The Trophy-Bearer Dec 2014.pdf · George on November 29th, as Fr. Anthony will be out of town. There will also be no Great Vespers or Orthodox Study on December 27th, the Saturday

The Joy of ChristmasRev. Fr. Anthony Cook

Dear Parishioners,As I greet you here again, we have just begin the Nativity Fast. All our preparations in the Church office are for the shorter week of Thanksgiving and the December publications and celebrations. In the Church, December is one of the busiest months. The Ladies of Lydia

and GOYA are preparing the gifts for the blind children at the Penrickton Center; the Church School is preparing the Shoeboxes of Love; the Greek School is preparing for caroling downtown; the Elections Committee is preparing for the Parish Council elections; the Philoptochos is finalizing plans for the Feather Party; and the Social Committee is preparing for the New Year’s Eve Dinner Dance.It is a time of preparation and celebration in the secular world as well. It seems that every street corner is being decorated for the holidays. The radio is already playing Christmas music, and the stores have for weeks already been advertising for holiday shopping. The world at large is eager to find cause for joy and celebration, especially after a year full of bad news followed by worse.And the news has indeed been bad. The past several months have been characterized by our public officials pointing out repeatedly to us how useless their opponents are, while the news, from inside the United States and outside, has been downright terrifying since the year began, and before. We live in an age of uncertainty, if not outright fear, and sometimes it seems as though our society’s holiday preparations have an air of desperation, of a fingers-in-the-ear determination to be happy as loudly as possible, if only to drown out the noise of a world gone mad.But if we can leave the world behind for a moment, and can pass beyond the Church office, and all the Church organizations, and their preparations, and enter the Church, we hear again of the approach of the Lord’s Nativity, of the Feast of Christmas. We may think at first that the message is the same as the one we hear outside. Here, too, we see the signs of preparation…here, too, we hear exhortations to rejoice. What is different within the Church, however, is that here, we are not commanded to just “be happy.” There is no ignoring of the broken-ness of the world here, no denial of the suffering and injustice of human existence. On the contrary…it is precisely because of the broken-ness of the world that we rejoice at Christ’s coming. Because for us who are Christians, the fundamental meaning of the Lord’s Nativity is the arrival of Hope.The Divine Child in the manger is no mere denial of the world’s bad news - while it is not the primary theme of the Feast, we know full well what follows, the suffering and agony that awaits the Lord in His Passion. Because we know what follows, we understand that on this day, we begin the journey that leads to the Cross, and beyond. But for us, this is not cause for sorrow - it is the very foundation of our

December 2014 http://www.stgeorgesouthgate.org/

The

Trophy-BearerPublished by St. George Greek Orthodox Church, Southgate, Michigan

REGULAR SCHEDULE Sunday

8:50 am – Orthros (Greek) 10 am – Divine Liturgy

(bilingual) Saturday

5 pm – Great Vespers (English) Soup & Fellowship to follow

Please note that there will be no Vespers at St. George on November 29th, as Fr. Anthony will be out of town. There will also be no Great Vespers or Orthodox Study on December 27th, the Saturday

after Christmas. Please note as well the non-Saturday Vespers services elsewhere, at St. Nicholas Church in Ann Arbor on December 5th, and at the

Metropolis Center in Troy on December 11th. Additional services will be scheduled as needed.

GOYA, Altar Boy, Philoptochos, Parish Council, and Committee meetings are scheduled on a monthly or ad hoc basis. Please see the enclosed calendar for details; you may also call the Church Office or visit

the website for up to date information.

COMMUNITY UPDATES Funeral

November 20 Paraskevi Theodorakis

40 Day Blessing November 23

Nina Melina Vougiouklakis Parents: Peter and Christina Watch this space for parishioner updates, including any sacraments performed in the

Church, as well as births or 40-day blessings, engagements, illnesses, deaths or 40-day

memorials. If you would like your news to be included, please call the Church office at

734-283-8820 or email us at [email protected]. Please note, however, that, with the exception of services

which are publicly celebrated, we do not publish this information unless requested.

over

hope. With Christmas, we celebrate the Lord’s sharing of our burdens, His partaking in our sufferings, His comprehension of our broken-ness…and His deliverance of us, and all the world, from all of these things. We receive the Christ Child not as a denial of bad news, but as the Deliverer from all bad news.In short, our joy in Christmas is not, truly, directed at Christmas itself, but beyond. And for this reason, our rejoicing, our celebration is different from the rest of humankind. For the world at large, the holidays are celebrated for their own sake - they are the reward that society offers itself for the struggles of the year past, and year that is yet to come, a chance to escape and to forget all that is broken in the world. But for us, Christmas is a promise, a new beginning, as this broken world receives the One Who will make it whole again. It is for this reason that the Christian celebration of Christmas traditionally focuses so much on precisely that broken-ness in the world, and on fulfilling our role, as Christians, to share in Christ’s work of making it whole.As we therefore prepare for Christmas, let us have in mind these two goals. First, let us keep our minds and hearts fixed on the good news of the Feast, that Christ, our Savior, is born, and it is He that is the source of joy and hope, not the gifts, or the food, or the drink, or the decorations, or the music of the season. Second, let us extend ourselves to those who are in need, those who grieve, those who suffer, those who are broken, caring for them as we are able, and praying for them when their needs surpass our abilities and our means. In short, let us celebrate Christmas as Christians, and take part, each in our small way, in the Lord’s redemption and salvation and healing of all that is wounded and broken and marred in this world.With love in Christ,+Fr. Anthony

Announcements- We ask that the parents of church school students note that we will be changing the schedule for Sunday morning starting in January. The Children's Sermon will be given immediately before Holy Communion is distributed, so that the young people can gather at the front of the Church for the sermon, can immediately receive Holy Communion, and can go directly to Sunday School with their teachers, while the rest of the Faithful receive Communion. This will allow us to begin Church School between 11:10 and 11:15, and to be finished by 12:15. As a result, it will be important for all the young people to be in church on time, but certainly no later than 10:45, in order not to miss the sermon and dismissal to Sunday School.

- Enclosed with this issue of the Trophybearer you will find the calendar for December, with all the events scheduled for the month, as well as the daily Scripture readings. On the reverse you will see two forms, which may be used, if you wish, to pledge financial support to the parish or to the Metropolis, or, in the case of the parish, simply to update your address and other contact information. We include these items for your convenience.

- We also enclose the Elections Letter, as a reminder that parish council elections will be held after the Divine Liturgy on December 7th, 2014. Please make certain to be present, and to vote. Remember that your membership must be paid in full in order to vote.

- Finally, we enclose the flyer for the New Year’s Eve Dinner Dance. We expect a very large turnout this year, and urge you all to reserve and purchase your tickets as soon as possible. You may either use the church website, or call the church office to purchase tickets.

SAINT GEORGE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

16300 Dix-Toledo Highway Southgate, MI 48195

Office: (734) 283-8820 Fax: (734) 283-8866

Office Hours: 9-5 Mon-Fri Website: www.stgeorgesouthgate.org Outside of office hours, parishioners may leave a voicemail for Fr. Anthony or the office. In case of emergency, they may call Fr. Anthony directly on his cell. Please leave a message if Father does not answer, and he will return your call shortly.

Clergy Fr. Anthony Cook Presiding Priest Email: [email protected] Cell: (734) 716-2268

Office Staff Susan Solo Administrative Assistant Email: [email protected]

Lisa Campbell Bookkeeper Email: [email protected]

2014 Parish Council Nicholas Minton, President Stavros Dionyssopoulos, Vice Pres. Louis Kircos, 2nd Vice President Bob Kollias, Treasurer John Kontos, Secretary

Dimitrios Gargasoulas Evan Georvassilis Pete Georvassilis Gus Grias George Kaltsas Sam Kiousis Emmanuel Kollias Chris Kontos Michael Liakos Pete Makarounas Tom Voltzikos Peter Vougiouklakis

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“Seek First the Kingdom of God...and all these things will be added to you.” 2015 C

HRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP C

OMM

ITMENT C

ARD

In gratitude for God’s blessings, I/we make the following commitment to the St. George Church for 2015: A total amount of: !

$10 weekly ($520) ! $15 weekly ($780)

! $20 weekly ($1040) !

$50 weekly ($2600) ! Other

The Christian Faith is founded on the Love, freely given of Jesus Christ for us. Our response to His Love must be equally free. W

e have therefore set no minimum Stewardship commitment for sacramental membership. It is recommended, however, that each parishioner reflect on the place our Faith holds, or should hold, in our lives, and plan our giving accordingly.

Please remember, we give to Christ and His Church our first fruits, not only according to our means, but according to our love for Him, offering not only our financial support, but our talents, skills and experience.

Mailing Name:

Home Telephone: [

]

Address:

City:

State Zip

Head of Household

Spouse

Name:

Mobile Tel:

E-mail:

Occupation:

Work Tel:

Orthodox Christian?

! Yes !

No, I am

!

Yes ! No, I am

1. How many members live at this address (include students living away at school)? __1__2__3__4__5__more than 6 2. Please list children’s names, birth dates, grade in school, and email if any:

3.Please check or circle parish ministries (existing and potential) which would serve you and your family: !

Bible Study/Adult Education ! Youth M

inistries !Sunday School

! Greek School !

Shut-in Visitation !

College/singles ministry ! Young M

arrieds ! Parents !

Seniors ! Philoptochos !

Other

4.Please check or circle any volunteer efforts in which you might like to participate: !

Festival ! Office W

ork ! Youth W

ork ! Choir !

Teaching ! Outreach !

IT ! Legal

! Property M

gt ! Church cleaning !

Cooking ! Finance !

Welcome !

Web Site !

Mechanical / Plumbing

! Parish Newsletter

! Landscaping !

Translating ! Other

CONFIDENTIAL: May not be Distributed or Reproduced / For Authorized Parish Personnel Only

NameBirth date

Grade in schoolEmail (in any)

FRIENDS OF THE METROPOLIS

GR

EEK O

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OD

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METR

OPO

LIS OF D

ETRO

IT

2560 CROO

KS ROA

D TRO

Y, MI 48084

Phone: 248-823-2400 Fax: 248-823-2401 E-mail: office@

detroit.goarch.org W

ebsite: www.detroit.goarch.org G

REEK

OR

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METR

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PLEASE SEN

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WIN

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AN

ENVELO

PE TO THE A

DDRESS BELOW

Check Enclosed (payable to Metropolis of Detroit)

METHO

D OF PA

YMEN

T

CREDIT CARD #

EXP. DATE

SIGN

ATURE

Please Charge My Credit Card (M

C or VISA O

NLY)

NA

ME (please print)

ADDRESS (please print)

PHON

E

I am pleased to support the w

ork of Metropolitan N

icholas and the Metropolis through the Annual M

etropolis Stewardship “Friends” Program

$25

Dear Friends of the M

etropolis: G

od has called us to do mighty deeds for the glory of H

is nam

e and for the love of His people.

You are called upon to join in this reality of “faith w

orking through love” as w

e continue to manifest the love of G

od for H

is Church and His people.

When you support the Friends of the M

etropolis Campaign,

you are part of a greater outreach that proclaims w

ith one universal voice that G

od is truly our hope and our rock of salvation. Because of your devotion and help to the Friends program

, m

inistries and programs are im

plemented on a M

etropolis-w

ide basis which strengthen and enhance our faith and our

joint ministry of service.

If you have not yet become part of the M

etropolis-wide

effort, I would like to invite you to join forces w

ith the faithful throughout the M

etropolis in support of the minis-

tries which are part of the O

ffice of the Metropolitan,.

Thanking you for your kind and generous response, I re-m

ain, with paternal blessings and prayers,

+NICHOLA

S M

etropolitan of Detroit

WH

AT D

OES FRIEND

S OF THE M

ETROPOLIS

SUPPOR

T?

GENERA

L Fully fund the expenses of the M

etropolis office, program and

travels.

EDU

CATION

Enhance scholarships and adult education programs, as w

ell as support the M

etropolis students at Hellenic College/H

oly Cross.

SUPPOR

T D

evelop and provide educational and instructional seminars and

services to clergy and parishes.

YOUTH

M

aintain and support the youth office and activities of a full-time

Youth and Y

oung Adult M

inistries director.

OUTR

EACH

/MISSIONS

Create opportunities to introduce our faith to society, participate in inter-Christian and inter-faith activities as w

ell as provide quick responses to national disasters.

HELLENISM

D

evelop programs for H

ellenic Cultural Outreach, including lan-

guage, history and arts.

LEAD

ERSH

IP O

rganize Metropolis Clergy-Laity Conferences, O

ratorical Festi-vals, Christm

as Pageants, and Adult Education Programs.

SPECIA

L PROGR

AM

S W

ebsite development,

hospitality to

visiting dignitaries and

guests, Charity and Philanthropy.

$50 $100

$250

$500 $1000

OTHER ___________

EMA

IL ADDRESS (please print)

PARISH A

FFILIATIO

N

CITY/STATE