My Fellow Parishioners,
As summer has come to an end and we begin our new Ecclesiastical year, much like the students who start the new school year with renewed focus and dedication, we return refreshed from our holidays with renewed focus and dedication to attend Divine Liturgy and participate in the life of the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George.
Our St. George community welcomes us back with a whirlwind of activities. Our Orthodox Christian ministries have been gearing up for another active year. Our Sunday School is beginning the year with over 350 students enrolled, and as Athena Kranias passes the leadership role to Simeon Pardalis, we gathered on Sept. 9 to thank Athena for her decades of selfless service to the religious education of generations of children of St. George.
As our new Lay Pastoral Assistant to Father Dimitrios, Simeon will play a vital role in the reinvigoration of our youth programs, including Sunday School and Choir, Altar Boys, HOPE & JOY (Hellenic Orthodox Primary Education & Junior Orthodox Youth), GOYA (Greek Orthodox Youth Association), the St. George Counselors-in-Training (C.I.T.s) for Events and Retreats, and the Hellenic Dance Troupe.
The 50 Plus Club reconvenes with a full calendar of events, starting with the Oct. 6 pilgrimage to the Agia Skepi (Holy Protection) Monastery in White Haven, PA. On Oct. 13-14, our GOYAns participate in the Annual Bishop George Memorial Basketball Tournament and working on the “Sights and Sounds” program to be held in March 2019. Greek School and Greek Preschool are together registering over 210 students. Our Hellenic Dance Troupe will begin their practices.
While we look forward to a full and productive year, it is important to report on the progress we have made over the past twelve months. We were blessed to have celebrated our parish’s 50th Anniversary. Over a three-day weekend in November, we enjoyed true fellowship at a magnificent Gala, followed by a family day and then a Sunday luncheon honoring the founding members of our community. In May, we celebrated one of the most successful festivals in our parish’s history.
In order to accommodate our highly successful and ever-growing Greek Preschool, we have entered a final two-year lease term with the Harbor School. At the end of Spring 2020, the Harbor School will be vacating the school building. In Fall 2020, the Greek Preschool will take over the facility on weekdays. This will also allow the use of the school building for the broader St. George community during weeknights and throughout the entire weekend.
This past year, the Building Committee has been meeting to plan for the future of our community. It is formulating an architectural plan for the renovation of the Founders Hall, as well as the kitchen and bathrooms. We expect to present the draft plans at a Parish Assembly later this year.
These are truly exciting times for our parish. We ae blessed with an ever-growing Orthodox Christian community. May God bless the community of St. George and may our hard work be seen for it is truly is: Love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, love of our beautiful Orthodox Christian Church, and love for each member of our community – brothers and sisters in Christ. May we continue to enjoy God’s many blessings for the next fifty years!
In Christ’s love,
Stephen J. Vlahos,
Parish Council President
