When we turn on our computer, we had better be plugged into a power source or have a juiced up battery.  If not, we know what happens—the computer powers down.  Computers are great so long as the energy source is flowing in, just like any electrical appliance.  However, without the energy source, the computer is worthless.

We are like the battery of the computer that needs to be charged.  A complete charge-up comes only to those who seek the energy source continually through prayer and fasting, scripture reading, the sacraments of the church, and doing the Lord’s work. A fully charged battery is like a life full of hope; hope that can do wonderful things.

A Christian mystic, St. Seraphim of Sarov said, “True hope seeks the one Kingdom of God and is sure that everything necessary for this mortal life will surely be given. The heart cannot have peace until it acquires this hope. This hope pacifies it fully and brings joy to it. The most holy lips of the Savior spoke about this very hope: ‘Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’ (Mt. 11:28)."

On the Christian calendar, Pentecost falls 49 days after Easter, this Sunday; and The Feast of the Holy Spirit 50 days after Pascha, on Monday.  June 8th.  Let’s reflect on the Pentecost experience of the Apostles nearly 2000 years ago.

Just prior to his ascension into heaven, Jesus spoke these words of encouragement to his Apostles: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.”  (Acts 1:8)  On the day of Pentecost that promise was fulfilled.

“And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting…And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:2,4)

The Apostles were overflowing with energy and grace—the uncreated energy of God as manifested in the “tongues, as of fire”—and from that moment on, they began to evangelize the nations with great power by grace, despite their human frailties and sins.  They were transformed.  They initiated the greatest spiritual revolution in history.  They were empowered by the Holy Spirit.

We too can be transformed by the Holy Spirit.  We too can receive power from God to do his work—God’s power which we can receive only from the Holy SpiritSt. Seraphim of Sarov wrote volumes on the Holy Spirit. He also said, “The true aim of our Christian life consists in the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God.”

The power received by the Apostles—that is, the energy and grace—equipped them to carry on God’s work.  Pray today for the descent of the Holy Spirit in your life—strive for the acquisition of the Spirit of God—so that you too may continue the work of the Lord.

What is a saint?  To answer, we need to recognize that no one is born as saint; they are not born, they are made. Each of us is born potentially to become a saint. The only difference between us—those who are not saints—and those who are is that they are people who are continually picking themselves up after sinning; continually repenting until they attain holiness; whereas most of us give up.

Have you ever wondered why Jesus calls us sheep and not pigs?  A wise man suggested that perhaps He calls us sheep and not pigs because when a sheep falls into the mud, he immediately gets up, shakes off the mud and gets out of the puddle.  But a pig, when he falls into a puddle of mud, he loves it!  He stays in the mud and wallows in it. 

A Christian is not one who never falls into the mud, so to speak. But a Christian gets up, shakes off the mud and moves on.  He or she rises as often as she or he falls.  A saint is one who does not remain fallen but rises time and time again to return to the grace and forgiveness of the Shepherd.  A saint knows his destiny is not in the mud but in the rising.

There is a delightful Chinese proverb about two pots: on cracked and one not.  From this proverb, we can all learn a lesson about ourselves—and about one another—each one of us a cracked pot in some way.  The proverb is as follows:

A water bearer in China had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.  After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself because this crack in my side causes water to leak all the way back to your house."

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house." 

Each of us has our own unique flaws.  We are all cracked pots. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding.  You've just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them.

Blessings to all my crackpot friends.  Have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path.

I did not enjoy statistics in college.  However, I learned enough to know, they have a lot to teach us.  A study* conducted by the Swiss government revealed, in short, that “It is the religious practice of the father of the family that, above all, determines the future attendance at or absence from church of the children.”

The study reports:

1. If the father is non-practicing and the mother attends church regularly, only 2 percent of children will become regular worshippers, and 37 percent will attend irregularly. Over 60 percent of their children will be lost completely to the church!

2. If the father is irregular and mother attends regularly, only 3 percent of the children will subsequently become regular in attendance as adults, while a further 59 percent will become irregular in attendance. Thirty-eight percent will be lost.

3. If the father is regular but the mother is non-practicing, amazingly, the percentage of children becoming regular goes up to 38 percent; and with the mother attending irregularly, it goes up to 44 percent.

