April 21, 2019 Palm Sunday The Holy Hieromartyr Januarius and Those With Him Our Holy Father Maximian, Patriarch of Constantinople

Transcript

1 April 21, 2019 Palm Sunday The Holy Hieromartyr Januarius and Those With Him Our Holy Father Maximian, Patriarch of Constantinople Theodore the Holy Martyr & his mother Philippa of Perge ENTRANCE HYMNS Resurrectional Apolytikion - Sindafendes si ( We were buried with You ) We were buried with You through Baptism, O Christ our God, and thus by Your Resurrection we have been granted immortal life, and extolling You we cry aloud, "Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are You, the One who comes in the name of the Lord." Apolytikion for the feast Tin kinin Anastasin ( To confirm the general resurrection ) To confirm the general resurrection before Your Passion, You resurrected Lazarus from the dead, O Christ our God. Therefore imitating the children, carrying the symbols of victory, we cry out to You the Victor over death: "Hosanna in the highest! Blessed are You, the One, who comes in the name of the Lord." Apolytikion of St. Sophia/Ss. Faith, Hope & Agape Greek Oς ελαία κατά καρπος ανεβλάστησας, έν ταίς ανλαίς του Κυρίου, Σοφία μάρτυς σεμνή, καί προσήγαγες Χριστώ καρπόν η δύτατον, τούς τής νηδύος σου βλαστούς, δί α γώνων εύαγων, Αγάπην τε καί `Ελπίδα σύν τη θεόφρονι Πίστει, μεθων δυσώπει υπέρ πάντων ήμων. English Phonetics for Greek Os elea kata karpos anevlastisas, en tes avles tu Kyriou Sofia martys semni, ke prosigages Christo karpon idytaton, tus tis nidyos su vlastus, di agonon evagon, Agapin te ke Elpida, syn ti theofroni Pisti; meth on dysopi yper pandon imon. English As an olive tree laden with fruit you sprouted forth, in the courtyards of the Lord, Sophia martyr dignified, and you brought to Christ a fruit most sweet, Namely your womb s own sprouts, brought up by instructive deeds: your daughters Love and Hope, along with God-minded Faith; together intercede with God for us all. Seasonal Kontakion To throno en ourano ( In heaven upon the throne ) In heaven upon the throne, on earth upon the colt, * You were carried, O Christ our God; * and the praise of the Angels, and the hymns of the children, You received as they cried to You, * "Blessed are You, the One, who is coming to call Adam back again."

2 THE EPISTLE The Reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians 4:4-9 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Verse: Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endures forever. BRETHREN, rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you. Ο ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΟΣ Πρὸς Φιλιππησίους 4:4-9 Εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου. Στίχ. Ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι ἀγαθός, ὅτι εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ. Ἀδελφοί, χαίρετε ἐν κυρίῳ πάντοτε πάλιν ἐρῶ, χαίρετε. Τὸ ἐπιεικὲς ὑμῶν γνωσθήτω πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις. Ὁ κύριος ἐγγύς. Μηδὲν μεριμνᾶτε, ἀλλʼ ἐν παντὶ τῇ προσευχῇ καὶ τῇ δεήσει μετὰ εὐχαριστίας τὰ αἰτήματα ὑμῶν γνωριζέσθω πρὸς τὸν θεόν. Καὶ ἡ εἰρήνη τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ ὑπερέχουσα πάντα νοῦν, φρουρήσει τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν καὶ τὰ νοήματα ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Τὸ λοιπόν, ἀδελφοί, ὅσα ἐστὶν ἀληθῆ, ὅσα σεμνά, ὅσα δίκαια, ὅσα ἁγνά, ὅσα προσφιλῆ, ὅσα εὔφημα, εἴ τις ἀρετὴ καὶ εἴ τις ἔπαινος, ταῦτα λογίζεσθε. Ἃ καὶ ἐμάθετε καὶ παρελάβετε καὶ ἠκούσατε καὶ εἴδετε ἐν ἐμοί, ταῦτα πράσσετε καὶ ὁ θεὸς τῆς εἰρήνης ἔσται μεθʼ ὑμῶν.

3 THE GOSPEL The Reading is from the Gospel of John 12:1-18 Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazaros was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; Martha served, and Lazaros was one of those at table with him. Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was to betray him), said "Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" This he said, not that he cared for the poor but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box he used to take what was put into it. Jesus said, "Let her alone, let her keep it for the day of my burial. The poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me." When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came, not only on account of Jesus but also to see Lazaros, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazaros also to death, because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. The next day a great crowd who had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" And Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it; as it is written, "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!" His disciples did not understand this at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that this had been written of him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazaros out of the tomb and raised him from the dead bore witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. ΕVΑΓΓÉΛΙΟΝ Ἐκ τοῦ Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 12:1-18 Εὐαγγελίου τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸ ἓξ ἡμερῶν τοῦ πάσχα ἦλθεν Ὁ Ιησοῦς εἰς Βηθανίαν, ὅπου ἦν Λάζαρος ὁ τεθνηκώς, ὃν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν. ἐποίησαν οὖν αὐτῷ δεῖπνον ἐκεῖ, καὶ ἡ Μάρθα διηκόνει ὁ δὲ Λάζαρος εἷς ἦν τῶν ἀνακειμένων σὺν αὐτῷ. ἡ οὖν Μαρία, λαβοῦσα λίτραν μύρου νάρδου πιστικῆς πολυτίμου, ἤλειψε τοὺς πόδας τοῦ Ιησοῦ καὶ ἐξέμαξε ταῖς θριξὶν αὐτῆς τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ ἡ δὲ οἰκία ἐπληρώθη ἐκ τῆς ὀσμῆς τοῦ μύρου. λέγει οὖν εἷς ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ, Ιούδας Σίμωνος Ισκαριώτης, ὁ μέλλων αὐτὸν παραδιδόναι διατί τοῦτο τὸ μύρον οὐκ ἐπράθη τριακοσίων δηναρίων καὶ ἐδόθη πτωχοῖς; εἶπε δὲ τοῦτο οὐχ ὅτι περὶ τῶν πτωχῶν ἔμελεν αὐτῷ, ἀλλ ὅτι κλέπτης ἦν, καὶ τὸ γλωσσόκομον εἶχε καὶ τὰ βαλλόμενα ἐβάσταζεν. εἶπεν οὖν ὁ Ιησοῦς ἄφες αὐτήν, εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ ἐνταφιασμοῦ μου τετήρηκεν αὐτό. τοὺς πτωχοὺς γὰρ πάντοτε ἔχετε μεθ ἑαυτῶν, ἐμὲ δὲ οὐ πάντοτε ἔχετε. Εγνω οὖν ὄχλος πολὺς ἐκ τῶν Ιουδαίων ὅτι ἐκεῖ ἐστι, καὶ ἦλθον οὐ διὰ τὸν Ιησοῦν μόνον, ἀλλ ἵνα καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον ἴδωσιν ὃν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν. ἐβουλεύσαντο δὲ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς ἵνα καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον ἀποκτείνωσιν, ὅτι πολλοὶ δι αὐτὸν ὑπῆγον τῶν Ιουδαίων καὶ ἐπίστευον εἰς τὸν Ιησοῦν. Τῇ ἐπαύριον ὄχλος πολὺς ὁ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὴν ἑορτήν, ἀκούσαντες ὅτι ἔρχεται Ιησοῦς εἰς Ιεροσόλυμα, ἔλαβον τὰ βαΐα τῶν φοινίκων καὶ ἐξῆλθον εἰς ὑπάντησιν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἔκραζον ὡσαννά, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου, ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ Ισραήλ. εὑρὼν δὲ ὁ Ιησοῦς ὀνάριον ἐκάθισεν ἐπ αὐτό, καθώς ἐστι γεγραμμένον μὴ φοβοῦ, θύγατερ Σιών ἰδοὺ ὁ βασιλεύς σου ἔρχεται καθήμενος ἐπὶ πῶλον ὄνου. Ταῦτα δὲ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ τὸ πρῶτον, ἀλλ ὅτε ἐδοξάσθη ὁ Ιησοῦς, τότε ἐμνήσθησαν ὅτι ταῦτα ἦν ἐπ αὐτῷ γεγραμμένα, καὶ ταῦτα ἐποίησαν αὐτῷ. Εμαρτύρει οὖν ὁ ὄχλος ὁ ὢν μετ αὐτοῦ ὅτε τὸν Λάζαρον ἐφώνησεν ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου καὶ ἤγειρεν αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὑπήντησεν αὐτῷ ὁ ὄχλος, ὅτι ἤκουσαν τοῦτο αὐτὸν πεποιηκέναι τὸ σημεῖον.

4 April 21, 2019 Palm Sunday The Holy Hieromartyr Januarius and Those With Him Our Holy Father Maximian, Patriarch of Constantinople Theodore the Holy Martyr & his mother Philippa of Perge St. Nicholas Shrine Vigil Candle: Thank you to the McAdoo Family for sponsoring today s vigil candle for St. Nicholas Shrine. Anyone wishing to sponsor a vigil candle should sign up at the Pangari. (Each vigil candle lasts one week). Each week a new vigil candle will be placed next to the icon of St. Nicholas until the construction of St. Nicholas Shrine has been completed. The asking donation is $ th Annual Antonio S. Thomas Palm Sunday Concert for the Youth: During today s luncheon we will be hearing the talents of a few of St. Sophia's youth. This concert is dedicated to the memory of Antonio S. Thomas. Antonio was a child of this parish who died from leukemia several years ago and he had a great love for music and the arts. Senior Citizen Ministry: St. Sophia s Senior Parea is open to all senior citizens of the community. There will be no meeting this coming week, Holy Thursday. The next meeting of the Senior Parea will be on Thursday, May 2 nd. Join the seniors for a Hawaiian Luau on that day. See enclosed flyer.

5 Calendar for the Week: Please see the Holy Week Schedule in this bulletin. Please note: The Parish Office will be closed on Good Friday and Bright Monday.

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7 Altar Servers: We will need your help for Holy Week. Families, if you have young men who serve in the Altar, please make it a priority for them to be here in church during Holy Week. We need their help. School excuse letters will be available at the Pangari if needed. School Excuse Letters: Letters to excuse the children from school on Holy Wednesday and Good Friday have been prepared and are available at the Pangari. Good Friday Luminarias: Once again our PTO is selling Good Friday Luminarias. During the Good Friday Retreat, our youth will prepare them and set them out around the church for the Good Friday Evening Service. The Luminarias will line the walkways around the church along the path of the Epitaphio. Each Luminaria can be personalized with the names of loved ones who have fallen asleep in the Lord. A luminaria can be purchased and personalized for $5.00 just visit the PTO table at the back of the Cultural Center each Sunday until Good Friday. Readers for Agape Service: We are looking for readers for the Agape Service. As tradition, the Gospel is read in several languages. We have the Gospel available in Latin, French, German, Spanish and many, many more languages. If anyone would like to read in any other language, the specific Gospel reading is John 20: Please contact Fr. Peter if you are interested. To Parents of Young Children: In case you are not aware, our church has a Cry/Bride Room in the Narthex. For those parents whose young children might understandably get fussy during a service, please feel free to take your youngster into that room for a short while. (There is a closed circuit TV showing the service in the room as well as a bathroom/changing station). The intention is NOT to relegate you to another room; rather, this will enable you to attend to your child in a quiet environment before bringing him/her back into the church. Pastoral Visits - A Request to All Parishioners: If you desire a pastoral visit in case of a hospitalization or for someone who is homebound, in a nursing facility, or in prison, please have an immediate family member notify the Parish office at so that a visit can be arranged. In Case of Emergency: If you are having an extreme medical emergency ONLY and are in need of an Orthodox priest, please call the Parish office a t Graduates Wanted: Do you have a son or daughter who is graduating this year? If so, please call the Parish office OR send an TODAY so that we can acknowledge their achievements on Sunday, May 19 th. Please provide the following information: Name of graduate; Name of school from which he/she is graduating (high school, vocational-tech school or college/university), Diploma/Degree received; Where attending college in the fall; Will be studying / majoring in? THIS INFORMATION MUST BE RECEIVED BY FRIDAY, MAY 10 TH, IN ORDER TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED IN CHURCH ON MAY 19 TH. (Please note that college students will be acknowledged on Sunday, June 9 th ).

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9 AHEPA News: In celebration of National AHEPA Day on Sunday May 5th, the local Valley Forge AHEPA Chapter 432 will hold a $10 GYRO fundraiser. Also on that day they will help us celebrate by providing coffee and cake in the Cultural Center after the Divine Liturgy. For any/all member interaction and interested individuals in joining AHEPA Valley Forge Chapter 432 please contact Matthew "Matt" Stolarczyk. Meetings are typical held after Liturgy on the 3 rd Sunday of the month in our Cultural center. Matthew "Matt" Stolarczyk - (215) mattstolarczyk@cs.com -- AHEPA Pan-Hellenic Track & Field Meet: This year s event will take place on Saturday, June 8 th at 10:00 am at Drexel Hill Middle School (see insert). For more information visit the website org.

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11 2019 Stewardship Listing as of 4/18/19 If your name does not appear on the 2019 Stewardship Listing, we request that you complete a 2019 Stewardship Commitment Form. If you have any questions, please see Tom Cox. Anonymous Mr. & Mrs. Eron & Kristin Ahmeti Mr. Chris Altum Mr. & Mrs. George & Athena Argiris Mr. & Mrs. Nick & Maria Argyropoulos Mr. & Mrs. Don & Helen Avgerinos Mrs. Niki Avgerinos Mr. & Mrs. Patrick & Christine Bailey Miss Chrisoula Bakalexis Mr. & Mrs. Angelos & Alexandra Ballas Dr. & Mrs. Eustratios & Zeffy Karagiannakis Bananis Mr. & Mrs. Matt & Joann Bannon Mr. & Mrs. Stephen & Patricia Bell Mr. & Mrs. Angelo & Evangelia Bragitikos Mr. & Mrs. Vincent & Sophia Caliendo Mr. & Mrs. James & Mary Caravoulias Mr. & Mrs. Elias & Donna Christou Mr. & Mrs. Arthur & Christina Collias Mr. & Mrs. Peter & Theresa Colyvas Mrs. Betty Cooper Mrs. Alexandra Costalas Mr. & Mrs. George & Tina Coutavas Mr. & Mrs. Thomas & Catherine Cox Mrs. Marie A. DelViscio Mrs. Iris Demas Mr. & Mrs. Daniel & Cynthia Dicciani Mr. & Mrs. Barton & Nancy Diener Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Evelyn Downs Mr. & Mrs. Steven & Vicki Dowzicky Mr. Athanasios Evagelou & Ms. Nicole Reffner Ms. Eleni Evangelopoulos Mr. & Mrs. George & Olympia Evangelopoulos Mr. & Mrs. Kosmas & Erietta Fotiadis Mr. Christos Fountas & Miss Jennifer Decky Mr. & Mrs. Stelios & Sultana Fountas Mr. & Mrs. Nick & Anastasia Gianginis Drs. James & Kaitlin Grinias Mr. & Mrs. Erik & Melissa Gross Mr. & Mrs. Andrew & Christina Guano Mr. & Mrs. Art & Peggy Happas Mr. & Mrs. Harry & Alexandra Hatzipavlides Mr. & Mrs. Thomas & Maria Hatzipavlides Mr. & Mrs. Garry & Donna Holstein Mr. & Mrs. Anestis & Sofia Kalderemtzis Mr. & Mrs. Andreas & Angeliki Kamaratos Mr. & Mrs. Andrew & Georgiana Kane Mr. & Mrs. Christos & Barbara Karagiannopoulos Mr. & Mrs. George & Kleanthi Karagounis Dr. Dina Karalis Mr. & Mrs. John & Rochelle Karistinos Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey K. & Lisa M. Kerns Dr. & Mrs. John & Regina Khalifa Ms. Evangelia Klapakis Mr. & Mrs. Bart & Lucy Kline Mrs. Peggy Kostomite Mrs. Despina Kourtidis Mr. Haralambos Kourtidis Mr. & Mrs. Kiriakos & Melissa Kourtidis Mr. & Mrs. Nikolaos & Evangelia Kourtidis Mr. & Mrs. Dean & Nina Laskaris Mr. Ernest Laskaris Mr. & Mrs. John & Angeliki Lathiris Ms. Vicky Lathiris Mr. & Mrs. Kyros & Varcia Leondis Mrs. Effie Liacouras Miss Aphrodite Nicole Liantis Mr. Nicholas Liantis Mr. & Mrs. Petros & Sophia Liantis Mr. & Mrs. Anthony C. & Kathryn Limberakis Drs. Anthony & Maria Limberakis Dr. & Mrs. Cary & Alexis Limberakis Presbytera Elizabeth Limberakis Ms. Lea Lindsey Mr. & Mrs. Peter & Francine Lowry Mrs. Irene Malagari Mr. & Mrs. Petru B. & Narcisa R. Manea Dr. & Mrs. Paul & Roula Matsiras Mr. & Mrs. Angelo & Gloria Metropoulos Mr. & Mrs. Thomas & Barbara Migdalias Mr. Kosta Misiriotis Mr. & Mrs. Kyriakos & Maria Mitses Mrs. Mary Moukoulis Ms. Phidella Natale Mr. & Mrs. William & Patty Nazzaro Mr. & Mrs. George & Bessie Neofotistos Hon. & Mrs. William & Catherine Nicholas Mr. & Dr. Alexander & Marianne Nikas Mr. George Nikolaou Mr. & Mrs. Michael & Zoe Nikolaou Mr. & Mrs. Peter & Jennifer Nikolaou Mr. & Mrs. Serafim & Despina Notaras Mr. Thomas A. Novitski, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Theo & Eleni Oikonomou Mr. & Mrs. Anthony & Katherine Pantazopoulos Mr. & Mrs. Elias & Athanasia Papachristos Mr. & Mrs. Harry & Pauline Papadakes Ms. Sophia Papadakes-Frangakis Mr. & Mrs. John & Maria Papadimitriou Mrs. Doris Papaioannou Mr. & Mrs. Anastasios & Christine Pappanastasiou Mr. George Pashardis Dr. & Mrs. Peter & Phyllis Patukas Mr. & Mrs. Thomas & Demetra Patukas Mr. & Mrs. Chris & Angelina Pavlou Dr. & Mrs. James & Joanna Peoples Mr. & Mrs. Aram & Elaine Piligian, Jr. Mrs. Harriet Podotas Mr. & Mrs. John & Lynn Pogas Mr. & Mrs. David & Flora Poloway Mr. George Prieston Dr. & Mrs. Andrew S. & Melissa V. Prousi Mr. & Mrs. John & Ellen Rackas Mr. & Mrs. George & Nancy Reganis Mr. & Mrs. John & Eva Rodakis Mr. Martin Ross & Ms. Leslie Snyder Mr. & Mrs. Jeff & Georgia Ruser Mr. & Mrs. Matthew & Anne Sabia, Sr. Mr. Dimitri Samaras Mr. & Mrs. John G. & Christine P. Samaras Mr. & Mrs. Constantine & Effie Samios Mr. & Mrs. George P. & Nicole Sarianos Mrs. Margaret Callipolites Scandalios Mr. & Mrs. Alexander & Elizabeth Scoropanos Mr. & Mrs. Dwight & Sandra Shaw Miss Christina Shiomos Mr. & Mrs. Zach & Kristen Shuler Dr. & Mrs. Vanja & Shannon Sikirica Mr. & Mrs. Sam & Ana Sinoimeri Mr. & Mrs. John & Vasiliki Skeparnias Mrs. Anna Skylakon Drs. Charalambos Solomides & Melpo Christofidou-Solomidou Miss Marina Stolarczyk Mr. & Mrs. Matthew & Melissa Stolarczyk Ms. Elaine Storace Mr. & Mrs. John & Fotini Stratis Mr. & Mrs. Keith & Maria Swope Mr. & Mrs. Vasilios & Sofia Tatsis Mr. & Mrs. Ilias & Susan Thomloudis Fr. Peter & Presv. Katherine Thornberg Dr. & Mrs. Arthur & Debora Topoulos Mrs. Anna Trantas Ms. Linda Tripolitis Mrs. Shirley E. Tripolitis Mr. & Mrs. Nikolaos & Eleni Trontsios Mr. & Mrs. Alex & Deanna Tsioulfaidis Mr. & Mrs. Andreas & Ekaterini Tsipras Ms. Katherine Tsipras Ms. Maria Tsipras Mr. & Mrs. Seraphim & Patricia Tsipras Mr. & Mrs. Socratis & Ekaterini Tsipras Mrs. Irene Tsokas Dr. & Mrs. William & Maureen Tsoubanos Mr. Nikolaos Tsouros Mr. & Mrs. Anastasios & Sofia Tzivekis Mr. & Mrs. Peter & Donna Tzivekis Mr. & Mrs. Michael & Katherine Vail Ms. Helene Vellios Mrs. Anastasia Ververelli Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Cynthia Watts Mr. & Mrs. Matthew & Maria Williams Mr. & Mrs. Roger & Alexis Witt Mrs. Ita Zaferes Mr. & Mrs. Charles & Catherine Zarcone Mr. Gregory Zarcone Mr. & Mrs. Richard & Kari Zarynow Dr. & Mrs. George & Hope Zavitsanos Dr. & Mrs. Peter & Alice Zavitsanos Dr. & Mrs. Thomas & Ann Zavitsanos So far, 168 stewards have pledged for 2019, and our total pledges have reached $179, To date we have received $82,

12 St. Sophia SS. Faith, Hope & Agape Greek Orthodox Church of Valley Forge 900 South Trooper Road, Jeffersonville, PA, Tel.: (610) Fax: (610) Web: Rev. Economos Peter J. Thornberg, Proistamenos April 21, 2019 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ: It is wonderful to have the faithful with us today, and we wish you a blessed Holy Week! As you may have noticed, our rear parking lot is currently under construction. After over 25 years the asphalt surface has failed to a point where it can no longer be repaired and must be replaced. Unfortunately, the cost to replace the parking lot is approximately $100,000. While this is a tremendous amount of money, it is by far the lowest bid and was the result of extensive negotiation with the contractor to lock in the best possible price for our parish. Fortunately, the paving contractor has offered to collect payment in three installments. A few parishioners have come forward to help cover the cost of the parking lot, but we are nowhere near where we need to be to pay the final bill. We were blessed this past winter with many parishioners who helped us fill the shortfall due to two rained out festivals in As you may know, we rely on Festival revenue and your Stewardship financial contribution to pay our major operating expenses (the mortgage, insurance, payroll for our Priest and office manager, electric, water, gas, lawn service, exterminators, equipment repair services, etc.). The bottom line is that we need your help again this year. We still need to raise over $70,000 to cover the cost of the parking lot re-paving. This is OUR parish and it is dependent solely on OUR financial contributions. Unlike other denominations, we do not receive financial support from an Archdiocese nor our own Metropolis. We are asking each Parishioner to help out in any way they can. Today, there will be a second collection tray passed specifically earmarked for the parking lot. Please give all that you can. We have also included a donation slip below that you can mail in at your convenience, if you prefer. over

13 We understand that some families have financial constraints; but most of us have been blessed tenfold with good health, good fortune and prosperity. For those blessed families, we are asking that you consider a minimal contribution of $300 to help cover the parking lot project. If you have any questions regarding this project, please feel free to contact any of our Parish Council members. As always, we are thankful for the generosity of our Parish Family. Once again, wishing you all a Blessed Holy Week and a joy-filled Pascha! Yours in Christ, Reverend Economos Peter J. Thornberg Proistamenos John Pogas Parish Council President Please detach and return the bottom portion with your donation Name Street City, State, Zip Amount Enclosed $