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St. Demetrios Church
Publish Date: 2025-02-16
Bulletin Contents
Gospel and Epistle Readings
Parish Announcements
Saints and Feasts
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese News

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St. Demetrios Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (440) 331-2246
  • Fax:
  • (440) 331-8407
  • Street Address:

  • 22909 Center Ridge Road

  • Rocky River, OH 44116
  • Mailing Address:

  • 22909 Center Ridge Road

  • Rocky River, OH 44116

Contact Information

Priest Fr. Andy Lentz


[email protected] | 440-331-2246 x1

Office Manager Eleni Papouras-Jenks


[email protected] | 440-331-2246 x2

Operations Manager Byron T. Spooner


[email protected] | 440-331-2246 x3

Services Schedule

Sundays 8:30 a.m. Orthros and 9:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy

Special weekday feastday services to be announced in the bulletin.

Past Bulletins


Gospel and Epistle Readings

Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. First Mode. Psalm 32.22,1.
Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 6:12-20.

Brethren, "all things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything. "Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food" -- and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I therefore take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, "The two shall become one flesh." But he who is united to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Shun immorality. Every other sin which a man commits is outside the body; but the immoral man sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body and in your spirit which belong to God.

Gospel Reading

Sunday of the Prodigal Son
The Reading is from Luke 15:11-32

The Lord said this parable: "There was a man who had two sons; and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living. And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want. So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would gladly have filled his belly with the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants.' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry; for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry. Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"

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Parish Announcements

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

SUNDAY

2/16

8:20; 9:30 a.m.

11:30 a.m.

Orthros; Divine Liturgy Sunday School

GOYA girls basketball  /  DOP meeting

MONDAY

2/17

9:00 a.m.

6:00 p.m.

“     “

Making festival Souzoukakia

Movie Monday (hall)   

GOYA boys basketball  (gym)

TUESDAY

2/18

9:00 a.m.

5:00 p.m.

“     “

Making festival Souzoukakia

Greek School  

Kollyva Workshop  (kitchen)

WEDNESDAY

2/19

10:30 a.m.

6:30 p.m.

Bible Study

GOYA boys basketball

THURSDAY

2/20

10:30 a.m.

5:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

Prayer Group

Tsikno-Pempti Apokreatiko Party

Choir practice

FRIDAY

2/21

 

GOYA departs for Pittsburgh tournament

SATURDAY

2/22

8:20; 9:30 a.m.

Saturday of Souls Orthros; Divine Liturgy

OFFICE SCHEDULE

Fr. Andy will be away on vacation from Feb. 17-21. In case of pastoral emergencies, please contact the office manager at ext. 2


GODPARENTS SUNDAY

Sun., Feb. 16, godparents & godchildren are invited to celebrate Divine Liturgy and recieve Communion together. 


MEMORIALS

Feb. 16:    

40 days for John Asimou,  husband of Helen, father of George and Holly

1 year for Nick Carpadis, father of Andrew, Lora Mathiellis, and Christina Schraff

1 year for Sophie Pasalis, wife of George, mother of Dimitra, Katherine Stark, and Valerie Pituras

Coffee Hour hosted by the Carpadis and Pasalis families


BABY BLESSING

Feb. 16 - Giordano, son of DOminic and Katerina Dore


SWEET TREATS BAKE SALE

Sun., Feb. 16, purchase seasonal treats from the Daughters of Penelope for those you love! Proceeds and free will donations to benefit the 2025 scholarship fund.

A short DOP short meeting to follow coffee hour, in the Fellowship Room


FESTIVAL PREPARATIONS

starting at 9 a.m.  No previous experience necessary. Coffee & lunch to be provided. 

Feb. 17-18: Souzoukakia.   

Feb. 24-25: Dolmades 


MOVIE MONDAY

Feb. 17,  6:00 p.m.   Το Γαμιλιο Party (The Wedding Party)  (2008; 1 hour & 29 minutes) A comedy about a couple that’s planned a lovely destination wedding in Crete, but a typo on the invitation sends their confused guests running around Greece’s largest island. In Greek .Free and open to all.

