A NIGHT OF DREAMS…A NIGHT OF MAGIC!

This is how His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America described the Cathedral’s 85th anniversary gala, held at San Francisco’s City Hall on Sunday, November 12, 2006. (The line comes from the Greek national poet, Dionysios Solomos, who also authored the Greek national anthem.)

The day began with His Eminence celebrating the Divine Liturgy, with a wonderful reception following, hosted by Adam Bousiakis and the Cathedral Philoptochos. Then, at 6 p.m., some 550 guests filed into City Hall, where a reception was held in the Light Courts, including a plethora of hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, and the live music of Greek Compania.

Following a gentle invitation by McCall Associates, our Caterers that evening, the guests filed into the Rotunda, where we were seated on two levels, some 320 at the foot of the Grand Staircase, and some 230 on the second level, overlooking all the proceedings. Starlite Strings, a wonderful group of thirteen strings, as well as a bass and a piano player, lined the grand staircase, uniting diners above and diners below. The Rotunda, in all its majesty, was bathed in light, resplendent with tables set with china, crystal, exquisite floral arrangements, silver gifts—clocks and photo albums—and programs featuring the seals of the Cathedral, that of 1921 and, after its re-incorporation in 1936, that which has been in use since. Chocolates set with the seal of 1921 graced the tables, as well, reflecting the golden glow of the olive-gold damask linen, the gold laquer chargers and the cushioned Chiavris chairs.

Thomas Nuris, President of the Cathedral’s Parish Council set the tone by welcoming the guests who have come to honor the past, but also the present and the future of the Metropolis of San Francisco’s historic Cathedral. He thanked all those who worked to bring about the evening, and introduced Commissioner Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis, our MC for the evening. Eleni then called upon Margaret Bezaitis, who returned from Greece just to sing an amazing rendition of the American and the Greek national anthems. Then, she invited His Eminence the Archbishop to offer the invocation. Following the salad course—a timbale of goat cheese—Eleni introduced world-renown baritone, Nathan Gunn, who sang three inspirational numbers, arranged by his wife, Julie, who accompanied him on the piano. Mr. Gunn is currently singing the lead role of Figaro in the San Francisco Opera’s Barber of Seville. What a voice! What a gift!

The main course followed—lamb two ways: a grilled double lamb chop and rillettes of braised lamb shank in a port wine sauce, along with seasonal vegetables—and this was followed by a cheese course—a petite pot of goat cheese fondue with grapes and a toasted crouton. All the while Starlite Strings played, until the serving of Coupe Sophia—red wine poached pears, pear sorbet, mascarpone cream, red wine and pear syrup, lady fingers, chocolate straws, and an almond strip. Let’s not forget the kourambiedes, specially made by the Cathedral Philoptochos.

Meanwhile, Eleni acknowledged Past Parish Council presidents who were present—Gus Lekas, George Mourgos, John Vlahos, George Mattis, Pat Aleck and James Dariotes—and noted the service of many in the past, who are no longer with us. She then went on to note that, in 1921, under the presidency of Meletios Metaxakis (who, a few months later, became the Ecumenical Patriarch), the Cathedral was established, with the added premise that San Francisco be designated as the seat of the Greek Orthodox Church for the Western States (as the signed minutes of May 19, 1921 attest). This decision was fortuitous, both for the City of San Francisco and for the Greek American community, which gave the City two distinguished Mayors—Mayor George Christopher and Mayor Art Agnos, as well as other distinguished civic leaders. She went on to acknowledge the family of George Christopher—his sisters, Helen Christopher, Bea Tentes, and Ethel Davies. She also acknowledged Supervisor John Bardis and the late Peter Tamaras, who served as President of the Board of Supervisors, and his widow, Effie, who was laid to rest just three days before the event. She asked all to observe a moment of silence. Other dignitaries acknowledged were Ted Laliotis, former Mayor of Los Altos, Valerie Roumeliotes, President of the Metropolis Philoptochos, and her family, and Fanis Economidis, who heads the archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, in the West. A number of archons, who comprise the Order of St. Andrew, were acknowledged. She also extended a special welcome to the Consul General of Greece—the honorable Xenia Stefanidou—and the Honorary Consul of Cyprus—Nikos Theophanous—who were seated at the Archbishop’s table. She noted her fellow commissioners (she being an appointee of the Mayor): Commissioner Mike Kasolas, and Commissioner Victor Makras, whom she invited to extend greetings on behalf of Mayor Newsom. In turn, Victor Makras extended the greetings of the Mayor and presented a proclamation to Archbishop Demetrios, acknowledging the historic nature of the event and of his honored presence in San Francisco.

Following the serving of “Coupe Sophia”--the lavish dessert made especially for the occasion, and named for the first Cathedral, at Hayes and Pierce Streets--our MC called on Father Stephen Kyriacou for a presentation. On behalf of all of us, Father Stephen presented a facsimile edition of the first nineteen minutes of 1921, over which Archbishop Meletios Metaxakis presided, creating the Cathedral and its ancillary facilities, to Archbishop Demetrios, to Metropolitan Gerasimos, and to the City of San Francisco (to Mayor Newsom, our host, through Victor Makras). Hand typeset by Nektarios (Normal L.) McKnight, and hand bound in silk and in goat skin, the two volume sets are masterpieces in and of themselves, and historical documents par excellence, an indispensable component of the history of our Archdiocese of America, in general, and of our Metropolis of San Francisco, in particular. Father Stephen, in turn, introduced Metropolitan Gerasimos, who, capturing the mood and energy of the evening, retiterated his vision for the central meaning of the event, which is the construction of the Cathedral. The Metropolitan then introduced Archbishop Demetrios, who developed the theme of completing the dream of the founders, by building a “landmark” Cathedral, commensurate with their vision and the timeless splendor of the Faith, to which we bear witness. [A full account of the Archbishop’s remarks, recalled by John Coundouris, follows, in a separate article.]

The evening of November 12, 2006, celebrating the Cathedral’s past, present, and future, turned out to be, truly, a night of magic (surreal almost…as perfect as anything can be upon this earth). It was also a night of dreams. Not the kind of dreams you have and wake up only to realize they were illusions. But, the kind of dreams you have in your youth and then go on, with all the strength of your being, to transform them into reality. And so, the dream now demands to be transformed into resolve—our resolve--to re-establish the Cathedral as the preeminent ecclesiastical center of this Metropolis, to build the Church, and even a school, to gather God’s people from throughout the Bay Area and beyond, into the embrace of Christ, who bestows on us eternal life. Yes, the chocolates were delicious. McCall’s produced flawlessly, with respect to food, drink, and service. City Hall, lit up in majesty, took us into a world of imagination. Starlite Strings mesmerized us with flawlessly executed music. Nathan Gunn and Margaret Bezaitis ennobled us with their perfection of the human voice. The Archbishop and the Metropolitan inspired us with the precision of their “recapitulation,” reasoned argument and impassioned speech. And Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis coordinated everything with perfect timing, befitting the crowning observation of His Eminence the Archbishop that she truly is the “Princess of Ceremonies.” Thank you, Eleni. And, thank you, committee, for all your hard work. And thank you, sponsors, for your generous support, without which an event of this magnitude could not have been realized. The challenges now before us are symbolized by the tangible gifts we received—the album, in which to place our photo keepsakes, to treasure and to inspire us for generations to come, and the clock, which marks the time, wherein it is up to us to write the next chapter of the Cathedral’s history, to bequeath to those who will celebrate its next 85 years our own telling legacy of faith.

AS NORMAN MCKNIGHT OBSERVED NOVEMBER 12, 2006

We arrived about 45 minutes early and found our way inside, by a side entrance. Side. We ascended a fine staircase to a modest gallery with a few tables; but once we passed into the Rotunda we were unprepared for what we saw next: the Rotunda was dressed like an imperial court, and a grand piano was on the seventh step of the grand staircase, awaiting its pianist. Staff were busy putting the last things in place, and a man in a tuxedo greeted us with the words “may I offer you gentlemen a drink?” He reappeared with our drinks on a silver tray, and we moved on to the North Light Court to see the Greek Compania setting up their instruments for their wonderful contribution to the reception, which was to begin at 6 p.m.

Once the main doors were opened, the place filled almost immediately with the five hundred twenty guests. This was quite a sight, and they had all anticipated the importance of this event by dressing accordingly, in fine gowns and tuxedos. Even the ever vigilant staff were similarly dressed and, although it was formal, the atmosphere was that of a great and happy family, which, of course, it was.

I spotted the arrival of His Eminence the Archbishop through one of the doorways, where I could see into the main Rotunda. And there Father Stephen was seen trying to lead the Shepherd through the Flock, walking backwards, sometimes sideways, while the Flock pressed in on all sides, along with the Metropolitan, the Deacon, and Mr. Tom Nuris. Of course, Father Stephen had to stop every few steps while the faithful greeted His Eminence the Archbishop. A television reporter (Vicki Liviakis, Anchor, KRON TV, Channel 4) with a video camera interviewed him for a few minutes and then kissed his hand. He then made his way into the North Light Court, where the main reception was taking place.

I was circulating nearby to phograph, when Fr. Stephen led the Archbishop past me, and he stopped to say “this is Nektarios the Printer” and asked me to say a few words about how the presentation book was made. He is a gentle, kindly and immensely warm man, filled with the light of his faith, and I have to say this moment made the entire effort of the book worthwhile, and indicated to me why we do these works—to further the love of such a faith.

At length, we made our way into the Rotunda, by now thronged with elegant Swells and their Swans locating their tables. We walked up the Grand Staircase, past the grand piano, with thirteen violinists and cellists lining the south side of it from top to bottom. They played for us throughout most of the event. One had the sense of being in one of those grand historical movies, in which the emperor and his retinue would soon appear to great applause. Instead, we had this kindly, humble, devout, gracious, and humorous little man, exuding far more power than ten emperors!

Our table was at the edge of the balustrade overlooking the entire event, on the mezzanine. The best seats you could imagine. The meals were brought up on elevators to side chambers; the waiters acted swiftly and without ostentation, as if we were the only guest in the house! Wine was poured, an excellent vegetable timbale was served, then grilled lamb, so tender it simply came apart at the slightest touch of the fork, in a lovely port wine sauce, with vegetable garni, all done to perfection. We followed the entrée with a pot de chevre, a fondue of goat cheese and herbs with grapes and crouton. An excellent dessert of poached pears, mascarpone cream, sorbet, chocolate straws, amaretto crisp topped off the excellent meal.

Tom Nuris gave a well-prepared and beautifully delivered introduction; Margarita Bezaitis of Greece sang the American National Anthem, then, in a moment of beauty she sang the Greek National Anthem, with a huge accompaniment from the guests! For a moment I sensed my oneness with them, even though I am not of Greek descent, and I thought of how adversity makes some people bitter and angry, but with the Greeks it only made them strong and generous. The energy of the place was simply astounding!

While Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis, whom the Archbishop named “the Princess of Ceremonies,” proceeded to make the introductions, we proceeded to enjoy a beautifully prepared meal. There was a fine baritone soloist—Nathan Gunn, accompanied by his wife, Julie. Then, in the absence of the Mayor, Victor Makras was introduced. Then followed what for me was the culmination of four months of excruciating effort, the presentation of the Facsimile of the Founding Minutes of the Cathedral. Fr. Stephen came to the podium, made a few remarks regarding the inaugural dinner at the Fairmont Hotel in 1921, of which this was a true echo, and made the presentation. The two large volumes are actually very impressive, and I think His Eminence the Archbishop, who had previously seen only a few sample pages, was quite taken by surprise. Kostas Petrakos as “court photographer” did a terrific job and has a wonderful photo of Fr. Stephen, the Metropolitan and the Archbishop all clutching their copies of the book like kids at Christmas who each got exactly what he wanted!

The Metropolitan, capturing the mood and energy, introduced the Arcbhishop and reiterated his vision for the central meaning of this event, which is the completing of the Cathedral. The Archbishop, taking the podium, began by remarking about the essential spirit of Annunciation Cathedral. I think there is no doubt in our mind that, guided by the Holy Spirit, we could produce anything other than an aura of excellence, a goal to which all of us are inspired to emulate. It is that spirit which motivated all who came together for this great event. His Eminence then went on to say how much the original dream of the Founders needs to be now brought to fruition, and he compared the magnificence of the Rotunda as a place with the magnificence of a landmark cathedral, whose magnificence transcended mere ornamental woodwork, elaborate icons, and marble and stained glass, by the magnificence of a people brought together in the Holy Spirit to reflect God’s glory. In his homily at Divine Liturgy that morning he took the “joyful giver” from the Holy Gospel, and he noted that giving is not a single act; it is an act which works over time, and needs to be carried through to completion. Having seen much splendor in both ecclesiastical and secular settings, he remarked on the apparent similarity, but the splendor of this world is evident in the material sense, and the splendor of the Church is evident in its people and the faith to which they bear witness. For this reason he suggested to us that the new Cathedral needs to be more than a building, it needs to be a Landmark, a witness to all that triumphs over the world, and a welcoming light to follow. He left us all amazed, hopeful and energized, and so the evening ended or, rather, began a new course.

[Nektarios (Norman L.) McKnight, received into the Church through Holy Baptism just a year ago, is the gentleman who painstakingly executed the two folio volumes in a slipcase of the Founding Minutes, referred to above. A fourth copy of those Minutes resides in the Cathedral archives.]

EXTRACTS FROM THE SPEECH OF HIS EMINENCE ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS OF AMERICA ON THE OCCASION OF THE 85TH ANNIVERSARY GALA OF THE ANNUNCIATION CATHEDRAL, recalled by JOHN COUNDOURIS

“ The national poet of Greece, Dionysios Solomos, in one of his poems includes a very beautiful verse. In the original “nuvcta gemavth ovneira, nuvcta gemavth mavgia” (Night full of dreams; night full of magic/spells). I am looking and digging in my memory to remember any hall so magnificent to host a dinner such as this, and I cannot.

“The Metropolitan spoke eloquently, presenting the history of the community and the history of Orthodoxy in this area, things for which we have to be very, very thankful. So tonight I express my deepest thanks to Metropolitan Gerasimos, Fr. Stephen Kyriacou, the President, Mr. Tom Nuris and the members of the community, to the Princess of Ceremonies and, I have not forgotten, the care of Mrs. and Mr. Gunn, offering us this beautiful duet of piano and opera music.

“The Metropolitan made a reference to the founder, Archbishop Meletios, Archbishop of Athens; then, the very same person became Patriarch of Constantinople, and later Patriarch of Alexandria; he almost was elected Patriarch of Jerusalem, but did not manage it. He was a tremendous personality and it is significant that such a personality was the founder of this community. I happen to have a connection with him, because he was Archbishop of Athens around the 1920s, and I was Bishop in Athens for some 32 years, working next to the Archbishop of Athens, so I feel closer to Archbishop Meletios and to this community.

San Francisco is known for many things. I just want to make sure that I remember correctly. San Franciso is the place where the United Nations was born as an institution. Now, most of you are younger and don’t remember, but I remember as a high-school student the thrill we had at the end of the war that we have in San Francisco the founding of the institution of the United Nations as a hope to eliminate the possibility of a third world war. That time, back in the mid-forties, I never thought that one day, 60 years later I would be in this kind of situation in the Rotunda of its City Hall; I think the place of the signing was next door, or something like that, very close by…We have here the feeling of something that is beyond the local, the ethnic, something that is universal. And then you have the names, because the Annunciation was the second name. Initially it was St. Sophia. So both names, St. Sophia, St Sophia meaning Christ, meaning the Wisdom of God, and then the Annunciation referring to the Person and the Personification of Faith. So here tonight as we celebrate 85 years of the Annunciation, we are not celebrating a so called ‘linear history’ in which the line is even. The line is not even; the line has ups and downs here, not only because of the earthquake, but because of some prominent event that took place and sometimes a touch of something else, as was the building of the Annunciation, as we celebrate 85 years in this magnificent hall. This was the past.

“When many people visit San Francisco they leave their hearts here. But tonight we leave the present and we look to the future. What is the future? Already His Eminence pointed out something very basic.

Number one: the building of the church. The building of a church here is not an ordinary business. In a place like San Francisco you either build a landmark or you don’t build anything. You cannot build a mediocrity of a building; you don’t have an ordinary, average church. You have to have a landmark of a church. Sorry to say. Next to an evening such as this in this place, building a church is not an ordinary task; it is something different. How different? Let me share with you a story about the inauguration of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow. This Cathedral was built between 1812 and 1827, after the victory of the Russians against Napoleon as an expression of thanks to God. It was demolished under Stalin; they tried to build something else but they did not manage it. With the change in the situation in Soviet Russia, the land was given back to the Church and they decided to rebuild the Cathedral (they had the full, original plans) in celebration of the year 2000, the second millennium. They started rebuilding the Cathedral in 1995 and it was completed in 2000. They wanted to have an exact replica of the original, and they had to use the most expensive variety of marble used for the original, which was mined in Italy, some 200 years earlier. So they went to Italy to get the marble, only to be told that the mine closed 150 years ago. But they were insistent that they had to have the same marble, not from anywhere else, but from this mine. The authorities, asked them: ‘Do you want to have an exercise in frustration and unnecessary expense?’ They said ‘Yes.’ So, they reopened the mine and started digging: level 1 – nothing; level 2 – zero; level 3 – something; level 4 – exactly the same source of the marble! Therefore the church was built with the exact same marble by reopening a ‘dead’ mine almost 200 years later! You are absolutely smart to draw the conclusions; just do that. Now, a structure that is a landmark is something that has to do with projecting faith. It’s not some walls, some stained-glass windows, beautiful woodwork; it’s something that projects faith. Therefore it would take a superb act of faith to build such a cathedral.

“ Number two: This new cathedral should be offering a worship worthy of true Orthodoxy. Can we do that? Absolutely yes. Today we had a Liturgy in the Annunciation chapel. We were there and I said: the music of the worship is a music that is far beyond this small chapel. This is the music, this is the choir of a Cathedral. You have the music; you have the priest in the face of Fr Stephen. Having the proper priest, having a proper choir, having the proper lay staff in terms of president, vice-president, the council the Philoptochos, the teachers, you have the possibility of not simply having a magnificent building, but a new building that is offering a model worship for the glory of God and for the edification of the people. One of the most known sociologists of religion wrote in more than one instance that the churches today with their worship offer an island of peace, comfort and quietude in the midst of a turbulent worship which is contemporary society. This is a Cathedral that will offer exactly this kind of offering… After September 11th, an Orthodox church was the only place of worship that was destroyed in New York--the church of St Nicholas. We sat down with the New York Governor, Mr. George Pataki. and we said: ‘Governor, we presuppose that in the plans to rebuild what was destroyed, we will have the space for the church.’ He said ‘Of course!’ ‘But Mr. Governor, this new church at ground zero is not going to be just a small church for a small parish of 50 families. It is going to become a center of quietness, peace, comfort for people from every religion and every ethnic background, every race. We need space for this.’ He said that, although he could not commit himself to this, he would try for additional space. We said, ‘Mr. Governor, this is a service far beyond a certain religion; this is a need that covers much larger ground.’ Well, when the situation developed and things became clearer as far as space, we ended up with five times the original space! Why? Because of the function of this place. The Cathedral as a place of worship that serves people in need of this place.

“The third element: Offering a Cathedral and community that offers love and care, so that, when we celebrate 100 years we would have a record for “a night filled with dreams and magic,” including plenty of titles dedicated to care and love. Again, the example of St Nicholas is characteristic because it was again this additional component that was a convincing part of the argument to have more space.

“I will now finish with the fourth element: Offering Orthodoxy as the ultimate and absolute truth--simply the truth of the Gospel. Offering Orthodoxy, offering a community, offering a cathedral serving the truth in a world of semi-truths, pseudo-truths, bi-truths, but not the full truth. The full truth of the Gospel, the revelation through Christ of the fullness of truth as the mission of a community, in a world that is in a terrible need of this type of truth. Offering this element and offering this element we are blessed in conjunction with the component of the universal elements from our Hellenic tradition: the universal elements of human rights, justice, democracy, beauty, science, philosophy. Let me at this point remember one point of Pope Benedict’s recent lecture, that created quite a situation: his point was this--in one sentence: fusing the biblical faith and the Hellenic spirit of inquiry, in order to have what we need as a world. We need, as he put it, the Logos, as the Logos in the Gospel of John, meaning Christ and His truth, but also as the logos in Greek philosophy, meaning thinking, critiquing a faith that is not blind but a faith that is accompanied by a brilliant mind.

“In conclusion, we have four basic items, building: (1) a church as a landmark, (2) a church as a worship center; (3) a church as a place emanating loving care and gentleness; (4) a church as a beacon of Orthodoxy and universal values. At the end of the Book of Revelation they speak about the final position of the new Jerusalem in eschatological terms, we read something very beautiful, and think of this in reference to the new Cathedral: “Behold the dwelling place of God with the people. He will dwell with them and they shall be His people. And God Himself will be with them. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more. Neither shall there be mourning, or crying or pain any more; for the former things have passed away.” [Revelation 21:4] Former things…85 years are over. Is God ready to dwell in the new Cathedral with all of you, I guess with all of us?

“ Thank you for giving us this unique joy and this really incomparable blessing; thank you.”

STARTLITE STRINGS OFFERS THANKS/KUDOS

Just as we were sending this issue of the Herald to print, we received a note from Byrne Newhart, director of the Starlite Strings, which played magnificently at the November 12th event. The note is addressed to Father Stephen and says, “ Thank you for the very special opportunity to play our music for His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios, Metropolitan Gerasimos, honored guests, and Annunciation Cathedral community members and friends.

“It was especially wonderful to meet you personally and to see first-hand your warmth and caring, which preceded you via e mail exchange. For all us musicians it was a memorable experience, and we are most grateful to you for having us be a part of the evening.

“Lastly, it should be noted that on the auspicious occasion of the 85th Anniversary of Annunciation Cathedral, His Eminence requested “Take 5” by Dave Brubeck, a piece (child’s piano piece) by Anna Magdalena Bach and “anything” we wished to play from Broadway…but especially he wanted “JAZZ.” His Eminence was truly focused on music.

“It was a truly historic moment within an historic event for Annunciation Cathedral. We are indebted to Dan McCall for referring us to you. Warm regards.”

PHOTOS OF NOVEMBER 12

The following photos were taken by Kostas Petrakos. They are some of the 700 photos which are available for purchase. Log on to www.kostasphotography.com. Click, “Enter Site.” Go to “Gallery” and scroll down to “City Hall 11-12-06.” Click on any photo you wish (there are 20 photos per page, and 39 pages). Then, adjust your speed and click on “View Next.” You will see all the photos on that page. Continue onto “Close” for a listing of all the subsequent pages.

PHOTO AND A LETTER FROM A GRATEFUL VETERAN

Just as we were preparing the December Herald, we received a note and a photograph from one Georgia Pomakis, a resident of Peabody, Massachusetts. Georgia writes:

“Enclosed is a picture of your church basement taken during World War II. I was in the Navy (Waves) during this time (1943-1945). I am now 83 years old, and reflecting back on those years, I often think about the Sunday dinners that your parishioners provided to the servicemen and women. As a Greek Orthodox woman stationed so far away from home, these meals nourished my soul as well as my body. Thank you for the lovely memories.

A grateful Veteran,
Georgia Pomakis.”

We were moved by Georgia’s note, and we were inspired, as well. We thought of the Holy Gospel according to Matthew (25:31-46), which is read on Meatfare Sunday, where the Lord says “I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” We thought of our mission as Christians, as the Church. We thought that the best way to glorify God is by loving one another. For, in the same Gospel pericope, the King says: “As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” Thank you, Georgia, for the reminder, just now as we are celebrating the Cathedral’s 85th year and embarking upon a program for the future. May God keep you well and safe, in His loving embrace, for many years to come, in this life, and in His eternal Kingdom, always.

[Note: Georgia is seated in the upper hand portion of the photograph below, just in front of the first woman shown standing.]

ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE

Each year, Annunciation Cathedral parishioners and friends are invited to participate in a food drive to help needy individuals. This drive is coordinated by our Sunday School, in conjunction with the San Francisco Food Bank. Together, we can help bring hope to the table of some 150,000 San Franciscans living with the daily threat of hunger.

Our drive began on Wednesday, November 15, and will conclude Tuesday, December 19. There are three barrels. They are located in the gallery, easily accessible from our chapel and from our hall. In them, you may place dried or canned goods (non-perishable items only. When the barrels become two-thirds full, the San Francisco Food Bank will come out, remove the food items, and bring empty barrels. You are invited to learn more about the work of the San Francisco Food Bank, by contacting: www.sffoodbank.org. You are also invited to visit the warehouse to volunteer and to learn what they do with all the food that we collect. Contact Sam Marcum, Volunteer Services Coordinator, at 415 282-1907 ext. 244 or smarcum@sffb.org. Volunteer positions are available evenings and on weekends. We thank you for your generous response, as we endeavor to partner within the community to reach out to God’s people, especially those in need.

CHRISTMAS CARD 2006: WON’T YOU EXTEND GREETINGS?

Every year, parishioners and friends of the Cathedral are invited to participate in the community Christmas Card, sent to over 1,000 members and friends on its mailing list. It’s a great way for people to: 1. Send a greeting at Christmas time
2. Support the Cathedral by doing so, and 3. Save money (and a lot of paper) in the process.

How so? By being included in the community Christmas Card: 1. Over 1,000 members and friends of the Cathedral receive your greeting at Christmas 2. The Cathedral applies part of your donation to one of its ministries, after paying the cost of printing the card, postage, etc., and 3. You don’t have to send a card to Cathedral members and friends (consider just the postage alone...at least 39¢ per card…you do the math).

Won’t you complete the form below, include your donation of $25 per line, payable to the Annunciation Cathedral (please write “Christmas Card” in the note section of your check), and mail the form and your check to:

Please note: If you prefer, you may personally request to be included in the Cathedral’s 2006 Christmas Card, by seeing Annette Chiappari during the Sunday coffee hours, during November and December, until December 10, or by calling the Cathedral office at 415 864-8000.

PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS

Angel Tree Project:
The ever popular Angel Tree Project is underway and we will once again be collecting gifts for underprivileged children in our Bay Area community during the holiday season.

We are in the process of identifying the children’s group where we intend to donate these gifts. Please stop by our display before or after church services if you wish to participate. This is one of our most successful outreach projects for the greater Bay Area community and this is what Philoptochos is all about – helping the poor and bringing a smile to a disadvantaged child.

Vasilopita – Sunday, January 7, 2007
Our annual Vasilopita Brunch is in the planning stages. Again, we hope that all of you will come and celebrate the day after a hectic holiday season. We promise great food and a vasilopita for each table with a “gold” coin in each vasilopita. In addition, a delicious brunch will be served. The cost is $10.00 per person and $5.00 for children under the age of 12. The surplus funds from this event will be sent to St. Basil’s Academy in Garrison, New York.

25th Annual Crab Feed – A Silver Jubilee! - Friday, January 19, 2007
The ever popular crab feed will take place on Friday, January 19, 2007 with a cocktail reception at 6:00 p.m. and dinner at 7:30 p.m. We will be celebrating the 25th Annual Crab Feed and we want to make this a special event since this will be the 25th year of its existence. Last year we had 650 who attended so please start making your reservations as soon as you can. The reservation chair is Ms. Patricia Destein PLDESTEIN@aol.com. The cost of the ticket is $40.00 or a table of (10) for $400.

Seating arrangements will be held at the door. Let’s make this crab feed one to remember for a long time.

As the year comes to a close, Angie Leventis, Philoptochos President, thanks our Philoptochos women who have worked throughout the year making everything happen in such a wonderful way and always with a smile. In addition, she thanks all of the “friends of the Philoptochos” who were so kind to help in so many ways. We must say that this was one of the busiest years ever with so many events and projects and with such great women and men who volunteered their time for the betterment of the community and our church. We also thank the parishioners and others in the community that supported us to achieve our goals and commitments for the year 2006.

We wish each and every one of you a most blessed Christmas with lots of sharing and love.
Kales Yiortes.

7 RUN FOR PARISH COUNCIL

The Nominating Committee, which consists of Andrew Vellis, Ted Leventis, Basil Tonas, and Lula Ossipoff, has announced that the following seven parishioners are candidates for the Parish Council, for the 2007-2008 term. Parishioners of the Cathedral, who meet eligibility requirements, may cast their vote on Sunday, December 10, following the Liturgy.

The seven candidates are: Patricia Aleck, George Ambadiotakis Ambus, James P. Dariotes, Nick Kontonis, Peter Manetas, Nicholas J. Rally, and John Sooklaris. Andrew Vellis, Ted Leventis, Basil Tonas, and Lula Ossipoff, who now comprise the Board Elections, will oversee the December 10th elections.

FATHER STEPHEN APPOINTED TO PARTICIPATE IN SAE CONFERENCE

Father Stephen has been named a delegate to the SAE Conference, representing the Archdiocese. (SAE are initials which represent, in Greek, “Council of Hellenes Abroad.”) The conference will take place in Thessalonike, Greece. Father Stephen plans to arrive there on December 7 and return to San Francisco on December 14. Father Gregory Ofiesh will minister to any pastoral needs during Father Stephen’s absence.

MESSAGE BY PETE SOTIRAS, DIRECTOR OF THE METROPOLIS YOUTH AND FAMILY MINISTRIES OFFICE: EMBRACE YOUR POTENTIAL

Once again, we are in the middle of another Christmas season. Our malls and department stores are packed as people try and find the perfect gift for their families and friends. There’s no doubt that this season is one of the biggest shopping seasons of the year and there’s no doubt that retailers look to your generation to sell many of their products. However, you are more than just a generation of consumers. Whether you know it or not, you are a generation that has the potential to change this world for the better. You have the potential to do something meaningful, to make a difference, not 10 or 20 years from now, but right now. You have the potential to make this world into what it was meant to be: Paradise. To understand your potential, let us look at the meaning of Christmas and see how it helps to answer how your generation can be more than consumers.

On Christmas, we remember and celebrate how God become a human being. One hymn of the Church tells us that with Christ’s Incarnation, “Heaven and earth are made one”. Christmas is about the promised Messiah entering the world in order to bring healing, peace, hope and love to those who were broken, those who had no hope, and those who had no purpose in life. Christmas is about our God entering our world so He could bring us to Heaven. While all of this is true, we may be tempted to believe that Christmas is just an event that happened 2,000 years ago. We look at the icon of the Nativity and place this event in the past. This should not be. Just like He did 2,000 years ago, Jesus still needs to enter our world in order to bring healing, peace, hope and love. He continues to enter our lives through the sacraments, but not only through the sacraments. He also enters the world through His people. Jesus didn’t abandon us when He ascended into Heaven. He gave His disciples the power of the Holy Spirit so that they would carry out that which He started.

Now it is your turn to step up. I don’t care how old you are. Through the power of Holy Spirit, your generation can make a difference, by continuing to bring Christ to a broken world. How is that possible you may ask? Every day, through our actions, we manifest Jesus Christ. Whenever we listen to a friend with a problem, go with our youth group to a food shelter, say a kind word to someone at school who has been mistreated, respond with non-violence to someone who provokes us, respect our parents, or refuse to gossip about someone, Christ enters the world. This Christmas season, I challenge you and your generation to be more than consumers. Be a generation that finds its fulfillment and purpose not in objects or possessions but in making your home, your school, your community and your society a better place. Be a generation that seeks to bring Christ to the world and in doing so, brings heaven and earth together.

[Youth and their families can contact Pete at: sfyouth@sanfran.goarch.org. You can also view and download this article from the Metropolis Youth webpage at: http://www.youth.sanfran.goarch.org/]

SOME DEMOGRAPHICS

In our November issue, we presented some “demographics” for your information. In 2006, the Cathedral has 516 “Stewardship Families?” That is, while the Cathedral is made up of about 900 families, 516 monetarily support the church. The total amount of their pledges to support the work of the Cathedral comes to $290,538 (this is as of November 20. We are projecting that this will reach $300,000 by December 31.). Of the 516 “Stewardship Families,” 256 reside in San Francisco (City and County); 260 reside outside San Francisco (mostly the Peninsula, although a handful reside in Marin County, as well as in Berkeley and Alameda). The total pledged amount of those who reside in San Francisco is $145.660; and the total pledged amount of those who reside outside San Francisco is $144,878. The trend is that more and more of our families with children have been moving to the Peninsula. On the other hand, a number of singles, as well as a few families with children, have moved from outside the Bay Area, to San Francisco. These are interesting demographics, which we are evaluating, as we consider developing a building plan for the Cathedral.

SCHOLASTIC ACHIEVEMENT
Recently, several young people from our parish achieved scholastic excellence in their chosen fields; we proudly recognize them:

Steve Georgiou received his doctorate (Ph.D.) in theology as well as art. Steve is now a professor, teaching at San Francisco State University and at City College, San Francisco. He has also authored the following: The Way of the Dreamcatcher: Spirit Lesssons with Robert Lax, poet, peacemaker and sage, whom Steve met and interviewed during his visits to Patmos, Greece. Steve served as an acolyte at the Cathedral for many years.

Maria Taylor received her doctorate (Ph.D.) in English Literature, with an emphasis on the influence religion played in Jane Austen’s youth. She earned her degree at the University of London, England. Maria is currently conducting research in England. She is qualified to teach at the university level, should she choose to do so. Maria has been a member of the Cathedral choir for many years and continues to sing with our choir when she comes to San Francisco.

Gus Vouchilas received his doctorate (Ph.D.) in Art and Interior Design from the University of San Francisco. He is now a professor in the art department t of San Francisco State University. Gus is a member of the Parish Council, where he serves as secretary and also as chairman of the Cathedral’s Stewardship Committee. He is also a member of Community Link, a group of adults which visits ill and home-bound parishioners. In addition, Gus teaches in our Sunday School and assists as an acolyte from time to time.

Kudos to the aforementioned. Their faith, hard work, patience and determination earn our respect and commendation. Their families, together with the Church, have been a vital part of their lives and have impacted their intellectual, spiritual and moral development.
Axios and Axia!

PLEASE SAVE THE FOLLOWING DATES

SACRAMENTS AND SERVICES
BAPTISM
Cassandra Katerina, daughter of Stefan Christof Schulz andAnastasia Elene Contakos, was baptized at the Cathedral on November 18. Her Godparent is Anastasia Stavroula Calligeros.

Na Mas Zisi! Long Life!

FUNERALS
Katherine Kouremetis, who fell asleep in the Lord on October 29, was buried November 3. She is survived by her children, George, Poppie, Tina and Irene.

Euthemia (Effie) Tamaras, who fell asleep in the Lord on November 6, was buried November 9. She is the widow of the late Peter Tamaras.

We also extend deepest symathies to Phyllis Zenevich, Monica Bruce, and Grace Koutloulas on the falling asleep in the Lord of their father, Jorge R. Monti, on November 4.

We also extend deepest sympathies to the family of Cleopatra Greenblatt, upon her falling asleep in the Lord on November 21.

Aionia I mnimi! May their Memory be eternal!

December 2006 Herald
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral.