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Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church 1001 East
Wyomissing Boulevard Reading, PA 19611
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
NON-PROFIT
ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID Reading, PA
Permit No. 101
Saint Catherine the Great Martyr of Alexandria was the daughter
of Cestus, a wealthy patrician of Alexandria which was the
capital of Egypt and metropolis of arts and sciences. Her mother
was secretly
a Christian and, through her spiritual father, brought Catherine
to the Christian
Faith. In a vision, St. Catherine received a ring from the Lord
Jesus Himself as
a sign of her betrothal to Him. This ring remains on her finger
to this day. She
was greatly gifted by God, exceptionally well educated in Greek
philosophy,
medicine, rhetoric and logic, and added great physical beauty to
this. When
the wicked Emperor Maxentius offered sacrifice to idols and
ordered everyone
to do the same, St. Catherine came with daring before him and,
though declaring her allegiance,
denounced his idolatrous errors. The Emperor, seeing that she
surpassed him in wisdom and learn-
ing, summoned at her request fifty of the wisest men from
throughout the Empire to dispute with her
about faith and put her to shame, but Catherine showed up the
errors and contradictions of oracles,
poets and philosophers and the fifty were silenced. The furious
Emperor commanded that all fifty
wise men be burned. These men, at St. Catherine’s prayers, all
confessed the name of Christ at the
moment of death, and proclaimed themselves Christians. When the
martyr was in prison, she
brought Porphyrios the general, with two hundred of his
soldiers, to the Faith, and also the Em-
press, Augusta-Vasilissa. They all suffered for Christ. At St.
Catherine’s martyrdom, an angel of
God appeared to her, stopping and breaking the wheel on which
she was being tortured, and after
that the Lord Christ Himself appeared to her strengthening her.
After many tortures, she was be-
headed with the sword at the age of eighteen, on November 24th
310AD. Milk flowed from her
body in place of blood. Her body was then conveyed by two Angels
from Alexandria to Mount Sinai.
There it was discovered in the eighth century by an ascetic who
lived in the vicinity. The precious
relic was later translated to the Monastery that the Emperor
Justinian had founded in the sixth cen-
tury. It is there to this day, giving forth a heavenly scent and
working countless miracles.
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The
Community
Echo
Η
ΚΟΙΝΟΤΙΚΗ
ΗΧΩ
November
2019
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Giving Thanks in All Things…...…....1,7,8
Church Information.……………..…….....2
Message from Fr. Theodore………...…..3
St. Nektarios of Pentapolis……........4,5,6
2019 Women’s Retreat Flyer..................9
Message from Dn. Jim……………...10,11
Bazaar Pics……………………………...11
Calendar & News..................................12
Parish Council Report & more...……....13
Trips and Marches….…………………..14
GOYA/JOY/Young Adults……...………15
Sunday School……..…………………...16
Parents’ Corner.....................................17
Philoptochos News………...…….……..18
Μemorial Donations……………............19
Saint Catherine the Great Martyr……...20
INSERTS
Church Calendar
Journeys of Faith Flyer
Blood Drive
Penn Street through the Years
Bazaar, Thank you!
Giving Thanks in All Things Chapter 17 from the book, Remember
Your First Love,
by Fr. Zacharias of St. John the Baptist, Essex
AS WEAK MEMBERS of the great and glorious Body of Christ, we
rely on the prayers and intercessions of the Saints, who are
the
strong members of the Church. And simply by thanking God for
them, we partake of the greatness of their faith, their strength
and
their spiritual gifts.
St Barsanuphius says that thanking God makes up for our
shortcomings and intercedes before God for our weaknesses.
If
we give ourselves over to the spirit of thanksgiving, God
showers
upon us even greater blessings, inspiring us to
ever-increasing
fervor. And there comes a point when we see God’s providence
everywhere we look. We will thank Him for every breath of air,
as
we say in one of the prayers during the Sacrament of Holy
Baptism. The spirit of thanksgiving also leads man to
repentance,
because he senses that his fallenness stops him from offering
such
gratitude as is worthy of God.
We benefit from the prayers and intercessions of the Saints for
the
whole world whenever we give thanks to God for all the gifts
we
have been granted. And the same thing happens when we thank
Him for His benefits towards all men, at all times and in all
places.
It is for the benefit of all that God bestows His gifts upon us,
and
this is so especially with respect to His spiritual gifts to His
Saints
and, even more especially, those to his most Holy Mother.
When
we thank Him for them, it is like celebrating our own liturgy
before
God, similar to the Divine Liturgy. Thanking God generally
broadens our heart, and thanking Him for His gifts to our
brethren
makes them ours so that, in a mysterious way, we are
spiritually
enriched. As the Apostle affirms, ‘All things are for your
sakes, that
the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many
redound to the glory of God.’ Not only does a spirit of
gratitude
conquer the ugly passion of jealousy, it also enriches us with
the
gifts of our brethren, and God is glorified. (Continued on page
7)
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Sts. Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church
Our Mission Statement:
We are called by our Lord Jesus Christ to love God and our
neighbor, to become one as a community of believers and to strive
for theosis (oneness with God). Our Mission as a parish is to
acknowledge and embrace our Lord’s calling and by doing so live our
life daily guided by the four pillars of Orthodox Christianity:
Litourgia (worship), Martyria (witness), Koinonia (fellowship), and
Diakonia (service).
Church Information:
Phone Number 610-374-7511 FAX Number 610-374-5890 Office Hours:
9:00-4:00 www.stsconstantinehelen.org
Parish Council:
President: Artie Fecera 610-670-3434 E-Mail: [email protected]
Vice President: Chris Dikos 610-223-2828
Sal Caloiero, Athan Dialectos, Connie Fecera, Angel Helm, Nick
Karetas, Anthony Koumaras, Christ Kraras, Gus Kotsakis, Mike
Mavreles, Strat Marmarou, Shawn Moliatu, Tony Phyrillas, Kim Shunk,
Chris Wagner , Christy Weeber
Clergy & Church Staff:
Fr. Theodore Petrides Cell Phone: 570-713-7095 E-mail address:
[email protected] Deacon James Elliker Cell Phone:
610-507-9233 Constantine Alexandrides Cell: 330-398-4621 E-Mail
address: [email protected] Laura Clemens, Secretary
610-374-7511
E-Mail address: [email protected]
Parish Organizations
Philoptochos President, Vlacia
Campbell………[email protected].............................….…. Choir
Director, Ann Kraras………………………………………………………………………
Chanters, Constantine Alexandrides, Petroula Mitsiopoulos Sunday
School, Marisa Hunsicker…………..…………………………………………………. Liturgical Music
Teachers: Presvytera Anne Pappalas, Mary Dialectos (610-478-7001)
Greek School Teachers, Michael & Vanessa Mavreles Adult Greek
School Teacher, Filippia Zeppos Greek Dance Troupe, Esther
Ganas-Miranda, [email protected] ………………………… GOYA Advisors, Chris
& Stefanie Wagner...……………………………………………….....
Joy Adviser, Constantine Alexandrides…………………………………………………...
Vacation Bible School, Marisa Hunsicker(610-376-2927) & Amy
Elliker (610-913-1223) Order of AHEPA, George
Giovanis…………………………………………………………….. Fellowship Hour Coordinator,
Vangie McGowan……………………………………………... Koleva Coordinator, Lyvia
Petris………………………………………………………………... Altar Care, Alan Kachel
(610-223-6470), Peter Patestas (610-823-9387) Epistle Readers, Karl
Krohn…………………………………………………………………...... Church Bookstore, Chris
Dialectos (610-373-7702) & Dawn Medaglia (610-823-9472)
Children’s Library, Denise Porcaro……………………………………………………………... Office
Volunteers, (Des Denne, B. Futrick, J. Giovanis, G. Karahalias, F.
Ioannidi, S. Ioannidi, E. Ioannidi, P. Orphanos, V. Tsakeris, R.
Saraceni, P. Zampelli, L. Goodhart, J. Comins, M. Pettis, M.
Sianis, V. Petrakis, M. Cheri, A. Simotas, E. Anderson) Opportunity
House, Karen Chaknos……………………………………………………….…... Knitting Ministry,
Fran Ioannidi………………………………………………………………..... Kitchen Crew, Stam
Zervanos…………………………………………………………………...
610-929-0918 610-376-2184 330-398-4621 610-376-2927 610-779-7356
610-334-4822 610-376-1926 610-775-7171 330-398-4621 610-775-9602
610-779-1402 484-794-1358 610-779-5223 610-751-1838 610-777-7384
610-223-3898 610-376-4306
God’s Hotline: P-r-a-y-e-r!
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Memorial Donations October 24, 2019
The parish of Sts. Constantine and Helen is extremely grateful
to all the people who generously donate money in memory of their
loved ones.
In Memory of Maria Care Mike & Karen Chaknos, Sicily
Masciotti
In Memory of Angelica Baxewanis Mike & Karen Chaknos,
Despina Denne, Mark, Mary, Jocelyn & Karissa Dialectos, James
& Rula Elliker, Gerald & Elaine Ermentrout, Demetrios &
Fofo Flamporis, Maria Karahalias, Dionisios & Maria Kotsakis,
Gary & Katherine Kunkelman, Steve & Joyce Lecatsas, Panos
& Alexandra Michalopoulos, Leon & Rosemarie Miller, Maria
Papoutsis, Mr. & Mrs. Emmanuel Perezous, Kathy & Jim Rohm,
Shirley Tripolitis, George & Shirley Yatron, Despina Yianoulis,
Alex & Filippia Zeppos, Stam & Joyce Zervanos
In Memory of Anna Carley Scott & Crisanne Bansner, Mike
& Karen Chaknos, James & Rula Elliker, Anthony & Maria
Krallis, Steve & Joyce Lecatsas, Leon & Rosemarie Miller,
Mary Pearsall, Tony & Soula Phyrillas, Kathy & Jim Rohm,
Shirley Tripolitis, Despina Yianoulis, Alex & Filippia
Zeppos
In Memory of Lena Costulas Anonymous In Memory of Lula Dastra
James & Rula Elliker, Terry Harris & Mary Ruth, Gary &
Katherine Kunkelman, Steve & Joyce Lecatsas, George & Aliki
Limberiou, Dimitris & Petroula Mitsiopoulos, Maria Papoutsis,
Dean, Denise, Dante & Victoria Porcaro, Kathy & Jim Rohm,
Harry & Mary Sianis, George & Shirley Yatron, Alex &
Filippia Zeppos, Stam & Joyce Zervanos
In Memory of Alekos Drivas Mr. & Mrs. Dimitrios
Mitsiopoulos
In Memory of Eleni Kakalelis Esther Anderson, Mevu Andronis, Mr.
& Mrs. Aristides Asimakopoulos, Penny Azzarello, David &
Vlacia Campbell, Uula Caramuche, Marian Cheri, Sal & Mary
Caloiero, Maria & Tina Daniels, George, Aris, Effe & Rania
Drakellis, John & Aristea Gougoustaneos, Strato & Irene
Hatzistavrakis, Constance Johns, Dionisios & Maria Kotsakis,
Spiro Kotsakis Family, Anthony & Marika Krallis, Steve &
Nancy Marmarou, Stratton & Joanne Marmarou, Mr. & Mrs.
Dimitrios Mitsiopoulos, George & Dimitra Panagopoulos, Vasilios
& Anna Panos, The Petropoulos Family, Sofria Piriss, Demetrios
& Theodora Siozos, Christos Teloniatis Family, Anthippe &
Georgios Theodosiou, Marianthi Theodossiou, Oostos & Sophia
Tzinis, Alex Vardaxis Family, George & Shirleen Yatron, Eric
& Debbie Yost
In Memory of Joseph Lasky Shirley Tripolitis
In Memory of Michael G. Melnyk III Ralli Melnyk
In Memory of Agatha Palles Marian Cheri
In Memory of Stratton Stefanowicz Mercena, Stephanie & Ed
Breen
In Memory of Elizabeth Zeswitz James & Rula Elliker,
Dimitrios & Petroula Mitsiopoulos
mailto:[email protected]
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Philoptochos News November, 2019
Committee Spotlight: Orthodox Christian Fellowship Led by Marian
Porcaro and Sharon Lountzis, the purpose of this committee is to
establish and maintain a connection with our youth who have
graduated and moved on to pursue their studies, or otherwise left
the area. In addition to sending the student’s contact information
directly to the Diocesan OCF, the committee members communicate
with the youth, their parents, and when possible, the parish
located in close proximity to their new location; this is done in
an effort to facilitate the connection and continuity of our youth
to their church and faith. Messages of support along with four care
packages are sent to our new graduates in October, Christmas,
Valentine’s Day, and Easter.
The first care package was mailed in October to seven college
freshmen. Included in the package were snacks and baked goodies, a
first-aid kit, information regarding a Greek Orthodox Church near
each student, as well as a personal note reminding them their
church family is thinking of them and wishing them a successful
school year!
If you have a child who has started college and their
information has not yet been sent in, you can do so by contacting
Marian at 610-562-3993.
2019 Metropolis Clergy-Laity Assembly and Philoptochos Meeting
Metropolis Board members, Des Denne and Sharon Whitman along with
Kathy Rohm, Marian Cheri and Michele Garrett represented our
chapter on September 27, in Camp Hill, PA.
After review of the budget and disbursements for 2019, the 2020
budget was presented. Various initiative programs were discussed
including “Feeding the Hungry” and “Operation Classroom”. Our
commitment to Opportunity House continues to be one of our “good
works” for feeding those in need. Our chapter has been proactive in
the recent launching of “Operation Classroom” which will offer
support to teachers and students in an underserved school. Future
endeavors may include support of veterans, Alzheimer’s awareness,
and preventing bullying to name a few. Our chapter is in good
standing with respect to the fulfillment of our Metropolis
Commitments thanks to God’s continued blessings and the diligent
work of our membership.
Upcoming Events National Philoptochos Day – November 3, 20019 In
honor of our Patron Saints Cosmas and Damianos, Philoptochos will
offer an Artoclasia and sponsor fellowship on Sunday, November 3.
In addition, a second tray will be passed to benefit the
philanthropic programs and charities of Ecumenical Patriarchate.
St. Xenia will add money from the Chapter Treasury to the collected
funds.
General Membership Meeting The second general membership meeting
will be held on November 11 at 6:30 PM in the Church Fellowship
Hall. Richard Polityka, Berks History Center Trustee and Volunteer
will take us on a nostalgic walk down Penn Street during this
photographic presentation of Reading’s downtown history. All
parishioners are encouraged to join us for this event as we enjoy
the images of “Old Reading” as it was years ago.
Yuletide Around the World St. Xenia will again participate in
the Yuletide Around the World Exhibition at the Reading Public
Museum. Be sure to stop by the museum between November 9 and
January 5th to view the beautiful Christmas tree decorated to
highlight the traditions of our Greek heritage.
Opportunity House The next meal will be served on November 18th.
Please contact Karen Chaknos at 610-777-7384 to help serve or to
donate dessert or money to this worthy endeavor..
Annual Christmas Gathering December 8th is our annual Christmas
gathering. Invitations will arrive in the mail by mid-November.
Prayer Requests
If you have a prayer request for yourself or others and you
would like our members to pray, please contact Vlacia at
484-793-2722.
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with
them.” Matthew 18:20
Philoptochos Mug Sale On sale now are beautiful Philoptochos
mugs, available at a suggested price of $10.00 each. These
attractive mugs are perfect for special occasions, house gifts and
the holidays! Mugs can be obtained by contacting Marian Cheri at
610-373-8285. Enjoy your morning coffee and be reminded of what
Philoptochos is all about: Philanthropy, Fellowship and Faith in
Action.
Blood Drive Please remember to sign up to donate blood on
November 10. Your gift may save someone’s life.
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My Dear Fellow Sts. Constantine and Helen Parishioners,
What a wonderful month of October we've had together! It started
with a pilgrimage
for a dozen of us up to Agia Skepi Women's Monastery in White
Haven for their name
-day celebration (see pg. 14). We then began preparing in
earnest for our own
"Πανηγύρι"--our parish Greek Food and Heritage Bazaar (see
insert & page 11),
cooking and baking in the kitchen almost every day! I was so
proud of all of you at the
Bazaar; how hard you worked, how smoothly the entire weekend
went, how welcoming everyone
was to our guests--especially the dancers from Holy Cross in
Stroudsburg! Congratulations to Ba-
zaar Chairman Chris Dikos and the 'Magnificent 7' (or 8) for a
job well done!
The following week about a dozen of us kicked off our Fall Adult
Study series Journeys of Faith
(see insert) while the week before we had held our second JOY
gathering, this time at Brecknock
Orchard (see pg. 15) on a beautiful crisp Fall day which was
enjoyed by all the kids and parents pre-
sent. All the while we have been holding daily services,
celebrating liturgies for St. Luke, St.
Iakovos and St. Demetrios and getting to know each other much
better.
The month of November promises to be just as rich with lots of
services, get-togethers and celebra-
tions in store. After Presvytera and I return from Dallas, Texas
and the wedding of our daughter,
Photini, our parish will be holding an "all-night vigil" for St.
John Chrysostom on Nov. 12-13th.
Why come to the church on a weekday night for almost 5 hours of
services in a row? Nothing brings
us out of the 'rut' in which we so often find ourselves in our
personal and spiritual lives like spending
that much time in a candle-lit church with beautiful chanting
and the atmosphere of prayer, waiting
on Christ to come to us as our soul's bridegroom in the middle
of the night. I will be holding a vigil
every year in the month of November, having received the great
gift of the relics of three Saints of
the Church (Andrew the Apostle, John Chrysostom, and Arsenios of
Cappadocia) whose feast days
are all in November, for one of these Saints.
For those who cannot stay up quite so late we will hold another
evening liturgy, a Vesperal Divine
Liturgy, on the eve of Thanksgiving, November 27th starting at
6:00pm. That night we will hold the
Great Vespers service including hymns of thanksgiving for having
come to this country, and then
celebrate our 'Divine Thanksgiving' (θέια Ευχαριστία), the
Divine Liturgy. We identify with those
first pilgrims in Jamestown because the Christian life is always
a journey; we are "pilgrims on the
earth seeking the citizenship which is in Heaven" (prayer for
travel). Why not join us on one of the
other Wednesday nights in November and December as well for our
Journeys of Faith class, which
will include guests speakers sharing their story of how they
became (and continue to grow as) Or-
thodox Christians.
We truly have so much for which to be thankful! Cultivating a
spirit of thankfulness keeps us on the
path that leads to joy and blessedness, here, and in the life to
come. In the renown theologian Fr. Al-
exander Schmemann's last sermon before his repose, he gave an
unforgettable sermon which started
with: Everyone capable of thanksgiving is capable of salvation
and eternal joy. It is in this same
spirit of thankfulness for all that we have received here as
members of the parish of Sts. Constantine
and Helen, and our desire to pass on these blessings to the
generations which will follow, that we are
establishing a Vision Committee for our parish which will meet
on Thursday, Nov. 21st at 6pm to
chart the future of our parish. If you would like to be part of
this team of leaders for the future and
you are willing to offer yourself (and not just your ideas) for
the good of others here in our commu-
nity, please contact me. Thanks be to God for All Things!
Yours,
A MESSAGE FROM FR. THEODORE
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St. Nektarios of Pentapolis: A Saint of Our Own
From Pastoral Assistant, Dino Alexandrides
What is the goal of this life? For many this can be a haunting
question, even driving some to despair. Yet as Christians we do not
live as those without hope. The Orthodox Christian tradition has
long taught that the ultimate goal and aim of this brief life is
attaining Christ-likeness and sainthood. Those whom we celebrate as
having joined the ranks of the saints are those men and women who
have lived God-pleasing lives, who while not perfect in this life
allowed themselves to be perfected by God.
What makes someone a saint? For some of the great saints
throughout the history of our Church it has been the offering of
one’s very life in martyrdom. For others it has been retreat to a
solitary place and a war waged with the fiercest forces of
spiritual darkness. For still others sainthood has been achieved by
enduring slander and defamation of one’s character at the hands of
those who opposed God.
If you’re anything like me then you realize that none of these
qualities apply to yourself. Yet in examining the lives of the
saint’s we may even dare to see ourselves walking in their shoes
from time to time. On the best of day’s we may even be reminded
that God calls each one of us to imitate them, mindful that we are
strengthened by their prayers. Fumbling along, we all start
somewhere, needing encouragement to fight a good fight to the
end.
The story of a recent imitator of Christ, who has even gained
the nickname ‘the saint of our century,’ is one that offers hope
for all of us struggling to live the Christian life. Born in
October 1846 in Silyvria, Thrace (northern Greece) Anastasios
Kephalas had a simple upbringing. His parents loved him and his
siblings dearly and imparted to them the greatest treasure of all,
a love for God. However they didn’t have the financial means to
provide for the education young Anastasios longed for. Equipped
with a desire to help his family and continue his education he left
home for Constantinople at the age of 14, a time when most of us
would have just been entering high school. It was at this time that
God clearly began to direct this young man who had been living a
seemingly ordinary life.
Anastasios had to take a boat to get to Constantinople. When he
arrived to the dock and asked a captain of one of the boats to take
him along he refused because Anastasios didn’t have enough money to
cover the cost of the trip. Yet this was an occasion for the first
of many miraculous events in his life. The captain of this
particular ship ordered that the engines be started and the boat be
prepared to leave for its destination. But no matter what he did
the boat wouldn’t move until young Anastasios got back on. Once
aboard the boat it departed without any effort at all, since it now
had its chosen passenger.
Once he arrived to Constantinople Anastasios found work with a
tobacco merchant who paid him poorly. Having no shoes and worn out
clothes his faith in God and prayer was his only hope in life. As
an expression of his simple but profound faith he wrote a letter to
Christ and told Him of his needs.
The letter read as follows:
‘My Little Christ,
I do not have an apron or shoes. You send them to me. You know
how much I
love you.’
Anastasios
He was stopped along the way to mail the letter by a man who
knew his situation and had come to pity him. The man told him that
he would gladly mail the letter for him but was overcome with
curiosity to know the contents of the letter. After reading it he
decided to be an answer to Anastasios’ prayers and sent him an
anonymous envelope with enough money to get appropriate shoes and
clothing. This was another of the many times that God would provide
for him in a miraculous way.
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Sunday School
By Marisa Hunsicker
The Sunday School Department is excited to announce the first
months of Sunday School have been full of activity! We had a record
number of students in the class pictures and attending Sunday
School each week. Everyone looked fan-tastic in the class
pictures!
Parent reminders: Please remember Sunday School starts each week
at 9:45 and to pick up your young children from class before
entering the Social Hall. Altar Boy Parents – please have your sons
signed in class before going up to Altar. Also, the list of which
Altar boys are serving in Altar each week is listed in the hallway
before heading upstairs.
We hope you observed the Sunday School students volunteering in
varying areas on the first Sunday of October. The wonderful Epistle
Reader was Toni Dikos. Our gracious greeter was Peyton Kraras and
thank you to our attentive teenagers that passed the trays. Job
well done!
We are offering our high school students the opportunity to
participate in the Adult Choirs. We are delighted that these
students are offering their talent to our Parish! We will continue
to encourage all Junior and Senior High Students to participate in
the Adult Choirs each week, please contact Ann Kraras –
[email protected] with any questions.
We are excited to continue again this year our Liturgical Music
Lessons this year! All students in 3rd-6th grades will continue
learning the hymns of our Divine Liturgy. Please join them in
singing the hymns each week during the Divine Liturgy.
Also, we are so grateful to all our Sunday School students who
volunteered their time at our Church Bazaar.
We are very proud of all our Sunday School
Students – they are the future of our Church!
Axios!
