TED LEVENTIS: FATHER OF THE YEAR 2005!

Sunday, June 19 was, by all accounts, a beautiful day: it was the Great Feast of Pentecost; it was Father's Day. On Father's Day, the Cathedral continues a wonderful tradition of honoring a father as "Father of the Year." In doing so, it honors all fathers, and especially "our Father in Heaven" (Matthew 5:16), "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Cor. 11:31)

This year's Father of the Year is Theodore Leventis. Known and loved by all as "Ted," our Father of the Year was born in a small village four kilometers from the municipality of Dimitsana Gorytinia in Arcadia. He is the fifth child of seven children, four sons and three daughters born to Katina and George. He attended primary school in the Village of Zatouna and completed high school in Dimitsana. He vividly remembers the German occupation of his village and the surrounding villages during World War II. It was during World War II when an Italian soldier picked him up by the back of the neck and proclaimed "piccolo," "small" in Italian.

In 1952, he left the village and went to live with his eldest sister in Athens. In Athens, he worked for his brother-in-law selling material goods. In 1955, he decided to follow in his brother's footsteps and left Greece. He joined his older borthers in the restaurant business in the City of Detroit. He attended night school in the City of Detroit to learn English and one of the first things he learned to order in a restaurant was "apple pie." Not accustomed to the harsh environment living in the City of Detroit, he left with his younger sister and brother and moved to Denver, Colorado. He lived in Denver for many years prior to coming to San Francisco. Once he was in the City, he decided that San Francisco was the place he would call home.

A couple of years after arriving in San Francisco, he became the owner of a restaurant located in the panhandle area of San Francisco. He operated this restaurant for 37 years and made many friends in the neighborhood. He was known for hiring some colorful halfway house individuals to work at the restaurant, specifically from the Haight Ashbury area. Many of these individuals he helped with work, food and support. He is currently retired and is always asked by his former customers when he plans to open another restaurant. Wishful thinking on their part! In addition to this being a restaurant, it was a place for political discussions, personal counseling and a place to meet friends.

Ted met his wife at a Greek Dance at the Sheraton Palace Hotel. This girl was asked by her aunt to accompany her to the dance. The observant aunt that she was, she had checked out all the young men and told her which one she thought was suitable for her. As a result of this marriage, there are two daughters, of whom he is extremely proud, and now there is also one granddaughter, whom he absolutely adores. Let us not forget the two wonderful sons-in-law, whom he treats like his own sons.

Our Father of the Year has not forgotten his past and has returned to Zatouna several times in the last forty years, spending time visiting many of the people with whom he grew up. If one sees Ted in his home town, he is like a kid in a candy store, grinning cheek to cheek.

Ted spends his retirement years volunteering at the Annunciation Cathedral where, in addition to cooking, he assists at the chanter's stand; he has a beautiful voice and knows many of the chants of the Liturgy and the other services by heart. He lives a purpose-driven life, seeing himself simply as God's servant.

Ted also helps his friends at Holy Trinity Church in San Francisco. He is a Board member of the Pan Arcadian Society, of Ahepa and of SIRS.

We wish him a long life, good health and joy.

Axios! He is worthy!

FESTIVAL 2005: IT'S JUST AROUND THE CORNER

Before you know it, it's Festival time. September 16, 17 and 18, 2005 are the dates for this year's Festival. Tessie Obester. who chaired last year's Festival, will chair this year's festival, along with Paul Sogotis, who will lead the effort during the time that Tessie will be in Greece. We look forward to this wonderful community event.

Once again, the assistance of the entire community is being requested. You are asked to think of areas where you would like to be involved. Following is a list of the committees and the names of the committee chairs:

Once you've considered where you wish to help, call or see the chairs and volunteer to help. You may also volunteer by registering with Caroline Pappajohn. With the assistance of Maria Allen, Caroline is going around during the Sunday coffee hours asking for your support. We need an even larger volunteer force this year, if we're going to grow our festival, which is by far our biggest fund raiser. Let us us continue to work together, as we always have?as a family?on this, our largest fund raiser.