4. If both father and mother attend regularly, 77 percent will continue attending church—33 percent of their children will end up as regular churchgoers, and 41 percent will end up attending, albeit irregularly. Only a quarter of their children will end up not practicing at all.

This study clearly suggests that it is best if both parents attend regularly.  However, it also suggests the greater importance of the father’s attendance.  In fact, the children’s loyalty to the father’s commitment grows in response to the mother’s laxity or indifference to religion.  In short, if a father does go to church regularly, regardless of the practice of the mother, between two-thirds and three-quarters of their children will become churchgoers (regular and irregular). If a father does not go to church—no matter how faithful his wife’s devotions—only one child in 50 will become a regular worshipper.

One of the reasons suggested for this distinction is that children tend to take their cues about domestic life from Mom while their conceptions of the world outside come from Dad. If the father takes faith in God seriously then the message to their children is that God should be taken seriously.

This confirms the essential role of father as spiritual leader, which I would argue is true fatherhood. Fathers are to “love their wives as Christ loves the Church,” (Eph. 5:25) modeling the love of the Father in their most important earthly relationship. Fathers are to care for their children as our Father in heaven cares for us.  Finally, fathers play the primary role in teaching their children the truth about reality. It is the father who should instruct his children in their understanding of the world from a consciously and informed Christian worldview. It is the father who is essential for sending his children forth with a Biblical view of reality and a faith in Jesus Christ and His Church.

It is time for fathers to return to honorable manhood and reconsider their priorities and realign them with God’s commands, decrees, and laws, teaching these things to your children “when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise.” (Deuteronomy 6:7 NKJV).

Have a happy Father’s Day!  Will we see you in church Sunday?  Make the right call.

⃰   “The Demographic Characteristics of the Linguistic and Religious Groups in Switzerland” by Werner Haug and Phillipe Warner of the Federal Statistical Office, Neuchatel. The study appears in Volume 2 of Population Studies No. 31, a book titled The Demographic Characteristics of National Minorities in Certain European States, edited by Werner Haug and others, published by the Council of Europe Directorate General III, Social Cohesion, Strasbourg, January 2000.

Monday, June 29th, we commemorate the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.  A word about St. Peter, one from whom we can learn much and to whom we can even relate.

St. Peter is "the first among equals" among the Apostles; the leader and the rock.  Yet it is he who denied Christ three times during the Lord's hour of torment.  Before Jesus was betrayed, Jesus even told Peter that he would deny him three times before the cock crowed, and Peter denied he ever would do such a thing!  Yet, he did. 

Still, after the resurrection we read that the angels tell the women who first discovered the empty tomb "go and tell his disciples and Peter" of the empty tomb.  The Angels specifically mention Peter—no others.   Messengers of God still recognize the leadership of St. Peter.  Christ does not forsake Peter even though Peter, out of fear, denied his Lord, Jesus Christ, three times. (Matthew 11:28-30)

As such, St. Peter continues to be known within the Tradition of the Church as the rock:  the symbol of faith and strength.  The "Rock" on which Christ would build the Church is the very faith of St. Peter.  This despite those moments in which he lost faith and strength.  (Note also how he lost faith in the raging sea.) 

We are in a way like St. Peter, and this should encourage us.  We can grow spiritually, increase our faith, strengthen our resolve and conviction; and still lose faith in difficult times.  But, God does not forsake us.  We can recognize our weakness, and in humility repent just like Peter did for his denial of Christ.  And Christ in His Divine mercy and infinite love forgives. 

We see Jesus forgive Peter when He asked Peter three times, "Do you love me,” Peter confirmed "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” This was Christ's way of showing him forgiveness even for his thrice denial—he denied the Lord three times; he was forgiven three times. (John 21:15-17) 

Let us also resolve to be more like St. Peter, the pillar of strength and conviction; the example of faith.  And if and when we fail our Lord, let us not lose heart or faith, but in humility, confess our sin and accept His love and forgiveness.

This weekend, we as a nation celebrate Independence Day.  Ah, a long weekend… one of those great Federal Holidays that we so love because of the day off.  But is that all it is about, a day off?  Of course it is not.  We will enjoy the off time, but deep down we know it is given for a reason.

I think most of us truly appreciate that we celebrate the birth of the United States of America.  We are a patriotic lot, and honor those many who sacrificed dearly to secure and maintain the freedoms our forebears fought and died for.  All over America this weekend, we will see the proud flying of the “red, white and blue.”  Old Glory, the flag and all that it represents, will be boldly displayed here, there and everywhere.

Those of us who hail from a religious tradition that uses symbols in worship can easily appreciate this phenomenon. The displaying of the cross as a symbol of victory over sin and death is a prime example.  The cross is strategically placed in churches, in homes and automobiles, worn as more than a mere necklace, even tattooed.  We also use icons in worship, but also know the honor and veneration bestowed on the icon is not upon the wood or paint—not on the picture itself—but on what the icon represents. 

The flag is really no different.  Its beauty is in what it represents: it represents all that our nation stands for, "life liberty and the pursuit of happiness," and so much more.  Our cherished documents, especially the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, have given us the foundations upon which to build a free society. The blood, sweat and tears that have been shed to defend this nation have preserved it.  It is the great heritage that we so cherish.

Perhaps Alexis de Tocqueville, a French writer and visitor to America, said it best:

"I searched for America's greatness in her matchless Constitution, and it was not there.  I searched for America's greatness in her halls of Congress, and it was not there. I searched for America's greatness in her rich and fertile fields and teeming potential, and it was not there.  It was not until I went into the heartland of America and into her churches and met the American people that I discovered what it is that makes America great.  America is great because America is good; and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."

This is poignant and insightful, but more than anything, it is prophetic.  Note that it was in the churches that de Tocqueville discovered America's greatness in the goodness of the people.  I fear with him that as America becomes increasingly secularized and fewer and fewer people affiliate with “the Church,” we will lose that which makes us good, and therefore that which makes America great.  The insidious effect of a society that loses its "fear of God" loses its path.  Let us not go down the wrong path, but follow the road of those who made America great.

May the good Lord bless you and keep you, but also remember the words of scripture (Gen. 12:3):  "God blesses those who bless Him." Bless the Lord this Sabbath by participating in the worship, but more importantly, becoming a regular and involved member of the Church.  It is all for the greater good, of self and nation.

The wind shrieked out to a bird sitting calmly on a twig and said, “I am going to blow you off!”  The bird simply replied, “Go ahead.  I have wings.”

Nikos Kazantzakis tells a story—a story that came out from the villages of Greece—in which it is said that bats were once mice that entered a church and ate the consecrated bread of the Eucharist.  Consequently, they grew wings.  Commenting on this, Kazantzakis says, “The human soul was also a mouse at one time.  It ate Christ’s body, partook of God in Holy Communion, and developed wings.” 

Unfortunately, our wings can resemble a bit more like those of prairie chickens.  Let me explain.  Prairie chickens only fly when their fear has reached a certain level, then and only then do they feebly take off into the air.  They use their wings only for “fright flights.”  

Is our faith just for fright flights as well?  Do we only turn to God when the hour is dark?  I guess one could say, at least we turn to Him.  I would say, though, that our faith should be constant--our soul should have the wings of an eagle.

The Lord calls us not to be prairie chickens, but eagles; eagles in the use of our faith.  As the Prophet Isaiah said, “They who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles.” (Isaiah 40:31)

That is the way we, men and women of God, ought to be in every aspect of life: as if we had wings like an eagle.  Be faithful, not sceptical. Be joyful, not sorrowful.  Be hopeful, not fearful.  Soar above the rest.

Alexander the Great established one of the greatest and most vast empires in the world. He was one who knew how to sacrifice for the greater good.  He had a vision and he was a leader.

When he was in the midst of his conquest of Persia—and things were getting difficult for his army—he looked into the finances of soldiers and their company.  To be successful, he knew they could not be distracted by worries about what would happen to their families in their absence.  To ensure that they would not be troubled over their families' welfare, he distributed the royal estates and revenues among them.  To maintain their security, he had to dispose of nearly all the royal resources.

General Perdiccas, his closest friend and principle advisor, asked Alexander what he had reserved for himself. "Hope," answered the king.

"In that case," said Perdiccas, "we who share in your labors will also take part in your hopes." He then refused the estate allotted to him, and several others of the king's comrades did the same. 

Won't you share in our vision for St. Demetrios?  We have hope, yet have need of greater sacrifice. We, each and everyone of us, needs the Church, but the Church needs you too.  Your commitment matters and we encourage your support and participation.

Please keep your eyes open for our stewardship appeal and your stewardship form, coming your way soon.

Every Sunday is a “little Easter”—a Pascha of sorts.  It is our holy day, called the Lord’s Day, Κυριακη.  It is not the Sabbath Day; it is the Lord’s Day.  It is the holy day of the week and should be one on which we don’t fast, we spend time with our families, and we attend Church services.

It was on the Lord’s Day that the holy Apostle and Evangelist John saw a vision and was inspired to write the last book of the Bible, the Revelation of John, where he states,

“I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, ‘Write what you see in a book…” (Rev. 1:10-11).

It was also on the Lord’s Day when the disciples were gathered behind closed doors, and encountered the risen Lord in their midst.  It was on the first day of the week that they could first say, Christ is Risen!  The message of Sunday—of the Lord’s Day—is the resurrection.  This is why it is not called the Sabbath; but Christians call it the Day of the Lord!  It is not the seventh day of creation, which is the Sabbath, but the eighth day of creation—the day of eternity.

The first meaning of Sunday was not only something that happened to Jesus alone, but something that also happened to the disciples.  They were forever changed.  They had seen the Lord who was just three days prior crucified and laid in a tomb.  And He said unto them: “Peace.”

This remains the purpose of the Christian Sunday.  It is the day on which we, the faithful, encounter the risen Christ.  We would not think of missing Divine Liturgy and receiving the Body and Blood of Christ on Pascha.  Why would we on any given “little Pascha”?  The meaning and purpose are one and the same: to change our lives forever.

We are entering into a very solemn and important time in our church calendar, the two-week fast of the Theotokos (Mother of God).  It is a time set aside in our busy lives for attention to our spiritual lives with fasting and prayer.  It is customary during this time for us to gather in church and sing the Supplication Services to the Theotokos.

Supplication is a kind of prayer—one type of prayer among many.  It is prayer of request. In other words, we beseech the Lord our God for our needs. In this case, we ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to intercede to her Son on our behalf, much like she did at the wedding in Cana of Galilee when the wedding party ran out of wine.  Even though Jesus at first rebuked her, explaining it was “not yet His time” to begin his ministry, still He worked his first miracle—called a sign in the Gospel of John—and changed the water into wine.  The point is, He listened to the supplication (or request) of His mother. With this scriptural foundation, the Church has always invoked the prayers of the Theotokos on behalf of our needs. (John 2:1-11) 

Interesting, though, in the Supplication Services—called “Parlaklesis” in Greek—we do not pray just for our own needs, but submit the names of our loved ones so that the priest can pray for their health and well-being.  We pray first and foremost for others.

Jesus Christ never demanded that we pray for others or for ourselves.  He assumes that we do.  Prayer is fundamental and basic to our life as Christians.  The same is true about fasting.  Both fasting and prayer are a crucial for every Orthodox Christian.  We lose something if we simply ignore the valuable tools of fasting and prayer.  We become carnal beings, i.e., secularized, worldly and not spiritual.  But we, the followers of Christ, are called to be of the Spirit, not the flesh.

Even though it is difficult to find the time, or simply, for some to muster up the enthusiasm to go the church during the week, it is extremely rewarding when we do.  We feel better, but more importantly, we step closer to God through His Church, and we walk in the Spirit.  We, step-by-step, became more spiritual and less secular.

I look forward once again to hearing the beautiful hymns of the Paraklesis Service sung by Presbytera Connie, this year accompanied by our daughter, Nia.  They do such a nice job, singing equally well in both English and Greek, and makes for a moving and enjoyable service for all. I encourage you first, to submit names of your loved ones to me so that I may include them in the prayers, and then, to join us this week, Monday and Friday, and next week Tuesday and Thursday, at 6 p.m. 

With Christ’s Blessings,

Fr. Milton Gianulis

We do not pray alone during the Divine Liturgy.  We pray with one another, fellow worshippers; but we also pray together with all the saints.  This is expressed in the words of the liturgy, “Having remembered all the saints, let us again in peace pray to the Lord.”

Frequently in the service, the priest (or deacon) calls us to pray in similar fashion: “Calling to remembrance our most holy, pure, blessed and glorified Lady the Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary; together with all the saints, let us commit ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God.”

It is clear that the intent here of bringing to our mind the Theotokos and the saints is to lead us to a deeper commitment to “Christ our God.”  The focus is not so much on the saints, nor on the Virgin Mary, nor on one another, but on our collective commitment to Christ. After having remembered the blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints, we commit ourselves and one another to Christ.

We might understand how to commit ourselves: with deeper dedication and resolve. But how to we commit one another? Can we commit someone else to Christ?

Well, yes.  We do so by recognizing that we are in this together—we are a community bound to one another.  In Jesus Christ we are united as one body.  So too in our communal prayer life, we are dependent upon the prayers and commitment of each other.

This, my brothers and sisters in Christ, was in fact our Lord’s prayer before He went to His passion and death:

“And now I am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.” (John 17:11)

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I have been here at St. Demetrios since January 1, 2015; your full time priest since April 1, 1015.  It was a wonderful time to begin my ministry here:  Holy Week and Pascha.  We were filled with great hope and promise…and remain so.  I told myself to move slowly at first—not to make any major changes for some time.  I think I have kept to that (someone, feel free to correct me if I am wrong).

The time has come, however, to make one significant change in our Divine Liturgy.  From September and forward, the sermon will not be delivered just before the Lord’s Prayer as is our current practice.  This is an accommodation to those who consistently arrive late for services.   We will never grow if we continue to enable this wrong behavior.  The sermon will be delivered according to the correct practice of our Orthodox liturgical tradition, immediately following the gospel lesson.

I have been told that I preach pretty well.  I don’t know about that, but I do know that the homily is an explanation and exegesis of the Lord’s Word, so it is important.  It is also important that the homily be delivered at its proper time so that exposition of the gospel lesson can be better understood.  Therefore, to both encourage arrival to Divine Liturgy on time and to observe the correct practice of the Church (Orthopraxia), I have decided to make this time change.

Divine Liturgy begins at 10:00 a.m.— not 10:15, not 10:30, and certainly not 11:00!  It is worth noting that the correct teaching of our Church – the Orthopraxia – is that we need to prepare in order to receive Holy Communion.  We do so by fasting and prayer.  However, participation in the Divine Liturgy is also part of our proper preparation.  We should not receive Holy Communion if we are not in Church in time for the readings of the scriptures — the Epistle Lesson and the Gospel Lesson.

Holy Communion is neither a mere symbol nor a simple remembrance of the Last Supper.  It is participation in His Passion and Resurrection; a mystical receiving of the actual presence of His Body and Blood.  This is something not to be taken too lightly.  So, I ask, please begin to change those bad habits.  Set your alarm clock earlier.  Go to sleep the night before earlier.  Leave the house earlier.  Whatever it takes; let’s get to Church on time!

Faithfully Yours in Christ’s service,

Fr. Milton Gianulis

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Building a Church and – more importantly – building a community can be daunting.  We learn early on that many people have differing perceptions of what a Church should be and each has different expectations.

I would like to share some thought from Bishop Kallistos Ware [internationally renowned author of numerous Orthodox books, including The Orthodox Church and The Orthodox Way].   From a theological and traditional Orthodox Christian perspective, he can assist us in managing our expectations and our vision.

“What is the Church here for?  When you think of the Church, what kind of icon, what kind of visual image do you have in your mind?  What is your model when thinking of the Church? What does the Church do which nobody and nothing else can do?

“To me, the most helpful, but not the only possible answer is to thing of the Church in terms of the Holy Eucharist.  What is the Church here for? Answer: to offer the Eucharist.  What is the distinctive and unique function of the Church? Eucharistic celebration.  It is this that makes the Church different from a youth organization or a musical club or an ethnic society or an old people’s association.

“What holds the Church together and makes it one?  It is the Eucharist that created the unity of the Church. Unity is not imposed from the outside by power of jurisdiction.  Unity is created from within by communion in the body and blood of Christ.  And his then should be our icon, our visual image of the Church.  We should think of a table and on the table a plate with bread and a cup of wine.  And around the table the bishop and the priests and the deacons, yes, and the deaconesses, the readers, the acolytes, the whole people of God; all together celebrating the Holy Mystery of the Eucharist.  This need not be our only picture, but this should be our fundamental picture.  This should be the test of everything else that the Church does—the Holy Eucharist.  All questions of the structure of the Church, of jurisdiction, of canon law—these are to be understood ultimately in terms of the Eucharist.”

Faithfully Yours,

Fr. Milton Gianulis

Today I would like to share the story of St. Moses the Ethiopian and some insights we might derive from his life that are very relevant to America today.  He is commemorated on August 28^th.

St. Moses was at one time a gang leader, thief and murderer.  However, he became a model of transformation, not because society coddled him, but because he changed from within.  Some might be offended by the thought that many of our young people may just be on the fringes of a similar lifestyle.  Many of our cities’ neighborhood are rife with gangs.

Back to Moses.  He was an escaped slave and became the leader of 75 gang members.  He was a large, powerful and frightening man.  His gang terrorized the entire region in which he lived.  His transformation began when he and his gang attacked a monastery intent on robbing it.  He was met by the abbot, though, whose peaceful and warm demeanor overwhelmed him.  He immediately felt remorse for what they were doing.  He repented for his past since and begged the abbot to remain in the monastery.

Moses was tortured by his past and for years was still tempted to return to his old ways.  One day, as he was confessing his sins to St. Makarios, and angel appeared to him holding a tablet inscribed with all his past sins.  As he confessed, the angel kept wiping the tablet clean.  The more he confessed, the more the angel wiped, until by the end of his confession the tablet was completely wiped clean.  After meeting St. Makarios (and also St. Isidore), he fully abandoned his old gang ways, was tonsured and became a monk.

Later, Moses was ordained to the priesthood—a rare honor among the desert fathers—and founded a monastery himself of 75 monks, the same number as were in his former gang.  He became known for his wisdom, humility, love and non-judgmental nature; no doubt due in large part from his experience and the mercy God had shown him.

Once a brother had been caught up in a certain sin and the abbot asked if Moses would come to the church to sit on a spiritual court.  Moses did go, but reluctantly and carrying a leaking bag of sand over his shoulders.  When he arrived, the other brothers asked him why he was carrying such a thing.  His simple response:  “The sand is my sins which trail behind me, while I go to judge the sins of another.”

At that reply, the brothers forgave the offender and returned to focusing on their own salvation rather than on the sins of another.

Take away lessons for us?

• Transformation is a process, not immediate.
• Sincere confession is a tool leading to transformation.
• The demonstration of love, mercy and kindness has a positive effect on others.
• We should focus on our own relationship with God and not the sins of others.
• All are welcome in His house.
• Never give up on anyone… God doesn’t.

Saturday, May 30th

Orthros, 9:00 a.m.  Divine Liturgy, 9:45 a.m.

Memorial Service 10: 30 a.m.

Please bring names of your departed loved ones to Fr. Gianulis on Saturday morning.

Monday, June 1st

Orthros, 8:00 a.m.  Divine Liturgy, 9:00 a.m.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy on Pentecost Sunday, May 31st, there will be an abridged Vespers Service--the Kneeling Service--in which we pray together for the Holy Spirit to come upon us just as it was done for the Apostles.

During the week following the Feast of Pentecost (and prior to the Fast of the Holy Apostles), there is no fasting even on Wednesday and Friday.  

Η Μεταμορφωσις του Σωτηρος

Thursday, August 6th

Orthros, 8:00 a.m. 

Divine Liturgy, 9:00 a.m. 

The final Paraklesis of this season, "Dekapentavgousto", will be sung tonight, Thursday, August 13th, at 6:00 p.m.

Monday, June 29.

Orthros, 8 a.m.  Divine Liturgy, 9:00 a.m.

Monday, July 27.

Orthros, 8:00 a.m.

Divine Liturgy, 9:00 a.m.

Κοιμησις της Θεοτοκου

Saturday, August 15th

Orthros, 9:00 a.m.

Divine Liturgy, 10:00 a.m.

Saturday, August 29th

Orthros, 9:00 a.m.  Divine Liturgy, 9:45 a.m.

Please note, this day is observed as a strict fast day according to the teaching of our Orthodox Faith.

Sunday Aug. 30th, following the Divine Liturgy, for the Church New Year and the beginning of Church School and Greek School.

Rose (Triantafilia) Peparis - 40 days

Ero Kaminarides - 4 year

Father Ambrose Bitziadis-Bowers and Father Patrick Vescuso, who will be co-celebrating the Divine Liturgy with Fr. Gianulis.  Fr. Amrose is here for the Memorial Service of Rose Peparis; Fr. Patrick bringing his son, Sebastion, to College of William and Mary.  

We also welcome Sebastion Vescuso, Dean Katsaros, Daniel McKinney, Anthony Sarakakis, and all the new and returning students today.

We will begin the Church Year and the School Year with a blessing of the water service after Divine Liturgy on Sunday, August 30th.  Our Church School and Greek School classrooms will be blessed with holy water as well as the sanctuary.  All teachers, parents and students should be present.

Please register your children for Church School on Sundays August 30th, September 6th and 13th.  We ask your cooperation so that we can properly order books and materials and assign teachers.

...the family and friends of Rosa (Triandafilia) Paparis, who fell asleep in the Lord on Friday, July 17.  The funeral arrangements are as follows.

Viewing at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, Sunday, July 19, from 7 - 9 p.m.  Trisaghion prayers at 7:30 p.m.

Funeral service on Monday, July 20, at 11:30 a.m.

May God grant her many years.

If anyone has a thriving basil plant, we would love to trim it for you. We need basil for 1) the Holy Water Blessing Service next Sunday; and 2) the Procession of the Cross on Sept. 13th.  Please see Fr. Gianulis.

Come for an hour or two and help us pack items for the Farmer's Market on Fridays August 22 & 29., at 10:00 a.m. in the church kitchen. Or, come Saturday mornings to the booth in Merchants' Square to help sell.  Everyone is welcome and appreciated.

Hosting of the coffee fellowship each Sunday is between four organizations (AHEPA, Greek School, Philoptochos, and the Parish Council) and one Sunday as a "pot luck" fellowship.  Of course, any individual or family or organization is welcome to host anytime.  Simply let the office or Fr. Gianulis know.  The upcoming schedule is as follows. 

Sunday, August 23rd -- Elli Williams in honor and memory of her mother.

Sunday, August 30th -- Parish Council

Sunday, September 6th -- AHEPA

Sunday, September 13th -- Philoptochos/Ladies Auxiliary

The seminar led on the last Sunday of each month by Fr. Gianulis will not be held for remainder of the Summer. The next discussion will be held on Sept. 26th from 11:45 a.m - 12:30 p.m. We will begin a series then on the Sacraments of the Church.

Weekly Bible Study will not be held for the remainder of the Summer. We will resume on Wednesdays beginning Sept. 9th, still at 7 p.m. in the Vlahakis Education Center. 

FISH, Inc. of Williamsburg, Virginia, is an all-volunteer not-for-profit agency providing help to residents of the greater Williamsburg area. FISH depends entirely upon a caring community for food, clothing, volunteers and financial donations, in order to serve our neighbors in need. Individuals within our community and our Church School have supported FISH. FISH is based on the Greek word, which was also an early Christian symbol: ΙΧΘΥΣ.  Donations are at the low point in the year during the summer months, when the need is often the greatest. The accept non-perishable food items and clothing.  You may donate directly to FISH located at the Messmer Community Services Center, 312 Waller Mill Road; or bring your contributions to Church and add to the collection boxes in hallway next to our new book store.

Young men over age 10 are encouraged to serve in the altar.  No experience necessary.  Altar boys are asked to arrive by 10:00 a.m.

We are up an running! Check it out: http://www.stdemva.com . We are grateful to our web team, Katherine Fatouros, Charlie Slayton and Lisa Jones for their diligent efforts in putting this together.

Patriot Convalescent Center: Frank Tsutras

If you are willing an able to bake prosfora, we would like to share the responsibility and thus have a fresh loaf each week.  A sign up sheet is available in the Narthex, or you can call Fr. Gianulis @ 220-0994. 

Riverside:  Frank Tsutras

... Abel Colocho-Garcia and Christina Baxevanis on the wedding Saturday, July 11th.  The Sponsor (κουμπαροι) were Costas and Anastasia Doulgerakis.  May God grant them many years!

...for the repose of the soul of Niki Kokolis. May God grant her many years. Coffee fellowship will be offered by the Jim Kokolis family.

There is a very nice, Greek American PhD student who will be attending William and Mary in August. He has had not luck finding housing and would love to rent a house or apartment from a parishioner. He will be moving here on August 17th, so time is short. If you can help, Anthony can be reached at 989-948-4198. 

It is a humble beginning, but we now have a bookstore. It is located in the hallway between the sanctuary and the Paparis Hall.  Check it out this Sunday during coffee fellowship.

For those who are able to make the trip, you are invited to join us in the celebration of the Feast Day of the Winchester, VA, Church, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. Friday, 6p.m. Great Vespers; Saturday, 9:00 a.m. Orthros; 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy.  And, the annual Winchester Greek Festival will take place on Saturday, August 15th and Sunday, August 16th, 2015.

Individuals within our community, and our Church School has supported the locally administered and funded charity FISH.  FISH is based on the Greek word, which was also an early Christian symbol: ΙΧΘΥΣ.  Their mission is to assist families in need. Donations are at the low point in the year during the summer months, when the need is often the greatest. The accept non-perishable food items and clothing.  You may donate directly to FISH located at the Messmer Community Services Center, 312 Waller Mill Road; or bring your contributions to Church and add to the collection boxes in hallway next to our new book store.

Dear Parents, Teachers and Students,

Blessings to all in the name of the Most Holy Trinity.  I hope everyone had a safe and fun summer for 2015. I look forward to seeing and hearing about the highlights of everybody’s vacation when we get together.

It is approaching the time to turn the page and get ready for an exciting Church School year.  As many of you know, I have been asked by Fr. Milton to take on the role of Church School Director for the 2015-2016 Church School. I’m very excited about this opportunity, and extend my services to all of you, and greatly desire that we all grow in our wonderful Orthodox faith!

Before embarking upon this most important endeavor, I would ask that anyone that I have not spoken with yet that may be interested in helping with Church School this coming year will please e-mail me back and let me know immediately, so we can get things rolling.

The most important role I feel that I can play will be one of providing the tools each of you need to be successful.  I want as much feedback as possible whether it is positive or negative, so we can as a team find the best solutions to whatever challenges come our way.

Once again, I’m very excited about our opportunities that await us to really instill not only the dogmas and beauty of our faith, but how our theology is practical in our everyday lives. We don’t just leave our Orthodox faith at the Narthex or at coffee hour every Sunday.
In Him,
David Pearson III

Please join us following Divine Liturgy on Sunday, July 19th, for a Greek Festival Planning meeting. It is not too late to begin plans and preparations for the  Fall Festival.  Everyone's ideas and support are greatly appreciated.

Nestor Adilton and Natalia Anatolie on the baptism of their son, Daniel, on Sunday, June 28th. Godparents were Antonios and Irene Sarantakos.  May God grant him many years!

Jimmy and Melinda Alimonos on the Baptism of their son, Elias Taylor, on Saturday, June 20th. The Godfather is Minos Galanos.  May God grant him many years!

We are currently seeking the names and contact information of all students who are or will be attending a college or university this Summer or Fall.  We want to give their information to the national OCF, so they can contact them about a local OCF chapter. Please send names, email, phone numbers and the institution to Fr. Gianulis at frmdg@stdemva.com

Additionally, Fr. Gianulis will be serving as spriritual advisor to the William & Mary OCF, along with Fr. James Purdie of St. Basil's in Hampton.

All parents and teachers are asked to join us on Tuesday, July 7th at 7 p.m. in the Vlahakis Education Center.  We need to stragegize and plan for Fall.  We currently do not have a Director, therefore, it is crucial that all teachers and parents come to this planning meeting. Thank you.

On Tuesday, June 30 and Thursday, July 2, Fr. Gianulis will be serving along with other area clergy at our new Camp Good Shepherd in Virginia.  

Camp Good Shepherd Virginia is a Greek Orthodox Summer Camp right here in Virginia. The camp will be right in our backyard along the beautiful Piankatank river from June 28-July 3. It is available to children going into 6^th grade through 12^th grade. Do not delay in registering online,

http://www.nj.goarch.org/youthyal/goodshepherd.htm

We are very grateful to Kimi Vlahakis for the generous gift of time and talent, the beautiful icon of Pentecost, which will be displayed on the analogion (icon stand) Sunday.

It is that time of year again...the kids are going back to school and Greek School is beginning again!  For all those interested, please try to come to St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church this Sunday to meet with Mrs. Zestos.  We will discuss the calendar, weekly schedule, and important dates.  Please keep in mind, this Sunday is the Blessing of the Water, so Father Gianulis will bless the classrooms prior to the meeting. An approximate start time is 12:30.  We are looking forward to another great year - hope to see you there!