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Annunciation Cathedral
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| November 2005 Herald San Francisco, CA | event calendar announcements main index |
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CATHEDRAL LAUNCHES 70TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR Wednesday, October 26 was an historic day. It began with the Divine Liturgy in commemoration of the Great Martyr Demetrios the Myroblete (Exuder of Myrrh). It concluded with a gathering of some 70 parishioners, who came together to help plan appropriate celebrations for our 70th year as the Annunciation. (Recall that, 15 years earlier, in 1921, the Parish was created as St. Sophia. It was then located at Hayes and Pierce Streets in San Francisco. Soon after, it became St. Sophia Cathedral and, in 1927, moved to its present location on Valencia Street. In 1936, it reorganized. Its corporate name is: United Greek Orthodox Community of San Francisco, The Annunciation. Except for a brief period when St. Sophia’s in Los Angeles was named Cathedral for the then Archdiocesan District, the Annunciation Cathedral has served as the ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop, now Metropolitan, of the seven Western States.) Our anniversary, then, is a big deal. It marks the incredible history, the birth and rebirth of this remarkable parish. Not least because of the diligence of parish lay leadership like Dr. Christ Abramopoulos, Peter Boudoures, Peter George, John Velisaratos, Dr. Peter T. Angel, John P. Filios, John A. Hodges, Demetrios Chalios, Michael S. Mountanos, Cosmas Davies, George Morf, Christ Catharios, Spyros Lavdiotis, Stelios M. Andrew, Nick Delis, John P. George, Triant D. Prepouses, John Zakos, Peter Kardassakis, George D. Mourgos, Arthur C. Gekas, Angelo T. Mountanos, Gus M. Lekas, George M. Costuros, Alexander M. Glaros, John B. Vlahos, George P. Mattis, Frank P. Agnost, Irene Gianaras, Thomas A. Nuris, George A. Andrews, Patricia Aleck, and James P. Dariotes, all of whom served over the years as presidents of Parish Councils. Or of Anastasia Gounarides, Katina Abramopoulos, Evdoxia Psaltis, Maria Rokas, Maria Andreou, Angeliki Gofas, Maria Panagoulias, Anna Loutas, Emily Tamaras, Georgia Vouchilas, Georgia Evangelatos, Dorothy Kaplanis, Thespa Demakas, Lillian Cherakis, Bessie Vaganas, Emily Bagatelos, Arlene Angelonides, Mary Tsougarakis, Zella Mountanos, Effie Tamaras, Lillian Drake, Anna Mountanos, Cleo Mattis, Connie Panagotacos White, and Angie Leventis, all of whom served as presidents of the Ladies Philoptochos. Or of the spiritual leadership of Fathers Philaretos Johannides (later bishop of Chicago), Pythagoras Caravellas, Spyridon Spyropoulos, Vasilios Lokis, Timothy Pantelakis, Polyefktos Finfinis (later bishop of Pittsburgh), Meletios Tripodakis (who became Bishop of this Archdiocesan District), John Geranios, Theophilos P. Theophilos and Stephen H. Kyriacou, all of whom served as Deans of the Cathedral, from its inception in 1921 to the present day. Or of the many women and men who continue to serve in this holy house and to lead its many programs, including Chanters, Choir, Sunday School, Greek Language School, JOY, GOYA, YAL, Boys and Girls and Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Bible Study, Orthodox Church Life, Adult Religious Education, Greek Folk Dancing, Summer Camp, and even Volleyball. Thousands of people over the years have considered the Cathedral to be their parish, their spiritual home. And the Cathedral is determined to poise itself for a bright future and for generations to come, perpetuating our Greek Orthodox Faith and Heritage. More recently, the Cathedral has embraced the Eritrean Orthodox Community, until they are able, one day, to establish a community of their own. While a few families have been members of the Cathedral as far back as the 1960’s, only recently has that community grown in sufficient numbers to warrant creation of a community of their own in San Francisco. The history of the Cathedral has been one of growth, progress, and diversity. As an inner-city parish, located in the heart of San Francisco, it has been subject to both the opportunities and challenges of inner city life. As the community continues to evolve, it looks forward to the challenges which lie ahead. One of these has to do with accommodating more on-site parking and building a church. Toward this end, the parish leadership is exploring a number of options with a view to developing a Phase II plan for adoption by the community in 2006. Tom Nuris has accepted chairmanship of this Phase II Kickoff. Second, a Commemorative Book will be printed, containing a history of the community, complete with photographs, along with a blueprint for its future, congratulatory letters, and your greetings and felicitations, along the lines of our Festival Souvenir Program Book, only bigger, and certainly a keepsake. Angie Leventis has accepted chairmanship of the 70th Anniversary Commemorative Book. Third, a Banquet is being planned for Saturday, November 11, 2006, at a venue to be determined. The Banquet Committee is charged with a number of tasks including: reception, venue, dinner, invitations, decorations, program (consisting of, e.g. audio-visual presentation, guest performance(s), speaking program, etc.), music, dancing, entertainment, and commemorative gifts and favors. Patricia Aleck has accepted chairmanship of the 70th Anniversary Banquet. Then, there are a number of events which will take place during the course of our 70th year. For example, the Cathedral will host the 2006 Archdiocese National Oratorical Festival, which will be held June 2-4, with Archbishop Demetrios and other hierarchs in attendance, and a number of finalists from throughout the country participating. On March 21, 2006, the Cathedral will host the Women’s Board of the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute (PAOI), part of the Graduate Theological Union at Berkeley, for an all-day meeting. On Saturday, March 4, the Cathedral will present Dr. Anton Vrame for an all-day spiritual renewal workshop/conference, open to the entire Bay Area. Dr. Vrame, Director of the PAOI, will address the topic: What makes us Orthodox. The day will begin with Divine Liturgy at 10 and will continue with the workshop/conference and lunch, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. These are only some of the events which will take place at the Cathedral in our 70th year. These, and others, highlight the Cathedral as both a parish and a center of ecclesiastical life for the Bay Area and for the entire Metropolis. OFFICIAL: PARISH ASSEMBLY: SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20 Parishioners of the Cathedral, who are in good standing with the Cathedral, are invited to attend and participate in our second Parish Assembly of 2005. The Assembly will convene in the Korinthias Hall, on Sunday, November 20, 2005, following the Divine Liturgy. The agenda is as follows: Opening Prayer 1. Election of Assembly
Chair Closing Prayer In accordance with the our Parish By-Laws, a quorum consists of either 12 members of the Parish Council, the Dean, and twelve other parishioners in good standing, for a total of 25, minimum, or, if fewer than 12 members of the Parish Council are present, then a minimum of 75 parishioners in good standing, without regard to whether or not they serve on the Parish Council. PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS TO BE HELD DECEMBER 11 Every year, parishioners in good standing are invited to participate in the administration of the parish by voting for individuals to serve on the Parish Council. The Parish Council consists of the Dean of the Cathedral and fifteen lay members. Eight members are voted one year to a two-year term; and seven members are voted the following year, also to a two-year term. By staggering, in this way, the Council provides for continuity and smooth transition. This year, parishioners will vote for eight members. The election will take place on Sunday, December 11, following the Divine Liturgy. The election will be conducted by George Mattis, Ted Leventis and Susan McLaughlin, who were elected by the Parish Assembly at its May 15 meeting. Meanwhile, in their capacity as Nominating Committee, the three individuals named will place in nomination a slate of candidates at the next Parish Assembly, which will convene November 20. The terms of the following eight members of the Parish Council expire December 31: Michael Bagatelos, Philip Chiappari, Dina Koutoulas, Thomas A. Nuris, Nikolas Stathopoulos, George Vlahos, Gus Vouchilas, and James D. Vorrises. CATHEDRAL WELCOMES NEW CONSUL GENERAL OF GREECE Greece has a new Consul General in San Francisco, succeeding Demetrios Touloupas, who is now stationed in Ankara. The new Consul General is the Honorable Polyxeni (or Xenia) Stefanidou. As she takes up her post, Ms. Stefanidou, who was guest of honor at the Metropolis House, at a luncheon hosted by Metropolitan Gerasimos on October 13, has set out to visit the various Greek Orthodox Parishes. She began with a visit to the Annunciation Cathedral on Sunday, October 16. Following the Liturgy, Fr. Stephen presented the new Consul General to the congregation. Ms. Stephanidou spoke of the continued good relationship between the Consulate General and the Church, and the services offered by the Consulate General. We wish Ms. Stefanidou well in her new post and look forward to seeing her at the many functions which will bring us together in the months and years ahead. CATHEDRAL SEEKS CATERER The Annunciation Cathedral is seeking a caterer to carry out its catering functions including, but not limited to, the following: - Booking event dates
in coordination with the Cathedral Requirements for caterers who wish to be considered are: - Minimum two years
catering experience Prospective caterers are invited to submit proposals, by December 1, 2005, to: Annunciation Cathedral 415 864-8000 Proposals should include: - Your suggested
menus PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS by Angie Leventis The Cathedral Ladies Philoptochos is once again finishing off the year with two upcoming events. This year we hosted and participated in many events held at the Cathedral. I believe more than ever before and all for a good cause. Oh well, we are still here and we welcome everyone to attend our annual Thanksgiving Luncheon to be held Sunday, November 13, 2005 following church services. The money raised from this event is for our many philanthropic commitments, both on a National level and the Metropolis level and most recently on a local level. During the month of December, we will once again be collecting gifts for underprivileged children in our community. This year we plan to deliver these wonderful gifts which our parishioners so generously donate to a Bayview Hunters Point Day Care Center for children of all ages. The Angel Tree Project has been one of our most successful outreach projects for our community. Last, but not least, we are announcing the 24th Annual Crab Feed which will take place Friday, January 20, 2006 starting with a reception at 6:00 p.m. and following with dinner at 7:30 p.m. The flyers are already out and we encourage everyone to make their reservations as soon as you can since this is a sellout every year. Of course, it will be a great crab feed as usual. For reservations and information, please contact Pat Destein or Ackie Argyres. EDUCATION:
INTRODUCING THE ORTHODOX CHURCH FATHER PAUL
TO ASSUME PASTORATE OF HOLY TRINITY, PORTLAND PARISH Father Paul assumes his new duties December 1. Accordingly, he will relinquish his duties at the Annunciation Cathedral, which have included assisting in the Divine Liturgy, teaching the Introduction to the Orthodox Church Class, heading the Learning Community Thursday evening class, and, of course, Community Link. All these programs have helped us in our development as more knowledgeable and more caring Orthodox Christians. Consequently, we are indebted to Father Paul for his ministry here. While we are sad to see him leave us, we wish him and his family well in Portland. The best way to say thank you is to perpetuate the aforementioned educational, spiritual and philanthropic programs. LEARNING COMMUNITY Our Thursday evening study is also being taught by Father Paul Schroeder. Our theme for this semester’s study has been "Building the New City." We are focusing on the Ten Commandments ("You shall have no other gods before me…" Exodus 20:1-12) and the Beatitudes ("Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…" Matthew 5:1-12), reflecting on how these important texts from the Old and New Testaments might help us to envision and create a new world, a "new heaven and a new earth, where justice abides" (II Peter 3:13). We are also reading a book together: “The Ladder of the Beatitudes” by Jim Forest. 13TH REMEMBERING HOME BANQUET AND SILENT AUCTION BENEFITS IOCC IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities), which provides assistance to people in need around the globe, more recently to the victims of the Hurricane Katrina, is the beneficiary of the Remembering Home banquets, now in their 13th year. This year’s event will be held Sunday, November 13 at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension in Oakland. Pan Orthodox Vespers will be celebrated beginning at 4 p.m. A reception and silent auction will follow at 5 p.m. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. and will feature entertainment by St. Nicholas Antiochian “Debke” Dancers, Ascension Cathedral’s Greek dancers, and the Balka Balalaika. David Hanna is this year’s master chef and special guest is our new Metropolitan, His Eminence Gerasimos of San Francisco. Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased through the Ascension Cathedral or by calling 510/531-3400. ANNUNCIATION CATHEDRAL’S 2006 DIRECTORY Thank you to the many parishioners, friends and supporting business of the Cathedral for your timely response to the 2006 directory mailing which was recently sent. The additional information you furnished, as E mail addresses, as well as your corrections and other instructions, will contribute greatly to the accuracy of our 2006 directory. Again, thank you. COME RECEIVE THE LIGHT “Come Receive the Light” is the name of the only National Orthodox satellite-distributed radio program. It can be heard Saturdays at 8:30 am and Sundays at 1:30 pm. on KDIA, 1640 AM on your radio dial. You may also log on to www.receive.org to download past programs onto your computer or IPOD. Tune in. PHILOPTOCHOS HOLIDAY BRUNCH DECEMBER 3 This year's Holiday Brunch, sponsored by the Metropolis Philoptochos Board, will be held at the Nativity of Christ Church, 1110 Highland Drive, Novato, Saturday, December 3, beginning with a reception at 11a.m. and luncheon at noon. Tickets are $45. There will be three Christmas tree drawings with prizes under the trees, valued at $1,000 plus holiday entertainment to greet the season. Proceeds benefit the Student Aid Endowment Fund, which supports our Metropolis students studying at Hellenic College/Holy Cross. To make reservations or for further information call Pat Aleck or Rose Hunter. WILLIAM KORINTHIAS
- IN LOVING MEMORY On Saturday, October 10th, William Korinthias peacefully fell asleep in the arms of our Lord. As I silently paused, in a moment of reverence, to reflect and remember, I enexplicably found myself slowly being drawn back to a different era. A time devoid of internet, cell phones, laptops, virtual entertainment - in essence, a serene and more simplistic time. It was a period of faith and innocence, of pride and hard work, of dreams and determination. It was an age when a generation of Americans revered, cherished, and honored God, country, and family. On January 27, 1912, Gregory and Andriana Korinthias were blessed with the birth of their son William. He was one of four children: Spiro, Maria, and Athena, born to the Korinthias’. It is said that God bestows upon every newborn child a unique virtue. His gift to Bill was a most rare and precious one, humanitarianism. Throughout Bill’s lifetime, his benevolence, goodness, and warmth, were the cornerstone and fabric of his existence. Although, for over 50 years, Bill administered a successful insurance agency in San Francisco, monetary gain was never a thought. Helping to protect and insure his friends and families’ futures was always paramount to Bill. As a young man growing up in San Francisco’s large and growing Greek community, Bill was not only respected for his academic achievements and athletic prowess, but for his integrity as well. A native of San Francisco, Bill attended Polytechnic High School, where he excelled at baseball, soccer, track, and basketball. In 1928 and 1929, he was chosen “All City” in basketball. During these early formative years, Bill realized that athletics, in its purest sense, embodied the qualities of sacrifice, commitment, teamwork, and sportsmanship. It would be these principles that would personify his entire life. In 1932, Bill attended his first Olympics, and, in 1936, he accompanied the Greek Olympic team as an “honorary basketball coach” to the games in Berlin. It was here that Bill witnessed the legendary feats of the great American Jessie Owens and the ultimate failings of Adolph Hitler’s Arian race. This inspiring experience not only would forever remain with Bill, but constantly reaffirmed his faith in the attributes of athletics. In 1942, Bill joined the United States Navy, and, while serving his country admirably, rose to the rank of Chied Petty Officer. At the conclusion of World War II, Bill returned to his beloved San Francisco, where providence brought him to the Annunciation. For the next 30 years, Bill was not only an active member of the Parish Council, but an advocate and supporter of parish athletics throughout the Hellenic community. He was instrumental in the creation and administration of the Orthodox Youth Athletic Association, served as a member of the AHEPA Hall of Fame Committee, was the Sports Information Director and Sportswriter for the Hellenic Journal and the first Athletic Director at the Annunciation Cathedral. In addition to being presented the esteemed Patriarch Athenagoras Humanitarian Award, he was also elected to the AHEPA Hall of Fame, and was the recipient of the Medal of St. Paul, which is the highest award that can be bestowed upon a layman. Bill was also a member of the Yerba Buena Fishing Club, Seniors In Retirement, and The GodFather’s Club. If one was to ask
me as to what is the legacy of Bill Korinthias, and how would he like
us to remember him? I would simply say that his legacy is to be found
in the eyes of the children who are playing in the Center that bears
his name. It is to be found in the spirit of fair play, faith and humility,
the very core of his character. When someone embodies these qualities,
he will never be forgotten. Bill Korinthias taught us how to live our
lives with grace and dignity. His life was a testament to the importance
of serving God, country, community, and family. GIORGOS ALKAIOS AND STELIOS DIONISIOU CONCERT TO BENEFIT ANNUNCIATION CATHEDRAL On Saturday, November 19, Alkaios and Dionisiou, well-known singers of modern Greek popular music, will sing at St. Mary’s Cathedral Conference Center, located at 1111 Gough Street (lower level), in San Francisco. They are being presented by Tony Kutulas and Hellenikozmo, with opening set by DJ George Stavropoulos. General and VIP Reserved seating ranges from $100 to $125, and includes individual meze plate served before 10:30 p.m. General Admission is $70. The event will take place 7:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. 20% of the proceeds will come as a benefit to the Annunciation Cathedral. For ticket sales and additional information, contact Tony Kutulas, or Greek Imports at 650 994-3321 or George Stavropoulos. SUNDAY BIBLE STUDY Our Sunday Bible Study, taught by Marina Taylor, following the Divine Liturgy, is an important ministry for our parishioners, particularly those whose native language is Greek. Since this study is held primarily in Greek, we invite those who wish to learn about our Faith in their native language, to attend this wonderful gathering of our faithful. The topic for this semester is an in-depth look at the Book of Revelation, also known as the Apocalypse. In addition to reading the text, the class explores interpretations of the text by the Church Fathers and how these may be applied to our modern day lives and to our faith. SERVICES IN OCTOBER BAPTISM MARRIAGES FUNERAL SUNDAY BIBLE
STUDY
OUR 2005 CHRISTMAS CARD: WON’T YOU TAKE A MOMENT Once again, we are planning a beautiful Christmas card, to include as many of our parishioners as possible. During the next four weeks, Annette Chiappari and her assistant volunteers will approach you during the coffee hour and invite your participation. The donation is only $25. per line—a small token when one considers the postage alone for sending cards to even 10% of their fellow parishioners. If you prefer, you may call the Cathedral at 415 864-8000 or complete and return the form below. We thank you for helping make our 2005 Christmas Card a successful undertaking. Yes, include
me/us in the Cathedral’s 2005 Christmas Card, listing my/our
name(s) as follows: ____________________________________________________________________________
November 2005 Herald |
