Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church

May 2009

Monthly / Issue No. 5

Trans-a-Gram

Catherine Koufogazos, Editor

Inside this issue Holy Saturday ..................... 1 This article discusses the glory of Christ’s resurrection and its meaning for Orthodox Christians..

Letter from Fr. Ted ............. 2 Fr. Ted bestows his Easter blessings to the Transfiguration Parish.

Oratorical Festival.............. 5 Transfiguration Parish youth participate with great success in this year’s St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival.

Easter Week Photos .......... 6 Holy Week services and activities are captured in this photo essay.

Church News....................... 8 Read all of the latest news being reported by our parish groups and committees.

Holy Saturday: “With Fear And Trembling” by FR. JOHN BRECK Courtesy of www.lent.goarch.org Miraculously, Orthodox Christianity has preserved the essence of “the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). By the sheer grace of God, it has maintained the apostolic faith in the face of extraordinary pressures, from persecution and martyrdom to Western secularism and pluralism. Without that grace, Orthodoxy would have disappeared before the end of the first millennium. And with it would have disappeared “true belief” and “true worship.” Because of its God–given survival and God–inspired expansion throughout what is called “the diaspora,” Orthodoxy continues to preserve, proclaim, and celebrate the truth about God and about ourselves. More than any other expression of Christian faith, it enables us to know God, to celebrate His saving work, and to participate in His very life. To borrow the expression of St Innocent Veniaminov, Orthodoxy does nothing less than indicate to us and guide us along the Way that leads to the kingdom of heaven. That way, nevertheless, includes an aspect that is particularly difficult to preserve and cultivate in modern American society: an aspect expressed most eloquently in the Entrance Hymn of the Divine Liturgy of Holy Saturday, borrowed from the Liturgy of St James. On that day, we sing with solemn anticipation words that express awe — “fear and trembling” — before the ineffable mystery of the death and coming resurrection of God’s eternal Son. Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and in fear and trembling stand, rendering nothing earthly–minded. For the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, comes to be slain, to give Himself as food to the faithful! (Continued on page 4)

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LETTER FROM REVEREND THEODORE J. BARBAS

Χριστός Ανέστη! Christ Is Risen! By REV. THEODORE BARBAS Chancellor, Metropolis of Boston

Come, receive the light that is never overtaken by night, and glorify Christ Who is risen from the dead. My dear fellow brothers and sisters,

Christ is Risen! Χριστός Ανέστη! Jesus Christ is the light of the world! In the Gospel of Saint John, which we read during this period following Pascha, we read, “I am the light of the world, he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8.12). The days in which we live are full of darkness, death, war, terrorism, violence, hatred, injustice, and evil. However, Jesus Christ is Lord of the living and the dead, and His light always overcomes darkness and evil, as long as we allow it to work and shine within and through us. “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.” Darkness is powerless in the face of the light of Christ. “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” (John 11.25-26). Today is the day of Salvation! Today is the day of the Resurrection! Today is the day that we must return to God, to seek His forgiveness and love, and to reclaim our orientation on righteousness, truth, and justice. Today is the day we must forgive others as we seek their forgiveness. Today is the day we must reconcile ourselves to one another and to God in the light of the Resurrection. “It is the day of Resurrection;let us be glorious in splendor for the Festival, and let us embrace one another. Let us speak also, O brethren, to those

that hate us, and in the Resurrection, let us forgive all things, and so let us cry: Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and bestowing life on those in the graves.” (Hymn of the Resurrection) As Orthodox Christians, we are the inheritors of the gift of the Light of Christ. The Light that shined over the Manger by the star at the place of our Savior’s birth in Bethlehem, shines still bright to this day — the darkness of Golgotha could not extinguish it. So today, my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the Light of Christ’s glorious third-day Resurrection will not be extinguished by the evil of the world; it will shine brightly in the hearts and souls of each of us — the stewards of this holy parish of the Transfiguration of our Lord and Savior. May the Light of the Resurrected Lord shine ever so brightly in our lives that the entire world will know that Christ is Risen and has trampled upon death! As we pray for peace throughout the world, let us pray the Resurrectional hymn: “Shine, shine, O New Jerusalem! For the glory of the Lord has dawned over you. Rejoice now and be glad, O Sion;as for you, O pure Theotokos, rejoice in the resurrection of your child.”

Χριστός Ανέστη! Christ Is Risen! With love in the Risen Lord,

+ Father Ted

HOW TO REACH US CHURCH INFORMATION Secretary: Jeanne Brady Address: Father John Sarantos Way, Lowell, MA 01854 Telephone: 978–458–4321 Fax: 978–458–8726 Church e-mail: [email protected] Web page: www.transchurch.org Office hours: Secretary: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Priest: Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

PRIEST INFORMATION Chancellor: Reverend Theodore J. Barbas Telephone: 617–277–4742 E-mail: [email protected]

TRANS-A-GRAM INFORMATION Editor: Catherine Koufogazos Telephone: 978–957–5330 E-mail: [email protected]

PARISH COUNCIL INFORMATION President:: Nick Pappas Telephone: 603–886–4717 E-mail: [email protected] Parish Council Members: (2 years) Thomas Amick, John Dristilaris, Sandra Gulezian, Nicholas Pappas, Mary Dukakis Piper, Olivia Sintros; (one year) Corrine Dubay, Andrea Garibaldi, Angela Hastings, Konstantinos Kalabokis, Carl Maib, Christian Zouzas

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Church Services Schedule of Services

Monthly Trisagia

Orthros .............................................................. 9 to 10 a.m.

Names of the deceased are read the first Sunday of each month. Please send the names to be read in advance, listing the month you would like them read. If you would like the name to be read in Greek, please include the Greek spelling along with the English. If you have any questions, contact Dyanne Mitropoulis at 978–256–2056.

Divine Liturgy ........................................... 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Special Services May 3 (Sunday) ......................................... Orthros: 9 a.m. Divine Liturgy: 10 a.m. May 10 (Sunday) ....................................... Orthros: 9 a.m. Divine Liturgy: 10 a.m.

MAY TRISAGIA George Anastos Leo Anastos

Pauline Koniditsiotes Stergios Koravos

Nicholas Ballas

Stella Kouloharis

Connie Barron

Dionisios Koutros

Katherine Betses

Marina Koutros

Stavroula Betses

Crystal E. Laganas

Julia Boutselis

John G. Laganas

Peter Boutselis

Scott John Laganas

Kathleen Caragianis

Mary Lellos

Chris Colas

Stephanie Lombardo

May 27 (Wednesday) ............................. Apdosis of Pascha Divine Liturgy: 9 a.m.

George A. Danas

Yianni Manelas

George P. Danas

Paraskevi Manolis

May 28 (Thursday) .................................... Holy Ascension Divine Liturgy: 9 a.m.

Katherine G. Danas

Panagioti Marcopoulos

Stephen A. Danas

Martin P. Martakos

May 31 (Sunday) ....................................... Orthros: 9 a.m. Divine Liturgy: 10 a.m.

George Delazanos

Stavroula Mitropoulos

Georgia Delazanos

Flora Moskovites

Debra Laganas Dion

Nicholas Moskovites

Rosemary Eliopoulos

Donald Musgrave

May 13 (Wednesday) .................................. Mid–Pentecost Divine Liturgy: 9 a.m. May 17 (Sunday) ....................................... Orthros: 9 a.m. Divine Liturgy: 10 a.m. May 21 (Thursday) ................ Sts. Constantine and Helen Divine Liturgy: 9 a.m. May 24 (Sunday) ....................................... Orthros: 9 a.m. Divine Liturgy: 10 a.m.

Sacraments Baptism:

Christos Gavriel

Nicholas Nicholaides

(April 5th): Hunter John Collins, son of Christopher and Tracy (Gounaris) Collins. Godparent: George Gounaris.

Anna Gavriel

Vasilike Nicholaides

Costas Georgeou

Margo Roussakos

We congratulate Hunter in becoming our newest Orthodox Christian.

Doris Georges

Helen Sintros

Pauline Gavriel

James Sintros

Despina Georgeou

Jennie Sparages

Julia Georgeou

Polita Tsilikounas

William Georgeou

Nicholas Vergados

Yianoula Georgeou

Demosthenes Voulgaris

Camp Days Schedule

Stephanie Gulezian

Sophie Vrettas

Gregory Kalergis

Daisy Wajda

Many thanks to all those who participated in the Lenten camp days! Remember that the Summer VCC camp is coming up soon:

Sultana Kapsouris

Steve Xifaris

Evangelos Koniditsiotes

Eleni Zaralides

 Summer VCC (July 27th–July 31st) If you are interested in planning or helping in any way, please contact Olivia Sintros at [email protected] or by calling her 978–902–6152.

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OUR FAITH Holy Saturday (Continued from page 1)

these words:

In the usual celebrations of the Divine Liturgy, we exhort ourselves and one another to “lay aside all earthly cares,” in order to receive “the King of all.” On Holy Saturday, as we commemorate Christ's repose in the tomb and His descent into the realm of the dead, we recall the price paid for our own liberation from death and corruption. We declare that He, the pre–existent divine Son of the Father, came into our world and into our life for one purpose: to die, that through His death we might have life, lived in eternal communion with the Holy Trinity.

Spiritual knowledge comes through prayer, deep stillness and complete detachment. . . When the soul’s incensive power [thymikon, spiritual wrath] is aroused against the passions, we should know it is time for silence, since the hour of battle is at hand.*

There is nothing in human experience, nor even in the human imagination, that could offer greater promise and greater joy than this central message of the Christian gospel. Yet for most of us, the most familiar and painful aspect of our lenten journey is likely to be our inability to relate to that message — to that extraordinary promise — in a way that actually changes our life. Distraction, dispersion, and chaos, whether from outside or from deep within our own psyche, exercise their demonic influence in every phase of our daily life, while we are at work, with our friends or family, or in a liturgical service. And so we live our lives on submit the surface, feeling little and caring little for what is in fact the one thing in this world that really matters, the one thing that is truly needful. Holy Saturday calls us back to what is essential. In the Entrance Hymn especially, it reminds us that our life is a battle–ground, where a constant struggle pits us against the Enemy, against the worst inclinations of our fallen nature. Appropriately, it calls us to engage in that struggle with fear, with trembling, and in silence. One of the great teachers of Orthodox tradition, the fifth– century mystic, Diodochos of Photiki, captured the vital link between inner silence and spiritual warfare with

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At the close of Holy Week, as we journey with our Lord toward His resurrection, we hear once again in the words of the Great Saturday Hymn of Entrance an invitation to enter into that silence: silence which is essential if we are to assume with real faithfulness the ascetic struggle that characterizes our entire “life in Christ.” In that silence we stand in holy awe before the King of kings and Lord of lords. For a few moments we move beyond the superficiality of our social and cultural existence: the noise, the distraction, and the pointlessness of our daily routine. By the grace of God we discover at least a minimum of “prayer, deep stillness, and detachment.” In that stillness — in the silence granted to our mortal flesh — we contemplate the unfathomable depths of Jesus’ sacrificial love, for ourselves and for all mankind. And “with fear and trembling” we receive Him as eucharistic food, the Bread of heaven, which nourishes us to eternal life. References On Spiritual Knowledge, The Philokalia Vol 1 (London, Faber & Faber, 1979) 255. Copyright: 2003 John Breck, St Vladimir’s Seminary Press Crestwood, New York 10707 Source: God With Us: Critical Issues in Christian Life and Faith

and other Orthodox Christian distributors. They have partnered with the Department of Internet Ministries to create a customized online bookstore for each parish in the Archdiocese for FREE. Our parish’s customized online store is available right now and is filled with the hundreds of products currently available through the Orthodox Marketplace. Not only is the service free, but our parish will even receive a 10% commission on any sales made through the online store. The free online bookstore program is yet another service from the Department of Inter-

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CHURCH EVENTS

St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival By YIOTA SIMOGLOU Each year, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Department of Religious Education sponsors the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival, which gives our youth in middle and senior high school an opportunity to learn and speak about their beliefs, their church, and their heritage. The Transfiguration Church parish’s oratorical festival took place on Sunday, March 29th, following the Divine Liturgy. Advisers Yiota Simoglou and Patricia Mahoney coordinated the parish festival. Timothy Koufogazos, son of Nicholas and Susan Koufogazos of Dracut, participated in the Junior Division. Senior Division speakers were: Cassandra Garibaldi, daughter of Lawrence and Andrea Garibaldi of Dracut; George Murphy, son of James and Pamela Murphy of Dracut; and Madeline Fr. ??? (right) joins the Transfiguration Church’s Oratorical Festival participants (from Koufogazos, daughter of Nicholas and left): Timothy Koufogazos, Madeline Koufogazos, Cassandra Garibaldi, and George MurSusan Koufogazos of Dracut. The judges phy. (Photo by Arthur Sparages) of the Oratorical festival were Mr. Stephen Connor, Sts. Constantine and All Transfiguration Oratorical participants attended the Helen, Andover, MA; Ms. Georgia Lagadinos, St. John Greek Orthodox Church, Boston, MA; and Mr. Matthew Bartos, Northeast District Festival at St. Nicholas Church in Portsmouth, NH, on April 4th. The Northeast district fesChelmsford High School, English/Public Speaking educator. Following the deliberation of the judges, the name of the tival includes parishes from Vermont, Maine, New HampTransfiguration Parish finalist was announced in the St. shire, and Massachusetts (Dracut, Lowell, and Andover). Sophia Chapel. The finalist, Cassandra Garibaldi, will receive Father Agathonikos Wilson, Metropolis Oratorical Festia four–year scholarship from Hellenic College/Holy Cross. The val Chairman, officiated the program. The two finalists scholarship will cover 100% of the tuition the first year, and from each division will advance to the Metropolis of Bos80% for the remaining years. Each participant received from ton Oratorical Festival on May 9th in Brookline, MA, at the parish a $50 savings bond and an official Archdiocese Certhe Cathedral Center. tificate of Participation.

Timothy Koufogazos

Madeline Koufogazos

George Murphy

Cassandra Garibaldi

(Photo by Arthur Sparages)

(Photo by Arthur Sparages)

(Photo by Arthur Sparages)

(Photo by Arthur Sparages) (Continued on page 13)

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CHURCH EVENTS

Easter Week Services & Activities Many thanks to our parishioners, including Nick Pappas, Arthur Sparages, and Nick Metilinos, for sharing their photos of the Holy Week activities and services.

Good Friday Lenten Retreat The Good Friday Retreat took place at the Church on April 17th. Our volunteers took on the task of teaching our children about the many lessons of Holy Week. Melanie Pappas taught the children about Saturday of Lazarus; at the end of the session, she gave each child a little treasure to take home. Cassandra Garibaldi shared the lesson of Palm Sunday; the treasure she gave each child was a palm cross. Chrysanthy Tiggas captured the children’s attention with her account of the Garden of Gethsemane and handed each of them a flower to take home. Michael Razzouk (one of the seminarians) talked about the Crucifixion. Many more activities were offered, such as singing Christos Anesti with Toula Sparages, making Pascha candles, playing a Lenten game, and so much more. Also, we could not end the day without a group picture taken by Arthur Sparages to remind us of the good time we all had. And, we could not have gotten through the day without the wonderful meal provided by Angela Hastings, Andrea Garibaldi, Effie Exarhopoulos, and Alice Danas. The class

leaders volunteered to lead our children from one station to the next, and they did a fantastic job. The leaders were: preshcool and kindergarten — Anna Manetta, Despina Zouza; 1st and 2nd grades — Irene Manetta, Evanthia Tully; 3rd and 4th grades — Elizabeth Garibaldi, Thea Vaporis; 5th – 7th grades — Katerina Kalabokis and Nick Mastis.  Thank you to Mrs. Eva Dukakis for providing three different kinds of Lenten cookies. They were very delicious, and the children repeatedly went back for more. Ymittos Candles was very generous and donated the candles used in the Pascha candles decorating class. We all would like to thank Olivia Sintros for guiding us through the various tasks that just couldn’t get done without her. A special thanks to Father Ted, Father Steven, and all the seminarians for taking time out of their busy day in reaching out to all of our children during the retreat.

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CHURCH EVENTS

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CHURCH EVENT

Church News President’s Report By NICK PAPPAS Parish Council President Christos Anesti! Christ is Risen! Once again we have come to the close of another blessed Lenten season, culminating with 15 beautiful Holy Week services and the always festive Agape service on Pascha morning. With that, however, comes the unenviable task of trying to thank everyone who helped to make this all possible without inadvertently leaving someone out. So, with my sincere apologies if I miss anyone, I would like to express my personal appreciation and that of the Parish Council to the following:

 To Fr. Ted Barbas, the chancellor of our Metropolis,

who not only presided over nearly all of our Lenten services, but made himself and his seminarians available to meet with our GOYA-age young people each Friday evening prior to the Paraklesis services during Lent and Sunday through Thursday evenings prior to the evening services during Holy Week. We are particularly grateful for the stability you provided during this critical time as we await the assignment of a new pastor for our community.

 To Fr. Stephen Lawrence for all his assistance during

Holy Week and earlier in Lent with some of our Monday evening Compline services. It was a pleasure getting to know you, your wife, Kelly, and your young son, Alec. We can only hope that you and your family enjoyed celebrating Holy Week with us as much as we enjoyed hosting you.

 To all the seminarians and chanters for their invaluable assistance during our Lenten journey, including Kosta Kollias, Costa Magimbi and Michael Razzouk; also to our own chanter/readers, Cassandra Garibaldi, George Murphy and Melanie Pappas among them.

 To all my colleagues on the Parish Council for their

commitment and dedication to our parish during the entire Lenten and Holy Week season. As you know, our current council consists of eight members who have never before served in these leadership positions, and I couldn’t be any more proud of them for their commitment and dedicated service to their parish during this challenging time.

 To our Ladies Philoptochos Society for hosting one of our Lenten receptions, decorating our kouvouklion, sharing the blessings of the Pascha season to our nurs-

ing home residents and shut-ins, and all the other things you do that we sometimes take for granted.

 To our Men’s Guild for hosting one of our Lenten receptions.

 To our Sunday School for preparing our children to participate in some of our Lenten and Holy Week services, including the Sunday of Orthodoxy and Holy Friday.

 To choir director Lou Stamas and our wonderful choir for inspiring us with their beautiful voices during our Holy Week services, especially the Lamentations on Holy Friday evening.

 To our altar boys for their dedicated service during our many Lenten and Holy Week services, including some no doubt well past their normal bedtimes.

 To the members of our GOYA for participating in the

weekly and later daily discussion sessions with Fr. Ted, Fr. Stephen and the seminarians. We hope these sessions served to bolster your knowledge and commitment to our Orthodox faith in a way you can incorporate into your daily lives.

 To the 18 individuals who were gracious enough to ac-

cept our invitation to help carry the kouvouklion during the Holy Friday procession outside the church. This year, some of our council members were joined by George Bertos, Matthew Blake, Jim Danas, Philip Dubay, Kevin Dufresne, Marc Gulezian, Jeff Hastings, Daniel Hyde, Patricia Mahoney, Susan Pappas, Tom Sampson, Stephen Simoglou and Elaine Thibault.

 To Joanne Kalabokis for helping to organize our annual Holy Friday retreat for the youth of our parish.

 To the volunteer members of our cleaning crew, who as

always worked diligently behind the scenes to ensure our church was presentable for our many services; also to past President Nick Nicholaou for all his help during this period, including taking the responsibility to ensure we had enough candles on hand at all times.

 To several parish families, who preferred to remain

anonymous, for their generous donations that led to the cleaning of the church grounds, the application of bark mulch near the entrance and the replacement of lights outside the church.

 Last, but not least, to each of you, our Transfiguration (Continued on page 10)

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CHURCH NEWS

Parish Council Report By SANDRA GULEZIAN Parish Council Secretary The following are highlights from the Parish Council meeting held on March 22nd:

 We agreed to allow a parish family to rent the hall for a birthday celebration.

 We reviewed the proposal at modifying our gas contract with our supplier (MME) and made a decision to go with the new 2–year contract, which will lower our rate from $1.20/Therm to .92 cents/Therm, a 23% reduction.

 We discussed the installation of bricks in the front entrance; attendance at Greek Independence Day activities; and assigned coverage for the Lenten services.

The following are highlights from our meeting on Monday, April 6th:

 UPRs and By-laws were distributed to all in attendance.

 A comprehensive treasurer’s report was prepared by

Kon Kalabokis and Tom Amick and discussed in detail for the period of 1/1/09 through 3/31/09.

 We discussed/decided coverage for Holy Week services;

participation and activities for the Saturday of Lazarus; the decision to process around the church with the Kouvouklion on Good Friday; and that the Parish Council would host a light reception following the midnight service on Holy Saturday.

 A motion was made to come up with a Donation Policy

to outline how we will make decisions when parishioners offer to donate the cost of non–routine items.

 We began the process of finalizing committee chairpeople. The final list will be discussed and decided at the next Parish Council meeting.

Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 6th, at 6:00 p.m. In the future, our routine meetings will be held the first Tuesday of every month at 6:00 pm.

 The date for our next Parish Assembly was chosen for Sunday, June 7th.

Athena McCann Wins Will McDonough Writing Contest By CATHY KOUFOGAZOS Trans-a-Gram Editor Athena McCann, daughter of Jim and Katrina (Yankopoulos) McCann, recently won the Boston Globe’s Will McDonough Writing Contest. The contest (the fifth annual) is named in honor of the long–time Boston Globe sports columnist. It is designed to encourage the development of language and writing skills while incorporating the topic of sports and such concepts as teamwork, responsibility, fairness, courage and determination. Students entered the contest by submitting an essay on one of several topics. Essays were then judged on topic development, organization, style and mechanics. Editors and writers from the Boston Globe determined the winners. Over 2,000 essays were submitted from students in grades 4 through 12. A winner was selected from each grade. Athena, a fourth grader, won for her essay entitled, “The Determination and Courage Of Willie O’Ree,” about the first black person to play in the National Hockey League. Athena, her parents, and her brother Dean attended the awards ceremony on March 23, in the Sports Museum at the TD BankNorth Garden, where Athena received her award. Athena and her family viewed the exhibit in the Sports Museum, where her essay will be on display for a year, they had dinner and then they watched a Celtics game. It was an exciting day, indeed! For more information about the Will McDonough Writing Contest, go to www.tdbanknorthgarden.com/sportsmuseum/mcdonough.asp.

Athena McCann standing next to the exhibit, holding her award. (Photo provided by the McCann family)

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CHURCH NEWS

Stewardship Report By NICK PAPPAS Parish Council President

a monthly year-over-year comparison has been in positive territory.

As we enter the second quarter of the year, we are pleased to report an uptick in stewardship contributions, surpassing both the number of stewardship cards received and the amount pledged when compared to the same period one year ago.

Of those 375 stewards, 213 families and individuals had paid their 2009 stewardship commitment in full for a total of $58,525.32; another 162 had had paid $11,979.99 of their pledged $65,218.82 on account.

As of mid-April, 375 stewards had submitted their stewardship cards for 2009, up from 349 – or more than 7 percent – from 12 months earlier. Likewise, the amount of money pledged so far this year totaled $123,744.14. While that is only $4 higher than last year at this time, it represents the first time in years that

Please remember our longtime goal is to cover our entire operating budget through our stewardship program – not counting candles, baskets or other sources of income. Meeting that challenge will be one of the primary goals of a new stewardship committee, which will be assembled in the coming weeks.

2009 Stewardship Summary FAMILIES

AMOUNT

236

up to $300

104

$301 to $600

18

$601 to $900

11

$901 to $1,200

2

$1,201 to $1,500

4

$1,501 and above

Participating stewards to date: Total pledged: Received to date: Budget goal:

375 $123,744.14 $70,505.31 $146,880.00

Treasurer’s Report Here is a brief summary of income and expenses as of March 31 and how they compare to the same period last year: CATEGORY

2009

2008

CHANGE

Stewardship

66,006.31

75,093.82

–12.10%

Other income

37,570.37

47,055.68

–20.16%

Total income

103,576.68

122,149.50

–15.20%

Expenses

79,189.51

89,812.01

–11.83%

Balance

24,387.17

32,337.49

–24.59%

President’s Report (Continued from page 8)

parishioners, for worshipping with us during the many services from the beginning of Lent right up to the Resurrection and Agape services on Pascha morning. I can’t find the proper words to express my sincere thanks not only for your participation during this holy time of the year, but for all the kind words of encouragement to me personally and on behalf of our new council. Please know that they were very much appreciated. Agape service apology: I would like to extend a sincere apology for any confusion that arose over the starting time of our Agape service. Due to an unfortunate error, the service was listed with a noon start in the original

Holy Week schedule of services – an hour later than our traditional time. While we later announced an 11 a.m. start in the Trans-Notes and in a revised schedule of Holy Week services that was distributed on Palm Sunday, it became evident that not all of our parishioners were aware of the change. As a result, a number of families arrived near the end of the service. While I apologized to some of you on that day, I wanted to use this opportunity to publicly acknowledge the error and extend my apologies to everyone for not communicating the change in a more effective manner.

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CHURCH NEWS

Philoptochos Society By SUSAN PAPPAS Philoptochos President Easter: A very special thank you to all the Philoptochos ladies who helped with the numerous activities during Lent. Whether you assisted with the Pre–Sanctified Liturgy dinner, pastry trays, Council of Churches reception, mailings, collections, flower decorations, Saturday of Lazarus brunch, Greek Independence Day Ribbons, nursing home and shut–in visitations, or egg dyeing, your help is truly appreciated. This is a busy time of year for everyone personally, and to see so much enthusiasm in trying to fulfill the mission of Philoptochos is heartwarming. Scholarships: Scholarship applications are now due for graduating seniors who are Greek Orthodox and whose parents are members in good standing with the parish. The scholarship chairperson is Patricia Mahoney.

The ladies prepare the red eggs for Easter. Standing (left to right): Ann Tavoularis, Regina Dabilis, Elaine Lazouras, and Betty Balamotis. Seated (left to right): Martha Sintros, Emily Karayianes, Mary Nicholaides, and Joan Pappas. (Photo by Arthur Sparages)

College/Graduate Degree: Students who are completing college, graduate work, or post–secondary schooling will be recognized for their achievement. Contact Melanie Pappas. Scholarship/Graduate Sunday is scheduled for June 21st this year following the Divine Liturgy. Philoxenia House: Plans are being made to visit the Philoxenia House on Saturday, June 27th. As we did in October 2007, we will bring a potluck supper. Shoes for Orphan Souls: One of the resolutions passed at the Biennial Convention in Washington, D.C., last year was to promote and participate in the Shoes for Orphan Souls program. Shoes for Orphan Souls, a ministry of Buckner International, has distributed more than 1.5 million pairs of new shoes and socks to at–risk children in the United States and to orphans in 55 countries around the world. We have once again chosen the months of May and June for our collection of new children’s shoes, socks and shoelaces. You can drop off your donations in the Philoptochos room anytime or in the bins provided in the church hall. Last year, we sent 75 pairs of shoes and 125 pairs of socks. Let’s try to beat those numbers. Next Meeting: Our May meeting will be held Thursday, May 7th, at 6:30 p.m. Philoptochos Board elections will take place at this meeting. The outreach collection will be new children’s shoes and socks. Hostesses for the evening will be Clara, Connie and Freda Gkolias. Some talented members of the Transfiguration will entertain us. Looking forward to seeing you all.

Ladies Philoptochos Society members Daphne Kouloungis, left, and Deanne Finn, along with their sons, distributed blue-and-white ribbons on Sunday, March 22, in observance of Greek Independence Day. (Photo by Nick Pappas)

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CHURCH NEWS

Sunday School

Men’s Guild

By CONNIE GKOLIAS Sunday School Director

By HARRY STAMAS Men’s Guild President On Wednesday, April 1st, the Men’s Guild sponsored the Lenten Meal after the Pre– Sanctified Liturgy. Thanks to the food donations of many, many parishioners — we had plenty of food that fed about 40 people who attended that evening. Fr. Stephen Lawrence was the guest speaker after the meal and he told us about his life story. This journey led him to becoming an Orthodox Christian, which eventually led to his Ordination into the Priesthood. Our next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21st. The following meeting will be held on June 9th. Mark your calendars! We are still asking our members to mail their stewardship donation for 2009 to the church, and all “125 Club” members are asked to please send in their $25 as the first drawing is fast approaching.

Choir By LOUIS STAMAS Choir Director Christos Anesti! Congratulations and many thanks to our dedicated choir members who offered so much of their time and talents during Holy Week. It was wonderful to have some extra voices as well. I won’t mention the names that go along with the voices this month, so as not to “put them on the spot,” but we hope to make all of them permanent choir members! A big thank you also to Father Ted, who is always so complimentary, appreciative, and easy to work with! Our choir is always looking for new members. Any interested parishioner should feel free to speak with me, or with any choir member, about joining us. You don’t need to be able to read Greek, or to read music!

We would like to thank Mr. William Zounas for his donation and generosity to the Church. He is the Veterans’ Agent for the Town of Dracut. We were given a new P.O.W. flag to replace the tattered one on the flagpole, as well as an American flag that flew over the Capital in Washington, DC.

As we continue our Lenten journey through April, the teachers and Sunday School children have been very busy. Thanks to Thea Tully and Georgia Genna and their assistants for coloring red Easter eggs on April 5th with the children from preschool through second grade. Thanks to Clara and Freda Gkolias and their assistants for making Easter baskets on April 12th with the children from preschool and kindergarten. The children brought in candy to share with their classmates. Special thanks to Hariklia Zouzas and her assistants for organizing the flower girls for Good Friday services. The girls (from grades 3 and 4) looked lovely and did a great job. Thanks to all our teachers and assistants for making our Sunday School the best, and for helping all our children with their religious studies. This has been said time and time again: “When we work together, we accomplish great things for our children.” Calendar for May and June Sunday, May 3

Godparent Sunday

Sunday, May 24

NO Sunday School – Memorial Day weekend

Sunday, May 31

Magic Show by George Tsoukalis, provided for the children in preschool through 3rd grade

Sunday, June 14

Sunday School graduation

Coffee Hour By SUSAN PAPPAS Coffee Hour Coordinator March 29, 2009: Coffee hour sponsored by George and Anne Patterson in loving memory of their beloved friend Katherine Tzanetakos Ziakas. April 12, 2009: Coffee hour sponsored by the Stamas and Gulezian families in honor of Christine’s birthday. Coffee hour sponsors: Anyone who would like to sponsor a coffee hour should contact Susan Pappas at 603-8864717, e-mail her at [email protected], or see her on Sunday during the coffee hour.