You may also meaningfully participate in the Festival by taking out an ad, or dedicating a page or a half page to your children, to a special event in their lives or yours, or in memory of a loved one, in this year's Program Book. Father Stephen, Presbytera Aliki, Angie Leventis and Pat Aleck would like to see this become a 300-page book. It will if every family in our community elects to participate. Contracts and a cover letter, signed by the chairs, went out in June to every Cathedral household, as well as to those who participated in last year's Book. We also invite you to be a part of the "sales team," which is going out to secure ads for the Program Book. If you wish to help in this way, please speak to one of the chairs. Father Stephen has announced he will buy dinner for the top three ad-sellers. A pretty good challenge, wouldn't you say?

Still another way to participate is by joining our cooking team. Do you cook? Would you like to learn? Consider volunteering as a member of our "cooking crew." The schedule, which is being reprinted in the Sunday bulletins all during the month of July, is as follows:

So, then, come on down, to chat, chop, and chow. We really need you. If you are planning to come to the evening food preparations, kindly give Tatiana Kyriakides a call; she would like a count so that she can prepare enough eats.

Meanwhile, we look forward to your participation and thank you. The success of the Festival is not only about the 16th, 17th, and 18th of September; it's also about the laborious, but rewarding preparation these several months prior. We thank you for making it happen.

RECENT SERVICES

BAPTISMS
Elena, daughter of Pablo Matos, Jr. and Vickie Kimberlin, was baptized at the Cathedral June 12. Her sponsors are Jennie Nicolas and Nicholas Nicolas.
Justin Joseph, son of Joseph Michael Perez and Elena Miranda Matos, was baptized at the Cathedral June 12. Her sponsors are Anastasios Nicolas and Janelle dela Cruz.
Stylianos Efstathios, son of Efstathios Stavropoulos and Anthoula Regakis, was baptized by Father Stephen at St. Katherine Church, Elk Grove, on June 18. His sponsors are John Lampros, Peter Vlahakos.

Na Mas Zisoun! (Long Life!)

MARRIAGE
The marriage of Denis James Vorrises and Renee Mendoza was celebrated by Father Stephen at the Assumption Church in Long Beach on June 11.
Their sponsor is Louise Marie Vorrises.

Na Mas Zisoun! (Long Life!)

SERVICES DURING AUGUST

The first fifteen days of August are preparatory to the great Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos. Accordingly, these are days of fasting. On the weekday mornings leading up to the Feast, namely, on Monday, August 1, Tuesday, August 2, Wednesday, August 3, Thursday, August 4, Monday, August 8, Tuesday, August 9, Wednesday, August 10, Thursday, August 11, and Friday, August 12 we will celebrate the Service of Paraklesis (Service of Consolation, which is offered at times of fervent supplication, or distress), beginning at 10 a.m. each of those days.

On Saturday, August 6, we celebrate the Great Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord. The Divine Liturgy will be celebrated, beginning at 10 a.m.

On Monday, August 15, we will celebrate the Divine Liturgy, beginning at 10:30 a.m., and preceded by the Service of Orthros (Matins), beginning at 9:30.

EDUCATION: INTRODUCING THE ORTHODOX CHURCH

This course, which has resulted in a number of adult baptisms/chrismations, taught by Father Paul Schroeder, Sunday mornings 9-10 a.m., ended for the summer on Sunday, June 12. It will resume Sunday, September 25.

LEARNING COMMUNITY

Our Thursday evening study, which this year focused on the Psalms, also taught by Father Paul Schroeder, concluded its work Thursday, June 9. It will resume Thursday, September 29.

SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY

Our Sunday Bible Study, which this year focused on the relationship of mind/soul/body in connection with salvation and the afterlife, taught by Marina Taylor, will resume Sunday, September 25.

CATHEDRAL CHOIR SAYS "THANKS"

Several members of our choir attended the annual Choir Federation Conference in San Diego, July 24-26. St. Spyridon Church did such a wonderful job in hosting well over 200 adult and junior choir participants. Many thanks to our hosts! The Di-vine Liturgy, with His Eminence, Metropolitan Gerasimos, was most inspirational A six month memorial was observed for the late Metropolitan Anthony.. In June 2006, our neighbor church choir of Holy Trinity will be hosting the annual Conference.

July-August 2005 Herald
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral.