ISSUE

29
JUNE 2013

Monthly Newsletter for Stewards of Holy Anargyroi Sts. Kosmas & Damianos Greek Orthodox Church

Box & Spoon

2013 Standing Committees

PARISH COUNCIL Aaron Biedermann-President Halina WoroncowVice Pres. Tim Kelly Andru Peters-Secretary Dan JerghiuTreasurer Don Jenkins Tia Maragos Erline Holman Robert Lytle STEWARDSHIP / OUTREACH John Maragos Chair Halina Woroncow Ari Kolas Mark Smith Diana Orbelo ICONOGRAPHY Diana Orbelo Chair Tia Maragos Andru Peters Fr. Mark Muoz BUILDING Tim Kelly- Chair Ari Kolas BUDGET Dan Jerghiu Chair Fr. Mark Muoz AUDIT Jacob Peterson Mark Smith John Maragos PHILOXENIA HOUSE Brad Holman Chair GREEK FESTIVAL Dan Jerghiu Chair Lorenda Jerghiu Silent auction Joe Forrer Set-up/Teardown Tim Kelly Outdoor Cooks Johnny Mangouras Marketing Ari Kolas Marketing Penny Kolas Pastries Maria Thomas Pastries Denise Mangouras Pastries Martha Voytovich Market place Andru Peters Beverages Mike Brekke Beer Garden Ali Ostfeld Children Area

Lois...Lois...Mom...Ma...Mum...Mommy...Mom...Momma!!!!
Interesting icon, is it not?!...and quite different than any other image I placed on the cover of our newsletter! If youre puzzled as to who these individuals are please allow me to introduce you to Stewie and his mother Lois from the popular and edgy sitcom Family Guy. In the particular scene captured above Stewie, in a rather distinct and equally exasperating tone, attempts to get his mothers attention by repeating her name and the various diminutive forms of mother. He continues unabatedly all the while Lois stares emotionless into space completely impervious to his pleading. All of a sudden she cracks and screams in agitation WHAT?!?!?!?!?! to which Stewie responds Hi. and runs out of the room with an obnoxious laugh. Albeit rather comical, I also believe most of us can relate on some level recalling our interactions with these glorious lil creatures we call: children! I can honestly admit that I tell my children to wait one second! or tell me later at least a dozen times a day; in my own self-absorbed busyness I choose to ignore my children. As I write this editorial the Orthodox world is beginning to celebrate an often overlooked festal celebration: the Feast of Mid-Pentecost. As the name connotes we have already reached the halfway mark between Pascha and the feast of Pentecost, celebrated on Sunday, June 23rd. The theme of Mid-Pentecost (celebrated this year on Wednesday, May 29th) is a rather peculiar one. If you were to do a Google image search of this feast you would behold an icon of a young Christ seated in the temple of Jerusalem flanked by the Scribes, Pharisees, and Elders of the city. (John 7:14-30) The Gospel recounts that as Christ was teaching in the Temple during the Feast of Booths many who heard His words murmured, How does this man have such learning when he has never been taught? (Jn. 7:15) In other words, they questioned and doubted His teaching not on account of its content but rather the appearance of the Instructor: a young, uneducated simpleton. The commemoration of this event in the life of Christ forces me to examine my interactions with my inexperienced, unlearned, and immature children. Do I casually dismiss the opportunity to interact, dialogue, and LEARN from them simply because I cant be bothered? Do I, at times, question the importance and validity of encouraging my children to share their own personal spiritual experiences and thoughts with me as their father? Unlike Stewies flippant and inflammatory interactions with his mother, more often than not, our children posses a unique and precise perspective on spiritual realities by reason of their innocence and purity untouched by the corruptibility of the world. Christ reminded those gathered in the Temple that day, Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment (Jn. 7:24). As Orthodox parents let us not be afraid, bothered, or indifferent in engaging our children...especially on matters of the Faith...who knows, WE might be the ones who end up being instructed and enlightened by the teaching of those whom we think have never been taught!

+Fr. Mark

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life. CHRIST IS RISEN

Calendar for June 2013

Saturday Sunday Monday Saturday Monday Thursday Monday Thursday Saturday Sunday Monday Saturday Sunday June 1st June 2nd June 3rd June 8th June 10th Festival Baking: Baklava Church School Teachers' meeting after Liturgy AC/DC Adult Religious Ed Paraklesis of healing to St. Nektarios Philoxenia 5k Benefit @ Holy Apostles, Westchester, IL AC/DC Adult Religious Ed Orthros/Divine Liturgy June 17th AC/DC Adult Religious Ed June 20th St. Philothei Project Orthros/Divine Liturgy June 23rd Feast of Pentecost **Kneeling Vespers immediately following Divine Liturgy** June 24th AC/DC Adult Religious Ed Parish Council Orthros/Divine Liturgy June 30th Sunday of All Saints AND Special General Assembly 6pm 6:30pm 8:30am Wednesday June 26th 8:30am 6pm 6pm 6pm 8am 6pm 8:30am 9:30am

Wednesday June 5th

June 13th Feast of the Ascension of our Lord

Mon.-Thurs. June 17-20 Fr. Mark to speak at National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C. 6pm 8:30am June 22nd Saturday of Souls

June 29th SS. Peter and Paul the Holy Apostles

NOTICE: THIS IS OUR LAST BOX&SPOON PAPER PUBLICATION!!!

In an effort to cut costs (due to our current financial crisis), we will be stopping all further printing and mailing of our Box & Spoon publication. All future issues will be posted online for self-printing. We will send an email to our Parish Email List once a month announcing each new issue. If you are not on our Email List yet, please go to our website and sign-up: www.rochesterorthodoxchurch.org. You may also notify the Church Office of your email address for inclusion. Also, several black and white print-outs will be left in the Church Narthex for those who do not use computers. This is effective immediately. Thank you!

O Christ our God, You ascended in Glory and gladdened Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit.

Feast of the Holy Ascension, June 13th 2013

Philoxenia House News

This month I am going to turn from human to more practical topics concerning the Philoxenia House. I want to take this time to update everyone to the changes that have occurred over the last several months. First, the remodel updates are now all complete. The last of the projects was the upstairs in the Philoxenia House. We now have a beautiful new kitchen with new cabinets, stove, microwave and dishwasher. One of the things that slowed down the progress was the acquisition of the built-in dishwasher. Because of limited space, it was decided to buy one that was smaller than normal which had to be custom ordered.

The bathroom has a new tiled shower, paintjob and a pocket door was installed to make the space more efficient.

The bedrooms received new paintjobs and thorough cleanings.

Other than good cleanings, no changes were made in the living room. It is my hope that in the near future we would be able to replace the couch and the television. They are both functional, but are not up to the same standards of those items in the other two apartments.

I would also like to encourage you to visit our newly designed Facebook page and website. I am sure that you will be impressed. The website address is www.philoxeniahouse.org. Be sure to Like us on Facebook and recommend the Philoxenia House to all of your friends and family who are Facebook members!!!! In Christ, Bradley Holman President of the Philoxenia House

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life. CHRIST IS RISEN

Youth Team Report

An amazing Holy Week, punctuated with a 15-inch snowfall on Holy Thursday, directed us to the Feast of Feasts on May 5th. Our youth and their families participated every step of the way leading to this pinnacle of our liturgical calendar. Our GOYAns spent a beautiful Saturday afternoon scraping, polishing, dusting, and vacuuming our church in preparation for Holy Week. On Palm Sunday, our children raised their palms high in procession, marking the entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem. As has been our tradition, the GOYAns served as readers of the 7 Epistles at the Holy Unction service on Holy Wednesday. On Holy Friday, we held a retreat focusing on the themes and events of the forthcoming holy days and services. We considered Old Testament prophecies made manifest in Christs passion and Resurrection, and spent time considering the rich theological teachings expressed in the icons of the Crucifixion and the Harrowing of Hades. Meanwhile, our younger girls were preparing for their roles as myrrh bearers for the Lamentations service. They portrayed the faithful women ever ready to minister to our Lord in life and in death, who were the first to learn of His miraculous Resurrection and proclaim the good news. A number of young families braved the midnight Resurrection Service and yet others participated in the Agape Vespers. Our youngest children raised their voices before the congregation to offer a beautiful rendition of Christ is Risen. Afterwards, they enjoyed an egg hunt and a unique Paschal piata! Our Church School year came to a close this past month. We graduated two seniors who have been integral members of our youth program throughout their years at Holy Anargyroi Deanna Kolas and Zach Brekke. We will miss you both, but hope to still see you from time to time during visits home. You have an open invitation to join class at any time! Deanna was, also, selected by the GOYAns as the Good Shepherd this year an honor bestowed upon a peer for their participation and example within the youth program, church school, and in church life in general. Congratulations on an award welldeserved, Deanna! We ended the school year with our annual picnic -- sneaking in a fun afternoon before the rain clouds rolled in. We hope to see all of our families in church throughout the summer months. The Heavenly Banquet is prepared for us every Sunday lets accept the invitation! A blessed summer to all! Youth Team Coordinators: JOY: Loredana Jerghiuta GOYA: Halina Woroncow & Mike Brekke

O Christ our God, You ascended in Glory and gladdened Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit.

Feast of the Holy Ascension, June 13th 2013

We are honored to have Fr. Mark represent Orthodox Christianity at the 2013 National Hispanic Prayer Conference
Faith Leaders Confirmed to Speak at National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast and Conference!
We are proud to welcome Reverend Justo Gonzalez: founder of the Asociacin para la Educacin Teolgica Hispana Leith Anderson: head of the National Association of Evangelicals
In addition, we'll hear from:

Dr. Carlos Campo: President of Regent University Lynn Godsey (Advocate Award Recipient), Pastor | Founder of La Alianza Hispana Evangelica De Dallas- Fort Worth Metroplex (AHEM) Father Mark Muoz: Greek Orthodox Church Archbishop Robert Octavio Gonzalez Nieves Archbishop of San Juan de Puerto Rico Dr. Diaz Pabon Author of Secrets of Faith for an Abundant Life | President, Sociedad Misionera Global (Global Mission Society) | Radio and television host Marcos Witt Five-time Latin Grammy Award-winning Christian singer Pastor | Founder, CanZion Institute

Featured Library Item of the Month

A Beginners Introduction to the Philokalia (BOOK) by Fr. Anthony Coniaris
Location: Writings of the Saints This book focuses on twenty basic themes from the Philokalia, a collection of key texts of 30 Church Fathers from the 4th to 15th centuries. Using citations from the original text, this book gives an introduction to the complex writings of the Philokalia. Our library also has four volumes of the English translation of the Philokalia (The Philokalia: The Complete Text), as well as a VHS video and a handful of other books about the Philokalia.

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life. CHRIST IS RISEN

O Christ our God, You ascended in Glory and gladdened Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit.

Feast of the Holy Ascension, June 13th 2013

2013 Pascha in Pictures

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life. CHRIST IS RISEN

St. George Ethiopian Church Open House

On May 19th, Saint George Ethiopian Orthodox Church, held an open house for their new Church at 804 East Center St. in Rochester. Father Mark attended the event and presented them first with an awe inspiring, beautiful icon of Saint George written by dear our sister and parishioner, Dr. Catherine Weiler! The whole Ethiopian Orthodox Church erupted in cheers and applause upon seeing this gorgeous gift and after that, Father Mark presented Abba Addis with Holy Anargyrois check (parishioners personal donations) of $1,184! Thank you! The Glory is Gods! During the open house, Saints Kosmas and Damianos Greek Orthodox Church, was mentioned many times by the Ethiopians in their gratitude to our parish. They presented our parish with a large beautiful print. Two of the speeches (from the many) that day are printed here for you to read. The first speech is from Abba Addis Mellaw who is the Spiritual Father of the three Ethiopian Orthodox Churches here in Minnesota: two in the cities and now one in Rochester. The following are his words: To Saint Kosmas and Damianos Greek Orthodox Church, Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 On behalf of the community here in Rochester, MN the St. George Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church board is pleased to choose your Greek Orthodox Church as Best Supportive to our Church for the last eight years. Congratulations! On this very well deserved recognition, and please let all of your community know how proud we are on your willingness to go above and beyond. It is well known to all of us in our community, and clearly the word has spread. We are all fortunate to benefit from Gods blessings on a daily basis for the last many years, owing your free generous gift to use your own building. It is always a pleasure to see a cooperative like you receiving recognition and applause that you deserve so well. You will always be remembered in our hearts. Thank you again for all you did for our community. God willing, it is our sincere belief that the mutual cooperation we have had will remain the same in the future to come. God bless, Addis Mellaw, Priest The following was shared by Aklilu Grosso who is the President of Saint Georges parish council: I thank all of you on behalf of St. George Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church. Our Church was founded eight years ago by a few dedicated Ethiopian Christians who were not more than ten in number. The objective of the group was simply to bring Christian Ethiopians together to worship God based on their traditional beliefs and values. Initially the founders used to go around in apartments and learn the bible together. This program was carried out every Sunday. The number of attendees that had joined the bible reading program had increased in a short amount of time. Of course there were no church services apart from regular prayers and bible readings. As the number of members started growing, some people came forth demanding more church services and better places. To meet the spiritual needs of the members, the founders searched for a better place as well as look for a Priest who can organize and lead the congregation to centuries-old tradition and values of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. So the time came when we approached Saint Kosmas and Damianos Greek Orthodox Church to request a temporary room for our members to worship in. The Greek Orthodox Church, the Priest, the administration and the people graciously offered us a little room which we could accommodate the members that we had at that time. It did not take long until we were allowed to use the whole building of the old church soon after they moved into the new building. Our Greek Orthodox Church families encouraged us to stay together and supported us in saving our money that has been contributed by our members. They generously opened their church building doors for us to use everything made available for themselves. God bless the Greek Church and its people who brought us here today standing on our own two feet in front of this congregation. Our Ethiopian members contributed their money, energy and time to purchase a new building when the right one is found. In the meantime, the organization process was continued and church by-laws have been adopted, our church began to provide more denominational services like Kidasse (Divine Liturgy), baptizing children, offering Holy Communion, wedding ceremonies etc. With strong members determination, with great Greek Orthodox support, with neighboring Ethiopian Orthodox Church members support, and above all with Gods help, here we are in our own church building.We thank you for your support. Aklilu Grosso, Parish Council President

O Christ our God, You ascended in Glory and gladdened Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit.

Feast of the Holy Ascension, June 13th 2013

This year marks the 50th anniversary of our Greek Festival. We need everybodys help to make this years festival special! Here are a few ways anybody can help: Mark your calendars and make sure you will be available the last weekend in August (Friday 8/23 to Sunday 8/25). If possible also plan to be available Wednesday 8/21 and Thursday 8/22 to help with setup and food preparation. Join the Festival Committee and participate in planning and organizing the event. No prior experience required you can learn a lot just attending a few meetings. Meetings are Wednesday nights from 7PM in the library and currently scheduled on the following dates: 5/15, 6/12, 7/10, 7/24 The bake sale is a main attraction at the festival. There arent many other places where you can still find home-made pastries. We need a lot of help to prepare them. The more volunteers we have the faster we get done. Last couple of years we had very long baking days due to small turnout. If you are between 4 and 94 and can stand for a couple of hours you can help. No prior experience required youll get all the training on the spot. Please review the schedule below and plan to participate as many baking sessions as possible: Saturday, June 1 Monday, June 24 Wednesday, July 10 Saturday, July 13 Saturday, July 27 Wednesday, August 21 Thursday, August 22 Friday, August 23 9:30 Baklava 9:30 Cookies 9:30 10:00 10:00 9:30 9:30 Cookies Galaktobouriko (Prepare) Cookies Dipping Diples and Melomakarona Karidopita and Kopenhi

9:30 Final preparing and setup

Donate items, baskets or money for the Silent Auction. Contact Loredana Jerghiuta (loredanaj@yahoo.com, 507-271-5928). Do not forget that the Auction is 100% profit - there are no bills to pay in the end. Your gift will have the maximum impact. Dan Jerghiuta (festival@holyanargyroi.org, 507-271-7688)

Christ is risen from the dead, by death, trampling down upon death, and to those in the tombs He has granted life. CHRIST IS RISEN

Philoptochos Society
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Thank all of you who have attended, volunteered or donated towards our Palm Sunday dinner fundraiser. We netted $1,117, which will be given to our committed philanthropic charities. Thank you to Ann Kolas, Angie Rustad, Penny Kolas, and Loredana Jerghiuta. We also have great gratitude to George Yogi Kereakos for his sponsorship, thank you Yogi! I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all of you to volunteer for the Greek Festival. There are many jobs that need to be filled by both men and women. The proceeds of the Greek Festival go directly to the Church and all of us parishioners need to be out in full force to help our beloved Church. All hands are needed and no job is too small; every effort is a contribution to the Church. Thank you. On June 29th we celebrate the feast day of the Apostles Peter and Paul together because they are the pillars of the Church, were both martyred in Rome under Nero around the year 68AD and they zealously fulfilled their apostolic missions here on earth. They were chosen by the Lord Himself, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, they served our Lord Jesus Christ and glorified God. An Apostle, defined by Orthodox Wiki, is one who is sent by our Lord Jesus Christ to spread the Gospel that He is the Messiah, that He is risen and that we are being saved as a result. The Apostles, Saints Peter and Paul, lived this definition with deep passion as they truly represent the spiritual work that is to be done when the Lord calls If anyone wants to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. Matthew 16:24. In addition to the feast day on June 29th with Saint Paul, we also honor Saint Peter alone on January 16th. One of the reasons we, as pilgrims, need to reflect on both Saints Peter and Paul is to mediate on the individuals, their different lives with Christ and what they both, despite their differences, represent. The differences between the two men are vast in many ways. Saint Peter personally knew Jesus Christ and followed him for three years where Saint Paul met Christ after His ascension. Saint Peter was married; Saint Paul was not and hence was also celibate. Saint Peter was an unlearned, humble, poor fisherman and Saint Paul was a high ranking, educated philosopher. Before they were bestowed the gifts of the Holy Spirit, Saint Peter denied the Lord three times and Saint Paul severely persecuted Christians. Saint Peter preached to the Jews whereas Saint Paul preached to the Gentiles. Saint Peter was a healthy, robust man whereas Saint Paul suffered from many physical ailments. They are also known to have, during their lifetimes, strong disagreements. One of the prominent conflicting views of the two men was in regard to how people were catechized into the Christian faith or how to receive new members. It is the Holy Spirit that elevated them to overcome their disagreements and build the Church. On the feast day of Saints Peter and Paul; let us prayerfully reflect on and honor the individual spiritual paths they walked as well as recognize and celebrate the most important gift they shared: a true, genuine, full, and obedient love for our Lord Jesus Christ. You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and all Judea, and Samaria and to the end of the earth.- Jesus Christ to His Apostles in Acts 1:8 CHRIST IS RISEN! Calli Kelly Philoptochos President

O Christ our God, You ascended in Glory and gladdened Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit.

Feast of the Holy Ascension, June 13th 2013

Parish Council
Christ is Risen! We are upon new beginnings for our parish with the opportunity to take back our Fellowship Hall. Due to safety concerns, our renters have been given notice. As of July 1st, our Hall will be ours again just in time to prepare for our 50th Annual Greek Festival. While this is wonderful opportunity it comes with a stewardship responsibility in both time and talents. The Parish Council has worked diligently this past month to identify expense reductions. This was handled with great scrutiny and sacrifice to ensure the financial viability of the church going forward. One immediate change is that this will be our last printed and mailed edition of the Box and Spoon. Future newsletters will be sent electronically via email. Black and white copies will be available each month in the Narthex of the church. This is a significant cost savings in both printer ink and postage. Two areas that require your assistance are for maintenance of the grounds and the interior of the buildings. If you are interested in mowing once or twice this summer, please contact myself. If you are willing to help clean, please contact Erline Holman. Involvement from many families will ensure that this will be both a periodic rotation, and a sustainable solution. As a Council, we look forward to the change and opportunities ahead. This is truly an opportunity in stewardship to interact and grow together as a parish community. Aaron Biedermann Parish Council President

Treasurers Report
Jan - Apr 2013 Actual Total Income Total Expenses Net Income $61,952.67 $85,014.92 ($23,062.25 Jan - Apr 2012 Actual $71,518.71 $76,059.15 ($4,540.44) 2013 vs 2012 Dierence ($9,566.04) $8,955.77 ($18,521.81) Jan - Apr 2013 Budget $70,260.00 $85,273.00 ($15,013.00) Actual vs. Budget Dierence ($8,307.33) ($258.08) ($8,049.25)

Wisdom from the Church Fathers

Pray, my brethren, to the Mother of God when the storm of enmity and malice bursts forth in your house. She, Who is all-merciful and all-powerful, can easily pacify the hearts of men. Peace and love proceed from the one God, as from their Source, and Our Lady - in God, as the Mother of Christ the Peace, is zealous, and prays for the peace of the whole world, and above all - of all Christians. -St. John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ: Part 1, Holy Trinity Monastery pg. 179, 19th century His love for me brought low His greatness. He made Himself like me so that I might receive Him. He made Himself like me so that I might be clothed in Him. I had no fear when I saw Him, for He is mercy for me. He took my nature so that I might understand Him, my face, so that I should not turn away from Him. -42 hymns discovered in 1905 in a Syriac Manuscript., Odes of Solomon 7 (The Odes and Psalms of Solomon R. Harris adn A. Mingana II, pp. 240-1). Written in Greek for the Christian communities of Syria., Early 2nd Century

GREAT FEAST OF PENTECOST, SUNDAY JUNE 23

After the Saviour's Ascension into the Heavens, the eleven Apostles and the rest of His disciples, the God-loving women who followed after Him from the beginning, His Mother, the most holy Virgin Mary, and His brethren-all together about 120 souls returned from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem. Entering into the house where they gathered, they went into the upper room, and there they persevered in prayer and supplication, awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit, as their Divine Teacher had promised them. In the meanwhile, they chose Matthias, who was elected to take the place of Judas among the Apostles. Thus, on this day, the seventh Sunday of Pascha, the tenth day after the Ascension and the fiftieth day after Pascha, at the third hour of the day from the rising of the sun, there suddenly came a sound from Heaven, as when a mighty wind blows, and it filled the whole house where the Apostles and the rest with them were gathered. Imme-

First in prominence among the Apostles, and teachers to the Universe, intercede to the Master of all for peace in the world and for our souls great mercy. SS. Peter & Paul celebrated Sat. June 29th Orthros/Divine Liturgy 8:30am

diately after the sound, there appeared tongues of fire that divided and rested upon the head of each one. Filled with the Spirit, all those present began speaking not in their native tongue, but in other tongues and dialects, as the Holy Spirit instructed them. When they heard that sound that came down from Heaven to the place where the disciples of Christ were gathered, all ran together to learn what had taken place. But they were confounded when they came and heard the Apostles speaking in their own tongues. Marvelling at this, they said one to another, "Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?" But others, because of their foolishness and excess of evil, mocked the wonder and said that the Apostles were drunken. Then Peter stood up with the eleven, and raising his voice, spoke to all the people, proving that that which had taken place was not drunkenness, but the fulfilment of God's promise that had been spoken by the Prophet Joel: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that I shall pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and daughters shall

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A visual diagram of church history