The MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF THE

The MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF THE HOLY TAXIARHAI AND SAINT HARALAMBOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 7373 CALDWELL AVENUE, NILES, ILLINOIS 60714 PHONE (847) 647-8880 Where there is no vision, the people perish. (Proverbs 29:18) NOV 2013

WORSHIP SCHEDULE November 2013 Sunday, November 3 9:30 am Sunday School 9:45 am Divine Liturgy Thursday, November 7 7:00 pm Great Vespers for the Holy Taxiarhai Friday, November 8 The Holy Archangels 8:30 am Orthros, Divine Liturgy Sunday, November 10 9:30 am Sunday School 9:45 am Divine Liturgy Wednesday, Nov 13 St. John Chrysostom 8:30 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy Sunday, November 17 9:30 am Sunday School 9:45 am Divine Liturgy Thurs, November 21 Entrance of the Theotokos 8:30 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy Sunday, November 24 9:30 am Sunday School 9:45 am Divine Liturgy Monday, November 25 St. Catherine 8:30 am Orthros and Divine Liturgy Thursday, morning, November 28 9:00 am Pan-Orthodox Divine Liturgy At Holy Virgin Protection Russian Orthodox Cathedral 1800 Lee Street in Des Plaines OUR SISTER COMMUNITY OF ST NECTARIOS in Palatine invites you to Great Vespers at 7:00 pm on Friday evening, November 8th in honor of the Feastday of St. Nectarios, and to Divine Liturgy the morning of Saturday, November 9. (Liturgy WILL NOT be celebrated at St. Haralambos on Nov 9.) THE MONASTIC COMMUNITY OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM in Pleasant Prairie, WI invites you to Great Vespers on Tuesday evening, Nov 12, in honor of the Feastday of St. John Chrysostom, and the Divine Liturgy on Wednesday morning, Nov 13. (Liturgy WILL be celebrated on Wednesday, Nov 13 at St. Haralambos.) OUR SISTER COMMUNITY OF ST ANDREW in Chicago invites you to Great Vespers at 7:00 pm on Friday evening, November 29th in honor of the Feastday of St. Andrew, and to Divine Liturgy the morning of Saturday, November 30. (Liturgy WILL NOT be celebrated at St. Haralambos on Nov 30.) THE ICONOGRAPHY OF THE HOLY TAXIARHAI & ST. HARALAMBOS GREEK ORTHODOX CURCH: AN ICON MAP In connection with the Consecration of our church last month, the Consecration Print Committee has developed a beautiful, full-color Icon Map. The Icon Map is a book that shows all of the wonderful, Byzantine icons that fill our church with the presence of the saints, along with information about the saints depicted. This magnificent book was developed as a keepsake of our Consecration. It is full of wonderful icons and information, and will make a great gift (Christmas is coming)! It is available in the church office. 2013 STEWARDSHIP As of OCTOBER 16, 706 stewards have committed $343,629.64 Have you become a 2013 Steward yet? 2

HOLY TAXIARHAI AND SAINT HARALAMBOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 7373 CALDWELL AVENUE, NILES, ILLINOIS 60714 PHONE: 847/647-8880 From Father Dean November 2013 Dear Consecrated Stewards and Friends, I am fascinated in reading the letters of St. Paul, where he consistently addresses the Christians as saints, and points out how they are sanctified and consecrated to God. From this perspective, it is clear that we should love one another, be patient and kind, love God and take no part in anything evil or defiling. This is a difficult message in our society, where everyone is told to try everything once (wow!), that we are free and should always have choice (even if it is clearly the choice of good and evil, moral and immoral), and the purpose of life is pleasure and gratification. But this is not the Christian message! In the afterglow of our Consecration, I hope that we are all renewed, enlightened and newly committed to be good Christians and to pursue His Kingdom! And now it is November! We will honor our Patron Taxiarahai Archangels Michael and Gabriel with Great Vespers on Thursday evening, November 7, and Divine Liturgy on Friday, November 8. November 13th will be the 25th Anniversary of our Church s Thyranoixia in 1988! It is the Feastday of St. John Chrysostom, and there will be Liturgy at our church that morning. Our ladies are already hard at work, preparing for our Christmas Bazaar, November 22-23. Plan to help them, and tell your friends to come to the Bazaar. Home made pastries, gifts, jewelry, lunch, dinner and a special visitor. Looks like the Holidays are here! Our annual Men s Event will again take place on Wednesday evening, November 27. Please plan to support this; it is one of the fundraisers that helps us meet our expenses until the day when our Stewardship gets to its proper level and supports our church and its ministries and needs! This year s Pan-Orthodox Thanksgiving Liturgy will take place on Thanksgiving MORNING, at the Holy Virgin Protection Russian Orthodox Cathedral, 1800 Lee Street in Des Plaines. The actual Liturgy will begin at 9:00 am and be finished early. There will be TWO choirs, and it is truly the right way to begin celebrating Thanksgiving. (And the Russian Cathedral is nearby!) Again this year, we are participating in the Gift/Toy Drive for Foster children under the care of DCFS. Every year, the members of St. Haralambos have been thoughtful and generous to these children who might not receive anything for Christmas if not for us. We hope that you will support us again this year! The Christmas Fast begins November 15. Before we know it, the Holidays will be here, and we will all be saying, It came so fast! I m not ready! Fr. Dean 3 HOLY TAXIARHAI AND SAINT HARALAMBOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH NILES, ILLINOIS Proistamenos...Fr. Constantine P. Botsis Synefimerios....... Fr. Chrysanthos Kerkeres Pastoral Assistant...... Deacon John G. Suhayda Chanter........Nick Harisiadis Parish Council Officers President........ George Anastasiadis Vice President....... Nick Andrews Treasurer..... Perry Giannopoulos Secretary...... Argy Koutsikos Strategic Planning... Perry Giannopoulos Consecration Committee.... Thomas N. Kanelos Stewardship.. Budget Committee Chairman...Perry Giannopoulos Building & Grounds Chairman.... Michael Pontikes and Theodoros Karabatsos Decor Committee Chairman...Stephan Aliferakis Finance Committee Chairman...George Kotsionis Phase III Chairman...Pete Zouras School Board Chairman......Tom Zavos Audit Committee Chairman...Evan Houpis.. Philoptochos President......Maria Dimitriou PTA Co-Presidents (Afternoon School).......Anna Sikoral and Kathy Ioannidis PTA President (Preschool)... PTA Co-Presidents (Saturday School)......Angelo Mihalopoulos and Georgia Pipikios Principal... Mrs. Anastasia Liapi Saturday School Director...Mrs. Andrianna Panayiotou Preschool Director.......Mrs. Rita Petratos Sunday School Director...Presvytera Georgia Botsis Athletic Director....... David Loomos Scoutmaster....... George Alpogianis Asst Scoutmaster.......Sam Parmakis Asst Cubmaster...... ohn Frake Little Angels....... YAL President......Christina Pappadis GOYA Co-Presidents......Yannis Karatasios and Kriztina Dagrizikos Bookstore Manager..... Jolynn Ruggerio Web Master............. George Houpis Office Staff......Barbara Skaouris and Alexandra Grivas IN THIS ISSUE: Letter from our Priest (pg 3) Announcements/Ανακοινώσεις (pg 4) Christmas Bazaar (pg 5) Consecration pictures (pg 6-7) Pan Orthodox Thanksgiving (pg 8) Reflections on our Consecration (pg 9) Calendar (pg 10)

COMMUNITY NEWS STEWARDSHIP 2013 Stewardship is like oxygen for our church! Stewardship is the most important source that sustains our church, and our church needs loving and heartfelt support. At the present time, about 45% of our parish income is derived from stewardship. This means that we depend on other sources to sustain 55% of OUR church s needs. This is OUR church; it does not belong to somebody else! In order for OUR Church to serve OUR needs, let us think about giving differently. Let us work together that our church s needs will be sustained fully BY OUR Stewardship! ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHRISTMAS GIFT/TOY DRIVE FOR FOSTER CHILDREN-- Again this year, the Orthodox Christian parishes of Chicago are collecting new toys and gifts to be given to foster children under the DCFS of Cook County. St. Haralambos has volunteered to provide for 150 children this year! Gift Forms will be available soon in the church office plan to support this worthy cause! CONSECRATION ICON MAP In connection with the Consecration of our church last month, the Consecration Print Committee has developed a beautiful, full-color Icon Map. The Icon Map shows all of the wonderful, Byzantine icons that fill our church with awareness of the saints, along with information about the saints depicted. Copies are available through the church office. (See page 2!) PAN-ORTHODOX THANKSGIVING DAY LITURGY will take place at the Protection of the Holy Theotokos Russian Orthodox Cathedral, 1800 Lee Street in Des Plaines at 9:00 am on THANKSGIVING MORNING, Thursday, November 28. This Divine Liturgy is sponsored by The Orthodox Christian Clergy Association of Chicago & by SYNERGY, giving all of us the opportunity to celebrate an "American" holiday in an Orthodox way, together with fellow Orthodox Christians from different backgrounds. Two outstanding choirs will sing the responses the Cathedral Choir and the Pan Orthodox Choir of Chicago and we urge everyone to attend this beautiful service! All are welcomed! PHILOPTOCHOS HOLIDAY BAZAAR The St. Haralambos Philoptochos will be hosting its annual Holiday Bazaar this fall, on November 22-23. Help is needed! Take some time, if you can, to sew an apron, make some Christmas decorations, knit a baby blanket or do some needlepoint or crocheting. These are the kinds of things that are needed for our Bazaar! Lots of help will be needed! Please call the church office to offer your help. By working together, we can have a most successful Bazaar! PHILOPTOCHOS CHRISTMAS PARTY The ladies of our St. Haralambos Philoptochos will have their annual Christmas Dinner Party on Monday evening, December 2 at the Chateau Ritz. The reception hour will begin at 6:00 and Dinner will be a 7:00. Bring a friend! And don t forget to make reservations! MEN'S SOCIAL EVENT Our Annual Men's Social event will take place on Wednesday evening, the 27th of November. Watch for more information! ΕΝΟΡΙΑΚΕΣ ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΕΙΣ STEWARDSHIP ΔΙΑ ΤΟ 2013 Stewardship είναι το οξυγόνο της εκκλησίας μας, και μια έκφραση της αξάπης και υποστήριξης δια την Εκκλησία μας και τον Θεόν. Σας παροτρύνουμε όπως η εφετεινή προσφορά σας είναι μία προσφορά πίστεως, αγάπης και θάρρους! Προς το παρόν, μόνον το 45% του εισοδήματος της ενορίας μας προέρχεται από το Stewardship. Αυτό σημαίνει ότι δια να καλύψουμε το υπόλοιπο 55% των αναγκών της εκκλησίας μας πρέπει να βασιστούμε σε ξένες πηγές. Η εκκλησία μας δεν ανήκει σε ξένους ανθρώπους! Μπορείτε να μας βοηθήσετε να καταφέρουμε να συντηρήσουμε το 100% των αναγκών μας μέσω του Stewardship ; ΠΕΡΙ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΤΙΚΩΝ ΕΥΧΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΜΥΣΤΗΡΙΩΝ ΕΥΧΕΣ ΝΕΟΓΕΝΝΗΤΩΝ ΤΕΚΝΩΝ--Κάθε μάνα και το παιδί της, σαράντα ημέρες μετά την γέννησή του προσέρχονται στην εκκλησία για να λάβουν την Ευλογία των 40 Ημερών, κατά μίμησην του Ιησού Χριστού ο οποίος παρουσιάσθηκε στον Ιερόν Ναόν σαράντα ημέρες μετά την γέννησή του. Παρακαλούμε τηλεφωνείτε στο γραφείο της εκκλησίας για να κανονίσετε την ευλογία αυτή. ΒΑΠΤΙΣΕΙΣ Παρακαλούμε όπως τηλεφωνείτε στο γραφείο της εκκλησίας δια να προγραμματίσετε Βαπτίσεις. Σχεδιάστε πολύ ενωρίτερα!-υπάρχουν μερικές μέρες που δεν γίνονται βαπτίσεις. ΓΑΜΟΙ-Παρακαλούμε όπως κανονίζετε συνάντηση με τον π. Κωνσταντίνο τουλάχιστον οκτώ μήνες πριν την προτεινόμενη ημερομηνία του γάμου δια τις απαιτούμενες προετοιμασίες. ΕΞΟΜΟΛΟΓΗΣΗ Οι Εξομολογήσεις κανονίζονται κατόπιν ραντεβού. Δια να προγραμματίσετε εξομολογήσεις, παρακαλούμε τηλεφωνείτε στο γραφείο της εκκλησίας. ΜΕΡΙΜΝΑ ΑΡΡΩΣΤΩΝ Ορθόδοξοι Χριστιανοί που θα ήθελαν να λάβουν τα Άγια Μυστήρια και δεν μπορούν να έλθουν στην εκκλησία (βρίσκονται εις νοσοκομεία ή ανήμποροι εις τα σπίτια τους) παρακαλούνται να επικοινωνούν με το γραφείο της εκκλησίας δια να μπορέσουν να τα λάβουν. Παρακαλούμε να επικοινωνείτε με το γραφείο της εκκλησίας εαν κάποιος συγγενής σας είναι στο νοσοκομείο! Τα νοσοκομεία πλέον δεν μας πληροφορούν όταν έχουν αρρώστους από την ενορία μας. ΜΝΗΜΟΣΥΝΑ Επιμνημόσυνες δεήσεις γίνονται για την αιώνιον ανάπαυση των τεθνεώντων. Συνήθως, αυτές οι δεήσεις γίνονται κατά τις 40 ημέρες, τους 6 μήνες, τον 1 ον χρόνο και τον 3 ον χρόνο. Όταν έχουν περάσει τρία χρόνια, είναι πιο αρμόζον να ενθυμούμεθα τους αποθανόντας κατά τα Ψυχοσάββατα. 4

5

6

7

8

Dear Friends, It is really quite a task to put into words the feelings I have and the comments I have heard about the Consecration of our beloved Church. It truly was a once in a lifetime experience and I thank God that we were all able to participate together in the event. From the Hierarchs whom we were blessed to have consecrate our Church, to the clergy who guided us through the planning, to the lay people who helped plan, to the lay people who came and prayed with us, every one of you did your part to make this a memorable event. For me it was a special blessing. As a young teenager I participated as an altar boy in the consecration of my parish at that time (Ss Peter and Paul) and now I was given the opportunity to participate in the consecration of my current parish. To be able to participate in such an event twice at parishes I love has been a great blessing. We will have a detailed report posted at a later date, but for now I would like to share one more personal observation. I think it was especially uplifting to have the cameras behind the altar and television screens showing the activities which would normally not be visible to the faithful. However, one thing which may not have been visible on the screens was the expression on the face of our beloved Metropolitan as he was on his hands and knees washing the altar. Tears were streaming down his face as he prayed and poured his entire effort into the task. It was quite moving to see a loving and wise elder tenderly performing the task of consecrating a Church and Altar and the Holy Spirit, through the hands of the hierarch, transforming them into truly sacred space. His Eminence commented to some parishioners that he was very moved by the consecration and by the participation of the faithful. I pray our Lord grants Metropolitan Iakovos, our loving shepherd for 34 years, many more years to guide us towards Christ. I thank all of you for doing your part in this blessed event and wish you all of God s blessings. Someone told me that he felt the Church felt different. I think it is so and the reason is because it IS different now. Hopefully we have all been transformed as well. Renewed and rededicated to Christ and His Holy Church. With Love in Christ, Tom Kanelos Tom Kanelos Consecration General Chairman 9

November 2013 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 Ss. Cosmas and Damianos 8:30-Orthros and Liturgy Picture Day 2 9:00 am-saturday 1:15pm-GOYA visit Greek American Nursing Home 3 9:30 am Sunday School 9:45 am Divine Liturgy General Assembly after church 4 5:30 Family Night 7 pm-cub Scout Den Meeting 7:30 pm- GOYA Scavenger Hunt/ Greek Town 5 11:30 -Little Angels Picture Day 4:30-PTA Mtg 6 7:30 pm Philoptochos 7 7 pm Great Vespers for Holy Taxiarhai 8 Feastday of Holy Taxiarchs 8:30 Orthros and Liturgy (no Greek School) 9 Feastday of St. Nectarios (Liturgy at Palatine) 9:00 am-saturday 10 9:30 am Sunday School 9:45 am Divine Liturgy 11 VETERANS DAY 6:00 pm Jr. GOYA 12 11:30 -Little Angels 7:30 Young Adult Meeting 13 Feastday of St. John Chrysostom 8:30-Orthros and Liturgy 14 7:30-Bible Study 15 Christmas Fast begins 16 9:00 am-saturday 17 9:30 am Sunday School 9:45 am Divine Liturgy 18 5:30-Family Night 7 pm-cub Scout Den Meeting 7:30 GOYA Thanksgiving Baskets 19 11:30 -Little Angels 20 7:00-Parish Council 21Feastday of the Entrance of the Theotokos 8:30-Orthros and Liturgy 7:30-Synergy 7:30-Bible Study 22 (no Greek School) 23 (no Saturday ) 24 9:30 am Sunday School 9:45 am Divine Liturgy 25Feastday of St. Catherine 8:30-Orthros and Liturgy 6:00 pm Jr. GOYA 26 11:30 -Little Angels 27 Men s Event! 28 THANKS- GIVING DAY 9:00 am- Pan- Orthodox Liturgy RussianCathedral in Des Plaines 29 (no Greek School) 30 Feastday of St. Andrew (Liturgy at St. Andrew) (no Saturday ) 10

Saint Haralambos 2013 Men s Event Wednesday, November 27 7:00pm Cocktails 8:00pm Dinner Every 10th ticket is a winner! Grand prize is $3000! Join us for an evening of good food, good company, and a chance to win the BIG PRIZE! HOLY TAXIARHAI AND SAINT HARALAMBOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 7373 CALDWELL AVENUE NILES, IL 60714-4503 Address Service Requested