Saint Katherine www.saint-katherines.org 3149 Glen Carlyn Road Falls Church, VA 22041 DOXA The monthly newsletter of Saint Katherine Greek Orthodox Church Volume 12, Number 6 JUNE 2014 UNITY OF FAITH IN THE DIVINE LITURGY OF SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, before the Lord s Prayer, we petition, Having prayed for the unity of the faith and for the communion of the Holy Spirit, let us commit ourselves, and one another, and our whole life to Christ our God. I ask all of you to pray for our spiritual father, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. I hope that the meeting between Pope Francis and our Patriarch in May will help bring us closer to fulfilling what we are called to do by our Lord that is to be united as one bride to the bridegroom, our Lord Jesus Christ. There are some in the unorthodox world who call us ecumenists for wanting to pray and have dialogue with our Roman Catholic brethren. They are wrong for not praying for the unity of faith. They are like the Taliban extremists in the view of their faith. We also pray for those who still wish to use hatred and evil to divide the church. Please read the following statement from the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America celebrating the meeting of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis: Fifty years ago, in January 1964, two great Christian leaders met in Jerusalem. Pope Paul VI of Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople swept aside centuries of hostility and embraced one another in the city where Christ was crucified and rose from the dead. The Pope s gift of a chalice to the Patriarch and the Patriarch s gift of an encolpion (an episcopal pectoral medallion with an icon of Christ) to the Pope showed that they were determined to work for the victory of love over enmity, of communion over division. Reflecting on that encounter immediately after returning to Rome, Pope Paul said, I had this morning the great happiness of embracing after a gap of many centuries the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. We hope that these beginnings will bear good fruit, that the seed will spring up and become fully ripe. Fifty years later, we rejoice that those beginnings in Jerusalem have indeed born good fruit. In December 1965 both Churches consigned the 1054 excommunications between Rome and Constantinople to oblivion, erasing them from the memory of the Church. Meetings between Popes and Ecumenical Patriarchs and other contacts became more common, and led to the establishment of an international theological dialogue between the two churches that met for the first time in 1980 and continues to the present day. Here in the United States, the leaders of our churches followed the example set by the Pope and the Ecumenical Patriarch and at the initiative of Archbishop Iakovos of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese set up a national theological dialogue in 1965, which has functioned uninterruptedly since its establishment. Joined on the Catholic side by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1997, this theological consultation has issued thirty (Continued on page 14, column 2) INSIDE THIS ISSUE... All Around the Town... 12 Bookstore... 10 Book Review... 6 Calendar... 9 Camps... 4, 5 Catechetical (Sunday) School... 4 Church Duty Roster... 13 Daughters of Penelope... 10 GOYA (ages 13-18)... 4 GRACE... 10 Graduates... 4 Greek Article... 6 Hellenic Education Center... 5 Mission and Outreach... 11 Parish Council... 3 Philoptochos... 10 Registry... 7 Saturday of Souls... 13 Stewardship... 14 Thank You, Safeway!... 12 Women s Book Club... 10... AND MORE!
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey Saint Katherine Greek Orthodox Church www.saint-katherines.org 3149 Glen Carlyn Road Falls Church, VA 22041 703-671-1515 phone 703-671-1385 facsimile CLERGY Rev. Protopresbyter Konstantinos A. Pavlakos, Proistamenos cell 571-213-1109, home 703-239-2627 frcostas@stkchurch.com Rev. Presbyter Panagiotis Hanley, Assistant Priest cell 571-421-6595 frphanley@stkchurch.com STAFF Assistant Financial Officer Anna Vassilopoulos 703-671-1515 avassilopoulos@stkchurch.com Choir Director John Doulis 703-899-4131 jdoulis@aol.com Hellenic Education Center Director Presv. Eleni Alexopoulou 703-671-7715 ealexopoulou@stkchurch.com Information Technology Theodoros Theocharis 703-671-1515 ttheoch@kinteracomm.com Protopsalti James Loizou 703-356-8220 dimitri14@verizon.net Secretary/Teacher Sophia Tsangali 703-671-1515 stsangali@stkchurch.com PARISH COUNCIL President, Jim Stoucker 703-690-1050 jstoucker@verizon.net Vice President, Maria Wills 703-948-7950 mwills28@verizon.net Secretary, Bill Polizos 571-434-7790 polizos@att.com Treasurer, Maria Vargas 703-812-0286 maria@chrisandmaria.com Kelly Alexis 703-909-2256 kalexis76@gmail.com Costas Mavromatakis 571-344-3634 cgm387@gmail.com Andrea Ballard 703-250-5419 andreaballard1@verizon.net Mallamo Mavromatakis 703-830-0224 minoanone@gmail.com Chris Christou 703-533-0055 cachris2@hotmail.com George Moshos 202-409-2302 gmoshos@aol.com Dr. John Demakis 703-319-1610 demakis9931@gmail.com Bill Porter 703-901-2404 beporter1@verizon.net Artemis Dimopoulos 703-723-3619 artemida@verizon.net Pierre Tavoularis 703-573-6235 ptavoularis@cox.net Peter Karounos 703-321-3009 pkarounos@aol.com Daphne Vaccarello 703-830-0892 dvac.memories@verizon.net Nick Larigakis 703-909-9078 nlarigakis@ahiworld.org SCHOOLS AND STUDIES Bible Study (Saturdays) Gregory McKinney 571-338-6929 dintym@hotmail.com Bible Study (Sundays) Bill Polizos 571-434-7790 polizos@att.com Catechetical (Sunday) School, Adult Bill Polizos 571-434-7790 polizos@att.com Catechetical (Sunday) School, Youth George Charuhas, Principal 703-999-2109 gscharuhas@gmail.com Women s Book Club Fay Mpras 703-865-5776 faympras@gmail.com MINISTRIES Acolytes Anastasios Galatis and Daniel McKinney AHEPA #438 (P. Derzis) Angelo Toutsi, President 703-281-0843 antovi@verizon.net Bookstore Frances Kalavritinos, Manager 703-671-1515 Book Reviews Gregory McKinney, Contributor 571-338-6929 dintym@hotmail.com Daughters of Penelope Helle #283 Karen Polizos, President 571-434-7790 kpolizos@naifa.org DOXA Presv. Pauline Pavlakos, Editor 703-239-2627 przpauline@stkchurch.com Facebook Saint Katherine Greek Orthodox Church Gregory McKinney dintym@hotmail.com GOYA (ages 13-18) Christina Kosmakos, President 571-271-6411 christinak37@gmail.com GRACE Fr. Costa Pavlakos, Spiritual Advisor 703-671-1515 frcostas@stkchurch.com Greek Dance Aris and Anna Yortzidis, Instructors 757-218-6991 greekdancedc@gmail.com Greek School Auxiliary Martha Lampros, President 703-536-4860 mmlampros@msn.com Hellenic Education Center Greek School and Paideia Preschool 703-671-7715 http://www.stkhec.org HOPE (ages 7 and under) Toula Christou, Director 703-533-0055 tmchristou@yahoo.com JOY (ages 8-12) Tina Papamichael, Director 703-536-4711 athena02@verizon.net Listserv (email list) Presv. Pauline Pavlakos, Administrator 703-239-2627 przpauline@stkchurch.com Missions and Outreach Dr. John Demakis, Chairman 703-319-1610 demakis9931@gmail.com OCF (College Ministry) Fr. Costa Pavlakos, Spiritual Advisor 703-671-1515 frcostas@stkchurch.com Philoptochos Eleni Kanakos, President 703-938-8360 ekanakos@aol.com Safeway escrip Elvira Garnett, Coordinator 703-425-3675 villa45@hotmail.com Single Parent Fellowship Andrea Katsenes, Coordinator andrea.katsenes@verizon.net Website Presv. Pauline Pavlakos, Webmaster 703-239-2627 przpauline@stkchurch.com YAL (Young Adult League) Olivia Carr 401-633-2072 SaintKatherineYAL@stkchurch.com
FROM THE PARISH COUNCIL PRESIDENT Χριστός Ανέστη! CHRISTOS ANESTI! I recently read a rather disturbing article on our Archdiocese web site entitled An Important Challenge for Greek Orthodox Christianity, which cited studies that painted a bleak picture for the future of our Church in America. The author, Peter S. Kehayes relates that 60% of Greek Orthodox families of the last generation and 90% of Americans with Greek roots are no longer in communion with the Church. Equally alarming was the statement that...there are fewer active Greek Orthodox today than in 1922. Consider the enormity and implications of these statements for a moment! And, lest some are inclined to be dismissive of such statistics, or to categorize them as overly alarmist, I simply ask would any of us be comforted if the numbers were even half of those sited above? Predictably, cultural assimilation and interfaith marriage are widely recognized and cited within the article and elsewhere as principle reasons for this dilution or decline in the faithful. However, the article is also quick to say these reasons, while contributory to the problem, in and of themselves, are not the pariahs to Orthodoxy some may believe. In fact, a growing number of clergy such as Fr. Aris Metrakos, believe such issues are canards, and...only threaten the faith of the faithless... masking the real issues affecting the growth and ultimate future of our faith. Even His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew recently criticized overly ethnic tendencies saying they are totally alien to the core of Orthodoxy. What are the real issues then? Kehayes believes...there is a critical and immediate need for broad religious outreach... to everyone in our community and that our faith must be more accessible by encompassing the old and the new. Fr. Metrakis believes we are central to the problem and urges parents to set a strong example for their children by worshipping, praying, and observing the sacraments together as a family. Most objective observers would agree there is merit in both of these assertions. I thought about this for a considerable time and tried to relate it to our community as we are certainly not immune to such issues and challenges. As I searched for an answer and greater understanding of this issue, I came across the eternal wisdom imparted to us so many centuries ago by Saint John Chrysostom: Every Christian family ought to be as it were a little church consecrated to Christ, and wholly influenced and governed by His rule. I never cease to wonder at the wisdom of this holy man and the more I reflected upon his commentary, the more I began to focus on the real issues realizing we must always be vigilant in our examination of our faith. It isn t merely about language...or culture...or interfaith marriage or any number of other issues. In my view, the critical element to providing answers to such challenges is to ensure we provide an environment that is not only inclusive and welcoming, but nurtures everyone in the observance of their Orthodox faith. We must always ask ourselves if we are meeting the needs of our parishioners of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Are we meeting the needs of our younger families? Are we responsive to the challenges faced by today s youth? The questions are as numerous as they are complex. As I reflect on the multitude of programs and ministries we provide our parishioners, I am increasingly encouraged at how we, as a community, are addressing the challenges cited at the beginning of this article. It is no revelation that our children are the key to the future. We can provide no better foundation for them than to provide the best educational opportunities possible. For years, our Catechetical School has most admirably served many generations of our community. More recently, our new Hellenic Education Center has moved boldly into the future with innovation and resolve to provide language, cultural, religious, and historical instruction for our youth. Educational programs for adults and the community at large have also been instituted. Our youth groups (JOY, HOPE, and GOYA) provide vital outlets for the youth of our community. We are further blessed with ministries that abound with depth and diversity. Our Philoptochos inspires us all with their charitable, benevolent, and philanthropic outreach; our Bible study programs educate the faithful and newcomers to the faith alike; AHEPA and the Daughters of Penelope strive to improve the community by promoting the principles of Hellenism to society including education, philanthropy, civic responsibility, as well as family and individual excellence. Opportunities for fellowship abound in our community and include ministries for young adults such as OCF and YAL. Support groups such as GRACE and Single Parent Fellowship provide spiritual, emotional, and social sustenance to all those who participate. We are blessed with a rich liturgical life giving everyone maximum opportunities to worship together during two liturgies every Sunday and on multiple other feast days as well. Our Missions and Outreach ministry thrives with participants from all age groups and ethnicities and attracts many from other local Orthodox churches as they fulfill the Great Commission of Christ to go and make disciples of all nations. We are indeed blessed with multiple opportunities to be inclusive, welcoming, and nurturing enabling our parishioners to more fully participate in the life of our Church and community. The enduring wisdom of Saint John Chrysostom is again useful and instructive: (Continued on page 13, column 1) 3
CATECHETICAL (SUNDAY) SCHOOL THIS YEAR OUR GRADUATION came earlier than last as we celebrated the completion of another wonderful and successful year on May 18. We wish our students well as they enter their well-earned summer break. Though not in school, June offers many opportunities for our students to continue their catechetical progression by learning about some of the events and saints commemorated throughout the month. For example, June 1 celebrates the Fathers of the 1st Ecumenical Council held in Nicaea in the year 325. The Nativity of John the Forerunner (Baptist) and is mother are celebrated on the 24. There are also many martyrs whose unwavering faith can teach and uplift. And, of course, Pentecost arrives on the 8th. Indeed, the special commemorations offered through June enrich the days of summer and turn attention to contemplation and worship. GOYA GOYA WILL PARTICIPATE in Orthodox Youth Day at Kings Dominion on Thursday, June 26. See Orthodox Youth Day in the next column for more information. The deadline to RSVP is Thursday, June 5. REGENTS EXAMINATIONS THE REGENTS EXAMINATIONS of the Greek Educational Department, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, New York will take place at Saint Katherine Greek School on Monday, June 23 at 5:00pm. The students who registered for the exams must be at school at 4:45pm. Good luck to all! The Regents Examinations are recognized by the state of New York. The Regents Certificate is recognized by most colleges and universities in the United States of America. Ionian Village (ionianvillage.org) offers a very unique summer camp experience. In addition to participating in a typical summer camp program, campers will be exposed to the Orthodox faith and learn about Hellenic culture and the country of Greece through excursions. Summer Camp (Open to campers in grades 8 through 12) Session One: June 23 - July 12, 2014 Session Two: July 20 - August 8, 2014 Spiritual Odyssey: Cyprus (Open to young adults, ages 19-24) June 1-11, 2014 CAMP GOOD SHEPHERD 2014 The Linwood-MacDonald YMCA Center Branchville, New Jersey July 27-August 2 Fr. Costa will lead a group to Camp Good Shepherd. Please contact Fr. Costas if you are interested. ATTENTION GRADUATES CONGRATULATIONS, GRADUATES! You should be very proud of your accomplishments. We would like you to share your wonderful news with the entire community in the July/August 2014 issue of DOXA. Please send the following information to przpauline@stkchurch.com by noon on Saturday, June 14: your name, your parents names, name of your high school, name of the college you will attend or your future plans, and, if you wish, a short list of your accomplishments. College and other higher education graduates are encouraged to send information as well. Please limit your submission to 75 words or less. JOIN FR. COSTAS AT ORTHODOX YOUTH DAY AT KINGS DOMINION June 26 $51/person (includes lunch) RSVP to przpauline@stkchurch.com by Thursday, June 5 All youth of our community are invited! Parents must accompany children under the age of 13. 4
HELLENIC EDUCATION CENTER Eleni Alexopoulou IT WAS AUGUST OF 2013 when I first came by the church to begin in my new job as the HEC Director. It is less than a year since the first time Mr. Stoucker, the parish president, gave me a tour of the church grounds and briefed me on what the community aspired of the HEC to become: an educational center for the community, a beckon for the area and a point of reference for its offerings: pre-k-12 for children and adult education being only a few of them. I wholeheartedly accepted this challenging yet inspiring role to contribute as much as possible to the long educational tradition at Saint Katherine. As this school year is coming to an end, I feel the need to share with you some of the highlights of HEC. In Paideia Preschool, this year, we started with 25 students and we went up to 33. Even though our staff is highly qualified with all our teachers holding at least a BA and many years of experience in Early Childhood Education, the staff was offered Teacher Development Days which they embraced with gratitude for the opportunity to enhance their teaching methods. It is important to note that all are CPR and First-Aid Certified. Our 3-5 year old students participated in the Divine Liturgy on special weekly feasts, in Greek Letters Day, the Valentine s Senior Luncheon, and Greek Independence Day with a short program. In February, a pilot Byzantine Music program started with the 3-5 year old students to introduce them to a fundamental expression of our Christian Orthodox faith. Our Greek School had 127 students enrolled in the Friday and Saturday programs, 14 in the Conversational class and 12 in the Adult classes. Our Greek School teachers are equally well trained and hold BA s and many MS s. Teacher s Development Days were offered as well, and they were very successful in providing them with more tools to be effective in the classroom and be able to overcome the challenges of teaching a much more demanding student body. We ventured to fun-filled Kalanda nights and we celebrated our traditions with a wonderful Christmas Pageant, Greek Letter s Day and Greek Independence Program. Some students made us very proud to march under inclement weather conditions in the Baltimore Greek Parade. Another group of students represented our community in the AHI s Congress event for Greek Independence Day singing the Greek and American Anthems as a chorus. The students made Lazarakia, baked Easter koulourakia, and died Easter Eggs to celebrate our Greek Orthodox tradition. Our field trip to the National Gallery on the occasion of the Byzantine Exhibition was a fun way to learn outside the classroom as well as to help the students build self- awareness as Greek Americans. I aspire to schedule more field trips as DC is full of monuments/ museums that have drawn their art/architecture from the Greek history and civilization. As society evolves though, there are different needs to meet in both schools. Consequently our methodology, teaching style and tools are also evolving to create success in both schools. One way to explore the treasures of the Greek Culture is to freshen up the Greek School curriculum to make it more attractive to our students, bring the community and the students closer in strengthening the ties and understanding the influence one may have over the other. In order to address the lack of offerings for the adults, we will offer Greek classes with an emphasis on Ancient, Ecclesiastical and Modern Greek, Greek literature, Greek cooking, etc. None of the above would have been possible if it wasn t for Fr. Kostas, the Board of Education and the community s support as much as the tireless efforts of the parents and stewards of Saint Katherine. I am looking forward to another year of outreach to anyone interested in furthering their education in the Greek language, culture and heritage. Please visit our website at www.stkhec.org (under News) to see for yourself what a great year this has been! 2014 HEC SUMMER CAMP: 7 WEEKS OF FUN! Week 1, June 30 - July 3: Party in the USA Learn all about America and end the week with a 4th of July picnic. Week 2, July 7-11: Around the World Travel with your passport and enjoy an international potluck lunch on Friday. Week 3, July 14-18: Spirit of the Olympics Catch the spirit of the Olympics and end the week with the HEC Olympic Games Week 4, July 21-25: Under the Sea Explore the land and sea through nature and craft projects. Week 5, July 28 - August 1: Art Week After exposure to various art mediums throughout the week, an art gallery (with the campers creations) will be set up on Friday. Week 6, August 4-8: Dr. Seuss Explore a variety of Dr. Seuss books. Older children (ages 6-9) will receive instruction in traditional Greek Folk Dance. Week 7, August 10-15: Sports, Fitness & Food Using MyPlate.org, campers will be introduced to a health and active lifestyle. $275 per week for the half-day program (9:00am-12:30pm $300 per week for the full-day program (9:00am-3:30pm) $385 per week for the extended care program (7:00am-6:00pm) $20 activity fee per child add l $100 per week for non-stewards of Saint Katherine 5
(Συνέχεια του προηγουμένου) ΣΤΗΡΙΓΜΑΤΑ Σοφία Δ. Τσαγκάλη ΣΤΟ ΠΡΟΗΓΟΥΜΕΝΟ ΤΕΥΧΟΣ αρχίσαμε να μιλάμε για στηρίγματα ζωής. Αναφέραμε ορισμένες ιδέες πάνω στο θέμα αυτό και σαν πρώτο στήριγμα αναλύσαμε ότι πολλοί άνθρωποι υπολογίζουν στις δυνάμεις του εαυτού τους, καθώς επίσης και σαν άλλο στήριγμα στους άλλους ανθρώπους. Σαν τρίτο στήριγμα αναφέρουμε το χρήμα, τον πλούτο, την περιουσία. Σ αυτά τα στηρίγματα στηρίζονται πολλοί άνθρωποι και ως επί το πλείστον μεγάλο μέρος νέων. «Έχω χρήματα και δεν φοβάμαι τίποτε», λένε, ή «Λεφτά να έχεις και όλα θα πάνε καλά». Και στον Ψαλμό (μη ) διαβάζουμε, «οι εν επί τω πλήθει του πλούτου αυτών καυχώμενοι». Ο Κύριος όμως με την Α προς Τιμόθεον επιστολή, κεφάλαιο στ, στίχος 17, θα απαντήσει: «Μή ηλπικέναι επί πλούτου αδηλότητι». Δηλαδή ο πλούτος έχει ένα χαρακτηριστικό, την αδηλότητα, δηλαδή δεν είναι κάτι το ασφαλές και σίγουρο. Φεύγει από το ένα μέρος και εμφανίζεται σε άλλο μέσα σε μικρό χρονικό διάστημα. Αλλά, ούτε και παντοδύναμος είναι, όπως θέλουν να τον παρουσιάσουν πολλοί. Κι αυτό γιατί, ούτε την ασθένεια καταργεί, ούτε τον θάνατο απομακρύνει και καταργεί, ούτε τις αποτυχίες φυγαδεύει, ούτε την ειρήνη της ψυχής εξασφαλίζει, όπως άλλοτε σε άλλο τεύχος είχαμε μιλήσει, όταν εξετάζαμε το χρήμα από άλλης απόψεως. Βέβαια, είναι βοηθητικό στη ζωή το χρήμα για να εξασφαλίζουμε τα προς το ζην. Δεν είναι όμως το παν. Δεν δύναται από μόνο του να αποτελέσει ασφαλές και ισχυρό στήριγμα επιτυχίας στον άνθρωπο. Γι αυτό και ο πεπειραμένος ψαλμωδός λέει, «πλούτος εάν ρέει, μή προστίθεσθε καρδίαν», «Ψαλμός ξα, 11). Και άλλα στηρίγματα θα μπορούσαμε να αναφέρουμε. Φτάνει όμως έως εδώ, γιατί όσα και αν αναφερθούν, θα μας κάνουν να απογοητευτούμε, γιατί αυτό αποδεικνύει η καθημερινή πείρα ζωής. Τίποτε δεν μπορεί για τον άνθρωπο να αποτελέσει το πραγματικό στήριγμα, παρά μόνο ένα. Και αυτό είναι ο ίδιος ο Θεός! Γιατί ο Θεός είναι πανάγαθος, αναλλοίωτος, αληθής, πάνσοφος, παντοδύναμος! Κρατάει τα πάντα στα χέρια Του και κάθε αγαθό Αυτός το χορηγεί. Και με αυτές τις ιδιότητές Του δύναται να αποτελέσει το μόνο αληθινό στήριγμα του ανθρώπου, ο οποίος θα πει, «Επί τω Κυρίω πέποιθα», (Ψαλμός 1, 1). Αξίζει να διαβάσουμε αυτό που σημειώνει ο ψαλμωδός στον 117 Ψαλμό του, στίχοι 5-8. «Εκ μέσου θλίψεως επεκαλέσθην τον Κύριον και εισήκουσε της προσευχής μου και εκ της στενοχωρίας μου με ωδήγησεν εις ευρυχωρίαν και ανακούφισιν. Ο Κύριος εγένετο εις εμέ βοηθός και δεν θα φοβηθώ τί θα μου κάμη οιοσδήποτε άνθρωπος. Ο Κύριος είναι βοηθός και σύμμαχός μου, δι αυτό δε και εγώ θα ίδω τους εχθρούς μου προ των ποδών μου ηττημένους και κατησχυμένους. Είναι ασυγκρίτως καλύτερον και ασφαλέστερον να στηρίζη κανείς την ελπίδα και πεποίθησίν του εις τον Κύριον, παρά να βασίζεται εις την βοήθειαν και συμμαχίαν ανθρώπου. Είναι ασυγκρίτως (Continued on page 14, column 1) BOOK REVIEW Gregory McKinney Everywhere Present: Christianity in a One-Storey Universe. Fr. Stephen Freeman. Conciliar Press. 2011. Paperback. 110 pages. For decades now, modern churchmen have regularly reminded Christians how deeply our faith has been compromised by our capitulation to the pervasive secularism of the larger culture. Fr. Freeman is, as his bio states, especially interested in engaging modern culture from within the Traditions of the Church and Everywhere Present is part of what he sees as a missionary effort. He stakes out his position early on: I have come to think of this modern cultural construct as the two-storey universe. It is as though the universe were a twostorey house: We live here on earth, the first floor, where things are simply things and everything operates accord to the normal, natural laws, while God lives in heaven upstairs, and is largely removed from the storey in which we live. To effect anything here, God must interrupt the laws of nature and perform a miracle. Exactly how often He does this is a matter of debate among Christians and many others within our culture often measured by just how conservative or liberal their religion may be. The effects of this distance are all-encompassing in the area of religious experience and belief, and frequently in other areas as well (p. 7). In a chapter titled Christian Atheism, he calls out the consequences to the culture when Christians buy into the two-storey construct: Christianity that has purged the Church of the sacraments, and of the sacramental, has only ideas to substitute in their place. The result is the eradication of God from the world in all ways other the theoretical. [S]ince much of modern Christianity functions on the ideological level rather that the level of communion with the God-who-is-among-us, much of Christianity functions in a mode of practical atheism (p. 51). And Fr. Freeman eloquently describes his concept of a proper one-storey Faith: True Christianity is not a faith in abstractions, nor is it about a reward, up there, someday. It is as real as the Incarnation of the Word. It is as real as the leper healed by Christ. It is as real as the nails that held His flesh on the cross. No abstractions. Christ s resurrection is the victory of Reality over the delusion of death and all its kingdom. It is the union of earth and heaven, created and uncreated. In such a union, there cannot be two metaphysical floors of reality (p. 96). As a therapist, Fr. Freeman is an skilled diagnostician and inspires with his vision of a restored Christianity. Yet in his limited prescriptions for healing, he falls short in acknowledging the impact of recovering one s sense of the (Continued on page 7, column 2) 6
Baptisms Lauren (April 23) daughter of David and Lorrie Bennett Godparent: John G. Tsapos Iasonas Ishaan (April 26) son of Ayan K. and Nikoletta M. Bagchi Godparents: John and Josephine Pantanizopoulos Artemis Serap (May 3) daughter of Faik and Turkan Sen Godparent: Michael Ignatiou Evangeline Constantine (May 4) daughter of Harry and Asimina Nicholakos Godparents: Steve and Kathy Nicholakos Alexia Zoe (May 4) daughter of Emmouel and Ourania Fattahi Godparent: Evangelia Tsambounieris REGISTRY Weddings Caroline Nicoletta Kouretsos and Andrew John Pavlakos (April 27) Koumbaros: George Athanasiou at Holy Cross, Brooklyn, NY Amanda Boston and Tassos Tryparnis (May 3) Koumbaros: John Fotelargias Constance Kapetanakis and Petros Drosos (May 10) Koumbaroi: Litsa and Kostas Papathanasiou Amanda E. Marineau and Constantine C. Adams (May 25) Koumbaros: Eric C. Adams Alexandra (May 17) daughter of William and Maria Jackson Godparent: Shelby Stavroula Hackenburg Demetri (May 18) son of George and Kalomoira Boosalis Godparents: George Giannou and Eleni Linardakis Niko (May 18) son of George and Kalomoira Boosalis Godparents: Agapios Papadamantiou and Georgia Alexatos Congratulations! Irene Fineskos and Julian A. Williams (May 31) Koumbara: Argyroula Sahlanis Congratulations! Funerals Dr. Evangelos Kotselas (April 14, Baltimore, MD) Arthur Louis Nichlas (April 17) Antonios V. Pothitos (April 24) Vasiliki D. Fotopoulos (May 5) Alexandros Alekos Andreou (May 9) May their memory be eternal. SPRING GREEK FESTIVAL June 6, 7, and 8 11am - 10pm (Continued from page 6) omnipresent Godhead. Embracing a God everywhere present and filling all things is in fact a radical and risky act. Both God and man will extract a cost for such a glorious choice. Fr. Stephen Freeman serves in the OCA. He is a popular blogger and host of the podcast Glory to God at ancientfaith.com. 7
OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS YOUR HELP! Our community typically plans and budgets for routine maintenance to accommodate the normal wear and tear and upkeep of our church grounds and facilities, which include three major buildings, multiple major appliances, lighting systems, mechanical systems (11 major HVAC units, two fire suppression systems, multiple alarm systems, etc.), pump rooms, and parking facilities. However, during the first quarter of this year, we have experienced an abnormal abundance of mechanical failures and maintenance issues requiring immediate attention and that would otherwise far surpass our allotted budget. Listed below are the recent maintenance issues (as well as ongoing maintenance priority list projects) and we humbly ask our parishioners assistance in maintaining and repairing the church we love. Please check the project(s) below you would like to support and make your checks payable to Saint Katherine Greek Orthodox Church. Church Total roof replacement Repair caulking around stained glass surrounding the Pantocrator Repair and paint damaged plaster in the dome Replace amplifier for pew speakers Replace defective fire alarm circuitry Resurface/reconstruct landing area/front steps Resurface/replace church parking lot Repair broken 4-inch water pipe under church parking lot Meletis Charuhas Community Center Replace HVAC unit Re-flash/re-caulk dome Replace stage curtains Replace pump room heater Replace water heater Founders Hall Install new HVAC unit Remodel bathrooms Repair/re-tile floors Repair damaged icemaker Name Address Phone Payment Method: Cash/Check Visa, MasterCard, or Discover Card Card # Expiration Date Security Code (3 digits) Donation Amount: $25 $50 $100 $250 Other (specify amount) $ Total Amount Donated: $ 8
JUNE 2014 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1 Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council 9:30am Orthros 10:30am Divine Liturgy 5:00pm Greek Schoool Tutoring Class 3 Adult Greek School 6:00pm Introductory II 7:00pm Introductory I 5 Adult Greek Class 6:00pm Intermediate 7:00pm Advanced 6 Spring Festival 11:00am-10:00pm 5:00pm Greek School 7 Saturday of Souls 9:00am Orthros* 10:00am Divine Liturgy* (*Note earlier time due to Festival) 9:30am Greek School Spring Festival 11:00am-10:00pm 8 Holy Pentecost 9:00am Orthros* 10:00am Divine Liturgy* (*Note earlier time due to Festival) Spring Festival 11:00am-10:00pm 9 7:30pm Deuteri Deutera 10 Adult Greek School 6:00pm Introductory II 7:00pm Introductory I 6:00pm Philoptochos Dinner at Amphora 8:00pm AHEPA 11 12 Adult Greek Class 6:00pm Intermediate 7:00pm Advanced 13 5:00pm Greek School 14 Flag Day 9:30am Greek School 12pm Deadline for July/August DOXA 15 All Saints Father s Day 9:30am Orthros 10:30am Divine Liturgy 16 17 Adult Greek School 6:00pm Introductory II 7:00pm Introductory I 18 10:30am Women s Book Club Mini Retreat 19 Adult Greek Class 6:00pm Intermediate 7:00pm Advanced 20 5:00pm Greek School 21 Challenge Liturgy (at Saint George) 9:30am Orthros 10:30am Divine Liturgy 9:30am Greek School 22 9:30am Orthros 10:30am Divine Liturgy 23 5:00pm Regents Exams of the Greek Education Department 24 Nativity of John the Baptist 9:30am Orthros 10:30am Divine Liturgy 25 26 27 28 29 Holy Apostles Peter and Paul 9:30am Orthros 10:30am Divine Liturgy 30 Please check the online calendar, http://saint-katherines.org/calendar, for the most current information.
PHILOPTOCHOS (by Eleni Kanakos, President) PLEASE JOIN US FOR THE PHILOPTOCHOS DINNER on Tuesday, June 10, 6:00pm at the Amphora Restaurant in Vienna. The cost per guest is $30.00. For your reservation, please call Mary Drakoulis at 703-273-4159. Thanks to all of you for your help at the Spring Festival. It was nice to see the community work together for the needs of our Church. Once again, it has been another successful year. Thank you for your support! I hope all of you have a wonderful summer and I look forward to seeing everyone in September. WOMEN S BOOK CLUB SAINT KATHERINE WOMEN S BOOK CLUB will have their last meeting for this ecclesiastical year on June 4. At that time we will finish our book, Our Guide to the Divine Liturgy, by Robert Krantz. We will also have an end-ofyear mini- retreat on June 18. This year we have added a few wonderful new members and we hope that some members in our community will be in a position to also be able to join our fellowship next year. New members and old members are always welcomed. This is not your usual book club..."where two or more are gathered in His name, He is there also." If you have any questions, please email faympras@gmail.com. We wish everyone many blessings in your travels this summer and always! OUR FASHIONS AROUND THE TEA TABLES. held Sunday, May 4, was a wonderful success! On behalf of all Sisters in Helle Chapter, we extend our appreciation to the Saint Katherine community for supporting this event and our raffle. It was a lovely afternoon. At our May meeting, we welcomed Dianne Quebral and Maria Wills into our Chapter. We also held chapter elections for board officers. After a year of dedicated service, Helen Spanos will be stepping down as Recording Secretary. Re-elected were: Karen Polizos, President; Rosalie Georgeadis, Vice President-Membership; Katina Doulis, Vice President-Administration; Barbara Koltos, Treasurer; and Lynn Francis, Corresponding Secretary. The Recording Secretary position is vacant. We are delighted that Joan Markesinni is attending the District #3 Convention in Fayetteville, NC, June 14-15, as Helle Chapter Delegate; and Lynn Francis is attending the Supreme Convention in New Orleans, LA, July 21-26, as Helle Chapter Delegate. They will represent our Chapter well! We are looking forward to our end of year ladies day out, which will be held at Lynn Francis beautiful lake house on Lake Anna on Saturday, June 7. The setting is lovely and relaxing. BOOKSTORE PLEASE VISIT OUR CHURCH BOOKSTORE in the community center after the liturgy. We carry a wide assortment of Orthodox books, icons, and other items to enrich your spiritual life. SEVEN TIPS ON HOW TO BE HELPFUL TO A NEW WIDOW 1. Please do stay connected. There is already a huge hole in our universe. Do not assume we need space to grieve. 2. Please do say you are sorry for our loss. We would rather you tell us you do not know what to say than tell us your story of losing your friend or even close relative We may be able to listen to your story later, but not now. Do not tell us you understand. 3. Do call and ask specifically, Can we go for a walk together? May I run errands for you? Meet you for coffee? Do not say, Call me if you need anything. 4. Do refer to our husband s acts or words serious or humorous. We are so comforted by knowing our husband has not been forgotten. Do not leave our husbands out of the conversation. 5. Invite us to anything. We may decline but will appreciate being asked. Do not assume we no longer want to participate in couples' events. 6. Do accept that we are where we are. Marriages are brief, long, healthy, dysfunctional, intense, remote. Death comes suddenly or in tiny increments over years. Again, our experiences are so different, as are we. So is our journey through grief. Do not assume we go through the outlined grief process by the book. 7. Walk the talk. Do not make conversation-only offers. We ll call you and we ll go out to dinner and then not follow up. Yes, we are sensitive in our grieving, but we d rather hear you say, I ve been thinking of you than make a conversation- only offer. (The above tips were taken from WidowConnection.com) Saint Katherine Greek Orthodox Church offers a grief support group, GRACE (Grief Recovery: Accepting, Coping, and Evolving). For further information, please call Fr. Costa Pavlakos at 703-671-1515. Thank you to Maria Papageorgiou for contributing articles nearly every month for the last 10 years. 10
Lift up and stretch out your hands, not to heaven, but to the poor; for if you stretch forth your hands to the poor, you have reached the summit of heaven, but if you lift up your hands in prayer without sharing with the poor, it is worth nothing. (Saint John Chrysostom) Metropolitan Kallistos Ware to Speak Locally. Metropolitan Kallistos will participate in the Oriental Lumen XVIII Conference June 23-26, 2014. This year s topic is The Ecumenical Dimensions of Marriage. The conference will be held at the Washington Retreat House. For more information go to www.olconference.com. Project Mexico, August 2014. Our next mission trip to Project Mexico will take place August 13-19. A team of 10 will be involved with home building near Tijuana, Mexico. They will also help and stay at the St. Innocence Orthodox Orphanage. Fr. Panayiotis Hanley will be the spiritual leader. This is a great opportunity for adults and teenagers to witness their faith and enjoy an experience that will change their lives. The total cost of the trip will be approximately $1,500. If you are interested in more information, please visit projectmexico.org/homebuilding.aspx or contact Ray Vazquez at rayvazquez1@aol.com. If you would like to donate or sponsor one of our missionaries, please make your check payable to Saint Katherine and note Project Mexico and the missionary name on the memo line. Food Pantry. Sunday, May 4 was our last quarterly food pantry drive. We again hit the 1,000 lb. mark! Thanks to everyone who contributed. Thanks also to the Rouvelas families who donated the blue cloth bags, Jen Carr who designed our Saint Katherine logo on the bags, and to all the children who made dozens of trips down to the cars with the bags. A special thank to Eleni Rouvelas who organized the children. The children included Emanuel Rouvelas, Zoe Rouvelas, Demetrios Solomos, Lukas Solomos, Alexandra Sarris, Michael Sarris, and Lea Zuppas. Several people have asked about opportunities to volunteer at the Food Pantry. The Food Pantry is at the Columbia Baptist Church, down the block from Saint Katherine. It is open on Saturdays only, 9am-12 noon. They need help in distributing the food. If you would like to volunteer, contact Betsy Pankey at betsypankey@aol.com. Our next food collection for the pantry will be in October. The exact date will be in next month s DOXA. Volunteers Urgently Needed for Church Construction in Kenya. The OCMC will be sending two short-term teams to the Turkana region of northern Kenya to help build the Church of Saint Nicholas in the remote village of Lokichar. The first team will serve from June 17 to July 1 and the second from June 24 to July 11. At least two more volunteers are urgently needed for each team. Apply online at www.ocmc.org. You can also contact Andrew Lekos or Presv. Renee Ritsi at teams@ocmc.org or 877-463-6784, ext. 141 if you are able to help build a church for our newly illumined Turkana brothers and sisters in Christ. MISSIONS AND OUTREACH Orthodox Prison Ministry. The Assembly of Orthodox Bishops has designated the sixth Sunday after Pascha as Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday. This year that was Sunday, May 25. The Bishops have put out an encyclical that states in part, We are calling on all faithful to learn about prison ministry, to pray for people in prison, to become involved in prison ministry, and to encourage their brothers and sisters in Christ, especially the Orthodox clergy who bring the gospel of hope and salvation to the incarcerated. To learn more about this new ministry go to their website: www.theocpm.org. More information will appear in future issues of DOXA. Monumental Mission Walk, Saturday, November 15. Our next mission walk on the National Mall will be on Saturday, November 15, starting at 9:00am. This year, our tent will be located at 15th Street and Constitution Avenue. Jen and Alex Carr will coordinate this year s walk to benefit Orthodox missions internationally and locally. Specific details will appear in a future DOXA. In 2013 we had 184 participants. Come join us this year! OCMC Benefit Dinner, Sunday, April 26, 2015. Next year, our OCMC benefit dinner will feature Rev. John Chakos who is our long-term missionary in Guatemala. Fr. Chakos served for many years in Pittsburg, PA and now he and his wife are working with the new Orthodox Church in Guatemala. He will share with us the exciting events occurring in Guatemala as hundreds of thousands are converting to Orthodoxy. Learn how the Church is ministering to them. Save the date! BAILEY S CROSSROADS HOMELESS SHELTER Feeding the Homeless. Our Mission and Outreach Committee will serve dinner in June. If any of our other church organizations would like to serve at the shelter, please contact Dr. John Demakis at demakis9931@gmail.com. Clothing and Toiletries. We continue to collect clothing and toiletries for the homeless shelter all year long. Bring new or clean used clothes and unopened toiletries to the Foyer of our Community Center. Hygiene and Survival Kits. For the last three years, we have collected items for hygiene and survival kits (these kits are given to those unfortunate people who are not able to stay in the shelter because of lack of space during the winter months). The hygiene kits include soap, toothpaste and toothbrush, shampoo and conditioner, etc. The survival kits include thermal socks and gloves, hand warmers, caps, etc. Each of our church s ministries was asked to provide one or two items for these kits. These kits are put together by our Sunday School students and GOYAns in December. The kits are then taken to the shelter for distribution and are greatly appreciated. In the next month, each of our church ministries will receive a letter from Fr. Kosta with specific instructions on which items they will be asked to collect for the shelter. Please be on the lookout for these letters. 11
ALL AROUND THE TOWN Joanna Bose THE HENSCHEL QUARTET PLAYS CHRISTOPHER THEOFANIDIS This year, the month of May in DC is celebrating the European Month of Culture with Embassy Open Houses, tours, lectures, films, workshops and nearly 40 concerts. On May 11, the Henschel Quartet from Germany played music of Beethoven and Henze, two German composers, as well as one Greek composer, Christopher Theofanidis. Born here in 1967, a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and Yale University, the piece that was performed was called Visions and Miracles. The composer says that the ideas for this piece came from poetry, the first movement from Nietzsche s line All joy wills eternity. The second movements Peace Love Light YouMeOne was based on a Timothy Leary quotation, and I add brilliance to the sun,written by a medieval troubadour. I listened very carefully to hear whether his music lived up to the intention of having the music evolve from these ideas. The building up of joy progressed through a lively use of the strings with the two violins playing crescendoes and dance-like rhythms. I could hear the Greek influence. The fast pace of the sound was always harmonious and uplifting, like watching a fast- moving dance. The second part was choral in nature, more like singing than strings, but again, the effect on a person who had never heard his music was one of acceptance and interest. The third movement complemented the others in a wonderful finale. So, yes, he did achieve what he set out to do: translate ideas into music. I heard that plaintive sound that often comes up in Greek music, but it wasn t dominant. The liveliness was more evident and left the lasting impression. Christoph Henschel is an amazing violinist. The quartet played Theofanidis music brilliantly. The New York Times wrote that Theofanidis music is lyrical, exotic, soul-searching. The acoustical echo created solely by means of instruments is fascinating. ΈΛΕΓΧΟΣ - ΑΥΤΟΕΛΕΓΧΟΣ Όλοι μας λίγο πολύ, στενοχωριόμαστε όταν μας κάνουν έλεγχο. εν μας αρέσει ο έλεγχος όμως όλοι μας τον έχουμε ανάγκη. Όλοι μας καλό είναι να κάνουμε συχνά στον εαυτό μας έλεγχο και αυτοέλεγχο. Ο αυτοέλεγχος να γίνεται με κριτήρια πνευματικά, με πνευματικούς σκοπούς. Να προσπαθούμε να ψάχνουμε μέσα μας αν ενεργήσαμε σωστά και έξυπνα. Καλύτερο θα ήταν να εξετάζουμε όχι μόνο πως ενεργήσαμε σε κάποια περίπτωση αλλά και αν στεκόμαστε σωστά στα μάτια του Θεού. Το έργο αυτό είναι πιο άγιο και πιο σοβαρό. Μπροστά στον Θεό να βλέπουμε τον εαυτό μας, σε τι κατάσταση βρίσκεται. Να μην είμαστε αυτάρεσκοι άνθρωποι να μην ψάχνουμε να βρούμε δικαιολογίες και ελαφρυντικά. Να μην μας καταβάλει το πάθος της κατακρίσεως ότι "ο άλλος" φταίει. Ο σωστός άνθρωπος βλέπει τον εαυτό του ίσια με θάρρος και τόλμη. Όταν θα έλθει η κρίση του Θεού δεν θα έχουμε περιθώρια, ελπίδα για άφεση και διόρθωση. Στην τότε απόφαση του Θεού δεν χωράει, ούτε έφεση, ούτε εφετείο. THANK YOU, SAFEWAY! Thank you to Safeway (and Elvira Garnett, coordinator) for the funds given to: Sunday School for supplies for 48 power packs distributed to elementary school children through Food for Others food bank in Fairfax. Hellenic Education Center for nutritional snacks for the students. GOYA for supporting our trip to New York City to visit the September 11 Memorial, the site of the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church which was destroyed on September 11, and the site of the proposed new church. We truly appreciate your efforts! Άγιος Βασίλειος 12
SUNDAY CHURCH DUTY ROSTER June 1, 2014 9:30am Pierre Tavoularis, Captain Artemis Dimopoulos Kelly Alexis Peter Karounos Andrea Ballard Bill Porter Dr. John Demakis June 8, 2014 M. Mavromatakis, Captain Kelly Alexis Dr. John Demakis Nick Larigakis 9:30am Costas Mavromatakis Maria Vargas Maria Wills June 15, 2014 9:30am D. Vaccarello, Captain Jim Stoucker Andrea Ballard Pierre Tavoularis Nick Larigakis Maria Vargas George Moshos June 22, 2014 9:30am Bill Porter, Captain George Moshos Kelly Alexis Bill Polizos Chris Christou Daphne Vaccarello Peter Karounos June 29, 2014 9:30am Chris Christou, Captain Bill Polizos Artemis Dimopoulos Jim Stoucker Costas Mavromatakis Maria Wills Mallamo Mavromatakis (Continued from page 3) Fathers who bring up their children in the proper way are builders of temples in which Christ dwells and are the guardians of heavenly athletes. If a man trains his boy correctly, and the boy trains his son correctly, and so on, the succession of good Christians will be like a golden chain. It is comforting to know the tools for preserving our faith for forging that golden chain are here among us and readily available. Our challenge as Orthodox Christians and parishioners of Saint Katherine is to actively participate in the life of the Church to pick up those tools afforded to us through the rich diversity of our ministries and use them in our daily lives to continue forging the links of the chain that will preserve our Orthodox faith forever more. Your servant in Christ, President, Parish Council A MEMORIAL PRAYER ON THE SATURDAYS OF SOULS ΨΥΧΟΣΑΒΒΑΤΟΝ JUNE 7, 2014 The Orthodox Church remembers those who have fallen asleep in the Lord in prayers at every Divine Liturgy. Besides this, there is a Memorial Service in which the Church also remembers the dead. According to tradition, the Memorial Service is offered on the third, ninth, and fortieth day after a death, as well as, the yearly anniversary of the death. In addition to these times, a Memorial Service is offered for all the departed faithful on four Saturdays of Souls. These are the two Saturdays preceding Great Lent, the first Saturday of Great Lent, and the Saturday before Pentecost. In the United States, the Service is also offered on Memorial Day. Therefore, we are called to pray for those who have fallen asleep in the Lord on Saturday, June 7. Please take time to prepare a list of deceased loved ones for whom you wish the priests to pray. 13
STEWARDSHIP SHOWN BELOW is a list of families and individuals who participated in the 2014 Saint Katherine Stewardship Program from April 1 through April 30, 2014.Thank you for responding to the needs of our church. Any questions? Contact Anna Vassilopoulos at 703-671-1515. Mr Constantine Adams M/M Peter Aliferis Mrs Voula Antonaiou M/M Andreas Baltatzis Mr Richard Bambacus Dr Dean Bellas Mr Florian Boci and Mrs Irene Kasotakis Boci M/M George Boosalis M/M Peter Boosalis M/M John Broening Mrs Helen Christ Mr Themistocles Chronis Mrs Mirjana Ciric Dr/ Mrs James Constantine Mr Dimitrios Daskalakis M/M John Delta M/M Alexios Dimopoulos M/M Michael Emanuel Mrs Vasiliki Fotopoulous M/M John Garbis Mr Menbere Haile Alexander and Victoria Hatjis M/M Bryan Holloway Ms Alissa Iatridis Mrs Hariklia Ioannou Mr Kalamatianos and Mrs Adamopoulos Ms Andrea Kallas Mrs Konstantina Kapetanakis Mrs Anastasia Kapranos M/M Stavros Katsakos M/M Peter Kolovos M/M Ken Kunec M/M Sheldon Lampert M/M Vassilios Lekkas Mr James Loisou Mrs Koula Lolos M/M Vasilios Makrigiorgos Ms Rebecca Malone and Mr George Ralis Dr/Mrs Spiros Manolas Dr/Mrs John Manolis Mr Nagi Mansour M/M Georgios Mavromatakis M/M Christopher Morin Mr George Moshos M/M Demetrios Nicholakos M/M Harry Nicholakos M/M George Panteleos M/M Dennis Papathanasopoulos Mrs Agatha Papathanassiou M/M Jim Paras M/M Haralabos Paraskevopoulos M/M Nick Pekatos Mrs Eli Petrova Mr Chris Pikrallidas Mr Jerry Pnevmatikatos M/M Manolis Ponirakis Mrs Stella Pristouris M/M Nicholas Psaros Dr/Mrs Demosthenes T. Rantis Mr Dimitrios Rerras M/M Dimitri Romais Ms Christina Sarris Mr Thomas Sarris Mr Saul and Mrs Pavlides Mrs Katherine Scourby M/M Thomas Skuce M/M Eleftherios Smirniotopoulos M/M Alex Solomos M/M Apostolos Stamoulas M/M Peter Stathis Dr/Dr William Steele Ted and Dimitra Theocharis M/M Leonidas Theodorakoglou Mr Angelo Toutsi M/M Basil Trikas Ms Sophia Tsangali Mrs Helen Tsintolas Mr Peter Vamvakaris Mr Jason Yianilos Mrs Mary Zakia M/M Athanasios Zuppas (Continued from page 6) προτιμότερον να ελπίζη κανείς εις τον Κύριον, παρά να ελπίζη εις άρχοντας και ηγεμόνας...», (Ψαλμ. ριζ, 5-8). Η πραγματικότητα της καθημερινής ζωής έρχεται να βεβαιώσει την περιγραφή αυτή. Να πει στον χριστιανό, «Πράγματι Εσύ μόνο έχεις στήριγμα. Μόνο το δικό Σου στήριγμα είναι»! Γιατί, ποιός ποτέ πονεμένος και ταλαιπωρημένος κατέφυγε στον Θεό και του είπε τον πόνο της καρδιάς του και δεν έφυγε παρηγορημένος, ενισχυμένος, ικανός να προχωρήσει μέσα στην θάλασσα των δυσκολιών της παρούσας ζωής; Ποιός αντιμετωπίζει προβλήματα και ευρίσκεται προ αδιεξόδων, και όταν προσευχήθηκε δεν έλαβε σαν απάντηση στις προσευχές του λύσεις, τις οποίες έως τότε δεν είχε φανταστεί ή δεν έλαβε ως απάντηση γεγονότα αναπάντεχα, που λογικά ήταν αδύνατον να συμβούν; Ποιός πονεμένος από την αμαρτία, πιεζόμενος από την ένοχη συνείδηση δεν κατέφυγε στον Θεό και δεν βρήκε ανακούφιση, ειρήνη, εσωτερική γαλήνη; Ποιός δεν εμπιστεύθηκε τον Κύριο και δεν βρήκε την χαρά και την ευτυχία της ζωής του; Η πείρα εκατομμυρίων ανθρώπων μαρτυρεί ότι μόνον όταν στηρίχτηκαν σ Εκείνον, βρήκαν το αληθινό στήριγμα και δεν διεψεύτηκαν, δεν γελάστηκαν, δεν ντροπιάστηκαν που στηρίχτηκαν στον Κύριο. Είναι φανερό λοιπόν, πως το αιώνιο, το ασφαλές, το μοναδικό στήριγμα στη ζωή μας είναι ο παντοδύναμος Θεός! Είτε είμαστε πλούσιοι ή φτωχοί, προσοντούχοι ή όχι, σ Αυτόν να ελπίζουμε. Αυτή όμως την αλήθεια, που την παραδεχόμαστε διανοητικά, θα πρέπει και να διαποτίσει τον εσωτερικό μας άνθρωπο έτσι, ώστε ποτέ να μη ξεγελιόμαστε και να χάνουμε τον καιρό μας σε άλλα θεωρούμενα στηρίγματα, τα οποία χρησιμοποιεί ο κόσμος σήμερα. Αντιθέτως, να μας κάνει να είμαστε αφοσιωμένοι και πεπεισμένοι απολύτως σ Αυτόν. Τότε θα λένε και για μας, «Επί σοι (τω Κυρίω) ήλπισαν και ου κατησχύνθησαν», (Ψαλμ. κα, 6). (Continued from page 1) agreed statements over the years, carefully examining the issues that still divide us and proposing ways to resolve them. We wish to take the opportunity presented by the meeting between Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Jerusalem in May 2014 to reaffirm the dialogue of love initiated by Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras and to continue to strive to remove that which separates us. We not only express our appreciation of the work of our North American dialogue, but also our joy that our Churches have increasingly been able to speak with one voice on the pressing issues that our society faces today. We commit ourselves to increased cooperation in these areas, including social, economic, and ethical dilemmas, and we call our people to pray for the success of the upcoming meeting between Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Jerusalem for the glory of God and the promotion of Christianity in our wounded world. Yours in Christ s service, SAINT KATHERINE LIVE! Did you know that we have a live feed from our church? Relatives and friends from far away can watch a sacrament. If you are sick and cannot make it to a service, you can still participate. Sign in to the church website, saint-katherines.org, and click on the red Saint Katherine Live! button in the right-hand column. 14
15
SAINT KATHERINE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH Non-Profit Org. U. S. POSTAGE Paid Merrifield, VA Permit No. 7019 Return Service Requested ATTENTION POSTMASTER: Please expedite. Dated material. Demetry Pikrallidas AV Rated Attorney Preeminent Legal Ability and Ethical Standards, The Highest Legal Rating Possible Complete Business Formation/Representation Serious Injury Traffic and Criminal Domestic Relations Wills, Trusts Cases Handled in Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun, and District of Columbia www.piklaw.com 703-267-2600 See additional ads on page 15. Why don t YOU advertise in the DOXA? Only $50/month or $300 per year for a business-card-sized ad. PJ Skidoos opened in 1978 and is a Greek family owned American restaurant in Fairfax City. We are located west of St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church on Rt. 50. www.pjskidoos.com 9908 Fairfax Blvd Fairfax, VA 22030 (703)591-4515