This month we are spotlighting First and Second grades. Our
curriculum this year is titled “Loving God” and we are learning all
the ways God loves us and the things He does and has done to show
His love for us. Along with the lesson each week, we are enforcing
the basic rules of doing your cross, how to behave upstairs in
Church, and teaching the major holidays of our Church.
The First and Second grade teachers are Argie Hanson, Marisa
Hunsicker, Vicky Radwanski, and Stefanie Wagner. Sophia Cammarano,
Heather Moliatu, and Catherine Zervanos are our helpful aides. All
the teachers are excited to be teaching such an enthusiastic group
of children. These children are so curious and eager to learn about
Jesus, His offerings, and our Church. We are thrilled to help guide
them through their spiritual journey!
Looking Ahead:
Sunday, December 22nd – Christmas Pageant Rehearsal immediately
after Church
Tuesday, December 24th – Christmas Pageant immediately after
service on Christmas Eve
Look for information to be sent home regarding the Christmas
Pageant starting at the end of November.
Any questions regarding the Christmas Pageant, please contact
Marisa Hunsicker at [email protected] .
5
A second miracle connected with the future saint’s life occurred
when he was on a voyage to one of the holy places to worship. The
ship he was on was in danger of being sunk by a terrible storm when
he prayed for God to intervene. Anastasios offered up a simple
prayer that God would spare the passengers and keep them safe.
His prayer went something like this:
‘My God, I do not want to die, I want to preach You. Why do you
permit this (storm)?’
After repeating this prayer several times and dipping the cross
that he wore into the water, commanding it to be still as Christ
had once done, the turmoil of the water came to an end. All those
aboard the ship were amazed but young Anastasios was deeply
saddened. The cross his grandmother had given him containing a
relic of the True Cross was now lost to the sea. By the time the
ship had reached its destination another miracle had taken place. A
knocking sound heard at the bottom of the ship turned out to be the
location of the cross that Anastasios had lost. He held this cross
very dear for the rest of his life and he can even be seen wearing
it in pictures that survive of him.
Anastasios became a monk in the year 1875 at the age of 29 and
became a deacon two years later, taking the name Nektarios. Forced
to leave the dangers of Greece at the time, he went to Egypt where
he was elected Metropolitan of the ancient city of Pentapolis.
Because of his virtuous and holy life which was far different than
his fellow Bishops, they slandered Nektarios and succeeded in
having him removed as the Metropolitan of Pentapolis. Rather than
attempting to defend himself the future saint simply took the cruel
blows and the accusations of people who said that he must have
committed some kind of sin or wrongdoing.
He secretly left for Greece but even there his reputation had
been ruined and people believed that he had done something to
warrant being dismissed as the Metropolitan of Pentapolis. Due to
many false accusations the Church of Greece wouldn’t give him a
position in any of their churches. In the same way that he’d been
in great need as a young man of 14 in Constantinople so he was now,
without a home, food or the most basic of means to survive.
Finally he was appointed as the preacher on the island of
Euboiea and would be responsible for carrying out this ministry
from church to church. However he couldn’t even escape slander and
rumors here and decided to resign from this position. He eventually
became dean of the Rizarios Seminary in Athens, Greece for a short
time. He was appointed by those who had truly come to know him and
see that there was no wrongdoing in him. After his retirement he
left to the island of Aegina where he rebuilt a small monastery and
began a small convent dedicated to the Holy Trinity.
He would tell the nuns of Holy Trinity convent ‘I am building a
lighthouse for you, and many shall see the light and come here to
Aegina.’ His words were truly fulfilled as he offered up his own
life as this brightly shining light.
After a life of earthly sorrows he fell asleep to this life in
great pain in a hospital for the poor. The moment he reposed a
nurse of the hospital and the nun who had brought him there
prepared his body for burial. Removing his old sweater they placed
it on the bed of the paralytic man who stayed next to him in the
hospital. This man became well and arose from his bed praising God
that he had been healed.
It is also said that on the day he fell asleep to this life the
whole hospital was filled with an unmistakable and beautiful
fragrance. The room where the future saint spent his last days is
now a chapel dedicated in his honor.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]
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6
His body now rests at the Holy Trinity convent on the island of
Aegina. As is customary for those who are considered to be holy
during their lifetime, the grave of Nektarios was opened and his
relics examined years after his repose. When his grave was opened
his body was found to be intact and fragrant, with no change even
having occurred to the vestments that he was buried in.
A final attempt to destroy the reputation of this future saint
was made when Archbishop Chrysostom told the nuns of the Holy
Trinity convent to leave his relics in the sun and air for three
days and then rebury him. He thought that in this way the body of
Nektarios would succumb to decay. The nuns obeyed the instructions
of the Archbishop but the body remained intact with no signs of
decay.
Having fallen asleep to this life in the year 1920, he was
officially recognized as a saint by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in
1961. The veneration of this saint of our own times has increased
with each passing year. There are a number of profound lessons that
any person striving to live a Christian life can learn from ‘the
saint of our century.’
The first lesson that can be drawn from the life of St.
Nektarios is that God calls all of us to a life of child-like and
simple faith and trust in Him. As a young man the future saint
learned to cast all his cares upon God (1 Peter 5:7) who provided
everything that he needed. A second lesson to be learned from the
example of this great saint is that God hears the prayers of those
who humble themselves before Him. The third lesson that may be
learned is that we don’t need to defend ourselves against the
attempts of other’s who may spread rumors about us or attempt to
destroy our character. God truly knows us, and even better than we
know ourselves. A fourth, but certainly not a final lesson to be
gained from the earthly life of this great saint is that we can
imitate Christ and shine as bright examples no matter the
circumstances of our lives.
Never having truly been vindicated in this life, St. Nektarios
has now been truly vindicated by God. Ranked among the saint’s he
now intercedes for us all before God. The Church celebrates the
memory of this great saint on November 9th.
As a healer, St. Nektarios is especially invoked by those who
suffer from sickness of any kind, even cancer. Holy and newly
revealed saint of God intercede for us!
Apolytikion
The offspring of Silyvria and the guardian of Aegina
The true friend of virtue who didst appear in the last years
O Nektarios
we faithfully honor thee as a godly servant of Christ
For thou pourest forth healings of every kind
for those who piously cry out
Glory to Christ who hath glorified thee
Glory to Him who hath made thee wondrous
Glory to Him who worketh healings for all through thee.
15
GOYA/JOY/Young Adults
YAL
Young Adults who are interested in joining other parishioners to
help with Opportunity House, please contact Ka-
ren Chaknos at 610-777-7384 or Dino Alexandrides. On the third
Monday of each month (except October and
December), we will meet at the church at 6:30 PM, assist with
loading food, then head right over to Opportunity
House.
13, 20, &
27
GOYA Basketball Practice
Thomas Ford Gym
6-8 PM
16 GOYA Game Night & Dinner Dance Annunciation, York, PA
18 Opportunity House 6:30 PM
22-24 Metropolis Fall Retreat Camp Nazareth
2 Pilgrimage to Agia Skepi Monastery
8 Christmas Decorating/Candy Making
9 Senior Christmas Party
TBD Easter Seals Delivery
15 Christmas Caroling (GOYA & JOY)
15 Ugly Sweater Christmas Party/Secret Santa
On Monday, October 14th our JOY students had a fall outing at
Brecknock Orchard in Mohnton. We made caramel apples, decorated
pumpkins, and had an educational hayride through the Orchard. Thank
you to all parents who made the event possible!
● All GOYA parents and students: Please turn in Emergency
Contact forms by Sunday, November 10th.
● GOYA basketball practice will begin on Wednesday, November
13th at Thomas Ford gym. Practice will last from 6-8 PM.
● GOYA students are invited to serve at Opportunity House on
November 18th. Any student interested in helping should be at the
church by 6:30 PM and expect a time commitment of an hour.
● Any parents who are willing and able to serve the youth of our
church by being a chaperone for youth events can see Vasso Tilley
for more information.
● This month’s JOY event will be a movie night. Details of a
date and time will be forthcoming.
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A group of 14 of our parishioners took a pilgrimage to the Holy
Protection (Agia Skepi) Monastery in White Haven, PA on Tuesday,
October 1st to celebrate the Feast Day of the
Protection of the most Holy Theotokos.
(not pictured: Lefteri Plevrakis and Presbytera Cristen
Petrides)
A group of 12 of our parishioners participated in the Stand Up
For Life & Liberty on Sunday, October 6th. The event, sponsored
by the Berks County Life Chain, was meant to provide a visual
statement of solidarity by the local Christian community that
abortion is grievously wrong and that the church Christ founded is
opposed to the unmerciful killing of pre-born
children.
Pictured left: Marie Patestas with sons Yanni and Matthew
7
Whenever we stand before God in prayer we should carry within
our hearts our whole family or community,
and each of its members in particular: if there are forty of us,
forty people should be present in my heart.
The Lord enjoins us to be united as one by man by His Spirit,
that
there be no division among us. Ad if we all have this in mind
and live
by the same thought, this unity will be given us by God, and no
mem-
ber of the community will be absent from our heart as we stand
in
prayer.
The Body of Christ is manifest in every community on which God
pours out His grace. His gifts are
numerous and each member receives a particular charism, Christ
Himself be invisibly present as the Head
of the Body which contains the fullness of His grace. And
because the Body is one, its members benefit
from each other’s strength: the strength of the Head passes to
the leg, and the strength of the arm passes to
the foot and vice versa. Ad as the Apostle says, ‘Whether one
member suffer, all the members suffer with it;
or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it.’
Every member of our community therefore has a place in my
heart
as I stand before God in prayer and give thanks for them. I
am
then, in a mysterious way, gifted forty times over. And all this
with-
out any labor. When we pray, whether in church or in our
rooms,
we could begin with a prayer such as this:
Lord, I come before Thee together with all my brethren.
Do Thou bless us as we stand before Thee.
Make our souls and minds to rejoice
in the invocation of Thy Holy Name.
Pour out thy grace upon us all.
Fill our hearts with the great comfort of Thy goodness,
and let none of us leave Thy holy temple without the
incorruptible consolation of Thy Spirit
This kind of prayer begets a spirit of unity and draws down on
us such blessings that we will not want to
stop praying. And a strange wonder: this prayer gains in
strength the more we pray. As we mention each
member by name, from our Head (that is, our Abbot, or parish
priest, or bishop, or head of the family) to the
youngest member, God will bless the whole community,
strengthening it and consoling the hearts of all. He
Himself will inspire us to deeper prayer for our brethren for
the sake of His love for them. He will fill us with
His gifts, with peace and love for each other. We will fulfill
the words of the Apostle Peter: ‘Love the
brotherhood fervently’, or ‘extensively’, as the Greek text has
it. Every meeting with a brother will be a
prophetic event—not in the sense of foretelling the future, but
in the sense of bearing witness to God’s will
for man, that the truth of God be manifest in us. The peace
‘which passeth all understanding’ will reign. As
we carry our brethren in our heart, their hearts will be
informed and they will rejoice. Together, all of us will
be co-workers with God for the salvation of our brethren.
As members of one Body, each is responsible for the health of
the whole Body. We have a duty to defend
the life of the Body. The Lord says, ‘If thou bring thy
sacrifice to the temple and there rememberest that thy
brother hath something against thee; leave there thy gift, and
go and first be reconciled to him. He is not
telling us to be reconciled when we know we have offended
someone—that goes without saying—but when
a brother has no peace because of us, even though we are not to
blame. God wants us to humble ourselves
(Continued from page 1)
(Continued on page 8)
The Body of Christ is manifest
in every community on which
God pours out His grace.
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8
as much as we can before our brother, regardless of the apparent
justice of the matter. Our brother’s heart
will then be moved by our humility and he will be able to draw
near to God again. In this way we work with
God for his salvation.
How vitally important it is for the members of the Body to be
united! The Body of Christ consists of parish-
es, monastic communities, families, all of us, wherever we
belong.
If we are tightly united as a knot, we will be an unassailable
fortress, and the enemy will not be able to touch
us. Furthermore, we shall be greatly comforted by each other and
mutually enriched. The victory of Christ
Who said, ‘Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world,’ will
then be ours. In His humility the Lord will
rejoice in our having become collaborators with Him in the
majestic purpose for which He destined us before
the world began—that is, to become like unto Him, to bear within
ourselves the whole Adam. As we carry
each of our brethren in our hearts, we are enlarged, and the day
will come when we bear within ourselves
not only the immediate members of our spiritual family but the
whole world, even as Christ the New Adam
did. We are, all of us, small leaves on the great tree of
mankind, and our lives can never be independent of
the tree.
Thus do we attain to the likeness of Christ. It is for the sake
of this likeness that He continually labors and
serves us. Indeed, God has set His heart on man, as we read in
the Book of Job. He is verily a jealous
God. The heart of man is not meant for anything other than
Himself and he cannot bear to share it. It is
because of His humble desire to be united to us that he permits
the plough of His Cross to till the soil of our
hearts, so that the pain of uprooting everything we are so
tragically attached to might enable us to love and
follow Him wholeheartedly, wherever He may lead us.
(Continued from page 7)
13
On Thursday, Nov. 21st at 6:00pm there will be a special
gathering of parish council mem-bers and others involved in
leadership posi-tions here at Sts. Constantine & Helen in
or-der to form a Vision Committee to chart the future of our
parish. If you would like to be part of this team of
‘servant-leaders’ for the future and are willing to offer yourself
(and not just your ideas) for the good of others here in our
community, please contact Fr. Theodore.
Appeal to Parishioners
In an effort to organize our library, we would like to request
your assistance. If you have a background in library science or,
simply, just love books, we could use your help! Please contact the
church office if you would be willing to donate some time to this
project. We will follow up with you when we have de-tails and a
schedule. Thank you!
From Our Parish Council
Artie Fecera, President
Members present at our October meeting on
Tuesday, October 8, 2019: President Artie Fecera,
VP Chris Dikos, Sec. Tony Phyrillas, Treasurer Mike
Mavreles, Financial Secretary Nick Karetas, Athan
Dialectos, Anthony Koumaras, Connie Fecera, Sal
Caloiero, Kim Shunk, Gus Kotsakis, Shawn Moliatu,
Angel Helm, Christy Weeber, Chris Kraras, Chris
Wagner, and Protopresbyter Theodore Petrides.
Members absent: Strat Marmarou.
Mike Mavreles—Council approved $1,400 to help 7
students go to summer camp. Mike received a re-
quest for a donation from the Nation Forum of
Greek Orthodox Church Musicians. We approved a
$100 donation.
Youth Director/Lay Assistant Constantine
Alexandrides gave Council a 5-page report on his
activities since joining our Church in August.
Shawn Moliatu, our new Financial Secretary
replacing Nick Karetas, recommended we form a
standing Finance committee which he will serve as
Chairman. The Committee will make sure our
Parish complies with all financial reporting
guidelines.
This December, we have 8 members whose terms
end and are up for election. They are Gus Kotsakis,
Shawn Moliatu, Chris Wagner, Nick Karetas, Mike
Mavreles, Christy Weeber, Kim Shunk, and Anthony
Koumaras. Nominations will be accepted at the
November 24th General Assembly. If anyone would
like to join Council, our nomination letter will be sent
November 1st.
Remember to purchase your Gift Cards from Tony
Phyrillas at the end of Liturgy. It costs you nothing
and you are helping our Church.
See you in Church
Yours in Christ,
Artie Fecera
Request for Photos
We are in the process of updating the Church website
and would like to request any photos parishioners
would like to submit for possible addition to the
website. Please email photos and descriptions to Laura
Clemens in the Church office.
VISION COMMITTEE
MEETING
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12
Liturgical Calendar
November
Friday 1st Cosmos & Damianos Orthros 8:30 AM Divine Liturgy
9:45 AM All Acolytes
Sunday 3rd 5th Sunday of Luke Orthros 8:30 AM Divine Liturgy
9:45 AM Acolytes: Group 3 (Seraphim): G. Koumaras, N. Lountzis, P.
Daglis, A.J. Tilley, A. Lynch, N. Rohm, H. Macarantonis, T.
Antonellos, B. Wadsworth, N. Simotas, Z. Simotas
Saturday 9th St. Nektarios (and the Archangels 10/8) Orthros
8:30 AM Divine Liturgy 9:45 AM All Acolytes
Sunday 10th 8th Sunday of Luke Orthros 8:30 AM Divine Liturgy
9:45 AM Group 4 (Archangels): T. Hunsicker, J. Wagner, S. Mitchell,
M. Faust, T. Siegel, D. Schlageter, C. Hunsicker, G. Hunsicker, C.
Kraras, S. Maoury, M. Maoury
Tuesday 12th All-Night Vigil for St. John Chrysostom
8:00pm-12:30am Sunday 17th 9th Sunday of Luke Orthros 8:30 AM
Divine Liturgy 9:45 AM Group 1 (Thrones): D. Porcaro, A. Zeppos, A.
Grassley, A. Sweigart, D. Stroumbakis, E. Hansen, S. Elliker, L.
Elliker, A. Zeppos, C. Zeppos
Thursday 21st ENTRANCE OF THE THEOTOKOS Orthros 8:00 AM Divine
Liturgy 9:00 AM All Acolytes
Wednesday 27th Vesperal Div. Liturgy for Thanksgiving 6:00pm
Sunday 24th 13h Sunday of Luke Orthros 8:30 AM Divine Liturgy 9:45
AM Group 2 (Powers): A.J. Futrick, H. Robitzer, Y. Patestas, M.
Patestas, D. Scantzos, A. Scantzos, E. Ross, J. Ross, J. Futrick,
N. Meitzler, F. Amegangee
There is also the Paraklesis service to the Mother of God each
Wednesday night at 6 PM, Great Vespers on Saturday evening at 6PM,
and various other weekday services. Check the calendar for all
dates and times.
Remember in Prayer
Please remember in prayer parishioners who are in nursing homes
and retirement communities, the home-bound, and those convalescing:
Ruth Anthony, Katerina Aviagianou, Kallie English, James &
Christine Georgeadis, James Graham, Pauline Heckman, Charles
Kafadelis, George Kakalelis, Mary Kontazes, Anna Koumaras,
Constantine Lambros, Kaye Lambros, Irele Loose, Joanne Marmarou,
Helen Nicholas, Sandy Odagis, Kalliope Pappas, William Sianis,
Sebastian Ulrich, Peter Xenias, Catherine Zaharis
And those hospitalized in the month of October: George Giovanis,
Christopher Harris, Stratos Hatzistavrakis, Eleni Kakalelis,
William Sianis, Gail Torrence
Stewardship 2019
Steve Lecatsas, Chairman
Thank you to the following parishioners who have
submitted their 2019 pledge cards:
163 pledges were received to date
totaling $130,295
The average pledge per family is $799.36.
Parishioners who have not yet submitted their 2019 pledge cards
are asked to please do so at their earliest convenience.
Community News
Baptized:
Konstantinos Phillip Lambros on October 13 with Staci &
Michael Futrick
as Sponsors
~ All baptized in Christ have put on Christ ~
Our Sympathy:
To the family of Agatha Palles who passed into eternal life on
October 15
To the family of Eleni Kakalelis who passed into
eternal life on October 16
~ Eternal be their memory ~
9
Schedule for the Retreat
8:00 AM DIVINE LITURGY – St. Tikhon’s Monastery
Church
9:30 - 10:00 Registration and Continental Breakfast – St.
Tikhon’s Monastery
Dining Hall
10:00 - 12:00 Session 1
12:00 - 1:15 Lunch / Bookstore / Museum
1:15 - 2:30 Session 2
2:30 - 3:00 Closing Remarks / Survey
Come visit this wonderful monastery and theological school Fr.
Theodore!
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10
Being Orthodox in America Fr. Deacon James Elliker
Father Theodore asked me to create a page for the ongoing
Community Echo, and left the subject matter up to me. As I thought
about it, and pray about it, I think I would enjoy having a
dialogue with you about being Ortho-dox in America. It is a subject
close to my heart, and I know it is as well to our faith leaders.
For instance, in a recent address, our Archbishop ex-pressed the
reality that we face as a Church on a number of fronts – and
included the fact that we represent 0.3% of the American
population. The 20th century emigration from Europe has mostly
stopped, and many of our marriages are combining traditions, and
their families face the choice of where to raise their new
families. Further, the new generations in America are high tech,
skeptical of large institutions, including Churches, and face a
growing belief in agnosticism – neutrality to the core question of
whether God exists – or in what form. At one of the Bazaar tours, a
very engaging young man discussed with me both his curiosity of the
Orthodox faith, and his current belief of agnosticism. These are
the conversations I hope we get to engage in everywhere! Again as
the Archbishop has pointed out – and our own beloved Bishop
demonstrates daily via social networks - we need to meet the new
generations where they live.
As such, being Orthodox in America is both preserving what we
treasure and reaching out in love. One of the things that has
always meant a lot to me was the fact that the big questions of our
Faith – such as the nature of Christ, being both God and Man – are
settled in both history and heaven. We are a Church of the
Councils, and we don’t have to re-enter historic struggles of the
past. Rather we are free to love.
This theme of love I think is central to our place in history in
today’s America. Are we a Church that expresses love to new
generations. The need is significant - all the technology, rapid
spread of news, limited face to face time with those that may have
different views, plus the normal pressures of work and family, lead
many to isolation. I think we have some gifts to give to others,
even before they may discover the mysteries of our Faith, or rather
might even lead some to enter into those mysteries.
Here are some early ideas to consider in tackling this large
subject.
First, rather than relying on bringing people in – we should
also go out more as well. What I mean is - meet America where it is
at. A simple idea is to share the schedules of games and school
events with each other, and maybe attend a high school basketball
game, or play, or soccer league, somewhere where you know that one
of our Church kids beyond our own families may be playing. Kids
don’t forget when you show up. Now you can take this too far, and
forget to come in as a Church family – but that only increases an
isolated life. We want both out and in – like an accordion!
Second, we need to embrace diversity whenever we bump into it.
Diversity is an overly used word in corpo-rate and political
circles, but at its core it is being open hearted to all
backgrounds. The generation that came from Greece experienced
non-acceptance and the difficulty of working through that phase of
American life. Orthodoxy should be known as universal, for that is
who we are. The history of our Church is spread through-out the
world, taking on local language, and infusing the culture with the
love and message of the incarna-tion. One way of doing this is to
begin to learn a little Spanish – what??? No, don’t desert Greek –
it is our heritage, and I have always loved the language, and the
fact that Roula speaks it so eloquently! (I also always knew when
she started talking to her Mom on the phone about me – even though
I didn’t know a word!). But our surrounding community has a growing
and large population of Hispanic peoples – many right in our
Fr. Dn. James and Roula at
2019 Crop Walk!
11
immediate neighborhood. Further, our beloved Jesse is serving in
Guatemala speaking Spanish daily! Many of our teachers have
numerous Spanish speaking kids. And what better way to greet a kid
who may be riding his bike near our Church from his nearby home,
with ¿Hola como estas? Anyway – maybe just a few words to
connect!
Finally, consider giving close friends one of your favorite
icons – or maybe one of the Saints of their name – even though they
may not be Orthodox. How can someone refuse a window to heaven, and
how can a home not be affected by such a treasured gift. It is
often the iconography that is so striking to our guests and
visi-tors from the Bazaar. This year one person was asking me if we
have small icons available, and I thought – hmm, an interesting
gift idea from our icon bookshelf that we have for our parishioners
downstairs.
Well, I want to hear from you - your questions, ideas, practices
and experiences of engaging America, and especially our local
families and communities, with the gifts of Orthodox love and
mystery. And what better time to ponder these questions, as we
consider both the American tradition of Thanksgiving, and the
Ortho-dox Eucharistic life (from the Greek word to be thankful) and
consider what they may have in common.
Grateful for your love always,
Deacon Jim (DJ)
Scenes from the 2019 Bazaar!
