The Compass - Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church

The Compass
SAINT NICHOLAS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN
SEPTEMBER 2011 • VOLUME XXIV • ISSUE I
A MESSAGE FROM
FR. NICOLAOS H. KOTSIS
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As we begin the new Ecclesiastical Year on September 1st,
we have dedicated this issue of the Compass to a review of
the highlights from the previous year. For me, there are five
areas that I think are worth mentioning:
The Nativity of
Our Most Holy Lady,
the Theotokos and
Ever-Virgin Mary
Church School
• This past year, we had 145 students enrolled in our Church
School program, and 50% are in the second grade or below.
The vibrancy of the program through student participation
should continue for many years to come at this rate.
Philoptochos
• As you probably read in the June issue of the Compass,
our St. Nicholas Philoptochos donated over $30,000 of
financial assistance to those in need over the course of
the past year. We do not say this for boasting. Rather, it is
mentioned again for us to understand the depth of love
our Philoptochos has for those in need and the strength of
their commitment to assisting those needs through financial
aid. Everyone has helped in this effort, but it was lead by the
Ladies of Philoptochos.
• We need to work on the number of students working
towards an Honor Award. Only 61% of our students
participated in fulfilling the requirements, found online and
distributed in class, for an Honor Reward. Worse, only 18%
of our students earned an attendance pin. We have to do
better getting our children to class. This opportunity to
participate in Church School is a privilege and imperative
for their spiritual growth. On the bright side, those who
took the exam earned an average mark of 89%.
• Vacation Bible School (VBS) was a great success. 37 children
participated this year and they had a great opportunity to
learn about the Holy Spirit and the Sacraments in detail.
One set of dedicated and faithful grandparents were so
impressed by the program, they donated The Beginner’s
Bible to every student participating in the VBS (to be given
out this September). We have great teachers and great
leadership in the Church School. It is up to us parents to
make the most use of the many resources we have available
here at St. Nicholas.
Greek School
• 63 students were enrolled in the Greek School program
this past year. Over the past 3-4 years we have maintained
an enrollment of 45 students or above with last years
enrollment the largest in several years. Attendance is
generally excellent and the students are progressing well
thanks to attentive parents and the teaching and leadership
of the Greek School program.
Music Ministry
• Our Choir has steadily increased membership over the past
5 years. They have a beautiful and vibrant sound and are
composed of a very diverse group of singers (many choirs
would love to have the diversity our choir has: from the
senior veterans of choir, to the many youth that participate).
Through excellent leadership and profound commitment
from all the members, our choir also hosted the MEFGOX
Convention this past July very successfully. The participants
were thrilled with the way in which our host committee
prepared and executed the event, and the Divine Liturgy
was magnificent. I only wish more of our people were on
hand to experience it.
Parish Council
• As with the other ministries, through hard and diligent work,
our parish council continues to lead us in the reduction
of our mortgage. As of August 13th, our mortgage is less
than $615,000. If we maintain the current pace, by this time
next year we should realistically be under $500,000 on the
mortgage. The faster we retire the mortgage, the faster we
can begin working on exciting new projects.
With Love in Christ, Fr. Nick
Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church • 3109 Scio Church Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48103 • (734) 332-8200 • www.stnickaa.org
A MESSAGE FROM GEORGE KOKALES,
PARISH COUNCIL PRESIDENT
ST. NICHOLAS SENIORS
Welcome back St Nicholas Parish!
Join us at Church at 1 p.m. on Thursday, September 8, 2011 for fellowship
and dessert. This will be our usual “Kick-Off ” September meeting. We will
have information regarding events that we have placed on the “Senior’s
Calendar”; We would also love for you to share an idea, or suggestion –
with information, as to what we can add to the calendar.
We begin a new Ecclesiastic and school year with our annual church
picnic on Sunday, September 11, immediately following the Divine Liturgy.
Come and enjoy food and fellowship with the St. Nicholas community.
Bring a friend and your favorite dish to share.
Before I go too much further, I would like to reflect back to last year’s events.
We started the 75th anniversary celebration with our annual St. Nicholas
Dance at the beautiful Kensington Court. We enjoyed great food and
great music with our St. Nicholas friends, those we knew and those we
met. We enjoyed even more great food at the AHEPA lamb luncheons
and the GOYA brunch. We met “Falling in Love with Sophia” author
Robert Krantz at the Philoptochos sponsored book signing right here in
our own social hall, we danced the night away at the Greek School Mardi
Gras fundraiser, and we proudly watched our own GOYA and Greek
School dance at our annual Ya’ssoo Festival.
October issue of The Compass. Mark your calendars for the 2012 Ya’ssoo
Greek Festival June 1, 2, 3.
I would also like to thank Nikki and Jon Wardner, and all the committee
chair people for doing an outstanding job hosting the MEFGOX
Convention at St Nicholas. Choir members from parishes as far away as
Pennsylvania and New York came to Ann Arbor.
When I think about all these events, I understand how much this parish
cares about our beloved church and I am so blessed to be a part of it.
We could not have accomplished all these activities without the selfless
love of you, the St. Nicholas community. It is because we have a parish
that cares so much about their church that we were able to accomplish
so many activities so well, this past year. Thank you St. Nicholas! I look
forward to the upcoming Ecclesiastic New Year filled with anticipation
and confidence.
Unfortunately, we have seen a decline in not only the pledges to
St. Nicholas, but the payments as well. Please take the time to send in
I can say unequivocally the 2010 Ya’ssoo Greek Festival was a success. your pledge and payment. Our expenses do not stop when the weather
Although it was very hot on Saturday, it was the first time in 5 years we gets warmer.
did not have any threatening weather. Thank you to all the volunteers!
Ending on a positive note, I am pleased to report that our new mortgage
A big thank you to Christina Vlahopoulos and Maria Smyrnis for donating balance is at $616,165.00.The past 5 years, we have seen a reduction from
to St. Nicholas all the proceeds from the sale of their beautiful handmade a $1.2 million balance to $616,165.00. Let’s keep up the good work!
jewelry. Nearly $3000 of jewelry was sold!
Yours in Christ,
We do not have the final report of the net income, but what I have seen George Kokales
so far indicates the festival did well. I will report the final numbers in the
DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE
The Daughters of Penelope wish everyone a productive new ecclesiastical
year. We had a successful year last year which included the following
events: We began last year with a clothing drive for the Ypsilanti
Public Schools which was very successful and allowed families to have
appropriate clothing for the winter free of charge. In November we had a
Founder’s Day Artoclasia and coffee fellowship which was attended by our
District Governor Dorothea Williams. In December we sponsored with
AHEPA the District Mid Year Conference that was attended by various
representatives of chapters from around the state. At the conference we
offered exclusively designed and hand-made jewelry created by Christine
Vlahopoulos and Maria Smyrnis. We are very grateful for their generous
donation. The sale was so well received that we continued the sale on
a Sunday following the conference. We also did our annual turkey raffle.
Three turkeys were generously donated by Dimitri and Pauline Tzavaras
from the Harvest Moon Café. We are grateful to our parishioners for your
support of these events. At Christmastime we did a joint party with AHEPA
at the Quarter Bistro. At Easter time we did our annual tsoureki sale.
We plan to continue these activities this coming year. Watch our
announcements for the clothing drive for the Ypsilanti Public Schools
which will be chaired by Carol Papanastopoulos. In November we
will do our annual artoclasia and fellowship hour and our turkey raffle.
In December we will cosponsor the Christmas party with AHEPA.
2 September 2011 • Volume XXIV • Issue I
We plan our annual tsoureki sale for Pascha as well. We hope to sponsor
a godparents brunch during the year. We hope also to honor our
graduating senior high school student with AHEPA in the spring.
Your participation in the DOP is welcome. The Daughters of Penelope
is an organization of Christian women dedicated to the personal growth
and development of each member. We support the Hellenic culture and
encourage Hellenic education. Philanthropy is very important to our
mission as well. For information please call Perry Katsikas at
734.995.4766.
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There will also be the usual “Interest Sign-Up Sheets” for everyone to
review. These do help to guide us through the year. We will try to have
a variety of possibilities for you to explore! There also will be a “visual”
presentation of the Michigan State University Extension Service field trip
to South Africa that the Raphael family attended. Try to come, and sign
up no later than Sunday, September 4th. Again, call if you need a ride.
Again, we Seniors are entering the new Ecclesiastical year and reflect
on the past “full” year posting 14 events! We followed the “2010
September Kick-off” with two events in October. We enjoyed the
excellent presentation at the UM Kelsey Museum “Vaults of Heaven:
Visions of Byzantium” and shared lunch following. Then, a group of our
“Seniors” returned to Las Vegas (2nd trip) visiting exhibits, shows and the
Grand Canyon. Spectacular! In November we attended a concert at the
Michigan Theatre by the Ann Arbor Concert Band. We also in November
PHILOPTOCHOS
So, please do attend the September 8th meeting. This helps us so in
planning and implementing events for us all to enjoy! We gratefully thank
you for your help and support and encouragement that made these 14
events possible!
AHEPA CHAPTER #195
September Activities
• “Well done, thou good and
faithful servant”Matthew 25:21
Have you prayed for our
Church, Father Nick, those
members of our congregation
with health problems, our
nation or our world? Have
you visited our Forget-MeNots or given encouragement
to struggling friends? Have
you shared your time, talents,
or resources with those in
need? Have you participated
in Philoptochos activities
such as Easter Baskets for
Tots, Backpacks for Kids, the
Spanakopita and Baklava Bake
Sale, our other fund-raising
projects? Have you made our
college students welcome at
our fall and spring dinners for
them? Have you been willing
to serve on our Philoptochos
Board of Directors, chaired
a committee, or participated
in our Golf Outing? Did
you welcome Philoptochos
members from our Metropolis
at our Robert Krantz Luncheon?
visited the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. Merry Christmas – with
a delightful luncheon gathering at church in December. January 2011
featured another concert at the Michigan Theatre followed by Dinner.
In February, we had a great time at our “Valentine Dessert” trying to
identify the people in the “baby pictures” presented by participants that
gathered that afternoon! Eleni Banos proved to be the expert at this!
The Lenten Season Luncheon in March featured Father Nick presenting
an extremely interesting program with visual aids on St. Ambrose. We are
so grateful for his depth of knowledge that he shares with us. Along came
April, with the outstanding “Rebetiki Istoria Concert” we enjoyed at the
UM Stamps Auditorium. Wonderful. May had a scheduled visit to the
Bentley Museum on UM North Campus – and in June – the “7th Annual
Taverna”! July featured a bus trip to the Woolen Mill in Frankenmuth,
Michigan with a most interesting tour. And, culminating all this fun and
fellowship – Ice Cream! In August we had a “tasty” Ice-Cream Afternoon.
Did you set the tables before
or clean the Church Hall
after our activities? Have you
been kind and loving? Well
done, thou good and faithful
servant!
• Please join us for our first
meeting on Wednesday,
September 14 to celebrate all
of our wonderful members—
women and men—who
give so much. We will have
refreshments from 7:00-7:30
when the Business meeting
will begin.
• Bed pad sewing for Arbor
Hospice will take place on
Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 9:30 a.m.
• On Sunday, Sept. 11 we will
have a Special Collection to
benefit Holy Cross Seminary.
• Sign up now to participate in
the Yassou Golf outing or send
in your Hole Sponsor Donation.
All monies raised will go to
Habitat for Humanity.
Ann Arbor AHEPA Chapter #195
had a very busy year and we are
looking forward to an even more
productive 2011-2012 year.
Here is a list of our major activities
over last year:
• Golf Outing Fund Raiser for
Chapter Educational Scholarships
to High School graduates.
• Setup, support and sponsored
the St. Nicholas Parish Picnic
• Ceremonies at Statue of
Ypsilanti with Ann Arbor
St. Nicholas Greek School to
commemorate OXI Day and
Greek Independence Day
• Fall Lamb Luncheon – proceeds
to High School Graduates
scholarships and Ann Arbor
St. Nicholas operations.
• Hosted AHEPA District 10
mid-year convention
• Hosted New Year’s Dance
• Awarded more than $7,000 to
High School seniors from our
community
• Donated $7,000 to the fund for
the purchase of new fellowship
hall chairs
• Raffle fundraisers
• Our plans for this year include
our New Year’s Dance, Fall
and Spring Lamb Luncheons,
Ceremonies at the Statue of
Ypsilanti to commemorate
Greek National Days, Golf outing
and other fundraising activities,
hosting of the 2012 AHEPA
District #10 Convention, and,
of course, Scholarship awards
to High School seniors from our
community.
A big thank you to the community
for your support during the
last year!
Ann Arbor AHEPA Chapter
#195 2011 Officers:
Costas Boutsikakis, President
Avraam Piniatoglou, Vice-President
Christos Philippou, Secretary
Craig Theros, Treasurer
September 2011 • Volume XXIV • Issue I 3
SEPTEMBER 2011 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
FINANCIALS
(9:00 a.m. Orthros • 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy)
sunday
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
1
friday
2
saturday
3
7:00 p.m.
YERAC
SPECIAL THANKS TO:
2011 OPERATING FUND
BUDGET VERSUS ACTUAL REVENUE &
EXPENSE AS OF 8/7/11 (PRELIMINARY 60.00%)
REVENUE
BUDGET
4
5
12th Sunday
Labor Day
of Mathew
Office Closed
Ushers: D
Altar Boys: D
Prosforo: Demetra
Athanasiou
Fellowship Hour: OPEN
11
12
Sunday before
Holy Cross
10:00 a.m.
Bible Study
Ushers: A; Altar Boys: A
Prosforo: MitropoulosRundus family
Memorial Service: Fran Fry
– 10 years; Glykeria
Mitropoulos – 10 years
• Registration for Church
School, GOYA, HOPE,
and JOY
• Parish Picnic following the
Divine Liturgy
6
7
8
9
9:30 a.m.
Bed Pad Sewing
10:30 a.m.
Senior Exercise Class
Nativity of the
Theotokos
Ushers: D
• 1:00 p.m. Senior
Planning Meeting,
followed by slide
presentation on
South Africa
• 7:00 p.m. Parish
Council
10:30 a.m.
Senior Exercise Class
14
15
16
Exaltation of the
Holy Cross
Ushers: A
• 7:30 p.m. Philoptochos
Meeting
7:00 p.m.
10:30 a.m.
Men’s Choir Rehearsal Senior Exercise Class
6:00 p.m.
Church School
Meeting
13
7:30 p.m.
Bible Study
10
ACTUAL
BUDGET
VARIANCE
PERCENT
OF ACTUAL
TO BUDGET
STEWARDSHIP
$399,665
$186,619
$213,046
46.69%
PANGARE & TRAYS
$42,000
$23,888
$18,112
56.88%
OTHER
$30,600
$27,767
$2,833
90.74%
TOTAL REVENUE
$472,265
$238,274
$233,991
50.45%
EXPENSES
7:30 p.m.
Paraklesis
17
SALARIES/FRINGE
$139,615
$74,293
$65,322
53.21%
OFFICE
$20,400
$13,553
$6,847
66.44%
CHURCH
$9,000
$5,540
$3,460
61.56%
19
Sunday after
Holy Cross
Ushers: B
Altar Boys: B
Prosforo:Vicky Masters
Fellowship Hour: OPEN
• 1:00 p.m.
Philoptochos
Golf Outing
10:00 a.m.
Bible Study
20
22
23
10:30 a.m.
Senior Exercise Class
7:00 p.m.
Physical Plant Meeting
10:30 a.m.
Senior Exercise Class
7:00 p.m.
Men’s Choir
Rehearsal
7:30 p.m.
Paraklesis
7:30 p.m.
Bible Study
25
26
1st Sunday of Luke
Ushers: C
Altar Boys: C
Prosforo: Pliakas Family
• 4:00 p.m. GOYA
Bible Study, Meeting
and Fellowship
10:00 a.m.
Bible Study
7:30 p.m.
Bible Study
27
28
29
30
10:30 a.m.
Senior Exercise Class
Clergy/Laity
Conference
10:30 a.m.
Senior Exercise Class
Clergy/Laity
Conference
24
Clergy/Laity
Conference
2011 PARISH COUNCIL
MEMBERS
Christopher A. Bekiares
Chris Kerry
Christos Kitromelides
Costas Kleanthous
Lambrini Lagos
Nicholas Stamos
Elizabeth Mitropoulos
Evan Arhangelos
Chris Bilakos
Irene Kitromelides, President
JOY
Mary Hays, Advisor
HOPE
Sophia Grias-Radwanski
Vasilia Tsilimingras, Advisor
YAL
Antonios Mihalopoulos
YERAC/OUTREACH
& EVANGELISM
Robert Ashley
GREEK
SCHOOL
YOUTH & EDUC.
$9,650
$7,858
$1,792
81.43%
$52,100
$29,088
$23,012
55.83%
UTILITIES
$45,500
$24,109
$21,391
52.99%
PSALTES
Ioanna Ioannou, Principal & Teacher
ARCH. FAIR SHARE
$46,000
$22,884
$23,116
49.75%
CLERGY BENEFITS
$28,800
$15,845
$12,955
55.02%
Zannis Res, Protopsaltis
George Smyrnis
AHEPA
MORTGAGE
$76,500
$44,517
$31,983
58.19%
INSURANCE
$11,000
$5,589
$5,411
50.81%
OTHER OUTLAYS
$25,000
$0
$25,000
0.00%
MISCELLANEOUS
$8,700
$4,705
$3,995
54.08%
TOTAL EXPENSES
$472,265
$247,982
$224,283
52.51%
OPERATIONAL
DEFICIT 8/7/11
21
George Kokales, President
George Michos, Vice President
Robert J. Ashley, Jr., Secretary
Vasilios Pliakas, Controller
Patricia R. Douglas, Treasurer
Christos Kitromelides, Assistant Treasurer
Helen Garris, Corresponding Secretary
GOYA
REPAIRS & MAIN.
2011 STEWARDSHIP REPORT
JUNE 5, 2011
PLEDGED AMOUNT
Costas Boutsikakis
ALTAR BOYS
DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE
Dani Nadra
Perry Katsikas
MUSIC
MINISTRY
OCF
(UM CAMPUS MINISTRY)
Dr. Jon Wardner
Teresa Stokes
-$9,708
NOTE – THIS IS CURRENT YEAR OPERATIONS ONLY – IT DOES NOT REFLECT PRIOR
YEARS ENDING BALANCES
18
2011 PARISH COUNCIL
OFFICERS
PHILOPTOCHOS
Clevie Daniels, President
(Second Wednesday of the month
at 7:30 p.m.)
2011
TARGET
2011
ACTUAL
2010
ACTUAL
$383,815
$245,233
$292,921
Ana Kotsogiannis
YOUTH ENRICHMENT
COMMITTEE
NUMBER OF PLEDGES
360
236
321
$1,066
$1,039
$913
TOTAL PAID
$146,255
$279,798
NUMBER OF PLEDGES
(FULL PAYMENT)
110
274
Penny Bekiares
Diane Geczi
Joan Raphael
(First Tuesday of the month
to plan at 12:30pm)
NUMBER OF PLEDGES
(PARTIAL PAYMENT)
96
32
CHURCH SCHOOL
$98,978
$13,123
Your commitment to the Stewardship Program of this parish is critical
to our continued operation and ministries.
For those who need to complete a 2010 pledge, please do so as soon
as possible. You may find information and forms on Stewardship at
www.stnickaa.org.
HSA
(UM HELLENIC
STUDENT ASSOCIATION)
ST. NICHOLAS
SENIORS
AVERAGE PLEDGE AMOUNT
PLEDGE BALANCE DUE
Andy Popescu
(Tuesday at 8:00 pm
in the Michigan Union)
Katherine Phan
Photios Ioannou, Assistant
YOUTH
COORDINATOR
Demetra Mitropoulos-Rundus
Sam Roumanis
Dr. Anthony Kales
“COMPASS”
Fr. Nick
BOOKSTORE
Artemis Leontis
Joy Melzian
Liz Mitropoulos
Sophia Roumanis
Mara Krause
We appreciate your care and concern.
Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church • 3109 Scio Church Road • Ann Arbor, MI 48103 • www.stnickaa.org • (734) 332-8200
= 9:00 a.m. Orthros • 10:00 a.m. Divine Liturgy
September 2011 • Volume XXIV • Issue I 5
A MESSAGE FROM THE GOYA
The Greek Orthodox Youth
of America, or GOYA, is the
ministry to teenagers of the
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
of America. Since GOYA is a
ministry, the orientation and
implementation of our program
reflects the Orthodox Christian
Faith, Tradition and Life.
The mission and goal of GOYA
is to lead our teenagers into
experiencing the Holy Orthodox
Faith. By developing a personal
relationship with our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ and becoming
active sacramental members of
the living Church, our teenagers
will be equipped with the tools
necessary to assist them in their
journey toward salvation.
apple picking, Bell-ringing for
the Salvation Army, cutting and
decorating the Parish Christmas
tree, visiting and singing Christmas
carols to St. Nicholas shut-ins, the
annual GOYA brunch, helping
AHEPA with theirfundraising efforts,
Greek dancing in Greektown at
the Greek Independence Day
Parade that honored those before
us who fought with their lives for
the independence of Greece,
dancing at our own annual Ya’ssoo
Greek Festival and selling luminary
bags that adorned the church’s
Commemorative Walkway during
the Good Friday service, which
honored the memory of our
departed loved ones.
GOYA meets twice a month for
Bible Studies with Father Nick.
We are also reading the book,
Contemporary Moral Issues
Facing the Orthodox Christian
by Stanley Harakas. And, once a
month, we gather for a fellowship
meal and hold our monthly business
meeting where we discuss and plan
social and philanthropic activities
that will nurture our spiritual lives and
ultimately, bring us closer to God.
Last spring, on March 5, 2011,
we also hosted the Metropolis of
Detroit Annual Lenten Retreat
where GOYAns from area
parishes came together to learn
how to navigate through the tough
issues that all teenagers face; peer
pressure, drinking and drugs,
and sexual purity. Several area
priests also attended and offered
confession. Nearly 150 GOYAns
and chaperones were present,
making this the largest retreat at
St. Nicholas!
Many of the activities we pursued
last year included all day retreats,
We plan to continue in this tradition
by hosting our very own retreat
C H OOLS .O
GR EEKSC H OOL .S
January 14, 2012, again inviting
area GOYAns from the metro
Detroit area and Ohio. Plans are
also underway to volunteer several
Saturday mornings, October 8 and
November 19, at the St. Andrews
Soup Kitchen, distributing food to
those less fortunate, and to join
forces with our parish this fall in
building a home in Ypsilanti with
Habitat for Humanity.
Lifelong friendships and social
and philanthropic activities that
reflect the Orthodox Christian
Faith, Tradition and Life are what
GOYA is all about. Thank you to
all the parents who helped us with
all these activities during the past
year. We could not have done any
of them without your help.
FFIC ELIV E .COM
4:00 pm with Bible Study, followed
by a fellowship meal and our monthly
business meeting. We encourage
your teenager to join us!
You can get more information
about GOYA by contacting any
of the GOYA advisors below or
our current President Christopher
Mitropoulos-Rundus at chrismr6@
gmail.com.
GOYA Advisors:
Vicki Kiningham
vakiningham@gmail.com
Laura Kokkales
kokkales@umich.edu
Demetra Mitropoulos-Rundus
dm-r@hotmail.com
Dani Nadra
daninadra@gmail.com
Please consider bringing your child
to GOYA. Registration is on Sunday,
September 11, immediately following
the Divine Liturgy. Our first meeting
of the Ecclesiastical New Year is on
Sunday, September 25, beginning at
JUNIOR ORTHODOX YOUTH (J.O.Y.) AT WORK AND PLAY (2010 -2011)
Junior Orthodox Youth,
or JOY, is the ministry to 3rd through
6th grade children of the Greek
Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
The mission and goal of the JOY
ministry is to continue to lead our
young people into experiencing the
Holy Orthodox Faith. By laying a
foundation of faith at this age, our
children will have something that
will guide and strengthen them as
they progress into junior high and
high school.
At the same time, we want the
kids to have fun and enjoy time
6 September 2011 • Volume XXIV • Issue I
spent with each other, with Father
Nick and the adults that volunteer.
We had very strong attendance
last year with the “hits” of the year
being the Mosaic Project with Mike
Kapetan, bird seed pine cones
and our Minute to Win It games.
Our J.O.Y. program will continue to
meet monthly on the second Sunday
beginning on Sunday, October 9th,
2011. Our meetings will include a
light lunch, lesson with Father Nick,
bible study and activities.
Please consider enrolling your son/
daughter. JOY registration will be
on Sunday, September 11, following
the Divine Liturgy. Forms can be
found on the church website at
www.stnickaa.org. Please call or
e-mail me with any questions.
Best,
Mary Hays
(734) 429-3465
mhays48176@msn.com
September 2011 • Volume XXIV • Issue I 7
H.O.P.E
(HELLENIC ORTHODOX PRIMARY EDUCATION)
HOPE
(Hellenic
Orthodox
Primary Education) is an excellent
part of our St. Nicholas youth
program. HOPE allows the
youngest members of our parish,
ages 4 to those in 2nd grade to
experience different aspects of
our Holy Orthodox Faith, at
their own level. Through religious
stories/topics, church hymns, and
religious crafts/games, HOPE helps
equip our younger children with
the tools necessary to develop
a personal relationship with our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The
earlier they learn to love God, the
better!
The children generally meet on
the second Sunday of the month,
unless there is a holiday or feast
day, after the Divine Liturgy, from
12:30pm to 2:00pm. We begin
with a prayer, followed by lunch,
which is graciously provided by one
of the parents. The children then
listen attentively to Father Nick as
he teaches them about the Bible
or a specific topic of our Orthodox
Faith. Last year our topics focused
on the life of Jesus and the New
Testament. This year we will be
discussing major feast days of the
Orthodox Church. The children
love having Father’s full attention
all for themselves. We end our
time together by having fun with a
craft or an activity, which may be
messy or may be outside, so we
recommend bringing appropriate
play clothes. The children have a
great time playing together as they
build new friendships with other
Orthodox children.
ST. NICHOLAS CHOIR MEFGOX CONVENTION AD ALBUM
Below is
a tentativ
e schedu
le. Please
join us !
The A
nnunciatio
n
11/13/11
The N
ativity
12/11/11
The P
resentatio
n of Jesus
01/15/12
to the Tem
Theo
ple
phany
02/12/12
The T
ransfigura
tion
03/11/12
The R
esurrectio
n
04/01/12
The A
scension
05/20/12
Pente
cost
10/09/11
Registration for HOPE is Sunday,
September 11 immediately following
the Divine Liturgy. Please sign up
your children. Starting them out
early is an important step in the
nurturing of their Orthodox Faith.
For any questions, feel free to
get in touch with:
Sophia Grias-Radwanski
sgrias@mhsi.us
or Vasilia Tsilimingras
vtsilimingras@yahoo.com
Anna, Silvana, Petros Papagerakis; The Baldwin Family; Tony and Clevie
Daniels; Anne and Gus Feles and Family; Drs. Anthony and Joyce Kales;
Harry, Maria and MaryAnna Kokkinakis; Dr. Harry and Katherine Kotsis;
Chris Opple; Panos and Lynn Papalambros; Dave and Mary Price; Joan
Raphael; Pearl Kastran Ahnen; Chris Bilakos, Daughters of Penelope;
Gus and Mary Fernimos; Patrick Gibson and Helen Kales and Family;
Christos and Panorea Katsikas; Dr. Costa and Sylvia Kleanthous;
Helen Koulouras; Peter and Zorene Kussurelis; John and Fofie Pappas;
Presvytera Eva Paul; Dorothea Williams; Anonmymous; Demetra
Anastasiou; The Chapekis Family of Ann Arbor; Penelope A. Bekiares;
Nicholas Contaxes; Dave and Sandy Engelke; Helen Evangelides;
Renaud and Nellie Guibert; Abe and Elaine Karam; Christos and
Gehan Kitromelides; Ted and Karen Kolias; Harry Kovanis; Nakos and
Pat Kovanis; Nativity of the Virgin Mary Church; Daniel, Mara and Julia
Krause; Nick and Betty Lardas; Jean Mcreedy; Dan and Anne Patterson;
Fr. Teodor and Presvytera Roxana Petrutiu; The Pliakas Family; Joanne
T. Savas; Angie Letsos; The Stamatopoulos Family. Special thanks to
Kolossos Printing for their generosity and professionalism.
Perry Katsikas, Ad Chair
must be 3 years old by September
1st to be eligible for enrollment in
the preschool. The registration fee
is $20 per student and payable on
September 11th. The registration
fee helps cover the cost of supplies
and books.
for needy families. December and
early January the students will
be participating in the St. Basil
Vasilopita Coin Collection and in
the spring the OCMC (Orthodox
Christian Mission Center) Lenten
Coin Box Program.
As in past years our students
will be participating in the
St. John Chrysostom Oratorical
Festival and in three philanthropic
events. During October and early
November they will be collecting
non perishable food items for
SOS in Ypsilanti. The food items
collected by our students will go to
SOS’s Thanksgiving food program
The only changes in this year’s
teaching staff is in the preschool.
Stacy Ballios is returning and will
be joined by Mary Nickson and
Honyun Theros in running the
preschool program.
8 September 2011 • Volume XXIV • Issue I
The St. Nicholas Ann Arbor Parish Council and Community; Metropolis
of Detroit Philoptochos Board; Sts. Constantine and Helen Parish
Council and Community; Great Lakes Renovations, LLC; George Rapitis;
The Modern Greek Program of the University of Michigan; Michael
R. Kapetan, Sculptor; Dean Koulouras, Attorney; David MitropoulosRundus; Gus and Maria Stavropoulos; Fr. Nicholas H., Presvytera
Sandra, Harry and Vasiliki Kotsis; Ted Apostoleris; St. George Church,
Southgate; The Michos Family; The Tavaras Family of the Harvest
Moon Café; Jack Fry; Carlyle Grill; Helen Panos of the Village Kitchen;
Parthenon Restaurant; Donnelly W. Hadden, Attorney; Muehlig Funeral
Chapel; Mainstreet Ventures; Bill and Connie Ziegler; Peter Ballios, Jim
Prokos, Alex and Teddy Kales, Nicholas Stamos; Demi Ratliff-Hammer,
The Thompson Family, The Ratliff Family; St. Nicholas Philoptochos;
The Tom and Sophia Roumanis Family; Uptown Coney Island; Simon,
Stella and Zingas, P.C.; The Arthur Wardner Family; Chelsea Flower
Shop LLC; Laky Michaelides of Laky’s Salon; Leo’s Coney Island; Evy
Commings; Garris, Garris, Garris and Garris, PC; Uptown Parthenon;
Sophia Grias-Radwanski, MD; Sam Roumanis; Zoe Kokenakes, George
Papadopoulos, CPA; Toula Georgakas of Expressions Design Center;
Special thanks to Jeff Stokes for his skilled and enthusiastic design of the ad album. Many thanks to Chris Kerry for her organizational support of
the ad album. Congratulations to Niki and Jon Wardner and all of the committee for a convention well done. We did it with love, we did it for
St. Nicholas, we did it for the glory of God. I was blessed to be a small part of this convention. I am so grateful for the experience.
CHURCH SCHOOL
The Church School staff would
like to welcome new and returning
families to our St. Nicholas Church
School Program. The 201112 program begins on Sunday
Sept. 11th after Communion. On
the Church School’s website,
http://church.schools.officelive.
com one can access the 2011-12
Church School Registration Form,
Emergency Card Form (a separate
Emergency Card is required
for each student), the 2011-12
Church School Calendar and
the Curriculum page containing
the Church School Curriculum
requirements by grade. Children
Our ad album was a wonderful success due to the generosity of so many people in our Parish Community. During these difficult times, with
sacrifice, and with love, our community generously supported our fundraising efforts. We thank you from our hearts for your gracious support.
We acknowledge the following individuals with much gratitude:
On entering the classroom area
one will see many changes. All
classrooms, office and hallway have
75TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATIVE ALBUM
been brightly painted and we are in
the process of framing icons which
will be permanently displayed in
each classroom. The icons which
are an image showing God and
his work in a visual language will
be a valuable teaching aid for the
teachers.
Throughout the year one can
access the Church School website
for information and resources
about our Greek Orthodox
faith and news pertaining to the
Church School.
The 75th Anniversary Commemorative Album will be available early
September. After several months of preparation and editing, it has gone
to print.
The album is a nostalgic 750-page pictorial and written history of
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, featuring the evolution of our
various ministries and activities over the past 75 years. The highlight
of the book is a section featuring photos from the 75th Anniversary
activities and events during 2010, our anniversary year.
The cost of the book is $45.00 and you can use the order form to the
right. Please return the form, with your check, to St. Nicholas Greek
Orthodox Church, 3109 Scio Church, Ann Arbor, MI 48103, Attention:
75th Anniversary Commemorative Album. The album will be available
for distribution mid-September. For more information, please contact
Penny Bekiares or Helen Garris at 734-663-0270.
St. Nicholas 75th Commemorative Album
Order Form
Name
Address
City
State
Zip Code
Phone Number
A special thanks to all our advertisers and to Christos Philippou for his
technical assistance and many hours in the preparation of the book
for publication.
September 2011 • Volume XXIV • Issue I 9
MILESTONES VOL II, #4
September 2011
My dear fellow parishioners!
Welcome to the new Ecclesiastic
and school year and may
we all be blessed with good
health and peace amongst us.
Our St. Nicholas Parish had a
great year; we have reduced our
mortgage substantially and the
involvement of our parishioners in
varying ministries and community
affairs, the Metropolis Summer
Camp, the 75th anniversary of the
parish, the MEFGOX convention,
a successful Festival, our youth
groups, and forgive me if I omitted
anyone, all were very successful
and a joy to witness.
During our festival, I was engaged
in a conversation with parishioner
Artemis Alex, an offspring of
immigrant parents and originally
from Ypsilanti, whose father was
a founder of our original church
on 414 N. Main Street. Artemis
was kind enough to write me a
synopsis of the beginning of our
Main Street Church:
FAITH 7
F
OOD UP
As of Augu
st 18
“The architect of our church was
Ralph S. Gerganoff, a Bulgarian
Orthodox, whose baptismal name
was “Christos”. He is in the
picture of the original founders
that hangs in the hallway. He and
my father, Constantine Alex, were
good friends, and Mr. Gerganoff
designed my father’s restaurant
in 1930, numerous buildings
in Washtenaw County and
St. Clement Orthodox Church in
Dearborn. My father introduced
Mr. Gerganoff to our Greek
community during the planning
stage of their new church at 414
N. Main. The beautiful wood
ikonostasio was brought from
a Greek Orthodox Church in
South Bend, with Mr. Gerganoff’s
assistance.
The founders had the support
of the non-Greek local Ann
Arbor community, including the
large German population who,
like the Greeks, were, and still
are, a strong nationalist group.
They appreciated the Greeks’
need to worship.”
NOTE:
Please make out your check for $45.00 to St. Nicholas Greek
Orthodox Church and on the memo line indicate 75th Anniversary
Commemorative Album.
Send your check and form as soon as possible to:
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
3109 Scio Church Rd.
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Attention: 75th Anniversary Commemorative Album
10 September 2011 • Volume XXIV • Issue I
Cherr y Tom
atoes: 231
Tomatoes:
Cucumbers
:
Green Pep
at 4.5 lbs
250 at 76 lb
s.
13 at 9 lbs.
pers: 64
at 11 lb
Zucchini:
s
16 at 26.5
ash:
36 at 97 lb
Acorn Squ
Butternut S
Total:
DATE:
ADVERTISING IN THE COMPASS
lbs
s.
quash: 7 a
t 21 lbs.
244 lbs.
Thank you Artemis for the
wonderful story of our beginnings.
I always welcome any contribution
that you, our parishioners, can make
to our Milestone column. Send
your suggestions and contributions
to n_stamos@yahoo.com
Yours in Christ,
Nicholas S. Stamos
If you would like to advertise in The Compass please contact
Fr. Nick at the church office 734-332-8200 or send him an email at
frnick@stnickaa.org.
Business Card Quarter Page
Half Page
Full Page
$25.00/month
$35.00/month
$55.00/month
$100.00/month
September 2011 • Volume XXIV • Issue I 11
SAINT NICHOLAS GREEK
ORTHODOX CHURCH
3109 Scio Church Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Phone: (734) 332-8200
FAX: (734) 332-8201
CHURCH HOURS
Monday-Friday 9am – 1pm
PARISH PRIEST
FR. NICOLAOS H. KOTSIS
Email: frnick@stnickaa.org
For emergencies: (734) 604-3214
THE COMPASS DESIGN AND
PRINTING DONATED BY:
UPROAR COMMUNICATIONS
If you would like to be part of the
editorial content of The Compass
and you have something to share
please provide it to the Church
Secretary at secretary@stnickaa.org
by the 15th of each month. We regret
that any article that is received after
the 15th of the month will be held
to the next issue.
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox
Church reserves the right to edit,
change or omit content that is not
applicable to its parishioners.
Copyright September 2011
DON’T FORGET TO
VISIT US ON THE WEB!
www.stnickaa.org
2011 REGISTRY
Births
1-17-11
2-1-11
3-26-11
6-4-11
7-21-11
• Evelyn, daughter of Todd & Anastasia Yocum
• Alexander & Audrianna, twins of Tom & Catherine Goffas
• Ioannis, son of Nikos & Stergiani Stamatopoulos
• Zacharias, son of Michael & Cindy Rouman
• Olivia, daughter of Katherine Raphael and Adam Scheidt
Baptisms
2-5-11 • John Michael, son of Michael & Jennifer Petrou – Nonoi: Michael & Christine Petrou
2-19-11 • Malynda Marie, daughter of Christopher Lambros & Pat Murphy – Nona: Panagiota Zitros
3-6-11 • George Stavros, son of Steve and Lynn Perakis – Nonoi: Philip & Katerina Tsapatoris
3-20-11 • Melina Nicoletta, daughter of Christopher A. and Margarita Bekiares –
Nonoi: Dr. Michael & Demaris Kasotakis
5-7-11 • Kelly Nichole, daughter of Dmitry & Nichole Brodsky – Nonoi: Alethea and Hailey Chaconas
5-15-11 • Vasiliki Alexandra, daughter of Fr. Nick & Pres. Sandra – Nonoi: Vasilios & Kyriaki Pliakas
5-15-11 • Thomas Philip, son of Philip & Ann Kotsis – Nonoi: John & Mary Tangalos
6-11-11 • Bailey Thomas, son of Robert Foster & Kelly Pishney – Nona: Magdaline Macchione
6-11-11 • George, son of Robert Foster & Erica Haratsaris – Nonoi: Steve & Lynn Perakis
7-12-11 • Kurt Peter, son of Thomas & Heidi Kusserelis – Nonos: George Petropoulos
7-12-11 • Joseph Otto, son of Thomas & Heidi Kusserelis – Nonos: Lee Petropoulos
7-23-11 • Andrianna, daughter of Tom & Catherine Goffas – Nonoi: Peter & Joanna Kalantzis
7-23-11 • Alexander, son of Tom & Catherine Goffas – Nonos: Athanasios (Tom) Goffas
8-13-11 • Alexander, son of David Lombard & Ramona Uritescu –
Nonoi: Andreea & Cristian Dersidian
8-14-11 • Emma, daughter of Thomas DeMurry and Chantell Valade – Nonoi: Mira & Conrade Valade
8-21-11 • Katerina, daughter of Paraskevas and Vasilia Tsilimingras –
Nonoi: Nicholas & Panagiota Portokalis
Weddings
5-1-11 • Robert Ashley, Jr. & Andrea Rendziperis – Koumbaroi: Antonios & Cleopatra Mihalopoulos
7-2-11 • James Courtney & Nicole Raphael – Koumbara: Katherine Raphael
7-9-11 • Andrew Strodtman & Rachel Nemcik – Koumbari: Daniel & Eleni Opperwall
Fallen Asleep in the Lord
1-13-11 • Theodore (Ted) Tangalakis (Funeral: 1-17-11, Bethlehem)
3-9-11 • Matina Tangalakis (Funeral: 3-12-11, Bethlehem)
3-22-11 • Constantine (Connie) Vintzel (Funeral: 3-25-11, Fairview Cemetery, Brighton, MI)
4-12-11 • Stavroula (Lula) Maheras (Funeral: 4-15-11, Bethlehem)
4-18-11 • Cristinel Dima (Oak Grove Cemetery, Manistee, MI)
4-19-11 • Anastasia Leontis (Funeral: 4-23-11, Union Cemetery, Columbus, OH)
6-9-11 • Renetta Roubanis (Funeral: 6-16-11, Bethlehem)
7-3-11 • Suzanne (Bezirium) Baker (Burial: 7-9-11, Bethlehem)
8-10-11 • George Venious (Burial: 8-16-11, Sault Ste. Marie, MI)
If there are any mistakes or omissions,
we apologize. Please contact the office
so that we may correct it. Thank you.)
12
September 2011 • Volume XXIV • Issue I