THE VOICE June 2015- Volume No. 298 TABLE OF CONTENTS Father s Article... 1 Stewardship... 3 100th Anniversary... 3 Iconography Project... 4 Archangels... 5, 11 Graduation Sunday... 6-7 Parish Events... 8 PTA... 9 Mother s Day... 10 Parish News... 12 Philoptochos... 13 Junior Olympics... 14 Liturgical Schedule... 15 Διδαχαί Αγίου Λουκά... 16 Parish Registry... 17 SAINT SPYRIDON HELLENIC ORTHODOX CHURCH 12307 S. RIDGELAND AVE. PALOS HEIGHTS, IL 60463 WWW. SAINT- SPYRIDON.ORG Catechism 101 The end of the academic year finds our Bible Study groups still studying the book of Genesis. In last month s issue we discussed how Jacob received his brother s birthright which was his link to the ancestry of Christ. When Esau realized that his brother had deceived him he vowed to murder him. For that reason Jacob leaves his home and travels to Mesopotamia. On the road, he decided to rest in a deserted place with nothing but a rock to rest his head. During the night he had a dream which the author describes as follows: Annual Greek Festival July 11th & 12th, 2015
The Voice - H ΦΩNH Official Monthly Community Publication of St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 12307 S. Ridgeland Avenue Palos Heights, IL 60463 REV. FR. TILEMAHOS ALIKAKOS PROTOPRESBYTER Church Office Hours:... Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Phone:... 708-385-2311, 2313 or 0787 Fax:... 708-385-0166 E-mail: office@saint-spyridon.org Web: www.saint-spyridon.org Parish Council Officers James Korbakes... President Konstantine Labraκis... Vice-President Taso Panagiotopoulos... Vice President Frank Kopanis... Secretary George Papadopoulos... Assistant Secretary Gus Kolyvas... Treasurer James Xeros... Assistant Treasurer Auxiliary Officers Angelo Angelos... Chanter Olga Paxinos... Philoptochos Angela Evangelopoulos... P.T.A. Kiki Kazazakis... Kentro Lambrini Stavrou... Plutarchos Greek School Jan Prible... Archangels Academy Zoe Kopanis... Sunday School Director Nicky Glikis... Choir Director Dana Vasilakos... G.O.Y.A. & Jr. G.O.Y.A. Janine Riley... Cherubs Presvytera Georgia... HOPE Angelo Angelos... Byzantine Music Panagiotis Mihalopoulos... Iconography Fr. Tilemahos... Bible Study Vicki Drikos... Handmaidens Nick Chibucos & Labros Malfas... Altar Boys John Farsatis & John Angelos... Athletics And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed. (Genesis 28:12-13) This vision known as Jacob s ladder has received a variety of interpretations. In common to all them is the theme of man s inability to rise to the heavens without divine intervention. When we speak of the heavens we do not mean other planets or galaxies, since our communion with distant galaxies has never been interrupted. We have always possessed the ability to see other planets, stars and distant galaxies. Man s inability to rise to the heavens speaks to the inaccessibility of the divine realm in the manner of Christ s ascension from the Mount of Olives. None of us can escape the reality of our mortality and attachment to the created world. Even though our home is in the heavens, since the fall in the garden of Eden, we have lost our path and our ability to ascend from our fallen world. Jacob s ladder connecting heaven and earth points to our tragic condition. A ladder is something we use to connect two places that are otherwise inaccessible to one another. In order to provide the human race access to the heavenly realm a connection had to be made. That connection is Jesus Christ who says: I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6) It is Jesus who speaks of Himself to Nathaniel: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. (John 1:51) Jacob s vision of the ladder would be fulfilled in the person of the Messiah, God becoming man so that man could become god. While the Holy Fathers of the Church interpret Jacob s ladder as the incarnation of the Word or the cross of Christ that reconciled the heavenly and the human realm, liturgically the Church identifies the ladder as the Virgin Mary. This passage is read during the vespers services for the feast of the Panagia signifying this interpretation. The Theotokos became the ladder by which Christ came into the world. She accepted God s will and she offered on our behalf our human nature to the incarnation of Christ. By her obedience and humility she made the coming of the Messiah possible, thus reconnecting through herself the human and the divine. The significance of Jacob s ladder for us is that the path to heaven is available to us. It is important that when the moment of our departure comes that the Lord finds us ascending this ladder. The steps to the ladder are our spiritual struggles, acquiring virtues, following the Lord s commandments, loving our neighbor as ourselves and loving God more than all, actively participating in the sacramental life by partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ. It is not important how far we ascend in our lifetime, as long as we leave this life with one foot in front of the other ascending the ladder that is given to us in order to go home, in the kingdom of the heavens. Amen. Fr. Tilemahos 2 The Voice
STEWARDSHIP 2015 Stewardship 2015 Progress Report As of May 28th, 2015 Pledged Stewards: 248 Average Stewardship: $372 Amount of Stewardship donated: $92,256 The Stewardship Committee thanks our 248 Stewards who have fulfilled their pledge for the 2015 year. We wish to express our gratitude for your commitment to the Lord s work through our Church of Saint Spyridon. And to you who have not yet pledged, we ask of you to commit yourself and your family so that the Word of God may continue in His glorious name. STEWARDS 2015-APRIL 21ST-MAY 28TH Mr. & Mrs. Kostas Alexopoulos Mr. & Mrs. Pete Ayaleanos Mrs. Vasiliki Chiagkouris Mr. & Mrs. Petros Christos Ms. Elena H. Dalleck Dr. & Mrs. George Danos Mr. & Mrs. Nikos Dagres Mr. & Mrs. Steve Delis Mr. & Mrs. Alex Dimitrakakos Mr. & Mrs. Billy Frigelis Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Georgiopoulos Mr. & Mrs. Nick Karounos Mr. & Mrs. Andreas Kavvadas Mr. & Mrs. Dean Korolis Mr. & Mrs. George Kotsis Mr. Basil Lolis Ms. Georgia Malamis Mrs. Katherine Manolis Mr. &Mrs. Alexander Pappas Mr. & Mrs. Ted Pappas Mr. & Mrs. Paul Paraskevopoulos Ms. Carol Patrianakos Mr. &Mrs. Thomas Riley Mr. & Mrs. Charles Roumeliotis Ms. Angeline Sieracki Mr. Michael Valaris ΓΙΝΕ ΚΑΛΟΣ ΟΙΚΟΝΟΜΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣ ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΣΠΥΡΙΔΩΝΑ Ευχαριστούμε τις 248 οικογένειες που εκπλήρωσαν τις υποσχέσεις τους για το έτος 2015. Υπενθυμίζουμε σε όλους ότι έχουν ταχυδρομηθεί οι Καταστάσεις Υπόσχεσης του Καλού Οικονόμου για το τρέχον έτος. Σας παρακαλούμε να ανανεώσετε την συνδρομή σας το γρηγορώτερο δυνατόν. Χρειαζόμαστε την βοήθεια και την υποστήρηξη όλων σας. COUNTDOWN TO OUR CHURCH'S 100TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION You are invited to join in the planning of our church's landmark celebration - 100 years of service to our families. Committee members met on May 19th to discuss elements and activities being planned for the celebration year. We would love for YOU to be a part of our committee as well. Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, June 16-7 to 8:30 p.m. Of note at the last meeting we penned our theme for the upcoming celebration year which is: Generations of Faith and Tradition. These few words embody our religious beliefs, our ethnicity and all stewards- past, present and future - who founded our church and who will continue to support it in the decades ahead. While it may seem early to plan a year of activities that will begin in October of 2016 and culminate in a grand celebration in October of 2017 - the early planning and your participation will aid in a well 'oiled', 'ready to roll' year that we all can sit back and fully enjoy. So come and join us - all are welcomed. You may also send comments and ideas to 100thAnniverary@Saint-Spyridon.org. NEXT MEETING 100th Anniversary Meeting TUESDAY, JUNE 16th, 2015 @ 7:00 St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 3
ICONOGRAPHY PROJECT On August 1st, 2015, we are scheduled to begin the installation of the final phase of our Iconography Project. Also included in the project are six medallions that will be placed in the altar. Below you will find a list of the icons still available for donation and the remaining balance on each. If you wish to offer a donation toward any of these icons please contact Fr. Tilemahos. Την 1ην Αυγούστου, είναι προγραμματισμένη η τοποθέτηση της τελικής φάσης της εικονογραφίας του ναού. Πρόσθετες θα είναι έξι εικόνες που θα τοποθετηθούν στο ιερό. Οι εικόνες που αναμένουν δωρεές από τους πιστούς μας είναι οι ακόλουθες: Η Ανάσταση του Λαζάρου, Η Προσκύνησις των Μάγων, Η Φυγή στην Αίγυπτον, Ό Μυστικός Δείπνος. ST. LAWRENCE THE DEACON One of the icons which will be placed in the altar is that of St. Lavrentios (Lawrewnce) the Deacon. The following is the life of St. Lavrentios as it is found in the Synaxarion. The Martyrs Archdeacon Laurence, Pope Sixtus, Deacons Felicissimus and Agapitus, the Soldier Romanus were citizens of Rome, and suffered in the year 258 under the emperor Valerian (253-259). Holy Pope Sixtus, born at Athens, received a fine education, preached in Spain and was made bishop in Rome following the martyr s death of Holy Pope Stephen (253-257, commemorated on August 2). These were times when a pope occupying the Roman throne, was known to choose death for the faith. In a short while St Sixtus also was arrested and put in prison together with his deacons Felicissimus and Agapitus. When the holy archdeacon Laurence visited Pope Sixtus, whom they held in prison, he cried out with tears: Whither art thou gone, father? Why hast thou forsaken thine archdeacon, with whom always thou hast offered the Bloodless Sacrifice? Take thy son with thee, that I may be thy companion in having blood shed for Christ! St Sixtus answered him: I have not forsaken thee, my son. I am old and go to an easy death, but yet greater sufferings await thee. Know, that after three days upon our death thou shalt follow after me. And now go, take the church treasury and distribute it to the poor and needy Christians. St Laurence zealously did the bidding of the holy hierarch. Having heard, that Pope Sixtus had been taken to trial with the deacons, St Laurence went there so as to witness their deed, and he said to the holy bishop: Father, I have already fulfilled thy command, and distributed by hand thine treasury; forsake me not! Hearing something about treasure, soldiers put him under guard, and the other martyrs were beheaded (+6 August 258). The emperor locked up St Laurence in prison and ordered the chief jailer Hyppolitus to keep watch over him. In prison St Laurence with prayer healed the sick gathered together with him and he baptized many. Astonished by this, Hyppolitus himself believed and accepted Baptism from St Laurence together with all his household. Soon the archdeacon Laurence was again brought to the emperor and commanded to produce the hidden treasure. St Laurence answered: Give me a period of three days, and I shalt show thee this treasure. During this time the saint gathered up a crowd of the poor and the sick, who ate only because of the charity of the Church, and bringing them he explained: Here are the vessels in which is contained the treasure. And everyone, who puts their treasure in these vessels, will receive them in abundance in the Heavenly Kingdom. After this they gave St Laurence over to fierce tortures, urging him to worship idols. The martyr was scourged (with a fine iron flail with sharp nee- 4 The Voice
dles), they burned his wounds with fire, and struck at him with metal switches. At the time of the martyr s suffering, the soldier Romanus suddenly cried out: St Laurence, I behold a bright youth, who standeth about thee healing thy wounds. Beseech thy Lord Christ not to forsake me! After this they stretched St Laurence on a rack and returned him to prison to Hyppolitus. Romanus brought there a waterpot with water and besought the martyr to baptize him. And immediately after the Baptism of the soldier, he was beheaded (+9 August). When they took St Laurence to his final torture, St Hyppolitus wanted to declare himself a Christian and die together with him, but the confessor said: Conceal for now thy confession in thy heart. After some length of time I shall summon thee, and thou shalt hear and come unto me. Weep not for me, but rather rejoice, for I go to receive a glorious crown of martyrdom. They placed him in an iron cage, under which they set an intense fire, and the flames of the fire flicked towards the body of the martyr. St Laurence, glancing at the governor, said: Here now, you burn only but one side of my body, turn over the other and do my whole body. Dying, he uttered: I thank Thee, Lord Jesus Christ, that Thou hast accounted me worthy to enter into Thy gates -- and with these words he gave up the spirit. St Hyppolitus took the body of the martyr by night, he wrapped it in a shroud with ointments and gave it over to the priest Justin. Over the relics of the martyr in the home of the widow Kyriake they made an all-night vigil and Divine Liturgy. All the Christians present partook of the Holy Mysteries and with honor they buried the body of the holy martyr Archdeacon Laurence in a cave on 10 August 258. St Hyppolitus and other Christians suffered three days after the death of St Laurence (13 August), as he had foretold them of this. ICONOGRAPHY PROJECT The final phase of our iconography will be completed by August 2015. Below you will find a list of the icons still available for donation and the remaining balance on each. Raising of Lazaros... $10,000 Veneration by the Magi... $11,910 Flight to Egypt... $14,900 Last Supper... $12,875 ARCHANGELS ACADEMY 10TH ANNIVERSARY On MAY 21st, Archangels Academy Preschool celebrated its 10th Anniversary. Over 180 guests, including many alumnae of the school, attended the graduation banquet. Many thanks to Co-chairs Demetria Papadopoulos and Tessie Jones and Decor Chair Debbie Petrakos, and the entire planning committee for a job well done. This year's theme was Eric Carle, popular Children's author of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar." The evening began with a Fashion Show featuring the current students, followed by poems and songs in Greek and English.The children were delightful! We thank our wonderful staff: Director, Ms. Jan Prible, Greek Teacher, Kyria Katerina Alexakos, Aide, Mrs. Sofia Malamis and Cherished Volunteer, Eleni Alexkos. A special icon was presented as a Thank You to Anna Angelos, the school's Director from 2005-2014. The night's Raffle was a huge success, with over 50 prizes! A special thank you to the Odyssey Country Club for hosting us, to all the generous Raffle donors and to our wonderful photographer Mrs. Vaso Stithos. Pictures from the event are on page 11. We wish all graduates the very best. Congratulations to the Class of 2015! Και εις ανώτερα! CLASS OF 2015 ARCHANGELS ACADEMY GRADUATES Dino Bisbikis Christos Drikos Constantine Georgakas Andonis Haniotakis Evan Jones Niko Korolis Spiros Kottaras Themi Koutsoupias George Les George Panou Gia Revel George Skordas Vassili Urobuskin Vasili Vythoulkas St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 5
ST. SPYRIDON GRADUATES Jonny Korbakes Johnny Korbakes graduated from Alan B. Shepard high school in December of 2014. He played baseball for 3 years and golf for 4 years. He received all conference for golf and started on the baseball team every year. Johnny graduated early to get a head start on his college career. He is currently attending Moraine Valley Community College and plans to stay for one more year. His ideal plan is to attend University of Tampa or Florida Gulf Coast University the following year. Peter James Xeros Peter Xeros is a honors student at Lyons Township High School in La Grange, IL. At Lyons Township he participated in LTHS Theater, LTTV broadcasting station, LTHS Madrigals Acapella Group, LTHS Choir, Greek Club and the West Suburdan Bulls Rugby Club. Peter was a lead role in all four musicals as well as lead roles in plays and was awarded Honors Thespian Membership. Peter was also honored as an All-State singer as a tenor two. As a filmmaker in LTTV, Peter was awarded a bronze award for his documentary at the MANE film festival. Peter is an active member of the Shakespearean Club and has won awards for his recitals of Shakespeare s sonnets. At St. Spyridon, Peter has been an Altar Boy, volunteered at the annual Festival, was Sunday and Greek School student and has participated in Oratorical Festival. Next year Peter will be attending Purdue University in Indiana to study Computer Science. At Purdue, Peter will be a member of Purdue s world acclaimed Varsity Glee Club. It is hard to believe that we are at the end of another year in Sunday School. The students have accomplished so much! We would like to thank all the teachers for their dedication and commitment and for sharing their time & talent to help the students of St Spyridon. You all serve as positive role models by volunteering your time and set a good example for all to emulate. On behalf of the Sunday School staff, we wish all of our students a great summer and hope to see our 5 to 10 year olds at the St. Spyridon Summer Camp on June 20th 26th. Nothing you do for children is ever wasted. ~ Garrison Keillor 6 The Voice SUNDAY SCHOOL
2014 2015 ST. SPYRIDON GRADUATES GRAMMAR SCHOOL Marina Alikakos Dane Boe Anastasia Chibucos Tommy Dagres Demetrios Sacha Joanna James Andreana Kekempanos Sofia Kopanis Stavroula Malamis Katerina Papadopoulos Anthony Pappas Zacharias Pappas Christ Shamma Yiorgos Spinos Evangelos Vassilakis MIDDLE SCHOOL Despina Berdusis Spiro Drikos Matt James Nicolas Kopanis William Karopulos Eraklis Labrakis Andrew Pappas John Pappas Nicholas Pappas Nicolai Rutkowski Ioannis Vassilakis HIGH SCHOOL Johnny Korbakes Peter Xeros Beloved Graduates, we, as a community, honor and congratulate you. We ask you to remember the Lord Jesus Christ, Who stood by you while you were pursuing your studies, Who was there leaning over you to help you while you were reading or studying, and Who was there while you were agonizing over some insoluble questions. Remember Him as you embark on life s journey and be grateful to Him for everything. Congratulations and may the Risen Lord be with you always. GOD BLESS YOU!!! St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 7
Let s hit the links! St. Spyridon s 18 th Annual Golf Outing Enjoy a fantastic day of golf and a delicious dinner! Tuesday, August 25th, 2015 1:00 p.m. Shotgun Start Odyssey Country Club, Tinley Park $125 per golfer ($75 for students) PARISH EVENTS Registration Fee includes: 18 holes of golf, Golf Cart, Lunch, & Dinner Sponsorship Opportunities for your Business or Family: $150 per hole Reserve your sponsorship & tee times now! For more information, call the Church Office at 708-385-2311 οr e-mail at Office@Saint-Spyridon.org All our Greek School families are invited to our 2nd Annual PLUTARCHOS GRADUATION & AWARDS DINNER Friday, June 5th, 2015 St. Spyridon Community Hall Dinner & Program begins at 5:00 p.m. Donation: $20 for adults * Free for children under 15 Please call the church office to make your reservation by Tuesday, June 2nd. Οι μαθητές του Ελληνικού μας Σχολείου ΠΛΟΥΤΑΡΧΟΣ Σας προσκαλούν στον εορτασμόν των αποφοίτων Παρασκευή, 5 Ιουνίου, 2015 Κοινοτική Αίθουσα του Αγίου Σπυρίδωνος 5 μ.μ. Δείπνο, τραγούδια, Ελληνικούς χορούς και εορταστικό πρόγραμμα Δωρεά ενηλίκων $20 * Μαθητές δωρεάν Για κλείσεις θέσεων τηλεφωνήσετε την Εκκλησία πριν τις 2 Ιουνίου 8 The Voice
On Sunday, May 31st, we celebrated Graduation Sunday, honoring our Sunday School Staff as well as all the 8th grade, high school and college graduates. We thank Zoe Kopanis, Dana Vasilakos, Irene Giardina and our Sunday School staff for the work they have done in implementing this year s curriculum and their faithful diligence and tireless service to our children. It is their dedication and unwavering spiritual support that has made this an exciting and memorable year. Congratulations to the following award recipients: St. Stephen award John Korbakes St. Makrina award Irene Karopulos Ss. Peter & Paul award Haralambos Siannis P.T.A. NEWS Congratulations to the high school boys and girls classes for winning this year s Bible Bowl. REMINDERS Greek School Yearbooks - If you missed out on ordering this beautiful keepsake book for your child, it s not too late! We ordered a few extra just in case. Yearbooks will be available for purchase in the church office. June 5th - Greek School Graduation Program and Dinner The PTA wishes to extend our heartfelt thanks for the absolutely incredible support we received with our fundraising efforts the last two years as well as the outpouring of love and assistance from our parishioners, families and friends. We would not have been able to accomplish all that we have without you. Let us all continue to work together in building our community parish and warmly receive our new PTA Board. We wish you all a safe and restful summer! Angela Evangelopoulos, PTA President St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 9
10 The Voice MOTHER S DAY
ARCHANGELS ACADEMY GRADUATION St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 11
VASILIKI LOLIS A SOUL WHO TOUCHED MANY Vassiliki was born in 1933 in a small village in Epirus, Greece. She was the youngest of five girls. She lived with her sisters, mother and grandmother. Life was hard. They had to work the land to grow their own food, gather wheat to be milled and tend to their animals. No job was too big at any age. She slept on burlap stuffed with hay on a wooden floor. A typical chore she had was to walk for miles gathering fire wood and carrying it on her back all the way home. In the cold, coats were flimsy and gloves were nowhere to be found. She saw her yiayia pray to God every day and thank Him for what they had. Her yiayia was her role model. In 1956, she came to America with her husband and infant daughter. She went on to have four more children, unfortunately losing one of them as an infant, and another one later as an adult. Life continued to be difficult in America as an immigrant, as she did not get an opportunity to go to school or learn a trade. She worked as a factory worker, always staying to work overtime so she could send money to her family back in Greece. Her hard work at the factory was made even more difficult raising four children and no transportation other than the bus. It was common for her to wait a few hours for the bus on the coldest of days. For many years she also had a second job. As her children married and grandchildren came, her life became full of happy times like birthdays, graduations and pool parties. She found her purpose in life being a yiayia, and what a good one she was. Even when she worked she never said no to a babysitting request. She loved her grandkids and always looked to see how she could help them and what she could buy them. She retired at 65 and became a full-time yiayia and mother for the first time. Her house was full of nine grandchildren, toys, crayons, school projects and pictures that they drew for her. As everyone grew up and she had time to spare, being the person she was, she looked for something to occupy her time. She got a part-time job as a lunch lady at the local school where she could walk to. The staff quickly realized what a special person they had. She routinely worked harder and faster than her younger co-workers. She was always bringing food and sweets to feed her friends at work. She loved being around the children. They would run to her whenever they saw her outside of school. She loved helping people and volunteering at her church in any way she could. Every festival she would be serving up loukoumades with her friend, Panagiota. She fed the hungry downtown and went anywhere people took her as she did not drive. She also volunteered at Misericordia, a home for the developmentally disabled. She believed in helping others. Sadly at the age of 77, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Life was then full of endless doctor visits, chemotherapy and other awful experiences. Many times she continued to go to work despite all her suffering. The doctors and nurses were mesmerized by her strength, good nature and big smile. They commented on never knowing a person like her before. Her faith through all of this never wavered. She continued to pray to God for herself and everyone else. She leaves behind a husband, three daughters and nine grandchildren, who will miss her forever. She leaves a legacy of loving God and her faith, a strong work ethic and the importance of helping others. May God always keep her close and may her memory be eternal. Any donations, per her request, can be made to a special place in Chicago that helps children and adults with disabilities - Misericordia.com. 12 The Voice
Dear Philoptochos sisters and Fellow Parishioners, Καλό μήνα! PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS The months are flying by and we are as busy as ever. The month of May brought us Mother s day where we honored all mothers past and present. Once again we honored 4 of our mothers who have given of themselves to Philoptochos. This year we honored Roula Karampelas, Litsa Alikakos, Betty Catsogiannis, and Rose Ayaleanos. The Philoptochos ladies are always giving of themselves to the less fortunate. On May 17th we went The Greek Islands Restaurant as a fund raiser for the St. Nicholas Shrine at Ground Zero in New York. Thank you to all who attended. Thanks to Kathy Korbakes for organizing the outing, Anna Angelos for creating the flyer and publicity, and Chris Alexopoulos for collecting the donations. It was a wonderful afternoon filled with love and fellowship. No one wanted to leave! St. Spyridon will be hosting the Christian Philoxenia Luncheon on Tuesday June 2nd. All Seniors invited to come out for the church service and luncheon. Thanks to Toula Georgiopoulos for being in charge. The Philoptochos has been ratified and will be holding elections by the board soon. We are now in the process of getting organized for the Festival. There will be clip boards available after church every Sunday so that you can sign up to work at the Festival. We also need volunteers for preparations. The dates are as follows. Schedule for preparations: Monday June 15th, making of spanakopites, at 9:00 a.m. Wednesday June 17th, making of melomakarouna, at 9:00 a.m. Monday June 22nd, making of Kourambiedes at 9:00 a.m. Saturday June 20th, making of Diples 9:00 a.m. Monday, July 6th, making of Baklava, at 8:00 a.m. Have a great end of year festivities with your families. Congratulations to all the Graduates young and young adult. You are all our children and we are proud of you. We wish you the best now and in the future. See you in church, With Sisterly Love, Olga Paxinos, Philoptochos President St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 13
JUNIOR OLYMPICS St. Spyridon had a great turn out for this year's Metropolis Jr. Olympics with over 50 children from our parish competing in just about every event possible, from individual sports to team sports. We had two soccer teams, two basketball teams, and a boys volleyball team. Our Batman themed t-shirts were a great hit. Congratulations to all our participants, and to Konstantine Alikakos for winning gold in shotput. Many thanks to John Farsatis, John Angelos, Zachary Boussies, Bob Papadatos, Nick Karounos, Xenia Kapsalis, Nick Mataragas, John Karopoulos, Dean Karampelas, and all the volunteer parents who helped to organize our athletes. The Jr. Olympics mark the end of our year in athletics. Many thanks to all our coaches and volunteers. 14 The Voice
Monday, June 1st Tuesday, June 2nd Saturday, June 6th Sunday, June 7th Saturday, June 13th Sunday, June 14th Saturday, June 20th Sunday, June 21st Sunday, June 28th Monday, June 29th Tuesday, June 30th Wednesday, July 1st Sunday, July 5th Tuesday, July 7th Saturday, July 11th Sunday, July 12th Δευτέρα 1 Ιουνίου Τρίτη 2 Ιουνίου Σάββατο 6 Ιουνίου Κυριακή 7 Ιουνίου Σάββατο 13 Ιουνίου Κυριακή 14 Ιουνίου Σάββατο 20 Ιουνίου Κυριακή 21 Ιουνίου Κυριακή 28 Ιουνίου Δευτέρα 29 Ιουνίου Τρίτη 30 Ιουνίου Τετάρτη 1 Ιουλίου Κυριακή 5 Ιουλίου Τρίτη 7 Ιουλίου Σάββατο 11 Ιουλίου Κυριακή 12 Ιουλίου Schedule of Divine Services Feast of the Holy Spirit, Orthros and Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. St. Nikiforos, Orthros and Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. Great Vespers at All Saints in Joliet 7:00 p.m. Sunday of All Saints, Orthros & Divine Liturgy - 8:00 a.m. Great Vespers 6:00 p.m. 2nd Sunday of Matthew, Orthros and Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. Great Vespers 6:00 p.m. 3rd Sunday of Matthew, Orthros and Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. 4th Sunday of Matthew, Orthros and Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. Great Vespers at SS. Peter and Paul, Glenview, IL. 7:00 p.m. SS. Peter and Paul, Orthros and Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. Great Vespers at Holy Apostles, Westchester, IL. 7:00 p.m. Holy Apostles Orthros and Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. SS. Cosmas and Damian the Holy Unmercenaries Orthros, Divine Liturgy & Agiasmos 8:00 a.m. 5th Sunday of Matthew, Orthros and Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. St. Kyriaki, Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. St. Olga, Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. * Vespers 5:00 p.m. St. Paisios, Orthros & Divine Liturgy 8:00 a.m. ΠΡΟΓΡΑΜΜΑ ΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΙΩΝ Του Αγίου Πνεύματος, Όρθρος & Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Αγίου Νικηφόρου Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Μέγας Εσπερινός στον Ιερό Ναό των Αγίων Πάντων, Joliet 7:00 μ.μ. Αγίων Πάντων, Όρθρος & Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Μέγας Εσπερίνός 6:00 μ.μ. 2η Κυριακή του Ματθαίου, Όρθρος & Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Μέγας Εσπερινός 6:00 μ.μ. 3η Κυριακή του Ματθαίου, Όρθρος & Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. 3η Κυριακή του Ματθαίου, Όρθρος & Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Μέγας Εσπερινός στον Ιερό Ναό των Αγίων Πέτρου & Παύλου 7:00 μ.μ. Αγίων Πέτρου και Παύλου, Όρθρος & Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Μ. Εσπερινός, Ι. Ναόν των Αγίων Αποστόλων 7 μ.μ. Σύναξις των Αγίων Αποστόλων, Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Κoσμά και Δαμιανού των Αναργύρων Όρθρος, Θεία Λειτουργία και Αγιασμός 8:00 π.μ. 5η Κυριακή του Ματθαίου, Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία 8:00 π.μ. Αγίας Κυριακής, Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία -8:00 π.μ. Αγίας Όλγας, Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία -8:00 π.μ. Μέγας Εσπερίνός 5:00 μ.μ. Αγίου Πάϊσίου, Όρθρος και Θεία Λειτουργία -8:00 π.μ. St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 15
Διδαχαί του Αγίου Λουκά του Ιατρού 11 Ιουνίου Μεταξύ των ανθρώπων που ζουν γύρω μας υπάρχουν και αυτοί που δεν πιστεύουν στον Θεό και όμως κάνουν πολλά καλά έργα. Συχνά ακούω την έξης ερώτηση» «Αυτό δεν είναι αρκετό, δεν θα σωθούν αυτοί οι άνθρωποι με τα καλά τους έργα»; Πρέπει οπωσδήποτε να δώσω την απάντηση. Όχι, δεν θα σωθούν μόνο με τα καλά έργα. Γιατί δεν θά σωθούν; Γιατί έτσι είπε ό Κύριος και Θεός μας Ιησούς Χριστός, όταν «επηρώτησε νομικός, πειράζων αυτόν και λέγων» διδάσκαλε, ποια εντολή μεγάλη εν χω νόμω; ό δέ Ιησούς εφη αύτω αγαπήσεις Κύριον τον Θεόν σου εν όλη τη καρδία σου.,, αυτή εστί πρώτη και μεγάλη εντολή, δευτέρα δε όμοια αύτη αγαπήσεις τον πλησίον σου ώς σεαυτόν» (Μτ. 22, 35-39). Αν η πίστη στον Θεό και η αγάπη προς Αυτόν είναι η πρώτη και η σπουδαιότερη εντολή του νόμου» αν η δεύτερη εντολή για την αγάπη προς τον πλησίον πηγάζει απ αυτή την πρώτη, και αν η αγάπη προς τον πλησίον παίρνει την δύναμη της από την αγάπη προς τον Θεό, τότε αυτό σημαίνει, ότι για να σωθεί κανείς πρέπει με όλη την καρδιά του να αγαπήσει τον Θεό, διότι αυτή είναι η πρώτη και η σπουδαιότερη εντολή του νόμου. Τι σημαίνει σωτηρία; Το να σωθεί κανείς σημαίνει να κληρονομήσει την αιώνια ζωή, να μπει στην Βασιλεία του Θεού και να γίνει κοινωνός αυτής της Βασιλείας! τι είναι η Βασιλεία του Θεού και τι είναι η αιώνια ζωή; Ό Κύριος και Θεός μας Ιησούς Χριστός είπε στους Εβραίους έναν πολύ θαυμαστό λόγο, ότι όλοι πρέπει να τρώνε τον Επουράνιο Άρτο και ότι ό Επουράνιος αυτός Άρτος είναι η Σάρκα του, την οποία Αυτός δίνει για την σωτηρία του κόσμου και για να ζει ό κόσμος. «Αμήν αμήν λέγω υμίν, εάν μη φάγητε την σάρκα του Υιού του ανθρώπου και πίητε αυτού το αίμα, ουκ έχετε ζωήν εν εαυτοϊς» (Ίω. 6, 53). Ποια ζωή; την ζωή την αιώνια» δεν θα έχετε την αιώνια ζωή, δεν θα γίνετε κοινωνοί της Βασιλείας του Θεού και δεν θα σωθεί η ψυχή σας. Μπορεί να υπάρχει κάτι πιο ξεκάθαρο απ αυτό τον λόγο; Αν δεν πιστεύουμε με όλη την καρδιά μας στον Θεό, αν δεν βαφτιζόμαστε, αν δεν κοινωνούμε του Σώματος και του Αίματος του Χριστού, τότε η σωτηρία για μας δεν υπάρχει. Βλέπετε, μόνο τα καλά έργα δεν αρκούν για να σωθούμε! Ξέρουμε ότι και οι άπιστοι κάνουν καλά και δίκαια έργα. και τότε δημιουργείται η ερώτηση πώς να κρίνουμε τα καλά έργα που κάνουν οι άπιστοι, ποια είναι η άξια τους; Βέβαια, όλα τα καλά έργα που κάνουν αυτοί οι άνθρωποι έχουν την άξια τους, η οποία είναι μεγάλη. Το δεχόμαστε αλλά πρέπει να ξέρουμε ότι υπάρχει διαφορά μεταξύ των καλών έργων που κάνουν οι άπιστοι και αυτών που κάνουν οι άνθρωποι, οι οποίοι με όλη την καρδιά τους πιστεύουν στον Θεό. Ποια είναι η διαφορά; η διαφορά είναι η εξής» υπάρχει πλήθος ανθρώπων, πολύ δυνατών ανθρώπων, που θυσίασαν όλα, ακόμα και την ίδια τη ζωή τους, για χάρη του λαού τους. Υπήρχαν πολλοί τέτοιοι άνθρωποι ακόμα και στη δική μας εποχή. Υπήρχαν λοιπόν πολλοί άνθρωποι που έδωσαν τη ζωή τους για το καλό του λαού τους και του δικού τους έθνους. Υπάρχουν επίσης άνθρωποι που θυσιάζουν τη ζωή τους για χάρη της δικής τους τάξης. Ποιο είναι το κοινό χαρακτηριστικό όλων αυτών των καλών έργων; Αυτή η αγάπη τους προς το λαό τους όσο καλή και να είναι, είναι η αγάπη μόνο προς το δικό τους λαό. και ταυτόχρονα μ αυτή υπάρχει και μίσος προς τους ανθρώπους άλλων φυλών και τάξεων. Η αληθινή όμως και γνήσια αγάπη, η ευάρεστη στον 16 The Voice
Θεό δεν μπορεί να έχει μίσος, αυτή αγκαλιάζει τα πάντα, είναι καθολική. Χρειάζεται άσκηση, χρειάζεται κόπος, χρειάζεται να αναγκάζουμε τον εαυτό μας να κάνουμε το καλό. Πρέπει να αποστραφούμε το κακό, την οποιαδήποτε αδικία και να στραφούμε στην αλήθεια. Χρειάζεται αγώνας για να κάνουμε καλά έργα. Μόνο τότε, όταν, με μεγάλες και επίμονες προσπάθειες, καθαρίζουμε την καρδιά μας και έτσι προσελκύουμε τη χάρη του Θεού, τότε, όταν αυτή η χάρη ανάβει στην καρδιά μας την θεία αγάπη, την αγάπη προς όλους τους ανθρώπους, η οποία δεν μισεί κανέναν, μόνο τότε αυτή η αγάπη, μαζί με την πίστη, μας ανοίγει δρόμο προς την Βασιλεία του Θεού. Λοιπόν, δεν είναι αρκετά μόνο τα καλά έργα και δεν αρκεί μόνο η ηθική, χρειάζεται και η πίστη. Διότι μόνο η Θρησκεία, μόνο η Πίστη στον Θεό και η κοινωνία μαζί Του μας δίνει τη δύναμη να κάνουμε γνήσια καλά και ευάρεστα στον Θεό έργα. Αυτή την δύναμη δεν την δίνει η ηθική και μεγάλο λάθος κάνουν αυτοί που νομίζουν ότι μπορούμε να αντικαταστήσουμε την θρησκεία με κάποια ηθική διδασκαλία. Πρέπει η θεία χάρη να κατοικήσει στην καρδιά μας για να γίνει αυτή ναός του Παναγίου Πνεύματος. Αμήν. Baptisms The daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Petro Christos was baptized on Saturday, May 2nd, and received the name Vasiliki. Her sponsor was Mr. Jett Parzygnot. The son of Mr. & Mrs. Dean Eliacostas was baptized on Sunday, May 3rd, and received the name Joshua Dean. His sponsor was Ms. Anna Green. Weddings On Saturday, May 9th, Panagiotis Kavvadas and Samantha Koyjevich were joined in the sacrament of marriage. Their sponsors were Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Roussos. On Sunday, May 24th, Demetrios Arapakis and Miranda Widstrand were joined in the sacrament of marriage. Their sponsors were Mr. & Mrs. Niko Kollias. Memorials Sunday, May 3rd 40 days for Maria Mastorakos 40 days for John Thanos 3yrs for Peter Κorbakes 45 yrs for George Κorbakes 82 yrs for Stylliane Korbakes 37yrs fordimitrios Kotsiviras 48yrs for Vassiliki Kotsiviras Sunday, May 24th Tree of Love Memorial 40 days for Vasiliki Chiagkouris 1yr for Theony Bouris 9 yrs for John Bouris 17yrs for Alexandria Pasvantis, 50yrs for Savvas Pasvantis Funerals Vasiliki Lolis fell asleep in the Lord on May 9th. Her funeral took place on May 12th, and her internment was at Bethania Cemetery. Beatrice Perkins fell asleep in the Lord on May 21st. Her funeral took place on May 26th, and her internment was at Evergreen Cemetery. May their memory be eternal! ΠΡΟΣΦΟΡΑ ΤΟΥ ΚΑΦΕ Ο καφές και τα γλυκίσματα μετά την Θεία Λειτουργία της Κυριακής θα προσφερθούν από τον Σύλλογο Γονέων και Διδασκάλων τον Ιούνιο μήνα και από τη Φιλόπτωχο Αδελφότητα τον Ιούλιο. ΤΟ ΦΕΣΤΙΒΑΛ ΤΗΣ ΕΝΟΡΙΑΣ ΜΑΣ Το ετήσιο Φεστιβάλ της Ενορίας μας θα γίνει στις 11 και 12 Ιουλίου. Μην ξεχνάτε ότι από την επιτυχία του Φεστιβάλ εξαρτώνται κατά πολύ τα προ γράμματα της Ενορίας μας. Ζητάμε την βοήθεια όλων σας για τις προετοιμάσιες, καθώς και για την προώθηση των λαχείων. Μόνο με την αγάπη, την βοήθεια και την υποστήριξή σας το Φεστιβάλ θα έχει επιτυχία. Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες επικοινωνήσατε με το γραφείο της Εκκλησίας μας. ΕΠΙΣΚΕΨΕΙΣ ΑΣΘΕΝΩΝ Παρακαλούμε όπως όταν γνωρίζετε ότι κάποιος ενορίτης μας ή προσφιλή μας πρόσωπο βρίσκεται σε νοσοκομείο ή γηροκομείο να επικοινωνήστε με τον π. Τηλέμαχο στο κοινοτικό γραφείο για να δύναται να τους επισκεφθεί. Τα νοσοκομεία δεν ειδοποιούν την εκκλησία για τυχόν ασθενείς ενορίτες. St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 17
St. Spyridon Hellenic Orthodox Church 12307 S. Ridgeland Avenue Palos Heights, IL 60463 Attend Church Regularly with Your Family! CALENDAR OF EVENTS June 2nd Philoxenia Luncheon Festival Meeting June 1st-12th Archangels Camp June 5th Plutarchos Graduation June 9th Parish Council Mtg. June 16th 100th Anniversary Mtg. June 22nd-26th Summer Camp July 7th Parish Council Mtg. July 9th & 10th Festival Preparations SUMMER FESTIVAL July 11th-12th, 2015 July 13th Festival Clean-Up 18th ANNUAL GOLF OUTING August 25th, 2015 Authentic Greek Cuisine Homemade Greek Pastries Greek Music & Dancing Kiddie Rides Plus, Car Raffle! St. Spyridon Dancers Saturday & Sunday St. Spyridon s Greek Festival 12307 S. Ridgeland, Palos Heights July 11th & 12th Saturday from 3 p.m. 11 p.m. Sunday from 11 a.m. 11 p.m. Admission: Adults $2 Children under 12 FREE For more info, call (708) 385-2311 FREE PARKING & SHUTTLE