CHURCH SERVICES:
Sunday Orthros (Matins) 9:00am
Divine Liturgy 10:00am
Sunday School after Holy
                 Communion
Weekday Holy Days:
Orthros and Divine Liturgy 8:00am
PARISH PRIEST:
Fr. Dionysios Listermann-Vierling
Church: 292-8013
Fax:    851-2800
In case of emergency:
Home:  638-4105
Cell:  312-3642
SECRETARY:
Donna Raxter
Email: donnadotoc@yahoo.com
COUNCIL OFFICERS:
Scott Graham
   President    643-7099
Hampton Culler
  Vice-President 854-8235
Carl Colozzi
  Treasurer 644-0615
Theodora Vaporis
  Secretary 584-6020
Board Members:
  Maher (George) Hanna
  Eleni Harrison
  Matthew Pappas
  Kiki Tarasidis
  Zack Touloupas
  Kimmon Varsamis   

COMMITTEES:
Stewardship
   Hamp Culler
Greek Festival
   Mike Dolianitis
Finance
   Carl Colozzi
Maintenance
   Kimmon Varsamis
Education, Culture & Youth Diakonia Committee 
   Kiki Tarasidis
Sick and Visitation
   Elle Kotsionis
Foundation
   Theodora Vaporis
Nomination Committee
   Larry Ross
Philoptochos Liaison
   Eleni Harrison
Welcoming Committee
   Zack Touloupas
   Theodora Vaporis  

Deadline: The Dormition of the Theotokos Monthly Newsletter deadline is the 20th of the previous month. Please submit your materials on time.

Content: Articles, notes and other information of interest for our parish can be sent by mail. 

Church Attendance: A regular attendance of the church's services reflects how seriously you approach your salvation.

Parents with Sunday School children: Children must sit with their families in the front pews, so they will be served Communion first. During the school year, after Communion, children will proceed directly to their classrooms. Please remember that coming to the church late teaches our children bad habits. Make it a point to bring them on time.

THE SACRAMENT
 OF THE HOLY EUCHARIST

Preparation
To prepare for Communion we must keep our minds and hearts on spiritual things.

Prayer
When we come forward to receive, we should repeat the Communion prayer, which every Orthodox Christian should try to memorize.

Reverence
We approach the Holy Communion 'with fear of God, faith and love', knowing that our bodies and souls will become one with Christ.

Acceptance
We hold the red Communion cloth beneath our chin, using it to wipe our lips if necessary. We should open our mouth wide to receive the Holy Communion and not be afraid to close our lips upon the spoon. If there are acolytes holding the cloth, release the cloth and do not try to hand it to the next communicant. Turn toward the Consecrated
Bread (Antidoron), make your cross and take a piece of it.

Return
Return to your seat, remain standing and say a prayer of thanksgiving for this greatest gift of all on earth and in Heaven.

A Special Note from Father Dionysios about Receiving Communion
Please step up close to receive Communion, take the Cloth and place it under your chin.  When receiving the Communion, please open your mouth wide.

Sick and Visitation

The following parishioners would welcome your calls and/or visits.  Please be sure to call before visiting.   

Calliope Hatgelis (currently staying with grandson)
James Toompas (Arbor Acres UM Retirement Comm.)
Vonnie Kleanos (Evergreen's)    
Maria Vurnakes (Evergreen's)
Margaret Spence (Wesley Long Nursing Center)

We would appreciate your sharing with us the names of any parishioners you know of who are ill, hospitalized, or home-bound sick so that we may pray for them, visit, phone or send a card.  Donna at church office (292-8013), Elly Kotsionis (292-5107) or Sophie Rodete (644-9953).

Special Notice:

For those needing handicapped access, the ushers will be happy to help people out of their cars and provide valet parking.

THE TREASURER'S NOTE

October 2006:
Income:       $12,824.41
Expenses:  $15,785.06
Deficit       - $  2,960.65

It should be noted that during the course of the month, in order to pay bills on time, $8,000.00 was transferred from the Festival account into the general funds account. This is significant because the profit from the Festival was to be used in next years budget to meet expenses.

Please indicate in the memo portion of your check where payment should be applied: pledge, candles, tray, memorials, etc.  If you are using a business check, please make sure that your name is printed somewhere on the check.  The Budget is based on these incomes.  Thank you.

Father's Challenge

"Render to God the things that are God's." (Luke 20:25)

     Christmas is fast approaching. This blessed season is a joyous time to spend with family and loved ones as we observe the nativity of Our Lord, the Prince of Peace. Many people will flock to churches, both Orthodox and non-Orthodox, to attend the holy services before returning home to celebrate Christmas as a family. Yet many of these same individuals are sadly absent from the services much of the rest of the year.
     There seems to be a growing indifference and apathy among people in all faiths towards church attendance and public worship. There are a myriad of excuses for not going to church. I myself have heard these comments many times: "I don't believe you have to go to church to be a good Christian," "I can worship God in my own way at home just as well as I can at church," "It's my only day to sleep in," or "I don't like certain people in the church." Of course there are times when people are going to be hindered from going to church because of employment, distance, or sickness. The people I am referring to are those who are able
to go to God's house, but don't.
     It is true that going to church never made anyone a Christian, but if we don't go to church faithfully we will never be a successful Christian. Worship, or paying attention to God, is one of the things that belong to God. "Render to God the things that are God's." commands Christ in the Gospel. God expects and demands from every thinking person some attention, some recognition, some thought, some prayer, some honor, some homage. Are we acknowledging God in our lives when we stay at home on Sunday mornings? We should worship God privately in our own homes, but we are disobeying God and robbing ourselves of manifold blessings when we refuse to assemble regularly in public worship on Sundays.
In the Divine Liturgy we give perfect worship to the Almighty. This level of reverence and adoration cannot be duplicated at home.
      Nor can we live as well outside the church than we can inside the church with God's children. The excuses that most people come up with for not faithfully going to church are usually just a smokescreen to hide some kind of sin. Anger is among the most prevalent. If there are people at church whom we do not care to see, it shows a lack of love, compassion and forgiveness. Consider the words of Our Lord, "He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there
is no cause for stumbling in him" (1 John 2:9-10). Our focus in going to church should not be on the people who have hurt us. It should be on Christ and our own spiritual healing. We
are all sinners. We go to church to be cleansed of our own transgressions and strengthened with Holy Mysteries.
     As we prepare for Christmas, let us allow the love of Christ to motivate each of us to go
to church regularly. Like the Magi who hastened to Christ with glad hearts, let us go to church faithfully throughout the year. Look upon it, not as a burden or imposition, but as a blessed opportunity to grow closer to the gentle Prince of Peace, who reigns throughout the year.

In Christ,

Fr. Dionysios

THANK YOU
The flowers for the icon of the Synaxis of Archangels Michael & Gabriel for November 8 were donated. by Presvytera Mary Vaporis.

Thank you to Larysa Novikov who mended ten of the altar boy robes.

CONGRATULATIONS
To Lydia Zaharias and her son, David, who were churched on November 19, 2006.

AHEPA
 
The AHEPANs and the Daughters of Penelope would like to thank our parish members and entire Greensboro community for supporting our November Chicken Dinner and Bake Sale.  This was a very successful fundraising event for our scholarship program. Thanks to all members of both organizations for their hard work!!

The Daughters of Penelope and AHEPANs will have their annual Christmas  Dinner on Wednesday, December 13th at 7:00 pm at Anton's Restaurant (1628 Battleground Avenue). The cost is $ 25.00 per person (drinks are not included).  Please RSVP to Edna Pappas or Frank Chininis by Saturday, December 9th.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone!

Daughters of Penelope

The Daughters would like to thank everyone who supported us for our annual bake sale fundraiser on November 11.  Some of you came to help us during the baking.  A special "thank you" is extended to the following non-members:  Dena Efstathiou, Christa Graham, Anne Kazazes, Dena Kontoulos, Joanne Macropoulos, Vasiliki Patterson, and Doris Zaharias.  Even the Daughters' banker at BB&T, Jessica Devlin, volunteered to help sell pastries.  So, thank you Jessica as well.

Our entire profit of the bake sale this year will go toward the purchase of some replacement chairs for the fellowship hall.

A very special "thank you" is sincerely extended to Vasiliki Patterson for her very generous donation to the Daughters of Penelope of $600 toward the purchase of fellowship hall chairs.  Vasiliki's donation is made in memory of deceased family members.

Parish Council

The Parish Council met for their November meeting. Topics of discussion included the 2007 budget, the upcoming General Assembly, maintenance, philanthropy and the re-organization of the youth committee. The Minutes from these and all meetings are available to the members of the Parish. If you have any questions, please contact me or any member of the Parish Council.

The General Assembly of the Parish was held on November 17th. There were approximately forty-eight parishioners in attendance.

A Stewardship Report was given as well as financial reports that indicate that stewardship is down and we are still overly dependant on the festival for our daily operating expenses.

The 2007 budget was passed. A more realistic approach to the budget was taken this year and some deep cuts were required. The Philanthropy of our Church was eliminated for the 2007 year because of the decrease in Stewardship. It was reported that we had given away just over $16,000 of the $20,000 allocated to Philanthropy in the 2006 budget.

A complete festival report was given showing a profit in the amount of $84,593.75.

Nominations for the 2007-2009 Parish Council were Carl Colozzi, Theodora Vaporis, Dimitrios Efstathiou, Stephen Anton, Mary Ann Contogiannis, Eddie Merrill, Ron Freeman, and Demetrios Dascalakis. Scott Graham and Kimmon Varsamis declined nominations from the floor. (Zack Touloupas declined at a later date.)

Nominations to the Election Committee were Frank Chininis, Soteria Daskalakis, Barbara Kazazes and Larry Ross.

Nominations to the Auditing Committee were Mike Dolianitis, Brenda Miller and Elizabeth Contogiannis.
Submitted by Theodora Vaporis

PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS

We have begun our Annual Christmas Project for Children and Families in Need.  Chairperson Georgette Galloway has organized a gift giving procedure for several children and families referred to us from a local school.  This information is posted in the Hall or you may contact Georgette.  Donations of money will be accepted to purchase additional items needed by the families.

Please continue to donate items for our Year Round Food Bank. 
If you are interested in hosting the Sunday Coffee or donating flowers for the Altar, please check the Sign-up Sheets located in the church hall.

SUNDAY SCHOOL
Thank you to all students and parents who are coming to Sunday School as often as possible.  To others, we miss you, and hope to see you back soon!

Our children's' Christmas Program will take place in the Church sanctuary immediately following the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, December 17th.  We will dedicate a portion of our classroom time on Sunday December 3rd & 10th to reviewing the play and assigning parts.

PRACTICE makes "perfect," so we will conduct two rehearsals.  The first will take place on Saturday, December 9th at 10:00 am in the Church hall Please call Polly Anton (854-5065) if you can help revitalize some of our costumes, scripts, scenes, etc.  A few parents have already offered to help--thank you!
                           
     
NEW YEAR'S EVE GLENDI!!

Celebrate the New Year 2007 with an elegant evening of good food, music, dancing & good friends!
Sunday, December 31st
8:00 pm--???

Church Fellowship Hall

CONDOLENCES

To the family of Father Nicholas Michael Sitaras.  The Very Reverend Michael Sitaras, 87, fell asleep in the Lord on Sunday,  November 26, 2006, at Wesley Long Hospital.  Father Sitaras was born in Tripes, on the Island of Chios,
Greece on March 19, 1919. He served in World War II in the Greek Royal Navy. He graduated with Honors from the Risarios Theological  Seminary in Athens, Greece. The son of an Orthodox priest, the late Father Michael Sitaras of Chios, he was ordained into the Holy Priesthood in 1953. He served The Church of The Holy Cross in his
hometown in Kardamyla, Chios. In 1960, Fr. Sitaras immigrated to the United States with his wife where he raised his four children. He served as one of the first priests in Greensboro (1964-68). He served parishes in West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, Maine, Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and New York. Before his retirement in 1986, he established several parishes in Florida while serving as a priest in Fort Pierce. He also had the joy of seeing his two sons become Orthodox priests and his daughter marrying an Orthodox priest. He will be remembered most for the exuberant love and joyful energy that he expressed towards his family, friends, and everyone he met. His love for God was expressed through his beautiful chanting, his sermons, and the way he celebrated the divine services. The impact of his ministry has affected generations of Orthodox Christians and all who knew him in a way that will never be forgotten.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Presvytera Irene Manikas Sitaras; his daughter, Sophia S. Agapion and husband, Bill Agapion; his son, Fr. Michael Sitaras and wife, Mary; his son, Fr. Stelios Sitaras; his daughter, Katerina S. Makiej and husband, Fr. Chistopher; his 12 grandchildren, Irene Agapion Palamaris and husband, George, Dena Agapion Psatha and husband, Anthony, Basil Agapion, Emanuel Agapion, Nicholas Sitaras, John Sitaras, Alexander Sitaras, Christina Sitaras, Melina Sitaras, Alexia Sitaras, Nicholas Makiej, and Michael Makiej; and four great-grandchildren, Julian Putnam, Constantina Palamaris, Sophia Palamaris, and Iliana Psatha.