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JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 1
June 2012
IN THIS ISSUE Unity in Christ and
One Another The call for unity is not something that we are in need of only today, but it is something that St. Paul was preaching to the Christians in Corinth during his own time.
by Fr. Andreas Vithoulkas
Pentecost ...And there appeared to them cloven tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them: and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Spirit gave them utter-ance." (Acts 2:3-4)
Come and See. John 1:46
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 2 SUMMER SUNDAY LITURGY HOURS (JUNE-SEPTEMBER) ( ) 9:45 11:15 A.M
LITURGY HOURS / ()
ORTHROS: 8:30 DIVINE LITURGY, SERMONS, ANNOUNCEMENTS: 9:45AM 11:30AM SATURDAY & WEEKDAY LITURGY HOURS / & :
8:30 AM
LITURGIES Saturday June 2 Saturday of Souls- 9:00 am
Sunday June 3 Pentecost Sunday
Monday June 4 Holy Spirit - 9:00 am
Friday June 29 Peter and Paul and the
Synaxis of the Holy Apostles - 9:00 am
2 - 9:00 3 4 -9:00 29
- 9:00
EVENTS / ACTIVITIES -Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, June 1, 2 & 3 our
GREEK FESTIVAL
-Monday, June 11th- Greek School Graduation at
5:00 pm
-Sunday, June 17th- Presentation of Scholarships and
honoring all Graduates
SAVE THE DATES -September 23, 2012Annual Champagne Brunch, sponsored by Philoptochos
-October 19, 2012 our Annual Wine and Food Tasting
MEMORIALS Sunday, June 10th 40 Days: Philip Petron & James Mellas
1 year: Angelus Papageorge
10 years: Philip Daston
Sunday, June 24th 6 months: Peter Christakos
3 years: Anthony Zervos
10 years: Frossie Trigonis
10 40 : & 1 : 10 :
24 6 : 3 : 10 :
Happy Fathers Day!
T he idea of Father's Day was conceived slightly
more than a century ago by Sonora Dodd of Spo-
kane, Wash., while she listened to a Mother's Day
sermon in 1909. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her
father, William Smart, a widowed Civil War veteran who
was left to raise his six children on a farm. A day in June
was chosen for the first Father's Day celebration June 17,
1910, proclaimed by Spokane's mayor because it was the
month of Smart's birth.
The first presidential proclamation honoring fathers
was issued in 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson designated the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. Father's
Day has been celebrated annually since 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed the public law that made it per-
manent. There are 70.1 million (estimated) fathers across the nation. Submitted by Vicky Andriotis source: census.gov
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 3
W e live in a
society that is
c o n s t a n t l y
faced with division and
factionalism, Sometimes
we even experience this
division within our own
Parish, often for the most
trivial of reasons. On the
night when the Lord gave himself
up for the life of the world, He
prayed for the unity of those
believers the Father had given him
so that they might be one with Him
and the Father: I in them and thou in me, that they may become
perfectly one, so that the world may
know that thou hast sent me and
hast loved them even as thou hast
loved me (John 17:20-24). St. Paul asks his fellow Christians who
are quarreling about whom they
belong to: Is Christ divided? He
tells them we belong to the same
Lord. We are all fellow workers
with God. I cannot help but ask this
same question tat St Paul asks us.
Are we, as Orthodox Christians,
working to realize this vision of
Unity in the Church and among one
another?
A problem Orthodox Christians
may be facing more and more in
todays modern world is the struggle to remember what it means
to be the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We proclaim this dogma when we recite the
Creed of Faith during the Divine
Liturgy, but do we really mean
these words when we say, One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic
church?" These words designate
our Church as the Church founded
by Christ through the Spirit on the
day of Holy Pentecost.
Each of these four terms is
essential, like the cornerstones of a
well-built building. How can we
preserve these four cornerstones of
the Churchs identity - Unity, Hol iness , Cathol ici ty, and
Apostolicity - in a world where
different racial, ethnic, and cultural
communities, with diverse world
outlooks, demand to be recognized
and demand opportunities to
express their different and differing
identities?
In the Orthodox understanding of
ecclesiology, the Body of Christ,
the Ecclesia, cannot be conceived of existing in isolation from Unity,
Holiness and Apostolicity, because
without them, the Church would
not be truly Catholic, which means
universal. Catholicity is the
fundamental mark of the church
where Christians receive the
fullness of truth and salvation in the
life of Christ. What does this mean
for us as Christians in our parish? It
means that when we come together
to celebrate the Eucharist, we are
united with each other through the
one body of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Our
a c t i o n s a n d
relationships towards
one another, therefore,
should reflect this
reality of unity. Our
identity as Orthodox
Christians transcends
whatever cultural and
social boundaries we
may encounter in our
lives. We continue to be
united in faith and
worship and love.
The call for unity is not
something that we are in
need of only today, but
it is something that St.
Paul was preaching to
the Christians in Corinth during his
own time. He tells the Corinthians
not to be divided over who is chief
amongst them because there is only
one head which is Christ. As
Orthodox Christians we are united
in Christ. The unity of the Church
is likened to the seamless robe of
Christ which we must preserve. St.
Ignatius of Antioch states, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is
the Catholic Church.(Ign. Smyr. 8) Being united in the Holy Trinity
and in Christ does not mean losing
our own individuality. During the
Divine Li turgy, a f te r the
Consecration of the Lamb, that is,
after the offered bread becomes,
through the descent of the Holy
Spirit, the Body of Christ, the Priest
takes the Lamb and breaks into four
pieces saying, The Lamb of God is broken and shared, broken but not
divided. Just like the lamb of God, which is broken and distributed to
all believers but is never divided
and never consumed, we as
partakers in the mystery of the
Eucharist are distinct persons but
united in Christ. There is one flesh
of the Lord, one cup, one altar as
there is one body of Christ. It is in
(Continued on page 4)
Unity in
Christ and
One Another by Father Andreas
Vithoulkas
Sunday School Commencement Ceremony 2012 photo courtesy of Vicky Andriotis
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 4
.
, , . , , : , , , , , , , . , , , , . ,
, , , . (. 20-24)." ; ( . 13) . . , , ; , , ;
,
, , , , ; .
, . - ,, - , , , .
, , , ,
this way that the body of Christ is multiplied indivisibly and is totally present in each member of the Church.
The Orthodox Church is also icon of the Holy Trinity
where creation is renewed and reborn in the image of
God. The church's mode of existence based on the
Trinity, therefore symbolizes this idea of unity in
diversity. Within the model of the Holy Trinity, three
distinct persons make up the single God Head: Father,
Son and Holy Spirit. This unity does not mean losing
our own individuality. Rather it means that we are
created as unique individuals made in the image of
God, who is the source of all life. There is a difference
between being distinct and being divided.
As the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church we are proclaiming the inner universal Truth that is
inherent in our faith. The Apostles experience the all truth at Pentecost, with the coming of the Holy Spirit, which is the experience of glorification or theosis.
According to the Pentecostal experience, the Church is
Catholic in the sense that it possesses the totality
(catholou) of the right faith (Ortho-doxia). It contains the healthy teachings in combination with right deeds (ortho-praxia), passed from Christ to his Apostles then spread all over the world, at all times,
without restrictions.
These healthy teachings are the dogmas and traditions of the Orthodox Church that act as guides in
order to lead individuals to the same Pentecostal
revelation experienced by the Apostles. Moreover, it is
through the "right way" of life or "ortho-praxia" that
leads us to this experience of Theosis, which can only
be achieved through unity in Jesus Christ and with one
another.
(Continued from page 3)
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 5
, , . , , . ; , , . . , , .
, , . 1:10 , , , , , , . , . , . . , . , " , ."(. . 8)
, , . , , , , , , () ,[3] , , , ,
.[4] , , , , . , , , . " " , .
. , , . , , . , , . .
, . , . , , () (). " " " " (, -). , , , , .
H " " . , , .
1] In John S. Romanides , THE ECCLESIOLOGY OF ST. IGNATIUS OF
ANTIOCH, At lan ta 1956 h t tp : / /www. romani ty.org/h tm/
rom.11.en.the_ecclesiology_of_st._ignatius_of_antioch.01.htm#s4[2] The old translation was: The Lamb of God is broken and distributed; broken but
not divided. He is forever eaten yet is never consumed, but He sanctifies
those who partake of Him http://www.goarch.org/chapel/liturgical_texts/liturgy_hchc ,[3] http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?l=meli%
2Fzw&la=greek#lexicon [4] http://www.goarch.org/chapel/liturgical_texts/
liturgy_hchc-el
(Continued from page 4)
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 6
Pentecost by Archbishop Dmitri of Dallas and the South
"A nd there appeared to them cloven tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them: and they began to speak with divers tongues, ac-
cording as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts
2:3-4)
Following His Ascension, when the Savior fulfilled
His promise and sent the
Holy Spirit, the Com-
forter appeared to
Christs followers as tongues of fire. As a
result of the Spirits op-eration the disciples
spoke in languages for-
eign to them and were
guided as to what to say.
It is extremely signifi-
cant that on the day of
Pentecost the manifesta-
tion of the Holy Spirit
should take the form of tongues, and that the first re-
sults of the disciples baptism of the Holy Spirit should be the ability to speak in languages other than their
own.
First, it affirms the universal character of Christs mission, one which was wrought for all nations, result-
ing in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Furthermore, the Divine Services sing of Pentecost
in terms of being a reversal of that which took place at
the Tower of Babel (Genesis, chapter 11). "Of old the
tongues were confounded because of the audacity in the
building of the tower, but now the tongues are made
wise because of the glory of Divine knowledge. There
God condemned the impious because of their offence,
and here Christ hath enlightened the fishermen by the
Spirit. At that time the confusion of tongues was
wrought for punishment, but now the concord of
tongues hath been inaugurated for the salvation of our
souls." ("Glory now and ever," verse for the Aposti-cha at Pentecost Vigil) "Once, when He descended and
confounded the tongues, the Most High divided the
nations; and when He divided the tongues of fire, He
called all men into unity; and with one accord we glori-
fy the All-holy Spirit." (Kontakion for the Feast)
At Babel a false unity established out of pride led to
a scattering of all men, confusion among the citizens of
the earth. Diverse "tongues," in this case, became indic-
ative of divisions, mans inability to understand God, his fellow man and environment. On Pentecost, howev-
er, the many "tongues" of the Divine Spirit became a
sign and source for unity, a profound unity established
through love for Christ that can only be granted by God
Himself.
Of great significance as well is the fact that the
fruits of the disciples labors on Pentecost was the addi-tion to the Church of about three thousand souls. (Acts
2:41) Here we begin to understand what our Lord
meant when He told His chosen ones that they would
henceforth be fishers of men. Hearing about such a
large number of individuals brought into the Church by
Peter and the eleven, we
recall that during
Christs earthly ministry it was only when the
disciples obeyed His
will that they caught
such an enormous catch
of fish that their "net
brake." (Luke 5:4)
"Blessed art Thou, O
Christ our God, Who
hast shown forth the
fishermen as supremely
wise by sending down
upon them the Holy
Spirit, and through them didst draw the world into Thy
net. O Befriender of man, glory be to Thee." (Troparion
for the Feast).
What happened on that fiftieth day after our Lords resurrection was the filling of the disciples with the
Holy Spirit, their transformation into the Church. Pen-
tecost is the day of the Churchs founding. From this point in time the disciples were empowered to do what
our Lord told them: "As my Father hath sent me, even
so send I you." (John 20:21)
The record of what the disciples did from the day of
their "empowerment" is clearly a matter of history. We
know that even in St. Pauls time the Gospel had gone as far as Spain in the West and we are told as far as In-
dia in the East. By the beginning of the fourth century
the Emperor Constantine not only stopped the persecu-
tion of Christians but gave the Church an official status.
Christians to some measure, by this time, occupied eve-
ry city and town. And there were still those who were
willing, if necessary, to give their lives for Christ. From
that time as well, the Church never lost its conviction
that Jesus had given it the strict mandate to "catch" the
entire world, to bring all men into His net. The disci-
ples and those who came after them were con-vinced that their message, committed to them by Christ,
was vital, a matter of life or death. This is why they
were able to convince so many, because they them-(Continued on page 7)
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 7
selves were convinced.
Speaking of our contemporary
situation, it can be said that some-
where along the line, many
Church members have lost this
sense of urgency with regard to
the Faith. Orthodox Christianity
has become, for not a few of its
adherents, simply the national reli-
gion of certain people, part of their
culture, their ethos. The very
thought of Orthodoxy being of
vital importance because the
worlds salvation depends on it, is utterly alien to numerous individu-
als.
But, thanks to the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit, many in the
Church have come to understand
the profound implications of
Christs words to His disciples on a particular occasion, when they
could do nothing for a man who
needed healing: "Bring him to
me."
The Church in our own time is
regaining its deep commitment to
this command relative to the entire
world: "Bring him to me." We
must bring those in need of heal-
ing and who is not in need of the healing that Christ brings? to our Lord, the only true Physi-
cian of souls and bodies.
Let us take time then and ana-
lyze to what extent we have been
able to comply with Jesus com-mand. If the truth be told, given
the number of Orthodox in this
country and the resources now
available, we have not lived up to
our potential in terms of making
new disciples. At least one reason
for any apparent failures lies in
our own lack of conviction. We
must ask ourselves, therefore, are
we convinced, each of us individu-
ally, that our Orthodox Christian
Faith is the most precious thing
that we possess, that it is absolute-
ly essential for those with whom
we come in contact to know about
it? By and large, according to how
we live day to day, many of us
would have to answer "no" to the
above questions. And yet for the
Body of Christ to grow the answer
must be "yes." We cannot impart
to others what we ourselves do not
have. Christianity is so maximalis-
tic in terms of what is expected of
man we speak of being cruci-fied with Christ and losing our
lives for His sake and the Gospels that for anyone to believe the claims of its adherents, the Faith
must be seen lived out by those
who preach it. Thus, relative to the
Feast of Pentecost, our own mis-
sion in the United States begins
with an appreciation for what has
already been given: "the seal of
the gift of the Holy Spirit." At our
Chrismation, which is our personal
Pentecost, the same Spirit was be-
stowed for our enlightenment and
transformation, so as to empower
us to be "invincible warriors" and
witnesses for the Faith as were
Christs disciples 2000 years ago. (Festal hymns taken from The
Pentecostarion published by Holy
Transfiguration Monastery, Bos-
ton, MA.) Submitted by Father Andreas Vithoulkas Article by
Archbishop Dmitri of Dallas and the
South source: The Dawna Pub-lication of the Diocese of the South
Orthodox Church in America May
1999
(Continued from page 6)
Feast of the Holy, Glorious, and All-Praiseworthy Chiefs of
the Apostles, Peter and PaulCommemorated June 29
T he divinely-blessed Peter was from Bethsaida of Galilee. He was the son of Jonas and the brother of Andrew
the First-called. He was a fisherman by trade, unlearned and poor, and was called Simon; later he was renamed
Peter by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who looked at him and said, "Thou art Simon the son of Jonas; thou
shalt be called Cephas (which is by interpretation, Peter)" (John 1:42).
On being raised by the Lord to the dignity of an Apostle and becoming inseparable from Him as His zealous disci-
ple, he followed Him from the beginning of His preaching of salvation up until the very Passion, when, in the court of
Caiaphas the high priest, he denied Him thrice because of his fear of the Jews and of the danger at hand. But again,
after many bitter tears, he received complete forgiveness of his transgression.
After the Resurrection of Christ and the descent of the Holy Spirit, he preached in Judea, Antioch, and certain parts
of Asia, and finally came to Rome, where he was crucified upside down by Nero, and thus he ascended to the eternal
habitations about the year 66 or 68, leaving two Catholic (General) Epistles to the Church of Christ.
Paul, the chosen vessel of Christ, the glory of the Church, the Apostle of the Nations and teacher of the whole
world, was a Jew by race, of the tribe of Benjamin, having Tarsus as his homeland. He was a Roman citizen, fluent in
the Greek language, an expert in knowledge of the Law, a Pharisee, born of a Pharisee, and a disciple of Gamaliel, a
Pharisee and notable teacher of the Law in Jerusalem. For this cause, from the beginning, Paul was a most fervent
zealot for the traditions of the Jews and a great persecutor of the Church of Christ; at that time, his name was Saul
(Continued on page 8)
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 8
(Acts 22:3-4).
In his great passion of rage and
fury against the disciples of the
Lord, he went to Damascus bear-
ing letters of introduction from the
high priest. His intention was to
bring the disciples of Christ back
to Jerusalem in bonds. As he was
approaching Damascus, about mid-
day there suddenly shone upon
him a light from Heaven. Falling
on the earth, he heard a voice say-
ing to him, "Saul, Saul, why perse-
cutest thou Me?" And he asked,
"Who art Thou, Lord?" And the
Lord said, "I am Jesus Whom thou
persecutest; it is hard for thee to
kick against the pricks." And that heavenly voice and
brilliance made him tremble, and he was blinded for a
time. He was led by the hand into the city, and on ac-
count of a divine revelation to the Apostle Ananias (see
Oct. 1), he was baptized by him, and both his bodily and
spiritual eyes were opened to the knowledge of the Sun
of Righteousness.
