May 2003   

PASCHA 2003 AT THE CATHEDRAL

Christos Anesti: Alithos Anesti! Christ is Risen: Truly He is Risen! Maseeh Kam: Hukin Kam! Christos Voskrese: Voistino Voskrese! Kristi Unjal: Verte Unjal! Christos A Inviat: Adeverat Ca Inviat! Christos Tesnsiu: Oue Tensiu! Christos Tanasa: Awon Tanasa! Ke To Yeee Fou Woo: Ta Zhen De Ee Fu Woo! Le Christ est Ressucite: Vraiment il est Ressucite! Christo es Resucitado: Vertaderramente es Resucitado! Christo e Risorto: Realmente e Risorto! Christus ist auferstanden! Wahraf auferstanden!

In these languages--Greek, English, Arabic, Russian, Albanian, Rumanian, Tegrinian, Amharic, Chinese, French, Spanish, Italian, German, and others--we proclaimed the Resurrection of Christ. The Resurrection of Christ, as the foundational event that gave rise to the Christian faith, fills us with Faith in the Risen Lord, and hope, as we express it in the Creed, “for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the coming age.”

Over Holy Week, with some seventeen services, some of them three hours long, thousands of people, from Palm Sunday, through Bright Monday (when we observed the Feast of St. George the Great Martyr) passed through the Cathedral. This year, Palm Sunday services, led by His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of San Francisco, were held in the Korinthias Center, rather than the Chapel, in order to accommodate the many who attended. Nothing, though, fills one with hope and connects one to the Eternal One than the sharing of the Paschal Light, as the priest intones: Come receive the light, from the Unwaning Light, and glorify Christ, risen from the dead! Not only did we connect with another and with God in the context of the services, but in the many fellowship meals, from Palm Sunday, to Holy Friday, to the Paschal meal. But nothing was as rewarding as our visitation to those who are home-bound or institutionalized or hospitalized, or even our visitation to shelters and orphanages. “As you have done it to the least of these my brethren, you have done it to me,” Jesus reminds us (Matthew 25.40).

May Pascha be for us and for all the world an ongoing connection and renewal, not just a once-a-year observance. May it signal new life for the living, those who toil and struggle, even for those who reside in the grave.

Christ is Risen!

In our April issue, we featured all those stewards who have pledged to support the Cathedral and its ministries for 2003. Unfortunately, thirteen names were inadvertently covered over as the columns were formatted. These thirteen should have been included in the list of those who pledged as of March 28, 2003. Their names are as follows:

Ambus, Mr. & Mrs. Charles
Angelopoulos, Theodore & Jean
Argyres, Ackie
Arvanitelis, Agapi & Antonios
Asprogerakas, Danny & Sofia
Avdoulos, Maritsa Irene
Bagatelos, Emily
Bagatelos, Karen
Bagatelos, Michael
Karsant, Anna Marie
Karvounaris, Angeliki
Katsanis, Gari
Kazavis, Kedonia

Since March 28, 2003, the Cathedral has received the following additional names, whom we also add to the Stewardship Honor Roll list:

We are well on our way of attaining a stewardship family of 600 for 2003. Currently, this family consists of about 400 stewardship families, or pledging units.

If you wish to join the honor roll of those who support the Cathedral and its ministries, as stewards, you may: 1) Call the office at 415 864-8000 and request a 2003 pledge card; 2) Ask Gus Vouchilas, our Stewardship Chairman, for a card, or any member of the Stewardship Committee or the Parish Council, when you come to church on Sunday; 3) Stop by the office Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and complete a card.

Parishioners of the Cathedral are invited to the first regular Parish Assembly for 2003, which will be held on Wednesday, May 21, 2003 at the Cathedral Center at 7:00 p.m. A special mailing will outline the agenda, which will include, in addition to opening prayer, election of the assembly chairman, approval of the minutes of the November 17, 2002 Parish Assembly, treasurer’s report, Phase II report and discussion, election of Nominating Committee/Board of Elections, election of Board of Auditors, Old Business, New Business, and closing prayer. The Assembly is timed to last no more than one hour.

Please be reminded that, in accordance with the provisions of Article VII, Section 4 of the Uniform Parish Regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, a Parish Assembly consists of members of the Parish who have met their financial obligations to the Parish in accordance with the Parish By-Laws. This Section requires that those who are eligible to participate in the Assembly are: 1. those who have met their 2002 financial obligations to the Cathedral and have submitted their 2003 stewardship pledge; 2. those who have submitted their 2003 pledge to the Cathedral by February 21, 2003 if they are new members. In addition, parishioners need to be in good standing with the Church. This means, among other things, that if they are married, their marriage was blessed in the Orthodox Church. A quorum consists of either: 1) 75% of the members of the Parish Council, an equal number of parishioners, and the Dean (or a total of 25 people) or 2) if there are fewer than 75% of the Parish Council members present, then a total of 75 people in good standing. Refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the Assembly.

RECENT SERVICES AT THE CATHEDRAL

FUNERALS

Gabriel James Garepis Holland, age 3, who died April 10, was buried April 12. Next of kin are his parents, Demece Garepis and Sally Holland.

George Corcoleotes, who died April 9, was buried April 14. Next of kin are his sons: James Corcoleotes and George Kourkouliotis.

George A. Alexopoulos, who died April 12, was buried April 17. Next of kin is his mother: Marguertie Alexopoulos.

Aionia afton i mnimi!
May their memory be eternal!

PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS

MOTHER’S DAY LUNCHEON AND FASHION SHOW

On Saturday, May 10, 2003, the Annunciation Cathedral Philoptochos Society will be hosting the 44th Annual Mothers’ Day Luncheon and Fashion Show and, at that time, we will be announcing the Mother of the Year for 2003. A reception will commence at 11:30 a.m., and the lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m. The fashions will be presented by the White Rose Boutique, 242 West Portal Avenue in San Francisco and the clothes will be modeled by your own parishioners.

If you have any questions concerning this wonderful event, please call Angie Leventis.

EASTER BAKE

The Easter Bake was a great success, and the women and men who prepared the goodies must be congratulated for taking time from their busy schedules to make the koulourakia, tsourekia, and for coloring the eggs. We also thank those individuals who placed their orders and bought our items.

ELECTIONS OF NEW OFFICERS FOR 2003 TO 2005

Chapter elections of the new officers for the term 2003 to 2005 will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2003 at 1:00 p.m. in the second floor conference room of the Cathedral. We are in the process of obtaining Philoptochos members in good standing to be elected to the new Board of Directors. A candidate for election to the Board of Directors must be a member in good standing with the Parish and the Chapter for one year prior to the election. Any Philoptochos member in good standing who wants to serve on the new Board of Directors, please contact any of the current officers.

FATHER’S DAY

Following church services on Sunday, June 15, 2003, Philoptochos will be sponsoring an augmented coffee hour at which time the Father of the Year for 2003 will be announced.

Please make note of the following parish and community events. Note that the IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities) Dinner, originally scheduled for November 2, is being moved to November 23, to enable His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios to attend. His Eminence will be the main speaker at this event.

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May 2003 Herald
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral.