Upcoming Community Events Today Friday May 15, 2009
6pm Adult Greek Language Class
6:30pm Youth Dance Practice
8pm Greek School Teachers Meeting

Sat May 16, 2009
9am Festival equipment set up
10am Metropolis Oratorical Festival @ St George, Media

Sunday of the Samaritan Woman, May 17, 2009
8:45am + ORTHROS & DIVINE LITURGY
Memorial for a LVF Post “Eleftheria” departed members
Kalosorisma by PTO
2:30pm Wedding: Demetria Mamounas & Lawrence Damian

Monday May 18, 2009
3pm Festival Preparation

Tuesday May 19, 2009
3pm Festival Preparation
5pm Greek School Classes
7pm Adult Greek Class

Wednesday May 20, 2009
3pm Festival Preparation

Thursday May 21, 2009
Constantine & Eleni, Equal-to-the Apostles
8:45am + ORTHROS & DIVINE LITURGY
3pm Festival Preparation
5pm OPA FESTIVAL

Friday May 22, 2009
12pm Festival Preparation
5pm OPA FESTIVAL

Saturday May 23, 2009
9am Festival Preparation
12pm OPA FESTIVAL

Sunday of the Blind Man, May 24, 2009
8:30am +ORTHROS & DIVINE LITURGY
10am Festival Preparation
12pm OPA FESTIVAL


2009 OPA Volunteers If you have already signed up with Stephanie Ristvey, please come at your assigned time. If not, please see the dates and the needs below and come to offer your time and talents to your Church.
Sat 5/16, 9am/ Equipment from parish house to OPA area.
Mon 5/18, 3p/ Souvlaki preparation.
Tue 5/19, 3p/ Food preparation. New tent tables and chairs set up.
Wed 5/20, 3p/ Food preparation. Old tent tables & workstations set up—WE NEEED LOTS OF HANDS FOR THIS ONE!
Thu 5/21, 3p/ Food and workstations preparation.
Fri 5/22, 12p/ Food and workstations preparation.
Sat 5/23, 9a/ Food and workstations preparation.
Sun 5/24, 10a/ Food and workstations preparation.
Mon 5/24, 9a/ Festival break-down.
Please contact or see Stephanie Ristvey ristvey@verizon.net 215-5791189, Mike Trifonidis 215-2607954, or Peter Gouris curtins3@comcast.net 215-8626979

Stewardship One of the things we need to do is to make a serious effort to look at STEWARDSHIP from a spiritual point of view. Unfortunately, there are many people ( thank God not everyone ), who think that STEWARDSHIP is another gimmick to collect more money for the Church. It is also very unfortunate that so many people associate STEWARDSHIP with money only. In the following paragraphs we will make an effort to correct some of these misconceptions.
A good steward in our Church, must first and foremost be a good Spiritual steward. This person must know exactly why he/she must have a very clear understanding of what the Church is, and what Her mission is in this area, in this country and in the world.
Fortunately for us, there are many Christians who do have this understanding. Some of these people perhaps will not state things in these exact words, but nevertheless, they do have a good understanding of this spiritual STEWARDSHIP. All of us know these people, they are around us, they look like everyone else. However, these are the people who see the need to make Prosphoro for the Church, they are those who participate in the choir, they are the very same people who donate money for the Gospel and the Cover, they are those who work the Public Dinners, they are the workers of the Food Festivals, they are the Philoptochos, they are all those who lifted up a finger to help in all the work that needed to be done, they are the Parish Council, they are those who come to the Bible Classes to learn the Word of God, they are those who make donations even from a distance, they are YOU!!! Yes! You are the STEWARDS of the Church.
You are the STEWARDS of the Church, and most of you worked for the Church rather than any reason. Most of you worked for the sake of God and our Church, rather than to hear a "Thank you!" As the Lord Jesus said, " Let not your left hand know what your right is doing".
As we see here, you already are good STEWARDS. There are those who think that because the others help, they don`t have to. There are those who say that they need not to clean anything because others are doing it. There are those who say that the rich can help the Church, and that they are relatively poor and therefore they don`t have to contribute.
There are those who say that since the Parish year after year some how meets its expenses why should they contribute. And there those who dare to say, ` if the Church is in need let her come down to us and we will save her`. Unfortunately, with this attitude, they are saying that the monastics and the priests are praying for them, and therefore they don`t have to.
How unfortunate!
Fr. Christos


2009 Stewardship Update A letter from the Stewardship Committee has arrived at your home. Through that letter, we are asking each parishioner to take a good and honest look at how you have been pledging and supporting your Church for the last few years. We are asking you to give this matter your highest attention.
Is your giving based on the biblical principle of tithing (proportional giving based on income), or is it a mere token annual donation?
Are you doing your part to sustain and advance the message of the Gospel of our Lord?
If you have any questions, please see or contact Parish Council president Ginny Markos, or Stewardship Committee Chairperson Paul Fisfis.


Graduation Sunday, May 31, 2009 Our community will honor the accomplishments of this year’s graduates on Sunday, May 31, 2009, at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. We invite you to submit the names of high school, vocational-technical school, and college/university graduates, and share with your church community the acknowledgment of their achievements. Winter graduates will also be acknowledged at this time. Please fill in the form below and forward it to the Parish Office by Friday May 22, 2009.
------------"------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHURCH OF THE ANNUNCIATION GRADUATION CEREMONY
SUNDAY MAY 31, 2009
Name of graduate
Telephone email
Graduating from
Diploma received
Degree received
Attending College in the Fall
Will be studying / majoring in


HELP WANTED: Church Caretaker Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Elkins Park, PA is seeking a full-time Caretaker. The qualified applicant will have a demonstrated knowledge of building cleaning, building maintenance, basic repairs, grounds care, and kitchen and banquet hall setup and cleanup. Must be a team player, able to work flexible hours with minimal supervision.
For further in formation and consideration, please contact Fr. Christos Christofidis, or Parish Council President Mrs. Ginny Markos.

H Ελληνική Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία του Ευαγγελισμού, Elkins Park, PA, επιδιώκει να προσλάβει έναν Επιστάτη πλήρους απασχόλησης. Ο κατάλληλος υποψήφιος πρέπει να κατέχει βασικές γνώσεις καθαρισμού και συντήρησης οικοδομής, γνώσεις βασικών επισκευών, και προετοιμασίας και καθαρισμού κουζίνας και αίθουσας. Επίσης πρέπει να είναι σε θέση να εργαστεί εύκαμπτες ώρες με ελάχιστη επίβλεψη.
Για περαιτέρω πληροφορίες και εκτίμηση, παρακαλώ απευθυνθείτε στον π. Χρήστο Χριστοφίδη, ή στην πρόεδρο κ. Βιργινία Μάρκος

The Prayer Corner “For Health and Salvation”
If yourself or a loved one is going through a difficult time and would like the community to pray for you, please contact Fr. Christos or the Parish Office, and request to be added on the prayer list. We will list the first names only in the weekly bulletin for six months, or until you ask to be removed from the list. Fr. Christos will also make a special mention of these names at the Proskomede.
We also need to remind you to call Fr. Christos when someone is ill and hospitalized so Fr. Christos can visit the hospital or nursing home.

Prayer for Healing
Heavenly Father, physician of our souls and bodies, who have sent our Lord to heal every sickness. Visit and heal us. Grant patience in this sickness, strength of body and spirit, and recovery of health. Lord, You have taught us to pray for each other that we may be healed. We pray that You heal, guide and protect your servant (s)
(pray by name for those who are sick)
and grant them the gift of complete health. For You are the source of healing and to You we give glory, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Please add the following to your daily prayer list:
Anastasia, Donna, Eleni, Eleni, Frederica, Garyfalia, George, John, Kyriaki, Maria, Rachel, Mary, Nicholas, Panagiota, Thalia, Thomas, Chris, Chris, Chrysanthi, Nicholas, Eusebia, Mary, Themistokles, George, Panagiotis, Fr. Anthony, Presvytera Eleni, Cora, Petros, Fr. Kyriakos, Soteria, Konstantina, Panagiotis, Hariklea, Miltos, Eleftheria, Nikolaos, Francis, Beverly, Allan, Ella...

“Susan G. Komen’s Walk for the Cure” Ladies Philoptochos Nausica would like to thank all who participated in the Komen Philadelphia Race for the Cure this Mother's Day. Your heartfelt generosity of spirit and commitment to the fight against breast cancer will enable the Philadelphia Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure to fund vital programs of education, awareness and support throughout our local community. Because of you, Annunciation Church of Elkins Park raised $450.00 for the cause! All your pledges will assist the vision and empower the dream, that one day soon there will be a world without breast cancer!
Avgiris Cathy
Avgiris John ***
Bennett Demetra
Economou Olga
Exarchos Christina *
Exarchos Debra *
Gargan Ani
Gargan Arax
Gargan Cathy
Gargan Timothy
Gutchigian Amanda
Gutchigian Joyce
Gutchigian Stefanie
Malitas Kiki
Morris Elisabeth
Nikolopoulos Eleni *
Pallermo Lisa **
Peterson Lu
Peterson-Trifonidis, Shauna
Sandilos Maria
Sandilos Georgiana
Trifonidis Vaso
Trifonidis Cosmas
Trivelis Lisa **
Trivelis Renee **
Verros Katharine *
Zoubroulis Argie
Zoubroulis Demitri
Zoubroulis Zaffie (captain) **

* Last minute walk Absentees
** Team Gift Sponsors *** Bus funds Sponsor
Our sincere thanks to those who sponsored, walked and made our new endeavor a memorable and powerful day for those who currently fight this disease...Until next year please  keep in your prayers all those who lost their battle and all those who won it!
With great appreciation,
Ladies Philoptochos

Why Do We Commemorate The Two Saturdays of Souls? Beloved Parishioners
XPICTOC ANECTH !   CHRIST IS RISEN !
Our Holy Orthodox Tradition has set for us two Saturdays in which we remember the ones who have fallen asleep in Lord Jesus Christ. The one Saturday of souls is before the Sunday of the Last Judgment, and the other is before Pentecost. In these Holy  Saturdays,  we can  pray for the souls of our beloved friends and relatives, our brothers and sisters in Christ, in the Church and also in their resting place, the cemetery. The Saturday before the Sunday of the Last Judgment we offer memorial services as to entreat the Lord God to pour upon their souls all His mercy and to bring them into His Kingdom at the Day of His Second coming. And the Saturday before Pentecost we ask of God to send His Holy Spirit, Who is the giver of life, upon those who have fallen asleep and raise them up to His eternal glory. 
In the past three years I have spoken to you many times about the theology of these Saturdays and have said that we need to establish them as the two days in which we should offer Trisagion prayers at the cemetery. Therefore, the Saturday before Pentecost, June 6,2009, after the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy and the Memorial Service, I will go to the cemetery to offer a prayer service. All the names will be read together just as we do in church. Your donations from those two Saturday of souls will be send to an Orthodox charity (to be announced at a later date).
If you have any questions please call me at the church office or see me personally.
In the Risen Lord, Father Christos
PS. There will be no Trisagion prayers at the cemetery on Memorial Day unless the one who is buried there is a war veteran.