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St. Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Church 5649 N. Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60660 773-334-4515 Phone, 773-334-3468 Fax

Info@standreworthodox.org www.standreworthodox.org Rev. John N. Kalomas, Proistamenos Rev. John G. Kutulas, Proistamenos Emeritus Deacon Vasilios Smith

Vol. 69 No. 10 The Anchor October 2011 St. Andrew Church Celebrating 85 Years of Service

Even Great People Need Help

Somewhere in life troubles come, and even the greatest of individuals become trapped in the difficulties where they struggle to free themselves. It happens that amongst the great individuals there are lesser people who seem to be insignificant yet make a great difference in the life of a person as well as to the world. Enjoy the story below. “...The Whale... If you read a front page story of the San Francisco Chronicle earlier this year, you would have read about a female humpback whale who had become entangled in a spider web of crab traps and lines. She was weighted down by hundreds of pounds of traps that caused her to struggle to stay afloat. She also had hundreds of yards of line rope wrapped around her body, her tail, her torso, a line tugging in her mouth. A fisherman spotted her just east of the Farallon Islands (outside the Golden Gate ) and radioed an environmental group for help. Within a few hours, the rescue team arrived and determined that she was so bad off, the only way to save her was to dive in and untangle her. They worked for hours with curved knives and eventually freed her. When she was free, the divers say she swam in what seemed like joyous circles. She then came back to each and every diver, one at a

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Parish Council Alex A. Gianaras Chairman of the Board Nicholas G. Karafotias President Constantine (Kosta) Zografopoulos 1st Vice President Terri Mikuzis 2nd Vice President/ Stewardship Chairman Leo G. Manta Secretary Nick Tzakis Financial Secretary Peter Alexopoulos Treasurer Nicholas Kontos Assistant Treasurer

Members William Aslanides Michael Bartholomew Jeffery Chrones Milton Fasseas Nick Hatzopoulos George Marks John Marks Phillip Hatzopoulos

Honorary Members:

William Alexopoulos Byron Leonard Beatrice Marks Patrick Papas

STAFF & VOLUNTEER LEADERS

Pastoral Assistant Julie Tziolas Executive Secretary: Reneé Stevens Financial Secretary: Vivian L. Davros Philoptochos President: Vonnie Karafotias PTO President: Sue Mouflouzelis Chanters: Nicholas Christacos Themis Tsaoussis Martha Mills Dean Theodoropoulos Choir Director: Peter Jermihov Catechetical School Coordinator: Kathy Siavelis Greek School Principal: Father John Kutulas St. Paul Bookstore: Evangeline Mistaras Newsletter Coordinator: Renee Stevens Website: Julie Tziolas and Renee Stevens

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time, and nudged them, pushed them gently around as she was thanking them. Some said it was the most incredibly beautiful experience of their lives. The guy who cut the rope out of her mouth said her eyes were following him the whole time, and he will never be the same. May you, and all those you love, be so blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by people who will help you get untangled from the things that are binding you. And, may you always know the joy of giving and receiving gratitude. I pass this on to you in the same spirit.”

Is it not interesting to note that throughout life and history there has always been the small insignificant individuals that have made a difference in the lives of great people as well as in the course of life. It was a small Midwestern individual by the name of Abraham that came from a poor family who in turn saved a nation from perishing from this earth. Yet even as great as Abraham Lincoln became, it was the lowly soldiers that made greatness and even paid with a great sacrifice. Even that great President’s letter shows how small insignificant individuals made a difference and saved this nation. Look at the letter to Mrs. Bixby;

“ Dear Madam,-- I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully, A. Lincoln”

It shows how the small, the insignificant are the ones that shake the foundations of the earth. Noah was called by God to build an Ark. Never built a ship before but was appointed by God. Abraham was the chosen as the father of many nations. Moses a Hebrew slave freed the Israelites from the tyranny of the Pharaoh. Saint Paul in his letter to the Hebrews writes about insignificant people that changed and untangled the less fortunate from the bindings that were holding them.

“…And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah and David and Samuel the prophets; who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises and stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fires, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of enemies.”

So many examples of so many events, so the question that is left is “What does this mean for us? What role do we play?” Every day we encounter situations of entanglements. It could be family or friends who are caught up with some difficulties in life, or it could be a stranger that we encounter on our road of life. The fisherman who spotted the whale entangled in the ropes of the Crab traps could have ignored the dilemma of this creature. I mean delaying especially in fishing could cost you a great catch. But he didn’t look at that, he had pity on this poor helpless creature and even though he did not have the means of freeing the whale from the bonds that held her, he did something that made the difference, he got involved by whatever means was available to him, and that was radioing for the environmental group to

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SERVICES FOR OCTOBER Friday, October 28th The Holy Protection of The Mother of God (Holy Skepi) 10am Liturgy only.

SUNDAY SERVICES

Orthros at 8:00 am Liturgy 9:30am

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come to the whales aid. It was also the individuals getting into the water even with the threat that this whale could lash out and hurt them or even kill them that showed the compassion and the love that these individuals had to preserve a life in any possible way. And in what way did this whale express its gratitude? By swimming in ecstasy around the swimmers and slowly approaching each one and nudging them as if to say thank you. If an animal of such great size in which truly is nothing compared to a human shows its affection and appreciation these individuals, how much can man do to show affection and appreciation to their fellow man in times of need.

Have we ever been helpless or felt helpless? Have we ever been in pain or were afraid? Did the thought ever cross our mind where we could turn to or will that someone come and help us? I remember my mother a year ago was driving her car on the highway in Moline and the engine started to smoke and over heat from a broken radiator hose. She pulled off to the side and finally after 20 minutes of waiting and not knowing what to do (she refuses to get a cell phone) a young teenage girl stops and helps her with the use of her cell phone to call her brother-in-law who is a mechanic and he comes and assists her. Yes she felt helpless, forget that she doesn’t speak English very well but after 10 minutes of no one stopping even a few police cars that passed her bye she started feeling lonely, isolated, fearful, even though there were so many cars going bye. Finally one stopped, one chose to engage, one chose to be a Good Samaritan. My mother was crying on this girls shoulder thanking her for stopping, and I will always remember her words “There are still some good people left in this world.”

The road of life will always have traps and entanglements that we will meet. There may be times that we trip over those traps and lift ourselves back up, there may be times that we get entangled in those ropes of life but we are able to free ourselves. Yet there may also be times that we become entangled so great like the whale in the story in which we will definitely need the assistance of others to help us get untangled. Our families, our close friends, our church, our priests, our Lord and Saviour; these are some of the individuals in our lives that we pray to turn to in time of need. We definitely know that the last one our Lord and Saviour will not fail us. He will free us from the entanglements of life and prayerfully we will learn to be a little more vigilant that we avoid those entanglements as we proceed forward. Still though there is no guarantee that another entanglement will ever happen, but there is a guarantee that our Lord will be there to once again cut those ropes that have tied us down. He did this when he freed us from death with His crucifixion and resurrection, which was the greatest entanglement of humanity. If he did this for us on this grand scale, how much more will he do for us on the lesser scales of life.

May all of you and those whom you love be blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by many individuals in your life in which our Lord will place there so they will help you in the times of need to untangle the nets of life that many times bind us from our freedoms that our Lord in Heaven wishes us to enjoy. A Blessed Fall to all: Fr. John N. Kalomas

TO ALL PARISHIONERS WHO WISH TO RUN FOR THE 2012-13 PARISH COUNCIL

Please begin making an appointment to see Fr. John Kalomas in order to sit and talk with him in order to obtain an application so your name can appear on the election ballot. No applications will be issued after November 6th 2011. Below are also some of the requirements for receiving an application and running for the Parish Council Board. Once you receive your application and fill it out, you will give it to one of the individuals who are on the board of elections so they can process your name into the ballot. Elections this year will take place on Sunday December 4th 2011 following the Divine Liturgy.

REQUIRMENTS TO RECEIVE AN APPLICATION FOR NOMINATION TO THE ST. ANDREW’S PARISH COUNCIL 2012-2013

Qualifications to be a Candidate for the Parish Council

I. Must be spiritually, canonically, and financially in good standing.

A. Spiritually: Attend divine service regularly and receive sacraments; uphold the teachings and traditions of the Church. B. Canonically: If married, married in the Orthodox Church. If divorced, have an ecclesiastical divorce. Must live his/her life and active ties in accordance with the faith and canons of the Church. C. Financially: Must be a member of the Parish for at least one year immediately preceding the date of elections. D. To attend the Parish Council Seminar which will be set by the Parish Priest at a designated time?

II. Must take the following oath and accept it fully: I do solemnly swear that I will uphold the dogma, teachings, traditions, holy canons, worship,

and moral principles of the Greek Orthodox Church as well as the constitutional charter, discipline, and regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and I will fulfill faithfully and sincerely, the duties and obligations required of a member of the Parish Council. So help me God.

Additional Responsibilities

I. To participate in the sacramental life of the Church, thereby setting an example for the parish; mandatory is the sacrament of confession and communion; to collect the revenue of the Church and to administer the affairs of the parish in such a manner as to aid the Priest in the fulfillment of its aims and purposes.

II. After appropriate discussion, to support and cooperate with all majority decisions of the

Parish Council.

III. To volunteer to serve actively on at least two parish committees.

IV. Never to use a church’s form or mailing list for one’s own financial gain or personal agendas.

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PARISH COUNCIL Financial Report January to August 31, 2011

MATHER EDGEWATER LUNCHEON OKTOBERFEST/ Monday, October 24, 2011

Savor the tastes and scents of the season while swinging to the music of the Frank K Trio! Delight in a tasty menu of bratwurst, sauerkraut, roasted chicken, German potato salad, fresh fruit, rolls, dessert, and beverages. The event is sure to warm your heart!

Check in is at 11:30a.m. Performance: 12-2pm Cost is $9.00 for Mather Edgewater Members $10.00 for Kosher-friendly meals

Call toll-free 1-888-600-2560 for reservations begin Tuesday, September 20, and are required by Wednesday, October 19.

Presented by: Mather LifeWays Sponsored by Chicagoland Methodist Senior Services

SACRAMENTS AND MEMORIALS

BAPTISMS 8/27 Katherine Jane, daughter of Tim and Maria McCaffrey 8/28 Athena Josephine, daughter of Sotiris and Sarah Tsakalis 9/3 Ethie , daughter of Christian and Maria Hagen 9/10 Katherine, daughter of Patrick and Nicole Keough 40 DAY BLESSING 8/28 Theodore John, son of Adam and Stephane Callopy WEDDINGS 9/4 James Tsioles and Denise Duval Thomas Hix and Anna Les 9/11 William Papastefan and Amalia Spiridakos FUNERALS • 7/1 Lily Venson Pagratis MEMORIALS • 8/28 Pastor Zepeda - 5 years 9/4 Aphrodite (Effie) Colompos - 40 days Michael Spiliotis - 8 years 9/11 Bessie Venson - 10 years

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Stacy Diacou Patricia Perritt Cathy Fasseas Frances Tsaoussis Mattina Malas

As always thanks for your help and support!

ANCHOR/OFFICE MAILING

On Saturday, August 6th the following volunteers represented St. Andrew at the First Presbyterian Church, in Evanston: Susan, Barron, Manuel and Christine Barron, Nick Varney, Timi Papas, Helen Deligiannis, Gwen Swackhammer, and Fofo Egon.

SOUP KITCHEN VOLUNTEERS

St. Andrew Sunday Church School

During the month of September, we began our Sunday Church School Year with Registration for Sunday Church School as well as our various Youth Ministry Programs. I would like to extend a special thank you to Arlene Siavelis, Terri Mikuzis, and Cathy Fasseas who helped in this registration process and to Julie Tziolas, Vivian Davros and Renee Stevens for helping to prepare our Sunday Church School mailing and registration packets which helped in getting us off to a good start. We warmly welcome all of our families, new and returning, who have enrolled in our St. Andrew Sunday Church School Program and look forward to a wonderful year. For those families who have not done so, you may still register your children in our Sunday Church School in our office which is adjacent to the Narthex on Sunday following Holy Communion. Our first day of Sunday Church School took place this year on Sunday, September 11th. Following the Divine Liturgy and Holy Communion, all of our students met together as a class and were introduced to their new teachers. They returned to Church for a beautiful Agiasmos Service along with a special service in remembrance of the 10th Anniversary of September 11th. Seeing all of our students and their families filling so many of the pews was truly a beautiful sight to behold! The students and their parents then had the opportunity to socialize together with their classmates and teachers at a delicious Barbeque Luncheon sponsored by our capable P.T.O. What a wonderful way to begin our school year! Now throughout the month of September, our regular Sunday Church School Classes are continuing in earnest. All of our very capable teachers have so much to teach our children that it would be wonderful to see all of them on time each and every Sunday. Although all of our families received registration packets outlining our programs and curriculum, we would also like to remind everyone of our Sunday Church School Open House and Ministry Fair on Sunday, September 25th in which all of our Church Programs will be represented in our Auditorium. So, please plan on being present that Sunday morning in which all of our Sunday Church School Classes will be highlighted with displays together with all the various ministries of our St. Andrew Parish. Come and see what our children are learning in their classes and see what St. Andrew’s has to offer you and your family through its various ministries! As you may have noticed our St. Andrew’s Children/Youth Choir again chanted the responses to the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, September 11th, and will continue to do so the first Sunday of each month. If you would like your son or daughter to participate with this choir, please contact our St. Andrew’s Choir Director, Dr. Peter Jermihov, by calling the Church Office. We also ask that you encourage all of our young choir members in their efforts. This school year our Sunday Church School will continue to focus on teaching our students the inspiring hymns of our Divine Liturgy. In addition to those participating in our Youth Choir, all of our students will be learning the prayers and hymns of our Divine Liturgy as part of their class instruction. Mrs. Maria Kotsinis will be instructing our students in grades Kindergarten through fourth grade within a special classroom on the 2nd Floor, and Dr. Peter Jermihov will be instructing our students in our fifth through high school classes in our Holy Cross Chapel. These classes will be held as part our regular Sunday Church School Class instruction time. This hymnology instruction will take place on the first Sunday of each month starting in October so that our children are enriched with the beautiful music of our Church and so that they can better participate in our Divine Liturgy and services of our Church. Parents, many of you received a Divine Liturgy Hymnal as a registration gift in past years. Please refer to this book and help us in our efforts to teach our children the beautiful hymns of our Holy Orthodox Church, and to use their beautiful voices in singing praises to God! Finally, in preparation for this year’s Godparent Sunday on November 20th, we are requesting that our students new to our Sunday Church School submit a baptismal picture for our picture display collection. Our Baptismal Picture Gallery is a wonderful way for our Parish family to share the baptism memories of all of our students. So please submit your child’s baptismal picture by bring it to our Sunday Church School Office by Sunday, October 23rd, along with the form that was in your registration packet. Looking forward to seeing you!

With Love in Christ, Kathy Siavelis

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PTO CALENDER OF EVENTS

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PTO CALENDER OF EVENTS/Con’t

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Dear Philoptochos Members and Friends:

During this past month we have been very busy. Saturday, September 10th, Philoptochos and the Sunday School went to Feed My Starving Children in Schaumburg, Il where we filled 61 boxes of food. This equates to 13,176 meals which will feed 36 children for a year. The value of this was $3,162.24 if it was purchased. It was a very rewarding time spent with our children to help other children in need.

Thank you to Demetra Christus for helping to organize Holy Cross Vespers/Holy Cross. Also thank you to Eugenia Demos and Angela Alexopoulos for baking as well as the ladies who helped on both days.

On Saturday, September 24th, 23 people represented Philoptochos at The Metropolis of Chicago Ladies Philoptochos Annual Luncheon.

This luncheon benefits St. Iakovos Retreat Center, The Metropolis of Chicago Philoxenia House and The Metropolis Philoptochos Philanthropic Endeavors. Patty Tsaoussis was one of the co-chairs for this very enjoyable afternoon..

The following is an update on upcoming events that you will want to mark down on your calendars.

Thursday, October 13 Meeting/St. Andrew’s Women’s Philoptochos presents Paula Renee Burzawa (Akouris) author of “Seasons of Sun “

at our upcoming Thursday, October 13, 2011 meeting Fellowship 6:30 pm, Meeting 7:00 pm

Presentation 7:30 pm - Presidents’ Room

When a shy American teenager travels with her mother to the mountain village of Vassara, Greece, after the death of a family member, she is overcome with grief. By discovering her heritage, she stumbles upon a gateway for a new life.

What starts out as a holiday abroad quickly turns into the discovery of a magical place, where love and friendship endure through time and where traditions of an ancient world survive modern change to bring about an inexplicable miracle.

Winner of the: Editor’s Choice Award and Rising Star Award Looking forward to seeing you for this delightful

and heartwarming novel.

Fall Fling, Saturday, October 22, 2011, at the Rosewood, we will be having our major fundraising event. Mrs. Dena Anastos and her committee have planned a wonderful afternoon. Proceeds from this event will benefit Women’s Behavioral Health Services for the Northwestern University Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and other Philoptochos endeavors. We hope you will all be able to join us. We look forward to seeing you not only at these events, but other Philoptochos get-togethers. Everyone is welcome! Vonnie Karafotias Philoptochos President Continued pg. 16

Philoptochos Meetings and/or outings for 2011

Thursday, October 13, 2011 – 6:30 pm fellowship, 7:00 pm meeting, 7:30 Presentation – “Season’s of Sun” Author: Paula Renee Burzawa (Akouris) - Presidents’ Room Friday, November 18, 2011 – 6:00 pm Fellowship & Brief Meeting - Presidents’ Room. Light Lenten meal will be provided & preparation of Thanksgiving baskets along with our youth Thursday, December 15, 2011 – Philoptochos/PTO Christmas Dinner Outing – Location and Time TBD

(Dates and times subject to change. See your Sunday Bulletin/Anchor)

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St. Andrew’s Philoptochos/Volunteer Form – 2011-12 Dear Members, Please take a few moments and look at the list below to see where you would be interested in helping or participating in. It is with your help that we are able to do the things listed below. Thank you, Vonnie Karafotias

Please put a X next to what you’d like to volunteer or chair below

Special Trays – 2011 – 12 ___Sunday, November 6 SS Cosmas/Damianos Ecumenical Patriarchate ___Sunday, March 18 HC/HC Lenten Event

September, 2011 ___Saturday September 10 Feed My Starving Children 4:15 – 6:30 Schaumburg ___Tuesday, September 13 Holy Cross Vespers ___Wednesday, September 14 Holy Cross ___Saturday, September 24 Metropolis Luncheon - Rosewood ___Thursday, September 29 Membership Evening - Maria Kotsinis Home

October, 2011 ___Saturday, October 1 IOCC Walk – St. Andrew’s ___Sunday, October 2 Pasta Luncheon ___Saturday, October 22 Fall Fundraiser - Rosewood

November, 2011 ___Monday, November 28 St. Andrew’s Vespers/ Set-up 10:00 am ___Tuesday, November 29 St. Andrew’s Vespers ___Wednesday, November 30 St. Andrew’s Names Day December, 2011

___Sunday, December 11 & 18 St. Andrew’s Vasilopita - selling tickets ___Thursday, December 15 Christmas Dinner Outing Philoptochos/PTO – Location TBD

January, 2012 ___Sunday, January 8 St. Andrew’s Vasilopita (ordering Vasilopita, set-up, etc.) ___Tuesday, January 31 Soup Kitchen – Annunciation Cathedral

February, 2012 ___ Friday, February 17 Glendi/Set-up – 6:00 pm ___ Saturday, February 18 Glendi

March, 2012

April, 2012 ___ Sunday, April 8 Palm Sunday Easter Bake Sale ___ Holy Thursday, April 12 Continental Breakfast – Hollywood House/Parishioners TBD

May, 2012

June, 2012 ___ Thursday, June 14 End of Year Dinner Outing Philoptochos/PTO– Location TBD

Name:_______________________________________________________________(Please Print) Phone Number:____________________________Email:_____________________________

Return to the church office by Sunday, September 11 or email it to Vonnie@karafotias.com or call her at 630-378-4878.

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****Pre-School begins Tuesday, September 6th Greek School Saturday, September 10th****

DR. BASIL E. STEVENS GREEK SCHOOL OF ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH

Registration for both Pre-School & Greek School are now being taken for the 2011-2012 classes

Pre School 4-5 year olds attend 3 days a week 3 year olds attend 2 days a week

The cost for the Pre-School is: $255 a month for 4-5 year olds and $160 a month for the 3 year olds

———————————————————————— Greek School for classes Kindergarten thru 6th grades

attend Saturdays from 9:45 to 12:45.

The cost is $700 a year plus $30 book fee for Stewards and $1,000 a year plus $30 book fee for Non-Stewards.

You may direct all inquiries to the Church Office at 773/334-4515.

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