And straightway- O wondrous transformation! - be-
yond all expectation, he spoke with boldness in the syna-
gogues, proclaiming that "Christ is the Son of
God" (Acts 9:1-21). As for his zeal in preaching the
Gospel after these things had come to pass, as for his
unabating labors and afflictions of diverse kinds, the
wounds, the prisons, the bonds, the beatings, the ston-
ings, the shipwrecks, the journeys, the perils on land, on
sea, in cities, in wildernesses, the continual vigils, the
daily fasting, the hunger, the thirst, the nakedness, and
all those other things that he endured for the Name of
Christ, and which he underwent before nations and kings
and the Israelites, and above all, his care for all the
churches, his fiery longing for the salvation of all,
whereby he became all things to all men, that he might
save them all if possible, and because of which, with his
heart aflame, he continuously traveled throughout all
parts, visiting them all, and like a bird of heaven flying
from Asia and Europe, the West and East, neither stay-
ing nor abiding in any one place - all these things are
related incident by incident in the Book of the Acts, and
as he himself tells them in his Epistles.
His Epistles, being fourteen in number, are explained
in 250 homilies by Saint John Chrysostom and make
manifest the loftiness of his thoughts, the abundance of
the revelations made to him, the wisdom given to him
from God, wherewith he brings together in a wondrous
manner the Old with the New Testaments, and expounds
the mysteries thereof which had been
concealed under types; he confirms the
doctrines of the Faith, expounds the
ethical teaching of the Gospel, and
demonstrates with exactness the duties
incumbent upon every rank, age, and
order of man. In all these things his
teaching proved to be a spiritual trum-
pet, and his speech was seen to be more
radiant than the sun, and by these
means he clearly sounded forth the
word of truth and illumined the ends of
the world. Having completed the work
of his ministry, he likewise ended his
life in martyrdom when he was behead-
ed in Rome during the reign of Nero, at
the same time, some say, when Peter
was crucified.
The Icon of the Holy Apostles, Peter
and Paul- The Orthodox Church has a beautiful presen-
tation of the importance and prominence of the Apostles
Peter and Paul with the icon that shows both Apostles
standing together holding an image of the Church.
Both Apostles, being chosen by our Lord, were in-
strumental in the establishment and growth of the early
Church through their boldness, spiritual strength, and
wisdom. Thus they are recognized as "pillars" of the
Church, having offered all even unto death for the sake
of the Gospel of Christ.
In the icon, the Apostle Paul, the great missionary of
the early Church, is holding a Gospel book, while the
Apostle Peter offers a blessing with his right hand. At
the top of the icon is the is a semicircle, representing the
divine realm. Rays extend in the semicircle representing
the blessings and presence of God upon His two chosen
heralds of the True Faith.
Orthodox Christian Celebration of the FeastThe Feast and commemoration of the Apostles Peter and
Paul is celebrated with the Divine Liturgy of Saint John
Chrysostom which is conducted on the morning of the
feast and preceded by a Matins (Orthros) service. A
Great Vespers is conducted on the evening before the
day of the Feast. Prior to this day, the Orthodox Church
observes the Apostles' Fast, a period of fasting that be-
gins on the Monday after the Sunday of All Saints. This
Sunday is always one week after the Sunday of Pente-
cost, so the length of the Apostles' Fast varies from year
to year depending on the date of Pascha.
Submitted by Father Andreas Vithoulkas Source: goarch.orgScripture readings for the Feast of Peter and Paul are the following: At Vespers: 1 Peter 1:3-9; 1
Peter 1:13-19; 1 Peter 2:11-24 At the Matins: John 21:15-25.
At the Divine Liturgy: 2 Corinthians 11:21-12:9, Matthew
16:13-19.
(Continued from page 7)
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 9
The Father's
Eyes
B ob Richards, the former
pole-vault champion, shares
a moving story about a
skinny young boy who loved foot-
ball with all his heart. Practice after
practice, he eagerly gave everything
he had. But being half the size of
the other boys, he got absolutely
nowhere. At all the games, this
hopeful athlete sat on the bench and
hardly ever played.
This teenager lived alone with his
father, and the two of them had a
very special relationship. Even
though the son was always on the
bench, his father was always in the
stands cheering. He never missed a
game.
This young man was still the
smallest of the class when he en-
tered high school. But his father
continued to encourage him but also
made it very clear that he did not
have to play football if he didn't
want to.
But the young man loved football
and decided to hang in there He was
determined to try his best at every
practice, and perhaps he'd get to
play when he became a senior. All
through high school he never
missed a practice nor a game but
remained a bench-warmer all four
years.
His faithful father was always in
the stands, always with words of
encouragement for him.
When the young man went to
college, he decided to try out for the
football team as a "walk-on." Eve-
ryone was sure he could never
make the cut, but he did. The coach
admitted that he kept him on the
roster because he always puts his
heart and soul to every practice, and
at the same time, provided the other
members with the spirit and hustle
they badly needed.
The news that he had survived
the cut thrilled him so much that he
rushed to the nearest phone and
called his father. His father shared
his excitement and was sent season
tickets for all the college games.
This persistent young athlete nev-
er missed practice during his four
years at college, but he never got to
play in a game. It was the end of his
senior football season, and as he
trotted onto the practice field short-
ly before the big playoff game, the
coach met him with a telegram.
The young man read the telegram
and he became deathly silent. Swal-
lowing hard, he mumbled to the
coach, "My father died this morn-
ing. Is it all right if I miss practice
today?" The coach put his arm gen-
tly around his shoulder and said,
"Take the rest of the week off, son.
And don't even plan to come back
to the game on Saturday."
Saturday arrived, and the game
was not going well. In the third
quarter, when the team was ten
points behind, a silent young man
quietly slipped into the empty lock-
er room and put on his football
gear. As he ran onto the sidelines,
the coach and his players were
astounded to see their faithful team-
mate back so soon. "Coach, please
let me play. I've just got to play to-
day," said the young man. The
coach pretended not to hear him.
There was no way he wanted his
worst player in this close playoff
game. But the young man persisted,
and finally feeling sorry for the kid,
the coach gave in. "All right," he
said. "You can go in."
Before long, the coach, the play-
ers and everyone in the stands could
not believe their eyes. This little
unknown, who had never played
before was doing everything right.
The opposing team could not stop
him. He ran, he passed, blocked,
and tackled like a star. His team
began to triumph. The score was
soon tied. In the closing seconds of
the game, this kid intercepted a pass
and ran all the way for the winning
touchdown.
The fans broke loose. His team-
mates hoisted him onto their shoul-
ders. Such cheering you never
heard. Finally, after the stands had
emptied and the team had showered
and left the locker room, the coach
noticed that this young man was
sitting quietly in the corner all alone
The coach came to him and
said,"Kid, I can't believe it. You
were fantastic! Tell me what got
into you? How did you do it?"
He looked at the coach, with
tears in his eyes, and said, "Well,
you knew my dad died, but did you
know that my dad was blind?" The
young man swallowed hard and
forced a smile, "Dad came to all my
games, but today was the first time
he could see me play, and I wanted
to show him I could do it!"
Like the athlete's father, God is
always there cheering for us. He's
always reminding us to go on. He's
even offering us His hand for He
knows what is best, and is willing
to give us what we need and not
simply what we want. God has nev-
er missed a single game. What a joy
to know that life is meaningful if
lived for the Highest. Live for HIM
for He's watching us in the game of
life!
Submitted by Vicky AndriotisAuthor Unknown
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 10
Our Parish by George Mourizakis -Parish Council President
A s of this writing, festival preparations are
under way at full speed. With less than two
weeks remaining, the anticipation is growing
for the big event.
I would like to thank all parishioners who stayed
with us for our spring General Assembly. We elected
a new By-Laws committee, as our local by-laws need
to be brought up-to-date. If you have any additions or
recommendations, please feel free to bring them to my
attention, or to member of the Parish Council, and we
will convey them to the committee. It is a long
process , but it is also long overdue. We are also
restarting another important project, which is the re-
establishment of the Stewardship committee. As I
mentioned at the General Assembly meeting, we have
to focus our attention towards stewardship from un-
churched Orthodox Christians and people who are no
longer attending church regularly. We also have to list
and prioritize our future projects and plan for them
financially. We must ensure the continuance of our
community for the next 100 years in Bridgeport. We
owe this to the future generations of our parish
I also mentioned at the assembly that we are already
making plans for the celebration of the 100th
anniversary of the first Liturgy at Holy Trinity. Our
first Liturgy as a parish was conducted on November
30, 1913.
We had the most wonderful visit to St. Pauls Cathedral in Long Island. Over 95 people, traveling
either by bus or by car, came together to venerate the
tearing icons of Panagia and St. Nicholas and marvel at
the wonderful Cathedral of St. Paul. The Philoptochos
chapter of St. Paul had a beautiful reception for all of
us and made all of us feel welcome. We are thankful
for their hospitality. Somehow, we feel a connection
between our two churches, with the common
denominator being Father Andreas. The most amazing
of all was the gift that was presented from Fr. Luke to
Father Andrea for Holy Trinity, which were the relics
of Saint Barbara. It is such a blessing for our Church to
have relics of this Saint amongst us.
Thank you to all who came with us. I can tell from
this trip that we should organize another one soon.
Perhaps the next one will be to Saint Nectarios Monastery. I can see that our parishioners thirst for
religious pilgrimages and visits.
We just had our Sunday school graduation. All
organizations are planning their end-of-year trips or
gatherings, and soon everyone will be planning and
enjoying their summer vacations. I hope you
remember that our church never sleeps, and that, of
course, services continue throughout the summer.
Even if you are visiting a place far away, please make
sure you visit a local Orthodox Church. School
graduations are next. I hope to see you all at our
Festival.
Thank you and God bless.
Sunday School Elementary Oratorical photo courtesy of Vicky Andriotis
Festival of Tables photo courtesy of Alicja Loukrezis
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 11
,
,
,
. .
. .
. , . , .
, 100 .
100 . 30 1913.
. 95 . . , , .
- . .
, .
. 20
, . - . .
.
Preparing for Our Festival photos courtesy of Cristina Hasiotis
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 12
If the new American father feels bewildered and even defeated, let him take comfort from the fact that whatever he does in any fathering situation has a fifty percent chance of being right. - Bill Cosby
GOYA - by Nicole Pettas and Evan Yiannoulis -
Co-presidents
T he trees are all dressed in
their best green outfits, the
birds are chirping and hop-
ping from branch to branch, the
flowers are blooming, the children
are playing outdoors, and the stu-
dents are on overdrive with final
exams. All are indications that
summer is just around the corner.
As our school year approaches its
conclusion, as our Sunday school
year is soon to be over, so is our
GOYA year!
We at GOYA had a very busy
and an amazing year! Exciting,
fun, rewarding, yet demanding and
at times challenging! Through it all
we were very successful, and we
are so proud of what we have ac-
complished. Our latest events, the
Mothers Day coffee hour was of-fered by GOYA and we hope all
Mothers had a wonderful day. Our
last fund raising activity was the
Car Wash, and we would like to
thank all parishioners for their con-
tinuing support.
We would like to thank
Father Andreas, our Advisors, our
parents, all organizations, and all
parishioners for their support at
every level. Thank you for encour-
aging us and for believing in us.
We could not have done it without
your help.
Special thanks go to our fellow
GOYANS, our friends, for choos-
ing us and allow us to represent
you. Thank you for your hard
work, your sense of humor when it
was needed the most, for your ded-
ication, and your friendship. It was
an honor and a privilege to work
with you, and get to know you all
at a personal level.
We wish our senior graduating
GOYAns the best of luck in all
your future endeavors.
Our best wishes to everyone for
a Healthy, Happy, Safe, and fun
summer. In Christ, Nicole Pettas
and Evan Yiannoulis
Sunday School by Eva Vaniotis -Director
S unday school presented Graduation diplomas to
21 children in the 10th, 11th and 12th grades
who completed their requirements in Sunday
school. Father Andreas
Vithoulkas presented the book
Hear Me to each graduate to keep them informed on
Orthodoxy and use it during
their future years. Parents
and grandparents were called
up to stand next to their
graduate and receive a flower
that was given out that day.
Certificates were given to all of our Sunday school
children. Perfect Attendance and Year Pins were
given to the children who met the Archdioceses requirements.
Elementary Oratorical Certificates were given to all
participants from grades 3, 4, 5, 6. Parish Certificates
were given to participants in the Saint John
Chrysostom Oratorical.
Teachers, Aides, and Substitutes were
recognized for volunteering their time, effort , and
devotion to educate our children in Orthodoxy .
Many thanks to our PTO. Their support is
tremendous! Year Pins, certificates, flowers for the
teachers, and of course, PIZZA were provided after
graduation. Thank you, again.
Congratulations to the sixth graders for holding a
Mock Baptism on May 13 as an end of the year project
directed under the teacher Gloria Tallcouch.
Invitations were extended to the younger children to
promote knowledge on the Baptismal Sacrament.
Baby doll was named Nicole.
Although our Holy Trinity GOYA was unable to
join the Crop Walk this year, the donations were
tremendous and the Council of Churches wants to
thank those who made donations to help those in need.
Best wishes to all for a happy and a healthy
Summer.
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 13
When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry. William Shakespeare
Ladies Philoptochos
Society Kalliope Tsitsipas-President
A s another year comes to a
close , we would like to
thank all of the Philopto-
chos ladies who work tirelessly
throughout the year on a variety of
projects and events that help to en-
sure we not only meet our commit-
ment to our beloved Holy Trinity,
but that we continue to support our
National Ministry Commitments,
which are many.
A special and heartfelt thank you
is especially warranted during this
time of year, when so many hands
have helped to prepare the pastries
and man the booths that help to make our annual Olympiad Festival
a success. Thank you to all of you
for your love and dedication to our
Philoptochos and to our Church.
Kai tou Hronou!
This years Festival of Tables was a success, thanks to our won-
d e r f u l
hostesses for all their hard work,
and for the guests who supported
their tables. Everyone did a won-
derful job decorating their tables.
All the proceeds raised during this
event were used to fund all the bak-
ing for our 2012 Olympiad festi-
val.
Once again, we would like to
thank everyone for their generosity
during our relief efforts for Greece.
On the morning of May 15th, we
were able to send our second ship-
ment of over 50 boxes of clothing
and food . This time, the recipient
was the Archdiocese of Athens. A
very special Thank You to the ladies who helped us fold, sort, bag,
and box every single item that was
donated. They include:
Miranda Baker, Eleftheria Fatsi,
and Helen Spyrou. Although we
temporarily suspended the collec-
tion of items for this project (due to
space limitations for the festival),
when our collection resumes, we
will be asking for food and per-
sonal hygiene products, which is
currently the greatest need. Your
generosity for this project has been
staggering, and we are very grate-
ful. God bless you all!
For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do
not have the same function, so we,
being many, are one body in Christ,
and individually members of one
another. Having then gifts differing
according to the grace that is given
to us, let us use them..." - Romans
12-6 NKJV
Athletic Department by Pericles Koutroulas -Director
O n behalf of the
A t h l e t i c
Committee, I
would like to thank the
players of our Senior and
Intermediate Divisions who came out
to play in the AHEPA Basketball
Tournament. Although the competition was tough and
fierce at times, our guys did a great job representing
our community with good sportsmanship. Also, I
would like to thank Sam Papadopoulos, Gus Agortsas,
and Lee Tsouris for helping out in the snack bar. This
was the second straight year that our gym hosted the
tournament.
The 2nd session of volleyball concluded on Friday
May 18th. The girls and boys had a wonderful time
playing volleyball, enjoying the variety of themes, and
fellowship with one another. Thank you to our
coaches, Stella Katsetos and Steve Tsorvas, and all the
volunteer parents for making this session fun and a
success.
P lease fee l f ree to emai l me a t
pakoutroulas@yahoo.com or call me at 203 556-0489
with any questions, concerns, and/or ideas.
May 15, 2012Second Shipment of our relief efforts- Over 50 more boxes on their way
to Greece. photo courtesy Vicky Andriotis
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 14
"A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty." - Unknown
Greek School by Eleni Limberis, Director
. 11
, , . , , , , , , .
28 , , / , 25 . . . . / 8 .
, , ,
, , . . .
Congratulations to all Graduates
The End of Another School Year
A nother school year has come to its end. On
June 11, we will celebrate the end of the
school year and the students will receive
their certificates, diplomas, honors and plaques. With
the help, understanding and support of our church,
Father Andreas, PTO, Parish Council and parents the
operation of our school went well.
During the year our students presented a few pro-
grams for the October 28th, Christmas, Greek letters
celebration, Clean Monday, and March 25th. They
participated in the Greek Parade in New York City.
Thus our children understand the particularities of the
Greek Orthodox Tradition by participating. Also our
children - every Monday and a lot of times on
Wednesday learn to dance. And of course like other
years our 8th grade students will participate in the
2012 Comprehensive Examination in Modern Greek
in New York State. During the summer time it will be very beneficial
for the children to keep up with the language to read
simple stories and review and encourage them to talk
with grandparents, other relatives or friends who
speak the language. Also listening to Greek music and
songs Have a nice and joyful summer with your children
and your families. Thank you! Ka Eleni
Walk a Little Slower, Daddy
"Walk a Little slower, Daddy." said a little child so small.
I'm following in your footsteps and I don't want to fall.
Sometimes your steps are very fast, sometimes they're hard to see;
So walk a little slower Daddy, for you are leading me.
Someday when I'm all grown up, You're what I want to be.
Then I will have a little child who'll want to follow me.
And I would want to lead just right, and know that I was true;
So, walk a little slower, Daddy, for I must follow you! - Author Unknown
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 15
To be a successful father . . . theres one absolute rule: when you have a kid, dont look at it for the first two years. Ernest Hemingway
Daughters of
Penelope by Helen Yeotsas - President
T hanks to everyone for coming out to support our Mother's Day Flower, Bake and
Gift Sale once
again this
year! It was a
w o n d e r f u l
event and
many Sisters
w o r k e d
together to
make it a success! Thank you to
all who supported or worked on
this event. In May, we also
celebrated AHEPA Day and
commemorated our deceased
Brothers and Sisters with a
mnimosino and coffee hour in
church. We are not quite done
with this year's activities, as we
prepare to help at the church
fest iva l wi th the Greek
Traditional Foods "Deli" booth
once again. We hope everyone
plans to buy their Greek products
at the festival once again. We are
also planning for our end of year
Luncheon and Meeting on June 9
at Viale Ristorante in Bridgeport.
Details will be mailed to all
members, but we do plan to honor
some of our Sisters for their many
years of service to our chapter.
In June we also plan to give out
scholarships again to students
from our Holy Trinity family. It's
one of our most important goals,
to be able to provide these much
needed funds each year.
Preference is given to students
who have some ties to the
AHEPA/Daughters family. We
take a short break over the
summer, but start working again
to help our Brothers in the
AHEPA at their Taverna in
August.
We had a wonderful, busy and
productive year once again,
welcoming many new Sisters to
our chapter. We've worked on
many fundraisers, but all the
while giving back to our
community, whether through our
National and District obligations,
or through our efforts in the
Greater Bridgeport area or here at
home. We hope to continue this
trend, continuing to grow this
chapter, and uphold the ideals of
our organization. As a reminder
to all, the objectives of the
Daughters of Penelope are to
promote Hellenism, Education,
P h i l a n t h r o p y , C i v i c
Responsibility, and Family &
Individual Excellence. The
D a u g h t e r s o f P e n e l o p e
encourages and promotes loyalty
to the country in which they live;
cultivates the ideals and traditions
o f He l l e n i s m; p r o mo t e s
opportunities of education;
promotes the spirit of cooperation
and works closely and in harmony
with the whole AHEPA Family.
Please see me or any of the
Daughters for information on
joining or for an application. Our
e m a i l i s
daughters@holytrinitybridgeport.
org. Hope you all have a
wonderful summer!
AHEPA by John Bochanis, President
T he Bridgeport Chapter of AHEPA
was recently awarded AHEPA
District 7 Chapter of the Year.
The award was presented at the AHEPA
District 7 Convention held on May 5th in
Newport, Rhode Island. Our Chapter is
proud of this recognition, which was
awarded based on increase in membership and activi-
ties to support the AHEPA goals of philanthropy and
cultural activities.
Our Chapter would also like to welcome our new-
est members Theodore Manalis, David Dugiello, and
Christian Waldron.
Taverna Night news: The annual
Taverna Night sponsored by the
Bridgeport Chapter of AHEPA, will
take place on Friday, August 24th,
starting at 7:00p.m. at Penfield Pa-
vilion, Fairfield Beach. Tickets are
$10.00 per person, due to occupancy
limitations it is highly recommended
to purchase tickets in advance. For
tickets, see any AHEPA member.
To become a member of AHEPA or for infor-
mation concerning Taverna Night please contact
AHEPA Bridgeport Chapter President John Bochanis
at 203-394-8001 or ahepa@holytrinitybridgeport.org
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 16
M any thanks to the GOYAns for
their presentation of beautiful
roses to all the mothers of our
Parish on Mother's Day. Also, for the
very nice coffee hour presented by the
GOYAns for all the Parish following
services. Many thanks to the Daughters
for their Sale on Mother's Day, which
helped us select lovely plants, flowers,
baked goods, or handmade gifts for our
loved ones.
A most interesting lecture was held in our Parish
sponsored by the AHEPA, Daughters of Penelope,
Cultural Association, and Parish Council. Professor
Sathis Kalyva, Yale University Professor, spoke on the
Greek Civil War. We thank Michael Bouloubasis for
chairing this event and the Daughters and AHEPAns
for providing the refreshments.
Congratulations to our Athletic Committee for their
end of the year celebration that was held on Saturday,
April 21st. The afternoon was filled with good food
and fun. Of course, we congratulate our players who
received individual awards and we are proud of all
those who participated in any way in our teams. Many
thanks to the Coaches and our Athletic Director, Perry
Koutroulas.
Congratulations to all those who sponsored tables at
the recently held "Festival of Tables. Each individual table was outstanding, and a lot of thought went into
the themes which were just great. The proceeds will be
used for the baking expenses of the Festival.
Congratulations to Stella Capiris,
who was elected to serve on the
Direct Archdiocese District Council
by the delegates to the Direct
Archdiocese District Clergy-Laity
Assembly recently held in New York.
Congratulations to Vickie (Vlastaris)
and Jason Hoffman on the birth of
their baby boy, David Constantine.
The proud grandparents of their first
grandchild are Christine and Gus
Vlastaris. Na sas zisse.
Co n gr a t u l a t i on s t o P a u l i n e
Pe t r akopo u los , dau gh te r o f
C h r y s a n t h e a n d A n d r e a s
Petrakopoulos on her recent
engagement. Also, congratulations to
Vasiliki Yiannoulis, daughter of
Anna and Dino Yiannoulis, upon her recent
engagement to Luis Rovas. We wish both couples
"happy planning. Congratulations to Maria Pertesis, daughter of John
J. and Chrysoula Pertesis, who recently graduated from
Quinnipiac University with high honors and a
Bachelor's Degree in Accounting. She has accepted an
offer with one of the top accounting firms in the nation,
Delottte & Touche, and will begin her new career in
September. We are all very proud of her
accomplishments. Kai eis anotera!
The Community lost many of its dedicated
parishioners this past month and we extend our deepest
sympathies to the following families: the family of
Petros (Peter) Roussas, a dedicated parishioner...the
family of Maria Golfis, a loving parishioner for many
years, the family of James Mellas who served many
years as a volunteer, the family of Philip Petron, a
devoted Church member. May all their Memories be
forever eternal!
Around the
Parish- by Stella Capiris
Daughters of Penelope Mothers Day Sale photo courtesy of Maria Pertesis
Preparing for our Festival photo courtesy of Cristina Hasiotis
Festival of Tables photo courtesy of Alicja Loukrezis
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 17
PENTECOST SATURDAY OF SOULS SATURDAY JUNE 2, 2012
COMMEMORATIVE OF: NAMES OF DECEASED
2 2012
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2012 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Bpt. Ct Publishing &Design-Vicky Andriotis-05/17/2012
AHEPA J. Bochanis 203-254-7595
AROUND THE PARISH S. Capiris 203-259-7344
aroundtheparish@holytrinitybridgeport.org ATHLETIC PROGRAM P. Koutroulas 203-556-0489
athleticprogram@holytrinitybridgeport.org
CANTOR G. Bakes 203-374-8561
CHOIR P. Leask 203-258-9160
choir@holytrinitybridgeport.org
COUNCIL OF CHURCHES S. Kapetaneas 203-926-1751
CULTURAL ASSOCIATION V. Hatzis 203-268-7231
culturalassociation@holytrinitybridgeport.org DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE H. Yeotsas 203-374-1729 daughters@holytrinitybridgeport.org ECCLESIARCH D. Trigonis 203-374-0725
FORCC E. Vaniotis 203-374-0013 forcc@holytrinitybridgeport.org
GOYA N. Pettas 203-925-0189
E. Yiannoulis 203-372-6591
GREEK PAIDEIA L. Protopapas 203-929-1582
GREEK SCHOOL E. Limberis 203-371-6305
greekschool@holytrinitybridgeport.org
GREEK SCHOOL DANCE GROUP E.Limberis 203-371-6305 greekschooldance@holytrinitybridgeport.org M. Cook 203-375-9329
HISTORIAN & ARCHIVES ROOM S. Capiris 203-259-7344
historian@holytrinitybridgeport.org INTERIOR COMMITTEE B. Pappas 203-268-8907
JR. CHOIR J.Bogardus 203-736-6501
LIBRARY H. Vittorio
L. Protopapas
203-375-0670
203-929-1582
MAINTENANCE G. Hatzis 203-261-3247
L. Tsouris 203-334-2781 MEDIA-COMMUNICATIONS A. Loukrezis 203-268-5377
media@holytrinitybridgeport.org
OLYMPIANS (GOYA) F. Papachristos 203-380-0566
P.T.O. M. Gountas 203-650-3246
pto@holytrinitybridgeport.org
PARISH COUNCIL G. Mourizakis 203-373-0580
parishcouncil@holytrinitybridgeport.org PHILOPTOCHOS K. Tsitsipas
philoptochos@holytrinitybridgeport.org
203-926-0137
PUBLICITY COMMITTEE E. Vaniotis 203-374-0013
publicity@holytrinitybridgeport.org
SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE S. Karagiannis 203-820-1975 SCHOOL BOARD V. Boudreau 203-734-6754
schoolboard@holytrinitybridgeport.org
SENIOR CITIZENS G. Agortsas 203-372-1015
STEWARDSHIP A.J. Metsopoulos 203-292-6418
R. Arvanitis 203-226-4140
Stewardship@holytrinitybridgeport.org
SUNDAY SCHOOL E. Vaniotis 203-374-0013
sundayschool@holytrinitybridgeport.org INTERNET MINISTRIES/WEBSITE/ FACEBOOK/TWITTER/E-BULLETIN
V.Andriotis 203-371-6856
vicky@holytrinitybridgeport.org
Church Office Eleni Limberis
Email: Email@holytrinitybridgeport.org Office: 203.374.5561 Fax: 203.374.5770
Hours: Monday Friday: 9:00am 4:00pm Sundays after Services: 12:00pm-1:00pm
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The Official Monthly Publication of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
4070 Park Avenue Bridgeport,
Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every Creature. Mark 16:15
Robert Arvanitis 226-4140 Michael Bouloubasis 336-2116 Stella Capiris 259-7344 Phil Georgas 257-7452 Argyris Karagiannis 260-6124 A.J. Metsopoulos 292-6418
John Mihalakopoulos 261-4732 George Mourizakis 373-0580 Chris Papachristos 380-0566 Peter Tsimbidaros 334-2578 Scott Vereb 520-2781 Constantine Vlamis 268-5464
Parish Council Newsletter Editor Vicky Andriotis
Newsletter Staff
Eleni Limberis George Mourizakis
Father Andreas Vithoulkas Vicky Andriotis
Father Andreas Vithoulkas, Presbyter fatherandreas@holytrinitybridgeport.org
phone: 917-334-4192
Services Sunday: Orthros 8:30am
Sunday School Special Services: 10:00am-10:15am Divine Liturgy,Sermons, Announcements:
9:45am 11:30am Weekday Services,Orthros,Divine Liturgy:
8:30am
Summer Sunday Services (June-September): Orthros 8:45am
Divine Liturgy,Sermons, Announcements: 9:45 - 11:15am
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631-258-3933
PETER G KARAYIANNIS
ATTORNEY AT LAW
JUNE 2012 THE ORTHODOX VISION 20 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church 4070 Park Avenue Bridgeport, CT 06604
Address Service Requested
The Official Monthly Publication of Holy Trinity
June 2012
Issue #268