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The Herald

Newsletter of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Archangels

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1527 Bedford St., Stamford, CT 06905 NOVEMBER 2018

Ever had the experience of someone you heard about from

others, or read about somewhere, that was noticeably different

from what you expected when you actually met?

I grew up in St. Louis during the 1960’s, a time of racial

tension, the agony of the Vietnam War, violence at home and

hippies. It was a flurry that I could scarcely understand as a

school boy in the suburbs. Even though I graduated high school

in 1973, I had a lot to learn about people and culture.

One painful lesson had to do with prejudice. I simply swallowed

commonplace attitudes from my elders about people who were

a different skin color. No one in authority ever sat me down and

said, “Look, this is who blacks really are.” They didn’t need to.

The innuendos, sidebar comments, and whispering aloud were

more than enough to distort my own outlook.

That is, until I really met an African American fellow student in

high school. His name was Gayland. We became friends

through tennis, since we both played on the school team. He

was respectful, fun, intelligent, and, in general, just a neat guy.

Not exactly the type of person I thought he’d be. Without notic-

ing it, my attitude toward a whole group of people began to

change. It did not happen because I suddenly woke up, snapped

to attention and realized, “Hey, black people are a lot like white

people.” It simply happened because of my own experience.

How great a teacher experience is! A direct encounter with

another person can take us to places we could scarcely predict.

What were my own impressions about God growing up?

Someone who was “out there” somewhere, looking down on me

in particular, ready to pounce if I did something really wrong.

Not unlike a rather impersonal, unfriendly policeman in the sky

ready to punish. No one ever drilled that into my head. I just

accumulated it at home, school, church, as well as watching

television. Bo good; do your homework; go to church; don’t get

out of line. I doubt I’m alone.

Imagine my own surprise at encountering the real Jesus Christ

as a young adult. I was studying the humanities over two full

years at a liberal arts college, working hard to make good

grades, and studying classical Western civilization from about

1500 B.C. to the present. This included studying the Bible for

the first time along with great works of ancient and modern

Christian writers. Mind you, my only real contact before this

was memorizing a Bible verse each week during 4th grade

Sunday School.

Low and behold, in the summer between my sophomore and

junior years, I had the experience of Christ in my own bedroom

one Sunday evening as I was resting before going to work the

“graveyard shift” at a local grocery store (from 10 pm – 6:30

am). I did not see a vision; I was not in rapture. Rather, I dis-

cerned an unmistakable presence and heard (in a manner I can-

not explain in words) a voice saying, “Come, follow me.” That’s

the last thing I would have expected. I had left a typical family

gathering with relatives playing penny-poker on the dining

room table. No one ever told me something like this could hap-

pen. I was shocked into a deeper reality of life that I was totally

unprepared for. It was disturbing. I had other ideas about my life

– medical school, or a career in science (I had declared a chem-

istry major). Trembling and befuddled, I then experienced

something utterly unmistakable and without precedent: pro-

found peace. You see, my teenage years had been quite turbulent

for a variety of reasons.

Sometime later, after I entered Seminary, Fr. Ted, our Professor

of New Testament and Orthodox Spirituality, taught us the

profound difference between knowing about someone and

knowing someone through direct experience. Boy did that hit

home. It encapsulated the wide gulf between indirect and

direct knowledge. Not unlike my childhood prejudice that was

changed by real experience.

Direct or Indirect?

Please pledge or donate today

to help reach our goal!

Mail checks to 1527 Bedford Street, Stamford, CT 06905

For more information, call 203-348-4216 or visit

www.archangelsgoc.org

CHURCH OF THE ARCHANGELS CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

“Come let us

rebuild”

PARISH COUNCIL

2 The Herald

s for God, all I can say is that my experience of who God

really is, how God actually works, and what God wants has led

me to change the ideas, assumptions, and fantasies that I col-

lected while growing up. I actually become more aware of real-

ity (instead of living on the surface) as I began to learn the

content of the Orthodox Christian Tradition (an amazing reser-

voir of truth & life), and more engaged in the ancient practices

of living a Christian life:

• Every worship service, especially Liturgy, is an encounter with

Jesus who invites us to be with him and his family (our church

community) for praise, thanksgiving, willingness to change,

hear his words (through hymn, Bible, sermon), and, above all,

share dinner with him as our Host and the Menu (Commu-

nion);

• Developing my own personal Rule of Prayer that fits my sta-

tion & circumstances in life, allows me to be fed spiritually

every day, and challenges me to grow up in Christ; a rule that

includes a prayer book, the Bible, meditation, time for silence,

and fasting;

•

Reading (or listening to) devotional material regularly, like

daily emails, periodic articles and books (such as Beginning to

Pray)

• Opening my heart to appreciate every single encounter with

people and nature as an encounter with the Living God who,

ar from being remotely “out there somewhere” as I thought as

a child, inhabits his awesome Creation, is present in people

(everyone is born with some finite expression of the infinite

God), and is particularly present as Christ in the Body of the

Church (us), above all through holy people (I’ve been blessed

to have encountered some living examples who are nothing

short of amazing).

Just as there was no comparison for me between hearing about

African-Americans and actually getting to know one, so there is

simply no comparison between hearing about God and actual

experience of God. It’s so easy to stick with indirect knowledge.

But I’ll take direct anytime now.

– Fr. Harry

Parish Council

Parish Council elections will be held December. Five of fifteen

seats are up for election or reelection. We very much want to

encourage new faces to join the leadership body of the parish.

Laura Lopez, our new part time bookkeeper, was introduced to

the Council at our most recent meeting. We look forward to

working with her. The recently formed Cultural Center Commit-

tee is comprised of Steven Georgeou (Chair), Stephen Forna-

ciari, Peter Hantes, John Karakadas, Elias Lolis, and Ismini

Naos. They will work closely with our athletic club’s manage-

ment to revisit the business model and identify revenue and cost

opportunities throughout. We recently voted to fund contribu-

tions to two organizations, totaling $1,500, from our budget’s

Mission & Philanthropy line item. They include support for St.

Michael’s Home for the Aged, and further IOCC emergency

relief of hurricane destruction in Florida, Georgia, and the Car-

olinas. Contact: [email protected]

Parish Council Elections – Sunday, December 9

Members in good standing in the Orthodox Church (18 years of

age & older) may submit their name for election (either at a

General Assembly or privately) if they meet the following

criteria:

1. regular attendance at worship services, acceptable moral

lifestyle, and up-to-date stewardship;

2. membership at our parish for at least one year prior to the

election;

3. attendance at a Seminar conducted by area clergy – nearest

ones are at

a. Annunciation here in Stamford on Tue, Nov 6, 6:30-9 pm

b. St. Barbara in Orange on Tue, Nov 13, 6:30-9 pm

c. Assumption in Danbury on Sat, Dec 1, 9 – 11:30 am

d. Annunciation in Manhattan on Sat, Dec 1, 9 – 11:30 am

Pastoral Question & Answer

Question: What will our new part time Administrator do?

Answer: Working under the supervision of Fr. Harry, and along-

side Steve & Laura (bookkeeper 10-12 hours/week), the new

Administrator, who succeeds Ritta, will be responsible for

answering the phone, greeting the public, maintaining the office

(equipment, files, copier, supplies, etc), general emails, all

non-financial data input for CCB (personal & family profiles,

ministries groups, communication, stewardship data & calen-

dar), Sunday & monthly bulletins, and letters. His or her works

hours will basically be Monday-Friday, from 9am – 2pm in the

main office at the Greek Cultural Center (SAC), opposite the

pool, and will report to the entire Parish Council, which

includes printing and copying all documents that they need (fine

for it to be in her job description, but not necessary as part of

this writeup).

. signed documents – to abide by the Uniform Parish

Regulations of the Archdiocese, along with Conflict Disclosure

Statement, and attendance at a Seminar.

Five positions on the Parish Council will be elected to a 3-year

term. For more info, contact Fr. Harry or Jason Konidaris.

Online Donations

As previously reported, online donations can be made through

our church website www.archangelsgoc.org, where you are able

to make one-time or recurring contributions. Please make sure

to include a note in the “special instructions” field if you would

like to direct your donation for a specific purpose or ministry.

Donations can be made by bank account or credit card and are

processed securely via PayPal, one of the largest and most

trusted online payment processors. However, you do not need to

have a PayPal account to make online donations. You can expect

to see improvements and refinements to this capability over

time, including the ability to more easily direct your donation to

a particular ministry and provide online payment options for

ministry programming (e.g. Greek School) and social gatherings

(e.g. Mardi Gras, GreekFest). Contact: George Nanos -

[email protected]

Master Planning

Construction work continues.

Inside – Under slab plumbing is being roughed in. Second floor

fire suppression (sprinkler system) installation is underway.

Structural steel work has begun.

Outside – Front and rear entrance foundations have been formed

and poured. Concrete slab for the Fellowship Hall bay window

has been poured.

We have finalized the following selections: Flooring, carpeting,

tile, hardware, plumbing fixtures, decorative lighting fixtures,

window trims, paints, and brick pavers. We are excited about

these selections. They will bring a fresh and inviting feel to our

facilities. We offer thanks to all parishioners for your support in

our efforts. Contact: jason.k[email protected]

Capital Campaign

We are blessed yet have much work ahead of us. Blessed with a

$400,000 anonymous matching pledge from an Archangels

parishioner, we must raise $400,000 in order to earn this match.

It is a call to action! Whether you have pledged in the past or

are considering it for the very first time, give deep thought to

this challenge and to its potential rewards. We would be able to

complete our construction work without the burden of debt. We

will bring beauty and safety to our campus for decades to come.

We will vastly improve our children’s and grandchildren’s expe-

rience. Contact: Elian Kulukundis, [email protected]

Buildings & Grounds

CULTURAL CENTER: During October we were challenged

with humidity and condensation around the gym’s locker ceiling

diffusers, contributing to mildew buildup in the men's locker

room. A contractor inspected the air system serving these areas.

Our condensate line was blocked and certain filters were in need

of attention. We are now in the process of securing prices to

clean the duct work for the exhaust fan that removes condensa-

tion in the locker room. John Cocolis, our handyman, success-

fully removed the ceiling mildew. We have a couple leaky

faucets in the kitchen. This straightforward issue should be

resolved in-house. Bigger picture – we continue our due dili-

gence on solar panel installation and roof repairs. We are now

focused on cost, financing, and warranty representations. We

have also requested details of potentially owning the solar panel

array, which could provide additional savings over the long

term. When we complete due diligence, we will report to the

Parish Council for review. If approved, this would be a major

undertaking for the Center and requires deep detail and scrutiny.

At this time we must proceed with the roof and cladding

repairs/replacements. We must limit water damage to the

building.

The Herald 3

† Archangels Feast Day †

Wednesday, November 7

Great Vespers at 7 pm

Area Clergy to lead;

Visiting Chanters from Seminary

Reception to follow, offered by Philoptochos

Thursday, November 8

Orthros at 9:30 am

Divine Liturgy at 10:30 am

Seniors Luncheon 12:00 pm

Please RSVP for receptions:

203-348-4216 or office @archangelsgoc.org

FALL FAMILY GYM &

GAME NIGHT!

Saturday, November 10 at 5:30pm

Greek Cultural Center (SAC)

Soccer, basketball, kickball, Olympic events,

board games, etc.

Pizza and salad dinner for free will offering

4 The Herald

HURCH: Due to the extreme rain and age, water has pene-

trated the exterior brick mortar of our Narthex in certain spots.

You can see the result in terms of water damage to the interior

Narthex wall to the left of the front entrance. Certain segments

of brick and mortar will require “re-pointing” in order to tackle

he issue. We have vendors currently reviewing the issue.

Our temporary preschool space, located next door at the Resi-

ences on Bedford complex, now connects to our parking lot

via a special staircase and gate. Nick Aivalis designed this tem-

porary modification to serve Kyriaki and our ten young

preschoolers , offering safety and ease of access for worship and

recreation. Contact: Peter Licopantis, [email protected]

Administration

Office: Administration & Hours

Church offices moved at the beginning of July to the Greek Cul-

tural Center as a result of Part 2 construction in the fellowship

facilities. As you walk into the lobby, Fr. Harry’s office is to the

left past the front desk, and the main office (Steve, Laura, and

Admin) is merged with SAC manager Jeff Kaminski, located

near the pool and central stairways. Hours are: Monday-

Friday, 10am – 4pm.

For all non-emergency needs, feel free to leave a voice message

through the main office phone number when no one answers

(203-348-4216) send an email to:

• Fr. Harry ([email protected])

• Steve Sarigianis (stev[email protected])

• Laura Lopez ([email protected]g) - financial

matters

For all emergencies after hours, contact Fr. Harry at home

(203-504-2689)

Please note that Kim Livesay, recently introduced to our parish

as Administrator, unexpectedly resigned her position after only

3 days on the job. We will follow up with her to learn more and

are now looking at previous candidates and any new ones.

Annual Tkey Bingo

Saturday, Nov. 17th

Doors open at 5 pm and games start at 6 pm

Proceeds will go to five charities

Bring Family & Friends!

Wine and Gift Cards needed

Contact: Lara Paschalidis

Christmas Breads for Sale

$17 each – Prepayment Required

Available for pickup Dec. 21-23

Contact: Marion Vanson

marion[email protected] or

914-234-9420

Nick Aivalis, standing next to the fence modification that he

designed to allow Preschool children access to church facilities from

their rental unit next door. (10/4/18)

Looking for 2 perfect Holiday gifts?

Stamford Athletic Club is offering parishioners a

special 2-for-1 Membership Program. Email

jonl@sacteam.com for more information.

Election Day – Tuesday, November 6

Every eligible voter is urged to become educated on the issues

at stake, various policies supported by different candidates, and

then vote your conscience to elect officials at the federal, state,

and local levels. Please make sure you know your precinct and

assist others who may need help with a ride, information, or an

early ballot. We are privileged to fulfill our responsibility as

citizens to participate in electing our public leaders as one way

to contribute to the common good.

Prayer of the Month

In this year of the Bible, here is a classic prayer that was

enshrined in the monastic tradition through great Elders like the

Abba Isaac of Scete (an early Desert Father):

Be pleased, O God, to deliver me. O Lord, make haste to help

me! (Psalm 70:1)

This verse that can be easily memorized, and is the first part

of a short Psalm in the Small Compline (after dinner) worship

service of the Orthodox Church. Here is some commentary on

its powerful importance from Abba Isaac: “For it embraces all

the feelings which can be implanted in human nature, and can

be fitly and satisfactorily adapted to every condition, and all

assaults. Since it contains an invocation of God against every

danger, it contains humble and pious confession, it contains the

watchfulness of anxiety and continual fear, it contains the

thought of one's own weakness, confidence in the answer, and

the assurance of a present and ever ready help. For one who is

constantly calling on his protector [God], is certain that He is

always at hand. It contains the glow of love and charity, it

contains a view of the plots, and a dread of the enemies, from

which one, who sees himself day and night hemmed in by them,

confesses that he cannot be set free without the aid of his

defender.”

The Herald 5

MINISTRIES

JOIN THE ARCHANGELS

WELCOMING COMMITTEE

Greet new families.

Welcome them to our community of faith.

Make them feel at home.

Email Presbytera Kerry at [email protected]g for details.

This space shows three original classrooms near the rear corridor

entrance that is being transformed into our new offices. (10/20/18)

The interior steps leading from the church into the original front

corridor and Fr. Harry’s office, being reconfigured into a bright foyer

area. (10/20/18)

Father Harry joins many other clergy and laity in prayer during

Archbishop Demetrios’ Nameday reception at Archdiocese

headquarters in Manhattan. (10/26/18)

6 The Herald

Did You Know?

Perhaps no glorified Saints in the Orthodox Tradition are

invoked in prayer as often as the Angels, spiritual beings created

by God before the universe was created, whose number is

beyond counting and who are mostly invisible to us every day.

They are ranked in 9 orders, starting with the Seraphim (“burn-

ing ones”) and Cherubim who we mention at every Orthros (the

singing of the 9th Ode devoted to the Theotokos), and including

Archangels such as Gabriel, Michael, Raphael & Uriel whom

we know most from the Bible and ancient devotional writings.

All angels exist to do very basic things: love God uncondition-

ally; glorify and praise God unceasingly; assist in the well-

being and salvation of God’s creation; and, when appropriate,

deliver messages of God to humans. How blessed our commu-

nity is to be named Archangels (Taxiarcai in Greek), whom

we call upon in prayer publicly at every Vespers, Orthros,

Liturgy, Baptism, Wedding, Funeral. There are traditional

prayers that we can also incorporate into our own Rule of

Prayer to our Guardian Angel, for example, who is assigned to

watch over us from the time we are baptized.

Worship Schedule – Feast Days & Special Events

• Wed & Thu, Nov. 7-8: PATRONAL FEAST OF

ARCHANGELS – Wed Vespers 7 pm; Thu Orthros 9:30 am &

Liturgy 10:30 am

• Thu & Fri, Nov 8-9: St. Nektarios @ Annunciation: Thu,

Vespers 7 pm; Fri, Orthros 8:30 am, Liturgy 9:30 am (they

have a relic of this popular modern day Saint of Greece)

• Sunday, Nov 18 – 1 hour earlier due to Stamford Thanksgiving

Parade: Orthros 7:45 am & Liturgy 9 am

• Wed, Nov. 21 – Entrance of Theotokos into the Temple:

Orthros 8:30 am & Liturgy 9:30 am @ Annunciation

• Fri, Nov. 30 – St. Andrew, First-Called Apostle: Orthros 9 am

& Liturgy 9:30 am @ Annunciation

Electronic Giving in Church

The Church is making giving easier on Sundays by accepting

credit cards for candles and donations. Some parishioners have

asked that we offer this convenience, and a white credit card

terminal is now located in the Narthex on top of the Pangari

(candle stand on the right-hand side). Major credit cards are

accepted so you won't have to make change. The terminal is

located next to the cash slot and ushers are available to help

you. Your feedback is always welcomed. Contact: Steven

Georgeou, [email protected]

Adult Education

• Morning Bible Study – began successfully on Oct 24, with a

general introduction by Fr. Harry, who awaits more feedback

about what to study in the Gospels this year. Next meeting in

the Church Narthex: Wed, Nov 14, 10 am. Bring your own

covered beverage. Contact: Anna Diamantis or Fr. Harry

• Bible Study – Monday evenings: Compline 7:15 pm,

Class 7:30 – 9:00 pm. Topic: Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount

(Matthew chapters 5-7). Bring your own covered beverage.

We meet in the Narthex.

• Koinonia Groups for more intimate sharing:

§ Men – next meeting is Thursday, Nov 15, 7 pm in the

Narthex; bring your own covered beverage.

Beloved dogs, cats and birds of our parishioners are brought

together on a blustery fall day for the annual Blessing of the

Animals service outside church. (10/21/18)

Federation of Orthodox Christian Churches (FORCC) holds their

annual fall dinner fundraiser at St. Nicholas Antiochian Church in

Bridgeport. (10/14/18)

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§ Married Couples – Presvytera Kerry is planning a session

for Sunday, February 3, 7 pm at her home.

• Parish Council Seminar – Tue., Nov. 6, @ Annunciation

with refreshments 6:30 pm, and presentation by Fr. Harry at

7 pm for all prospective candidates (from area parishes) for

election to the Parish Council. Topics covered: nature of the

Church and Christian leadership; Uniform Parish Regulations

of the Archdiocese; specific role and responsibility of the

Parish Council in relation to the Archbishop, Presiding Priest,

and General Assembly. All candidates must attend one of these

seminars (full list of seminars in our District is posted at

church). Next closest workshop is Tue, Nov 13 @ St. Barbara

in Orange (6:30 pm refreshments; 7 pm Seminar), with Fr.

Harry presenting.

• Baptism Class – TBA. Fr. Harry is currently surveying parents

and godparents for a suitable day and time.

Kali Parea Seniors

The October Seniors meeting in the Greek Cultural Center

brought together 32 members of both Stamford communities for

fellowship, a delicious catered meal of meatloaf and mashed

potatoes, raffle prizes, birthday wishes, and of course, plenty of

dessert. November’s Kali Parea luncheon will be a special one,

as it will be held on our parish’s Feast Day, next Thursday

November 8th. Orthros will begin at 9:30am and Divine Liturgy

will begin at 10:30am – all are invited to worship before our

special luncheon meeting! The meal will be Turkey, mashed

potatoes and gravy, and there will be festive music and movie

played following the usual business. Spread the word and join

us for this month’s Kali Parea gathering! Contact: Pam

Koutroubis, [email protected]

Ladies Philoptochos Society

November is a very busy month for the Archangels Philopto-

chos. At our Nov. 6th meeting, we will be setting up in the

Stamford Athletic Club for the Archangels Name Day vespers

reception that takes place on Nov. 7th and also putting together

Bingo ticket packets in preparation for the annual Turkey Bingo

on Saturday, Nov. 17th. For Turkey Bingo, we are in need of

onated gift cards, wine, toys, restaurant gift certificates, and

other gifts for the prize baskets. We can also use volunteers for

set-up, clean-up, kitchen duties and selling raffle tickets. Please

contact Lara Paschalidis, Bingo chair, to tell her how you can

help. Her email is: [email protected]. We need all

hands on deck! Proceeds from Turkey Bingo will go to five

charities: Bridgeport Rescue Mission, Circle of Care for Fami-

lies of Children with Cancer, Pacific House shelter, Fairfield

County Hospice House and Fisher House. Bring your family

and friends to this wonderful and fun event! Thank you to all

those who contributed to the tray passed to benefit Holy Cross

seminary. A donation of $400 was sent to Holy Cross. Our

members also approved donations to the Direct Archdiocesan

District of Philoptochos (DAD) to purchase toiletries for victims

of sex trafficking; to National Philoptochos for hurricane relief

and to Holy Cross/Hellenic College for general support. Philop-

tochos also celebrated Make a Difference Day by donating win-

ter hats, gloves, socks, crayons, stickers and toothbrushes to the

preschool class at the Children’s Learning Center of our mem-

ber Luz Tsiralidis. Nitsa Chagaris also donated enough chil-

dren's books so that every child in the class was able to take one

home and the extras were distributed throughout the preschool.

Orders for Christmas breads are now being accepted. Pre-pay-

ment is preferred. The cost of breads is $17. They will be deliv-

ered on Thursday, Dec. 20th and can be picked up on Friday,

Dec. 21st from 9 am to 3 pm, Saturday, Dec. 22nd from 10 am

to 2 pm and after Sunday liturgy on Dec. 23rd. Contact Marion

Vanson for more information and to place an order. marionvan-

[email protected] or 914-234-9420. Please join us for our Nov.

6th meeting at 6:30 pm at SAC. Contact: Eugenia Zavras,

[email protected]

Hellenic College Holy Cross (HCHC) President Fr. Chris Metropulos

shares a story at the HCHC fundraiser dinner at Holy Trinity in New

Rochelle. (10/20/18)

Seniors President Pam Koutroubis offers a few updates to those

gathered for the October luncheon meeting in the gym. (10/11/18)

8 The Herald

Church School

Greetings, Church families! As we delve deeper into the aca-

demic year we hope to begin a couple of new programmatic ini-

tiatives in line with our Parish’s focus for the year. You will be

receiving a weekly children’s newsletter authored by Presbytera

Alexandra Houch titled, Children’s Word. This is a wonderful

way to incorporate a 10-minute spiritual reading/lesson into

your family time weekly. In addition to this weekly bulletin, we

are in the process of purchasing children’s bibles that will be

given to every family registered in our program. This child

friendly Holy Bible can also readily be incorporated into a

nightly family routine. We are grateful for the opportunity to

offer these wonderful resources to our families. We are also

starting to cast roles for our annual Children’s Christmas Pag-

eant which will be held on Sunday, December 16, 2018 with a

dress rehearsal scheduled for the day before (Saturday, the

15th). Lastly, please note that November 11th is a Music

Ministry Sunday and that November 25th is a dedicated

Philanthropy Sunday. Wishing families a beautiful month of

November filled with reflection, bounty, and many blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving! Contact: Dr. Evelyn Bilias Lolis,

[email protected]

Greek School

The Greek School is off to a great start this fall! Teachers and

students have grown accustomed to the new learning space at St.

Basil’s Ukrainian Seminary in Glenbrook, and classes have been

engaging and fun! We are very grateful for the use of their facili-

ties. The new Cultural Night offering on Friday evenings brings

life to the classroom with the elements of art, dance, and hands-

on learning. Students rotate between sessions with their peers.

This allows further language learning and cultural enrichment.

The first celebration of the year will be Friday, November 2 for

our “OXI Day” (No Day) Program. Director Anna Lempesi and

teachers have prepared a refreshing new program that includes

poems, interactive visual presentation, dance, and choral

singing. It will be held in the St. Basil’s auditorium at 5:30pm

and catered dinner, coordinated by our PTO President Vasso

Spanos, will be served afterward to all Greek School families.

Contact: Anna Lempesi, [email protected]

Preschool

We have adjusted to our new location quite well and enjoy using

the Cultural Center for recess every day. We attended the liturgy

for Luke the Evangelist on October the 18th and look forward to

“Mr. Steve’s” weekly visits for our Faith Lesson. Contact:

Kiriaki Yoranides [email protected]

Little Angels

Little Angels is the church ministry group representing young

families including infants, toddlers and preschoolers (ages 0-5

years). Our purpose is to bring together parents and little ones

for fun and fellowship, support, and to strengthen our faith and

church family friendships.

Diaper Drive

In October, we concluded our annual diaper drive supporting

Hopeline Pregnancy Resource Center. Hopeline provides confi-

dential pregnancy testing, medical support, and counselling free

of cost to women in our community. Thank you everyone for

your support of this special cause!

The Preschool children attending the liturgy for Luke the Evangelist.

(10/18/18)

The preschool children listen to a story read by Ms. Kiriaki on the

first day of school back in September.

Hope/Joy kids and parents sing a happy birthday and have cake at

the conclusion of the Movie Night dinner fellowship at Summer

Street Pizza & Deli. (10/28/18)

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ratitude Event

Come celebrate God’s gifts and be thankful with us on Sunday,

November 11th during coffee hour at our annual Gratitude

Event! There will be a special thanksgiving craft and a fun treat

for the kids. Please RSVP to the invite sent via email or directly

o Vasso or Rachel so that we can get an accurate count! We

can’t wait to see you!

hristmas Party Raffle

Look for the annual Little Angels Raffle at this years’ Hope/Joy

Christmas party on December 8th! We are very excited to

announce that this year, proceeds from the raffle will benefit the

new Sunday school classrooms and will be matched by an

anonymous donor! We will be collecting toys and gift cards

throughout November for the raffle. Please contact Vasso or

Rachel to arrange drop-off. Contact: Vasso Spanos

([email protected]) or Rachel Jones

([email protected])

Hope/Joy

On Sunday, October 28th Hope & Joy gathered for their second

event: Movie Night! Families first enjoyed warm parea and deli-

cious pizza, chicken fingers and birthday cake at Summer Street

Pizza & Deli (owned by Lambros & Katie Amanatides, who are

active with the ministry). The group then departed for Bow Tie

Cinemas Majestic 6 downtown for the 4:15pm showing of “Lit-

tlefoot” (PG, 2018 Warner Bros Studios). The movie (about an

adventurous lovable Yeti looking for evidence of human life, ie

a “little-foot”) was a hit with kids, and even adults. Before con-

cluding the evening, Steve Sarigianis lead a brief discussion with

the kids which made connections between faith and the movie.

The next event for our Hope/Joy families will be the be parish-

wide Family Gym and Game Night on Saturday, November 10

in the Greek Cultural Center. This is the first of the new church

year and we hope to see you there! Contact: Ruth Diamond,

[email protected]

GOYA

The annual GOYA Lock-In took place on Friday, October 19 at

the Greek Cultural Center (SAC) in the group fitness studio and

other facilities. The program included compline prayers, a meal

together (catered by Hope Pizza), a faith discussion led by Steve

& Theophani Sarigianis (on “Offering our Struggles to God”),

fire-pit and s’mores, and various gym games and activities late

into the night.

On Friday, November 2, the teens will be joining forces with

GOYA from Our Savior in Rye, NY to make a Midnight Run.

The nature of their work will be distribution of donated food,

clothing, and essentials to those in need on the streets of upper

Manhattan. Our teens will prep food bags and other items at

Rye, then load up cars/suvs and caravan to NYC to hand out

goods along a pre-established route. An experience of this type

will hopefully broaden our teens’ perspectives about the nature

of giving and life while practicing a tenet of their Orthodox

faith: almsgiving. GOYA is extremely thankful to all those who

generously donated food and clothing from our parish!

Please note the following November events:

• Nov. 4th, Sunday – Monthly Meeting, in the aerobics room at

Coffee Hour.

• Nov. 17th, Saturday – Philoptochos Turkey Bingo, at the

Greek Cultural Center gym. Teens to help set up beforehand

and will have dedicated tables during the event.

• Nov. 18th, Sunday – Poinsettia Sale Begins, (all Sundays prior

to Christmas)

• Nov. 23rd, Friday – Christmas Tree Prep, in the church

Narthex

Young Adults

This fall the first regional Orthodox On Tap (OOT) style event

will be coming to our area. OOT is a grassroots fellowship and

learning movement that is spreading to major cities within

America. Events usually consist of a presentation from a

speaker followed by casual networking at a local restaurant /

bar. They bring together faithful Orthodox and others who are

interested in learning more about Orthodoxy. Stay tuned for

more info!

Please contact Steve if you are interested in attending:

203-623-586 or [email protected].

Athletics

The Connecticut Eastern Orthodox Basketball and Volleyball

Leagues [CEOBL & CEOVL] operate November to March

every year. Practices for the joint Archangels-Annunciation

teams began in October. Farm and Youth teams are now practic-

ing at Archangels on Wednesdays from 6:15pm-7:15pm, and

6:15-8pm respectively. The JV team is practicing 7-8:30pm at

Annunciation. Girls volleyball will practice will be starting in a

few weeks – stay tuned!

Teens wait in line for Pasticho, pizza and salad at the GOYA Lock In

retreat held in the Greek Cultural Center. (10/19/18)

10 The Herald

There is still time to sign up for our teams! Here are the benefits

of playing in the church leagues:

• Fellowship and fun with other Greek Orthodox youth

• Develop basketball/volleyball and team-building skills

• Competitive but less stressful than town or school leagues

• Faith based program that embraces youth in the Church

For more info contact: Steve Sarigianis

(stev[email protected]) -or- John S. ([email protected]) for

more info.

Camp Saint Paul Winter Camp 2019

The District Youth Office officially launched registration for

Camp Saint Paul’s 2nd annual Winter Camp this past Thursday,

November 1! Camp Saint Paul has developed a sound reputation

as a bonified youth ministry for deep spiritual, personal, and

interpersonal growth and as a place of great fun and excitement.

This year’s winter camp will once again be held at the Boston

Metropolis Camp Grounds in New Hampshire over Martin

Luther King Jr weekend, January 18-21. Cost per camper is just

$350, which includes: meals, lodging, snow tubing, all activi-

ties, and transportation to and from NYC/Connecticut. This is a

tremendous offering for youth ages 13-18 and is highly encour-

aged by Father Harry and Steve. For more information and to

Greek Language Classes for Adults

The world is shrinking with globalization and the internet! Now

is a great time for adults to learn modern Greek. We are blessed

to have an excellent instructor in Dr. Eugenia Zavras, a biology

Professor at Fairfield University and past teacher and director of

the Greek School. For information and registration, contact her

at 203-322-9561, or call the church office 203-348-4216.

Weekly Food Drive

Philoptochos encourages everyone to bring non-perishable food

every week for the Lower Fairfield County Food Bank. There

are 4 collections bins in the narthex, entry from back parking

lot, and outside the offices. Items include: canned meat, tuna,

chili, beans, vegetables & fruit; rice, pasta & tomato sauce;

eanut butter & jelly; cereal & parmalat milk; pancake mix &

syrup; coffee & tea. Our parish continues to be one of the

leading contributors and the Food Bank is very grateful for our

generosity to the working class who are unemployed and under-

employed. Contact: Penny or Debbie Nanos.

Thanksgiving in Stamford

• Sunday, November 18: Stamford Holiday Parade (12 noon –

2 pm): To accommodate many in our parish who will be

attending, we will start Liturgy 1 hour earlier that day – at

9 am – instead of 10 am. This would make it easier to enter

and exit the church before the downtown area becomes more

crowded (for those who do not want to stay for the parade),

and would allow families with children the opportunity to

worship, attend Church School, and go to the Parade. Keep in

mind that more than 100,000 people are expected this year.

• Ecumenical Worship to celebrate "A Time to be Grateful" in

the season of Thanksgiving. Sponsored by the Interfaith Coun-

cil of Southwestern CT, on Sunday, November 18, 5-6:30 pm

@ Temple Beth El, 350 Roxbury Road, Stamford. Music by

New World Chorus; open to the public. This is the synagogue

that our Bible Study group visited earlier this year for a Sab-

bath service.

• Community Thanksgiving Dinner on Thu, Nov. 22 @ First

Congregational Church (Walton Place, Stamford): Interfaith

worship 12 noon, Family-style Turkey Dinner 12:30pm.

Offered free of

Stamford Athletic Club

BIG NEWS: SAC is launching a new membership deal specifi-

cally for Archangels Church members. SAC is offering a “buy

one SAC Church membership at our normal $35 per month rate

and get one FREE SAC Church monthly membership!” Mini-

mum commitment of one year is required. The deal expires at

the end of this year so do not wait. Come over to SAC or con-

tact Jon at [email protected] for more details and to sign-up

today!

SAC now has an Instagram account @stamfordathleticclub.

Please link to our account and start posting pictures of all the

great activities at SAC, especially our wonderful members!

During the evening of Tuesday, November 12, a Gatorade

representative will be in the SAC lobby handing out FREE

products. Stop by to see and sample new Gatorade offerings.

SAC would like to officially welcome back the Evergreen Vol-

leyball program to our list of renters for the gym court. If you

are interested in renting the court for any event or program at

SAC, please contact [email protected] as there is limited

space. Other programs reserving court time include High Rise

Basketball and several local cricket clubs.

Thanks to everyone who participated in Agora Spa FREE Mas-

sage Raffle during the month of October. An entry was given to

anyone that completed the quick survey on our concierge app

Fr. Chris, Seminary President, surrounded by Seminary graduates

and current students at Benefit Dinner. (10/20/18)

The Herald 11

that is located at the SAC front desk. 5 additional entries were

given to anyone that posted a review on Yelp about SAC. Keep

those Yelp reviews coming as well as other social media outlets

such as Google, Facebook, TripAdvisor and more.

Hopefully you were at the gym late October as CVS was hand-

ing out FREE health and beauty products. We hope to have

them back in the near future.

If any Archangels Church member comes to visit the Church

staff in its temporary offices at SAC during the renovations,

please also tour the rest of building to see all that SAC has to

offer. And always remember our referral program—if you are

already a SAC member and you refer ANYONE who becomes a

NEW SAC member, you earn a FREE month of membership.

SAC will operate on normal holiday hours for Thanksgiving, 8

am until noon, so make sure to get your workout in before the

big feast. Have a great Thanksgiving.

Contact: Jeff Kaminski, jef[email protected] to those who

annot afford it as well as those who simply wish to share with

others. Contact: Office at 203-323-0200 for reservations or fcc-

stamford.org/events for directions, rides, shut-in meal delivery,

or to volunteer your time or make a donation. Co-sponsored by

1st Congregation & St. John’s Episcopal.

Christmas Concert

On Saturday, December 15, at 7 pm, our parish is honored to

host the Archdiocesan Byzantine Choir in a Christmas Concert

that will feature both sacred and folk music. The Yale Institute

of Sacred Music and St. Vladimir’s Seminary are in support of

this event that will be open to the general public. Tickets are

only $30/person, and a reception will follow. It is hoped that

Archbishop Demetrios will attend. For more information, con-

tact Fr. Harry ([email protected])

Pilgrimage to Holy Land & Jordan:

May 6–18, 2019

Fr. Harry will co-lead a pilgrimage with Fr. Evan to the Holy

Land next spring that is open to members of our church, Annun-

ciation, as well as others, and will include some different sites

in Israel, as well as Jordan for the first time. Here is the basic

itinerary:

• Sea of Galilee – Magdala, Tabgha, Capernaum

• Nazareth, Mt. Tabor, Burquin, Nablus

• Bethlehem, Shepherd’s Field, Hebron, Judean Desert

• Monasteries: St. Sabbas, St. Theodosios, St. Gerasimos, St.

Simeon, Ascension & the Holy Cross

• Jerusalem – National Museum of Israel, Mount of Olives,

Tomb of the Prophets, Kedron Valley, Garden of Gethsemane,

Golgotha, Holy Sepulcher, Bethesda, Tomb of the Theotokos,

Temple Mount, Pool of Siloam, Tunnel of Hezekiah, Upper

Room, Russian Ecclesiastical School

• Midnight Liturgy at the Holy Sepulcher

• Jericho, Dead Sea, Bethany, Tombs of King David & Lazarus

• Taybeh, a Palestinian Christian village

• Jordan: Bethany beyond Jordan, Mt. Nebo, Madaba, Petra,

Little Petra, Jerash

• Return Saturday, May 18

Cost: very reasonable price of $2,760/person based upon double

occupancy; for single occupancy, add $750/person. This

includes: tourist class hotels, air-conditioned coach bus, all

transfers, tour guides, breakfast & dinner daily (and some

lunches), all entry fees for sites. Not included: airfare. Currently

our professional coordinator, Fr. Ilya Gotlinsky, the Orthodox

Priest who organized the Pilgrimage to Russia, is working on

round trip tickets that are less than $1,000 from New York. For

further details, contact Fr. Harry who can send out a detailed,

color brochure. Contact: Fr. Harry, [email protected]

Front view of the new Altar Table, with George Demetrakopoulos

standing behind; the Alpha-Omega & Chi-Rho design is identical to

the older Altar Table.

Fordham PhD student Nicholas Sooy offers a thought provoking

presentation on Peace Making at coffee hour in the gym. (10/21/18)

Baptism

• Oct 20 – Ioannis Matheis Antonopoulos, 1st child of George &

Brooke; sponsors were Nick & Stephanie Antonopoulos

Funerals

• Margot Kalaizis, sister of Jim Cocolis – Sept 1

• Oct 15 – Irene Veniopoulos, mother of Andrew who grew up

in Stamford; Irene had relocated to the Waterbury area in 2009.

PARISH NEWS AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS

PLEDGES AND NON-PLEDGE

CONTRIBUTIONS

Estate of Fay Couyoumjian

Estate of Marge Rubirosa

Archangels Greek School

Archangels Ladies Philoptochos

Society

Anonymous (3)

Janiella Androulidakis

Angelo and Dena Aravides

Pantelis and Georgia Athanasiadis

Mary Louise Bennett

Pericles and Diana Caminis

Peter Cholakis and Teresa Cassidy

Nicholas Chivily

Panagiotis and Maria Chlebogiannis

Harry Condos

Matt and Maria De Vito

Peter and Ruth Diamond

Stephen and Margaret Fornaciari

Peter G. George

Stephen and Tina Georgeou

Dimitrios and Nikki Glekas

Nathaniel and Julia Gooding

Margaritta Haralambidis

Timothy and Sophia Hartch

Michael and Elizabeth Jackson

David Johnson and Nicole Stamate-

los

William and Bertha Jones

James and Sylvia Kambas

George and Alexandra Karayiannis

Annie Konidaris

Jason and Janie Konidaris

Pericles and Katherine Kounevelis

Elias N. Kulukundis

Natalie Kulukundis

Peter and Yolanda Licopantis

John Kazianis and Eugenia Litrivis

Rita Mehos

James and Kyriaki Marcarello

George and Amy Nanos

Paul and Debbie Nanos

Penny Nanos

Gerrit Nijmeijer and Ismene Naos

Veronica C. Nelson

Nicholas and Ruth Nikas

George and Cynthia Paparis

Father Harry and Kerry Pappas

Kimon and Julie Passios

Tom and Nike Passios

Thomas G. Patsis

John Pasvankias

Dr. Athanasios Petrotos

Ken and Maria Shepard

Ted and Diane Sierpina

Louis and Anna Sioles

Dr. Steven and Stacey Valassis

Dennis and Marion Vanson

James and Natalie Venetos

Extended Capital Campaign Pledges/Contributions

AHEPA

Our Stamford AHEPA Biennial Dinner-Dance and Fundraiser

on Saturday, October 13, 2018 was moderately successful.

About 50 people came to the dinner and enjoyed themselves

ully. About 50 people made financial contributions mostly pur-

chasing ads in our commemorative album. We presented certifi-

cates of appreciation to the seven couples of Greek School

parents who either bought tickets or contributed. In all, we

raised about $6,500 net. We plan to donate $3,000 to the

Archangels Church and $3,000 to the Annunciation Church for

the benefit of their Greek schools. We will also donate $500 to

the AHEPA 2018 Greece Wildfire Relief Fund. Thank you to all

who participated in this fundraising effort. For questions or

membership applications contact Nicholas Nikas 203-554-5570

or [email protected].

The Capital Campaign Committee:

Elias N. Kulukundis, Chairman. Jason Konidaris, Vice Chairman.

Father Harry Pappas. Mary Badoyannis, Peter Cholakis, Timothy

Hartch, James W. Kambas, George Khouri, Peter Licopantis, Penny

Nanos, Chris A. Nanos, Chris P. Nanos, George Paparis, Thomas

Passios, Gigi Perimenis, Katie Perimenis, Jane Dragonas Perkins, R.

J. Vassiliou, Basil N. Vanech

The Capital Campaign:

The initial goal was to raise $2,200,000 over a three year period 2014-2017. The Campaign now remains open to

cover heavy additional work and associated cost. The purpose of the Campaign is to fund upgrading and renewal of

the church campus and ministry with specific emphasis on the Church Hall and offices, and minor cosmetic improve-

ments in the Church itself, bringing our campus into the 21st Century. In addition, the amount includes the sum of

$150,000 to fund the salary and benefits of an Administrative Assistant for the Church for three years, after which the

Church will take over funding that cost from stewardship. There are no plans to utilize any of these funds for repairs

or improvements to the Greek Cultural Center.

ExpectedCosts

(figuresarerounded)

2013

Now

Comments

Status

IncreasetoParishStaff*

150,000





120,000





Amountofbillablehoursworkedcameinunderbudget

Actual‐Completed(2017)

ChurchFacilityConstruction(incl.contractorsfees)

150,000





650,000





$175kinadd'limprovements.**$325kinairsystemdeficiencies

Actual‐Completed(2018)

FellowshipFaciltiesConstruction***(incl.contractorsfees)

1,500,000





2,500,000





$885kinscopeofworkexpansion***andcostinflationvs2013

Actual(GuaranteedMax.Price)

ArchitectsFees

230,000





250,000





Commensuratewithexpandedscopeofwork

Actual

EngineeringMEPFees

30,000





50,000





Commensuratewithexpandedscopeofwork

Projected

StamfordBuildingPermits&Facilitation

20,000





35,000





Commensuratewithexpandedscopeofwork

Actual

Owner'sRepFee

‐





40,000





ToolargeanundertakingforArchangelsvolunteertoexclusivelyhandle

Projected+/‐10%

Contingency

120,000





250,000





Commensuratewithexpandedscopeofwork

Projected

TotalCosts

2,200,000

$



3,895,000

$



OriginalCapitalCampaignCommitments

2,200,000





ReopenedCapitalCampaignCommitments

740,000





TotalCommitments

2,940,000

$



     

   

CHURCH OF THE ARCHANGELS CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

Amount needed to finish our work $ 955,000

Master Planning Fees and Funding as of October 2018

* 3 yr. seed funding from Capital Campaign to provide admin/finance assistance to Jane in the office

** Scope of work was expanded to include lavatory in Bride’s Room, a Nursery Room, upgraded

Narthex ceiling, and selective lighting fixture replacements. Insulation throughout.

*** Full renovation and reallocation of space:

Interior 1st Floor: New fellowship hall, offices, classrooms, kitchen, conference room, restrooms,

corridors, swing space, and insulation. ADA compliant.

Throughout: Fire suppression on all floors. Building management system integration.