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CHURCH NEWS

GOYA

HOPE / JOY By SANDRA GULEZIAN HOPE/JOY Coordinator The “It Makes CENTS to Give” campaign was a great success! At this time, the amount collected is not known, but we expect to be able to contribute a sizable donation to the church. This campaign allowed our youth to participate in the life of our parish by collecting spare change each Sunday. A portion of the money collected will also be donated to a charity, and we have asked the kids to think about what charity they would choose and WHY. Our deepest appreciation goes out to those who brought in their coins or contributed to the campaign. We are planning a Family Picnic on Saturday, June 6th, at the home of the Gulezian family. There will be lots of activities for the kids (weather permitting), including a treasure hunt through the back woods; we encourage entire families to come and to get to know one another better. If anyone is not yet a member of Hope/Joy, in grades K-6, please send email to [email protected]. We would love for you to join us. Several Hope/Joy kids will be attending the MBC camp in Contoocook, NH, during the week starting July 13th (including Sandra G. as a volunteer). The camp website can provide you with more information, including other dates to choose from: http://www.boston.goarch.org/youth_ministries/mbc/me tropolis_of_boston_summer_camp_2009.html. Please consider it this year, or in the future. This is an experience that your child will not forget!!

Graduate Sunday By PAT MAHONEY Graduate Sunday Advisor On Sunday, June 21st, after Divine Liturgy, the Ladies Philoptochos will recognize this year’s high school, college, and advanced degree graduates. College–bound high school seniors who completed the scholarship application and successfully met the criteria will be awarded one $500.00 scholarship from among the memorial and honorary scholarships available. Those high school seniors not planning to pursue a post–secondary education will also be recognized and are encouraged to submit biographical information on forms available in the church office. College and/or advanced degree graduates should contact Melanie Pappas at 978–337–1329 or [email protected].

By PAM MURPHY GOYA Advisor Christos Anesti! The Goyans thoroughly enjoyed all the discussions and gatherings held during the Lenten period by Fr. Theodore Barbas & Kosta Kollias. We want to thank Fr. Ted and Kosta sincerely for bringing us closer to God during this Lenten period and for providing us a greater understanding of God’s word. The GOYA would like to congratulate our participants in the Saint John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival — Cassandra Garibaldi, Madeleine Koufogazos, Timothy Koufogazos, and George Murphy. The GOYA wishes George and Cassandra the best of luck at the Metropolitan Oratorical Festival on May 9th in Brookline. George and Cassandra placed first and second, respectively, at the Northern District Festival held in Portsmouth, NH on April 4th. Please mark your calendars for Sunday, May 17th, when the Goyans will once again be participating in Lowell General Hospital Team Walk for Cancer. Everyone young and old is encouraged to join us in this community event. There is a three–mile walk, and a six–mile walk for those of you who would like a more of a challenge. Our next GOYA meeting is scheduled for Sunday, May 3rd, at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy in the church’s board room. Please plan on attending this meeting to see what GOYA is all about and to learn about our upcoming events.

Newsletter Deadline Transfiguration organizations are asked to submit entries for the Trans-a-Gram no later than the 15th of the month. Please submit your material by e-mail to Cathy Koufogazos at [email protected]. Entries also can be faxed to the church office at 978-458-8726 or dropped off in the office during normal business hours. It is important that all church organizations be represented in the Trans-a Gram, so please make an effort to participate. Oratorical Festival (Continued from page 5)

In the Junior Division, Timothy Koufogazos placed third and is an alternate to the Metropolis of Boston Festival. In the Senior Division, George Murphy (first place) and Cassandra Garibaldi (second place) will represent the Northeast district on May 9th. Congratulations to all our students and their parents for promoting this important ministry.

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CHURCH NEWS

Dacey’s Divas By CATHY KOUFOGAZOS Trans-a-Gram Editor Parishioner Dacey Zouzas is making a difference. Dacey’s cable TV show, Dacey’s Divas, is about women making a difference. Dacey sold real estate for more than 25 years and met so many wonderful women through the years that made a difference. She was always fascinated with TV and noticed that there was never a show highlighting these remarkable women from all walks of life. Dacey decided to take a volunteer class at the Chelmsford Library, and her show was born. Since June 2006, Dacey has finished 70 shows. Dacey’s Divas is hosted by Chelmsford Telemedia in Chelmsford, MA. You can catch the show in Chelmsford, Dracut, Dunstable, Groton, Harvard, Lowell, Pepperell, Tyngsboro, Westford, Worcester, New Hampshire, Martha’s Vineyard, and on www.youtube.com. At the Philoptochos’s 55th Annual Tea held a few months ago, Dacey featured our church’s remarkable Philoptochos women from past, present, and future on one of her shows. In addition to Dacey’s Divas, Dacey acts as emcee at numerous charitable events, including Women Working

Wonders Fund, the American Heart Association, the Transfiguration Ladies Philoptochos’s 55th Annual Tea, and others. Dacey also speaks at different schools and mentors children. Dacey loves her new non–profit venture, which gives her a great sense of purpose. She feels very privileged and honored to have such wonderful women on her show. For more information on Dacey’s Divas and for show listings, visit Dacey’s website at www.divas.us.

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