Beyond St. Nektarios
Application now available for the Christos and Georgia Trakatellis Fellowship — The Fund offers fellowships to graduates of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology to study Greek language, Hellenic culture and liturgical practice. These studies can take place in the United States or, preferably, in Greece or at the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Instructions and applications can be downloaded from the Scholarship Web Page of the Archdiocese at http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/administration/chancellor/2016. Candidates can request more information via email [email protected] or by calling (212) 774-0283. The deadline for submitting an application for the fellowship is May 6, 2016.
Iconography Workshop and Retreat, Sunday,
May 22nd — Friday, May 27th at the Diakonia Center in Salem, SC. Instruction by Fr. Anthony Salzman. For more information go to http://www.imageandlikeness.com/workshops-seminars/. Registration closes May 1st.
Family Camp for Special Needs, Friday, May 27th —
Sunday, May 29th at the Diakonia Retreat Center in Salem, SC. This event is a faith-based camp aiming to help children, ages 9-14, with Autism and their families grow in their relationship with God. The session is limited to 10 families. For more information and/or reserve a spot, contact Despina Koulianos at (251) 454-5657 or [email protected]. Pick up a flyer at the Information Table in the Spiritual Life Center.
American Hellenic Institute Foundation College
Student Foreign Policy Study Trip to Greece and Cyprus, Wednesday, June 15th — Friday, July 1st. The American Hellenic Institute Foundation (AHIF) is accepting applications for its travel abroad program aimed to help Greek American college students better understand the core foreign policy issues important to the Greek American community. The program is open to Greek American and Cypriot American college students who are in good academic standing. Deadline to apply is April 15th. For more information on how to apply, visit: http://ahiworld.org/for-students/policy-trip.html or email Yola Pakhchanian at [email protected].
Icon Painting Workshop July 18th — July 23rd at All
Saints Antiochian Church in Raleigh, NC. Master Iconographer Daniel Neculae will lead this six-day course on Byzantine style iconography. Participants will be painting the icon of the Mandelion using the tradition egg tempera method. For questions, registration, and payments, contact Veronica Royal at (571) 332-3944 or [email protected].
APRIL & MAY
2016
SUNDAY SERVICES 8:15 a.m. Matins & Divine Liturgy
PARAKLESIS NO Paraklesis services during the months
of April or May
OTHER SERVICES APRIL 1ST THROUGH MAY 31ST (SEE PAGE 3 & 5 FOR WEEKDAY LENTEN SERVICES & HOLY WEEK SERVICES)
Wed. Apr. 13, 8:00 p.m. Great Cannon of St. Andrew
Sat. Apr. 23, 9:00 a.m. Matins & Divine Liturgy (Teaching Liturgy) - Saturday of Lazarus
HOLY WEEK - see enclosed Holy Week
Schedule
Tues. May 3, 9:00 a.m. Matins & Divine Liturgy - St. George the Great Martyr
Wed. May 4, 9:00 a.m. Matins & Divine Liturgy - St. Mark the Evangelist & St. Athanasios the Great
Thur. May 5, 7:00 p.m. Vespers for the Theotokos of the Life-Giving Font followed by Agiasmo & Reception
Fri. May 6, 9:00 a.m. Matins & Divine Liturgy - Theotokos of the Life-Giving Font
Sat. May 21, 9:00 a.m. Matins & Divine Liturgy - Sts. Constantine & Helen
Wed. May 25, 9:00 a.m. Matins & Divine Liturgy for Mid-Pentecost
IN THIS MAILING: April & May Calendars
Holy Week & Pascha Schedule
Agape Picnic
Lenten Weekday Services Schedule
Wednesday Night Soup Dinner
Donation Center
Youth Ministry
New Comer Luncheon
Medical Mission Ministry Health Fair
2016 Mens Softball Spring Schedule
St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival
Palm Cross making for Palm Sunday
A.R.E. Special Presentation - “The Footsteps of Christ & the Apostles
Metropolis Family Life News
2016 OCMC Trips
Philoptochos News Samaritan’s Feet Palm Sunday Luncheon Holy Friday Luminaries
ST. NEKTARIOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
5108 KUYKENDALL RD.
CHARLOTTE, NC 28270
WWW.STNEKTARIOS.ORG PH: 704-708-4669
Better Late than Never
Book Club
The next meeting of Book Club will be on Tuesday, May 3, 7:30 pm (no meeting in April) at the Starbucks on Rea Rd., in the Trader Joe’s shopping center. We will be discussing Beowulf (recommend Seamus Heaney translation). The group is always welcoming new members. For more information, please contact Maria Demakis at [email protected].
YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY (YAM)
Upcoming Events: Saturday, April 9th — Habitat for Humanity Build
Day Wednesday, April 13th — Reading of Canon of
St. Andrew Wednesday, April 27th — Annual Holy
Wednesday Dinner (after Holy Unction) Watch your Community Announcements and email
for more information.
Young at Heart
for our over 55 members
The April & May dinner meetings will be on: Thursday, April 14, 6:00 p.m. Thursday, May 12, 6:00 p.m.
Parish Council
The April Parish Council meeting will be held on Monday, April 18, 4:30 p.m. If you would like an item added to the agenda, please contact the office by Wednesday, April 13th.
The May Parish Council meeting will be held on Monday, May 23, 6:00 p.m. If you would like an item added to the agenda, please contact the office by Wednesday, May 18th.
Kouvouklion bearers
Anyone who is interested in bearing the Kouvouklion which holds the Epitaphion on Holy Friday evening, 7:00 pm on April 29th, is welcome to participate. By April 10th, please contact Niki Kleto at [email protected] or you may call the office (704) 708-4669.
Did You Know?
We can receive your offerings through your personal banking bill pay service. Just set up the church as one of your bills to pay. Please remember to indicate the purpose of the donation.
We can receive your offerings through e-giving, go to our website, www.stnektarios.org, click on “Online Giving”.
Office Closings
The Sanctuary and Office buildings will be closed: Monday, May 2nd in honor of Pascha Monday, May 30th in observance of Memorial
Day
Co m m u n i t y Bu l l e t i n
Community Blood Drive
Coming in May
Look for more details in your
Community Announcements
DONATION CENTER
Canned beans- pinto, kidney, black, navy
Canned veggies- mixed, corn, peas, carrots, green beans
Hamburger/Tuna/Chicken Helper
Canned chicken Instant mashed
potatoes Pork and beans Jelly Instant grits Hearty soups
Now Accepting Food for Matthews HeLP Center
Most Urgent need is for:
Located in Spiritual Life Center Lower Level
Elevator Lobby
Great Compline Mondays through April 18 at 7:00 p.m.
The service of the Compline is done in monasteries on a daily basis before one retires for sleep. It is used in our churches during the season of Lent, on either Monday, Tuesday or Thursday. This 45 minute-long service consists mostly of Psalm readings and prayers and ends with the very powerful hymn, “Lord of the Powers” The service of the Great Compline allows us an opportunity to pray and reflect, to cry out for God’s mercy and forgiveness, and to acknowledge that all our hopes and salvation must be placed in God’s hands.
Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts
Every Wednesday through April 20 at 6:00 p.m. and followed by a Community Lenten Soup Supper
Since the Divine Liturgy is a festive and joyous celebration, it is not celebrated on week-days during Lent. This celebration is reserved only for Sundays, the Saturdays of the Souls and the Feast of the Annunciation. The Divine Liturgy is not conducted on other days as a way of maintaining the solemnity of the season. However, because Lent is a period of fasting, it should also be a period of more frequent reception of Holy Communion. There is no consecration of the Gifts at this Liturgy. They have been consecrated usually on the preceding Sunday at a regular Divine Liturgy.
It lasts just over an hour and contains the service of the Ninth Hour and the Vespers, with Holy Communion added at the end. Those who choose to keep the entire fast are encouraged to attend this service and to receive Holy Communion as a way of sustaining the fast by receiving the Body and Blood of Christ even more frequently during this period of spiritual discipline.
Salutations to the Theotokos and Akathist Hymn
Salutations every Friday through April 8 at 7:00 p.m. Akathist Hymn on Friday, April 15 at 7:00 p.m.
This service lasts just over an hour and consists of hymns and prayers addressed to Christ and the Theotokos. The Akathist Hymn is a beautiful poem of praise and devotion to the Mother of our Lord. It was sung in the year 626 in the Church of the Theotokos in Constantinople on the occasion of the deliverance and freedom of Constantinople from the barbarians.
The Akathist is composed of twenty-four stanzas, each stanza beginning with a letter of the Greek alphabet from Alpha to Omega. The Hymn is divided into four parts, one part sung on each of the Fridays of Lent (Salutations) and on the fifth Friday, the Hymn is sung in its entirety. It is called "Akathist" because the people, out of love, devotion and gratefulness to the Theotokos for Her miracle and deliverance, stood during the entire Hymn.
St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church
2016 GUIDE TO LENTEN WEEKDAY SERVICES
W e d n e s day N i g h t s D u r i n g
L e n t
Through Wednesday, April 20th
6:00 p.m. Presanctified Liturgy
Followed by a
Lenten Soup Supper A Lenten soup will be provided.
Please bring [to share] a Lenten side dish, fruit or a
Lenten dessert (no dairy items).
See the sign-up list by the kitchen window for what to
bring.
Take-out containers of Lenten soup will be available for a small donation to help you
with your Lenten meal preparations during the week.
SUN APR 3 THE COMPASSION EXPERIENCE: after Catechism; lunch then trip to event venue
SUN APR 10 SERVICE NIGHT—making sandwiches for URBAN MINISTRY CENTER
SUN APR 17 LENTEN POTLUCK DINNER—Holy Week prep; 5:30—7:00; Fellowship Hall
FRI-SAT APR 22 GOYA LENTEN LOCK-IN: details to come via email and on FACEBOOK PAGE
NO O-LIFE SESSIONS ON PALM SUNDAY, PASCHA, OR MOTHER’S DAY
SUN MAY 1 SERVICE TO THE PARISH : Serve at the Beverage Station at the Agape Picnic
SUN MAY 15 FINAL 0-LIFE & FAREWELL to SENIORS: NASCAR HALL OF FAME & DINNER
NEW - The team will be playing in a new league this year, the Waxhaw
Athletic Association
Games are played at HC Nesbit Park,
1304 H.C. Nesbit Rd., Waxhaw, NC(Near Kensington Elementary School)
Season schedule at: http://stnektarios.waxhawadultsoftball.org/site/clientsite/
schedule
Additional info - contact Andrew Bahanovich at [email protected]
Parish Level
Oratorical Festival
Wednesday, April 6th following
Presanctified Liturgy
Medical Mission Ministry
Health Fair
Saturday, April 16th
10:00 am –1:00 pm
Beginning with open forum presentation
Featuring various information booths
Medical personnel available to answer
questions
Albania Kenya
5/23/2016 to 6/10/2016 Outreach 8/10/2016 to 8/22/2016 Youth Work
6/7/2016 to 6/20/2016 Youth Work 8/10/2016 to 8/22/2016 Youth Work
8/26/2016 to 9/5/2016 Teaching
10/25/2016 to 11/5/2016 Teaching Uganda
Guatemala 5/9/2016 to 5/21/2016 Healthcare
4/8/2016 to 4/17/2016 Healthcare
6/15/2016 to 6/28/2016 Youth Work United States
8/26/2016 to 9/4/2016 Healthcare 7/1/2016 to 7/11/2016 Youth Work
Indonesia 7/7/2016 to 7/21/2016 Construction
5/9/2016 to 5/21/2016 Healthcare 7/20/2016 to 7/30/2016 Youth Work
6/28/2016 to 7/11/2016 Teaching 7/27/2016 to 8/5/2016 Youth Work
6/28/2016 to 7/11/2016 Teaching
Open Mission Teams Current Mission Team opportunities available through OCMC are listed below. Airfare not included in Team costs. Team members must travel on scheduled dates; air travel to be coordinated with OCMC; ground transportation will be provided. Team members are encouraged to raise additional funds to cover the cost of domestic and international travel. To learn more or sign-up for a Mission Team go to: http://www.ocmc.org/about/open_teams.aspx
Helping Orthodox families live Christ-centered lives with
updated blogs, family retreats, and teaching materials.
Palm Sunday April 24 at 5:00 p.m.
Presented by Gerry Clonaris
“The Footsteps of Christ
& the Apostles” Come learn about the events leading up to Jesus’ death and Resurrection
The blessing of the palms will take place during Matins after the Gospel reading.
We want everyone to be holding their palms during the entire service and especially during the procession of the icon of the Entry of our Lord into Jerusalem, which will take place at
the end of the Divine Liturgy.
The palms are the “symbols of victory” as it says in the hymn for the feast day (see below), which will be sung repeatedly
throughout the service. This victory is not only our Lord’s victory over death, but also any personal victory over one’s sinful passions, which was the hope and purpose of Lent.
“Before Your passion, You confirmed the resurrection of all, by raising Lazarus from the dead, O Christ our God. Therefore, like the children of old,
we also carry symbols of victory, and to You, the Victor over death, do we cry out: Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”
Palm Sunday Palm Crosses
Upcoming Events
Sunday, April 3 Second Tray for Hellenic College and Holy Cross School of Theology Loukoumades Sale
Saturday, April 23 Palm Cross making following Liturgy
Sunday, April 24 Palm Sunday Luncheon
Tuesday, April 26 Egg Dyeing
Friday, April 29 Decorating the Kouvouklion
Thursday, May 19 End of the Year Dinner meeting & Baby Shower to benefit Love, Inc.
April & May 2016
Become A Member For 2016 Registration envelopes located at church at the Fellowship Hall
Information Center and the office reception area.
ANNUAL TSOUREKIA (Easter Bread) $12.00 per large loaf, $8.00 per small loaf
KOULOURAKIA SALE (Twisted Butter Cookie) $7.00 per dozen
Sold on Sundays while supplies last Orders will be available for sale on Sundays beginning April 3rd during
St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church Missions and Philanthropy Ministry
Partners with Samaritan’s Feet
Samaritan’s Feet is a Charlotte Based non-profit organization whose mission is to provide shoes to the poor. They have distributed shoes in the U.S., Central and South America and Africa.
Ways you can help:
Support the Giving Tree with a $10 or $20 gift
Join the Shoe-sorting team on June 11, 2016 from 9:30 a.m. to noon
Beginning April 10th, please stop by the Giving Tree during Fellowship Coffee Hour for information on how to participate and/or sign-up to sort shoes.
For more information, contact Phyllis Gianakopoulos at [email protected]