TODAY`S COFFEE HOUR is hosted by Pam Lloyd to whom we give our most sincere thanks!

EVERY MONDAY AT 8AM Get fortified for your week--every Monday at 8AM, you are invited to meet here at the church for a time of inspirational reading from the well-springs of Holy Orthodoxy. Morning refreshments are served at this get together.

At present, we are giving attention to the text "The Meaning of Suffering / Strife & Reconciliation." Please join us if you can. Readings last approximately 45 minutes.

WEEKLY SERVICES Wednesday evenings 5:30PM Bible Study; 6:30PM Paraklesis to the Theotokos; every last Tuesday of the month: 6:30PM Akathist to the Mother of God, Healer of Cancer; Saturday evenings 5:30PM Great Vespers; Sunday mornings 9:15AM Orthros, 10:30AM Divine Liturgy. Any changes to the service schedule apart from what's listed here are noted as a separate entry.

Individuals may always request to participate in a Divine Liturgy to be celebrated on a person`s Name Day. Please contact Fr. ahead of time to arrange.

JENNIFER PANDELIS & CHILDREN Jennifer (aka Eugenia) and her children, Elpida, age 9, and Dimitri, age 4, will be staying with us for a month or so while preparing to deliver baby Costa in Anchorage. They arrived in town yesterday. At present Jennifer's husband is teaching in the village of Marshall and their oldest son has remained in the village with his dad. Some of you already met Jennifer when she visited here a few weeks ago; please greet her, Elpida and Dimitri today and help them feel at home.

THIS THURS EVE--BABY SHOWER Please join us here this Thursday evening at 7PM for a "double" baby shower. We will celebrate the September 11 arrival of Chrisy`s baby, Lukas, and the soon-to-arrive Costa Pandelis (November). Sweets will be served, so save room for dessert...

UPCOMING FALL GENERAL ASSEMBLY Please plan on attending the Fall General Assembly meeting on Sunday, October 25, 2009. The meeting will begin after the morning`s Divine Liturgy.

Only stewards in good standing may vote at the meeting, so please make sure your pledge is current or plan to fill out a pledge card before the meeting. Even if you pledged as a steward in the past, your pledge must be renewed each year. You may contact Pam Lloyd with questions about stewardship.

We look forward to seeing all of you at the General Assembly. (Parish Council)

SEPT/OCT NEWSLETTER ON-LINE Find it here (plenty of colorful photos and more articles than the printed version): www.transfiguration.ak.goarch.org/Newsletter.pdf

STEWARDSHIP SUNDAY November 1 is Stewardship Sunday in our church this year. We welcome our new stewardship chairperson, Lois Sholl, who has volunteered to guide the parish`s stewardship program--thank you very much! Sincere thanks to Pam Lloyd, too, who has been our most recent stewardship chair and for the hard work and dedication she put toward this valuable ministry, the Lord reward you!

MEN`S RETREAT ON THE HORIZON All Saints of America Antiochian Orthodox Mission in Homer is hosting a men`s retreat, Friday evening, November 6th – Sunday, November 8th in Homer. The Very Reverend Joseph Copeland, pastor of Holy Cross Antiochian Orthodox Church in Yakima, Washington will be the retreat master. Topics covered will be: GRACE--what is it? REDEMPTION--how is it? / And the life of ST. SYMEON the NEW THEOLOGION. For more information, please contact Fr. Paul Moses Jaroslaw at (907) 235-8871 for further details--such as possible accommodations and to register to attend. Flyers for the retreat are on the table in the narthex.

PHILOPTOCHOS SPONSORED YOUTH ACTIVITY Philoptochos will conduct a prosphora-baking session with the Youth Group on Saturday Nov 14, as part of the organization's group memorial the following day.

On Sunday, November 15, during the morning's Sunday School class, the teens will decorate the koliva for the Philoptochos sponsored memorial that day. Both Junior and Teen Sunday School classes will learn about the koliva and memorial services duirng class time on the 15th. Please plan ahead for this important weekend. Watch the bulletin for more details as well.

BAKLAVA FUND RAISER St. Irene Philoptochos will be selling baklava for the upcoming holiday season, as a fundraiser to benefit the church’s operating fund as well as the Philoptochos ministry.

Prep dates are November 21, December 5 and December 12 at 10:30AM. Everyone is asked to come out and lend a helping hand for these worthy causes. Order sheets are available in the fellowship hall this AM.

Thank you for your continuing support of the philoptochos ministry.

PROVIDING ICONS FOR FAMILY WHO LOST ALL IN HOUSE FIRE As a benevolence, our parish bookstore will be providing patron saint icons for the Mat-Su Orthodox family who lost all their possessions in a fire recently. There are nine children and their parents, a total of 11 icons. The bookstore would appreciate any donations from the community to offset the wholesale cost/postage of providing these replacement icons for the family. If you'd like to contribute toward this benevolence, please leave a donation with Pres. Candace. Thank you.

BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED CHILDREN'S BOOKS The bookstore has received a shipment of gorgeous Orthodox children's books from Potamitis Publishing in Athens. They are unique and well worth the price--please take a look at these books on the individual lives of ST. CATHERINE, and ST. CHRISTOPHER, also, a compilation of saintly heroes in MY WARRIOR SAINTS and the colorfully illustrated MY PRAYER BOOK complete with explanations of the Orthodox Christian prayers.

OPPORTUNITY The Alaska Military Youth Academy is looking for mentors. If you are interested, please see Lynne Lucher for the details.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE RE BULLETIN ENTRIES Please send your bulletin entries directly to Pres. Candace rather than thru Fr. Leo`s email. Use this address doxa@clearwire.net for submissions for a particular Sunday and send no later than noon on Saturdays. I accept submissions throughout the week as well, though Saturday noon is the new deadline. Thank you, Pres.

SUPPLIES NEEDED LIST The Parish Council has posted a “Supplies Needed” list on the bulletin board next to the pantry door. If you see a kitchen or cleaning item needing replenishing please add it to the list. If you see an item on the list you would like to donate, please check it off the list when you bring it in. Thank you.

PLEASE TAKE NOTE...FINANCES, Week 41 Our parish is committed to a stewardship program in lieu of the annual Greek festival to keep ourselves up and running. The target figure for each week is $3,100. These 41 weeks have brought in an income of approx. $107k; and we now find ourselves with a $20k deficit.

Many have increased their giving and some new stewards have made an offering this year which has been an encouragement, nevertheless we are in a grave position at present and action is needed to correct it.

May the Lord help and save all the benefactors and stewards of His holy Church.

THANK YOU CORNER Who should receive a note of thanks? Please send info to Pres. for inclusion in the bulletin: doxa@clearwire.net (include a request for a "read" receipt under the options tab before sending to make sure she has received your message--thx!)