GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH
OF THE ASSUMPTION
May 5, 2021 - e-Bulletin Issue #344 - assumptionseattle.org
Reflection from His Eminence Metropolitan Gerasimos
for Great and Holy Pascha

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
 
Christ is Risen! Χριστός Ανέστη!
 
This short phrase – just three words in English, and two in Greek – changed the world. It started as a spark but soon grew into a bright torch, as the news spread from a small group of His followers, shared from person to person, and then from country to country, to all corners of the world. As the risen Jesus told the disciples when he appeared unto them “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15).
 
The message, “Christ is Risen!” transforms us individually when we allow this great mystery to permeate our minds and our hearts. It is a message of hope and victory over darkness. As a message of light, it is brighter than the sun. And it is a message that the world needs more than ever. The past year has demonstrated the fear of darkness, from illness and death of the pandemic to the social unrest we have witnessed. But the Resurrection points us toward the light. Christ emerged from a guarded and sealed tomb. We do not have to live in darkness.
 
At the Resurrection service, your priest emerged from the darkness of the sanctuary with the Paschal candle ablaze and proclaimed, “Come receive the light, from the unwaning light.” Jesus Christ is the light that cannot be extinguished. It is a light that can only be and must be shared.
 
As you heard hymns in the Paschal matins, I hope you noticed how often the words for new – καινὸς or νεὸς are used. The Resurrection of Christ makes all things new. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.” (Isaiah 65:17). We too become new. As Saint Paul wrote, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The Resurrection of Christ points to a new way of being for the world and for each and every one of us.
 
My beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord, because they have been filled with the new light of the Resurrection, over the centuries, Christians have dared to become agents of hope and reconciliation in the world, serving the needs of their neighbors and overcoming all forms of division and hatred. Our confidence in the resurrection and the promise of new creation is what motivates to work to overturn the darkness in the world. The resurrection requires us to forgive one another. As we sing in the Doxastikon of Pascha, “Let us forgive all things in the Resurrection.” The same hymn calls us to embrace one another, even those who hate us. When we allow the light of Christ’s Resurrection to enter into our hearts, that light will fill all aspects of our lives, and all manner of division and enmity can be overcome.
 
The Resurrection of Christ made evident to the world that darkness, hate, and death would not have the final say. God’s love was and is ultimately triumphant, granting each one of us eternal life and mercy.
 
May your Paschal celebration be joyous and may the Risen Christ shine in your hearts.
 
Χριστός Ανέστη! Christ is Risen! 
RENEWAL THURSDAY, May 6th
Studies in the Faith (Adult Catechism): 7:00 pm
To join the Zoom Meeting:
Meeting ID: 872 5742 3968
Passcode: 793620

RENEWAL FRIDAY, May 7th
THEOTOKOS OF THE LIFE-GIVING SPRING
Matins: 8:45 am
Divine Liturgy: 10:00 am

SATURDAY, May 8th
ST. JOHN THE THEOLOGIAN
Matins: 8:45 am
Divine Liturgy: 10:00 am

SUNDAY, May 9th
THOMAS SUNDAY (Mother's Day)
Matins: 8:45 am
Divine Liturgy: 10:00 am

MONDAY, May 10th thru FRIDAY, May 14th
Fr. Dean will be out of the office for Vacation
THANK YOU!
During this Paschal season, as we reflect on the joy of the Resurrection, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who donated their time, talents, money, etc., during Lent, Holy Week and Pascha. Because of the generosity of such parishioners we experienced a beautiful and moving Lent, Holy Week and Pascha. 

Thanks to Evangelos Pampoukas, Chris Pamboukas, Dimos Katsis, Straton Spyropoulos and others for their chanting all through Great Lent and Holy Week. These men chanted hundreds and hundreds of pages...a truly herculean task, however they do it as a labor of love and we feel that love at every single service.

Special thanks to Tom Swanton for all his efforts cleaning all the windows in the Atrium, Fellowship Hall, Mezzanine, etc., for cleaning all the common areas, bathrooms, etc., and for tidying the grounds outside, for purchasing and arranging flowers for all the icons during Great Lent and Holy Week and for purchasing flowers for the Kouvouklion with Joanne Zarkades. Tom's quiet support of our community is truly amazing and we wish to thank him for his hard work that generally goes unseen.

Thanks to Stella Athans for providing all the palms for Palm Sunday and for preparing those palms as crosses, etc.

Thanks to Laurie Skandalis & Stephanie Pulakis Stafford for all their work decorating the Kouvouklion and church pews this year. Thanks to Joanne Zarkades for purchasing all the flowers related to the decoration of the Kouvouklion and for her arrangement of flowers around the base of the cross and on the pews.

Thanks to Tasoula Pampoukas, Sofia Smetheram and Nick Dudler for their work preparing the red eggs for distribution to parishioners on Pascha Sunday.

Thanks to all the Parish Council members who ushered at the many Holy Week services and for their many hours making plans to make sure the church ran smoothly and safely during Holy Week.

Thanks to Gus Mehas and Dimos Katsis for their hard work to set up the new streaming platform so those of you who are connecting virtually can still celebrate services from home and stay connected to our church community.

Pascha is such a blessed time for our parish community to celebrate the joy of the Resurrection together (physically or virtually), and we appreciate everyone's efforts!

+Fr. Dean
ONLINE STREAMING OF ASSUMPTION CHURCH SERVICES
Soon we will be embarking on a Strategic Plan for our parish. I think it is fitting that we introduce this concept during the Great and Holy Lenten season. Certainly, Great Lent is about change, specifically change in the context of spiritual growth.  Similarly, the development of a Strategic Plan for our parish has the same goal in mind, the spiritual growth of all of us unto the Glory of God. 
 
The Strategic Plan will help us identify those areas of ministry which need strengthening, or perhaps establish new ministries which may be lacking. As I have said before, and I will say it again, my hope, my dream is for all of us to be together in the Kingdom of Heaven. Hence, our parish leadership wants to offer you all the opportunities possible, the spiritual milk necessary, to grow in your faith.
 
Kristina Mehas, who is a member of our Parish Council, and on our Strategic Planning Team, offers the above video presentation to the parish introducing the Strategic Plan. This same presentation was given at our last Parish Assembly. Please take the time to watch this presentation as all our parishioners will be asked to participate in this upcoming journey. 
 
I want to take this opportunity to thank the Strategic Planning team and those parishioners who have stepped forward to help lead us through this process. We ask that you join me and the Strategic Planning team in prayer that we may, through this process continue in our spiritual growth, unto the glorify of God.  

+Fr. Dean Kouldukis
Thanks to everyone that submitted a 2021 Stewardship Pledge card. As of April 8th, 180 pledges have been submitted, totaling $344,628, which is great progress towards our goal of $390,000. The median annual pledge is $820, an increase from last year's $500! The attached bar chart shows how the180 pledges are distributed by value. 

If your name is not listed as a Steward in our May monthly bulletin, please click the link below to download a Commitment form, or contact the parish office or your Stewardship Ambassador to become a Steward so your name will appear in the monthly bulletin. Being a Steward and having a Stewardship pledge form on file is very important because: 

  1. It establishes your voting privileges at General Assemblies for participation in the church's business/administration,
  2. It allows the ability to hold baptisms/wedding/etc. and to participate as godparents/sponsors for sacraments, and
  3. Most important, establishes the church's operational budget for the year. 

If you have any questions regarding our parish’s journey to becoming a tithing community and how you can adjust your pledge to reflect proportional giving, please reach out to any of our Stewardship Ambassadors: Ron Delarose, Thom Dimitriou, Justin Franklin, Dimos Katsis, Nick Kokkonis, Fr. Dean Kouldukis, Gus Mehas, Kristina Mehas, Chris Pamboukas, Niko Pamboukas, Penny Peppes, Athena Sarantinos, or Christina Siaterlis. They will be able to answer the questions you may have.