CORNUCOPIA CRAFT FAIR Sunday, Nov. 22, from 11:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. in the hall sponsored by Philoptochos. Start your shopping early at:
~A variety of craft booths (jewelry, embroidery, gourmet foods made by local artists)
~Buy your Thanksgiving Tsoureki (just $8/loaf) homemade by the Daughters of Penelope
~Shop at Philoptochos’ White Elephant booth of gently used books, CDs, DVDs and more!
~Last chance to purchase your dinner tickets for the 50th Gala (see insert)
Also, the Knitting Group will be displaying the blankets they made for the YOCAMA mission trip to Montana and the scarves they made for our troops.
Free coffee and pizza & soft drinks for sale.


50TH ANNIVERSARY GALA Sat., Nov. 28 at the Renaissance, Cleveland. 6 p.m.-1 a.m. dinner & dancing to live American and Greek music. Premiere showing of St. Demetrios’ History documentary. $100/person; your check is your reservation and can be turned into the church office. To reserve a table, call Jeanne Paras (440-779-6544) or Crystal Thomas (440-356-1032.)

PHILOPTOCHOS EVENTS GIVING TREE Starting Nov. 22, the Philoptochos tree will be in the Narthex again this year.
We will again work GOYA and collect items for Laura's Home, a program for women and children at The City Mission. See which items are most needed as listed on the web site Thecitymission.org (ex: diapers, formula, gifts for women, gift cards, sheets, etc.) or take an ornament from the tree. Wrap, label and return gift items under the tree by Dec. 6. GOYA will take all collected items to Laura’s Home on Fri., Dec. 11 for their Christmas party.

1ST MONDAYS PIZZA The 1st Monday of the month (Dec. 7) is St. Demetrios Day at Romeo’s Pizza, 2064 Clague Rd. (440)331-1155. When you order any food for take out from this store in Westlake, Philoptochos earns 15% of all sales! (Mention St. Demetrios Church when you order) Fliers & coupons in the church office.



HOLIDAY ORDERS Look for order forms for both the community Christmas card and our Baklava4You pastry sale in The Epistle and on the church website www.saintdemetriosrr.org



WINTER FEASTDAYS Mon, Nov. 30- St. Andrew, Divine Liturgy at 9:30 a.m.
Fri., Dec. 4 –St. Barbara;
Sun., Dec. 6- St. Nicholas – all families celebrating a “Nicholas” or “Nicole”’s nameday are welcome to bring a plate of treats to share for coffee hour.


ADULT DANCE GROUP Wed., Dec. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Sts. Constantine & Helen Church, Mayfield Rd., Cleveland Heights. A greater Cleveland adult (18 & up) Greek dance group has been formed to perform at an event on Sat., Jan.23, 2010. Those interested are welcome to join. .

BAKERY TO GO Sat., Dec. 5, the Daughters of Penelope will hold a Holiday Baking Demo by Jan Voiklis in the hall kitchen from 10:30 a.m.-noon. $20/person. Register by Dec. 1 by calling Stacy Range (440-871-3012.) We will buy the ingredients, do the prep work & clean up! You just bring a pastry brush, follow our simple instructions and you can take home a tray of baklava ready for baking! Bring your friends & join us. Samples and light refreshments will be served.

AROUND TOWN CSU RECITAL Mon., Nov. 23 at 7:30 p.m. at CSU’s Drinko Recital Hall (corner of Euclid & E. 21st St.) University Chorus, CSU Choral and CSU Chamber Orchestra. Our own Mary Matzorkis will be among the musicians. Free and open to all. www.csuohio.edu/class/music for more info.

MICHAEL’S THANKSGIVING Continuing his annual tradition, Mike Petrakis is again opening Michael’s Family Restaurant, 19797 Detroit Ave., Rocky River, on Thanksgiving, Thu., Nov. 26 to all his customers, senior citizens and anyone who doesn’t have someone to spend the day with, to enjoy a free turkey dinner with all the trimmings from noon to 5 p.m. This year’s meal is dedicated in memory of his mother Maria Petrakis.

HOLIDAY LUNCH-LESS LUNCH to benefit St. Mary of Egypt. Purchase a $10 “Meal Ticket” and all the proceeds will go toward purchasing food for Cleveland’s needy families. Tickets are available in the church office.

“THE FILIOQUE: A VERY BASIC INTRODUCTION” Fri., Dec 4, at 7 p.m. at the Lyceum School in Little Italy, 2062 Murray Hill Road, Cleveland. Dr. Peter Gilbert, a Patristic Scholar, Orthodox Christian and writer on ecumenical subjects, will give the lecture on the "filioque" which means "and the Son." When the West added the filioque to the Creed: "the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son," a controversy erupted that has separated Orthodox and Catholics for centuries. All are welcome. For more information call 216-707-1121.

ST. HERMAN’S SPAGHETTI DINNER Sun., Dec. 6 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. at St. Malachi Parish Hall, 2459 Washington Ave., Cleveland. All proceeds from this annual benefit are used to help pay December utility bills and other needs for St. Herman’s Monastery & House of Hospitality. $7/adult; $6/senior over age 60; $5/child under 10. Purchase at the door or pre-order by sending your check payable to “St. Herman’s Friends” c/o Daniel Jenks, 14084 State Rd., North Royalton, OH 44133. Call Dan or Debbie (440-526-8465) if you are interested in volunteering.

PAN-ORTHODOX CHRISTMAS CONCERT Sun., Dec. 13 at 5 p.m. hosted by St. Paul Greek Orthodox Church, 4548 Wallings Rd., North Royalton. Choral music from the various Orthodox ethnic traditions. Free admission/free will donations will be accepted. Refreshments to follow.

SINGERS SOUGHT The Pan-Orthodox Young Adult Fellowship of greater Cleveland is forming a choir to sing in this year’s Pan-Orthodox Nativity Concert on Dec. 13. Music from various Orthodox traditions, to be sung in English. For more info, call Gerald Largent (440-376-7799.)

AGAPE CANISTER PROGRAM Sponsored by the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) to help children and communities worldwide with medical care, agricultural development, building of schools, providing food & clothing, building water wells, etc. Businesses (restaurants, stores, gas stations, offices of various service providers, etc.) interested in helping, can display an “Agape Canister” near their cash register to collect change from patrons. Each month, any money collected is sent to OCMC with a report form. Since 1988, the program has contributed over $1.6 million is the form of aid all over the world. To request a canister, call 1-877-463-6784. Small change can make a big difference!


ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS Application forms for all of Cuyahoga County’s energy assistance programs (HEAP, PIPP, HWAP) are available in the magazine rack in the Narthex. Help is available to qualifying young families as well as senior citizens; homeowners and renters alike. (Income guidelines are listed in the form.) Applications will be accepted through March 31, 2010.


YASSOU HOLIDAY GALA Thu., Dec. 10 at 5 p.m. in the hall. $30/person includes appetizers, catered dinner buffet and special holiday entertainment by “The Four Coins” Greek-American vocal quartet from the ‘50s & ‘60s, performing their #1 hit “Shangri-La” and many others. For tickets call Mary Pappadakes (440-333-7988.) No tickets will be sold at the door.

QUARTERS FOR THE HUNGRY In November and December, Sunday School is encouraging all its students to bring a quarter to class every week, to benefit St. Mary of Egypt Monastery. With each .25, the monastery can purchase 2 pounds of food through the Cleveland Foodbank, benefiting needy families in the Cleveland area.