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St. Elijah Antiochian Orhtodox Christian Church | 15000 North May Avenue | OKC, OK 73134 | (405) 755-7804

A COOPERATIVE EFFORT OF FAMILIES, CLERGY AND PARISH MAINTAINING A SOUND FOUNDATION OF ORTHODOX FAITH

ExclusiveDECEMBER 2014

THE ST. ELIJAH

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Letter from Parish Council Chairman:

December 2014

Dear St. Elijah Parishioners,

I pray that each of you is doing well. By the time you receive this, we will have had Thanksgiving and I hope that your holiday was filled with blessings and great food. This is a special time of year at St. Elijah with so many things happening during November and December. We have begun the Advent Fast, St. Elijah Food Drive, Adopt-a-Family Program, preparations for the birth of Christ, etc... With the many blessings that we have at St. Elijah, I would like to remind everyone that there are numerous opportunities during the holidays to help those who are less fortunate. We have the Thanksgiving and Christmas Food Drives, as well as the Adopt-a-Family Program here at St. Elijah. Your help is needed to make sure that we are able to tend to those who are in need of the basic necessities of life. Please watch the bulletin, e-mails, and dates listed below to know when these opportunities are taking place.

I also want to take this opportunity to wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I pray your families are truly blessed during this holiday season that signifies the birth of our Savior. Also, if you are traveling, please be safe.

Church Repairs and Fundraising Update:

Replacement of duct work: As all of you know, we are in the process of replacing/moving all our under-ground duct work to the ceiling in the church and having the HVAC units moved to the roof. This is a critical undertaking in order to preserve/protect the interior of the church and to make sure we are breath-ing clean air. Due to scope of the work needed, we are going to have to raise money to help pay for this repair/update.

Fundraising: On November 9th the Parish Council and Finance Committee sponsored a church-wide meeting to explain the situation with the scope of work and our “Building Restoration and Maintenance” Fundraising Drive. St. Elijah needs everyone’s help on this project and we ask that you look at what you have been blessed with and try to help the church out during this time of need. Several points I want to stress to everyone: 1) This contribution is above and beyond your stewardship pledge; please do not donate to this fundraiser if it will affect your yearly commitment. 2) Please turn your pledge card in to the church office by January 1st, 2015. You have up to two years to pay off your commitment. 3) We need to raise $1.5 million in order to cover the repairs and to be able to build up a long-term maintenance fund that will help to protect the financial stability of the church. As a side note, we have had several bids come back and they were significantly higher than expected; so we are having them re-bid to make sure we are all looking at the same scope. 4) We hope to begin work at the beginning of the year and will keep you updated on the bidding process. 5) Trey Kouri and I will be trying to visit as many organizations as possi-ble during December to discuss and answer questions. We have currently visited with MDO Board and our Senior’s Group. If you have questions, please let us know.

Exterior: The final thing we are working on in relation to all of the damage last year - that should be fin-ished up over the next month, depending on weather - is resealing the joints in the bricks around the gym. Other than that, we have completed all work that involves repairs or updates.

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Interior: I wanted to report to you all of the damage done over the last has been completed over the last 3-4 weeks with the final replacement ceiling tiles being installed. The Parish Council Executive Commit-tee and members of our Construction/Repair Committee met with Wayne Musil of Guide One Taylor Ball and we signed a the final job completion form, which signifies the end of the insurance repairs. This also included the roof and all work done on the outside of the church.

St. Elijah Food Festival: What a great event! I want to thank everyone for their hard work and dedication during this event. We had great crowds and the festival was full from open to close. I love seeing the ca-maraderie and support everyone exemplifies during this event. Also, the hospitality shown to our guests is what keeps them coming back. Special thanks to Bake Sale Chairpersons: Renee Shadid, Dr. Raymond Cohlmia, Jeff Wyrick, Malek Massad, and all of the committee chairs. Job Well Done!!! We are expecting to clear between $80-85K when it is all said and done.

Mark your calendars for these important dates:

November 30th - Pass out remaining Names for Adopt-a-Family after church.December 4th - Parish Council Christmas PartyDecember 7th - Adult Fellowship nursing home visitation at 4:00December 14th - Sunday School Food Drive, canned foods and Adopt-a-Family items will be collected.December 21st - Sunday School Christmas Program and Lunch after church.December 21st - Teen SOYO Christmas Party.December 24th - 8:00 am Royal Hours, 9:30 am Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Christmas Eve, 6:45 pm Matins, 8:00 pm Divine LiturgyJanuary 18th - Annual Parish Meeting

Please watch the bulletin or see our web-site for other important dates.

Please feel free to contact me or any council member if you have any concerns. As always, there is an open door policy; so please reach out to us. I promise to keep the lines of communication open and to be available to talk whenever. Please continue to pray for this board as we work to make St. Elijah the best it can be.

Yours in Christ,

Craig AbrahamParish Council Chairman

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UPCOMING EVENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

DOWAMA Winter Camp Authorization / Consent Form Due by January 7

MEETINGS

MDO Board - Tuesday, December 09 @ 6:30 pmParish Council - Tuesday, December 16 @ 7:00pm

Pass out remaining names for Adopt a Family - Sunday, November 30 Parish Council Christmas Party - December 04Adult Fellowship nurshing home visitation - December 07 @ 4:00pmAntiochian Women’s Christmas Party - December 07 @ 3:00pmSunday School Food Drive - Sunday, December 1420/40 Christmas Party - Thursday, December 18 @ 7:00pmSunday School Christmas Program - Sunday, December 21Teen SOYO Christmas Party - Sunday, December 21

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Parent Authorization and Medical Consent  

My son/daughter, (full name) ___________________________________________________________, has my permission to participate in WINTER CAMP (January 16 – 19, 2015) at Camp St Raphael in Wagoner, OK. I understand that reasonable precautions will be taken to safeguard his/her health and safety, and that I will be notified as soon as possible in any emergency. Also, I will not hold liable any Orthodox Church, its clergy, Council members, staff, volunteers, the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North American, nor any individual lending or giving his/her private property to be used in connection with this event, for any illness or accident. If I am unable to be reached, and the occasion demands, I further authorize any treatment and hospital care advisable under the supervision of licensed medical physician. Such treatment may include x-ray, examination, anesthetic, medical, dental or surgical diagnosis.  Date:  ________________   Signature:  ______________________________________________________                   (Parent  or  Legal  Guardian)    

        (Print  name  signed  above:  ________________________________________)    HEALTH  INSURANCE  CARRIER:  __________________________________________________________    NAME  POLICY  IS  UNDER:  _______________________________________________________________    POLICY  #  /  PLAN  #:  _____________________________________________________________________  

 

PARTICIPANT  NAME:  _______________________________________________________________________    ADDRESS:  ________________________________________________________________________________    CITY,  STATE,  ZIP:  ____________________________________________________    AGE:  _______________    CELL  PHONE  #:  _________________________      PARENT  CELL  PHONE  #:  _________________________    GENDER:  _____  Male  _____  Female            SHIRT  SIZE  ___  Small    ___  Medium  ___  Large  ____  XL  ____  XXL  

 HOME  CHURCH:  ___________________________________          ATTENDING  AS:  _____  TEEN  ____  ADVISER*    

Everyone should bring with them bedding, toiletries, etc. WINTER CAMP will begin Friday, Jan. 16th at 7 p.m. with dinner

and will conclude Monday, Jan. 19th with breakfast.  

 Form & $125 registration (Chaperones/Advisors $110.00) payment made to DOWAMA SOYO is due by Tuesday, January 7th, 2014:

St. Elijah Orthodox Church – Attn: Erin Ghata 15000 N May Ave. – OKC, OK 73134

*Potential  Advisers,  please  make  sure  you  fill  out  an  Adviser  form  instead  of  this  one!  

 

Contact Erin Ghata (405) 410-9456 or Grace Saad (316) 619-8531 or Grace Tannous (267) 307-7394 if you have any questions.

*There are no “camp staff members” for Winter Camp. It is organized by our diocese youth directors, who will

be traveling with their teens and not arriving in advance. Therefore, we will be unable to provide transportation from the Tulsa airport.

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ALTAR

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SUNDAY BOOKSTORE USHERS ALTAR SERVERS EPISTLE READER

ELDERS

12/7

Tari Tibbits Joseph Carson Aarron Fraysur

Johnny Jones III Blair Naifeh

Dr. Shea Samara John Stiner Basil Sweis

Dr. Kris Wilson

Christian Swearingen Andrew Assaleh

Mark CrouchZach Homsey Anthony Ene

Robel Tesfaselassie Elias Assaleh

Gavin McLamb Lukasz Baker

Veronica Alasad Atif Asal Dr. Ray Cohlmia David A. Farris Michael Haggai Mickey Homsey

Elie Saleeba

12/14

Lawrence Clemens

Craig Abraham Mike Deeba Craig Gross

Spyridon Karousos Justin Naifeh

David Schneider Faysal Sweis Tefera Worku

Joseph Pendergraft Emile Karam

Joshua Cohlmia Kristian Khoury Boris Ganchev Joseph Harroz

Nicholas Hathaway Ian Baker

Emerson Wyrick

Reggie Jaime Allyn Baskerville Glenn Dean

Jim Fox Chehadeh Hamra

Jim Kamas Adnan Swies

12/21

Magid Assaleh Sam Assaleh Andrew Farha Walid Haddad

Ivo Lupov Phil Nasr

Dr. David Shadid Jacob Simon

Samson Tesfaselassie

David Baskerville Andrew Sweis

Tate Hammersley Sam Patty

Caleb Swearingen Michael Salem

Bo Naifeh Blaise Bittle

Sam McClellan

Betsy Buck Woodie Berry Kyle Eastridge Greg George

Dr. Edward Harroz, Jr. Dr. Lowell Lenhart

Omar Sweis

12/24 Christmas

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Closed Arto Baghdayan Patrick Farha Joe Harroz, Jr. Eric Massad Bobby Prater

Monte Shawareb Greg Stewart

Kelly Thomason

Zach Crouch Joseph EidCole Harroz

Christian Swearingen Joseph Pendergraft David Baskerville Andrew Abraham

Kylan AtkinsonGeorge Ghata, Jr.

Jake Kouri

Dr. Paul Massad Dr. Joe Byrnes Dr. Emile Farha

Joe Haddad Max Holdcraft

Dr. Sam Musallam Bob Floyd

12/28

Janet Jaime Magid Assaleh Dru Farris

Sam Homsey Michael Massad

Jase Rahill F. S. Simon

Dmitry Smirnov Charlie Ward

Joseph Eid Isaac Wilson

Alexander Weddington Konstantin Ganchev

Roman Baker Conner Swearingen

Jack Naifeh Samuel Shadid

Amir Sweis

Kristin Carson Mike Chumo James Farha Geary Green

Dr. Joe Harroz Gary Homsey

Franklin Naifeh

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Church Calendar09 HOME

December 2014Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

30 1 2 3 4 5 67p Choir Rehearsal 7a Matins

8:30a Exercise6p Great Vespers for St. John of Damascus and St. Barbara 7p Teen Chats 7p Family Night

10:30a Orthodox Study Fellowship

8:30a Exercise 8:45a Orthros and 10a Divine Liturgy for St. Nicholas 5p Great Vespers

7 8 9 10 11 12 138:50a Matins 10:00a Divine Liturgy Coffee Hour - Cultural Ministries 3p Antiochian Women Christmas Party at Mary Ann Harroz's home 4p Adult Fellowship Caroling at Bellevue

7a Matins for the Conception of the Theotokos 8:30a Exercise 6:30p MDO Board

6:15p Vespers 7p Teen Chats 7p Family Night

10:30a Orthodox Study Fellowship

8:30a Exercise 5p Great Vespers

14 15 16 17 18 19 208:50a Matins 10:00a Divine Liturgy Coffee Hour - Adult Fellowship

7p Choir Rehearsal 7a Matins 8:30a Exercise 7p Parish Council

6:15p Vespers 7p Teen Chats 7p Family Night

10:30a Orthodox Study Fellowship 7p 20/40 Christmas Party at Edward & Jessica Harroz's home

8:30a Exercise 5p Great Vespers

21 22 23 24 25 26 278:50a Matins 10:00a Divine Liturgy Coffee Hour - St. Ignatius SS Christmas Play & Lunch SOYO Christmas Party

7a Matins 8:30a Exercise

CHRISTMAS EVE 8a Royal Hours 9:30a Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Christmas Eve 6:45p Festal Matins 8p Divine Liturgy of the Nativity of Our Lord

CHRISTMAS (Services on the 24th) OFFICE CLOSED

OFFICE CLOSED 5p Great Vespers

28 29 30 31 1 2 38:50a Matins 10:00a Divine Liturgy Coffee Hour - Antiochian Women

7a Matins 8:30a Exercise

NEW YEAR'S EVE 6p Divine Liturgy for St. Basil the Great and Doxology for the New Year

NEW YEAR'S DAY OFFICE CLOSED

8:30a Exercise 5p Great Vespers