 


KOLLYVA WORKSHOP

Tue., Feb. 18 5:30 p.m. St. Demetrios Hall kitchen. To ensure enough ingredients, RSVP by Sun., Feb. 16 by texting Christina Carpadis Schraff at 216-215-4232. Learn the technique for making the memorial wheat in time for the Saturdays of Souls (2/22, 3/1, 3/8)


APOKREATIKO PARTY

Thu., Feb. 20, 5-6:30 p.m. Greek School annual Tsikno-Pemti party will take place in the hall. JOY and Hellenic Dancers also welcome! Kids and adults welcome to come in costume. Kids will learn about Lent, Apokreas traditions in Greece, and dancing. Pizza will be provided and attending families invited to bring a potluck side dish.


GOYA NEWS

Keep our basketball teams in your prayers when they travel to the final tournament:

Feb 21-23 in Pittsburgh.

Weekly practices: Boys: Mon/Wed 6:30 p.m.    Girls: Sundays after Sunday School.


SPAGHETTI LUNCHEON

Sun., Feb. 23, after Liturgy, join the choir for Meatfare Sunday.

$17/ adult ~ $12 /Child.  Tickets on sale at coffee hours or see any choir member. Spaghetti with Meat Sauce  (meatless sauce option will be available) Salad and dessert. Carryout available.


PUT ON THE COFFEE

Coffee hour is greatly enjoyed by many parishioners, and we often need a family or group of friends or organization to host so that no Sunday goes without a coffee hour. Hosts only need to bring food items, set-up, serve, and oversee clean-up. Paper products and coffee will be provided.

To host on March 9 or  April 6,  please call the Church Office at 440-331-2246 ext. 2.


STEWARDSHIP

Thanks to all who pledged for 2025 and provided the foundation of our ministries.  Together we are growing in our faith, seeing the Church as it could be! 

If you would like to serve on the Stewardship Committee or have any ideas you would like to share, please call or email John Patterson at 216-630-6901, [email protected].


FRIENDS OF THE POOR

SERVING DINNER AT ST. HERMAN’S Volunteer to feed the homeless with your parish family:

~Philoptochos next service date:  Tue., March 11.    Contact Joanne Harootunian (440-353-0910)

~FOCUS Friends next service date: Sat.,  March 1.  Contact Christina Trillis (440) 665-1494 


HELLENIC DANCE

Sun., March 2 ,  Registration for the dance groups will open,   during coffee hour

Aeraki Dancers (ages 6-8)~ Kymata Dancers (ages 9-12)~Kyklonas Dancers (ages 13 & up)


PARISH YOUTH RETREAT

Sat., March 8, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. for grades 3-5. Join Sunday School to learn about the sacrament of Confession, with the opportunity to take confession at the end with area clergy. RSVP by 3/1 to Beth ([email protected])


ORATORICAL FESTIVAL

Sun., March 16, students (Grades 4-12) invited to participate. In addition to spoken presentations, there are also poetry, iconography, and essay competitions. Topics at https://www.pittsburgh.goarch.org/oratorical. If you are interested in participating, please email Beth Patterson, [email protected].


BOOK & BIBLE STUDY

Meeting on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. in the Library. 

We have just begun reading From the Corner of East and Now  by Frederica Mathewes-Green. All welcome to join.


PRAYER GROUP

Thursdays at 10:30  a.m. in St Philothei Chapel. Contact Diakonissa Amy ([email protected] or 330-519-3100) to join, or to submit names for whom we can pray.

 


GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE

Sat., March 22, 1 p.m. Kick-off and return at Annunciation Church, 2187 W. 14th St., Cleveland. Hellenic organizations who plan to march and/or send a dance group should register by contacting Emmanuel Ermidis or Eleni Papouras-Jenks (440-331-2246 ext.2)


EVENTS ELSEWHERE

APOKREATIKO GLENDI  Sat., Feb. 22, St. Nicholas Church, 2000 Tower Blvd., Lorain, hosted by AHEPA #144. Doors open at 6 p.m. for dancing to live music by Stigma, food, prizes for best costumes, raffle baskets. Cash bar. $35/adult; $20/ child under 12; free for children 5 & under. Pre-sale tickets only; rsvp by Feb. 19 by calling the church at 440-960-2992.

BOUZOUKIA BENEFIT Fri., Feb. 28, 8p.m.-2 a.m. at Mars Bar, 15314 Madison Ave., Lakewood, featuring live music by The Meraklides. $25 at the door, Mezze included; cash bar.100% of proceeds to support the Metropolis of Pittsburgh Summer Camp at Camp Nazareth.  

