The history of our Philoptochos is an amazing fabric of serving others--hands on, and by raising money to donate to charity, maintaining our Orthodox heritage, and having fun together, and I have been proud to have had the opportunity this year to stand side by side with so many "Wonderful Orthodox Women" (and men).  The future is whatever we make of it - together - and I look forward with excitement as we plan another year of Philoptochos service events.
     Another beautiful Philoptochos event took place in our cultural center on May 2, our Table Top Social and booksigning with author Deb Dunham. The tables were beautifully decorated, with so may fun, artistic and imaginative themes.  Thanks to the hostesses for diligently and creatively decorating your tables, and bringing your friends and family to our event.  Thanks also to Deb Ciejek, our food chairman, and her team, for organizing a lovely light luncheon, and to those who donated so many delicious Greek pastries and other goodies for desert.  Mary Ann Pappas and Penny Gonzalves, and their team in the ticket and advertising department, were instrumental, as usual, for the efficient sale of over 130 tickets. Thank you to Katie and Julie Novotney for providing such beautiful piano music to seranade our guests during social hour and during the booksigning at the end of the event.  Several other budding pianists also contributed to the entertainment, mainly the Hogan and Stamas girls. Most of all, a special thanks to Joanne Papadimitriou, Penny Stamas, and Eleni Hogan for chairing the event and organizing the hostess tables, and every other detail to produce such a beautiful and successful Table Top Social.  All proceeds from the event will be going to our Philoptochos annual scholarships, awarded each June to our deserving Senior Class of our St. George Sunday School.
     Our speaker for the event, Deb Dunham gave a very timely and inspirational presentation focused on raising our children to have the self-esteem, self-respect, and self-love that will help them to then show those qualities to others in building strong and healthy relationships with family and friends. Deb gave the audience a chance to practice some of her strategies with our table members, and demonstrated the concept of "being yourself and loving yourself" with some of our young audience members who volunteered to do some role playing. She also focused on the topic of bullying, not just in the school and social settings for "tweens", but also in other settings, such as the workplace, with insight as to why it happens and strategies for parents, teachers, and kids to prevent and stop this type of behavior. Overall, Deb really gave us all some food for thought, and the feedback from the audience was overwhelmingly positive.
     On May 23, we had another amazing Zumba class with instructor Karen Ollari, and although the participation was not nearly as robust as our first class in January, those who participated were treated to a heart-pumping, hip-swaying, dance-workout that was as much fun as the first.  We hope to do it again in the fall, and those who stayed for our non-quorum Philoptochos General Assembly meeting came up with some great ideas for a Fall Fitness Fund-raiser which may include not only Zumba, but some other fun fitness classes and information--something for everyone.
     Our last Philoptochos event before the summer, which was supposed to take place on Sunday, June 13 from 12-2:00 pm, our "Spirit of Philoptochos" social with guest speaker, Aphrodite Skeadas, National Philoptochos President, is being postponed until a date that will be announced in the future.  Believe me, this decision to postpone was very difficult to make, but we decided that since our very own Philoptochos board member and friend, Mary Ann Pappas is going to be honored in Boston that day at the Metropolis Laity awards, that two big events in one day would be difficult to support.  We are dedicated to bringing the postponed event to fruition in the future, and will still be looking for input from YOU as we set forth to honor our past presidents and other long-standing board members.  Any information or assistance that you can provide will be immensely helpful.
     Of course, we are thrilled to be able to go to the Laity Awards Banquet on June 13 to honor and support Mary Ann, who exemplifies the Philoptochos philosophy of dedication, hard work, giving, and a loving spirit.  Our board members and many others from St. George will be taking a bus to the event, and for information on tickets and travel arrangements you can call the St. George office.
     I would also like to invite you to a special summer "Heaven's Kitchen" workshop with Maria Papadoulias on Monday, July 19, at 6:00 pm in the Cultural Center Kitchen. I am calling it "Moussaka Madness with Maria", and you'll be treated to a Moussaka demonstration by the best Moussaka-maker east of the Mississippi! We are thrilled to have Maria take time from her busy schedule, so please call Sue Alvanos at 789-0157 to reserve your spot in the kitchen.
     One last reminder, please return your donations for the Philoxenia House, our May committment, as soon as possible, to the church, or by mail (envelopes were included in our mailing).  Thank you for your support of this most worthy cause.
      Thank you again to the Philoptochos Board Members who continue to work on your behalf to keep our Philoptochos "Evangelismos" vibrant and growing.  It continues to be an honor and a pleasure to serve with them to bring the ladies of our church together in service, fellowship, and love.

With Love and Appreciation,
Susan Alvanos, Philoptochos President
789-0157, calvanos@hotmail.com
 


The President's Message (previous Message)

Dear St. George Friends,
     Let us renew ourselves and our commitment to God during the season of Great Lent, prepare our bodies and our hearts for the feast of the Resurrection, renew our devotion to God through prayer, fasting, and giving of ourselves, and re-dedicate ourselves in word and in deed to the commandments to love God and our neighbors. If we have been true to our faith, it is the time to ask God for continued strength to build better, more meaningful relationships with God and with our brothers and sisters, to enhance our stewardship and our outreach efforts, and to ask others to join us as we work together to build a stronger church. If we have been inattentive or indifferent to our faith, Lent is the perfect opportunity to return to, reintroduce, restart, repair, and restore ourselves to our faith. For my Orthodox sisters, I ask you to join me and to join the Philoptochos as we work together to build stronger relationships with our church and within our church.  Lent is the perfect season to start.  March is the perfect month to begin anew.
     Let me first ask you to join us on Sunday, February 28 from 12:00-1:30 after church for a "Get Fit in 2010" event as we host guest speaker Nancy Brown, Nutrition Therapist and Physical Trainer, who will energize us with "10 Tips to Get Healthy in 2010". This will also be a donation opportunity to help our dear friends at the Ronald McDonald House to stock their pantry with non-perishable food, and to renew their cabinets with much needed kitchen utensils. A few suggestions for food items would be cereal, oatmeal, canned fruits and vegetables, rice, juice, etc.  A few suggestions for kitchen items would be pot holders, cutting boards, baking sheets, dishes, glasses, spices, cleaning items, laundry detergent, etc.  We love helping them, and they always appreciate any donations, our monthly meals that we provide, and any monetary support we can give. February 28 is a perfect opportunity to help yourself and help others!
     The Philoptochos will also be holding our annual Easter Bake Sale in March, and you can place your order for Koulouria ($5/doz) or Tsoureki ($7/each) in February and the first Sunday in March.  Orders will be ready for pick up after church on March 14, 21, and on Palm Sunday.  We also invite you to help us with the baking, and we will be hosting 2 "Heaven's Kitchen" Baking workshops on Friday,March 5 (Koulouria) from 9-3, and on Saturday, March 13 (Tsoureki) from 9-3.  All proceeds from the bake sale go towards our Philoptochos scholarships and other philopthropic commitments.
     Our Christmas "Baskets of Warmth and Cheer" outreach project to our nursing home and homebound parishioners was such an overwhelming success, that we would like to do the same for Easter.  How can you help??  On Palm Sunday, the Philoptochos ladies will be gathering after church to make small Easter Baskets to deliver to our friends in need. In each basket we will place a red Easter egg, a palm cross, a small Tsoureki, some Koulouria, and some special treats.  We already have the Tsoureki and Koulouria donated, and so we are looking for red egg donations (about 3-4 dozen), small Easter Basket donations (about 3-4 dozen - with decorative grass inside), Easter chocolates, and Easter ribbon.  We will assemble the baskets after church, and then we need people to actually bring the baskets to our nursing home and homebound parishioners that day or sometime that week--Holy Week. Please let me know if you can make a donation, help assemble the baskets, or help deliver -- your stewardship in this event will be so appreciated by those who receive this special Easter gift, a gift of love.
     Our Annual Lenten Luncheon and Greek Independence Day Celebration will take place on Sunday, March 21 from 12:00 - 2:00 and ALL ARE INVITED! Besides a wonderful fish and macaroni dinner, and special presentations from the Greek School students, we have a dynamic guest speaker, Deacon Barnabas Powell who will graduate in May from the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.
     Dn. Powell, media guru and convert, will tell his story of why a Pentacostal pastor would enter the Orthodox Church, and will help us all appreciate the treasure of our Orthodox religion. But he will also add an element to his presentation which will address how to deal with the unfortunate trend of young people going off to college and not staying connected to the church during college and not returning to the church after college. Too many young people are MIA! He will give us insight as to how we might offer our college students robust reasons to stay connected to the faith during and after their college years.  He will help us all to uncover the "Priceless Treasure of our Faith" and this will be a truly inspiring afternoon!
     Tickets will be on sale after church in March. . . please get yours sooner, rather than later so that we may plan accordingly, and speak to a Philoptochos member about how you can help with the set-up, serving, or clean-up duties!  Thank you for your support! All proceeds will benefit Holy Cross College.
     Finally, I would like to sincerely thank a few people who have been an inspiration this month, in word and in deed.  First to Sheila Joseph for setting up our Zumba class with Karen Ollari and our Health Speaker, Nancy Brown--both excellent ideas!  And also to Sheila for her unwaivering commitment to our nursing home and homebound ministry. Thanks also to Debbie Ciejek and Denise Reed for hosting our "Heaven's Kitchen" Koliva and Artoclasia baking workshops in February. Their baking and artistry skills, as well as their symbolic understanding are inspiring! Thanks to Eleni Hogan for leading a team of Sunday School students at the Ronald McDonald House last month--it truly was hands-on mentoring and philanthropy--the Philoptochos in action. Many thanks again to Chris Ciejek for being the Martini Madness Bartender extraordinaire at our Zumba event!
     Thanks also to Sue Tapases and Leslie Moutafis for stepping forward to lead our new Parish Nurse Team Ministry, and to those who attended our first meeting recently. Stay tuned for our upcoming survey and our first events that will begin soon!
     I would also like to thank the Philoptochos Board for their continued support in each and every endeavor, and for always being such true Christians and mentors, for their ideas and enthusiasm, and for their kindness, hard work, and support. I also invite everyone to enjoy our beautiful Philoptochos website, which is being updated, "beautified", and expanded each month by our website guru Laila Haddad.  Please visit us at http://www.stgeorgecath.org/Philoptochos.htm, where you can get all of our news, see a "flicker" slide show with pictures from our events, download a stewardship membership commitment form, find out about our Parish Nurse news, and also connect to our new "Facebook" site. We are so up-to-date and connected, and I can't thank Laila enough!
     As always, many thanks to our St. George Family for your continued support of Philoptochos. Your stewardship to Philoptochos helps us reach out to those in need and is very much appreciated!
With love and thanks,
Susan Alvanos
Philoptochos President
789-0157 / calvanos@hotmail.com
 

Dear St. George Community,    
    “It is time for a new beginning and a renewed effort to inspire creativity and revival in Orthodox Christianity in the United States (and at St. George Cathedral). It is our duty and obligation not to hide our light under the bushel, but to let it shine before all people - to regain the missionary model that established the early Church. We must let our light so shine - because unless people see in us the light and the love of Christ, they will not believe.”(Greek Orthodox Department of Outreach)The Philoptochos, as the organization of Orthodox Christian women dedicated to providing service and assistance to both individuals and groups in need, has in the past, and today, been the hand of outreach at St. George. Much of the philanthropic and benevolent work associated with our church falls under the umbrella of our Philoptochos Chapter. From scholarships to family assistance, outreach, and local and international philanthropy, the Philoptochos of St. George “Evengelismos” continues to set a standard to be emulated. 

    We invite you to join with us this year to become involved in the “Spirit of Philoptochos”, to choose action over apathy, interaction over separation, intervention over isolation and dialogue over silence.  We invite you with open arms to let your light shine, to re-dedicate your spirit to helping others, to share the love of Christ.  Our January events were dedicated to these themes, and our February events will also give you even more opportunities to become involved, help others, promote our Orthodox traditions, and have fun!

January Events

                                                                           

Philoptochos Vasilopita Baking Workshop and Vasilopita Sunday Jan. 3

February Events

March Events

Ongoing Ministries

 Thank you to all who have made their 2010 Membership Stewardship commitment.  If you haven’t done so already, please send in your pledge as soon as possible.  A 2010 Stewardship Membership form is available on our website at www.stgeorgecath.org/philoptochos.htm.

With love and appreciation,

Susan Alvanos, Philoptochos President (calvanos@hotmail.com, 413-789-0157)

 

The President's Message (old)

Dear St. George Community,    
    As I watched the Celtics Basketball Team play the other evening, I was amazed at the teamwork they displayed, which of course makes them such a winning team. The ball is dribbled down the court with purpose and drive, passes are made from one to the other with deftness and speed second to none, an alley-oop and dunk for the air-defying basket, and the crowd goes wild. "Where Amazing Happens", they say.
     I would venture to say that it is with the same unselfish and magical teamwork, that the Philoptochos brings the work of our Church to the St. George and greater Springfield Community today, as it has for so many years. The word goes out that more volunteers are needed to cook for the Ronald McDonald House, and before you know it, the list is almost full for each month through April 2010!  Donations are requested for "like new" ladies business attire for the "Dress for Success" clothing drive in November, and within 2 weeks, the donation box and garment rack are overflowing. Thank you for your help!
     We came together for "The Thankful Heart" Wine and Cheese Social and booksigning with author Linda Cardillo, and besides having lots of fun and a spirit of sisterhood shared at the event with each other and with Linda, we were able to donate $250 and many bags of food to the Ronald McDonald House for Thanksgiving. Additional monies raised from our "Thankful Heart" social were earmarked for buying and bringing needed items to the Holyoke Soldiers Home on Veterans Day. Thank you to Denise Reed and Maria Crowson for spearheading this truly needed service.
     As we begin our "Parish Nurse Team Ministry", 5 ladies have already stepped forward to volunteer not only their time (just an hour or 2 a month is all that is needed to start with), but also their ideas and a feeling of excitement that this is truly an area of need in the community that can be addressed by the team! Stay tuned for more details!
     I would like to extend a very special "Thank You" to Bessie Metzidakis for hosting our first "Heaven's Kitchen" Workshop on November 9.  She shared her Paximadia baking secrets with a group of 11 ladies who were delighted to learn from one of the best! It certainly was a crowd pleaser, especially because we all went home with a dozen delicious Paximadia.
More workshops are coming in 2010!
     The ladies of St. George are always "on top of their game", working with a purpose and a team spirit that I would say is truly "where amazing happens"!
     It is with this spirit of teamwork, sharing, and giving, that I would like to appeal to your hearts and your hands as we approach the Christmas season, and the New Year. Our Nursing Home and Homebound Ministry is growing, but more can be done!  Aristea and Eleni Hogan and their children have truly exemplified the "team spirit" with their recent visit to Heritage Hall on Halloween where the kids wore their costumes, made some crafts and played the piano for our parishioners there. Thanks for sharing your magic!    
     Sheila Joseph and many others are making phone calls and visits to our fellow parishioners (our family members and friends) who are homebound or in nursing homes--but more team players are needed to bring joy and friendship to those in need.
     Looking for a way to take a small step toward joining in with the Christmas spirit of Philopochos on our Nursing Home/Homebound Ministry Team?  On Sunday December 13 the Philoptochos needs at least 30 people to each bring 3 dozen Christmas Cookies to church for a cookie swap. But the cookies will not be swapped with each other, they will be used to make 30 beautiful baskets of "Holiday Cheer" for each of the nursing homes that our fellow parishioners are in, as well as for our homebound friends. After church, from 12:00-2:00 you are invited to join with the Philoptochos in making the 30 baskets and then volunteers are needed to bring the baskets out to the community. Please set aside time to bake, bring 3 dozen cookies to church, and volunteer on December 13 to assemble and deliver the baskets. This will be our December project, and all are invited to help! You can also learn more about our Nursing Home and Homebound Ministry, and how you can help in the future. Also, at any time, please let Sheila Joseph or any board member know about someone who is in need in any way.
     One other request for December baking-- please consider donating a baked good to the Christmas Cancer Concert reception on Sunday, December 6. You can bring your donation to church, or better yet, drop it off in the large hall before you go to the concert at 3:30 -- it's one of the most amazing events hosted by St. George-- and it will really put you in the Christmas spirit, while donating to the Cancer Society.
     Next month we will be celebrating the Feast Day of St. Basil the Great on January 3,  with the Vasilopita cutting sponsored by the Philoptochos, and we invite you to come to church that day to receive a piece of this traditional and delicious Vasilopita Bread, with a special second collection to be taken for St. Basil's Academy and other Philoptochos National Charities. 
     We are also beginning our 2010 Philoptochos Membership Drive in January.  Letters will be sent out to our community and we hope that ladies of all ages will consider joining our vibrant ministry, or renewing your membership. (A membership form will also be available for downloading on our Philoptochos website: www.stgeorgecath.org/Philoptochos.htm)
     Our Membership Drive will culminate with our "Mar-Tea-Ni" Membership Social on Sunday, January 24 in the Small Hall. Come to the social to have fun, learn about the many Philoptochos ministries, receive a Philoptochos Evangelismos Member pin, as well as to honor past presidents and long-standing board members. More details will be coming soon, and if you can help out with this event, your input would be much appreciated.
     I would like to express my deepest thanks to the wonderful St. George community for your generous support of Philoptochos in 2009.  Because of you we were able to make donations to many worthy local and national causes. Because of your support, we are an amazing and vibrant ministry, an ever-growing team that I am so proud to be a part of.  On behalf of the Philoptochos Board, I would like to wish a very Blessed Christmas to all, and
may God grant us all His Blessings in 2010.
     With much appreciation,
     Susan Alvanos
     Philoptochos President

_________________________________
January Message

A New Year and a New Decade are upon us. What will it bring? We all hope for health, good fortune, and the continued love and support of our family and friends, and many of us have been blessed by these already.  But what about those not so fortunate, who are ill, lonely, hungry, destitute, imprisoned, in need of a helping hand?  Will we look the other way, or go out of our way to lend a helping hand? Will we help enthusiastically, generously, willingly, lovingly? Will we strive to bring joy, peace, love, and charity to our family, friends, neighbors, and community? Will we look back a year from now, five or ten years from now and say, yes, I made an effort, I made a difference, I gave of my time and my talent and my good fortune for the betterment of my church, my community, and those who were less fortunate than I?  Will we be messengers, missionaries, bridge-builders, hand-holders, peace-makers?  Will we look for opportunities to spread the love of Christ, will we ask others to join us in doing so? 

     As we begin a new year and a new decade, I ask all of the women of St. George to join together and renew our commitment to our church and community as we strive to bring philanthropy and charity to those in need. I invite each and every Orthodox woman of St. George, old and young, single, married, widowed, working and retired,  previously-involved, never-involved, or looking for a way to become more involved to renew your Philoptochos membership in January, or consider joining for the first time.  It is a wonderful way to meet others, to mentor others, to have fun, to make friends, to work side-by-side, to be a leader, to learn, to use your talents, discover new talents, to learn by example, to set an example, but most of all, to help others through our many charitable events and opportunities.

     This month all ladies will receive in the mail a membership pledge form, which you can return with your stewardship check to Diane Colapietro, or any board member.  You can also download the form online on our website at www.stgeorgecath.org/philoptochos.htm. If you have any question, please feel free to contact me personally at 789-0157, or at calvanos@hotmail.com.

     You can also join or renew your membership at our January 24th "Mar-Tea-Ni Membership Social" from 2:00-4:00 in the afternoon at the Cultural Center. Special martinis and other light refreshments will be served and you'll get a chance to meet the Philoptochos Board, and to learn about some of the ways you can become involved this coming year. Bring your 2010 Stewardship donation and receive a complimentary "Philoptochos Evangelismos Member" pin.

     The highlight of the afternoon will be an exciting "ZUMBA" class!  It's a low impact/low intensity fitness class that brings Latin music and steps (Salsa, Tango, Cha Cha, Merengue, belly dance, hip hop and more) to aerobic exercise.  Our class will be led by a professional instructor, and can be done by anyone! Bring a friend, and bring your sneakers, dress comfortably, and get ready to start the new year (and new decade) off with fitness and fun!

     And so as we begin a new year and a new decade, I invite and challenge all ladies of St. George to make a commitment to respond enthusiastically to the call to join Philoptochos. I invite you to ask your mother, daughter, and friends to join. Your positive response will benefit your life, the life of our church, and the community and world in which we live. We will welcome you, your ideas, and your service with open arms and gratitude for your stewardship and commitment, however large or small, to Philoptochos.

 

A Happy New Year to Everyone!

With Love and Appreciation,

Susan Alvanos, President

__________________________________

December Message

Welcome to our December Newsletter. I hope that your Thanksgiving was bountiful and that your Christmas season will be joyful and Blessed. As I reflect on this season of thankfulness and giving, I can truly say that I feel so thankful to be associated with such an inspiring and rich Faith, a wonderful church and church family, and a Philoptochos board and membership that are amazing. The ladies associated with our Philoptochos bring an unselfish and magical teamwork in every endeavor, large
or small, as they serve the St. George and greater Springfield Community today, and as they have for so many years. The word goes out that more volunteers are needed to cook for the Ronald McDonald House, and before you know it, the list is almost full for each month through April 2010! Donations are requested for "like new" ladies business attire for the "Dress for Success" clothing drive in November, and within 2 weeks, the donation box and garment rack are overflowing. Thank you for your help!
We came together for "The Thankful Heart" Wine and Cheese Social and booksigning with author Linda Cardillo, and besides having lots of fun and a spirit of sisterhood shared at the event with each other and with Linda, we were able to donate $250 and many bags of food to the Ronald McDonald
House for Thanksgiving. Additional monies raised from our "Thankful Heart" social were earmarked for buying and bringing needed items to the Holyoke Soldiers Home on Veterans Day. Thank you to Denise Reed and Maria Crowson for spearheading this truly needed service.
As we begin our “Parish Nurse Team Ministry", 10 ladies have already stepped forward to volunteer not only their time (just an hour or 2 a month is all that is needed to start with), but also their ideas and a feeling of excitement that this is truly an area of need in the community that can be addressed
by the team! The first meeting of the Parish Nurse Team Ministry will be on Sunday, December 13 from 12:15-1:00 after church in the small hall with guest speaker Marion Avtges, RN from Taxiarchae/Archangels Church in Watertown. All are invited—come to learn how you can help!
(More details in this newsletter.)
I would like to extend a very special "Thank You" to Bessie Metzidakis for hosting our first"Heaven's Kitchen" Workshop on November 9. She shared her Paximadia baking secrets with a group of 11 ladies who were delighted to learn from one of the best! It certainly was a crowd pleaser, especially because we all went home with a dozen delicious Paximadia. More workshops are coming in 2010!
It is with this spirit of teamwork, sharing, and giving, that I would like to appeal to your hearts and your hands as we approach the Christmas season, and the New Year. Our Nursing Home and Homebound Ministry is growing, but more can be done! Aristea and Eleni Hogan and their children have truly exemplified the "team spirit" with their recent visit to Heritage Hall on Halloween where the kids wore their costumes, made some crafts and played the piano for our parishioners there.
Thanks for sharing your magic!
Sheila Joseph and many others are making phone calls and visits to our fellow parishioners (our family members and friends) who are homebound or in nursing homes--but more volunteers are needed to bring joy and friendship to those in need.
Looking for a way to take a small step toward joining in with the Christmas spirit of Philopochos on our Nursing Home/Homebound Ministry Team? On Sunday December 13 the Philoptochos needs at least 30 people to each bring 3 dozen Christmas Cookies to church for a cookie swap. But the
cookies will not be swapped with each other, they will be used to make 30 beautiful baskets of"Holiday Cheer" for each of the nursing homes that our fellow parishioners are in, as well as for our homebound friends. After church, from 12:00-2:00 you are invited to join with the Philoptochos in
making the 30 baskets and then volunteers are needed to bring the baskets out to the community.
Please set aside time to bake, bring 3 dozen cookies to church, and volunteer on December 13 to
assemble and deliver the baskets. This will be our December project, and all are invited to help! You can also learn more about our Nursing Home and Homebound Ministry, and how you can help in the future. Also, at any time, please let Sheila Joseph or any board member know about someone who is
in need in any way.
One other request for December baking-- please consider donating a baked good to the Christmas Cancer Concert reception on Sunday, December 6. You can bring your donation to church, or better yet, drop it off in the large hall before you go to the concert at 3:30 -- it's one of the most amazing
events hosted by St. George-- and it will really put you in the Christmas spirit, while donating to the Cancer Society.
Next month we will be celebrating the Feast Day of St. Basil the Great on January 3, with the Vasilopita cutting sponsored by the Philoptochos, and we invite you to come to church that day to receive a piece of this traditional and delicious Vasilopita Bread, with a special second collection to be taken for St. Basil's Academy and other Philoptochos National Charities.
We are also beginning our 2010 Philoptochos Membership Drive in January. Letters will be sent out to our community and we hope that ladies of all ages will consider joining our vibrant ministry, or renewing your membership. (A membership form will also be available for downloading on our Philoptochos website: www.stgeorgecath.org/Philoptochos.htm). Our Membership Drive will culminate with our "Mar-Tea-Ni" Membership Social on Sunday, January 24 in the Small Hall—so save the date. Come to the social to have fun, learn about the many Philoptochos ministries, and receive a Philoptochos ‘Evangelismos’ Member pin—more details will be in the next newsletter and in the bulletin.
I would like to express my deepest thanks to the wonderful St. George community for your generous support of Philoptochos in 2009. Because of you we were able to make donations to many worthy local and national causes. Because of your support, we are an amazing and vibrant ministry, an evergrowing team that I am so proud to be a part of. On behalf of the Philoptochos Board, I would like to wish a very Blessed Christmas to all, and may God grant us all His Blessings in 2010.
With much appreciation,
Susan Alvanos, President

_______________________________

November Message

Dear Sisters in Christ,

The Philoptochos' mission and responsibilites are centered around one basic theme: to reflect a hands-on approach to philanthropy.  That theme is brought to life as the ladies of Philoptochos seek to alleviate the suffering of those in need, to assist the sick, poor, elderly, widowed, orphaned, and hungry. In addition, we are ever-seeking to better understand current social issues so that we may widen the scope of our philanthropic endeavors and provide opportunities to serve the church as part of stewardship. Finally, we aim to inspire others in upholding the Orthodox faith and bring women of the church together in friendship and fellowship. Read on to find out how we accomplish our goals, and how you can become a part of our vibrant ministry!
     As the second largest national women's philanthropic organization, together we support many wonderful national charities such as the Scholarship Fund at Holy Cross (we thank those who donated to our second collection in October for this cause), the International Christian Mission Charities, the Children's Cardiac Program, Disaster Relief Programs, UNICEF, and many many more. Your stewardship helps our chapter support these national programs. The National Philoptochos donates over one million dollars each year to charity -- thank you for helping us be a part of that!
     Our chapter also supports many Diocese Charities, such as the Philoxenia House and the St. Methodios Faith and Heritage Camp.  Many of you took advantage of the bus trip that we organized to the camp in September for the Retreat Center Dedication so you could see for yourself the amazing growth and beauty of the camp and the many possibilites for our St. George to utilize the facilities. It was a beautiful day of fellowship and awe, truly a "day to remember". 
     In November and the months ahead, you will have an opportunity to participate in a number of events sponsored by Philoptochos, all of which are at the heart of our St. George chapter "Evangelismos". Can you donate one or two hours a month? Can you ask a friend or relative to help?  We humbly ask for your assistance, your time, your donation, your ideas, and your participation in these very worthy and fun-filled events.

On behalf of the Philoptochos Board, I thank you for your ongoing support of our philanthropic work, I invite your participation in our ministries and events, and I ask you to let us know if there is anyone who needs our assistance in any way. Let us together be thankful for our gifts, and share them with others. Let's put the "do" in Orthodox!

May God Bless You and your family at Thanksgiving!
Susan Alvanos
Philoptochos President

______________

October Message

Dear Sisters in Christ,

 

The St. George Philoptochos Board of Directors cordially invites all members and non-members to join with us as we work to promote the philanthropic and charitable purposes of the Greek Orthodox Church. Our upcoming events will give you a chance to learn, give to the community, and have fun! We hope you’ll find some time in your busy schedule to participate in the wonderful programs and projects that we have planned. And your input and suggestions and help are always appreciated!

 

Saturday, September 26: Peter Pan Bus Trip to the St. Methodios Faith and Heritage Camp in New Hampshire for the new Retreat House Dedication. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children, round trip transportation leaving the Cultural Center Parking Lot at 7 AM sharp, and returning at 5:30 PM.

 

Monday, September 28: The Philoptochos will be sponsoring a wonderful evening with guest speaker, Dr. Kristen Lathrop, from 6:30-8:00 in the Small Hall. With many people talking about health care now, Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Lathrop's topic "God’s Health Care Plan" will give insight into the healing power of prayer, scripture, and the Christian community as we struggle with the challenges that we may face emotionally, spiritually, financially, and socially. Dr. Lathrop had an article in the September Apostle, and we are honored and excited to have her speak to us in person! Light refreshments will be served, and a short General Assembly meeting will follow.

 

Our October 17 “Comedy of Magic” night has been cancelled. We will focus our efforts on a Spring Social and other events. Details will be forthcoming.

 

Sunday, November 1: “The Thankful Heart” Wine and Cheese Social from 2-4 PM in the Small Hall. Please join us for our “third annual” Afternoon with Local Romance Novelist Linda Cardillo as she reads from her new and upcoming books. $10 Donation will benefit the Ronald McDonald House (and other Philoptochos charities), and we encourage everyone to also bring a non-perishable for the RMD House. Tickets are available in advance on Sundays after church or by calling Sue Alvanos at 789-0157, or by e-mail calvanos@hotmail.com. Linda’s books will be available for purchase and personal signing. Bring a friend and enjoy a delightful afternoon!

 

Tuesday, November 17: Please join us for the “Dress For Success” Charity Event in the Large Hall from 5-6 PM and a short General Assembly meeting to follow. The Dress for Success organization provides donated business attire to low-income women who need appropriate attire for job interviews and the working world. So ladies, please bring any “gently used” business suits, casual business clothing, dresses, coats, shoes, and jewelry to the event that evening. If you would like to drop off any clothing at the center beforehand, a large box will be available in the stoa beginning Nov. 1. In addition to supporting their event on Nov. 17, your clothing donations will be greatly appreciated.

 

Sunday, December 13: Holiday cookie swap and General Assembly Meeting after church from 12-3. Instead of swapping cookies with each other, we will be making “Baskets of Holiday Cheer” for those in need. Bring 3 dozen holiday cookies, and any large baskets if you have them.

 

Ongoing Nursing Home and Shut In Ministry: Sheila Joseph continues to coordinate visits to those in need, or if you have information about someone who is in a Nursing Home, please let us know. If you can lend a few hours a month to visit a fellow parishioner, your time will be greatly appreciated. Speak to Sheila!

 

Ongoing Ronald McDonald House meals: On the last Sunday of each month, a complete meal is brought to the RMD House. Volunteers bring a food item to church (a chicken dish, rice, dessert, etc.) and Eleni Hogan brings the complete meal over to those staying at the house. It’s a simple, yet very much appreciated way for you to give of your time and talent! You can also bring non-perishables at any time to the stoa, and those will also be dropped off at the RMD house.

 

For details on how you can participate or help, please contact any Philoptochos Board Member, or Sue Alvanos at 789-0157 or at calvanos@hotmail.com

 

Just a reminder that your current board members are: Sue Alvanos, Angie Gouzounis, Debbie Ciejek, Penny Goncalves, Maria Crowson, Denise Reed, Toni Kamyk, Diane Colapietro, Mary Ann Pappas, Dorothy Tsatsos, Tina Schmidt, Anthi Eleftheriou, Betty Socha, Ellen Bletsos, Sheila Joseph and Maryellen Knapp. We’d love to have one more board member. . .please consider serving!

 

On behalf of the Philoptochos Board, I thank our current 137 members for your stewardship, and look forward to serving, celebrating, helping, praying, and joining with all of you in the days and months ahead!

 

Your sister in Christ,

Sue Alvanos

President

_______________________

September Message

Dear Sisters in Christ,

With the summer in full swing, the Philoptochos is in relaxed-mode, but always with an eye to our upcoming events, and our current responsibilities.

We held our summer General Assembly meeting on June 30 at the CulturalCenter with pizza and pot luck, “merriment and martinis”. A small but enjoyable group, we were able to combine business and pleasure, and here are a few notes from our meeting (the full Secretary’s report will be in the next Philoptochos newsletter):

§ The 2009 Philoptochos budget was approved by the membership

§ We welcomed our youngest member to date, Sophia Bletsos

§ $2,000 was donated to the Philoxenia house from our very successful collection

On July 28, the Philoptochos Board (and friends) joined with one of our long-time board members, Diane Colapietro, to celebrate her 90th birthday. A wonderful surprise dinner was held in the Garden Room at the Monte Carlo, and Diane was surprised and happy to

have so many friends there to wish her Happy Birthday. If you were not able to attend for any reason, please feel free to wish Diane “Happy 90th” when you next see her!

Save the Dates:

> On Saturday, September 26, we will be sponsoring a trip to the Grand Opening of the new RetreatCenter in Contoocook, NH at the Metropolis Camp. We will have more information for you in the coming days as we decide the exact details. We hope you’ll join us.

> Saturday evening October 17 “The Comedy of Magic” will be a wonderful “family and friends” event that you won’t want to miss!

> Sunday, November 1, our third afternoon with author Linda Cardillo. She’ll be reading from two of her new books, with a book signing to follow. She’s always a delight to spend an afternoon with!

> Information for these “must see” events will be available at the Philoptochos Glendi Booth!

As always, the Philoptochos is here to serve St. George and the community in any way we can. Our ongoing Ronald McDonald House and Nursing Home ministries are ways that you can help us serve. For additional ongoing Philoptochos News, we are now ONLINE!

Just go to www.stgeorgecath.org, and click on the Philoptochos tab to get to our new online page. We will continue to add new information as we progress with our online capabilities, so please check us out!

May God Bless You!

Your Sister In Christ,

Susan Alvanos, Philoptochos President