The Promise -October 2011 by Abel Montoya

Promise The

HOLY TRINITY GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH WESTFIELD ^ NEW JERSEY

FrPeter@htgocnj.org

October 2011 ^ Volume 35, Issue 7

908-233-8533

holytrinitywestfield.org

How much does God love you? 

THE REVEREND PETER DELVIZIS

ave you ever experienced the generosity of a rich man? Time and again at a restaurant or other venue, he pays for your meal or item. You can’t get an edge in. He simply bids you to, “put your wallet away; it’s already taken care of.” You don’t understand his motivation but you do know that his kindness is immense, and that it comes from his heart, and that he takes delight in sharing his happiness with you. As this continues, a modest person may begin to feel a bit ashamed at the excess of his kindness. Pondering on ways how to repay him, one thing becomes clear you would never think of taking advantage of his generosity or friendship. In time of war, have you ever wondered what makes the hero brave enough to save the life of his fellow soldier? The hero is always set above all others as the most honorable soldier and is held in highest esteem. His sacrifice in that moment of chaos was incredibly extraordinary. Generosity and sacrifice are signs of love. And this is how we know of God’s immeasurable love for us. God is at the same time the rich man and the hero. He is the One who richly bestows overwhelming blessings on us and also the One who offers Himself as a sacrifice. (John 3:16). By offering us generosity and sacrifice, we are assured of God’s love. If we were to contemplate God’s love for us, we certainly would become ashamed at the excess of His generosity and loving kindness. He spares nothing for us. By offering Himself as a sacrifice upon the Cross, we were given life anew. God gave everything He had, even His very own son, so that we might in turn love and honor Him. If a man submits himself to suffering and die for us, we honor him greatly. We count him as our closest

friend. We place in his hands all of our possessions because he saved our life. The debt can never be erased since we owe him everything – including our life! “But towards Christ,” as St. John Chrysostom says, “we do not preserve even this degree of right feeling. He [Jesus Christ] laid down His life for us, and poured forth His precious Blood for our sakes, who are neither good nor godly-minded. But we do not pour out even our money to Him and neglect Him who died for us when He is naked and a stranger.” [Matthew 25:36] Homily on St. John 27.3 In His customary love and mercy for us, the Lord continues to suffer for us. He views our sins and casts them away through His Blood. He gladly endures “hunger that you may be fed.” He remains halfclothed giving the material of His garment to us in an attempt to sew together a garment of incorruption. Truthfully speaking, no task is accomplished without the Lord’s blessing. Pag. 4

Wait for the promise of the Father ThePromise-OCT2011.indd 1

1 9/26/11 5:30:33 PM

Dates in the Life of Our Church October

SUN

8:15 AM Orthros 9:30 AM Hierarchal Divine Liturgy

SUN

8:15 AM Orthros 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy

Sapphire Luncheon MON

TUE

7 - 8:30 PM Jr. Basketball practice 4:00 PM Greek School St. Thomas the Apostle

THUR

9:30 AM Divine Liturgy

SAT

10:30 AM Baptism

SUN

8:15 AM Orthros

YHT meeting

11:00 AM 29th Holy Trinity Golf Classic, Echo Lake Country Club

9:30 AM Divine Liturgy

Art Show concludes MON

MON

10 TUE

7 - 8:30 PM Jr. Basketball practice

4:00 PM Greek School

WED

6:30 PM Vespers

THUR

4:00 PM Greek School

10:00 AM TOTS 6:30 PM Vespers

FRI

SAT

22 23

7:30 PM Greek dancing 10:00 AM Youth Workshop, Clifton 2:30 PM Wedding St. James (Iakovos)

7:30 PM Greek dancing 6:00 PM Art Show 11:00 AM Art Show 11:00 AM Baptism 2:00 PM Wedding 5:00 PM Archon’s Banquet, NYC

8:15 AM Orthros 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy

MON

24 TUE

4:00 PM Greek School 7:30 PM Choir practice

7:00 PM Philoptochos General

7:15 PM Bible study - begins THUR

7:15 PM Bible study

SUN

7:30 PM Parish Council WED

8:00 PM NNJYC & PVP

TUE

Religious Education Open House 5:00 PM Mr./Miss GOYA Pageant

7:30 PM Dist. 1 & 2

7 - 8:30 PM Jr. Basketball practice 4:00 PM Greek School Great Vespers @ Union, Jersey City or Perth Amboy

WED

9:00 AM Divine Liturgy for St. Demetrios @ Union

THUR

4:00 PM Greek School

26 27 SUN

30 MON

7:30 PM Greek dancing • Choir practice 8:15 AM Orthros 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy 7 - 8:30 PM Jr. Basketball practice

Sacraments & Rites FUNERALS Wed., August 24 ^ William “Bill” Petridis Thur., August 25 ^ Stella Aneson

Sat., September 10 ^ Helen Christodoulou Tue., September 20 ^ Crisanta Toescu

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

ThePromise-OCT2011.indd 2

9/26/11 5:30:33 PM

The 3 mosaics over our Church entrance Symbols of our calling, life and goal



THE REV. ALEXANDER G. LEONDIS

he three beautiful Byzantine mosaics over the entrance of our Church are symbols, which remind us of our purpose as a Family of God. The mosaic of the Holy Trinity in the center is a symbol of our “calling” as a Church. The mosaic of the dove and vase on the right is a symbol of our “life” as a Church. The mosaic of the boat on the left is a symbol of our “goal” as a Church. HOLY TRINITY: A SYMBOL OF OUR CALLING

The Holy Trinity mosaic reminds us of our “calling” which is to approach the Father, through the teachings of the Son and by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity is the source of our salvation. John writes that “no one has seen the Father,” therefore it is not possible to depict Him in human form. The three angels who visited Abraham and Sarah depict the icon of the Trinity. The elderly couple offered hospitality to the angels under the Oak of Mamre [Genesis 18]. The elderly couple was told that a son would be born to them, Isaac, in spite of their old age and thus was fulﬁ lled God’s promise to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. The three angels - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - in the mosaic are similar in their appearance, except for the color of their vestments. The similarity is to remind us that they are of one essence. The three different colors remind us that they are three distinct persons. Although different, the three persons are one. Our common denominator is Jesus Christ, who makes us one body. We also differ, because we are each an individual and each person has his own particular talents and gifts. The strength of our parish is like the Holy Trinity, “unity in diversity.” DOVE AND VASE: A SYMBOL OF OUR LIFE

The dove bears an olive branch in its beak and the vase is ﬁ lled with water. The water and the Holy Spirit are linked together in our salvation.

Jesus said: “unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Water is a sign of salvation, for Jesus’ Baptism in the Jordan marks the beginning of His ministry. St. Ignatius of Antioch writes: “the contact of our Lord’s body with the water of the Jordan is the principle of the sanctifying action of water in the mystery of Baptism.” Jesus told His disciples: “Go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit” (Mat. 28:19). Water is the symbol of our entry into the Church, our birth in the Kingdom and our sanctification. The dove holding the olive branch, as it did in Noah’s time, is a sign of peace and reconciliation between God and Man. The olive branch is a symbol of Chrism oil. The Holy Spirit is never far behind the purification with water in the Sacrament of Baptism. The grace of Baptism is completed by Chrism, the grace of Pentecost, the gift of the Holy Spirit. The mosaic of the dove and vase remind us that we received the sacrament of the Spirit after our Baptism, when we were anointed with holy Chrism. We are called to develop the seed that it might bear fruit; otherwise, it will remain dormant. We are called to be continually reborn in God’s grace through repentance and sanctification. For this is the purpose of the Church and our membership in it. We are re-baptized every time we participate in the Divine Liturgy and partake of the Lord’s body and blood. BOAT: SYMBOL OF OUR GOAL

The Church is a boat whose captain is Jesus Christ and whose crew is you and me. As long as we remain within the boat we are safe, for the grace of God protects us. To remain in the boat we must love Christ and follow him with all our being. The boat is threatened by waves of persecution, winds of temptation and the

storms of a non-Christian, secular world, which seek to destroy and eliminate God from our society. Slander and gossip from within the Church are like rocks that try to pierce her hull, but Christ’s strength will keep her aﬂoat. The Church will endure the onslaught of outer and inner evil forces and will not be destroyed, for Christ Himself, our God and Savior, is her Captain and “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” [Matthew 16:18] The keel, the mast, the rudder and the crew must conform to His commands as the Head. Every member must be at his post performing the task assigned to him or her by the Lord in order for the Church to sail smoothly. The voyage is charted. The ship does not sail blindly. The Church’s destiny is the Kingdom of God. Each must struggle against the forces of evil and be obedient to the Captain to reach the Kingdom. Whenever we see these three mosaics, let us rededicate ourselves to the symbolism they represent: our calling, our life and our goal as a people of God. “You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built into it for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.” [Ephesians 2:19-22]. ^

The Promise ^ October 2011 ^ Volume 35, Issue 7

ThePromise-OCT2011.indd 3

9/26/11 5:30:35 PM

Parish Council Update



THEODORE DEMETRIOU, PRESIDENT

n Sunday, October 2, Holy Trinity celebrated its 45th Anniversary as a church community by dedicating the new Narthex and Exo-Narthex. His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos presided over the Divine Liturgy assisted by Fr. Peter and Fr. Alexander. Afterward the new mosaics and iconography were dedicated. The new dome is awe-inspiring and the mosaics are truly breath-taking. The Sunday service was followed by the Sapphire Luncheon held in the Bouras Center. This wonderful catered meal was organized by Penny Pefanis and her committee. Parishioners were able to recall some of the early days of the church. The Anniversary celebration continues however. On November 5th, the Sapphire Soireé, a formal dinner dance

will be held at the Echo Lake Country Club. On this same evening, the annual 50-50 Rafﬂe will be drawn. Following these nostalgic events the Parish Council went to work in providing for the future. We are establishing an “Endowment Fund” for Holy Trinity. Its function is to serve as a vehicle for parishioners wishing to make restricted donations, proceeds of a life insurance policy, an annuity or a will. Such funds would be isolated from the normal operation income and expenses that we incur on a daily basis throughout the year. This Fund could allow us to earmark monies for major improvements so that parishioners would not necessarily be called upon for extraordinary expenditures. We hope to have this program prepared by yearend. My thanks go out to all our volunteers who make Holy Trinity such a vibrant community. ^

The Book of Genesis Bible Study Beginning October 12

uring the Lenten period last March, the Theosis program began reading the Book of Genesis. The interest of many was peeked as the book spoke about man’s relationship with God and man’s relation to society. The Book of Genesis, the ﬁrst book of Holy Scripture, is jammed packed with many awe inspiring and uplifting stories. Beginning on Wed., October 12, the study of this book will continue. And you are invited to attend.

Theosis Bible Study will begin at 7:15 PM and the study group will continue reading through the pages of this book. The Bible is the Book of the Church. The faithful must open it and read it to understand the mysteries of God. Spiritual ediﬁcation arises when the faithful come together to share their experiences of faith and understand how God has directed them in life and how He has blessed them. Before each Bible Study, a short Vespers service will be held at 6:30 PM for those who want to pray in solace before contemplating the Word of God. ^

Pag. 1 - How much does God love you? “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain; unless the Lord guards the city, those who guard it stay awake in vain.” [Psalm 126]

safety, away from chaos and calamity. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” [John10:11]

While our Lord richly gives to us, it is imperative that we do not take advantage of His generosity. If He, like the hero, saved our life by offering His own life as a sacriﬁce, why do we not attempt to repay our debt? Why do we not surrender all that we have to Him?

Each Sunday the Lord invites us to His Church so that we become partakers of His heavenly kingdom. In other words, He is inviting us to a grand banquet. Being participants in the Divine Liturgy and by eating and drinking from the Chalice of Life we discover the real hero – our Saviour – who has delivered us from death and corruption. And for this sacriﬁcial act, like a great hero, we set the Lord our God, Jesus Christ, above all others. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven and of those on earth, and of those under the earth.” [Philippian 2:10] †Fr. Peter ^

The Lord’s love is so great and beyond measure that we know the debt is already forgiven. [Matthew 18:23-27] But we must not ignore His great sacriﬁcial and life-giving act. Like the rich man, He delights in offering us everything, even when He is not indebted to us. And like the hero, He guides us to

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

ThePromise-OCT2011.indd 4

9/26/11 5:30:36 PM

Philoptochos  AVI KIRIAKATIS, PRESIDENT

To aid the poor, the aged, the hungry, the needy, and the sick through charitable works performed with discretion, courtesy, and kindness.

and various items during Fellowship Hour for the Susan G. Komen North Jersey organization to help ﬁght breast cancer. We thank all our Parishioners for their generosity.

Congratulations to Holy Trinity for their 45th Year Anniversary Celebration

Tuesday, October 11 Philoptochos General Meeting

Our Church is our second home where we come to pray together and support one another in happy and sad times. The Ladies Philoptochos Society of Holy Trinity has been in existence for over 30 years. Throughout these years, we have grown as a community to more than 700 families and, consequently, our Philoptochos membership has also grown to a stewardship of 200.

7:00 PM Bouras Center “Shoes for Orphan Souls” This shoe drive is a true demonstration of the mission of Philoptochos which is to be friends of the poor and to help those in need and supply new shoes at orphanages all over the world.

Quilt-a-Thon Volunteer Needed Philoptochos is looking for a volunteer to chair this Annual Lenten Project that is very dear to everyone’s heart. Please volunteer your time and talent.

Philoptochos Website We have updated our Philoptochos website and encourage everyone to take a look and see the many organizations, hospitals, and families in need we have supported throughout the years. We are blessed to have Father Peter Delvizis as our Spiritual Advisor as we work together to address the needs of our community. We honor our National commitments, Metropolis obligations and listen to requests for donations each month. When a new appeal is made, we assess the situation and assist those in need based on criteria from our Metropolis and our own Philoptochos.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, North Jersey Affiliate Anna Savva will be chairing this event for the month of October by selling ribbons

Please donate one pair of children’s new shoes or sneakers for the orphans and place them at “Shoes for Orphan Souls” box in the Bouras Center during Fellowship Hour. Sophie Stappas will be Chairing this event and we will have a Holiday Flower Demonstration that evening and will rafﬂe off these beautiful masterpieces. We are very grateful to all our parishioners for their generous shoes donations.

Philoptochos Fifth Annual Fine Art & Photograph Show October 14, 15, 16, 2011 We begin our art show with a wine & cheese reception on Friday, Oct. 14 from 7-9 pm, Saturday, October 15 from 12-4 pm and Sunday, October 16 from 12-3 pm. We ask everyone to come out and visit the artists and see their beautiful work. The art show this year will beneﬁt HomeFirst of Union County (homeless).

50/50 Raffle

Benefit Shopping at Lord & Taylor Wednesday, October 26 This is a wonderful shopping event with great bargains. Penny Pefanis will be selling a $5.00 coupon during the month of October at the Philoptochos table during Fellowship Hour that can be used that day. Even if you don’t plan on shopping that day, please purchase a ticket as all the money stays with Philoptochos. The more coupons we sell the more money we will raise as we compete with many non-proﬁt organizations and the one who sells the most coupons gets to win a big monetary prize from Lord & Taylor up to $1,000. We ask all our parishioners to please support this event. The funds collected will help purchase the prizes for The Grand Rafﬂe at our Annual Spring Fashion Show.

Please help keep Philoptochos closet neat Our Church is very fortunate to have many activities throughout the year performed by various groups. While using the Philoptochos closet, located to the right of the stage, please respect Philoptochos valuable stored items on the shelves and on hangers. After your event, remove items used by putting them away in their respective place. Thank you!

Calendar of Events Saturday, November 12, 2011 St. Basil Visitation/Retreat Saturday, December 3, 2011 Bloomingdale’s Brunch/Fashion Show Co-Chaired by Ellen-Manos-Athenson, Nina Anastasiou, Marianne Savorgianakis, Christina Colonias

Rafﬂe tickets have been mailed out to all Parishioners. Please purchase one book as we will have the drawing on Sunday, October 23rd during Fellowship Hour.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011 General Christmas Dinner/Meeting Party Enjoy singing and shopping and donate a gift to Elizabeth Battered Women’s Shelter - Marina LoAlbo, Chairperson

We thank Marina LoAlbo for Chairing this event and all our Parishioners for their generosity.

Sunday, December 11, 2011 Christmas Baking for “Home Bound”, Joanne Kallerges, Chairperson ^

The Promise ^ October 2011 ^ Volume 35, Issue 7

ThePromise-OCT2011.indd 5

9/26/11 5:30:36 PM

ECUMENICAL PATRIA MAKE PILGRIMA

onday August 15, the Feast of the Dormition of the Holy Theotokos, was a very special and spiritually uplifting day for His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios

His All Holiness at Panagia Soumela Monastery, Trapezounta, Pontos.

Photo D. Panagos

of America and the thousands of people, clergy and laity from all over the world, who participated in the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy in the historic monastery of Panagia Soumela near Trapezounta. It was the second time for such a liturgy, since only last year (2010) on the same day and after 88 years

of liturgical silence in Panagia Soumela, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided at the ďŹ rst historic liturgy following the permission given to the Ecumenical Patriarchate by the Turkish authorities.

This year, His All Holiness invited Archbishop Demetrios of America and two clergymen of Pontian ancestry from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Bishop His All Holiness lifting the sacred gifts during the D Andonios of Th Phasiane, the Chancellor of the Archdiocese, and Gr Archdeacon Panteleimon Papadopoulos, to take via part in the pilgrimage to Panagia Soumela, which wid according to tradition was established, in 386 A.D. by the Athenian monks Barnabas and Sofronios Hi on the steep cliffs of Mount Melas, south of the the city of Trapezounta (Trabzon) and has been for 16 pro centuries the symbol of the Hellenism of Pontos. exp Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew concelebrated the Divine Liturgy with Archbishop Demetrios of America and Metropolitan Barnabas of Neapolis and Stavropolis from the Thessaloniki area. Also present at the Liturgy were Metropolitans Ignatius of Dimitriados, Pavlos of Drama, Archbishop Panteleimon of Yaroslavl and Rostov, who led the

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

ThePromise-OCT2011.indd 6

9/26/11 11:42:38 PM

we po tha the Ba Th allo

TRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW & ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS IMAGE TO PANAGIA SOUMELA IN PONTOS Russian delegation and Bishop Andonios of Phasiane from the United States.

Many hundreds of pilgrims from Russia, Greece, Cyprus, Georgia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Australia and America attended the liturgy inside the monastery and many more, who could not ﬁt inside, were able to follow the liturgy through a giant monitor outside of during the Divine Liturgy. Photo N. Manginas the monastery compound. The liturgy was broadcast live through the d Greek television channel ET-3 and worldwide via satellite through ERT-World. It was covered h widely by Turkish and international media. D.

d of s o us

40 years. Even though the Turkish government has given us hope, unfortunately it still remains closed,” said the Patriarch. The next day, August 16, Patriarch Bartholomew accompanied by Archbishop Demetrios and the other clergymen visited the monastery of St. John the Baptist, (now in ruins) which is the oldest one in Pontos. It is known as the Vazelon Monastery, located in the village Matsouka, 40 kilometers south of Trabzon, it was ﬁ rst built in 270 A.D. His All Holiness also visited the nearby monastery of St. George which dates back to 752 A.D ^

His All Holiness answering questions for the Turkish network NTV and referring to properties of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, expressed his hope that “those properties that were taken illegally will be returned as soon as possible to their rightful owners,” and he said that if that does not happen “we will turn to the European Court.” Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew also expressed sadness because the His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios with Theological School of Halki has not yet been His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. allowed to re-open. “Halki has been closed for

Photo D. Panagos

The Promise ^ October 2011 ^ Volume 35, Issue 7

ThePromise-OCT2011.indd 7

9/26/11 11:42:52 PM

$$tewardship 0r S†ewardship Orthodox Christian Stewardship



THE REV. FR. HARRY PAPPAS

nfortunately, when many hear or read the word Stewardship, we instinctively think of its spelling as $$tewardship, a code word for giving money to church. It may be politely asked for. It may be clothed in pious language. It may be linked to giving of time and talents. But, in the end, Stewardship still means, for most of us: “I must give some of my money so that we can operate the church.”

However, we may have not yet learned to spell this key word as S†ewardship. The Bible, from beginning to end, identifies what we now call Stewardship as a way of life centered on God. And for Christians, this means discipleship centered on Jesus Christ as Crucified and Risen Lord. The Cross thus dramatically signifies both our identity as disciples of Christ and our calling to a life of sacrificial giving directed toward God, others, and all creation. Many people know how to raise money. There are professional experts who work full time. There are more opinions and ideas than parishes know what to do with. And, in fact, raising funds has become a favorite American pastime for public and private schools, political parties, charitable organizations, and legions of athletic and recreational activities. Who needs another fundraising campaign when we are already inundated with them! But while there are legions of experts, opinions, and efforts, how many of us are genuinely committed to Christ and the Church and have learned a sound teaching about Stewardship based upon Holy Scripture? In the Old Testament, our Hebrew ancestors based their very existence upon what God had first done for them: through the promises given to the patriarch Abraham, the sacred covenant at Sinai given through Moses, and messianic kingship through David. Since God was their Creator, Savior, and King, ancient Israel worshiped Him regularly and on special feast days. They considered the very land upon which they lived as a precious gift from God, and not the result of their own hard work or of their pious virtue. This meant that all products of their livelihood ultimately belonged to God. The biblical tithe (10%) meant that the first and best portion of these material assets were to be returned to God for support of the sanctuary or temple, the ordained ministers, and various human needs (including charity). The rest (90%) was not to be used as each person decided, but rather according to the will of God through each person’s family, home, and vocation. Further, as emphasized by the prophets like Amos and Isaiah, the people of God were to seek justice and righteousness in all their relationships –through business, commerce, legal courts, government, and society. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ affirmed this Old Testament Stewardship as a way of life based upon God’s gracious salvation and his natural gifts through creation. He clearly approved of worship, of tithing, of seeking justice and righteousness in

all human relationships, and of service especially to the poor, oppressed, and needy. However, Jesus went way beyond these in offering Himself as the perfect steward of God’s gracious gifts by His voluntary suffering and death on cross. In this event, He exemplified that true sacrifice for the sake of others has absolutely no limits. In the Church, everyone is called to be a disciple of Christ. This involves conversion – and inward turning of mind and heart toward Christ – and a conscious and deliberate commitment to follow the Lord, no matter what the cost. And true Christian Stewardship springs very naturally from such faith and obedience, since it recognizes God as the origin of life, the giver of salvation, and the source of all blessings, visible and invisible. The deeper the conversion and commitment to Christ, the deeper the thanksgiving for these spiritual and material gifts that we have received, and the greater the readiness to use them to show our love for God and those around us. Jesus Christ sets the true standard of Christian Stewardship by which we can measure ourselves. Our stewardship of the good news of salvation should be shown in the following ways: • CREATION - Joyful appreciation for the wonder and beauty of nature; protection and preservation of the environment; bringing the gifts of creation to the Church for blessing (altar bread, wine, fruits, oil, incense, etc.); development of the material world through holy work (physical labor, professions, arts and sciences); respect for and protection of the sanctity of human life from conception to death. • VOCATION - Fulfillment of our God-given calling in life as married or single people, adult or child, working or retired, clergy or laity, to extend the love and truth of God in Christ to those around us. • CHURCH - Becoming active participants in working out our salvation as members of the Orthodox Church through the Christian nurture of children, regular worship and fellowship; spiritual formation through on-going education; service to one another and to the poor, sick, and needy; cooperating to make our parish a vibrant source of faith and work; and supporting Metropolitan, Archdiocesan, and international ministries that link us to the worldwide Church. In a culture that frequently encourages us to focus on ourselves, Jesus Christ challenges us to reorient our priorities according to the Kingdom of God breaking into this world. The antidote to greed and selfishness, even when it is masked by religious piety, is genuine repentance and conversion toward Christian Stewardship as a new way of living. And what joy there is now for those who turn toward God, learning and living as stewards of the manifold grace that has been offered to us through Christ in the Church! ^

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

ThePromise-OCT2011.indd 8

9/26/11 5:30:43 PM

Holy Trinity Choir Mary Vasilow : 45 Years and Beyond

 KATHRYN ATHANASOULAS

Musicians at their annual conference in Holy Trinity, Egg Harbor in 2007. Mary’s singing was not limited to church music. For many years she sang with the Metropolitan Greek Chorale which rehearses in New York City. Every Sunday after church services she would hurry to catch her ride into the city. Rarely did Mary miss a rehearsal or a concert.

Choir Members at the Metropolis of New Jersey. Mariam Kotsonis, Anastasia Carumpalos, Kathryn Athanasoulas, Mary Vasilow and Joanne Lazos.

t is hard to believe that Mary Vasilow is retiring from the choir after 45 years of dedicated service to our Holy Trinity family. Yes, Mary was there from the very beginning when services were held in the Parish Hall. She outlasted a number of choir directors, and choir members. Before joining Holy Trinity, Mary sang in the St. Nicholas, Newark choir for many years. She received a 50 year service award certiﬁcate and pin from the Eastern Federation of Greek Orthodox Church

Mary was always interested in improving her musical skills by attending all the workshops that were provided by the Federation and attending the annual conferences throughout the Metropolis up until last year. She also sang every year in the New Jersey Choir at the Holy Cross celebration in Asbury Park, and did so again this past September. In our New Jersey District, Mary sang in almost all of the Lenten Concerts since they began in 1991 until the present. She sang in all of the Christmas Concerts that the District presented. Whenever the group was asked to do a special performance of Greek Folk Songs, Mary was there. These are just some of her musical activities. Mary is a true steward

His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey and Mary Vasilow.

of the church in that she never considered herself a volunteer but a steward giving of her time and talent. She is blessed with a lovely Soprano voice. She attended rehearsal faithfully to take care of that God given talent and to share it with us. As evident by Mary, the saying must be true that singing keeps you young! Father Peter and the choir have dubbed her Honorary Member Emeritus of the Holy Trinity Choir. This means that she may sing with the choir any time she chooses. Her book and robe will not be retired. Congratulations and best wishes. Mary. Axia! We all love you. ^

Bookstore

Celebrate Sapphire Month At The Book Store!

 SANDY MOURATOGLOU OLTMANN & ANDREA BLASI njoy a wonderful celebration of the 45th anniversary of our Church at the October 2 Sapphire Luncheon.

Sapphires sparkle and shine in the sun’s light, but what better brilliance could you ﬁnd than a special gift for yourself or a loved one from the Book Store? One might think, that the whole of the Bible and all other religious literature records humanity’s search for the light of God: a need to reach out for the Divine Being that is greater than one’s self, for thankfulness in times of joy and for help in

times of sorrow. But the Bible is God’s record of salvation; how He managed to bring us to Him. For the eager religious student, our September feature, the Orthodox Study Bible, Old and New Testament version, is more valuable than all the glittering gems the earth has to offer. Come and browse our variety of religious and cultural items, including icons to inspire your prayers, books and CDs, as well as books for children. If you don’t see what you want, we can order it for you: when you support the Book Store, you support our Church. ^

FINE ART & PHOTOGRAPHY

Friday, October 14, 2011 - 7:00 pm

Cordially invite you to attend the Ribbon Cutting & Reception Showcasing 10 GREEK-AMERICAN ARTISTS

Free Entrance

Wine, cheese, light refreshments & live Music

Sat., Oct. 15, 2010, 12-4 PM & Sun., Oct. 16, 2010, 12-3 PM

Sponsored by: The Ladies Philoptochos Society (Friends of the Poor)

Holy Trinity GO Church, 250 Gallows Hill Road, Westﬁeld, NJ 07090 • Tel: 908-233-8533

Portion of proceeds to beneﬁt Homeﬁrst (homeless) in Union County The Promise ^ October 2011 ^ Volume 35, Issue 7

ThePromise-OCT2011.indd 9

9/26/11 5:30:46 PM

YHT 

VICKIE ZOURZOUKIS, PRESIDENT

ATHLETICS: Our athletic teams are preparing for the new season. Practice and game schedules are available from the advisors. Jr. Boys Basketball will meet on Mondays at 7:00 PM, Sr. Boys Basketball is ﬁ nalizing the schedule and Girls volleyball will meet on Sat. at 9:30 AM. To be a good team takes not only the skill of the individual players but the ability and effort to work as a team. This requires commitment to the practices as well as attendance to the games. Just a reminder that the policy for game day rosters requiring attendance at both the Divine Liturgy and Sunday School on game days will be enforced. Thanks to the youth members, their

parents and of course our coaches for the support of our athletic program. GREEK DANCE PROGRAM: Our Greek heritage is important to us. Holy Trinity offers the opportunity to youth of all ages to learn and perform Greek Dance. Dance is a wonderful way to meet others, exercise and have fun too. YHT OUTREACH: Our Outreach coordinators Stephanie John and Evie Kyritsis are working with the Ofﬁcers and Board to organize the drives and events to raise funds for charity. Further details will be forthcoming. SIGHTS AND SOUNDS: It is not too early for youth members to begin preparing submissions in the areas of writing i.e.: Short stories, essays and poems as well as items in ﬁne arts and

music. The youth have made it known that they hope to have more participation this year. Thanks to Irene Panagakos and the ofﬁce staff for their efforts in preparing and mailing all the annual registration packets to the youth families. EVENTS: Sunday, October 9th Mr./Miss GOYA pageant at the Pines Manor in Edison. $60-Adults $40-Youth. YHT representatives: Vickie Zourzoukis and Gregory Vlahakis. Saturday, October 22nd Youth Singers Workshop – St. George, Clifton Saturday, November 5th Bowling Tournament Fairview Saturday, November 5th Sapphire Soireé Echo Lake Country Club Sunday, November 20th Youth Sunday & Brunch ^

New Members of the Church John Henriques & Emily Persaud - Henriques 1106 Cypress Dr., Union, NJ 07083

Christina F. Micchelli Peter Micchelli 35 Holiday Dr., West Caldwell, NJ 07006

Cynthia Persaud 452 Tournament Dr., Unit 9, Union, NJ 07083

Nikolaos & Rodamanthy Xristopoulos 696 Golden Ave., Secaucus, NJ 07094

The Promise • Classifieds

Advertise in The

Promise

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey

ThePromise-OCT2011.indd 10

9/26/11 5:30:47 PM

Pinnacle Despina (Debbie) Martin REALTOR-ASSOCIATE速 318 Rt. 202-206, PO Box 45 Bedminster, NJ 07921 Of. (908) 306-9600 x 415 Fax: (908) 306-9666 Toll Free: (800) 854-3771 Cell. (908) 586-1594 www.dmartinsite.com dmartin.homes@verizon.net Each Office Independently Owned & Operated

Advertise in The

Promise

PARAS & PARAS METRO APPRAISAL GEORGE PARAS, S.C.G.R.E.A. Appraisal/Consulting

340 Main Street Madison, NJ 07940

e-mail: paras340@aol.com

Tel.: 973-236-0100 Fax: 908-277-3050 Cell.: 201-681-5366

The Promise ^ October 2011 ^ Volume 35, Issue 7

Wait for The

Promise

Non Proﬁt Org. US postage PAID Rahway, NJ Permit No. 654

of the Father

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church 250 Gallows Hill Road ^ Westﬁeld, NJ 07090 Change Service Requested

Metropolis of New Jersey

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Office Staff

Contact Information Mailing Address 250 Gallows Hill Rd. Westﬁeld, NJ 07090-1109 Phone 908-233-8533 Fax 908-233-0623

Administrative Assistant Irene Panagakos Accountant Diana R. Waltsak Caretaker Ocione Nunes

Worship

E-mail FrPeter@htgocnj.org Web site holytrinitywestﬁeld.org Presiding Priest Rev. Peter Delvizis Priest Rev. Alexander G. Leondis

Psaltis Pascalis Kuvalakis Choir Director Kathryn Athanasoulas Organist Phyllis Verenes Head Acolyte Chris Wolff

Schedule of Services Sundays

Weekdays

Orthros

8:15 AM

8:30 AM

Divine Liturgy

9:30 AM

ThePromise-OCT2011.indd 12

The Promise: Volume 35, Issue 7 10 issues published annually. No subscription fee. Article deadline - 10th of the preceding month

Ministries Parish Council Ted Demetriou Philoptochos Avi Kiriakatis Religious Education Louis Martin Eleftheria Wolff Greek School Rita Fitanidis Trinity Circle Athena Manos TAG Barbara Arbes Youth (GOYA) Vickie Zourzoukis JOY / HOPE Kathy Maglaras Yiana Leichtling Sandy Boutsikaris TOTS Joanne Paras Bookstore Sandy Mouratoglou Cultural Barbara Manos Greek School PTO Irene Cohen

9/26/11 5:30:51 PM