HOPE & JOY RETREAT Sat., March 1, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Annunciation Church, 129 S. Union St., Akron. Children in grades K-6 will learn about key figures we encounter in the Resurrection thru crafts, service projects, and more. Lunch will be provided. Register at https://tinyurl.com/AkronHJ25

 TEEN CUPID SHUFFLE Sat., March 1 at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, 2587 W. 14th St., Cleveland. 5 pm Vespers; 6-10 p.m. dinner dance. $25/person. rsvP to 216-781-9020.

SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY March 9, 5:00 p.m. at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, 6306 Broadview Rd., Parma, marking the first Sunday of Great Lent and the triumph of the icons. Homily by Bishop Irinej. To support local Orthodox ministries and be listed as a patron in the program book, donation checks payable to "Greater Cleveland COUncil of Orthodox Clergy" can be mailed to St. Innocent Church, PO Box 38208, Olmsted FAlls, OH 440138 by March 2, 2025.

YOUNG ADULT SPRING RETREAT   March 14-16, at Camp Nazareth in Mercer, Penn. “Living the Liturgy” with Fr. Timothy Paproski. For ages 18-35. Httpw://tinyurl.com/2z7kjpyh

IONIAN VILLAGE  The Archdiocese of America’s summer camp program in Greece. Young Adult session:  June 2-13.  High School students Sessions: June 22 - July 11 or July 20 - August 8.   Registration opens February 4th at 11 am ET at www.ionianvillage.org

JOURNEY TO GREECE This AHEPA program is a cultural immersion initiative that enables high school seniors and college undergraduates to earn up to six college course credits, in collaboration with Webster University. Application at Ahepa.org/education   Register before April 30, 2025.

 

IOCC REBUILD TEAM  June 15-21, help rebuild homes in eastern Tennessee damaged by Hurricane Helene. Volunteers must be 16 or older; no previous building experience is required. $100 will cover room & board, local transportation. Register at iocc.org/volunteer25

 

 ST. DEMETRIOS MISSION TRIP July 12-18, 2025 to the Blackfeet Nation in Browning, Montana. For more information, contact Jake Trotter ([email protected])


PARISH PICKLEBALL

Wednesdays in the Zapis Activity Center, 9-11 a.m.


SCHOLARSHIPS

AHEPA District #11 BUCKEYE SCHOLARSHIP Open to graduating high school seniors and undergrad students whose parent/guardian is a member of AHEPA or Daughter of Penelope Buckeye District #11 for at least the last two years and a paid member for 2025; or if student is a member of Sons of Pericles or Maids of Athena. (Those who received a scholarship in the past are still eligible if still an undergraduate.) Applications at https://bsf.buckeyedistrict11.org/?page_id=327 Deadline is March 31, 2025.

John George Tsitsos Scholarship Fund  To cover all or part of annual tuition expenses for students  of Greek ethnicity or descent who are pursuing postgraduate degrees, including but not limited  to STEM, Medical Research, and Seminarians at Hellenic College/Holy Cross Seminary. Applications at www.ahepa.org/education

 Daughters of Penelope, Icarus Chapter  Available to high school seniors who plan to pursue an undergraduate degree, whose parents are members of Daughters of Penelope #321, AHEPA #389, or members in good standing of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church of Rocky River. Request the application at [email protected]  Submission due April 25, 2025.

 

 Joan Lambros Memorial Scholarship Available to women of St Demetrios who are studying any of the Sciences at the undergrad or graduate level. Request the application at  [email protected]    Submission due April 17, 2025.


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Saints and Feasts

February 16

Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Through the parable of today's Gospel, our Saviour has set forth three things for us: the condition of the sinner, the rule of repentance, and the greatness of God's compassion. The divine Fathers have put this reading the week after the parable of the Publican and Pharisee so that, seeing in the person of the Prodigal Son our own wretched condition -- inasmuch as we are sunken in sin, far from God and His Mysteries -- we might at last come to our senses and make haste to return to Him by repentance during these holy days of the Fast.

Furthermore, those who have wrought many great iniquities, and have persisted in them for a long time, oftentimes fall into despair, thinking that there can no longer be any forgiveness for them; and so being without hope, they fall every day into the same and even worse iniquities. Therefore, the divine Fathers, that they might root out the passion of despair from the hearts of such people, and rouse them to the deeds of virtue, have set the present parable at the forecourts of the Fast, to show them the surpassing goodness of God's compassion, and to teach them that there is no sin -- no matter how great it may be -- that can overcome at any time His love for man.

February 17

Theodore the Tyro, the Great Martyr

Saint Theodore who was from Amasia of Pontus, contested during the reign of Maximian (286-305). He was called Tyro, from the Latin Tiro, because he was a newly enlisted recruit. When it was reported that he was a Christian, he boldly confessed Christ; the ruler, hoping that he would repent, gave him time to consider the matter more completely and then give answer. Theodore gave answer by setting fire to the temple of Cybele, the "mother of the gods," and for this he suffered a martyr's death by fire. See also the First Saturday of the Fast.

February 18

Leo the Great, Pope of Rome

According to some, this Saint was born in Rome, but according to others in Tyrrenia (Tuscany), and was consecrated to the archiepiscopal throne of Rome in 440. In 448, when Saint Flavian, Archbishop of Constantinople, summoned Eutyches, an archimandrite in Constantinople, to give account for his teaching that there was only one nature in Christ after the Incarnation, Eutyches appealed to Saint Leo in Rome. After Saint Leo had carefully examined Eutyches's teachings, he wrote an epistle to Saint Flavian, setting forth the Orthodox teaching of the person of Christ, and His two natures, and also counseling Flavian that, should Eutyches sincerely repent of his error, he should be received back with all good will. At the Council held in Ephesus in 449, which was presided over by Dioscorus, Patriarch of Alexandria (and which Saint Leo, in a letter to the holy Empress Pulcheria in 451, was the first to call "The Robber Council"), Dioscorus, having military might behind him, did not allow Saint Leo's epistle to Flavian to be read, although repeatedly asked to do so; even before the Robber Council was held, Dioscorus had uncanonically received the unrepentant Eutyches back into communion. Because Saint Leo had many cares in Rome owing to the wars of Attila the Hun and other barbarians, in 451 he sent four delegates to the Fourth Ecumenical Council, where 630 Fathers gathered in Chalcedon during the reign of Marcian, to condemn the teachings of Eutyches and those who supported him. Saint Leo's epistle to Flavian was read at the Fourth Council, and was confirmed by the Holy Fathers as the Orthodox teaching on the incarnate person of our Lord; it is also called the "Tome of Leo." The Saint wrote many works in Latin; he reposed in 461. See also Saint Anatolius, July 3.

February 19

Philothea the Righteous Martyr of Athens

Saint Philothei was born in Athens in 1522 to an illustrious family. Against her will, she was married to a man who proved to be most cruel. When he died three years later, the Saint took up the monastic life and established a convent, in which she became a true mother to her disciples. Many women enslaved and abused by the Moslem Turks also ran to her for refuge. Because of this, the Turkish rulers became enraged and came to her convent, dragged her by force out of the church, and beat her cruelly. After a few days, she reposed, giving thanks to God for all things. This came to pass in the year 1589. She was renowned for her almsgiving, and with Saints Hierotheus and Dionysius the Areopagite is considered a patron of the city of Athens.

February 20

Sadok the Bishop and the 128 other Martyrs of Persia

February 21

Timothy the Righteous

Saint Timothy took up the monastic life from his youth, became a vessel of the Holy Spirit, and reposed in deep old age.

February 22

Saturday of Souls

Through the Apostolic Constitutions (Book VIII, ch. 42), the Church of Christ has received the custom to make commemorations for the departed on the third, ninth, and fortieth days after their repose. Since many throughout the ages, because of an untimely death in a faraway place, or other adverse circumstances, have died without being deemed worthy of the appointed memorial services, the divine Fathers, being so moved in their love for man, have decreed that a common memorial be made this day for all pious Orthodox Christians who have reposed from all ages past, so that those who did not have particular memorial services may be included in this common one for all. Also, the Church of Christ teaches us that alms should be given to the poor by the departed one's kinsmen as a memorial for him.

Besides this, since we make commemoration tomorrow of the Second Coming of Christ, and since the reposed have neither been judged, nor have received their complete recompense (Acts 17:31; II Peter 2:9; Heb. 11:39-40), the Church rightly commemorates the souls today, and trusting in the boundless mercy of God, she prays Him to have mercy on sinners. Furthermore, since the commemoration is for all the reposed together, it reminds each of us of his own death, and arouses us to repentance.

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