Youth News- March 2011

February was another busy month for our youth with wonderful ministries and activities! First and foremost, the last 35 years, February has always been FDF month, which always finds our young people practicing hard to perform their best at FDF. This year, the Cathedral sent three dance groups- Thisavri, Spithes, and Ekrixi. Thisavri, our youngest group, went to FDF for their first time and performed in Division III (non-competitive) category. Spithes, directed by Irene Kyriacou, Lea Lyberopoulos, and Lea Papavasiliou (who also directed Thisavri) was made of dancers ages 5-11 and competed in Primary category, their first year competing! Finally, Ekrixi was directed by Michael Garibaldi and Nicole Georgiou, and was made up of dancers in junior high and high school.

We are very proud to announce that both Spithes and Ekrixi won second place in their respective categories! All our groups are always winners for their hard work and dedication, and this year it was very nice to see their hard work and dedication rewarded by the FDF judges, as well. We congratulate all our groups for their hard work and dedication to this wonderful celebration of our culture and faith! Kai tou chronou!

Because of the immense commitment required for dance practices and performances, JOY and GOYA were not formally held for the month of February and will resume next month. Our JOY group will resume March 8 at the Sogotis home.

Our Cathedral Young Adult group held its February dinner this month at the Bull’s Head Restaurant in West Portal, where our young adult group enjoyed delicious burgers and steaks. Thanks to all who attended last month’s dinner and attend each month!

As of March 2011, the Cathedral Young Adult group will have been holding a dinner somewhere in the City each month for the last two years. As such, our young adults will be holding a special dinner on March 25 of this month to celebrate this milestone. Following the service of Salutations to the Theotokos at 7 pm that evening, our young adults, as well as young adults from other groups from the Bay Area, will be holding a catered dinner in the Kytherian Room! If you or another young adult would like to attend this event, please RSVP with Maria Orologas by March 14.

For more information on any of our youth ministries, please contact Deacon Niko Bekris at deacon@annunciation.org.

SUNDAY SCHOOL KORNER

March is a busy month for our Sunday School classes. It is a great time to bring your children/grandchildren to classes for Lenten lessons and much more.

The beginning of April we will sign up girls for Angels during Holy Week.

I am asked frequently during lent about fasting, so I have taken an excerpt from the archdiocese website to help answer common questions:

The Great Lent begins Monday after Sunday of Cheese, the fifth week before Holy Week, and lasts through Saturday of Lazarus, and continues through Holy Week. Abstention from meat, fish and dairy products is observed, except on Palm Sunday and the Annunciation, March 25, when fish may be eaten. On Saturday and Sunday of Lent, wine, oil and shellfish may be eaten. This selection of foods is applied to the other fast periods, below, except when indicated otherwise.

Children should be instructed (both at home and in Sunday School) as to the purpose and meaning of church observances such as the procedures of fasting. Children should be taught the ideals of abstention from foods and from iniquities and their relationship to prayer, alms-giving, self-control and love. Children of sound health should fast. The main purpose of children fasting is to make them aware that fasting is a dedication and pledge to obey the principles of faith in Christ. Infants are not required to fast. However, the feeding of infants should take place at least two or three hours before Holy Communion.

The Archdiocese website, www.goarch.org, is a great wealth of information for families.

Join the Orthodox Christian Religious Educators group on Facebook. Post a question and join the online conversation with clergy, Sunday Church school teachers, and other people interested in handing forward the Orthodox Faith.

Denise Yeilding, Sunday School Principal, and the teachers of the Cathedral’s Sunday School look forward to seeing our many families participate in our many programs over the next two months. This is a wonderful time of year. Thank you for your support.

Sunday School is happy to announce that, beginning June 2011, it will be offering a Scholarship to a college student in memory of Andrew and Effrosine Vellis. Mr. & Mrs. Vellis were instrumental in keeping our community together during our transition years and beyond. Their determination to take on our coffee hour & Sunday School kept Annunciation strong. Every week Mr. Vellis made our coffee and Mrs. Vellis not only taught second grade for more than 40 years, but for many years she kept the bank accounts and headed up the fundraising for Sunday School. If you grew up at Annunciation Cathedral, chances are you had Mrs. Vellis teach you, and possibly even your children. We are at the half way point in raising money for this Memorial Scholarship fund. Please consider a donation in their memory. Our goal is to raise all the funds needed by June 2011. Please complete the form below, and bring it or mail it to the Annunciation Cathedral, 245 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94103, and mark it: Andrew and Efrosine Vellis Memorial Scholarship. Checks may be made out to: Annunciaiton Catheral. Please note on the check: Vellis Scholarship. Thank you.

Please note the Sunday School schedule for the remainder of the 2010-2011 school year:

JUNIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL ENDS WITH PLAYOFFS MARCH 5 AND CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES ON MARCH 6. SENIOR VARSITY BASKETBALL FOLLOWS

Junior Varsity basketball playoffs will take place on Saturday, March 5. (The place to be announced.) The championship games will be played at the Annunciation Cathedral on Sunday, March 6. Senior Varsity (High School and Adults, Men and Women) Basketball will begin practicing immediately thereafter. Please see Michael Canellos to sign up for senior varsity basketball. Players and coaches are expected to be members in good standing of the Annunciation Cathedral, in accordance with OYAA rules and parish policy. “In good standing,” as generally defined in the Archdiocese Regulations, includes worshipping regularly, living according to the precepts of the Greek Orthodox Faith, and pledging to support the work of the Church by means of stewardship.

WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN GOING TO GREECE FOR SUMMER CAMP?

This year, in addition to the well-known and popular Ionian Village summer camp program for youth ages 13-18, two new programs have been added: Journey to Pascha, open to adults, families, and young adults ages 19 and over, and the highly anticipated return of Spiritual Odyssey, for young adults ages 19-28. Registration for all programs is now open and can be completed online at www.ionianvillage.org. Please note the Ionian Village web site also contains detailed information for youth leaders, parents, campers, and staff applications.

SAVE THE DATE: THE MODERN GREEK STUDIES FOUNDATION AND THE CENTER FOR MODERN GREEK STUDIES INVITE YOU TO A LECTURE BY PHIL ANGELIDES

The lecture will take place on Sunday, March 6 at the Ascension Cathedral, Oakland. Phil is former California State Treasurer and currently serves as chairman of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Committee. The topic of his talk will be “The Economic Crisis.” It is part of the Senator Nicholas Petris Lecture Series.

Return to Main Index

Mar 2011 Herald
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral