The Promise – December 2015-Jan 2016

Transcription

Promise
The
December–January 2016 ^ Volume 39, Issue 10
Joy
htgoc@westfieldnj.com
to
the World
“Joy to the world, the
Lord has come, let earth
receive her King!”
“Joy to the World”
is a jubilant Christmas carol that proclaims an awesome
message – the joy
that Christ brings to
the world. But did
you know that this
hymn does not mention shepherds, wise
men, a manger, or the
Holy Family?
T h i s c a rol wa s
written in 1719 A.D.
by Isaac Watts, a noted author of many
English hymns, and
was intended to be an
expression of praise.
It references the last part of Psalm 97, “He
shall judge the world in righteousness and the peoples
with uprightness.”
The days leading up to Christmas fill our
calendars with many things such as: shopping, baking, sending cards to family and
friends, decorating the house and tree with
an assortment of ornaments and lights, and
attending festive parties, to name but a few.
As the great and ineffable mystery of the
birth of Christ approaches on December
25, the busybody, still rushing from here
to there attending to material preparations
in such a “religiously”
ritualistic manner,
suddenly finds himself stressed, anxious,
and weary of the approaching holiday.
And even when recognition is given to
the fact that such
preparation is exhausting and oftentimes “over-the-top”
we persist in our excess never asking, “to
what gain or at what
loss”? From this, a
true dichotomy and
disconnect forms.
We mistakenly reason t hat materia l
objects should bring
happiness. Both the
secular and the Christian constantly remind us that Christmas is a joyous and jubilant celebration, so why is my joy limited
to the few short hours of gift opening?
Happiness quickly fades when we believe
that a “thing,” or an object, or an article
of clothing can fill the inner person with
joy. The soul knows that aside from the
physical there is also a spiritual necessity
and component that only God can fill. If
there has been no spiritual preparation
Wait for the promise of the Father
continued pg. 4
908-233-8533
holytrinitywestfield.org
Liturgical Schedule For
Christmas & Theophany
12/20  Sunday Before the Nativity
8:15 AM Orthros
9:30 AM Divine Liturgy
12/22  St. Anastasia the Great Martyr
of whose relics are held in the
Altar of Holy Trinity
8:45 AM Orthros
12/24  Paramoni of the Nativity
8:30 AM Orthros
9:15 AM Imperial Hours of the
Nativity
CHRISTMAS EVE
CANDELLIGHT SERVICE
7:00 PM Vesperal Divine Liturgy
Christmas Program
12/25  THE NATIVITY OF OUR SAVIOUR
8:30 AM Orthros
12/27  SUNDAY AFTER THE NATIVITY
St. Stephen the Proto-martyr
8:15 AM Orthros
12/31  ST. BASIL/NEW YEAR
6:00 PM Divine Liturgy
01/03  Sunday before Theophany
8:15 AM Orthros
01/05  PARAMONI OF THEOPHANY
8:30 AM Orthros and Imperial
Hours
10:00 AM Divine Liturgy with the
Lesser Blessing of Waters
01/06  HOLY THEOPHANY
8:30 AM Orthros
9:30 AM Divine Liturgy with
Greater Blessing of Waters
01/07  St. John the Baptist
8:30 AM Orthros
1
Dates in the Life of Our Church
December–January 2016
DECEMBER
1
3
4
5
6
8
9
10
12
13
15
17
20
22
24
25
2
4:00 PM Greek School
7:30 PM Choir
St. Barbara the Great Martyr
8:30 AM Orthros
6:30 PM Joy/Hope Christmas Party
St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
8:15 AM Orthros
11:45 AM Parish Council Elections
7:30 PM Parish Council
7:30 PM Philoptochos Christmas Party
10:00 AM TOTS
7:30 PM Choir
St. Spyridon the Wonderworker
8:30 AM Orthros
8:15 AM Orthros
12:00 PM Sunday School Christmas Party
5:00 PM Metropolis of NJ Christmas Tree Lighting
12:00 PM Trinity Circle
4:00 PM Greek School Christmas Program
7:30 PM Choir
Sunday before the Nativity
8:15 AM Orthros
St. Anastasia of Rome
8:45 AM Orthros
Paramoni of the Nativity
8:30 AM Orthros
9:15 AM Imperial Hours
7:00 PM Christmas Eve Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
9:00 PM Christmas Pageant
NATIVITY OF OUR SAVIOUR
27
30
8:30 AM Orthros
St. Stephen the Protomartyr
8:15 AM 9:30 AM 3:30 PM 3:00 PM Orthros
Divine Liturgy
Wedding
Wedding
JANUARY
3
5
6
7
9
10
12
14
16
8:15 AM Orthros
Paramoni of Theophany
8:30 AM
Orthros
9:00 AM Imperial Hours
10:00 AM Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great
11:00 AM Lesser Blessing of the Waters
HOLY THEOPHANY
8:30 AM Orthros
10:30 AM Great Blessing of the Waters
St. John the Baptist
8:30 AM Orthros
4:00 PM Greek School Vasilopita
7:30 PM Choir
11:00 AM Baptism
1:00 PM Wedding
St. Gregory of Nyssa
8:15 AM Orthros
9:30 AM
Divine Liturgy
4:00 PM Greek School Vasilopita
7:00 PM Philoptochos Board Meeting
7:30 PM Parish Council
10:00 AM TOTS
7:30 PM Choir
Venerable Chains of St. Peter
8:30 AM 9:30 AM Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey
Orthros
Divine Liturgy
The Nativity of our Lord 2015
The Very Reverend and Reverend Clergy
Honorable Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,
Esteemed Members of the Metropolitan Council,
Esteemed Members of the Parish Councils, Philoptochos Sisterhood,
Faculty and Students of the Catechetical and Greek Afternoon Schools,
Directors and Participants of all Youth Organizations, and all devout
Orthodox Christians of the Greek Orthodox Communities of our
Holy Metropolis of New Jersey
My Beloved,
“Christ Jesus, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,
but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant,
and coming in the likeness of men.”
(Php 2:6-7)
God has entered time and history through the divine incarnation. Almighty God has invited Himself into our lives in a state
of absolute weakness and vulnerability. The newborn lying in the manger holds in His hands the secrets of the universe, the
secret of creation, the secret of absolute love. In the cold night of Bethlehem, the one who carries within her the treasure
of the world, the Virgin Mary, the Theotokos, travels across the city in search of a place to give birth to the One who will
change the course of the history of mankind. Today, we still count the years from this glorious moment when time and space
were sanctified, merging in a divine kairos, an instant of the Kingdom in which still echoes the alleluia of the angels. As we
contemplate this glorious miracle, we experience a sense of mingled wonder and awe that our Church expresses in its hymns
for the feast: “Heaven called the Magi by a star, and thus it brought the first-fruits of the Gentiles to You, the infant lying in the manger. And they
were amazed, not by scepters and thrones, but by utter poverty. For what is more shabby than a cave? And what is more humble than swaddling clothes?
But it was through these that the riches of your divinity shone forth. Lord, glory to You!” (Hypakoe of the Nativity)
Our joy today contrasts with the humility and simplicity of the event that the Church commemorates. By His Divine Nativity, Christ has made all of creation a sacrament. He has reestablished the image of God in mankind by restoring its original
light. He has made tangible his Divine Energies in a creation that bears the mark of His presence through its harmony, its
beauty, and its structure. He has transformed the course of the personal vocation of humanity by bringing us into the gates
of eternal life. St. Peter wrote: “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power was
given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us
exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature...” (2 Pt 1:2-4)
In the midst of our busy and stressful lives, we are called to rediscover the spirit of wonder. We must be able to hear the cry
of the newborn child, to listen to the teaching that comes from the humble cave of Bethlehem. Now God has a face, He
has acquired a voice that all can hear, and His words of peace echo throughout the world. As Saint Gregory Palamas wrote:
“Brethren, let us preserve this peace in ourselves, as far as we can, for we have received it as an inheritance from our Savior who has now been born, who
gives us the Spirit of adoption, through which we have become heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ”. (Homily 58, on the Holy Nativity).
May the Joy of Christmas, the Hope of the New Year 2016 and the Grace and Blessings of our Incarnate Lord be with all
of you and your beloved families.
With Paternal Love in the New-Born King and God,
†E V A N G E L O S
Metropolitan of New Jersey
The Promise ^ December–January 2016 ^ Volume 39, Issue 10
3
Continued from pg. 1 (Joy to the World)
for the celebration of Christmas, then this
celebration cannot be fully complete. Think
of the many arduous hours spent with material preparations and how some of those
hours could have been spent in prayer and
confession.
The secular elements that seek to promote the material aspects of Christmastime are powerfully intoxicating precisely
because they have succeeded in shifting the
holiday’s focus away from the Child born
in the manger of Bethlehem to the greed
that is born in the hearts of those desiring
a material, rather than, a spiritual gift. In
the secular world, Advent’s meaning is lost
because of misplaced routine void of feeling
and meaning.
For a moment there is a need to recognize
the importance of the Advent season, not
to become a routine without feeling but to
become a genuine path of personal connection with the Christ child.
The Advent season should be filled with
solemn rejoicing as we contemplate God’s
gift to mankind. Hearing the Good News
inspires the whole person to engage in the
sense of harmony, peace and love for one
another. In other words, the Gospel message is pure “joy to the world.”
The words of this English writer were
meant to be a hymn glorifying Christ’s return at the end of the ages, not to celebrate
the Nativity. Isaac Watts was not describing
a past event but rather the coming again
to earth, or the Second Advent, and the
Saviour’s eternal reign.
In any event, the lyrics spell out the wonders of Christ’s presence with us, whether by
His birth or His return. This carol reminds
us that Emmanuel is "God with us", and for
this reason there is joy in the world.
Whether the Second Coming is just
around the corner, we do not know. But we
do know that our daily and weekly worship
is a foretaste of eternal worship before His
throne.
May the words of this carol bring comfort
to you and encourage you in your celebration of the Nativity. Merry Christmas!
“Joy to the world, the Saviour reigns, let men their
songs employ!” 

BY ANASTASIOS DELVIZIS
Save the Date
oct 2, 2016
In celebration of the
Fiftieth Anniversary of Holy Trinity.
Book Signing
4
Karaoke
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church ^ Westfield, New Jersey
“What keeps you, now, from
giving? Isn’t the poor man
there? Aren’t your own warehouses full? Isn’t the reward
promised? The command is
clear. The hungry man is dying
now, the naked man is freezing
now, the man in debt is beaten
now – and you want to wait till
tomorrow?
“I’m not doing any harm,” you
say, “I just want to keep what I
own, that’s all.”
Which things, tell me, are
yours? Whence have you
brought them into being? You
are like someone who sits down
in a theater, and would prohibit
everyone else from entering,
saying that what is there for
everyone to enjoy is for himself
alone.”
– St. Basil the Great
Parish Council
Stewardship is a way of life, delivers on our beliefs and offers an inheritance for our families
 BY PETER TARHANIDIS, PARISH COUNCIL PRESIDENT
We bring up Stewardship during November because it is just after the start of the
Ecclesiastical year, a time of the renewal of
seasons and just before Thanksgiving and
Christmas. More importantly, it is to raise
awareness that Stewardship is a way of life,
it is a journey. Today is a day to recognize
our bond to each other as stewards. It is to
understand our mission, to accept the Gospel
as our foundation and to re-commit to build
Christ centered homes. In addition, it is to
extend those values to our children and those
in need of help. Each year you consider how
to participate and donate your Stewardship to
the church. You evaluate what your impact is
on the church and each year you make a difference because you believe in our mission.
Highlights of our Holy Trinity impacts that
deliver on our beliefs include:
Serving with our time. Time is a precious
resource. It is the most important resource.
We are free to choose how to allocate it. I
know we all give a considerable amount of
time to our church. Giving of our precious
time establishes Christ centered homes.
This community, established 49 years ago,
by a group of founders inspired by the Holy
Spirit were intent, to serve as a model for
contemporary Greek and Christian Orthodox
families. Because of that, we sit inside the
body of Christ, this church. Today we have
over 300 sacraments performed each year
through this Church. That is almost one a day!
Close to 500 parishioners are in attendance
year round participating in the sacrament of
Divine Liturgy.
Serving with our talents. God provides to
each of us skills, abilities and knowledge that
we hone into our talents. We are blessed as
we put our talents each year to re-create the
experience of each of our 11 ministries. By
putting our talents to work on our ministries
we sustain our Christ centered values and we
pass them onto our children. We are committed to living within our 11 ministries. We are
Christ’s life on earth. High engagement with
42% of stewards and their families supporting the Divine Liturgy and ministries; 225+
children attend religious, cultural & youth
programs; and 200+ Philoptochos women
who serve those in need through our local and
national charities. There are over 43 social
fellowship activities almost 2 a month!
Serving with our treasures. Our current
financial situation is underpinned by the
generosity provided by many of you to support
the ministries in addition to your pledge, the
amount I have noted is a lot! We sponsor many
people in need through our outreach programs across the Archdiocese, Metropolis and
local communities like St. Basil’s Academy,
Camp Good Shepard, Children’s Specialized
Hospital, YMCA and many others. Yet, you
should know that 58% of our pledges cover
the budget. The remaining 42% is covered
by extraordinary stewardship, Festivals and
Golf outings. I want to bring to your attention our four challenges in continuing to meet
our budget:
1. Basic economics of rising costs &
hard winters cost added $64,000.00
this year;
2. An aging facility that requires $1.2M
Capital improvements beginning now
and through next four years;
3. Less stewards that drive up desired
pledge amounts and less volunteerism;
and
4. Successfully staffing and attending
annual festivals and fund drivers.
What is powerful is how we bring it together. These
Christian values are the keys to our inheritance.
Today we increasingly rely on our Church
and ministries to prepare our families to
confront a society that further test our
Christian values such as Interfaith marriages
and a commitment to Christian Orthodoxy;
Use of Christian values to navigate a secular
world; religious freedoms and the universal
basic human right to exist; and Christian
values systematically curtailed legislatively
by many governments. Now, I encourage you
to view the pledge card beyond your financial
commitment but to recommit yourself to
the whole journey. The opportunity exists
to increase both your participation in the
ministries and your financial pledge by an
added 10%. This will ensure our ministries
are staffed appropriately; cover the current
$64,000.00 deficit; and drive pledges to 80%
of the budget and rely less on other income.
My hope and prayer for the future is that
we continue to inspire each other, prepare
ourselves and advocate for our children by
finding comfort and resurgence within our
foundation. I am personally proud of our parish that consistently bonds together to share
our faith, a faith that began 2000 years ago
when Christ came to serve us and taught us
to serve. 
How Jean Jullien’s simple doodle spread around the world
The first thing Jean Jullien did when he
heard about the Paris attacks was reach for
paper and his paintbrush, and sketch a simple
image on his lap. Late on Friday evening, he
posted it on to his Instagram and Twitter
pages: a quick doodle of the Eiffel tower inside
a circle, in an adaption of the peace symbol
originally used by the nuclear disarmament
movement.
Jullien is a graphic designer originally
from Nantes but based in London. It wasn’t
particularly an illustrator’s response, he said,
“more an instinctive, human reaction”.
But the simplicity of his design, rendered
in just a few brush strokes, did not diminish
its power. In the days since the atrocities of
the Paris terrorist attacks, his arresting image, captioned “Peace for Paris”, has been
shared many thousands of times on
social media worldwide, becoming a
global expression
of solidarity, resistance and hope for
peace. 
5
Philoptochos Report
The Gift of Christ’s Birth
Christmas, the feast of joy, and light,
is a day of jubilation. God took our
humanity upon Himself because of
His great love for us. He entered our
human condition. Of all the gifts we
cherish or possess, we celebrate God’s
gift to us centuries ago as foretold by the
Prophet Isaiah: “For unto us a Child is
born, unto us a Child is given” (Isaiah
9:5). The Virgin Birth fits the Oxford
English Dictionary’s very definition of
a miracle: “a remarkable and welcome
event that seems impossible to explain
by means of the known laws of nature.”
We celebrate this wondrous gift and
feast at a time when many are in need
of compassion and hope, for hope truly
sums up the solemnity of this holy day
as it continues to perpetuate us into the
future. Yet, the human race continues
to be confronted with enormously troubling agonies, natural disasters, violent
tragedies, crimes, the devaluation of
human dignity, victims who are abused
in a variety of ways, and the struggles of
those economically repressed throughout the world.
Through His Incarnation, God has
given Himself to us all as His grace
is revealed through Jesus Christ that
we might have hope and true life. The
Gospel of Luke tells us that as the shepherds came on that first Holy Night to
witness what the multitude of angels
had praised, they made known abroad
the saying that was told them concerning this Child. However, “…Mary kept
all these things, and pondered them in
her heart” (Luke 2:19).
With her exemplary humility, the
Theotokos fulfilled the prophecy, filling
our hearts with joy, giving us the gift of
love to share with everyone.
Through the outreach of Philoptochos, please join us, and give from your
abundance so that others may receive
the gifts of kindness, caring, and sustenance in their time of need.
As we too ponder in our hearts on
this miracle, reflect on God’s grace,
and be the vehicle that allows it to
shine brightly in every place where it
is needed, I wish you a happy and most
merry Christmas. 
Christ is born. Glorify H im!
Save the date!
Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016
Religious Education’s
Godparent/Godchild
Breakfast
Save the Date
oct 2, 2016
In celebration of the
Fiftieth Anniversary of Holy Trinity.
6
A Christmas Message
 BY PROTOPRESBYTER GEORGE FLOROVSKY
In the fullness of time, God sent into
the world His Son born of a woman.
The Son of God became the Son of the
Virgin. Here is the assurance and the
beginning of salvation, the guarantee
and source of eternal life. This is the
reason for both, those on earth and
those in heaven, to rejoice, for the mystery of the Godmanhood and the glory
of the divine Incarnation is revealed.
The star of the eternal covenant stopped
and shone over the cavern in Bethlehem.
The humiliation of the cavern testifies
that the kingdom that is revealed is not
of this world.
The divine descent is not only divine
condescension, but at the same time it is
the revelation of glory. Then was human
nature healed through the ineffable divine assumption, and was reintroduced
into communion with everlasting life.
The action of grace reentered the world
where it had been stopped by human sin.
“Christ is born and earth and heaven are
united: today God came down to earth,
and man ascended into heaven.” From
now on, human nature is inseparably
united with the Godhead in the indivisible unity of the hypostasis [Person]
of the Incarnate Word. Everything became new. Thus was accomplished the
pre-eternal mystery and council of love
divine. “He, who established the being
of every creature, visible and invisible,
by a sole act of will, before all ages and
before the existence of the creaturely
world, determined ineffably that He
Himself should truly become united
with human nature in the true unity of
His hypostasis [Person], thus making
man God through union with Him.” So
spoke St. Maximos the Confessor about
the pre-eternal council of God. God
creates the world and reveals Himself
in order that God may become man and
it is by this union that man is deified.
Or as St. Irenaeus of Lyons expressed
it: “The Son of God became the Son of
man in order that man would become
the Son of God.” This purpose was realized in the mystery of Christ’s birth,
when the foundation of the Church was
already prefigured.
But the road from Bethlehem to
Sion is long, and is leading us through
Gethsemane and Golgotha. Already
in Bethlehem the newborn Godchild
is presented with funeral offerings by
the Wise Men from the East. “Today,
God leads the Wise Men to worship
through the star, prefiguring His threeday burial in gold, frankincense, and
myrrh.” The very doors of the Bethlehem cavern are nearly stained with the
innocent blood of the children who
were killed for Christ’s sake. The way
of the Cross is mysteriously foreshown.
The Lord is born for this very hour of
the Cross. “For this cause came I unto
this hour.” (John 12:27) The Lord is
born for death and crucifixion: “He had
a body that he might take death upon
Himself.” So wrote St. Athanasios the
Great. Through the voluntary passion
and death is the Christmas joy transfigured into Resurrection joy. This is the
second and higher victory of life. In the
very birth of Christ the order of nature
is overcome. It is not so much that the
natural birth is sanctified as that the
higher is prefigured and revealed.
If one asks what we are worshipping
during Christmas, we answer with the
words of St. Gregory the Theologian (of
Nazianzus); “We are worshipping and
adoring and honoring love.” “For God
so loved the world that He gave His
only begotten Son…” (John 3:16). This
is the mystery of Christmas – and now
in the days of sacred memories we sing
and solemnize it. We are remembering
not only what has already happened and
passed, but that which was fulfilled. We
are now reckoning the years of grace, the
years of our Lord. For so has God loved
the world. 
7
GOYA
 BY CHRISTOPHER BOUTSIKARIS, GOYA PRESIDENT
Our GOYA year has had a promising
start, and I am looking forward to 2016
to be just as wonderful for our GOYA
members. This is true when I think back
to some of the state and parish events we
have attended or participated in over the
last few months.
First, the Mr. and Miss GOYA Pageant
was held on October 11 at the Pines Manor.
Our two representatives, Christina Karsos
and Yanni Angelides, represented Holy
Trinity GOYA with dignity, pride, and
love for our Orthodox faith. They both
spoke eloquently as the final question of the
evening was posed to them. Congratulations to Christina Karsos who was named
Miss GOYA 2015!! and congratulations
to Yanni who earned 1st runner up Mr.
GOYA! We are so proud of both Christina
and Yanni for representing Holy Trinity so
well! Thank you also to Father Peter, and
our coaches, Mrs. Boutsikaris and Mrs.
Conti, who worked with our representatives
to prepare them for this memorable event.
Next, some of our GOYA members
attended the Bowling Tournament and
dance hosted in Fairview on October 24.
The tournament was a great time for our
GOYAns who participated.
Also, on October 28, members of our
GOYA joined with members of Philoptochos to serve an evening meal to the homeless at the Plainfield YMCA. Service is an
integral part of GOYA; it is one of the basic
foundations of our GOYA ministry. Thank
you to Nicole Boutsikaris, Evan Koniaris,
Caroline Maglaras, and Christina Karsos,
who supported our first Outreach event of
the year.
November 8 was Youth Sunday. Many
of our GOYA members assisted the Parish
Council during the church service and later
hosted the Coffee Hour. It was a positive way
to thank our Holy Trinity community for
their continued support. Thank you to Mrs.
Karsos and Mrs. Kallinosis for preparing the
delicious loukoumades that day! Also, thank
you to all of the members of the Holy Trinity family who supported us with our bread
sale; the entire proceeds benefitted one of our
charities this year, St. Basil’s. 
DECEMBER 18
Christmas Caroling and Lock-In
DECEMBER 27
Alumni Games
DECEMBER 28
Christmas Dance Tenafly
Back by popular demand, The Lock-In
has returned! Save the date! This year
we will begin the evening by visiting the
members of our Holy Trinity family as
well as the elderly to spread some holiday
cheer. Afterwards, we will gather in the
Bouras Center for our Lock-In. You don’t
want to miss this event!
Our annual Alumni Games will be held
on December 27 in the Bouras Center. We
are looking forward to a really fun night
with an exciting game against our alumni.
The second state-sponsored dance
will be held in Tenafly this year. This is
a great way to spend some time over the
holidays with other GOYAns from across
New Jersey.
A Message from Christina Karsos
Senior Outreach Coordinator and Miss GOYA 2015
Outreach: On October 28, a small group
of GOYANS and Philoptochos members
donated their time and efforts to several
displaced families in Plainfield. In collaboration, the two groups spent Wednesday
night feeding the families and distributing
care packages. We all went in with open
minds, not knowing what exactly to expect.
After serving the families for some time,
and seeing the wide smiles that spread
across their faces, and seeing the immense
gratitude in their eyes, it confirmed our
desires to hopefully return in the future.
Sometimes in our daily lives we take for
granted the small things we have and abuse
our wealth and good fortune. It is important to set aside time to help others who are
8
less privileged than
we may be. Sometimes the simplest
of acts, like spooning vegetables on a
plate, can completely
alter someone else's
life in a way that is
completely not understandable to us.
After speaking to the GOYAns who volunteered, I reached the conclusion that
it is not us who are necessarily helping
them, but they who are helping us. This
experience brought these GOYAns closer
together with a better sense of reality. It
has opened our hearts and eyes and made
us realize that we must use the gifts God
has given us to help our brothers and sisters
in Christ. Any GOYAn who may not have
been able to volunteer this time is strongly
encouraged to sign up for a future date. It
is a truly rewarding activity that brings you
closer to your fellow GOYAns, your local
community, and Christ. 
Mr. & Miss GOYA Page a n t
 BY CHRISTINA KARSOS, MISS GOYA 2015
As a new, young, and timid GOYAn, my first impression of
GOYA came from my Mr. and Miss experience. I remember
thinking to myself how amazing it would be if I could one day be
honored with the amazing opportunity of representing my church
in this competition. This past May, my fellow GOYAns gave me
that exact opportunity. Working with the most amazing coaches
for weeks in preparation was a rewarding experience in its own.
Mrs. Conti and Mrs. Boutsikaris are the most supportive and encouraging coaches I've had the opportunity to be taught by. I can
honestly say that without their help and the loving support of our
parish, I would have been at a loss.
At the competition, Yanni and I were graced with the companionship of eight other finalists. Sitting in the room together all of
our nerves were diminished, and we made eight new friends. We
shared stories and bonded, completely putting aside the fact that
these other people were our competitors. While the advisor led
us one by one out of the room, the nerves slowly started creeping
back in. Remembering the lessons I had with Father Peter and
my coaches, I began to formulate my answer. It was through their
lessons and teachings and the immense support from my fellow
GOYANS and parish, that I was able to receive the honor and title
of Miss GOYA 2015. I strongly encourage any GOYAns who are
given the honor to represent their church in this pageant to jump
at the opportunity and do so with pride and an open mind. It has
truly been one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and I
am truly grateful I was able to seize this opportunity.
 BY YANNI ANGELIDES, MR. WESTFIELD 2015
There are moments in life that are remembered for a lifetime
and there are people that without them these moments would
have floated by…
Mrs. Boutsikaris and Mrs. Conti, I am so very grateful for your
dedication, love and guidance throughout the pageant. And to my
Holy Trinity family: thank you for bestowing on me the honor to
represent our parish. Being selected to represent our youth gave
me the opportunity to share my enthusiasm and love for GOYA
and our Christian faith. For me, the church is my second home and
GOYA my second family!
Being in the company of such exceptional Greek Orthodox youth
at the pageant revitalized my pride for who I am and where I should
be headed. My favorite moment during the pageant was hanging
out and having fun in the basement with the other contestants and
meeting other Greek Orthodox teens that have similar goals: a love
for God through faith and hope, a love and an acceptance for all
people and a will to serve those less fortunate.
To the next Mr. GOYA, be yourself, lead with confidence and be
proud of your role representing our youth. When I walked onto that
stage as Mr. Westfield a humbling serge of emotions and pride filled
my heart looking down at my family, friends and fellow Orthodox
Christians. Therefore, hold steadfast to your beliefs; bear your cross
with reverence and have faith in your abilities…God has your back!
Thank you for allowing my light to shine for you!
Christina (Miss GOYA), you crushed it!
With love always ~Yanni
9
49th Annual Christ Encounter Ref lections
10
This was my first time attending the
Christ Encounter Retreat and I now plan
on attending them in the years to come. I
was first nervous because I did not have
very strong bonds with anybody at church
but that fear soon slipped away. I became
better friends with many people there and
learned a lot. We discussed many important
and current topics such as terrorism, suicide
and bullying. I learned so much and now
fully understand the Christian viewpoints
on these topics. Besides learning I also had a
lot of fun! The many activities kept us busy
and created stronger bonds with each other.
I highly recommend attending this retreat
for anyone who is unsure about attending!
This year, being my first year in GOYA,
I was excited to get to know other kids in
my church community through the retreat.
Over the course of the weekend, I spoke
with and got to know many girls, both
older and around the same age as me. I
made new friends and also got closer with
the friends I already had. I especially liked
when we had free time and were able to talk
to people and get to know each other on
our own time during the day. I also enjoyed
learning in our sessions to love everyone in
our lives, just as God unconditionally loves
all of us. Overall, the trip really helped me
learn more about myself and my GOYA
family. I know from the experience that the
remainder of the year is going to be great!
- Nicole Dragoiu-Luca
- Julia Love
Prior to the 2015 Christ Encounter
Weekend, I didn’t necessarily know what to
expect, due to the fact that I hadn’t attended
it in over two years. Plus, all the academic
pressures of high school were occupying my
mind to a point that I was unable to focus on
the upcoming weekend. However, as soon as
the bus departed for YMCA Camp Bernie
that Friday, all my worries disappeared and
my spiritual journey began with my brothers
and sisters in Christ. This retreat helped me
rebuild my relationship with God, and made
me remember that He is always with me,
even through times of distress, especially
with the help of the great advisors who
conducted the religious sessions, such as Mr.
John, Mr. Christodoulou, Mr. Kyritsis, and
of course, Father Peter. Also, it brought me
closer to my fellow GOYAns, both those
whom I previously knew, as well as those I
had not met until then. By the end of the
weekend, I felt spiritually rejuvenated, and
mentally prepared to handle future challenges in everything I encounter. I sincerely
recommend next year’s Christ Encounter
Weekend to all GOYAns, especially those
who have the same doubt that I had prior
to the this retreat.
This year the 39th annual Christ Encounter Retreat entitled Unity Together in
Christ was held on November 13-15 at
Camp Bernie. As a senior, it is my final
year of attending. Personally, my favorite part of the retreat was when we broke
up for sessions into different age groups
and discussed topics pertaining to our
theme. We talked about the personal
characteristics that make us special and
how others perceive us. We had a selection of Bible readings and discussed
parables such as The Good Samaritan
and came to conclusions about what it
is that makes us good Christians. This
specia l time for reading scripture is
called; Alone time with God. I think the
most important conclusion was to love
you r neig hbor a s you rself, a nd love
the Lord with all your heart, soul, and
strength. This was most meaningful to
me because it is the simplest way God
guides us into being good Orthodox
Christians. This is a lesson I will carry
forward with me through all that I do
which is the most valuable thing the
retreat provided for me this year.
–Andrew Economides
- Christian Kallinosis
11
Trinity Circle
 BY HELLEN KIRIAKATIS, PRESIDENT
Who are we? Trinity Circle consists
of the faithful seniors (age 55+) of
Holy Trinity. Where can you find us?
You can find us in many places such as;
helping at the festival, rummage sale,
Sights & Sounds, baking for the shutins, and wherever the various organizations of our church need a helping
hand. What do we do at our meetings?
Our meetings, which are every third
Tuesday of the month, are full of fellowship with each other. The meetings
always begin with a prayer offered by
Father Peter. Lunch is served after a
short business meeting or following
the presentation of a speaker who
enlightens us on various subjects. We
discuss various outings suggested by
members and have at least four bus
trips a year to see plays, shows, and
attend special events. Trinity Circle
hosts an end of the year luncheon in
June and a Christmas party at a restaurant in December for our members.
We are a vibrant group of ladies and
gentlemen who enjoy sharing together
and we have lots of fun in doing so!
If you are 55+, please join us every
third Tuesday of the month. We welcome new members. 
PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation - APPLY TODAY!
The PanHellenic Foundation will again offer $250,000 in scholarship
awards to recognize students of high scholastic achievement for their accomplishments, and to provide support to those in financial need. Undergraduate
students of Hellenic descent who are enrolled in an accredited university in
any of the 50 United States are eligible to apply. The application is available
on the Foundation website www.panhellenicscholarships.org; the deadline
to apply is February 1, 2016.
The Awards are offered at two levels: 20 Awards of $10,000 based on academic achievement and financial need; 20 Awards of $2,500 based solely on
academic achievement.
12
12 Holy Trinity Scouts Earn Religious Awards
Our parish is especially proud of the 12 Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts
who worked throughout the last school year to earn the religious awards
for their grade levels. On October 25, the Scouts and their families came up
to the Solea to participate in a short prayer service and receive their awards from Father Peter
and Scouting Advisor, Miriam Kotsonis. The group was specially honored to be joined by the
National Chairman of the Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting, Mr. George Boulukos.
Our award recipients: St. George (grades 1-3): Michael Kobori, Kelly and Tia Shikar, Nadia
Tarhanis; Chi Rho (grades 4-5): Richard Bagala, Molly Love, Kaysen Shikar; Alpha Omega
(grades 6-12): Christine and William Arida, Chris and Demetrios Gianakis, Nicole Dragoiu
Luca.
These 12 young disciples of Jesus Christ and their families have taken an active step towards
God through reading our Gospels, praying, learning about our Church, and performing service
to others. We challenge all our Holy Trinity Scouts to take that step. Contact Father Peter or
Miriam (mekotsonis@gmail.com) for more information and assistance. 
The Mission of The Holy Trinity Young Adult Ministry is to create forums for young adults
to connect on our Christian Orthodox Faith, fellowship events and guidance as they transition
into higher education and career endeavors.
Holy Trinity will be initiating a Youth and Young Adult Ministry (Y2AM) to aid in keeping
our young adults connected to our Church and their Faith as they graduate from GOYA and
move on to higher education and career pursuits. The objective of this new ministry is to create
a forum for young adults to communicate with each other and the church. We will create a network of mentorship where the vast knowledge and experience of our parish adults can help our
young people with advice on careers, internships and job opportunities as they advance through
their twenties. We ask all adults who feel they can offer mentorship to our youth in the form of advice, career opportunities or networking
opportunities to please contact Ken or Jeannie Arida to be included in our database of mentors. Mentoring need not be an exorbitant time
commitment; all who are interested are encouraged to reach out. We are all here to help our young people stay connected to their Orthodox
faith in all of their pursuits in life. Please reach out to Ken and Jeannie Arida if you are:
•
•
•
•
High school student looking for information about the college application process and specific schools, college life in general, etc.
College student willing to share what life is like at your school with younger members of the Church or looking for summer internships/job opportunities
College Graduate- interested in networking and mentoring
Professionals willing to network, mentor and/or provide internship opportunities as well as career advice to undergraduate and graduateage members of the Church
For more information on Y2AM at Holy Trinity, please contact
Ken and Jeannie Arida: HTNJYoungAdults@gmail.com.
13
H oly T rinity G reek O rthodox C hurch
CLASSIFIEDS
Contact the Church Office if you would like
to advertise in the next issue of The Promise!
5FINGERS FITTING5KEYS
PIAN O I NSTR UC TO R & W ED D I NG O R G ANI S T
PHYLLIS A. VERENES
9 SAND HILL ROAD, MORRISTOWN, NJ 07960
TEL: 973.538.2236 • CELL: 973.214.9222
14
15
Non Profit Org.
US postage
PAID
Rahway, NJ
Permit No. 654
Metropolis of
New Jersey
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Office Staff
Contact Information
Mailing Address 250 Gallows Hill Rd.
Westfield, NJ 07090-1109
Phone 908-233-8533
Fax 908-233-0623
E-mail htgoc@westfieldnj.com
Web site holytrinitywestfield.org
Presiding Priest Rev. Peter Delvizis
Caretaker Ocione Nunes
Worship
Lead Psaltis Pascalis Kuvalakis
Choir Director Kathryn Athanasoulas
Organist Phyllis Verenes
Head Acolyte John Katsingris
E-mail FrPeter@htgocnj.org
Schedule of Services
16
Office Manager Diana R. Waltsak
Admin. Assistant E. Joy Daniledes
The Promise: Volume 39, Issue 10
Sundays
Weekdays
Orthros
8:15 AM
8:30 AM
Divine Liturgy
9:30 AM
9:30 AM
10 issues published annually.
No subscription fee.
Article deadline - 10th of the preceding month
Ministries
Parish Council
Philoptochos
Religious Education
Greek School
Youth (GOYA)
Peter Tarhanidis
Penny Pefanis
Chris Economides
Rita Fitanidis
Chris Boutsikaris
JOY / HOPE Iris Love
TOTS Joanne Paras &
Jenny Stellakis
Bookstore Sandy Mouratoglou
Cultural Barbara Manos
Greek School PTO Jenny Stellakis
Trinity Circle Hellen Kiriakatis

The Promise – December 2015-Jan 2016

Transcription

Similar documents

August 2014 - Holy Mother of God Greek Orthodox Church

Open House - Holy Trinity Monastery

Holy Trinity Monastery invites you to an

September - Holy Trinity Catholic School, Altoona PA

Banquet Information

St. Ambrose Nativity Set - JOYFUL SERVANTS OF THE CROSS

The Desert Messenger - St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church

Holy Trinity Catholic Church Fact Sheet

JANUARY Newsletter - Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church