveying the land and pouring concrete footings, to cutting and drilling in the panels, the job was completed to everyone’s satisfaction. At the same time, other groups worked inside the house replacing walls that had water damage and putting in insulation to prevent future damage. While working we met residents of neighboring homes. One young resident Ralph, later came over to help. Everyone was so kind and grateful that our usual feelings of trepidation were lost. We became preoccupied instead with all the virtue that we were able to “cast off the burdensome baggage of our worldly and often complex lifestyles.” Street performers played music and spoke with such happiness and love. God’s glory was revealed in everything we did and everywhere we went. Coming home was sad; just like coming home from church or summer camp. Now is the time to learn from our experience and benefit from the retreat. We need to remember and bring that good back with us and into our daily lives. We cannot forget how wonderful God truly is. Only then can we become renewed and feel that sense of peace. Children are innocent partly because they see the good in everything and in doing so they see God. As we get older we slowly begin to see only the bad, and so we lose sight of God. We become immersed in material and worldly concerns, forgetting everything God has given us. This trip provided me the opportunity to see things as if I were a child again. Winter 2015 / The Ministry • 17

Real Break in New Orleans - Saint Barbara Camp Counselor Appication Form It was, I felt, a true blessing to spend my Spring Break in New Orleans with a group of such wonderful people. Together we experienced the city’s culture; witnessed firsthand the destruction of Hurricane Katrina; chanted beautiful hymns; assisted in constructing a family’s home; and above all, made friendships that will last forever. I am extremely grateful to have been a part of such a humbling and revitalizing experience. For this I have the Kulis Foundation and Father Peter, along with my home parish of Saint Barbara’s Greek Orthodox Church to thank, for all of their support. Thank you to Daniel Christopoulos, Deacon Paul Kalina, Danielle Xanthos, and OCF Director Jen Nahas for their leadership during our trip. And lastly, a great thanks to my new friends and extended family, Nicole, Basil, Andrew, Maria, Andrew, Elizabeth, Nike, Eddie, Maria, Maro, Serena, Mary, and Sarah. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to build such wonderful relationships. It was truly an amazing experience.

Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church

Summer Camp 2015 June 29 - July 3

Counselor Application Form (Counselors must have completed the 8th Grade)

Name: _________________________________ Address: _______________________________ City: ___________________________________ State: _____________ Zip: ________________ Phone: _________________________________ E-mail: _________________________________ Age: ________ Date of Birth: ___________ Shirt Size: _____________________________

Registration: $40.00 Please note that Counselors will be required to attend one informational meeting prior to the beginning of Camp and must complete a Camp Health Form.

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Service in Action - The Community Dining Room

SERVICE IN ACTION THE COMMUNITY DINING ROOM Community Dining Room By: Andrianna Papadimitriou

By definition, a mission is an assigned task or duty. Missionaries, however, are not only those who Christianize others and spread the word of God. Missionaries also do the work of God. This is present in various community service projects in which our church, GOYA in particular, partakes - specifically, the Community Dining Room. The Community Dining Room in Branford is a place where those who do not have enough food to eat can come and have a freshly prepared meal. Additionally, the Community Dining Room provides a warm, comforting, nurturing and uplifting environment to those who come. They however, cannot open their doors unless there are volunteers like our GOYAns, preparing; serving; and cleaning up after the meal.

Room, they are not preaching about our faith. They are in fact doing God’s work. “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink…” Matthew 25: 35-36. Therefore, missions are more than simply converting people. They are using what we have learned from scripture and applying it to our own lives and the lives of others.

In a four hour timespan the food must be prepared; the tables set; each course served typically salad, main course, and dessert; each table cleaned; dishes washed; and the kitchen back in order to the way it was found upon arrival. A lot of time and effort is put into serving a lunch to those in need at the Community Dining Room. However, the reward that comes from this cannot be matched. The look of joy on people’s faces when they taste what our GOYAns have prepared is immeasurable. The GOYAns have experienced people “happy crying” because their food moved them so. They have experienced people, on multiple occasions, coming into the kitchen and personally thanking them. The reward that comes from this experience is powerful because you can see the light you bring to the lives of others. When GOYA sends volunteers to the Community Dining www.saintbarbara.org

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Service in Action: The Ronald McDonald House

SERVICE IN ACTION RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE GOYAns as Missionaries: Bringing Joy to Children in Need By: Andrianna Papadimitriou

Each year in February, our GOYAns travel to Build-aBear Workshop to create unique teddy bears for children currently residing at the Ronald McDonald House in New Haven. Although making these bears is fun for our GOYAns, delivering the bear is an entirely different experience. Delivering the bears takes courage, compassion, patience and understanding. It is hard for anyone to see people struggling. It is especially hard to see children in pain. The residents at the Ronald McDonald House are children stricken with cancer, along with their families.

In creating and distributing these bears to the residents of the Ronald McDonald House the GOYAns embark on a form of mission. We all have been taught to be kind to one another by showing this type of kindness to others. And in so doing we are doing the work of God. In Ephesians 4:32 it says, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” By being compassionate towards others and taking time of out of our hectic day-to-day lives, we are following in Christ’s footsteps.

Imagine packing up your life and moving into a tiny apartment in a strange city in order to try to save the life of your child, sibling, etc. What is a reality for those residents is something that cannot be entirely understood by our GOYAns or anyone who hasn’t experienced it firsthand. There is pain, suffering, prayer, and hope. The purpose of delivering the bears is to put a smile on the face of a child who is undergoing various treatments including surgery, chemotherapy, etc. The bear is a gift to the child that will hopefully be there with them to comfort them along their way. The bear serves as much more however. The bear is there to show that even at a time when they feel alone, they are not. There will always be someone else there with them. In addition, the bear is also a reminder of the joy that life can bring, even in hard times. Finally, the bear also serves as GOYA’s blessings to the children and their families.

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Mission Trip to Appalachia

MISSION TRIP TO APPALACHIA Appalachia Service Project

By: Caliope Kaiser For those who may not know, the Appalachia Service Project, ASP, is a community service trip in which teenagers around the country travel to less fortunate areas to help build or fix houses, porches, trailers, roofs, walls, or pretty much any other task around a home you can imagine. In the summer of 2014, 217 teenagers and adults, including myself, piled onto buses and began the long, grueling nine-hour ride to Johnson City, Tennessee. Before we began our journey, Alida, the pastor of Greenfield Hill Church that sponsored this trip, read a prayer to bless all of us, “Christ has no body now on earth but ours, no hands but ours, no feet but ours.Ours are the eyes through which the compassion of Christ is to look out on a hurting world. Ours are the feet with which He is to go about doing good. Ours are the hands with which He is to bless now. Let it be so. Amen.” This prayer was repeated various times throughout the week long trip, and I believe, perfectly portrays the connection between what I have learned in Sunday School and in Church. I used my previous knowledge to work together with my crew, and build the homeowner John, a fantastic porch. Although my sister Anna and I were the only Greek Orthodox Christians on the entire trip and despite the fact that everyone had different beliefs and faiths, we all worked together following Christ’s path. Because in the end, we were all on this trip for the same reason, to help families in need. I did not look at being one of the only Greek Orthodox volunteers as a bad thing, but as a chance to share my beliefs with others around me, and to represent the love and faith that we practice in church. This not only brought me closer to my crew members, but to God by doing His will and spreading His word. www.saintbarbara.org

After having this amazing experience, meeting new people and getting to know them and their different lives, I am so thankful to God, even more so than before, for all that he has blessed me with. My eyes were opened and I had an amazing opportunity to take what I’ve been learning so many years in a classroom, and actually apply it in the world. I strongly enourage each and every one of you to go out and follow God’s footsteps because not only what we learn in church, but also outside of church, shows us how to be good Christians. God Moments “God moments. It’s a new piece of lingo for most people who go on the trip for the first time, not a phrase that most of them have kicked around a whole lot in the hallways of the high school or on the Metro North. The first night at ASP this year, our young, cheerful, college-aged staffperson gathered our group together and asked “So, any God moments today?” The freshmen all turned bewildered faces toward me, wondering why I hadn’t covered this in the orientations. Then they got it and they started looking. Each day they started listening for God, watching for God. At the end of the week, as the bus pulled out of the parking lot - I rode on the freshmen bus -- a chorus of voices from the back of the bus said “Alida, Alida, come here, come here, we want to tell you all our God moments this week!” And here was one. Here was a God moment that one freshman girl experienced. For her crew, it had been a tough week. The home they were working on was in particularly bad shape, so bad that there were a lot Continued on the next page. Winter 2015 / The Ministry • 21

Orthodox Appalachia Service Project of moments where they had to wonder whether what they were doing would make enough of a difference.

Orthodox Appalachia Service Project By: Tess Grimaldi

They were putting on a new roof and they were installing siding, but the home had been through a lot. They worried whether their fixes would be enough. And it was tough because the dad of the home worked all day, so they hadn’t had a chance to get to meet him. The young mom and her kids were mostly at the grandma’s house and were also unavailable.

As many members of our parish are already aware, a handful teenagers from our Saint Barbara parish participate in an annual service project known as the Appalachian Service project, or ASP. This year’s trip was to West Virginia in July. There were five members of Saint Barbara’s youth who participated, along with Orthodox teenagers from other parishes throughout Connecticut and New York.

Then came Friday, the Fourth of July. Joe, the dad, had the day off, so he and his wife, Amy, came to the house to help our kids. Then this happened - Amy was helping our kids with the siding. She said, “My daddy left this house to me. It was in terrible shape, and he knew that. But before he died he told me that it was his greatest hope that somehow it could be fixed, and it could be my home, his daughter’s home, and his grandchildren could grow up here. After he died, I was in despair, because we didn’t have the money to fix it. And I prayed, I prayed so hard. I prayed to God in heaven and my daddy there with him.”

On our way to West Virginia we attended the Divine Liturgy at St. Mary’s Orthodox Church in Bluefield, WV. The priest and parish were very welcoming, and the service was a wonderful start to the week. From there we headed to a hotel to spend the night before our second and final day of traveling. Upon arrival at the center in Mingo County, we settled into the living space that would become our home for five days. We spent the week in a school facility that we all helped to maintain and clean.

“And the day that I was at my lowest, that was the day that the people from ASP came and knocked on my door.” “You,” she said to our kids, “You are the answer to my prayers. You are the ones sent by God and by my daddy who still loves me.” And those kids, those kids who hadn’t been sure they were doing enough or making a difference, those kids suddenly knew that they were the answer to someone’s prayer. Suddenly they knew that they, in this situation, were the hands of God. That was their God moment; the one they took home with them and are still talking about.” Taken from the Sermon Alida Ward Pastor of Greenfield Hill Church in Fairfield The story that she shares is that of Anna Kaiser From Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church - Orange, CT

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On Monday each team headed out to our designated families’ homes to begin the week’s work. Over the course of my particular group’s week, we laid tile flooring in two rooms and a bathroom; installed sheetrock; and installed trim to the ceiling of the boy’s room. While it was hard work, it rarely felt that way since we were too busy having a great time doing it! After our work was done and we said our goodbyes to our new friends we began our journey home, stopping along the way at Hershey Park to celebrate our hard work. The next day brought us full circle as we attended the Sunday celebration of the Divine Liturgy at St. Michael’s Orthodox Church in St. Clair, PA. Then it was straight home to be reunited with waiting parents and family. Though it was my third year of participation in the program, the experience was no less valuable. In fact, I would be willing to say that this time was one of the most gratifying of the three. The service itself seemed to benefit me just as much as it did the family whose house I was repairing. Not only that, but outside the worksite I was surrounded by wonderful people who I would not hesitate to call my friends. Winter 2015/The Ministry • 22

Orthodox Appalachia Service Project Even the ASP staff members made me feel appreciated and valued every day. This past summer’s trip was an altogether invaluable and unforgettable experience, and I know that the same can be said for just about anyone who was with me or who has spent a week with ASP. The Saint Barbara Parishioners who participated in the 2014 Orthodox Appalachian Service Project were Diamantis Kefalas, Paul DeBassio, Philip Ellis, Irina Tsifloglou, Napoleon Tsiflogou and Tess Grimaldi.

Orthodox Appalachian Service Project 2015 July 11 - July 19, 2015 Led by: Fr. Luke Mihaly and Fr. David Cochran Interested in Volunteering to be part of the Orthodox ASP Team contact the Saint Barbara Church Office.

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Odyssey Festival 2014

Odyssey Festival 2014 The annual Saint Barbara Odyssey Festival on Labor Day weekend serves as a wonderful opportunity for Greeks and those who love Greek food, music, dance and crafts, to flock to our Church’s grounds and experience the four-day feast. It is at this festival that all five senses are activated - taste, touch, sight, sound and smell - by the wonderful Greek cuisine, music and dancing. The festival, attracts well over 10,000 visitors a day and provides the perfect end to the summer season. Our guests enjoy the wonderful Greek cuisine, Greek pastries, Greek marketplace, Greek music and dancing, not to mention the Church tours and lectures, choir presentations and perusing the book and icon store. Most of all, our guests enjoy the tremendous hospitality offered to them by the Saint Barbara parishioners. Many thanks to the hundreds of volunteers that work tirelessly throughout the summer and Festival weekend ensuring that our visitors enjoy a wonderful experience. It would not be successful without your assistance and care. The following pages only begin to highlight much of the fun shared by all, throughout the weekend. To view even more photos, visit the Church’s website at: http://www.saintbarbara.org/multimedia/photos To view a video created by Alex Yates called: Odyssey 2014: A Video Journey Go to the Saint Barbara You Tube Channel at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NULA7vGbVnE

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Odyssey Festival 2014

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Odyssey Festival 2014

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Odyssey Festival 2014

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Odyssey Festival 2014

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A Taste of Greece 2015 St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church Presents

Μια γεύση από Ελλάδα • Μια γεύση από Ελλάδα • aΜια γεύση από Ελλάδα • Μιαγεύση από Ελλάδα • Μια γεύση απόTaste Ελλάδα • Μια γεύση από Ελλάδα of • Μιαγεύση από Ελλάδα • Μιαγεύση από Ελλάδα • Μια γεύση Greece από Ελλάδα • Μια γεύση από Ελλάδα • Μια γεύση από Ελλάδα • Μια γεύση από Ελλάδα • Μια γεύση από Ελλάδα come join us for • Μια γεύση από Ελλάδα γεύση Homemade delicacies απόAuthentic Ελλάδα • Μια γεύση από from appetizers to από desserts: Ελλάδα • Μια γεύση Ελλάδα a souvlaki, spanokopita, pastitsio, baklava, galaktoboureko and more!

saturday, 2013 saturday,march maY 2,9,2015 1111am amto to 9pm pm st. barbara SOCIAL hall 480 Racebrook Road, Orange www.saintbarbara.org

Eat-in or Take-out www.saintbarbara.org

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Saint Barbara Parish - Walk For Missions

Pictured above are the participants in Saint Barbara Parish’s Walk for Missions

Saint Barbara Parish - Walk For Missions By: Tony Delos, Missions Committee Chairperson

The autumn weather was near perfect for our parish’s inaugural Walk For Missions. Participants enjoyed temperature in the mid-fifties, sunshine, and a light breeze for this special fundraiser to benefit the Orthodox Christian Missions Center (OCMC). With more than a month of publicity in the Sunday Bulletin and around the parish, anticipation for the event finally came to fruition on Sunday, October 26, following the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. Walkers were treated to a virtual cornucopia of refreshments to ensure suitable energy boosts, as well as special T-shirts sporting a design selected by Father Peter to commemorate the occasion. Once the official group pictures were “ceremoniously” taken, and an appropriate blessing bestowed, the multilap peripatetic journey around the church campus was embarked upon with great vigor and enthusiasm. A fun time was expressed by all walkers and like many firstwww.saintbarbara.org

time events ideas for increasing future participation and success were being formulated in conversations stimulated by the walk itself. The dedicated and gracious staff members at OCMC also provided some wonderful suggestions, including the adoption of a specific missionary family with whom our parish can sow the seeds of correspondence that we might keep apprised of activities in their specific mission field. This would establish an outstanding means of personalizing our focus and is certain to generate great interest within our Saint Barbara community. The parish missions committee will explore some polling processes that may offer parishioners opportunity to get more acquainted with the various OCMC missions. There are many areas requiring our faithful support, including: Albania, Ghana, Guatemala, Kenya, Mexico, Moldova, Tanzania, Uganda and The United States of America. You may recall reading about several of those mission Winter 2015/The Ministry • 30

Saint Barbara Parish - Walk For Missions fields to which our very own Steven Sarigianis has dedicated his time and talent. Steve has worked on four different continents during his seminary studies at HCHC over the past two years. And of course, this time last year we enjoyed worship in the Divine Liturgy alongside Ana Baba of Albania. Ana was in New Haven studying for the mission work she would be performing upon return to her homeland. Our congregation provided contributions to her appeal for support for a short-term mission to Kenya in March 2014 and Ana is pictured in the latest edition of OCMC’s Mission magazine. You will find copies of it and other editions of the magazine on our missions information table in the downstairs classroom area. Details about mission locations and families in the field are readily available and provided for your consideration. OCMC is the official missions agency of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States and has been sanctioned to help the faithful of North America proclaim the fullness of the Orthodox Christian Faith. Each year hundreds of Orthodox Christians answer the call to make disciples of all nations through one of OCMC’s many initiatives. Consider joining an OCMC Orthodox Mission Team in 2015. Mission Teams serve our Holy Orthodox Church’s unending mission effort that all people may come to know the saving love of our Lord. Among the many opportunities available volunteers can become living witnesses in Guatemala through outreach work with the community in Nueva Concepcion to restore facilities to a senior center and offer outreach to surrounding communities; Teach religious education at two Orthodox church schools in Indonesia and offer catechism to the faithful in Medan. Team applications and details are also available online at www.ocmc.org or by calling the OCMC at 1.877.463.6787 (ext 142) for more information. Team members must travel on scheduled dates. Air travel will be coordinated with team leader and the OCMC. Ground transportation will be provided. Team members are encouraged to raise the additional funds to cover the cost of domestic and international travel. The parish missions committee welcomes all members of our church community. So please join our own collective effort to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19) www.saintbarbara.org

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Saint Barbara Community Center

Consider Renting The Saint Barbara Community Center for your next Family Celebration Weddings - Baptisms Anniversaries - Birthdays Call the Church Office For more details 203-795-1347

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Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival

ORATORICAL FESTIVAL Young Greek Orthodox Orators Compete By Steven Yates

Saint Barbara Parish On Saturday, March 8, 2014, Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox church in Orange held its annual Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival. This event, part of a national program, provides a venue for young people to speak publicly on topics of faith. Students in grades 7-12 compete in two divisions and younger students speak non competitively. A record twenty-one students participated in this year’s parish festival, which featured speakers from Grade 3 to Grade 11. The twelve Elementary Division speakers were Ana DeBassio, Kassiani Nicolakis, Giovanna Gonzalez, John Dalakas, Tennyson DeLos, Stephen Hojnowski, Irena Komninakas, Alexis Agapiou, Andreas Lolis, Eleni Wagner, Gia Dalakas, and Ephemia Nicolakis. The two Junior Division speakers were Katerina Spanolios and Paul DeBassio. The four Senior Division speakers were Paige Bullock, Emma Cowper, Peter Kaouris and Diamantis Kefalas. In addition to the young orators, this year the festival included a chance to highlight the skill of young essayists and poets. Saint Barbara had Junior Division poetry entries by Peter DeBassio and George Antonellis. A crowd of more than 80 spectators was treated to 19 speeches from the young people. These outstanding students demonstrated a love for, and deep knowledge of their Orthodox faith. Some of the speeches were personal. Some were informative. Some were deeply passionate. All of them were well-received. Two panels of expert judges had the difficult task of www.saintbarbara.org

determining the Parish Finalists. The finalist speakers were Katerina Spanolios and Paul DeBassio in the Junior Division (grades 7-9) and Paige Bullock and Emma Cowper in the Senior Division (grades 10-12). They were invited to compete at the District III oratorical festival to be held at Saint George Cathedral in Hartford on April 5. Peter DeBassio’s poem “Christianity in the 21st Century” was submitted directly to the Direct Archdiocesan District (Metropolis-level) festival that was held at Saint Paul Cathedral in Hempstead, New York on May 10. District III The District III festival brought together speakers from five different parishes in Connecticut and New York. Seven Junior Division speakers and five Senior Division speakers, who had all been selected as finalists at their parish-level competitions, presented their speeches. From this group only two district-level finalists per division would be invited to compete at the Metropolislevel competition. The quality of all of the speeches was excellent. All four of the speakers from Saint Barbara parish were selected as finalists. This impressive “sweep” of both divisions meant that Katerina Spanolios, Paul DeBassio, Paige Bullock and Emma Cowper would all be competing in Hempstead, New York on May 10 for a chance to go to the Archdiocese festival national finals. Direct Archdiocesan District (Metropolis-level) The competition intensified as finalists from four district competitions gathered in Hempstead. The four District III finalists, all from Saint Barbara, were joined Winter 2015/The Ministry • 36

Saint John Chyrsostom Oratorical Festival was selected as the Junior Division finalist! He would be joined in Cleveland by Christina Hanos of Saints Constantine and Helen Church in West Nyack, New York. Archdiocese Festival - National Finals

Pictured are (left to right): Paul DeBassio, Emma Cowper, Paige Bullock, Katerina Spanolios

by finalists who had been successful at the District I competition at Saints Constantine and Helene Cathedral in Brooklyn, New York, the District II competition at Saint Paraskevi Church in Greenlawn and the District IV competition at Saint Sophia Cathedral in Washington, DC. The four districts included a total of sixty-one churches, although not every church included in the four districts participated in the oratorical festival. Eight Junior Division speakers and eight Senior Division speakers presented their speeches. Only one speaker in each division advanced to the Archdiocese festival in Cleveland, Ohio. It must be said, that as the competition proceeded from parish to district to metropolis level, the quality of the speeches increased dramatically. Even though the speakers must present the same speech at each level, their presentations became much more polished and confident. At the metropolis level, all of the speeches were delivered almost flawlessly with great feeling and technique. Being judged a finalist at this level is as much a function of what the judges may be looking for in terms of the emotional tone or depth of scholarship in content as it is the quality of the speech and its delivery.

The Metropolis of Pittsburgh hosted the archdiocese festival at the Annunciation Church in Cleveland, Ohio. His Eminence Bishop Savas offered the opening prayer and some inspirational remarks prior to the competition. There were nine speakers in each division representing each metropolis of the archdiocese. A panel of highly qualified judges and a crowd of well over a hundred spectators were treated to 18 excellent orations on topics ranging from race relations to the role of social media in today’s culture. At the gala luncheon that followed the speeches, the competitors and their families nervously awaited the decision of the judges. Dr. Anton Vrame, the Director of Religious Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America announced the decision and presented the awards and prizes. The first prize was awarded to Christina Hanos in the Senior Division and Alexandra Nichols of Annunciation Church in Cranston, Rhode Island, Metropolis of Boston, in the Junior Division. Saint Barbara’s own Paul DeBassio was awarded third place. Paul’s excellent effort was supported by his family, and Saint Barbara parishioners, who were in attendance, as well as by his fellow Saint Barbara parish competitors and Sunday School teachers and many others who watched his performance online. We congratulate Paul and his family on this outstanding achievement. It should also be noted that Christina Hanos, the only competitor who was judged above the two Saint Barbara Senior Division competitors in the Metropolis-level competition, was awarded First Place in the Archdiocese. Congratulations to all of the competitors and their families.

All four speakers from Saint Barbara parish performed superbly. In the end, Paul DeBassio, of Saint Barbara www.saintbarbara.org

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Saint John Chysostom Oratorical Festival Topic: “I am an Orthodox Christian living in the 21st century.” What does this phrase mean to you? by: Paul DeBassio It is very common to see wavering faith as one of the most prominent issues found in today’s society, mainly due to several distractions that we encounter on a daily basis. The reign of social media has taken over most of our everyday lives, and we feel that there is some sort of inseparable attachment to it that prevents us from performing our duties as Orthodox Christians. But first, what is an Orthodox Christian? A dictionary definition would be something along the lines of “A form of Christianity maintained by the Eastern Orthodox Church”, but we, as Orthodox Christians, can define it as something much more profound. Belonging to the Orthodox faith is something much more than just attending the Pascha services that happen only once a year. It is a lifelong devotion of both one’s mind and body, and to be physically and spiritually involved within the church. In Matthew 25:35, Christ teaches us to feed the hungry, welcome strangers, clothe the naked, visit the sick, and comfort those in need as ways to exemplify good Christian values and ethics. In the world we live in today, trying to look, feel, and act like those in the entertainment world has completely consumed much of our society. These types of “role models” are corrupting the innocent, yet intelligent minds of our younger generations. Not very often do you hear a teenager update their facebook status or twitter feed about a miracle surgery performed by a world renowned surgeon. You would be more likely to hear about something senseless and idiotic like what color someone had dyed their hair, or what they had for dinner last night. Although life-saving surgeons have such a great impact on the world, they never get the same recognition that a pop star, like Kim Kardashian would get for just being born into a rich family. This way of thinking can be directly related to the way people have little to no accountability when it comes to expressing their devotion towards the church and the principles it teaches. It could be something as simple as doing our cross before eating a meal. We know that it is the right thing to do, but we feel that because our friends are around, we would be thought of as “different” and

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wouldn’t fit in. Many people nowadays even consider Sunday to be “just another day off ” and won’t even consider going to church. My papou, on the other hand, grew up in Greece where Orthodox practices were considered the norm. Religion was taught in school, and children even had daily prayers, which is something found only in some private schools in the United States. I am fortunate enough to attend one of these schools where religion can be expressed and mentioned without feeling uncomfortable. Overall, it is a challenge to be an Orthodox Christian in the 21st century. Influences from our friends and social media make us feel almost alienated when it comes to religious practices. Many Orthodox Christians don’t exemplify the true, holy lifestyle that we should be living every day of our lives, mainly because we feel “held back” due to those of different beliefs. Our grandparents and great-grandparents from Greece never truly had to experience the challenges that our generation endures on a daily basis when it comes to religion. Native Greeks grew up in an environment in which Orthodoxy was the norm, and part of their daily life. I am thankful that my church is such a big part of my life, which makes me feel comfortable expressing my religious beliefs to my friends with different religious backgrounds. Although there are challenges, being an Orthodox Christian in the 21st century is of great value to me, and I can’t imagine being brought up any other way.

Topic: Saint Paul writes, “God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your strength” (1 Corinthians 10:13, NRSV). What are some times in your life in which you have experienced the truthfulness of Saint Paul’s statements? by: Katerina Spanolios St. Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians, “God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your strength.” Facing temptation is something all Christians have to do. How we respond to these temptations is what brings us closer to God. The devil tries to tempt us every day, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Every night when I say Lord’s prayer I say, “Lead us not into

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Saint John Chyrsostom Oratorical Festival temptation, but deliver us from evil.” God has faith in us to resist these temptations from the devil. I believe God knows our limits and never gives us something we cannot handle. This year brought a lot of changes into my life. I started junior high school which means I was given independence and responsibility. My parents trust me with having a cell phone, and being home alone with my brother after school. With my new independence came temptation. At my new school this year, I met a lot of new people. Many girls often talk about each other behind their backs. I know gossip isn’t right, but I was tempted by peer pressure to join in. I knew that doing this was wrong and I felt guilty. I have made many close friends now and avoid gossip. Myself relationship with my parents is very important to me, and I always want their trust. Sometimes I am tempted to lie to them or to disobey them and I know it is wrong. Thankfully, my strong faith in God allows me to resist these temptations. When I am tempted, I think to myself; what would Christ want me to do? Being a good Orthodox Christian is very important to me. Sometimes temptations affect my faith. Due to my busy commitments after school, including homework, projects, and sports, I often am tempted to forget my prayers. Sometimes on Sundays, the devil tries to convince me that these other activities are more important than going to church. Then, I remember that God won’t give me anything I can’t handle. I know that going to church and praying should be my main priority. In December of 2012, my mother was diagnosed breast cancer. This was a very difficult time. I found myself thinking; why did God let this happen to my mom? We’re good people. We go to church. We pray. My faith helped me get through this emotional roller coaster. I know the devil was trying to get me to doubt God. Instead, my faith became stronger. I knew God was with us during this difficult time. My mother sailed through her treatments. God’s faith in me, helped me become a better daughter, sister, and Christian. Our friends and family supporting us were a sign of God’s faith. The doctors’ treatments my mom went through were all because of God. God did not tempt me beyond my strength. I know the years to come will also be full of temptation.

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In a few years I will be in high school. I know my faith will keep me strong. God’s faith in me will allow me to resist the temptation of drugs, alcohol, and other peer pressures. I know that prayer will give me the strength that I need to deliver me from evil.

Topic: Fifty years after some of the landmark events of the American Civil Rights movement, racism and discrimination persist in American life. How should an Orthodox Christian respond? by: Emma Cowper When you meet someone for the first time, what is the first thing you notice? Is it their smile? Their clothing? The color of their skin? Human beings have a tendency to judge those around them based on a first impression, frequently dictated by appearance, be it their expressions, their clothing, or their skin color. Half a century after the American Civil Rights movement, many people still negatively judge others based solely on race. As Orthodox Christians, we should combat this by remembering that God made all humans equal and of His own image, and we are all loved equally in His eyes regardless of racial or ethnic differences. We should all treat one another with the utmost respect, for every person is a creation of God. In the 1960s, nearly a century after the American Civil War, activists across the country were protesting against the unequal and unjust treatment of African Americans. Famous figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks defended their rights as American citizens, and their leadership marked a path that has allowed significant decreases of racism in our country. Fifty years later, America’s first black president is in his second term. In many ways our country is quite progressive, but it would be a lie to say that racism does not still exist. However, anybody can stand up for equal rights regardless of their ethnic background. Archbishop Iakovos was one of the few non-African American religious figures who had the courage and persistence to march alongside Dr. King. When asked about his passion for the cause, he replied, “We have fought oppressive and repressive political regimes, based on Christian

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Saint John Chysostom Oratorical Festival principles, for centuries…a Christian must cry out in indignation against all persecution. That’s what made me walk with Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma, Alabama. We are all responsible, and must continue to speak out.” Archbishop Iakovos should serve as an example for other Orthodox Christians; as he said we must speak out against persecution. We are all equal in God’s eyes and thus should treat one another with respect and love. A few years ago, my mother told me a story about my older brother when he was a young child. She had arrived to pick him up from Kindergarten and found him standing with a few friends of his, comparing the colors of all their arms. Not judging or discriminating anyone based on this, but simply noticing the differences and moving on. As children they acknowledged the fact that they all looked different, but did not see any problem with it, and continued to laugh and play as children do. Racism is not something you are born with. It is something you are taught, something that is impressed upon you by those around you. As Orthodox Christians, we must not only speak out against racism but also remember that everything we do impresses the younger generation and we must be careful to be fair and loving at all times, toward all people, for the benefit of the next generation, and to remember that God knows everything we do and everything we think, and we must remind ourselves and one another to refrain from discrimination of anybody. Atticus Finch, a character from one of my favorite books, To Kill a Mockingbird, says “there’s something in our world that makes men lose their heads—they couldn’t be fair if they tried.” However, I firmly believe that, as Orthodox Christians, we can use our faith as a guide to help us to acknowledge our differences, treat one another equally, and to cry out in indignation against all persecution.

Topic: Discuss a time when you experienced the presence of God, whether in church, in nature, or in other circumstances. by: Paige Bullock This letter that I present before you is a letter to God to thank Him for all he has helped me through and let Him

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know how much faith I have in Him. I hope that after I read this to you, you will believe in him and have as much assurance in him as I do. Dear God, As I get older, I look back to my past and become more appreciative of what you have done for me. At night, I like to look up to the sky, and admire the wondrous stars You have made for us. I think about all the times you were there for me and every time, sixth grade is drawn back to my memory. That was the year that I lost the three girls that I thought were my best friends and I felt as if I had lost myself. Yet, even when I was all alone, I always had your presence. I was often made fun of through my years of elementary school for my crooked teeth, my absent-mindedness and my quiet personality. It hurt at times but it never actually severed my self esteem there were three girls at one time; not just individuals. They would purposely not invite me to hangout with them but when they did, I wished that they didn’t. They would heartlessly tease me, harass me, or simply pretend I wasn’t even there. Finally, they decided that they didn’t need me anymore and I was on my own. I felt unimportant, hopeless, and I ached of loneliness. I thought that all hope was lost, Lord. How was I supposed to get through this summer and start off junior year by myself ? I prayed to You every night that it would get better and before I knew it You were there. A girl that I have never noticed before in my entire life of going to Sunday school complemented me on my jacket (which later I found out she didn’t even like) and became my only friend through the summer time. A few weeks later, I received an invitation in the mail from a girl that I have never talked to before. After that day, I met my four other best friends that kept me confident and determined in the two years of junior high. I still have two of those girls as my best friends today and I don’t believe that I would ever be where I am without them. We learn from each other’s mistakes and give love to one another through heart-break when it feels like no one else is there. We’ve helped each other with countless obstacles and we’ll stick by each other with all the more in the future.

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2015 Saint John Chyrsostom Oratorical Festival Topics I’ve realized that life doesn’t get any easier. In fact, it gets tougher. That’s why you have given us little things called faith and magic to believe in. Times can become immensely difficult for everyone and as humans, sometimes we feel like we should give up or lose faith in what we believe in because that’s easier than pushing through. With all that I have been through and all that I am going through now, I know that it’s not easy, but I also know that anything is possible through You, Lord. You’re the one who has given us life and everything good and bad about us. You’re the one who has given us everyone we love to help us through our difficulties and heal us in times of need. I know you are always there for

me and that’s why I believe that miracles are real. Each year I acquire more faith in You and see all the beauties that You have blessed us with. However, Your presence is the most beautiful of them all. I want to say thank you, Lord, for giving me those rough times that have molded me into a stronger person. I would not be able to overcome what I am today if it wasn’t for those times. I sincerely hope that some day, everyone will have that ability to open their mind and eyes and recognize the magic of life and the abilities that You have as I do. If they do, we can all be faithful and strong through the hands of You and the world.

2015 Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival Topics Junior Division (Grades 7–9) 1. The theme of the 2014 Clergy-Laity Congress was “The Orthodox Christian family: A dwelling of Christ and a witness of His Gospel.” Discuss how today’s Orthodox Christian families can strive to live according to this ideal. 2. St. Paul writes, “An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules” (2 Timothy 2:5). Discuss the virtue of honesty in a time when cheating in school, sports, and other activities is reported more and more. 3. Discuss the Orthodox Christian practice of fasting from certain foods and the spiritual discipline it teaches, especially in light of the Lord’s directive in Matthew 6:16–18. 4. Malala Yousafzai is an inspirational example of fighting fearlessly for a noble cause in spite of threats against her life. Discuss a young saint or person from the Bible who illustrates such courage. 5. Several leaders in the political and religious arena have been described as people with a prophetic gift. What really is a prophet? Discuss their actions in light of the Old Testament prophets and in comparison to other contemporary examples. Senior Division (Grades 10–12) 1. The Lord said, “I was in prison and you came to me” (Matthew 25:36). What does this teach us about our attitudes toward those in jails and imprisoned? 2. Psalm 50 (51) begins, “Have mercy on me, O Lord...” It is considered the psalm of repentance. Discuss how praying this psalm might affect our understanding of repentance, confession, and forgiveness. 3. Women apostles, martyrs, and saints have spread the Gospel and advanced the Church from the beginning of Christianity. Discuss the significance of their roles and examples for all Christians today. 4. The St. Nicholas Church at Ground Zero, which was destroyed on September 11, 2001, is soon to be rebuilt. Discuss the ways in which this tiny church building will now become a symbol of the universal themes of victory over evil; healing and hope; and being a beacon of Orthodox Christianity. 5. Using the parable of the poor widow’s offering to the Temple (Luke 21:1–4), discuss the Orthodox Christian attitude of offering to the Church’s ministries.

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Special Delivery from Constantinople

Special Delivery from Constantinople During this year’s Saint Barbara parish Oratorical Festival, one of our young parishioners, Andreas Lolis, spoke about the plight of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew. Andreas was the only one who chose to speak on this particular topic. His speech and that of other presenters, were recorded by one of his fellow speakers, Ephemia Nicolakis. Meanwhile a world away, her dad, Theo Nicolakis, in his role as the Chief Information Officer of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, was in a meeting at the Ecumenical Patriarchcate in Constantinople planning for the historic meeting between the Pope and Patriarch in Jerusalem.

Above: Note from His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew. Below: (left to right) Theo Nicolakis, Elpida Lolis, Andreas Lolis, Nicholas Lolis, Elias Lolis and Steven Yates.

During his visit, Theo had the special blessing and privilege to meet privately with His All Holiness. During this meeting he took the opportunity to play the video of Andreas’ speech for the Patriarch. His All Holiness was himself, deeply moved and inspired by Andreas’ presentation and prepared for Andreas, a special handwritten message. The message was hand-delivered by Theo to Andreas (see the picture above) on his return to Connecticut. www.saintbarbara.org

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Trip to Hellenic College Holy Cross School of Theology

TRIP TO HELLENIC COLLEGE HOLY CROSS SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY Trip to Hellenic College Holy Cross By: Valentina Lott

On Saturday, September 13, 2014 Hellenic College Holy Cross held the first annual Convocation to inaugurate the new academic year and begin the celebration of the Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, President of the HCHC Board of Trustees, presided over the weekend’s events. Our enjoyable and memorable day began with an early morning departure by bus from the grounds of St. Barbara Church. Fr. Peter and Fr. Joel accompanied our group that included Fr. Nick Dassouras and his son from St. George Church in Norwalk. We received the royal treatment immediately upon our arrival at Hellenic College / Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and throughout the entire day. Our specially designated tour guide, Anthony, was most helpful and informative as we explored the campus in its setting of verdant, rolling hills. One of the many highlights of the day was the tour of the Archbishop Iakovos Library and Museum. We were able to leisurely view the numerous and varied artifacts including vestments, ancient coins, awards and gifts bestowed upon His Eminence of blessed memory. We visited Archbishop Iakovos’ gravesite. and the bookstore. We walked though classroom hallways, and admired the intricately carved woodwork in the Weld estate home, now the site of HCHC’s Administrative Offices. Students and faculty then processed into the Maliotis Cultural Center for the Convocation. The ceremonies opened with the Apolytikion of the Feast Day chanted www.saintbarbara.org

by the St. Romanos the Melodist Byzantine Choir. Fr. Nicholas Triantafilou, retiring president of Holy Cross, welcomed the assembly. The keynote speaker, Rev. Dr. Eugen Pentiuc, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, was outstanding. Citing passages from both the Old and New Testaments, Fr. Pentiuc’s dynamic speaking captivated his audience with the topic, “Let the Bridegroom Speak to You!” – how reading the Bible and prayer form two essential elements of an ongoing and spiritual dialogue between God and man. He quoted St. Jerome: “Do you pray? You speak to the Bridegroom. Do you read the Scripture? The Bridegroom speaks to you.” Fr. Pentiuc wove Job’s references to “silence” and the “whisper of God” into his speech. He shared his personal experience of how, as an immigrant from Romania with a wife and two children, Jesus’ commandment that we “ask, and it shall be given to you” made possible his attendance at Harvard University. Holy Cross students are indeed fortunate to have Fr. Pentiuc as an instructor and inspirational mentor. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, known for his keen powers of observation and recall, expounded on several of Fr. Pentiuc’s points during his speech. A reception with light refreshments followed, affording an opportunity to greet His Eminence and mingle with others. Did you know that, owing to its location on a hilltop and the height of its dome, the chapel is actually the highest point in Boston? The HCHC campus straddles the cities of Brookline and Boston. Our group visited the chapel Winter 2015 / The Ministry • 43

Trip to Hellenic College Holy Cross - Greek Independence Day Parade in NYC

and venerated the various saintly relics kept therein. Later in the afternoon, the chapel hosted the Hierarchical Vespers for the Feast Day of the Elevation of The Holy Cross, the Name Day of the school. At the end of this ceremony, male members of the senior class, including our very own Steven Sarigianis and Peter Romanovsky, each received their “Exorasson” (outer cassock) from the Archbishop and from Bishop Andonios of Phasiane, signifying that they can now preach. The female member of the senior class received a cross. AXIOI! How very proud we are of our Steven’s and Peter’s accomplishments. Congratulations to them, their parents, and to Fr. Steven and Presbytera Electra! The Rassophoria, the blessing given by the Archbishop to the senior seminarians to wear the Exorasson, has traditionally been connected to “the commission to preach the Word of God.” The Stavrophoria, the blessing by the Archbishop to wear the school cross, serves as a visible reminder to seminarians to daily take up their Cross and serve Christ. I believe I speak for all who attended in saying that we felt honored and privileged to be a part of such a special day. www.saintbarbara.org

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Saint Barbara Summer Camp 2014

Saint Barbara Summer Camp 2014 Follow You... Follow Me... Follow God. The words “to follow” means to emulate or to imitate, copy, mirror, echo, model oneself on... and this is the way we began 2014 Saint Barbara Summer Camp, by gathering together in the Church for Morning Chapel Service and praying the prayers that opened us up to God’s Love, allowing us to be imaging Him who resides in our hearts.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stbarbaragoc/sets Remember: You’re an overcomer! Hope to see you again in church soon as you continue to seek God first in all you see, say, and do in life!

Speaking of our hearts, we learned from Colossians 3.23 that whatever we do, work at it with all our heart. And that we did, as we -Staff, Counselors, Campers, Parents and Volunteers, all prepared day after day of Camp Week, to meet the daily task of seeking to find God in every lesson and experience of the day. We looked for and lived out the teachings of Christ all throughout the Camp Day. We learned to love one another and to open out hearts to the spirit of God. As each day passed by, filled with so many memorable impressions of images and instructions leading us on God’s path, we learned how to keep priorities straight, to keep God first in all we say and do. The spirit of God is the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the third person of the Holy Trinity that resides in our hearts, always keeping a place for God in us. We kept working in real time, moment by moment, sport by sport, craft project by craft project, on ways to seek, serve, submit, support, and to find salvation along the way of every moment of life. As anyone who views the Camp Photo pages or the Camp Slideshow can attest to, or even a passerby cannot help but notice the contagious Christ-like Love that is exuberant and exhibited on the faces of all who participated in the program. We hope and pray that by following the Camp Theme Scripture “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness...” Mt. 6.33, we all will follow the teachings of Jesus, our Saviour. He is the Son of the Living God, giving freely, his life, for the salvation of the world. Thanks again for another really terrific summer and for participating and for caring about the Saint Barbara Summer Camp Program. “The Follow You, Follow Me, Follow God” Summer Camp Photos may be viewed at www.saintbarbara.org

Follow You... Follow Me... Follow God “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6.33 The 2014 Summer Camp Slideshow may be viewed online at https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=pMo8s7iGt1c Don’t miss this amazing recap of fabulous moments from Summer Camp!

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Saint Barbara Summer Camp 2014

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Saint Barbara Summer Camp 2014

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Saint Barbara Summer Camp 2014

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Saint Barbara Summer Camp 2014

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Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church

Summer Camp 2015

June 29- July 3, 2015 Monday - Friday

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Register by may 1, 2015 and save 10% per camper! Registration Fee: 1 Child...........................$200 2 Children....................$370 3 Children................... $500 non-stewards............ $250 (per child) open to all children Campers: Age 4 - Age 14 0pen to counselors ages 14 and up (Counselors must have completed the 8th Grade)

Staff and counselor positions available Registration fee covers expenses for session supplies, T-Shirt, Arts & Crafts, Athletics, Snack and Lunch

Registration form available on the Parish Web Site: www.saintbarbara.org

The AHEPA Hellenic History Tournament = Horse Drawn Carriage Ride

Participants in The AHEPA Hellenic History Tournament

The Hellenic History Tournament On November 22 our local AHEPA Chapter #98 hosted the Sixth Annual Hellenic History Tournament. This year 14 teams participated. These three-person teams, representing ten chapters and five states, participated in a sudden death elimination tournament. Think you know your Greek History? Then you would have fit right in, as each round dealt with questions regarding Ancient, Byzantine or Modern Greece. The teams answered the questions posed to them, with the victor moving on to the next round.

Dabassio, Peter Kaouris and Diamantis Kefalas, who formed a team called ‘Troy Story.’ In addition to the thrill of preparing and participating, each team was competing for a first place prize of $1,000 to be awarded to each team member and a second place prize of $500 to be awarded to each team member. If you are interested in participating in next year’s tournament please speak to Fr. Peter or a member of the Saint Barbara AHEPA chapter.

The Saint Barbara community was represented by Paul

Horse Drawn Carriage Ride

Members of the Saint Barbara PATCHES and JOY groups gathered on November 8 to enjoy a horsedrawn carriage ride on the Church grounds. The horses came from a nearby farm in Orange and took the kids on a fun ride around the parish property.

The members of ‘Troy Story’ - Paul Dabassio, Peter Kaouris and Diamantis Kefalas. www.saintbarbara.org

Over fifty kids gathered with their parents for this annual event that included S’mores, hot cocoa, apple cider and other seasonal snacks, making for lots of smiles!

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Prayer Vigil for Persecuted Christian Churches in the Middle East

PRAYER VIGIL FOR PERSECUTED CHURCHES IN THE MIDDLE EAST Candlelight Prayer Vigil

Reprinted from the front page of the New Haven Register

An interfaith Candlelight Prayer Vigil was held at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut on September 17 in support of persecuted Christian churches in the Middle East and the destruction of non-Christian ethnic and religious communities there. The event was sponsored by the Quinnipiac University Department of Cultural and Global Engagement’s Office of Religious Diversity: the Catholic and Protestant Chaplaincies. The event included participation by members of the Virgin Mary & Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church in Hamden, the St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church in Orange and the St. Thomas Assyrian Church in New Britain, Conn.

“I think that it was much needed. This was something that needed a little more attention,” said Michaela Belanger, a graduate student and member of the Chaplaincy.

The Gospel of Matthew sounded across Quinnipiac University’s quad in Jesus’ language, Aramaic, as well as Greek, Arabic and English.

“We have come to this moment to say, ‘You are not alone,’ as we are not alone,” said Rabbi Reena Judd, Quinnipiac’s Jewish chaplain.

More than 100 students, faculty, staff and local residents huddled Wednesday night on the Quinnipiac University quad, the dark chill warmed by candlelight, to pray for persecuted Christians and other religious minorities in Iraq, Syria, Egypt and across the Middle East.

The Rev. Peter Orfanakos, pastor of St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church in Orange, described how three children in A.D. 126 were tortured and beheaded, becoming Christian martyrs. “This type of massacre continues to take place today in our lifetime and we cannot ignore it,” he said.

Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Coptic, Protestant and Jewish clergy offered prayers in ancient languages, the Gospel still relevant 2,000 years after it was written: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” “It was a great way to open people’s minds to remind them of the suffering of Christians in the Mideast,” said Nicholas Ruddat, a sophomore and member of the Catholic Chaplaincy, which organized the vigil. www.saintbarbara.org

The students held signs saying, “Tonight I am Egyptian. I am Christian” and “Tonight I am Iraqi. I am Catholic.” Christians, who have long been shrinking in numbers in majority Muslim nations, have come under attack by militants, especially in Iraq and Syria. The Rev. Jordan Lenaghan, Quinnipiac’s Roman Catholic chaplain, said Christians “have been knocked down and told to stay down. Tonight we will stand for them.”

He said Christians in the Mideast are subject to “vicious, brutal and barbaric attacks.” “We stand together and we pray for wisdom, for courage, for strength and for peace — heavenly peace that comes from above,” Orfanakos said. “We stand with them in solidarity and prayer and, through these lights, in hope,” said the Rev. Andrew Ober, Quinnipiac’s Protestant chaplain, as candles were lit. Winter 2015/The Ministry • 52

Prayer Vigil for Persecuted Christian Churches in the Middle East The vigil included chants in the Greek and Assyrian traditions and prayers for peace, for the persecuted and others. “We thought, what a great idea, reaching out for other people in the world, to reach out and connect, that’s kind of the basis of everything,” said Lynn Weed of Hamden. “It was a great cultural awareness kind of moment,” said Nicole Kujan, a graduate student. “It really brought awareness to the fore of how many Christian communities there are in the world and how we’re all connected.”

Reflection offered by Fr. Peter Orfanakos at the Candlelight Prayer Vigil at Quinnipiac University On this day, September 17, in the Orthodox Church we commemorate three holy children martyrs: Pistis, age 12, Elpida, age 10 and Agape, age 9 - who were tormented and then killed in the year 126 for refusing to renounce their faith in Christ. Each were tortured and then beheaded, from the eldest to the youngest in front of each other and their mother in an effort to break their resolve. Their mother Sophia mourned at their grave for three days, where she also died in peace; because of her courageous endurance in the face of her daughters’ sufferings, she is also counted as a martyr of the faith.

“Blessed are the peace makers, 
for they shall be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
 For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.” The Sermon on the Mount Matthew 5:9-12 New King James Version (NKJV)

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The name Sophia in Greek means ‘wisdom;’ and her daughter’s names translate as Faith, Hope, and Love – they continue to stand as examples of strength and courage to us all. To this day when we commemorate their feast day we are taken aback on account of the utter brutality and viciousness of their martyrdom. Yet this type of massacre continues to take place today – in our lifetime – and we cannot ignore it! We stand together in prayer this evening in unity, against terror; against the brutal, vicious and barbaric attacks being committed against humanity and Christians in the Middle East and throughout the world. We stand together, speaking in various languages, but with one voice - that of prayer. We stand together and we pray - for wisdom; for courage; for strength; and for peace, Heavenly Peace, that comes only from above. May God have mercy on us all. Amen. Winter 2015 / The Ministry • 53

Panel Discussion at Fairfield University

PANEL DISCUSSIONs AT YALE & FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITIES

Left - Right: Dr. David W. McFadden, Dr. George Demacopoulos, Rev. George Alberts and Rev. Andrew Awad.

The Presence and Role of Orthodoxy in the Middle East Fairfield University hosted a very informative and timely panel discussion on the presence and role of Orthodoxy in the Middle East on April 24, 2014. The event that was co-sponsored by the Fairfield University Campus Ministry, Fairfield Jesuit Community, Orthodox Christian Fellowship, Muslim Student Association, Russian & East European Studies Program, Center for Faith and Public Life, Center for Catholic Studies, Carl and Dorothy Bennett Center for Jewish Studies, Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church in Orange and Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Bridgeport. The evening began with the celebration of a well-attended Vespers Service which was followed by a wonderful Paschal meal offered by the Ladies Philoptochos Society of Holy Trinity in Bridgeport. Immediately following the meal the participants gathered in The Egan Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola for a wonderful panel discussion. www.saintbarbara.org

The first presenter was Dr. George Demacopoulos, a Professor of Historical Theology at Fordham University and the director and co-founder of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center, which is the only university-based center of Orthodox studies in the Western Hemisphere that includes the only interdisciplinary minor in Orthodox Christian Studies. Dr. Demacopoulos’ research and teaching interests are in the fields of Early Christian and Medieval Church History. He has published five books and dozens of scholarly articles on topics ranging from the fourth to the fifteenth century. Dr. Demacopoulos spoke on the subject of “Arab Christianity Before and After the Crusades.” The second presenter was Rev. George Alberts. Fr. George is the Pastor of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church in Danbury, and was a parttime instructor at Westmoreland County Community College in Greensburg, PA where he taught Philosophy, Ethics, Sociology and Marriage and Family courses for ten years. Fr. George spoke on the subject of the “Plight of The Orthodox Christian Church in Syria and the Surrounding Area.” Our third presenter was Rev. Andrew Awad. Fr. Andrew is the parish priest at St. Peter and St. Andrew Coptic Orthodox Church in Stamford. Father Andrew was born in Egypt in 1970 and migrated to the United States in 1990 and spoke on the topic of “The Egyptian Coptic Church.” At the conclusion of the third presentation, Dr. David W. McFadden, the Director of the Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies Department at Fairfield University, moderated a very lively discussion as various topics concerning the current situation in the Middle East were examined and discussed. Winter 2015/The Ministry • 54

Panel Discussion at Yale University - Thanksgiving Can Drive - Interfaith Service Organized by the Hellenic Studies Program, the Council on Middle East Studies, the Department of Religious Studies, the Yale Divinity School, and the Ottoman Studies Initiative with the support of the Order of AHEPA, Yankee District #7 and New Haven Chapter #98, The Hellenic Bar Association of Connecticut, and Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle.

Left - Right: Dr. Ellen Lust, Dr. Christine M. Philliou, Rev. Dr. Stephen Davis and George Symiris

Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate co-sponsor symposium, “Christian Populations in the Middle East Since the Arab Spring” On April 25, Archon Districts 1 and 2 of New York co-sponsored a symposium, titled Christian Populations in the Middle East Since the Arab Spring, which was held at Yale University. The panel discussion featured three professors - Stephen Davis of Yale University, Ellen Lust of Yale University and Christine M. Philliou of Columbia University. The event was moderated and principally organized by George Symiris, Associate Chair of the Hellenic Studies Program at Yale University, together with Archon Gregory Stamos. Approximately 70 people participated in the event. The panelists described the deteriorating conditions for Christian populations in the Middle East, including Egypt, Syria, and Turkey, since the revolutionary wave of demonstrations and protests that came to be known as the Arab Spring began in 2011. A question-and-answer session followed the presentations by each of the panelists, with much of the discussion focusing on religious freedom issues in Turkey, especially those affecting the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The event was co-sponsored with the Order of AHEPA, the Hellenic Bar Association of Connecticut and several Yale studies programs and departments. www.saintbarbara.org

Thanksgiving Canned Food Drive Each year around the Thanksgiving holiday, students of the Saint Barbara Sunday School program are asked to bring in canned foods and other non-perishable items to be distributed to local food pantries, who in turn, distribute them to those families in need. The local pantries are always in need of replenishment as more families find themselves in need of assistance, due to the continuing effect of the poor economy on their lives. We thank everyone for their participation, kindness and generosity.

Interfaith Thanksgiving Service This year the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd hosted the Interfaith Thanksgiving Day Service of the Town of Orange on Sunday, November 23. The service was very well attended by members from the communities of faith around Orange. This beautiful service provided a wonderful opportunity to gather in prayer and offer thanksgiving to God for His many heavenly blessings. Members from the following congregations, together with their Clergy and Rabbis, took part in the service - Holy Infant Roman Catholic Church; the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd; Orange Congregational Church; Congregation Of Shalom; Temple Emmanuel; and Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church.

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GOYA Day at Holiday Hill

GOYA Day at Holiday Hill

On September 20, 2014 over three hundred GOYAns and Advisors from parishes throughout New York and Connecticut gathered in Prospect, CT to celebrate the 8th Annual GOYA Day at Holiday Hill. The event, sponsored and subsidized by the Direct Archdiocesan District, serves as the official kick-off event of the GOYA Ecclesiastical Year and was a fun filled day of fellowship. The Holiday Hill experience began with a morning prayer and introduction by Fr. Peter Orfanakos and Deacon Panagiotis Papazafiropoulos, the D.A.D. Director and Youth and Young Adult Ministries, and the day continued with the GOYAns from twenty participating parishes reacquainting themselves with each other and rekindling friendships from Camp Saint Paul. As the day continued the GOYAns participated in events such as a hula-hoop contest, pie eating contest, limbo contest, home run derby, 3 on 3 basketball tournament, egg toss, rock-climbing, mini-golf, tennis, volleyball, basketball, badminton, softball and soccer. They were also able to relax by taking a canoe, paddleboat or rowboat tour of the lake. Or they could take a simple swim in one of the two heated swimming pools. An event with all these activities requires a lot of energy and there was plenty of food available for the teens to refuel and continue enjoying the festivities, beginning with a buffet that was available throughout the day, offering a soup bar, salad bar, taco bar, burgers and fries. Sprinkle in the cotton candy, fresh popped popcorn and Good Humor ice cream and you have a recipe for a delightful day. Mark your calendar from now – next year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, September 19, 2015 – and join in on the fun!

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GOYA Day at Holiday Hill

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GOYA Day at Holiday Hill

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GOYA Day at Holiday Hill

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Ground Breaking for Saint Nicholas Church at World Trade Center

presided at the Agiasmos service, the Sanctification of Water and the blessing of the foundation for the new church. Family members of the victims of 9/11 carried vessels of water from the two memorial pools, which now occupy the footprints of the fallen twin towers. The Metropolitans of the Holy Eparchial Synod, concelebrating the service, received the water and poured it into the crystal fount used for the sanctification of the water.

Ground Blessing for Saint Nicholas Church at the World Trade Center: A Place of Prayer, Peace, Hope and Love More than 2,000 people gathered on October 18, 2014 at 130 Liberty Street, the new site for the Saint Nicholas National Shrine at the World Trade Center, for the historic event of the Blessing of the Ground and the symbolic “laying of the cornerstone.” The small and humble church of Saint Nicholas was the only house of worship destroyed in the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The new Greek Orthodox Saint Nicholas National Shrine Church, designed by worldrenowned Architect Santiago Calatrava, is expected to begin construction this year and to be completed within 24 months. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America www.saintbarbara.org

Following the Agiasmos and as a symbolic act of “laying of the cornerstone” for the new church, two Cairns (a memorial collection of stones) were built, with a total of 12 white marble stones each, layed down by donors and benefactors, community and institutional representatives, and public officials. Archbishop Demetrios blessed, with sanctified water, the two Cairns which will eventually be incorporated into the new church. “What we establish today will be a house of prayer and a place of peace; a place of hope and a place of love,” said Archbishop Demetrios in his remarks following the service. His Eminence recounted in brief, the long road traveled in the last 13 years. He recognized the contributions and efforts of many individuals and in particular the “decisive action of Governor Andrew Cuomo.” Several officials delivered remarks. Former Governor of New York, George Pataki, spoke of his resolute commitment from the start to the rebuilding of Saint Winter 2015/The Ministry • 60

Ground Breaking for Saint Nicholas Church at World Trade Center Nicholas. Architect Santiago Calatrava said that in his design for the new church edifice, his inspiration came from Hagia Sophia, in Constantinople. Senator Charles Schumer said that this day “is a testament to the courage of our spirit.” Patrick Foye, Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, spoke of the resolve of two men - the Archbishop and the Governor, that led to this day of celebration. Metropolitan Methodios of Boston read a letter from His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The service concluded with a moment of silence remembering the victims who perished in the tragic attacks on 9/11. The Archdiocesan Byzantine Choir chanted the service hymns and Georgia Linaris sang the concluding patriotic song “God Bless America.” Once rebuilt, the National Shrine, in addition to being a fully functioning parish of the Archdiocese, will include a 2nd floor non denominational bereavement center, welcoming all those seeking comfort and prayer and a place of solace.

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Young Adult Conference

Discipline and distraction:

Maintaining Focus in our Daily Life

Saint Barbara Parish Hosts Young Adult Conference

Young Adults from throughout the Direct Archdiocesan District gathered in Orange, Connecticut over the Columbus Day weekend to participate in the 3rd Annual Conference with the theme: Discipline and Distraction: Maintaining Focus in our Daily Life. The Conference presenters - Jonathan Resmini and Paulette Poulos expanded on the theme of the Conference beautifully challenging the participants to remain diligent to their life’s journey of faith. The Young Adults also took a bus tour of New Haven, Connecticut and YALE University traveling to nearby Lyman Orchards to pick fresh apples off the trees in their expansive Orchard. Afterwards they all gathered at the Saint Barbara Community Center for a wonderful meal and a terrific dueling piano show. Participants also prepared letters that were sent to members of the U.S. Armed Forces serving our country throughout the world. www.saintbarbara.org

Jonathan Resmini

Paulette Poulos

If you are interested to hear the presentations offered at this year’s Young Adult Conference go to the following links: Jonathan Resmini - Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQeDqot5Xl4 Jonathan Resmini - Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WALfySwThFo Rev. Peter Orfanakos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jVflRUTi3Q Paulette Poulos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWZ00Gorkz8 Winter 2015/The Ministry • 62

Young Adult Conference

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Young Adult Conference

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Website Exclusive Edition of The Ministry

Look for the above information exclusively on the Saint Barbara website (www.saintbarbara.org) This exclusive edition of The Ministry contains information on the historic meetings that took place in 2014 between His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and His Holiness Pope Francis. www.saintbarbara.org

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Saint Barbara Parish Honors Father Steven and Presbytera Electra

SAINT BABRARA PARISH HONORS FATHER STEVEN & PRESBYTERA ELECTRA Celebrating Sixty Years! On Sunday, September 21, the Saint Barbara Parish gathered in the Community Center to honor Fr. Steven and Presbytera Electra Sarigianis on the 60th Anniversary of his Ordination to the Holy Priesthood. Dr. Maria Diamantis, Parish Council President, welcomed the capacity crowd by leading all in an exercise of linguistics; describing Fr. Steven in one word adjectives. The celebration hosted by the Parish Council, continued with a lovingly prepared meal and was highlighted by reflections by Jim and Steven Sarigianis, representing Fr. Steven and Presbytera Electra’s Children and Grandchildren. A letter by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios was read, as well as a letter by Fr. Peter Karloutsos, the President of the Clergy Syndesmos of the Direct Archdiocesan District. After which, Fr. Peter offered some beautiful remarks and introduced a touching video tribute. As a show of appreciation from our community it was announced that a special tree has been planted honoring the ministry of Fr. Steven and Presbytera Electra near the entrance to the Holy Trinity Chapel. Then it was time for Fr. Steven to speak. He did not disappoint! Fr. Steven colorfully and beautifully spoke about his experiences as a parish priest with such eloquence, honesty and humor that he had everyone engaged on every word of his reflection.

A Son’s Reflection: By: James Sarigianis

In life there are occasions when you have the blessing to meet individuals who selflessly put the needs of others first, truly living by the Golden Rule of life. Individuals such as this shy away from any recognition feeling that they are simply following God’s commandment of “loving your neighbor” (Luke 10:27). I have had the honor of intimately knowing such people in my parents, Fr. Steven and Presbytera Electra. I have watched them serve God in His vineyard my entire life and feel truly blessed to call them my parents. Over the years, through God’s Grace, they have brought comfort to those in pain and celebrated with those entrusted to their care in every parish they have served in the Archdiocese. They have always shied away from any type of public recognition but as we so lovingly reminded them, sometimes you have to provide an opportunity for people to show their appreciation. For as much as you (Mom and Dad) do not like public praise, it is necessary for all of us, including both of you, to step back and acknowledge in thanksgiving, the fact that you both have gone far “above and beyond” with your service to all the parishes you have served and continue to serve. In reality, you have devoted your entire adult lives to service in God’s Vineyard. You have made countless sacrifices along the way. From Sts. Constantine and Helen in Middletown Ohio, to St. Nicholas in Bethlehem Pennsylvania, to Kimisis Tis Theotokou, in Poughkeepsie New York, to St. George in Kingston New York, and now to Saint Barbara here in Orange. In all of these

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Saint Barbara Parish Honors Father Steven and Presbytera Electra parishes you have exceeded all expectations and have had such a profound and influential impact on all that your spiritual presence in these parishes continues to live to the present day. At my age of 55, I think of retirement all too often. But what does it mean for a priest and his presbytera to retire? It’s just not the same as it is for most of us. There is the struggle of how one handles the transition from being the spiritual leader of church communities for sixty years. How does one handle this adjustment? In other words, how as a priest, do you adjust to becoming a parishioner. And what will this be like?

has been frustrating. However, despite this, please know that your mere presence among us is a blessing beyond comprehension. We thank you, your family, your friends, your parishioners, for your example of true Christian virtues. May God continue to bless both of you and grant you many years in His service. Α Ξ Ι Ο Ι !!!

A Pastor’s Reflection: By: Rev. Peter Karloutsos

I am privileged to write this letter as President of the Saint John Chrysostom Clergy Syndesmos of the Direct Archdiocesan District of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. However, I am more fortunate to write this letter as a co-worker in the Vineyard of our Lord and as a thankful friend who has always respected and treasured the example of your priestly ministry and genuine love and concern for all of God’s people.

In my parents’ case, their move to the New Haven area was certainly not planned years in advance. Instead, it was but an idea they shared with each other in the car on their way back home to New York State after visiting us about three years ago. And so the move to Hamden. And how have things actually evolved with their new roles in parish life? Well, in a nutshell the Saint Barbara parishioners have all graciously welcomed my parents into your community with open arms and have made them feel right at home. Indeed, the extended Sarigianis family is forever grateful to Fr. Peter and his wonderful parish of St. Barbara. Words cannot begin to express what this means to us. Although it’s been only two years since they arrived here, I think that you will all agree that it seems longer, as they seemed to fit in right from the start. We all know that as we mature in age things slow down a bit. In particular for you Dad, your difficulty in walking www.saintbarbara.org

Father Steve and Presbytera Electra, AXIOΣ-AXIOΣAXIOΣ!!!! Your example of sacrificial love and service as the shepherd of the souls under your care have inspired an atmosphere of reverence and prayerfulness, of peace and love where Christ’s presence and action are made manifest in the lives you have touched and graced in your ministry. You submitted to the will of our Father in heaven “in tribulations, in needs, in distresses,” following Christ through the narrow gate which leads to life. Your compassion, patience and obedience to our Lord’s calling remain a legacy of priestly ministry and the cost of discipleship in a powerfully symbolic and tangible way. Father Steven, together with Presbytera Electra, you have served the Church with faith, hope and love. And your wisdom and knowledge of the Scriptures have been a light for your flock in the Churches you have served as they listened to your message of salvation in the Lord. Also, your talent for telling interesting stories and anecdotes always brings joy and laughter into our hearts and lives. Continued on the next page. Winter 2015 / The Ministry • 67

Saint Barbara Parish Honors Father Steven and Presbytera Electra I am thankful to Father Peter Orfanakos and the faithful parishioners of Saint Barbara Church for honoring Father Steven and Presbytera Electra on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of his Ordination to the Sacred Priesthood. As you honor Father Steven and Presbytera Electra, may your faith and commitment to our Lord continue to be an example of love and respect for those who serve the Church. I offer my prayers for an abundance of spiritual fruits in the vineyard which our Lord’s right hand has planted in Orange, Connecticut together with blessings and peace in each of your households. In Christian Agape, Father Peter Karloutsos President of the Saint John Chrysostom Clergy Syndesmos

Office of the Archbishop

Dear Reverend and Dear Father Peter, Members of the Parish Council, and the Faithful of the Church of Saint Barbara, I greet you in the grace and peace of our Lord as you gather today to give thanks to God for the blessings Father Steven Sarigianis has bestowed upon your loving community of Saint Barbara. As Father reaches this sixty year milestone in his priestly ministry, I join you in congratulating him for the manner in which he has heeded to Christ’s calling and has dedicated his life to Christ and His Church. He has contributed through his example and priestly ministry the reality that life can only be given its genuine meaning when it is defined as the course of a spiritual sojourn towards God. We are therefore inspired by this singularity of purpose and we thank him most of all for receiving the mantle of the Holy Priesthood and serving it with dignity and love.

View the special video presentation offered in honor of Fr. Steven and Elektra Sarigianis on the Occasion of the 60th Anniversary to his Ordination to the Holy Priesthood.

The lives of all in this parish have been enriched by Father’s presence and love. In thanksgiving may we pray that he, Presbytera Electra, and all members of his family continue to be blessed with grace and strength from above. May Father’s journey as a good and faithful servant of the Lord continue for many years as his life and witness continues to bring God glory and honor. With paternal love in Christ,

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Letter From Patriarch Bartholomew in Honor of Fr. Steven and Fr, Joel

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Saint Barbara Parish Honors Father Joel and Presbytera Sandra

SAINT BABRARA PARISH HONORS FATHER JOEL & PRESBYTERA SANDRA Fr. Joel and Presbytera Sandra Honored for 45 Years of Service On Sunday, October 19, the community of Saint Barbara gathered to honor Fr. Joel and Presbytera Sandra McEachean on the 45th Annivesary of his Ordination to the Holy Priesthood. The Jubilee fittingly began with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy on the Feast Day of the Holy Prophet Joel. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Parish gathered in the Community Center for a fitting feast. Dr. Maria Diamantis offered a heartfelt welcome to all gathered and congratulatory wishes to Fr. Joel and Presbytera Sandra. Val Lott then offered a heartfelt reflection that was followed by a special video tribute. Father Joel finished the celebration by offering words of thanks and appreciation to the entire Saint Barbara Parish and those gathered in the packed Community Center. A special tree has been planted honoring the ministry of Fr. Joel and Presbytera Sandra near the entrance to the Holy Trinity Chapel.

A Friend and Parishioner’s Reflection: By: Valentina Lott

If my count is accurate, we had eight priests in the first twenty-two years of my life at Holy Trinity Church in Ansonia. We were a small community, the first assignment for most of our priests, many of whom attended Yale School of Divinity, before moving on to larger communities throughout the Archdiocese. Fr. Anthony Gergiannakis, who later went on to become the Metropolitan of San Francisco, is the most notable of these former pastors. Then, in October 1974, Fr. Joel, www.saintbarbara.org

Presbytera Sandra, and their three children - Elizabeth, John and Christine - were assigned by the Archdiocese to serve the Ansonia Parish. Little did we know that he would remain with us for 35 years. It was a good fit for both the McEachens and the Parish. Holy Trinity’s size only warranted a part-time priest; Fr. Joel had a full-time job in Information Technology and was looking to serve a parish on a part-time basis. All of our more recent priests had been priests with a lay profession. With Fr. Joel though, we were blazing new territory. He wasn’t Greek and he was a convert to Orthodoxy. We had a typical mixed congregation of immigrant, first and second generation Greek-Americans with several Inter-faith marriages. There was no need to worry. The Holy Trinity community welcomed the McEachen family with open arms. I recall Fr. Joel telling us about his first impression of Orthodoxy. He accompanied an aunt who was Orthodox, to a service and he received a flower from the priest. That flower left its mark on him. Fr. Joel would go on to study at Rutgers, serve in the US Navy, and then heed a calling to attend St. Vladimir’s Russian Orthodox Seminary. It was our good fortune that he decided to join the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and spend a year in Thessaloniki honing his Greek language skills. His first assignment was as an assistant Priest in the St. Nicholas parish in Flushing, New York. He later assisted Fr. Constantine Eliades and other priests in Bridgeport. Many of you have heard me say that the Church is an extension of my home and family. In part, it’s because that’s how it was at our tiny church in Ansonia. It had the feel of an extended family - in both joyous and in sorrowful times. Fr. Joel arrived the year after Brad and Winter 2015/The Ministry • 70

Saint Barbara Parish Honors Father Joel and Presbytera Sandra the Holy Land with Fr. Joel as our personal tour guide got to experience it through his recounting of his many trips, in his sermons. He brought context and a real historical and archeological perspective to the Gospel readings.

And so, it seemed appropriate that on the Feast Day of the Prophet Joel that we as a community would honor Fr. Joel and Presbytera Sandra for their 45 years of service to our Lord. We thank Fr. Peter and the Saint Barbara community for welcoming Fr. Joel as an assistant and co-celebrant. Having him continue to be a part of our lives made the merger and transition from Holy Trinity Parish to the St. Barbara Parish that much easier. May God grant both of you many years. I were married. Fr. Joel celebrated Brad’s chrismation. He baptized my daughter. He, along with Fr. Peter, buried my mother. At her funeral he recalled having tea at my mother’s house where, according to Fr. Joel, his daughter Christine, was treated like a little princess. So many memories: • Parishioners would gather at various homes throughout the year. The McEachens graciously hosted parishioners many a time over the years at their home in Fairfield; • We went to Duchess for french fries after Salutations or Holy Week services; • We had breakfast after church every Sunday at either Vonetes, Duchess, Heav’nly Donut or Valley Diner; • We celebrated the February Birthday Club - Sandra, Bessie Demo, Irene Aliferis, Gus Laskos and I; and • We still get together for pizza at Zoi’s occasionally. With the arrival of Katherine, the McEachen clan was complete. Katherine and my daughter Kristen, were both six months apart, and grew up together in the Holy Trinity family. Unlike my childhood with eight priests, Fr. Joel was the only parish priest Kristen knew growing up. During Maria Diamantis’ adjectives exercise at last month’s event honoring Fr. Steven and Presbytera Electra I thought of adjectives that I would use to describe Fr. Joel, they include academic, scholarly, intellectual and articulate. Those of us who were not fortunate enough to travel to www.saintbarbara.org

View the special video presentation offered in honor of Fr. Joel and Sandra McEachean on the Occasion of the 45th Anniversary to his Ordination to the Holy Priesthood. Visit the Saint Barbara You Tube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdPCG8cKrtc Winter 2015 / The Ministry • 71

Saint Barbara Parish Honors Father Joel and Presbytera Sandra

Office of the Archbishop

Dear Reverend and Dear Father Peter, Members of the Parish Council, and the Faithful of the Church of Saint Barbara, I greet you in the grace and peace of our Lord and Savior and wish upon you His bountiful blessings as you honor the Reverend Father Joel McEachen on this day of full morning and personal significance for him, i.e., the Feast of Joel the Prophet. I wish Father Chronia Polla and many happy returns of the day. I join all the faithful who offer their prayers of thanksgiving for his supportive role in the vital ministry of this community. It is the continuation of a rich offering in service to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America; an outpouring of God given talent that has flowed from his love of God, his trust in His promises, and his hope in the healing power of grace and reconciliation. I congratulate Father Joel for reaching this milestone of forty-five years of fulfilling the great dignity and responsibility of the holy priesthood. I pray that God preserve Father and Presbtyera Sandra, his children, and grandchildren for many more years, enriching them with an abundance of His heavenly blessings. With paternal love in Christ,

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Presbytera’s Paragraph

Presbytera’s Paragraph By: Vangie Ellen Orfanakos

A written column of comfort for the weary soul. May these writings refresh your determination to grow in the knowledge of our Lord.

You Reached and Helped Me Touch a Rainbow VEO A raindrop fell upon a window appearing to be clear. The drop was filled with moisture as if it were a tear. But, the tear, we know is a blessing that is given from above, It is a gift to heal and cleanse us and to fill us with great love. If you, were once the raindrop, and I the window, through which to peer I’d look at you so differently and see much more than clear. For like the tear-shaped raindrop that clings on the window pane, You stuck with me, and gave me strength to strive, to try to gain. So the tear that once was there appearing as a drop, First it seemed so clear but now, we look and stop. We stop to see tomorrow wondering if they’ll be more rain, We look for times ahead to meet each other once again. And now whenever I see you I view much more than clear, I see all colors of the rainbow shining through that beautiful tear. For just as sunlight through water allows a spectrum to glow, You reached, and helped me touch a rainbow as you have helped me grow. Inspired by John-Peter I. Orfanakos, written by Vangie E. Orfanakos, 1996 www.saintbarbara.org

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GOYA Retreat at Camp Jewell

GOYA - Camp Jewell Retreat Members of the Saint Barbara GOYA traveled to upstate CT, during the weekend of October 17-19 to participate in the annual Fall Retreat at Camp Jewell. In addition to participating in team-building activities and enjoying the beauty of Camp Jewell, the GOYAns participated in a retreat focusing on the theme of perseverance. Using a film called “Little Red Wagon” as a guide the theme of perseverance was discussed and examined in a way that the teens could apply in their own spiritual growth and journey. The film is based on the inspiring true story of Zach Bonner’s philanthropic www.saintbarbara.org

work as founder of the Little Red Wagon Foundation. Beginning with his volunteer work gathering food and supplies for survivors in the aftermath of Hurricane Charley’s carnage when he was just seven years old, the film details his walks across the United States between 2007 and 2010 totaling 4,263 miles to draw attention to the plight of homeless children.

“Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.” Psalm 82:3

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GOYA Retreat at Camp Jewell

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GOYA Retreat at Camp Jewell

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GOYA Retreat at Camp Jewell

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GOYA Retreat at Camp Jewell

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An Orthodox Theological Response to Poverty

An Orthodox Theological Response to Poverty By: Fr. William C. Mills

Poverty is certainly a devastating social problem here in North America and throughout the world. We often hear about starvation, famine, and homelessness on the African continent especially in Sudan and Ethiopia as well as in the cities and countryside of India, and in the barrios in Central and South America. Many people living in major cities simply cannot make a living with their current income and are considered “working poor” -- those who work but due to high levels of debt and expensive housing costs simply cannot survive. Poverty effects people from all walks of life and from all social, cultural, religious, and racial backgrounds. Poverty is not gender specific since there are equal amounts of both men and women who are either homeless or barely getting by. While numerous government programs

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Matthew 6:19-20 are available to help the impoverished, the need is so much greater. As Orthodox Christians we cannot look the other way and allow our fellow brothers and sisters beg for food, clothing, and shelter. Thus, it is up to our missions and parishes to assist those in need. Our scripture readings, hymns, and rich theological tradition emphasize the love of the neighbor. If we pay attention to our own theological tradition, hopefully our eyes and hearts will be open to the world around us. A Scriptural Understanding of Love According to the Scriptures, loving God is intimately connected with loving the neighbor. The shortest scriptural definition of God is found in 1 John 4, “God is love.” Later in the same epistle we are told that God www.saintbarbara.org

loved us before we loved him and that if we say that we love God and hate our brother we are a liar, “for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20). The scriptures teach us that our love for the Lord is intimately connected with the neighbor, which we see in the parable of the Good Samaritan. When a Samaritan traveler notices that there is a hurt man on the side of the road he puts the man on his own beast, brings him to a local inn, and pays for the room and whatever else the hurt man needs. In other words, the Samaritan used his own time, energy, effort, and money, in order to help a fellow person in need. However, God’s ultimate love for his people is seen in Jesus’ death on the cross. Jesus’ death shows us that laying down of ones life for another person is the most perfect act of love. This crucified love is seen throughout Jesus’ earthly life as he healed and restored people to physical health and well-being, as he healed people from demonic possession, and as he fed and nourished people with the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Throughout his ministry, Jesus welcomed the stranger, the poor, the naked, and the outcast. Finally, before his death, Jesus stooped down and washed the feet of his disciples telling them that if they want to be a part of him that they should go and wash one another’s feet. The humble act of washing feet is a wonderful symbol to keep in front of us if we want to fulfill our vocation as Christians. Praying For the Poor Many of our prayers refer to Jesus as the philanthropos -- “lover of mankind” which is mentioned at least six times during the Divine Liturgy. It is from the Greek word philanthropos where we get the word philanthropy. At the prayer of the First Antiphon we hear the following petition, “O Lord our God, Thy power is incomparable. Thy power is incomprehensible. Thy mercy is immeasurable. Thy love for mankind is inexpressible. Look down on us and on this holy house with pity, O Master, and impart the riches of Thy mercy and Thy compassion to us and to those who pray with us.” Each week when we gather for the weekly Divine Liturgy we hear the same hymns and prayers which permeate our minds and hearts, hopefully inspiring us to act upon Winter 2015 / The Ministry • 79

An Orthodox Theological Response to Poverty our faith. In other words, the prayers and hymns should ignite a fire in so that we can live out our faith in the world, serving and loving our neighbor. It also needs to be said that even the Divine Liturgy itself is a supreme example for the love of the poor as we offer the gifts of bread and wine for the entire world as we hear in the Liturgy, “Thine own of thy own, we offer unto Thee in behalf of all and for all.”

the Great who in the third century established Church sponsored hospitals and mental institutions; St. John the Almsgiver who was one of the most charitable Patriarchs in Byzantium, Joseph of Volokhlamsk who emphasized

Not only are we reminded about serving the poor but the Church sets aside an entire festal season of Great Lent which reminds us about our command to go out and wash one another’s feet. However, if we fail to serve the poor and needy we are reminded to do so during the services that lead up to the season of Great Lent. Great Lent is a forty day period where we focus on repentance and care for the neighbor. We hear about prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, and engaging in acts of charity. These areas instill a sense of repentance as we make our journey through Great Lent: Consider well, my soul; dost thou fast? Then despise not thy neighbor. Dost thou abstain from food? Condemn not thy brother. Come, let us cleanse ourselves by almsgiving and acts of mercy to the poor, Not sounding a trumpet or making show of our charity Let not our left hand know what our right hand is doing Let not vainglory scatter the fruit of our almsgiving But in secret let us call on Him that knows all secrets Father, forgive our trespasses, for Thou lovest mankind. Similar hymns are found throughout the season of Great Lent and especially during Holy Week as the great philanthropos, Jesus himself, gives his entire life for the life of the world and its salvation, who pays the ultimate price for us on the wood of the cross. Personal Witnesses to Poverty The Church is clear in its teaching. We are commanded to love and serve the poor, the hungry, care for the sick and suffering, because we are given the model to do this in the personal example of Jesus Christ. If Jesus is the great philanthropos, we too are called to do the same. In addition to the scriptures and the liturgical hymns and seasons we are given persons of faith who are well known for their love for the poor; St. Nicholas of MyraLycia who distributed money to those in need, St Basil www.saintbarbara.org

“Do not let pass any opportunity to pray for anyone, either at his request or at the request of his relatives, friends, of those who esteem him, or of his acquaintances. The Lord looks favorably upon the prayer of our love, and upon our boldness before him. Besides this, prayer for others is very beneficial to the one himself who prays for others; it purifies the heart, strengthens faith and hope in God, and enkindles our love for God and our neighbor. When praying, say thus: ‘Lord, it is possible for Thee to do this or that to this servant of Thine; do this for him, for Thy name is the Merciful Love of Men and the Almighty.’” + St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ Winter 2015/The Ministry • 80

An Orthodox Theological Response to Poverty the ancient monastic tradition of hospitality and care for the poor; Elizabeth Feodorovna, a relative of Tsar Nicholas II, who when her husband Prince Sergius was killed, entered into monastic life and established hospitals for the poor and destitute in Russia.

love with the world. There are numerous resources for personal and group Bible study available on the internet as well as in parish bookstores.

Other holy men and women such as Paul Evdokimov and the newly canonized saint, Mother Maria Skobtsova, served soup kitchens and established houses of hospitality in World War II France. Each of these people who in their own personal and unique circumstances managed to devote their time, talents, treasure, and energy to serving the poor and the destitute. Some of these persons of faith are officially recognized as saints while others are not. Yet each person in their own unique calling serve as examples of caring for those who are less fortunate.

Missions and parishes are challenged to reach out and adopt one of the many poverty problems in their towns or cities such as collecting food for a local food bank, assist at a local homeless shelter, orphanage, or substance abuse facility. Action is required if we are serious about our faith.

Towards a Solution Clearly, poverty is a social problem that will not go away. While the war on poverty looms large, we have many opportunities to better assist those in need. Orthodox Christianity has a rich theological tradition that shows us very clearly that our vocation is one of service and love. Our job is to go out and actually do something! Below I offer several points that may focus our attention on how we as Orthodox Christians in North America focus our collective attention on poverty. These are not “quick fixes” to a very complex social and cultural problem, but they are beginning points in a life-long battle with poverty.

Take action.

Remember the poor. It is common for parishes and missions to get involved in outreach programs and then forget about them. Congregations need to be constantly reminded about their vocation to serve the poor and needy. These are just four of the many ways in which we as Orthodox Christians can assist our brothers and sisters in our towns and cities. We will not solve the poverty problem overnight, but if we at least take our rich theological and liturgical heritage seriously, we will all be better served if we begin to reach out and serve those around us. Fr. William C. Mills, Ph.D., is the rector of the Nativity of the Holy Virgin Orthodox Church in Charlotte, NC, as well as an adjunct professor of religious studies at Queens University in Charlotte, NC. He is married to Taisia Mills and has two daugthers, Hannah and Emma.

Listen to the prayers and hymns. Our rich liturgical heritage provides us with many examples of assisting the poor and needy. Hopefully priests can focus the congregations’ attention on a particular prayer, hymn, scripture lesson, or festal season that specifically addresses the world around us. Seasons such as Great Lent provide us with many inspiring examples for assisting with serving the poor. Daily Scripture reading. If we are reading and praying the Scriptures daily we will be constantly mindful of our common vocation to serving and loving others. The Scriptures, together with the prayers of the Church provide us with a “school of theology” which in its basic teaching reveals God’s love for us. In turn, we share this www.saintbarbara.org

Winter 2015 / The Ministry • 81

Camp Saint Paul 2015

Direct Archdiocesan District

Camp Saint Paul 2015 Sleep-Over Summer Camp of the Direct Archdiocesan District

Week 1: Week 2: Week 3: Week 4:

June 29 - July 5 July 6 - July 12 July 13 - July 19 July 20 - July 26

Registration Opens March 3, 2015 For more information visit www.campsaintpaul.org www.saintbarbara.org

Winter 2015/The Ministry • 82

Parishioner News

PARISHIONER NEWS Saint Barbara Parishioners Re-Elected Congratulations to Saint Barbara Parishioners Themis Klarides and Beverly Streit-Kefalas on their recent reelections. May God continue to bless their service.

Themis Klarides (R) State Rep. Themis Klarides was recently elected to her ninth term in the Connecticut General Assembly representing the 114th District, which includes the towns of Woodbridge, Orange and Derby since 1998. She serves on the legislature’s Appropriations, Judiciary, Legislative Management, Screening and Public Health Committees and was formerly the Ranking Member of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee. She has served as Deputy Leader of the Republican Caucus under outgoing Leader Larry Cafero since 2007. On November 6, Themis was chosen by unanimous acclaim by her House colleagues, as caucus leader. She is the first woman named to lead the Republicans in the State of Connecticut.

Beverly Streit-Kefalas (D) Judge Beverly Streit-Kefalas was recently elected to a new term as the Probate Judge for the Milford-Orange Probate Court. She is an attorney with over twenty years’ experience and has served as judge of probate for sixteen years, using her legal and judicial experience to continue to serve the families in Milford and Orange in times of need. The Chief Probate Judge of Connecticut also recognized Judge Beverly’s leadership and expertise by appointing her as the Administrative Judge responsible to implement the regional children’s courts in Meriden www.saintbarbara.org

and in New London in addition to her responsibilities presiding over the original Regional Children’s Probate Court in New Haven. Two years ago she was chosen unanimously by her fellow judges, to serve as the President of the statewide probate judges assembly, the Connecticut Probate Assembly, having served for many years beforehand as an elected officer, chair and member of many of its judicial committees; and to effectuate positive changes to the probate system across the state.

Sylvia Antonellis Wins Award Sylvia Antonellis was one of seventeen University of New Haven students honored by the Connecticut Geographic Alliance for winning the second annual Newspapers in Education Geography Connections Contest. The ‘Geography Connections’ program with the Hartford Courant is an annual feature of the Newspapers in Education program. The series of global articles introduces students to the globe through interactive and interesting readings about cities and countries around the world. Saint

Barbara

Scholarship Applications Now available on-line www.saintbarbara.org For more information regarding the available scholarships visit: http://saintbarbara.org/our_parish/saint_barbara_ scholarships

Winter 2015 / The Ministry • 83

Mustard Seed Faith Group For Adults

MUSTARD SEED FAITH GROUP FOR ADULTS Getting My First Hug On September 24, 2014, the first meeting of the Mustard Seed Faith Group was held in the Social Hall at Saint Barbara. The gathering of about 80 parishioners and friends heard from author and parishioner Steven Yates speak about his first book, “Getting My First Hug”. Steven spoke about his retirement from engineering and his inspiration to write a book about his son’s struggles with, and triumph over, autism. He related an anecdote about his son’s first experience as an altar boy at Saint Barbara and then gave a brief reading from the book about a youth league basketball game that brought a tear to the eyes of a few of the attendees, including Steven. Then, followed a spirited question and answer session about the nature of autism, its treatment options and the role that faith plays in dealing with differences in all people. Steven was happy to sign books for the many who purchased copies that night. Additional copies are available in the Saint Barbara Bookstore as well as online at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. All profits from the book will go to either Saint Barbara or to an autismrelated charity. To view a video created by Steven’s son called: Odyssey 2014: A Video Journey Go to the Saint Barbara You Tube Channel at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NULA7vGbVnE www.saintbarbara.org

Extraordinary Hearts On October 15, 2014, Dr. John Eleftheriades presented a fascinating lecture on his remarkable book, “Extraordinary Hearts”. Dr. Eleftheriades, a Saint Barbara parishioner, is one of the most respected cardiac surgeons in America, having treated more than 10,000 patients. He shared several case studies of patients who faced life threatening conditions and displayed moving strength of character and will to live. The Mustard Seed Faith Group was spellbound as Dr. Eleftheriades mixed easy-tounderstand medical tidbits with stories of celebrities, “common folk” and his own life and career. From stories of the treatment of jazz great Dave Brubeck to NFL referee Bill Vinovich, Dr. Eleftheriades’ book speaks from a unique perspective about the “emotional heart” and the cardiac muscle that keeps us all alive. There was no shortage of questions after the doctor’s talk. It is not often an audience gets to engage a world-renowned surgeon with medical questions. Dr. Eleftheriades answered each question in an understandable and compassionate way. He also signed copies of his book for the many parishioners who bought one that night. Additional copies of “Extraordinary Hearts” are available in the Saint Barbara Bookstore as well as online at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

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Mustard Seed Faith Group For Adults

Preparing Good Soil

Dialogue on the Nativity of Christ

On November 19, 2014, Father Peter presided over another lively meeting of the Mustard Seed Faith Group. This time the group viewed the 2009 film “The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry”. Periodically, Father Peter paused the movie to ask the group about the characters as they were introduced. Lists were made of adjectives that described each character.

On December 10, 2014, Father Peter moderated a timely discussion of the Orthodox Christian perspective on the Nativity of Jesus Christ. This time of year is filled with secular ideas about Christmas and the Mustard Seed Faith Group For Adults “religious” ideas put forth are often not consistent with the beliefs of the Orthodox Christian church. Join us for a THOUGHTFUL

As the story unfolded, and the Christ-centered message of the title character impacted the other characters, the adjectives being applied to them changed. Mr. Sperry showed first one boy and then several others the value of using the Bible and prayer to reach out to God. Even a bully was touched by the faith-based process of self examination, repentance, forgiveness and, ultimately change. The film was refreshing in its unabashed Christian, although not necessarily Orthodox, message of salvation through belief, repentance and love of our fellow man. Father Peter shared a few remarks at the end of the film about the various ways of approaching reading the Bible. He explained how the Orthodox Study Bible with its notes from the Church Fathers can shed light on and make more understandable, many challenging passages. The Orthodox Study Bible is available in the Saint Barbara Bookstore.

                          Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church   480 racebrok road - orange, ct                                                                

in depth dialogue on the feast of the nativity of Christ

Father Peter presented and interpreted a number of the beautiful hymns and Bible verses centered on the Coming of Christ. Beginning with the Isaiah’s prophesy of the Coming of John the Baptist and, later, Christ Himself, the group discussed the connections between the fall of man in the Garden of Eden to the restoration of Man’s relationship with God through the Incarnation of Jesus. Wednesday, December 10, 2014 - 7:00 p.m. Saint Barbara community center

 

Join us for the next gathering of the Mustard Seed Faith Group for Adults on Wednesday, December 10th as Father Peter leads a thoughtful and interactive discussion on the Feast of the Nativity of Christ.

Gain a deeper understanding of the Nativity Fast, the Prophecies concerning the Birth of the Messiah, and the Theological Significance of Christmas.

The Mustard Seed Faith Group for Adults is open to all adults Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike and is a ministry of Saint Barbara 480 Racebrook Road - Orange, Connecticut 06477 -Church www.saintbarbara.org Greek Orthodox in Orange, Connecticut.

Of course, such a discussion would not be complete without considering the person of the Theotokos. Father Peter explained that much of what we know about Saints Joachim and Anna, the parents of Mary, comes from the Gospel According to Saint James, which is not included in the Bible. Mary’s life story and her special, spiritual nature were explained as a segue to the Nativity of her son, Our Lord.

Simply go to the church web site and click under the Multimedia Tab and go to the link for the Saint Barbara You Tube Channel or simply use one of the following links:

Father Peter explained the various images present in the Icon of the Nativity that is located in our beautiful sanctuary. It is interesting to think how many times we have all seen this beautiful icon without fully understanding all of its imagery. Finally, scenes from the 2006 theatrical release “The Nativity” were played which depicted the birth of Christ. Although some aspects of the production did not reflect the Orthodox perspective, it was nonetheless moving.

Steven Yates Talk: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=XK76E0U1kjg

The evening put all in attendance into a truer Christmas spirit.

Want to hear one of the sessions that you missed?

Dr. John Eleftheriades Talk: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=H_KBZyUDbYE www.saintbarbara.org

Winter 2015 / The Ministry • 85

Parish News

Parish Council Elections

Elections for the Parish Council took place on December 14, 2014 for the 2015-2017 term. Congratulations to the following individuals for their election to the Parish Council – Cynthia Anasson, George Antonellis, Maria Diamantis, John Kaiser, Theodore Nicolakis, Paul Redding and Michael Wachter. Many thanks and congratulations to the following outgoing Parish Council members, for their tireless dedication to our faith and the life of our parish – Nota Koutroumanis, George Scarveles and Constantina Karageorge. Without volunteers like you the progression of our community would not have flourished as it has. We look forward to others being inspired by all who serve on the Parish Council and various committees and organizations of the Church.

Golden Years Christmas Party

The Saint Barbara Community Center was filled with the sounds of Christmas as members of the Golden Years Club gathered for the annual Christmas Party. Members came from near and far to enjoy a wonderfully prepared meal together and enjoy each other’s fellowship. The annual event is a highlight for all! Many thanks to Nelson and Carole Nicholson for their generosity in sponsoring the party and to all the volunteer chefs for their assistance in preparing the meal.

GOYA Christmas Caroling

It’s a tradition that began in 1982 and has continued for 34 years. The GOYA gathers together and their advisors and/or parents carpool them from one house to another to spread Christmas cheer to our parishioners. The GOYAns enjoy the camaraderie and joy of sharing Christmas carols at each house, business and nursing home they visit. The GOYAns end their night in fellowship. Many thanks to the families who host the GOYA carolers and assist the GOYAns with their fundraising to support future outreach projects.

Correction

The names of Nelson and Carole Nicholson were inadvertently left off the Saint Barbara Parish Christmas Card. We apologize for the oversight and thank them as well as all those who participated in our community’s annual Christmas Card. www.saintbarbara.org

Vasilopita Sunday

On Sunday, January 4, the Saint Barbara Community Center was filled with parishioners celebrating the coming of the New Year and the cutting of the parish vasilopita. The luncheon was hosted and prepared by the Saint Barbara GOYA and featured baked pork loin, garlic mashed potatoes, homemade applesauce and green beans. In addition to being festively decorated, each table had a homemade Vasilopita at its center. After the meal was served, Fr. Peter gave instructions as each table cut a Vasilopita, sharing the pieces with their family and friends who were sitting with them. Many thanks to GOYA Adisor Michele Papaddimitriou, who served as the Executive Chef, and to the GOYAns, their advisors and parents for a job very well done!

Saint Barbara Feast Day Celebration

In honor of the Feast Day of Saint Barbara our parish celebrated a Great Vespers Service and a Divine Liturgy, honoring our Church’s Patron Saint, Saint Barbara. Various area priests arrived to lead us in prayer as the congregation offered hymns of praise and thanksgiving to Christ for Saint Barbara and her example. His Grace Bishop Andonios of Phasiane, the Chancellor of the Archdiocese, led the celebration of the Great Vespers and Deacon Panagiotis Papazafiropoulos, the D.A.D. Youth and Young Adult Director, offered an eloquent and inspiring sermon. A reception offered by the Saint Barbara Philoptochos followed the Vespers service. A wonderful luncheon followed the Divine Liturgy. Many thanks to all for their prayerful participation.

Saint Barbara Dinner Dance

The Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend was bountiful in many ways. It was filled with blessings and abundance of faith, family and fellowship as a large gathering of Saint Barbara parishioners celebrated together at the annual Saint Barbara Dinner Dance. The Menu featured hot and cold hors d’oeuvres, three choices of entrées and a delectable dessert. The band, a gathering of musicians from New York and Connecticut, filled the hall with incredible music that couldn’t help but keep the dance floor full of celebrating parishioners. Winter 2015/The Ministry • 86

Saint Barbara Stewardship List 2014

STEWARDSHIP 2014 As of December 31, 2014 we have received 780 Stewardship Pledge Cards. These 780 stewards pledged a total of $358,622 towards our 2014 goal of $360,000. Thank you to those who have made and completed their stewardship pledge for 2014. If you have not done so to date, please call the Church Office, send in your Stewardship donation or simply fill out the stewardship form on-line at parish web site. Remember to give dedicated and sacrificial attention to your Stewardship donation, keeping an eye toward helping your church reach its Stewardship goal. In preparation for the great opportunities that lie ahead in the life of this community, the Stewardship Committee is asking everyone to continue that trend and pitch in by increasing your pledge from last year at least 10% or $50, whichever is greater. As always, we are grateful for your love and support of our parish. If there are any omissions or errors in the list below, we ask that you please call the office and speak to our secretary. Thank you for your continued support. Agapiou, John Agapiou, Bessie Albanis, Michael Albanis, Anna Aldi, Antonio and Kostoula Alessio, Anthony Alessio, Pamela Alexiades, Alex Alexiades, Alexandra Alexiades, Elias Alfaro, Jennifer & Gino Aligizakis, Nicholas and Chelsy Amigdalos, Steven and Erika Amoratis , Antonios Amoratis , Vasiliki Amoratis, Iakovos Anasson, Cynthia Anastasion, Damon Anastasion, Jodi Anastasion, George Anastasion, Nita Anastasion, Peter Anastasion, Maria Anastasion, Theona Anastasiou, Evelyn Anastasiou, Gregory Anastasopoulos, Anastasios Anastasopoulos, Maria Anderson, Peter Anderson, Lorraine www.saintbarbara.org

Andreotis, Ellen Andrews, Gary & Melanie Andriotis, Christina Andriotis-Pampoukidis, Sophia Angeletti, Joseph and Calliope Angelopoulos, Athanasios Angelopoulos, Maryann Angelopoulos, Georgia Anthis, Irene Anthis, Nikolaos Anton, Vasiliki Antonakis, Anthony and Anna Antonakis, Dina Antonakis, John and Jennifer Antonellis, Theodore Antonellis, George Antonellis, Donna Antonellis, Diamanto Antoniou, Kostas Antoniou, Toula Aportria, Catherine Apotria, Cleo Arabolos, Peter and Adeline Arabolos, John Armetta, Philip and Antonia Arnaoutis, George and Kelly Arndt, Marcia Aspras, Michael and Sandra Athanasiadis, Kostas Athanasiadis, Noula

Athenson, John and Mary Jane Auth, Matthew and Tara Badas, Anastasios Badas, Effie Baklas, Steven Baklas, Debbie Bakousis, Dennis Bakousis, Despoina Baledes, Theodore and Carol Ballas, Lisa Ballas, James Ballas, James and Demetra Ballas, Paul Ballas, Mary Barakis, Florence Barry, Keith Basel, Edward Basel, Lillian Basel, Claudia Basel, Louis Bass, Helen Belales, Theodore Belales, Angela Benas, James Benas, Marina Benas, Nicole Benas, Christopher Benham, John and Elizabeth Berner, Shaun

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Saint Barbara Stewardship List 2014 Berner-Valaouras, Constantina Biela, Lauren Bielesz, Arkadiusz and Elizabeth Bitzarakis, Mary Bitzonis, James Bitzonis, Kirsten Bizanis, Zoe Bondi, Dustin Bondi, Kathy Borelli, Andrew and Cornelia Borelli, Andrew and Mary Borelli, Laura Bratsenis, Margaret Bubaris, James Burr, Kevin Burr, Chrisanne Buzelle, Bruce Buzelle, Avenya Caloutas, Dean Cambras, William and Elizabeth Cambras, Jonathan Canevari, Daniel Canevari, Petrina Cascio, David & Renee Chagares, Conella Chagares, Constantine Chagares, Helen Chagares, Dorothea Chaltas, Basil Chaltas, Efthalia Chekas, Pauline Chomiak, Robert Chomiak, Nicole Chow, James Chow, Theodora Coclin, Alexis Coclin, Anastacia Coclin, Ellen Constantinidi, Aquiles Constantinidi, Mary Contaxis, William Contaxis, Joanne Contopoulos, George Contopoulos, Joanne Corradino, Joseph and Melissa Cosmas, Emanuel Cowper-Rambus, Carolyn Cox, Edwin Cox, Sharon Crescenti, Pauline Cristiano, Robert and Larissa Dabakis, L. Gregory Dabakis, Cathy Dakis, Mary Dalakas, Paul Dalakas, Estell Daniel, Dorothy www.saintbarbara.org

Daniel, Jeannie Daoutis, Evdoxia Daoutis, John and Mary Daskalakis, Elias Daskalakis, Sophie Daskalon, Gregg and Catherine DeBassio, Bessie Delcos, William & Marianne Delos, Tony and Stacy DelPercio, Fred & Renee Demetropoulos, Peter Demetropoulos, Julie Diakogeorgiou, Vasili Diakogeorgiou, Eleni Diamantes, Fred Diamantes, Antigoni Diamantis, Ilias Diamantis, Maria Diamantis, Vasilios Diamantis, Keira Diamantis, Panagiotis Diamantis, Sophia DiBianco, Angela DiGrazia , Al & Christine Dimas, Denise DiMeola, Joanne Dolan, Kevin & Persefone Drago, Dan & Monica Drakonakis, Kostis and Joy Drakonakis, Andreas Drakonakis, Jane Drenkhahn, Peter Drenkhahn, Theodora Efthymiou, Pantelis Efthymiou, Renee Ehrhardt, Mark and Maria Elefteriades, John Elefteriades, Peggy Eliopoulos, Paris Eliopoulos, Virginia Eliopoulos, Konstantinos Eliopoulos, Dimitrios Ellis, Peter Ellis, Patricia Emmanouil, Stylianos Emmanouil, Kaliope Emmanouil, Rhoda Esares, Eugene Esares, Sharon Esposito, Charles & Despina Esposito, David Esposito, Susanna Faraclas, Paul Faraclas, Jacqueline Faraclas, Helen Faraclas, Anne Feliciano, Donald

Feliciano, Larisa Ferraro, Sophia Fifis, Augoustis Fifis, Maria Fifis, Demetrios Fifis, Evangelia Fusco, Nicole Galanakis, Despina Galanakis, Maria Ganacoplos, Pamela Ganim, Christopher & Anastasia Gekas, Peter Gekas, Anna Genetos, Clara Genetos, Claire Genetzakis, Thomas and Carla Gerakelis, Gregory Gerakelis, Efstratia Gerakelis, Haralambos Geremia, Pandora Giambanis, George Giambanis, Maria Giannopoulos, Efthymia Giannopoulos, Nikolaos Giannopoulos, Denise Giatrelis, Dorothea Ginieres, Alexandra Ginolfi, Stephen and Sarah Ginolfi, Christopher Golub, Stephanie Goodrich, James Goodrich, Anastasia Gorecki, Edward and Betsy Gotsis, Andreas Gotsis, Dionisia Goulopoulos, Alexander and Joan Goumas, Lucy Goumas, Elaine Grigoriadis, Eleni Grimaldi, James and Stacey Groumousas, Vasilios Groumousas, Julia Groumousas, Dimitrios Groumousas, Renie Groumousas, Nontas Groumousas, Dinah Guartazaca, Michael and Irene Guiliotis, George Guiliotis, Dorothy Gust, Christopher Gust, Maria Hadjimichael, Evangelos Hadjimichael, Olympia Hadjimichael, Christos Hadjimichael, Jane Hajedemos, Harry Hajedemos, Jane

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Saint Barbara Stewardship List 2014 Halepas, Peter Halepas, Mara Halepas, Stephanie Haritos, Steve & Jane Hartoumbekis, Elias & Rebecca Haskos, Nicholas Haskos, Angeliki Haskos, Nicholas Haskos, Lizabeth Haskos, John N. Haskos, Koula Haskos, Helen Hathaway, Wendy Hatzigiannis, Theodore Hatzigiannis, Mary Hatzigiannis-Gakidis, Georgia Heerdt, John and Lisa Heffernan, William and Evelyn Herbert, Anastacia Hionis, Nikolaos and Margaret Hoffman, Robyn Hojnowski, Mark Hojnowski, Eleni Hojnowski, Stephen Hoxsie, Frederick and Barbara Hrampanis, Gregory Hrampanis, Maria Hubbard , Thomas and Stephanie Ikonomou, Mihail Ikonomou, Helen Ikonomou, Chris Ikonomou, Chrissy Iosifidis, Panagiotis Iosifidis, Elisabeth Jenetopulos, Theo and Eileen Johnson, Scott & Andreanne Johnson, Stuart and Elaine Kachoulas, Kostas Kachoulas, Karen Kaiser, John Kaiser, Jamie Kakaletris, Ioanna Kakalow, James Kallivrousis, Dimitri Kalomiris, Daphne Kambas, William Kambas, Ariadne Kanakis, Tasos Kanakis, Cathy Kanakis, Nektarios Kanakis, Nomiki Kaoud, Abe Kaoud, Aida Kaoud, Charlie & Natalie Kaoud, Maurice & Kathy Kaouris, George

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Kaouris, Vasilia Kapernaros, Stelios Kapernaros, Kay Kapetaneas, Gregory Kapetaneas, Georgette Karageorge, Constantina Karakolidis, Angelo Karakolidis, Maria Karatzas, Dino Karatzas, Robin Kariofyllis, Stavroula Karipidis, George Karipidis, Maria Karistinos, Sophia Katechis, Irene Katevatis, Manos Katramados, Aphrodite Kattis, George Kattis, Anastasia Kattis, Nicholas Kattis, Sophia Kavathas, Paula Kefalas, Nicholas Kefalas, Beverly Kerames, Daniel Kerames, Dennis Kerames, Karen Kerantzas, Elizabeth Kikis, Sabatino Kikis, Virginia Kitsos, Evangeline Klarides, Themis Kokenos, John Kokenos, Rodanna Komninakas, Ignatius Komninakas, Christina Komninakas, Meni Koniditsiotis, George Koniditsiotis, Sotiria Konstantino, Nicholas Korosiotis, Nikolaos Korosiotis, Stavroula Korosiotis, Haralambos Korosiotis, Sotirios Korosiotis, Fotini Kostas, Demetrios and Heather Kostas, Konstantine Kostas, Valentina Koukos, Marietta Kourounis, Kay Koutroulas, Pericles Koutroumanis, George Koutroumanis, Panagiota Koutroumanis, Anthony Koutroumanis, Maria Kovlakas , Anastasios

Kovlakas , Kara Kovlakas , Paul Kovlakas , Lisa Kral, Harriet Krauss, Jason Krauss, Evangelia Krist, Vede Kubicki, Stephen and Jessica Kyriakides, Tassos and Kristen Kyrtopoulos, William and Diane Laggis, Nicholas Lampadarios, John Langner, Thomas Langner, Maria Lapatas, Panagiotis Laskos, Peter and Jeanet Laudano, Jason and Tanya Lawrence, Joshua and Andrea Lefkimiatis, Adoni & Cara Liapakis, Michael Liapakis, Ann Marie Liberopoulos, George and Noreen Light, John and Elissa Lillios, Niko Limanni, Thomas and Chryssanthe Liontas, Arestoteles Liontas, Vasilios Liontas, Polyxeni Liopiros, Anthony Lolis, Elias Lolis, Elpida Loo, Steven and Stephanie Lord, Fredric and Cynthia Losh, Michael and Peggy Losh, Michael and Victoria Loskant, Robert Loskant, Patricia Lott, Bradford Lott, Valentine Lott, Kristen Loucopoulos, John Loucopoulos, Fotini Loukakes, James and Halina Loukides , Terry Loussides, Nick Loussides, Hariklea Loussides, George N. Loussides, Angeliki Lundquist, Erik and Melissa Maccone , Theodora Madigosky, Ioanna Magoulas, Spiro Magoulas, Anastasia Maniatis, Konstantinos Maniatis, Anastasia Maniatis, Theodore

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Saint Barbara Stewardship List 2014 Maniatis, Eleftheria Maniatis, Peter Maniatis, Zoi Maniatty, Linda Marathas, Catherine Marathas , Alexander Marchitto, Patric Marchitto, Georgia Margoles, Constance Marnerakis, Anthony Marnerakis, Maria Marnerakis, Anastasios and Francesca Mase, Tony & Maria Mastromanolis, George Mastromanolis, Foula Matarese, Matthew and Stephanie Mattie, Mary Mavrides, William Mavromatis, Nicholas McCaffrey, Kevin & Dianna McEachen, Rev. Joel McEachen, Presbytera Sandra McGrath, Harold and Evelyn Medina, Brian and Maria Meehan, Anne Melanidis, Konstantinos Melanidis, Helen Melanidis, Peter Melanidis, Sofia Menegatos, Spyros Menegatos, Maria Messore, Sophia Messore, John & Jennifer Michaelides, Elias and Stephanie Mihalakos, Joanna Milani, Gino and Christine Milas, Nicolaos Milas, Irene Milas, Kostantinos Mitchell, Victor and Penelope Mitchell, Mary Modlin, Maria Monaco, Ralph and Melba Moran, Brian & Stacy Moriatis, Constantine Moriatis, Eugenia Moriatis, Maria Moriatis, George Morris, John Morris, Linda Morris, Diana Morris, Philip Morris, Mary Morris, William Morris, Joy Mosca, Frank and Olga

www.saintbarbara.org

Mountzouris, Evans Mountzouris, Christina Mouratidis, Gregory Mouratidis, Elizabeth Mulhall, Andrea and Chris Myzithras, George Myzithras, Kathy Namnoum, Ken & Anna Necklas, Barbara Necklas, Georgia Necklas, Socrates & Elaine Necklas, Joanne Necklas, Michael and Antoinette Nichols, Mathew and Dani Nicholson, Nelson Nicholson, Carole Nicolakis, Theodore Nicolakis, Clio Oliveras, Elizabeth Orfanakos, Rev. Peter Orfanakos, Presbytera Vangie Orfanakos, John-Peter Outhouse, David Outhouse, Catherine Overbye, Michael Overbye, Jeannie Pacholyk, Steven Pacholyk, Katherine Palavra, John Palavra, Penny Pallas, Jason Pallas, Eleni Panagiotakis, Antonios Panagiotakis, Annalisa Pandajis, Timothy Pandajis, Gregory Pandajis, Barbara Pandajis, Florence Pantelis, Peter Pantelis, Brenda Papadimitriou, George Papadimitriou, Michele Papadopoulos, Kyriacos and Miriam Papadopoulos, Matheos Papadopoulos, Kyriaki Papadopoulos, Nicholas Papadopoulos, Niki Papadopoulos, Alexis and Nicole Papadopoulos, Stella Papageorgiou, Harry Papageorgiou, Elizabeth Papageorgiou, Peter and Courtney Pappas, Lella Pappas, Michael and Gail Pappas, George Pappas, Sharon

Pappas, Eleni Pappas, John Pappas, Catherine Pappas, Vivian Pappas, Peter Pappas, Helen Pappas, Daniel Pappas, Andrea Pappas, Harry Pappas, Pat Pappas, Steve Pappas, Thane Pappas, Gabriella Partalas, Tom & Angela Passa, Zmara Patrick, David Patrick, Stella Patrick, Teresa Pavlou, Dimitrios Pavlou, Joanna Peccerilli, Anna Perakos, Sperie Perakos, Nikki Perito, Michael and Sophia Perretta, Philip and Irene Perrone, James and Stacy Pertesis, George Pestilli, Agatha Petrakis, Evan Petrakis, Regina Petrakis, Elizabeth Piperas, Helen Piperas, George Porteses, Edna Porteses, Maria Poulmas, John Poulmas, Nicholas Poulmas, Lillian Pozoukidis, Nikolaos Pozoukidis, Eleni Principe, Rich and Evelyn Proestakes, Helen Proestakes, Peter and Virginia Proestakes, Dean Proestakes, John Proestakis, George and Marla Proestakis, Peter Proestakis, Florence Psaltis, Emmanuel & Judy Reale, Raymond Reale, Christina Redding, Helen Redding, Paul Redding, Barbara Reed, Mary Reilly-Vartelas, Robyn

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Saint Barbara Stewardship List 2014 Renda, Christina & Al Rethis, Maria Riggione, Michael and Penny Rogers, Chad and Alexis Rountos, Sophia Rozum, Adam & Christina Rubera, Jean Russo, Ralph and Evelyn Saatsoglou, Eleni Sanfilippo, Louis Sanfilippo, Tina Saoulidis, Theodore Saoulidis, Yota Sarigianis, James Sarigianis, Florence Sarigianis, Rev. Steven Sarigianis, Presbytera Electra Sarigianis, Eleni Sarigianis, Anna Sarris, John Sarris, Theodora Sarris, Alexander & Victoria Sarris, Nikkie Savakis, Mary Savakis, Milton Savakis, Cheryl Savvidis, Michael Savvidis, Savva and Nicole Scafariello, John and Mercy Scarveles, George and Linda Sekas, Mark and Roberta Sellas, George Sellas, Christine Sheeley, Richard & Bethanne Shelley, Kirk Shelley, Stacey Simmons, Mario and Arhonti Simos, Dimitra Simos, Peter & Barbara Simos, Peter Simos, Mersini Skaltsas, Sotirios Skaltsas, Penelope Skitzis, John and Eleanor Smith, Derek & Ellen Smith, Peter Soennichsen, Ryan Soennichsen, Despina Sofokleous, Peggy Spanolios, Paris Spanolios, Eugenia Sperry, Burton and Lisa Stamos, Gregory and Susan Stamos, Paul and Karen Stamos, Peter Stamos Heath, Terry & Paris Stapleton, Karen www.saintbarbara.org

Stardellis, John Stardellis, Eleni Stardellis, Sofia Stavrides , Angelo Stavrides, Janet Stavrides, Steven Stavrides, Joann Stavrides, Andrew Stavrides, Joanna Stefanis, Louis Stefanis, Marianne Stefanopoulos, Peter Stefanopoulos, Angela Stefanou, Andrew Stefanou, Diane Stergakis, Emmanuil Stournaras, Dana Suffredini, Michael Suffredini, Maria Sullo-Paxton, Nicole Suppa, Joe & Angela Szabo, Chris & Kathy Talnose, William and Sophia Tambis, Thomas and Family Teodosio, Joseph Teodosio, Maria Terzakis, James Terzakis, Angeliki Testo, Carl and Cynthia Theodos, George Theodos, Antonia Timos, Gregory Tjimis, Yota Tobias, Christopher Tobias, Anastasia Togridis, Spyros Togridis, Olympia Togridis, Nitsa Togridis, Melina Tomaszek, Frank Tomaszek, Laurie Topalis, John Topalis, Garifalia Touloumes, George Tsialas, Gregory Tsialas, Elaine Tsichlas, Jim and Kelly Tsipouras, Petros Tsipouras, Barbara Tsoupas, Angelo Tsoupas, Maia Tzovolos, Basile Tzovolos, Olympia Tzovolos, Paul Tzovolos, Colleen Vagenas, George Vagenas, Vicky

Valaki, Virginia Van Dusen, Matthew and Kristen Vartelas, Christopher and Oana Vartelas, Jonathan Vartelas, Theodore Varunes, Bessie Varzos, Anastasios Vasil, Helen Vasilas, Mary Vasilopoulos, Kosta Vasilopoulos, Tasia Vastakis, Harry & Candice Vautrin, Gregg and Eleni Verinis, Marie Verinis, Steven Verinis, Mary Ann Vetrano, Todd and Ariana Vincelette, Catherine Vlahos, Eleas Vlahos, Efthymia Vlandis, Elias Vlandis, Calliopi Wachter, Mark Wachter, Herbert Wachter, Helen Wachter, Michael Wachter, Helen Wagner, Robert Wagner, Zoe Waskiewicz, Rich Waskiewicz, Eleni Waskiewicz, Nina Welsh, Joseph Welsh, Eleni Westlund, Robert and Athena Wheeler, Roger Wheway, Marika Winkel, James and Marcy Yates, Steven Yates, Helene Yates, Alexander Yorgakaros, Nicholas Yorgakaros, Kalli Zafiropoulos, Kostas Zafiropoulos, Joanna Zahariades, Desbina Zappas, Andrew Zappas, Olympia Zervos, Thomas & Maria Ziemnicki, Martin and Cindy Zikos, Nikolas Zikos, Fedra Zikos, Kathy Zikos, George Zikos, Christina Zorgias, Emmanuel Zorgias, Efstathia

Winter 2015 / The Ministry • 91

Greek Language School Christmas Program Greek Language School Christmas Program The teachers and students of the Saint Barbara Greek Language School put together a wonderful Christmas Pageant that included poems about the Nativity of Christ and traditional Christmas Hymns. Parents and Grandparents filled the Saint Barbara Community Center and were treated to a wonderful evening that concluded with a meal and dessert. The pictures in this section showcase the students of the Greek Language School. We thank and congratulate the Greek Language School Staff and Students for their prayerful participation.

www.saintbarbara.org

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Greek Language School Christmas Program

www.saintbarbara.org

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Sunday School Christmas Program

www.saintbarbara.org

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Sunday School Christmas Program

www.saintbarbara.org

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Sunday School Christmas Program

The members of our Sunday School program helped remind us all of God’s Great Love for us with their wonderful Christmas Pageant after the celebration of the Divine Liturgy on December 21st. We thank the Sunday School Teachers and Students for their prayerful participation.

www.saintbarbara.org

Winter 2015/The Ministry • 96

Philoptochos Festival of Trees

Philoptochos Festival of Trees The Ladies Philoptochos Society created a weekend of Christmas spirit on December 6 and 7, at our second annual Holiday Fantasy of Trees. Thanks to the support of many generous sponsors, trees, urns and wreaths were decorated by members and friends to be raffled off to many winners. Each one had its own special theme to delight the viewers. In preparation for this event, the ladies baked and cooked many Greek specialties to treat the taste buds of our visitors. The Sweet Shoppe was filled with Caramel Corn, Peppermint Bark, and other holiday treats made by our own talented bakers and chefs. This year we added a Craft Corner and a Holiday Marketplace to our event. Craft sessions were held to make delightful holiday ornaments and decorations to be sold at the Craft Corner. Vendors set up their wares in a Holiday Marketplace that had wonderful gifts to help get some early shopping done. During the weekend we enjoyed lovely performances by the Suzuki Music School and New England Ballet. There was also a special visit by Santa and Mrs. Claus who took photos in Santa’s Village. The dedication and hard work of so many Saint Barbara parishioners kicked off another beautiful beginning of the Christmas season. We thank all of those who gave time, talent, and support to make this special Philoptochos event happen. And we thank all who joined us and helped create a weekend of joy.

www.saintbarbara.org

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Philoptochos Festival of Trees

www.saintbarbara.org

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Philoptochos Festival of Trees

www.saintbarbara.org

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                          Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church   480 racebrok road - orange, ct                                                                

Mustard Seed Faith Group For Adults

exploring the celebration of

great and Holy Week in the Orthodox church Wednesday, April 1, 2015 - 7:00 p.m. Saint Barbara community center

 

Join us for another gathering of the Mustard Seed Faith Group for Adults on Wednesday, April 1st. Father Peter will lead a thoughtful and interactive discussion on the celebration of Great and Holy Week in the Greek Orthodox Church. Explore the Biblical texts and hymns read and chanted throughout Holy Week and gain a better understanding of the services celebrating the Passion and Resurrection of Christ. The Mustard Seed Faith Group for Adults is open to all adults - Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike and is a ministry of Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church in Orange, Connecticut.

Sacraments

SACRAMENTS Baptisms Date Name Parents Godparent(s) 03/16/14 Colette Isabelle Paul and Colleen Losh Julianna Proestakis 04/21/14 Panagiotis Sotirios Skaltsas and Pinelopi Belokas Nikos and Dina Antoniou 04/22/14 Ivana Sophia Tony J. Lillios Gregg Daskalon 05/03/14 Sophia Angela Christopher and Kathryn Szabo Christina Kleiner 05/04/14 Luke Peter Thomas Hansen and Alexandra Ginieres Ann Pickering 05/04/14 Theodoros Peter and Zoi Maniatis Gregory Anastasiou 05/09/14 Stephanie Ruth Charles and Alicia Marcum Lindsay Pandajis 05/10/14 Arabella Stavroula Samuel Tringas and Lauren Biela Demetrios Tringas 05/18/14 Deanna Rae Robert and Athena Westlund Christos Papadopoulos 07/07/14 Candice Nichole Christopher Blair and Kelly Volz Penny Riggione 07/12/14 Mila Kathleen Matthew and Tara Auth Kristofer Haggerty 07/13/14 Jordan Antonios Giuseppe and Angela Suppa Liza Touttoulos 07/27/14 Andoni Nikolaos Adoni and Cara Lefkimiatis Georgia Angelopoulos 07/27/14 Lia Helen Christopher and Anastasia Ganim Christopher Katagis 08/17/14 Panagiotis Raphail George and Christina Zikos Kathryn Zikos 08/23/14 Mario Theodore Thomas and Maria Bruno George and Kristen Bibikos 09/07/14 Olympia Konstantinos and Anastasia Maniatis Melpomeni Togridis 09/27/14 Nikoletta Eleni Ryan and Despina Soennichsen Eleni Sarigianis 09/28/14 Layna Sophia Alexander and Victoria Sarris Niki Mouzouraki 10/04/14 Annaliese Francesca Terry Papadopoulos and Shannon Mollica Elisa Papadopoulos 10/26/14 Leah Mary Vasilios and Keira Diamantis Panagiotis Diamantis 10/26/14 Sofia Anne Robert Mendez and Simona Marchand Sophia Diamantis 11/08/14 Daniel Emmanuel Nicholas and Chelsy Aligizakis Emmanuel Kanterakis 11/23/14 Lucy Marie Athanasios and Angela Partalas Alex and Penelope Limbanovnos 11/30/14 George John and Mary Daoutis Vasilios and Lauren Kaloidis 12/21/14 Sophia Savvas and Nicole Savvidis Mihali Savvidis 02/14/15 Kore Robert and Rachel Duplessis Peggy Losh

Christmations Date Name Sponsor(s) 06/14/14

Kirsten Bitzonis

www.saintbarbara.org



Ann Gekas

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Sacraments - Sponsors

We thank the following professionals for their support.

Weddings Date Couple 05/31/14 Andrew and Mary Borelli Sponsor: Laura Borelli 06/28/14 Kyle and Stephanie (Kerames) Laham Sponsor: Christopher Shadid 07/05/14 Duncan and Jennifer (Cambras) Miller Sponsor: Jonathan Cambras 07/19/14 Alkis and Stacey Liopiros Sponsor: Christopher Ginolfi 08/17/14 Harry and Candice Vastakis Sponsor: Konstantinos Vastakis 09/20/14 Brian and Katharine (Shagoury) Hopkins Sponsor: John Rountos 10/14/14 Jesse and Nikie (Sarris) Esquivel Sponsor: Alexander Sarris 10/26/14 George and Victoria Amoratis Sponsor: Iakovos Amoratis 11/01/14 Eric and Mallory (Caloutas) Goclowski Sponsor: Zaya Oshana 11/09/14 Maurice and Katarzyna Kaoud Sponsor: Charles Kaoud

MY SMILE ORTHODONTICS

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[email protected]

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This Space Available for your Ad Contact the Church Office

Funerals Date Name Age 03/10/14 03/26/14 03/27/14 03/29/14 04/04/14 04/24/14 05/17/14 06/04/14 07/20/14 08/23/14 10/13/14 11/09/14 11/19/14 12/29/14 01/16/15 01/21/15 01/22/15 01/30/15

Angelina Pappas Peter Zorgias Marie Basel Nicholas Mavromatis Stanley Barakis Mary Mento James Vartelas Evelyn O’Neil Pagona Patsis Andrew Kostas Ourania “Irene” Aliferis Emanuel Dakis Gus Kardaras Dorothy K. Guiliotis Konstantinos Vamvakas Brayden Steven Parlato Tina Passalaris Sanfilippo John-Peter I. Orfanakos

www.saintbarbara.org

78 83 89 83 89 92 97 86 93 63 99 92 75 77 59 2 46 20

for more information.

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This Space Available for your Ad Contact the Church Office for more information.

Winter 2015 / The Ministry • 102

Sponsors

We thank the following professionals for their support. INTERNAL MEDICINE OF MILFORD, P.C.

OB GYN PHYSICIANS, P.C.

PARIS SPANOLIOS, M.D.

KAY KOUROUNIS DOHR, M.D.

40 Commerce Park, Milford, CT 06460

Hours by Appointment

203-878-3531

309 Seaside Avenue

Fluent in Greek

Milford, CT 06460

Most Insurance Accepted - Please Call for Appointment

CHIP'S RESTAURANT George Chatzopoulos

Serving famous pancakes & omelets lunch and dinner since 1966

321 Boston Post Road (Route 1) Orange, CT 06477 203-795-5065 203-799-0827 (fax) www.chipsrest.com

GREGORY J. STAMOS ATTORNEY AT LAW 200 Main Street P.O. Box 166 Ansonia, CT 06401-0166 203-735-9293 (phone) 203-734-5056 (fax)

AEGEAN FLORIST Flowers for all occasions at wholesale prices Holidays are here, send some cheer! Maria Fifis 203-795-9051 or 203-435-1734



203-877-5634

203-876-1840 (fax)

YORKSIDE PIZZA RESTAURANT George & Nota Koutroumanis

Come and Experience Yale's Most Popular Restaurant for over 30 years! 203-787-7471

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288 York Street, New Haven

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DR. ESTELL PAPPAS

DISEASES AND SURGERIES OF THE FOOT AND ANKLE

Aegean will donate 6% of your total order to the Saint Barbara Pantocrator Fund

136 Sherman Ave. 3851 Whitney Ave. New Haven, CT 06511 Hamden, CT 06518 203-624-9991 203-248-6543 Most Insurance Accepted

FAMILY & COSMETIC DENTISTRY ANNA RAHO, DDS

BUFFALO WILD WINGS GRILL & BAR

White Fillings - Implants - Veneers - Crowns/Bridges - Dentures Emergencies Seen Promptly New Patients Always Welcome 70 Cherry Street, Milford 203-877-0377 www. MyMilfordDentist.com www.saintbarbara.org

1201 Boston Post Road Milford, Connecticut 06460 at Westfield Connecticut Post Mall Phone: 203-877-WILD Fax: 203-877-WINGS Winter 2015 / The Ministry • 103

Presorted First Class

U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

New Haven, Conn. Permit No. 1108

Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church

480 Racebrook Road, Orange, CT 06477 Tel. (203) 795-1347 • Fax: (203) 795-1348 www.saintbarbara.org • [email protected]

THE LENTEN PRAYER OF SAINT EPHRAIM O Lord and Master of my life! Take from me the spirit of sloth, faint-heartedness, lust of power, and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. Yea, Lord and King! Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother, for Thou art blessed unto ages of ages. Amen.

Visit the Saint Barbara You Tube Channel www.youtube.com/user/stbarbaragoc To view Recorded Services, Sermons, Lectures, Reflections, Tributes and More!