A TASTE OF GREECE 2004 . . . A HUGE SUCCESS!

A Taste of Greece 2004 held September 17, 18, and 19 was, by all accounts, our most successful festival to date. Was it the weather? Was it the food? The ambiance? The number of young people who volunteered? The many xenoi who attended? It was probably all this and more

In terms of gross income (that’s before expenses--and these are still coming in) the three days brought in a little more than $154,000. Add to that more than $23,000 which had come in before the festival, towards the souvenir book and the raffle, $8,500 from vendors’ fees, and $6,400 from our sponsors (not to mention the donations in kind and amounts still coming in on the book, or the special Mini Cooper Raffle (that’s separate), we’re looking at about $192,000. It is conceivable that, when all is said and done, we are looking at just under $200,000, the first time ever that we have done this well at a Festival. (The net usually is about half.) In terms of dollars, then, it was a huge success.

However, it was a huge success, perhaps more importantly, because of the other things, the intangible things like building community, like bringing in volunteers to help, by engaging our youth. We can’t even begin to think of the number of volunteer hours that were put in, planning, cooking, running around, shopping, getting licenses, tents, tables, chairs, printed matter, advertising--it’s mind-boggling. And we’re reluctant to mention names, but there was Rose and huge amounts of volunteers doing the pre-cooking, and Loula and Popi and Despina and Mrs. Makras, and the Petersons, and a bunch more in the kitchen. How about the Sooklarises and Elpida and the Ambuses and those men making souvlaki--Sakee and Mario and Con and their kids. And the food line -- Tatiana and Pat and streams of volunteer servers, while Genie and Athena and the Mantzoroses and Diane, George and others at the cashiers. And how about those at the wine tasting booth--a big hit. Or Maria and John and Kathleen Bardis, picking up after everyone. Or the Karas brothers on the inside bar. Tom Moulas, George Ambus, and Justin on the outside bar. George and Lainey and company at the Greek Market. Niko Stathopoulos and his bride to be, along with Damon (former sous chef at the French Laundry, mind you) at oktapodaki. Phil Chiappari at paidakia (lamb chops). Connie Panagotacos at the raffle. The whole Ketchum clan at saganaki (grilled cheese). The Dance Groups at gyros. The Philoptochos at pastries, which they had spent countless hours preparing, besides their $2,500 donation. Angie, Pat and Presbytera Aliki at the souvenir book (bigger, better than ever--thanks Ari and Gumas Advert-sing). And Susan on advertising. Not to mention Caroline at advertising and at coordinating the volunteers. Let’s not forget those who counted and kept track of everything--John and Mike and Jim D. and Nick and Peter. Everybody working together under the great planning of Taste of Greece 2004’s Chair, Tessie Obester, who saw to every detail. Did we forget anyone? We’re sure we have.

We are grateful to each and every one of you. Thank you. We’re also mindful of the Nuris kids and the Misthos kids and others who took it upon themselves to go around and sell those signature tote bags, bringing in about $500 on this effort alone! Our future Parish Council members and festival workers.

Oh, the young people and their ideas! We mentioned wine tasting, and the market, and the saganaki and the paidakia and the octopus, all new this year, as was the martinaki. And aprons, and stemware and totes and those triangular cards explaining just about everything. And more banners and new signage. And those cards advertising the festival--what a hit! It could be those cards that played a major role in bringing just under 10,000 people in over three days. Already, we’ve begun analyzing the future of A Taste of Greece. Next year’s dates, incidentally, are September 16, 17, 18. (Jot them down.) We’re even looking into holding the event off-site. We’ll have to, eventually, certainly when we begin building Phase II. And that won’t be long, now.

As we speak, we’re giving consideration to going to, say, Fort Mason, for Taste of Greece 2005. Why not? Bigger, better, ever excelling. Isn’t this what it’s all about? We’ll keep you posted.

DID WE SAY THANKS TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS?

EVEN IF WE DID - WE CAN’T SAY IT ENOUGH.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR TIME AND EFFORT!

PARISH ASSEMBLY NOVEMBER 17

Parishioners of the Cathedral in good standing are invited to participate in the second Parish Assembly for 2004. The Assembly will convene Wednes-day, November 17 at 7 p.m., in the Cathedral’s Korinthias Center. The agenda is as follows:

Opening Prayer
1. Election of Assembly Chair
2. Minutes of the May 19, 2004 Parish Assembly
3. Treasuer’s Report
4. Stewardship
5. Youth Report
6. President’s Report
7. Dean’s Report
8. Board of Auditors
9. Nominating Comm. Report
(The Nominating Commit-tee becomes the Board of Elections; Parish Council elections will take place Sunday, December 12, following the Divine Liturgy.)
10. Philoptochos and other organization news
11. Old Business
12. New Business
Closing Prayer

While we have a full agenda, we anticipate the Assembly will conclude by 9 p.m. Coffee and refreshments will be served.

HONORING PAT ALECK NOVEMBER 20

Due to illness, the dinner to honor Patricia Aleck, scheduled for earlier this year, will instead take place on Saturday, November 20, at the Korinthias Hall of the Annunciation Cathedral. No host cocktails will be held beginning at 6 p.m. These will be followed by dinner, at 7 p.m. The donation is $40. Pat Aleck has for virtually all her life been an important member of the Cathedral family. We are hard pressed to think of an area in which Pat did not participate. Notably, she served on the Parish Council in various capacities, including that of President. She continues to serve, as Assistant Treasurer. She is also a hard-working member of the Philoptochos, both as a member of the Cathedral’s Philoptochos Board and the Metropolis Philoptochos Board. Tom Nuris, our Parish Council President, chairs the Honoring Pat Aleck Committee.

METROPOLITAN ANTHONY RETIRES IN 2005; FINAL BANQUET AT CATHEDRAL

In the last issue of the Herald, we reprinted a letter from His Eminence, Metropolitan Anthony, announcing his retirement as Metropolitan of the Holy Metropolis of San Francisco by the end of 2005.

A number of celebratory banquets, honoring His Eminence for twenty-five years of dedicated, enthusiastic service to this vast Metropolis, are being planned throughout the year. The four regional events will culminate with a final weekend of celebrations, including a grand banquet to be held at the Annunciation Cathedral’s Korinthias Hall Saturday, October 29, 2005. Please note the date. The banquet committee, headed by Valerie Roumeliotes and the Metropolitan Philopotchos, will forward a formal invitation to you, so that you may have the opportunity to thank His Eminence for his quarter century of service and leadership and to wish him well.

70TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Meanwhile, we are making plans to mark the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the Annunciation. Recall that our community begin in 1921 as St. Sophia. Following six years in a church at Hayes and Pierce Streets in San Francisco, in 1927 acquired the Valencia Street Theater, which it turned into a church. Having been named as Cathedral Church for the newly established Diocese of San Francisco. (Initially there were four Dioceses which made up the Archdiocese, established in 1922; these were: New York, Boston, Chicago and, of course, San Francisco.) In 1936 the community reorganized as “United Greek Orthodox Community of San Francisco, The Annunciation.” It is known, simply, as “Annunciation Cathedral.” It is this reorganization which we will be celebrating in the year 2006. November 11, 2006 is the date selected for this gala celebration. Please note the date.

HONORING THE KORINTHIAS COMMITTEE

Nearly ten years ago, when our buildings were but a shell, a “Korinthias Committee” came into being. This committee, headed by Steve Chapralis, Frank Fotenos, and Michael Vriheas raised funds to lay the floor in the gym, as well as install the backboards the score board, the lighting and other features of our multi-purpose facility. (Frank also helped spearhead the initial fund raising program, while Mike oversaw the construction of the entire project on behalf of the Cathedral.)

The facility, as we know, was named for Bill Korinthias, founder of the athletic program at the Cathedral and elsewhere and “father” of the OYAA (Orthodox Youth Athletic Association). It is time we honor these people for their efforts, which raised nearly $200,000 for this facility.

On March 12, 2005, a dinner will be held at the Korinthias Center, and a plaque, with the names of those who made the floor possible, will be unveiled. Please mark your calendars. Additional information will be forthcoming.

AT THE OLYMPICS

The last two weeks of August, our homes were transformed into extensions of the Panathenaikos Stadium and other venues where the games of the XXVIII Olympiad were held. We prayed and we hoped. For safety of the athletes and spectators; and also that the various structures, along with the infrastructure, would be ready in time. The games exceeded everyone’s wildest expectations and were subsequently hailed as some of the best ever. That makes us all very proud. Certainly, it
demonstrates what people can accomplish when they set their goals on lofty things.

Anyway, while we were glued to the television those two weeks, a number of our parishioners were right there, including Frosene Phillips of the Hellenic Journal, Dean and Georgene and Jennifer Poulakidas, and Chrisoula Stratoudakis, and Gus Panagotacos.

Gus was, in fact, a member of the U. S. Baseball Team. That takes us back to other games. To the Berlin games, in which our Bill Korinthias participated, and even the Salt Lake winter games two years ago, where our Ray Piccinini carried the torch through North Beach. Metropolitan Anthony was also there for the games and was in the stadium for closing ceremonies. Wow!

MACARIAS SPONSORED BY LADIES PHILOPTOCHOS
by Angie Leventis, Philoptochos President

With this message, I hope that I will be able to convey to all the parishioners the procedure which takes place in the event a family requests a macaria for the passing of a loved one. Lately, we have experienced some adverse reactions to the method that macarias are handled at the Cathedral and hopefully the following will clarify some of these issues.

It is the policy of the Annunciation Cathedral that all macarias whereby the family requests that it be held on our premises will be coordinated by the Ladies Philoptochos Society. We have a standard menu which includes, the rent of the hall, setup and cleanup and, of course, the preparation and serving of the food. Included in the total price is the cognac, biscotti and white wine on the tables. We also have red wine upon request. In addition, we also allow the family to bring any additional items if they so desire, and we will gladly place them on the buffet table. If the family requests additional items from Philoptochos which deviates from the standard menu, then the price per serving will be negotiable. For example, there are instances where families have requested coldcuts and/or chicken in addition to the fish which is served. At the end of the luncheon, any leftover food is packaged by the Philoptochos ladies and given to the family. In most cases, this entails only one phone call to the Philoptochos requesting a macaria and it gets done.

The food which is served by the Philoptochos is of the highest quality and all vegetables and fruits which we use are fresh. We receive nothing but compliments for the way we prepare the food and the gracious way our members present themselves to the families.

Many of you have expressed concern as to what do we do with any surplus funds after we have paid all the bills for the preparation of the food. All Philoptochos chapters across the country have commitments that they have to meet each year for various philanthropic projects both on a National Level and a Metropolis level. Some of these projects are for major diseases facing our country today, i. e., cancer, heart disease and AIDS. Another wonderful project on a different scale sponsored by the Metropolis Philoptochos of San Francisco is the Bishop Anthony Student Aid Endowment Fund. This fund provides assistance to students entering the priesthood at Holy Cross in New York. This year, our Chapter has been selected to host the Annual Christmas Brunch which will take place at our Cathedral on Saturday, December 4, 2004, to raise funds for this endowment fund. We promise you that this will be an outstanding affair and we hope that all of you will attend. Another project which our chapter is heavily involved in is the Kids n’Cancer Project where once a year for one week we sponsor several children with cancer and their families with all expenses paid to St. Nicholas Ranch in Dunlap, CA.

On a local level we give annually to Laguna Honda, San Francisco General Hospital, and our Sixth of Mission center where young children born of parents who cannot care for them properly have a place to go after school. We also provide assistance to disadvantaged individuals within our own community. In addition, we are building up our own Philoptochos Building Fund which will eventually be given to the Annunciation Cathedral Building Fund for Phase II.

To achieve all of this, it takes dedication and commitment by many Philoptochos members, who volunteer to do these macarias. In many instances, they take time away from their personal lives do the preparation and to work in the kitchen. These volunteers are the backbone of our Philoptochos, and I congratulate them and wish them good health and a long life of happiness.

The menu is accessible to everyone and if you wish a copy, please forward your fax number to me, Angie Leventis, and I will gladly send you a copy.

ANNUNCIATION CATHEDRAL PHILOPTOCHOS SOCIETY SCHEDULE - REMAINDER OF 2004

GIVE A LITTLE . . . GET A LITTLE . . . MINI COOPER 2005!

The Annunciation Cathedral is pleased to present a new kind of raffle, one that has generated a lot of interest during the Festival. We are raffling off a 2005 Mini Cooper. The winner will have a 1 in 444 chances to win. The donation is $111. Perhaps you have a teenager at home who wants a car. Perhaps you have a college student in need of a car. What’s better than a Mini Cooper, which has become all the rage about town. Who knows? You may just be the one to win that car for them. Or, perhaps, for yourself. You could be that lucky winner. Then, you always have the satisfaction of knowing that your donation has gone to help the church, too.

Won’t you take a minute to read through the flyer below and complete and return the cutoff portion, at your earliest convenience. As you can see, the raffle is for a 2005 silver metallic Mini Cooper, secured by the Annunciation Cathedral through Mini of San Francisco. The car which is being raffled off includes the following options: premium package, multi function steering wheel, glass moon roof, air conditioning, automatic transmission and a CD stereo player. Vehicle tax and license for this Mini Cooper arer also included. Now, let’s say you win the car, but would like to get a BMW (which is sold through the same dealership), instead. Well, you could get a credit for the amount of the Mini Cooper described, and you would pay the difference for the more expensive car. We’ve been asked this question, and we are happy to clarify for you.

Meanwhile, we note that the drawing will be conducted when 444 tickets at $111 are sold. The Annunciation Cathedral Parish Council reserves the right to make adjustments, but in no case will more than 444 tickets be sold. The winner will be notified by mail, that is, in writing, and must be at least 18 years of age to win. The winner accepts the responsibility for insurance, income taxes and other costs of owning a vehicle. All that having been said, we think this is a great raffle, and this is why people are responding so well.

We sold about 100 tickets during the 3 day festival alone. At this rate, we believe the tickets will go in no time and we will be able to conduct the raffle immediately thereafter. By the way, John Sooklaris offers a Mini Cooper Raffle ticket to the child, 17 and under, who sells the most raffle tickets! In case of tie, a coin will be tossed to determine the winner. If youth plan to sell tickets, their names should be located on the voucher as salesperson. We’ve said it before - Kids are great salespeople - They are irresistible!

How about it? Go for the Cooper! For additional information, see Michael Bagatelos, our Mini Cooper chair, or call the Cathedral, at 415 864-8000.

GRIEF COUNSELING, SENIOR REFERRAL AND OTHER PROGRAMS

We are currently developing other programs, including one offering grief counseling to bereaved members and a referral service primarily for our seniors.

Often, following the final days of our loved ones, some times spent in a hospital or a nursing home, and the funeral, we seldom come into contact with family members, with the exception perhaps of a phone call or two, until the fortieth day, when the family brings kollyva (memorial wheat) to church and a prayer service is held at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. The Church can be source of great comfort and consolation during this time, especially when death comes suddenly, particularly in the case of young people. To answer this need, a program in grief counseling is being developed.

In addition, a program is being developed to help answer questions and needs of our senior members, especially those who have difficulty speaking English. Just recently, we were called by one such member who senses the need for nursing care or assisted living. This person, who does not speak English, wanted to know how to go about it.

Then, a program called “Mission to the Mission” aims at involving community members in education, youth mentoring, advocacy, and food ministry both in the immediate and in the larger area surrounding the Cathedral, wherever a need exists. This is a more hands on approach, beginning with educating ourselves on needs, teaming up with others who are already doing this work, as pastors, community leaders and social workers, and developing a cohesive core group of volunteers.

Finally, a program inviting couples who’ve been out of touch with the Church to “come back home.” A number of people who have been baptized in the Orthodox Church have not married in the Orthodox Church. If married, they’ve married in other churches or civilly. Or, perhaps they are separated and received a civil divorce but, if they married in the Orthodox Church, they have not gotten their divorce from the Church. We invite these people to “come back home to the Church,” that is, to normalize themselves so that they can be in good standing...receive Holy Communion, serve as sponsors of baptisms or marriages. You may have heard about a “group wedding” which took place in another church involving 150 couples! That’s another program in the making.

If you would like to know more about how you can be involved either at the program development or program implementation stages, please speak with Father Stephen, Father Gregory, or Father Paul

THE ORTHODOX CHURCH ON THE ENVIRONMENT

As is well-known, the Ecumenical Patriarchate has taken the lead, among the Christian Churches, in matters pertaining to the environment. Each year, His All Holiness, the Ecumenical Patriarch, produces an encyclical (formal declaration) at the beginning of the ecclesiastical year, September 1. These encyclicals are significant sources for dissemination of teaching about humans, their relationship to the rest of creation, and to God. We are pleased to reprint this year’s encyclical by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for your edification:

Protocol no. 709 September 1, 2004

BARTHOLOMEW, BY THE MERCY OF GOD ARCHBISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE, NEW ROME AND ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH

TO THE ENTIRE PLENITUDE OF THE CHURCH GRACE AND PEACE FROM THE CREATOR OF THE WHOLE OF CREATION, OUR LORD, GOD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST

Beloved Brothers and Children in the Lord,

Fifteen years ago, our venerable predecessor, the late Patriarch Demetrios issued the first official decree for the preservation of the natural environment, an encyclical letter to the pleroma of the Church, formally establishing September 1st as a day of prayer for the protection of the environment. That historical proclamation emphasized the significance of the eucharistic and the ascetic ethos of our tradition, which provide a corrective for a consumer lifestyle and an alternative to the prevailing philosophy of our age.

The Church Fathers have always insisted on the critical importance of self-examination as a pre-condition for spiritual growth. Echoing the classical oracle of Delphi, Clement of Alexandria exhorts: "Know yourself! If you know yourself, you will know all things." Evagrius of Pontus states: "He who knows himself knows God." And Isaac the Syrian claims: "To know oneself is to know one's failures, which leads to the resurrection of the dead." Therefore, let us consider what we have learned as a Church over the last fifteen years. What knowledge have we gained? What failures have we experienced? And what direction should we now assume?

In the five summer seminars that were held annually from 1994-1998 at the Theological School on the Island of Halki, we learned about the close connections between environmental issues and education, ethics, communication, justice, and poverty. And in the five international symposia held biannually from 1995 to date, we have explored the impact of our wasteful lifestyle on the waters of the Aegean Sea, the Black Sea, the Danube River, the Adriatic Sea, and the Baltic Sea. Together with theologians, scientists, politicians and journalists, we recognized in a tangible manner the responsibility that we all bear - before one another, before our world, and before our God - for the destruction of our world's natural beauty, for the depletion of the earth's resources, and for the devastation of our planet's diversity.

More especially, we have appreciated how the preservation of the natural environment is intimately related to the cessation of warfare, to the restoration of social justice and to the management of world poverty. We have learned how the way that we treat human beings is directly reflected in the way that we relate to the natural environment, as well as to the worship that we exclusively reserve for God. It should come as no surprise to us that we are able to misuse the natural and material creation when we are able to abuse our fellow-human beings. The Mother Church has been at the forefront of significant gatherings and agreements of world peace and welfare, of economic and social reform, of human rights and religious tolerance.

When it comes to the appropriate response and the proper theological reflection, there is no doubt that our Orthodox Church has a great deal to contribute to the contemporary debate concerning ecology. We are able to draw upon the depth and wealth of our Scriptural and Patristic heritage in order to contribute positively and constructively to the critical issues of our time. Where, however, as Orthodox Christians we reveal the greatest vulnerability is in the practice of our theory.

It is always the easier approach to lay blame on Western development and technological progress for the ills that we confront in our world. And it is always a temptation to believe that we hold the solution to problems that we all face today or else to ignore the imminent danger that we face globally. What is more difficult - and yet at the same time more noble - is to discern the degree to which we constitute part of the problem itself. Just how many of us examine the foods that we consume, the goods that we purchase, the energy that we waste, or the consequences of our privileged living? How often do we take the time to scrutinize the choices that we make on a daily basis, whether as individuals, as institutions, as parishes, as communities, as societies, and even as nations?

More importantly, just how many of our Orthodox clergy are prepared to assume leadership on issues concerning the environment? How many of our Orthodox parishes and communities are prepared to materialize the knowledge that we have accumulated in recent years by practicing ecologically-sensitive principles in their own communities? How do the decisions of any local community and parish reflect on a practical and tangible level the experience that we have gained on a theoretical level?

In an age when the information is readily available to us, there is surely no excuse for ignorance or indifference. To overlook is to shut our eyes to a reality that is ever-present and ever-increasing. Former generations and cultures may have been unaware of the implications of their actions. Nevertheless, today, more perhaps than any other time or age, we are in a unique position. Today, we stand at a crossroads, namely at a point of choosing the cross that we have to bear. For, today, we know fully well the ecological and global impact of our decisions and actions, irrespective of how minimal or insignificant these may be.

It is our sincere hope and fervent prayer that in the years ahead, more and more of our Orthodox faithful will recognize the importance of a crusade for our environment, which we have so selfishly ignored. This vision, we are convinced, will only benefit future generation by leaving behind a cleaner, better world. We owe it to our Creator. And we owe it to our children.

May we be strengthened by God to make the right decisions and may the grace and infinite mercy of our Lord and God Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

COME RECEIVE THE LIGHT RADIO PROGRAM

Each week Come Receive the Light, a national Orthodox Christian radio program, is aired on KDIA AM 1640, Saturdays at 8:30 a.m. and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. We would ask our parishioners to tune in and see what you think of the program. We find it to be informative, inspirational, and very well done. Tune in and see for yourself if this isn’t so. We also refer you to their web site www.receive.org. For additional information about the Orthodox Christian Network, you may call 877-273-2348.

RECENT SERVICES AT THE CATHEDRAL

BAPTISMS
Nickolas Alexandros, son of Nickolas Spiliotopoulos and Monserrat Acuna, was baptized at the Cathedral September 4. His sponsors are Georgia Anagnostopoulos and Steve Vlahakos.

Julie Anderson, bride to be of Bill Vlahos, was baptized at the Cathedral September 30. Her sponsor is Yvonne Banis.

Na Mas Zisoun! A Long Life!

MARRIAGE
The marriage of David Paul Neeve and Anastasia Skourkes was blessed on September 25. Their sponsor was Constantine Skourkes.

FUNERALS
Persefoni Karakitsou, who fell asleep in the Lord on September 8, was buried September 10. She is survived by a sister, Voula Handras, and several other siblings.

Stacey Erin Doukas, who fell asleep in the Lord on September 8, was buried September 11. She is survived by her parents, George and Marianne, her brother, Gregory and grandparents, Dr. Stephen Saribalis and Tula Doukas.

Aionia aftion i mnimi! May their memory be eternal!

ONGOING EDUCATION AT THE CATHEDRAL BIBLE STUDY/LEARNING COMMUNITY AT THE CATHEDRAL

On Thursday evenings, beginning September 30, from 7 to 9 p.m., Father Paul Schroeder will be leading a new study group at the Cathedral. Entitled “Luke: The Gospel of Compassion,” the study will focus on the Gospel of Luke, as noted below. We will also be reading Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life by Henri Nouwen.

More than just a Bible study, the purpose of the gathering will be to form a “learning community,” that is, a group of people who are interested in learning together and also sharing in spiritual growth by supporting and praying for one another. In addition, we will plan a series of outreach activities within our local neighborhood and community.

Join us on Thursday, September 30, at 7 p.m. in the upstairs conference room.

The schedule is as follows:

PRE-MARRIAGE CLASSES AT THE CATHEDRAL

Until recently, couples planning to be married at the Cathedral met at least four times with Father Stephen, prior to their marriage. On the first meeting, matters generally pertaining to their marriage was discussed, and the date for their marriage was set. At the last meeting, their marriage affidavit (application for a church license) was completed and the rehearsal date set. The second and third meetings aimed at topics relating to marriage, in accordance with their own needs and circumstances. These topics included an overview of the Orthodox perspective of marriage, marital relations, celebrating and growing, and a number of issues, including in-laws, communication, and fighting fair, money management, and mixed faiths, as applicable.

Beginning 2005, couples planning to be married at the Cathedral will continue to meet four times. The first and fourth meetings will be private, while the second and third meetings will take place with other couples who are also planning to be married within the same six-month period. Those meetings will take place on Tuesday, February 8, 7-9 p.m. and Tuesday, April 19, also 7-9 p.m. The meetings will take place in the second floor conference room.

CATHEDRAL TO OFFER CLASSES IN BYZANTINE CHANT, BEGINNING JANUARY 18

In its ongoing service to the parish but also to all the parishes, as Cathedral of the Metropolis, the Annunciation will be the setting for a Beginning Byzantine Chant class as well as an Intermediate Byzantine Chant class, to begin January 18. The beginning class, which is designed for individuals who have never encountered Byzantine notation, is open to all who wish to learn the fundamentals of church music and serve their respective parishes in the Bay Area by learning the various hymns from Vespers and Orthros (the evening and morning prayer services of the Orthodox Church.) This class will be held at the Annunciation Cathedral, 245 Valencia Street, San Francisco (between 14th Street and Duboce), Tuesday evenings, beginning January 18, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The intermediate class, which is designed for individuals who have some ability reading Byzantine notation and some exposure to Byzantine chant, is open to all who wish to master the hymnology of the Church and serve their respective parishes in the Bay Area by assisting or, in some cases, assuming the chanter position.. Some of our parishes are without chanters and, therefore, these vital prayer services are either omitted or are simply read. This class will be held at the Annunciation Cathedral Thursday evenings, beginning January 20, 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Both groups will meet together every Saturday, beginning January 22, 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and will participate in Vespers, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Both groups will conclude on the Saturday of Lazaros, April 23.

The classes will be taught by John Boyer, who is well known to us as Assistant Chanter. John, a student at the University of California, at Berkeley, began learning hymnology at the Holy Trinity, Portland parish, at the age of 4. John has received training in Byzantine Music by the well-known choirmaster and chanter, Lycourgos Angelopoulos, in Greece. In addition, John sings with Capella Romana, an internationally acclaimed choir, which has been recording not only contemporary, but also early Byzantine chant.

The tuition for these intensive classes is $225 per student, $30 for texts and materials. The tuition can be paid either by the student or the parish sponsoring the student. Plenty of parking is available. For registration information, please contact the Cathedral at 415 864-8000.

INTRODUCING THE ORTHODOX FAITH

Once in a while, people come to the Cathedral expressing an interest in learning more about the Orthodox Faith. Some have seen our web site, or have read any number of books on the Faith. Some have come in contact with the Faith by attending our festival. Still others, because their spouse (present or future) is a member of the Faith.

Recently, however, a larger number of people (10 or 12 at a time) have been meeting with our clergy on a one to one basis. And, so, we have decided to hold a class, simply entitled “Introducing the Orthodox Faith.” The Class will convene in the second floor conference room Sunday morning, October 17, at 9 a.m. (during Orthros). It will go on until 10:15, to enable attendance and participation in the Divine Liturgy. The class will continue until Sunday, December 19. A new class will begin January 2. The class will be taught initially by Father Paul Schroeder, and other members of the clergy. It is required for those adults who are preparing for Baptism in the Faith, but it is open to any member of the Cathedral who wishes to learn more about his/her faith. The text which will be used is Introducing the Orthodox Church, by Father Anthony Coniaris.

DATES TO REMEMBER

October 2004 Herald
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral.