THE JOY OF HALLOWEEN

On Sunday, November 2, 2003, JOY (Junior Orthodox Youth) will hold its annual Halloween costume party for the children of the Annunciation Cathedral. Parents are encouraged to bring their children in costume for the event, which will be held at the Cathedral at 5 p.m. As in past years, we will have games, crafts, dinner, treats, and lots and lots of fun. Once again, your assistance is needed to help supervise the games and crafts and to help with dinner prep. Please contact Denise Yeilding. If you cannot help, but would like to come and bring your children anyway, please let Denise know, by calling her at the above number, so that we have enough food and crafts for all the children. Also, parents need to remain for the duration of the program. This is not a drop-off event, and we cannot assume responsibility for your children. Thank you for your assistance and for your understanding.

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS

Sunday School at the Annunciation Cathedral kicked off the beginning of the school year (Sunday, September 7) with a record number of children enrolling in classes and a special luncheon honoring Effie and Andy Vellis for their 40 plus years of service to the community. Louise Vorrises was also honored for her 25 plus years of service. While most children have already registered, we are still accepting reservations for those who have not. Simply bring them up to the Sunday School classrooms by 10:30 a.m. and register them in the appropriate class (younger children on the chapel side, older children on the Valencia Street side).

This year, each parent was given an information packet outlining the first semester calendar of events and attendance/discipline procedures. If you did not receive your packet, please see your child’s Sunday School teacher and a packet will be given to you. Our first event for the year (new to us) will take place in connection with Halloween. We are asking the children to obtain eyeglasses, no longer being used, from relatives or friends, and bring the eyeglasses to Sunday School with them on Sunday, November 2. These eyeglasses will be distributed to the needy. Imagine, if every child were to bring a pair, we would have 125 pair of glasses to give to those who cannot afford to buy glasses for themselves. What a wonderful thing, to help with someone’s eyesight!

This year, Sunday School is placing a special emphasis on the training and conduct of our altar boys. All boys in grade 5 and older are eligible to serve in the altar. If you have a child in this age category, encourage him to serve the church in this way. Two altar boy training sessions will be held, one on November 2 and one on November 9, beginning at 10:15 a.m. A November/December altar boy schedule will appear in next month’s Herald.

Let us also give thought to participating in the St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival, which will be held in March, 2004. Topics are posted on the Archdiocese web site, www.goarch.org.

YOUR CHILDREN’S TEACHERS

We thought you would like to know who the dedicated women and men are who make up the staff of our Sunday School. Where we have their email address, their name is underlined, and you can send them an email by clicking on their name. They are as follows:

Principal: Denise Yeilding

Pre-k: Tessie Obester and Helen Woldemicael

Kindergarten: Nikos Stathopoulos and Katie Estratis and Felicia Giouzelis

First Grade: Effie Vellis and Paula Kitses and Elizabeth Yisak

Second Grade: Elaine Makras and Nick Ramos

3rd/4th: Vivian Giourousis and Chrisoula Stratoudakis and Alexandra Kallas

5th/6th: Maria Allen and Athena (Tina) Kontonis

7th/8th: Caroline Pappajohn and Mary Tonas and Annette Chiappari

High School: Fr. Stephen Kyriacou with substitutes Florika Bozionelos and Louise Vorrises

ATHLETIC AWARDS DINNER

Our annual Athletic Awards Dinner will take place in the Korinthias Center on Wednesday, October 29. We take this opportunity to invite all members of the Annunciation Cathedral to this event. The purpose of this dinner is not only to honor our youth and young adults for their athletic prowess, but to also promote fellowship throughout our church. Admission is free. Appetizer will be offered at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner, promptly, at 7 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact Mike Canellos at 415 864-8815. In any case, please call Mike by Monday, October 27 and indicate your attendance, so that we make sure we have enough food for everyone.
Mike will even reserve seating for you, upon request.

Parents, Friends, Family, and Players, please join us for an evening of honoring our youth for their outstanding athletic achievements and and registering for the 2004 season. Registration will follow the awards ceremonies, which will begin at 7:30 p.m. Players, please note that, in order to play basketball for the church, you must also participate in the religious education program of the church. This will be explained on October 29 as well as on the registration/medical release forms which you will receive.

COACHES NEEDED

It has been said that “the future of the Annunciation is its youth.” We at the Annunciation have been blessed to have a core of teachers, advisors, coaches, and other volunteers who have unselfishly dedicated themselves to this belief. However, as our youth programs continue to expand and grow, the need for more adult participation and interaction also increases. In November, we will begin practicing for the 2004 Junior Varsity Basketball season and are in great need of coaches. Currently, we have openings for both a head and an assistant coach for our girls C team (ages 8 to 10) as well as for our girls A team (ages 11 to 13). If you are interested in helping, please contact Mike Canellos at the Cathedral, 415 864-8815. The smiles on our children’s faces will be reward enough. Thank you.

GREEK SCHOOL BEGINS: WELCOME FIORI PETRATOU

Greek School began on Wednesday, September 17, with a record number of students. Perhaps one reason is that classes are being held Wednesday rather than on Saturday, as follows: 4-6 p.m. for beginners and intermediate students, 6-8 p.m. for adults.

In addition to Demetra Armenakis, classes are being taught by Fiori Petratou, a native of Greece, and a resident of Pittsburg, California. Fiori travels to San Francisco for the express purpose of teaching in our afternoon school. She has been very well received by both the children as well as the adults.

Because our classrooms are being leased to the San Francico Waldorf High School, which uses them until 6 p.m., the 4-6 p.m. classes are being held in the conference room as well as in the conference room vestibule. The adult classes are being held in classroom number 3. The classroom are located on the second level, on the Valencia Street side of the building. Because of our space and other limitations, children must be second grade students, at the very least.

The tuition, which helps defray some of the costs of providing teaching staff and materials, is $200 for the first child, and $150 for each of the other children of the same family. The adult tuition is $200 per semester. For further information, please contact, Demetra Armenakis.

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October 2003 Herald
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral