ISSUE

RECIPEFORKOLYVA

4 cups wheat berries (about 1 pound, 6 ounces) (For very large tray, recipe can be doubled.) salt 1/2 cup sesame seed 1 1/2 cups walnuts , coarsely chopped (6 ounces) 1 1/2 cups blanched slivered almonds (6 ounces) 1 1/2 cups golden raisins 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon pomegranate , seeds of 3 cups confectioners' sugar , divided (sometimes called icing or powdered sugar) 2 cups blanched almonds , whole, for decorating silver dragee decorative candies (Jordan Almonds) *

14
February 2012

Monthly Newsletter for Stewards of Holy Anargyroi Sts. Kosmas & Damianos Greek Orthodox Church

Box & Spoon

1 Rinse the wheat berries and place them in a large saucepan. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches, along with a few pinches of salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook until the berSt.TheodoretheRecruit ries are tender and beginning to split but not mushy, about 1 3/4 hours. (Add more water to the Iscommemoratedonthe pot when the liquid reduces to the level that the wheat no longer floats, and stir from time to time 1st Saturday of Lent, so the berries dont stick to the bottom.) Drain and set aside in the strainer to cool; spread on a large towel for several hours to dry (3 to 4). specically because of a 2 Place the cooled wheat berries in a large mixing bowl. Add the sesame seeds, walnuts, slivmiracle he wrought by ered almonds, raisins, cinnamon, and the pomegranate seeds. Sift in 1 cup of the confectioners using Kolyva! Plan on sugar and mix thoroughly. attending Liturgy on 3 Mount the mixture to a large tray, pack, and shape to a rounded surface. Sift the remaining confectioners sugar over the top to coat it thickly, almost like a frosting pressing with wax paper March 3rd to hear the to make a smooth packed top. Decorate the top with the whole almonds and the dragees. restofthisamazing *Dragees are available in any well stocked large supermarket, usually in the baking aisle.

2012 Standing Committees

PARISH COUNCIL Tim Kelly President Aaron Biedermann V.P. Andru Peters Secretary Dan JerghiuTreasurer Diana Orbelo Tia Maragos Erline Holman Robert Lytle Halina Woroncow STEWARDSHIP /OUTREACH John Maragos Chair Halina Woroncow Ari Kolas Mark Smith Diana Orbelo ICONOGRAPHY Diana Orbelo Chair Tia Maragos Andru Peters Fr. Mark Muoz BUILDING Tim Kelly- Chair Ari Kolas BUDGET Dan Jerghiu Chair Fr. Mark Muoz AUDIT Aaron Biedermann Mark Smith John Maragos PHILOXENIA HOUSE Chamaidi Belanger Chair GREEK FESTIVAL Dan Jerghiu Chair Steve Kereakos Treasurer Lorenda Jerghiu Silent auction Joe Ferrer Set-up/Teardown Tim Kelly Outdoor Cooks Johnny Mangouras Marketing Ari Kolas Marketing Penny Kolas Pastries Maria Thomas Pastries Denise Mangouras Pastries

Unlessthegrainofwheatthatfallsintotheearthshoulddie;it abidesalone;butifitshoulddie,itbearsmuchfruit.John12:24
Growing up in Kansas, aka the bread basket of America, wheat fields were as enormous and monotonous as the State itself. Many of us, not withstanding Kansan citizenship, recognize the between the Church Triumphant (in eternity) and the Church Militant (on earth). In other words, since the members of the Church are always united in the One Christ our love, concern, and prayers are impervious to the temporary reality of death. I AM the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; God is not the God of the dead but of the living says Christ in the Gospel of Matthew. At the time He uttered these words the OT persons referenced had been dead for centuries (!) thereby revealing that the faithful are alive in God after death. Prayers for the dead were also offered in the OT thereby providing a strictly Biblical precedent (2 Mac. 12, Bar. 3:45). The Kolyva is a palpable manifestation of our love and dedication for our departed loved ones as much preparation and labor is involved. Wheat has traditionally been used citing the Gospel of John above. Replace the image of the grain of wheat with those who have fallen asleep; powerful, isn't it? The kolyva expresses not only our tenderness towards the dead, but also brings us great comfort and joy by reinforcing the bedrock of our Christian faith: the resurrection to eternal life.

story!
Box N Spoon Issue 14 Feb. 2012

necessity of wheat in our lives. Wheat, as a fruit of the earth, is perhaps the most utilized natural element in the Orthodox Church. Think about it: the heart of our liturgical experience, the Eucharist, cannot be realized without wheat. Neither could we celebrate a Feast Day with the traditional Artoklasia (5 loaves); nor could we prepare the tangible offering during the Memorial Services for our departed loved ones known as kolyva. This last tradition, the offering of specially prepared boiled wheat, will take the forefront of our Liturgical celebrations in the upcoming weeks. Ever wondered, Why do we make kolyva? Why wheat and not, say...quinoa? Moreover, why do we as Orthodox even pray for the dead?!?!? Excellent questions that demand answers. The Orthodox Church has since her inception offered special prayers for those faithful who have passed from this earthly life. We recognize that the Church as the Body of Christ is One, and is incapable of being broken or separated. Therefore there exists a spiritual, if not physical, cohesion

holyanargyroi@gmail.com

Greek Orthodox Church 703 West Center Street Rochester, MN 55902 (507) 282-1529 phone (507) 282-1253 fax http://www.holyanargyroi.org

Holy Anargyroi/Sts. Kosmas & Damianos

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Rochester, MN Permit No. 278

Martha Voytovich Market place

Andru Peters Beverages Mike Brekke Beer Garden Larissa Ostfeld Children Area

- Fr. Mark

consulting

Let us flee from the boasting of the Pharisee and learn through our own sighs of sorrow the humility of the Publican.

Let us cry out to the Savior, Have mercy on us, for through You alone are we reconciled.

Publican & Pharisee, February 5th, 2012

Liturgical and Organizational Calendar

February 2012
Thursday Sunday Monday Wednesday Thursday Friday Friday Fri-Sun Sat. Monday Wednesday Thursday Saturday Feb. 2nd Feb. 5th Feb. 6th Feb. 8th Feb. 9th Feb. 10th Feb. 10th Feb. 10th-12th Feb. 11th Feb. 13th Feb. 15th Feb. 16th Feb. 18th Presentation of our Lord in the Temple Orthros/Divine Liturgy Sunday of the Publican & Pharisee: Triodion Begins JOY Faith Night @ Church Hall GOYA Faith Night in Library WINTER GREEK FEST @ University Square St. Haralambos the Priest-Martyr and Wonderworker Orthros/Divine Liturgy 8:30am 6pm 7pm 10:30am - 3:30pm 8:30am

Philoptochos Society
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, On Sunday February 26th the Philoptochos Society will host the Cheesefare Luncheon in the hall following Liturgy. The proceeds will go to Hellenic College Holy Cross School of Theology. Please join us for the wonderful meal and fellowship. Thank you! The National Philoptochos Society is supporting the American Heart Associations GO RED campaign to raise awareness for heart disease which is the number one killer of American women. This is a national call for women to take charge of their wellbeing and live stronger, healthier lives. The National Philoptochos Society has designated Sunday, February 5th as GO RED SUNDAY. They encourage the entire parish community to dress in red in support of heart health. Please go to the website www.goredforwomen.org to further educate yourself on heart healthcare. On Thursday February 9th 10:30am to 1:30pm and Friday February 10th 10:30am to 2:30pm, our church will host a gyro booth during Winterfest at the Galleria. I am asking all Philoptochos members to sign up and help. Please contact Johnny Mangouras at johnmangouras@msn.com to volunteer. Thank you! Of all the Divine Liturgies Orthodox Christians celebrate; the Sunday of the Prodigal Son (February 12th this year) is one of my favorites. The parable Jesus Christ tells in Luke 15: 11-32 reminds us of the beauty of a repentant heart and Gods loving compassion towards us. Let us be eternally thankful and deeply humble for this joyful embrace of Gods love and mercy for the actively repentant individual. Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Jesus Christ in Luke 15:10 Calli Kelly

Sunday Sunday Monday Saturday

Feb. 19th Feb. 19th Feb. 20th Feb. 25th

Saturday Sunday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Feb. 25th Feb. 26th Feb. 26th Feb. 27th Feb. 28th Feb. 29th March 1st March 2nd March 3rd

WINTER GREEK FEST @ University Square 10:30am -5:00pm Metropolis of Chicago Basketball Tournament in St. Paul, MN Basketball Tournament Banquet (% of proceeds to Philoxenia House) 6pm Building Committee Meeting @ Church 7pm Parish Council Meeting @ Church 7pm St. Philothei Project @ Hall 6pm Saturday of Souls 8:30am Orthros/Divine Liturgy (please prepare Kolyva to accompany names of the Orthodox departed) Meatfare Sunday, last day of meat consumption till Pascha GOYA Outing to Steve's Pizza in Austin, MN after Liturgy Philoxenia Meeting 5pm Saturday of Souls 8:30am Orthros/Divine Liturgy (please prepare Kolyva to accompany names of the Orthodox departed) 6pm Great Vespers (resume) Cheese Fare Sunday, last day of dairy consumption till Pascha Philoptochos Luncheon Forgiveness Vespers, beginning of Great Lent 6pm Clean Monday: Great Compline w/ Penitencial Canon 6pm Great Compline w/ Penitential Canon 6pm Pre-Sanctified Liturgy 6pm Great Compline w/ Penitential Canon 6pm 1st Stanza of the Salutations to the Holy Theotokos 6pm Saturday of Souls-St. Theodore's Miracle with the Kolyva 8:30am Orthros/Divine Liturgy (please prepare Kolyva to accompany names of the Orthodox departed) Great Vespers 6pm Sunday of Orthodoxy & St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival

The Publican and the Pharisee

February 05, 2012 The Pharisees were an ancient and outstanding sect among the Jews known for their diligent observance of the outward matters of the Law. Although, according to the word of our Lord, they "did all their works to be seen of men" (Matt. 23:5), and were hypocrites (ibid. 23: 13, 14, 15, etc.), because of the apparent holiness of their lives they were thought by all to be righteous, and separate from others, which is what the name Pharisee means. On the other hand, Publicans, collectors of the royal taxes, committed many injustices and extortions for filthy lucre's sake, and all held them to be sinners and unjust. It was therefore according to common opinion that the Lord Jesus in His parable signified a virtuous person by a Pharisee, and a sinner by a Publican, to teach His disciples the harm of pride and the profit of humblemindedness. Since the chief weapon for virtue is humility, and the greatest hindrance to it is pride, the divine Fathers have set these three weeks before the Forty-day Fast as a preparation for the spiritual struggles of virtue. This present week they have called Harbinger, since it declares that the Fast is approaching; and they set humility as the foundation for all our spiritual labors by appointing that the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee be read today, even before the Fast begins, to teach, through the vaunting of the Pharisee, that the foul smoke of self-esteem and the stench of boasting drives away the grace of the Spirit, strips man of all his virtue, and casts him into the pits of Hades; and, through the repentance and contrite prayer of the Publican, that humility confers upon the sinner forgiveness of all his wicked deeds and raises him up to the greatest heights. Resurrectional Kontakion in the First Tone You arose from the sepulcher in glory as God, and with yourself resurrected the world. And mortal nature extolled You as God, and death was obliterated, and Adam is dancing, O Master; and Eve, now redeemed from the bonds, rejoices crying out: O Christ, You are He who grants resurrection to all.

Saturday Sunday

March 3rd March 4th

Let us flee from the boasting of the Pharisee and learn through our own sighs of sorrow the humility of the Publican.

Let us cry out to the Savior, Have mercy on us, for through You alone are we reconciled.

Publican & Pharisee, February 5th, 2012

Saturday of Souls
Reading: Through the Apostolic Constitutions (Book VIII, ch. 42), the Church of Christ has received the custom to make commemorations for the departed on the third, ninth, and fortieth days after their repose. Since many throughout the ages, because of an untimely death in a faraway place, or other adverse circumstances, have died without being deemed worthy of the appointed memorial services, the divine Fathers, being so moved in their love for man, have decreed that a common memorial be made this day for all pious Orthodox Christians who have reposed from all ages past, so that those who did not have particular memorial services may be included in this common one for all. Also, the Church of Christ teaches us that alms should be given to the poor by the departed one's kinsmen as a memorial for him. Besides this, since we make commemoration tomorrow of the Second Coming of Christ, and since the reposed have neither been judged, nor have received their complete recompense (Acts 17:31; II Peter 2:9; Heb. 11:39-40), the Church rightly commemorates the souls today, and trusting in the boundless mercy of God, she prays Him to have mercy on sinners. Furthermore, since the commemoration is for all the reposed together, it reminds each of us of his own death, and arouses us to repentance. Apolytikion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone Only Creator who out of the depths of wisdom lovingly govern all things and upon all bestow what is accordingly best for them, give rest to the souls of Your servants, for they have placed their hope in You, our Author and Maker and God. Kontakion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone Give rest, O Christ, among the Saints to the souls of Your servants, where there is no pain, no sorrow, no grieving, but life everlasting.

Philoxenia House News

I would like to share with all of you the most wonderful project and events friends of the Philoxenia House are doing in an effort to raise funds because they believe our mission is very important and makes a difference in the lives of people in need. The following is a letter Patricia Eliopoulos and Niki Karavolos sent to their friends and family before Christmas.
Family Friends and the Lesson of Giving by Kiki Karavolos As Christians we have learned that the great joy of Christmas is not only the wonder of the nativity, but also the opportunity to practice generosity. But there is not disputing that Christmas giving has become a very big business and in the shopping frenzy its easy to forget what all the fuss is about. This can be especially true for children that identify the joy of Christmas only with the anticipation of Santa and the excitement of tearing up presents on Christmas morning. This year one group of family friends set out to alter this notion by teaching their children the idea that Christmas is the season of charitable giving not getting. Typically this group of family friends gathers every year to celebrate the holiday and exchange gifts. Collectively the parents, papoudes, yiayiades, friends, koumbaroi and nonoi decided to donate to a charity rather than participate in the customary grab bag. They agreed that the Philoxenia House was the most fitting choice since the late Fr. Jim Tsoulos, a great benefactor of the Philoxenia House, was a great role model with profound spiritual influence on these family friends. To keep the children engaged with the purpose of the gathering the adults set aside some time during the festivities to teach them about the Philoxenia House and the comforts of home it offers to those that are very sick and need special care. They explained that by giving up only one gift, the money they raise could help a family that was in the hospital and did not have the ability to travel back home. Empathetic of the situation the children began to grasp the lesson. Christmas is the season of charitable giving not getting. For the parea charitable giving is an important piece of Christmas. They have decided and intend to continue this tradition for years to come in hopes of transferring the giving spirit to the next generation and in the process helping the Philoxenia House. By actively involving children in charitable opportunities and teaching them about the many ways to be philanthropic, they will learn how to give their time not only during Christmas, but also as life-long philanthropists. But for now this family would be content if next year the question turns from What am I getting for Christmas? to What am I giving for Christmas?

Koliva
Koliva (also transliterated Kollyva) (Greek, , klliva; Serbian, , koljivo; Romanian, coliv; Bulgarian, , kolivo) is boiled wheat which is used liturgically in the Eastern Orthodox Churches. Orthodox Christians consider koliva to be the symbolic of death and resurrection, according to the words of the Gospel: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24) Wheat which is planted in the earth and rises in new life is symbolic of those beloved departed who have died in the hope of resurrection, in accordance with the words of Saint Paul: So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body....(I_Corinthians 15:42-44) This symbolism has its highest expression in the Saints, whose blessed state in heaven have been manifested to the world. For this reason, koliva is blessed not only at memorials for the departed, but also in commemoration of saints.

Together We Care to Make a Difference

Stewardship
We would like to thank you for your 2012 Stewardship pledge of treasure, time, and talent. Were excited for the future and honored to be growing our community together with you. Well begin posting the 2012 list of Stewards in next months newsletter.
Jan - Dec 2011 Actual Total Income Total Expenses Net Income $252,443.53 $241,083.87 $11,359.66 Jan - Dec 2010 Actual $233,251.03 $236,143.57 - $2,892.54 2011 vs 2010 Difference $19,192.50 $4,940.30 $14,252.20 Jan - Nov 2011 Budget $241,220.00 $243,023.00 - $1,803.00 Actual vs. Budget Difference $11,223.53 - $1,939.13 $13,162.66

Patricia has sent an email when I asked her if we can put their letter in our Newsletters. This is what she wrote back. ...We are more than happy to give permission for you to put our letter in your Newsletter in hopes it will reach and encourage others in having similar fundraisers with their families and communities in support of the Philoxenia House. This is what we were hoping for. We want this to grow into something that will help your cause every year and bring more money to those in need. As you can see we are taking this very seriously and have even created a gmail account if people would like to contact us and brainstorm more ideas. We are just working in one as we speak. We have just let our group of family and friends know that my husband and I have decided to assign 4 gifts from our boy's birthday parties to be given instead in monetary amount to the Philoxenia House. We will let then know who they are ahead of time and make sure everyone gets a turn before we start the list again. This way our friends won't loose popularity with our kids and they will still teach the lesson of What can I give? to our children. Please include our new email account in case others want to brainstorm and share their ideas with us. We would love to hear from other people. togetherwecare2011@gmail.com Chamaidi Belanger Chair, Philoxenia House Committee

It is more blessed to give than to receive--Acts 20-35 A gift, though small, is welcome--Greek proverb

Let us flee from the boasting of the Pharisee and learn through our own sighs of sorrow the humility of the Publican.

Let us cry out to the Savior, Have mercy on us, for through You alone are we reconciled.

Publican & Pharisee, February 5th, 2012

Youth Team Report

JOY and GOYA youth groups joined for a common Faith Night event, the Feast of Epiphany and the traditional annual house blessing. Orthodox Christians worldwide celebrate the Feast of Epiphany as Jesus revelation to the world as the son of God and His baptism in the Jordan River. Fr. Mark sprinkled all participants children as well as their parents - with holy water. Following the lesson and the ceremony we had fellowship dinner, a nice way to strengthen friendships, exchange ideas and perspectives.

2 Annual Parish Ethnic Potluck

nd

Our church family and friends came together to celebrate the richness and diversity of our unique, multicultural parish at our 2nd Annual Parish Ethnic Potluck. A wide array of dishes reflected cuisine from the 16 different ethnicities in attendance including American hybrid! We are hoping to produce a cookbook with recipes for the various entrees, so please leave your recipes and photos, if possible, at the church office or email them to church@holyanargyroi.org. The GOYAns shook off the winter doldrums with a spirited game of broomball this month, followed by hot chocolate and snacks at the Kolas home. The teams had great fun and a very effective cardiovascular workout! The players were tougher than a couple of those brooms, which did not survive the surprisingly physical game! Many thanks to the organizers and participants for this wonderful event.

From the Fathers

However good prayer, fasting, vigil, and all the other Christian practices may be, they do not constitute the aim of our Christian life. Although it is true that they serve as the indispensable means of reaching this end. The tru aim of our Christian life consists of the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God. As for fasts, and vigils, and prayer, and almsgiving, and every good deed done for Christs sake, are they only means of acquiring the Holy Spirit of God. Mark my words, only good deeds done for Christs sake brings us the fruits of the Holy Spirit. All that is not done for Christs sake, even though it be good, brings neither reward in the future life nor the grace of God in this life.the acceptability to God of good deeds not done for Christs sake is this: the Creator gives the means to make them living (cf. Hebrews. 6:1). It rests with man to make them living or not If a man like Cornelius enjoys the favor of God for his deeds, though not done for Christs sake, then believes in His Son, such deeds will be imputed to him as done for Christs sake Acquiring the Spirit of God is the true aim of our Christian life, while prayer, fasting, almsgiving and other good works done for Christs sake are merely means for acquiring the Spirit of God. ~St. Seraphim of Sarov

As we look ahead to the Triodion and the start of Great Lent in a few weeks, we encourage our students and their families to take to heart the message and lessons provided, with humility, repentance, forgiveness. May we fast, pray, give of ourselves, and learn from the wisdom of the Church as we begin our Lenten journey once again. Youth Team Coordinators, Loredana Jerghiuta, Halina Woroncow and Trevor Hamlen

Let us not render evil for evil, and we shall not receive our due for our sins. For we find the forgiveness of our trespasses in the forgiving of our brothers; and the mercy of God is hidden in mercifulness to our neighbor. Therefore the Lord said, "Forgive, and you shall be forgiven," and, "With what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again." See how the Lord bestowed on us the method of salvation and has given us eternal power to become sons of God!