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Sunday Bulletin
April 21, 2024
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40-Day Memorial for the late✝
Themistoklis Vasilakos
Coffee Fellowship Sponsored in his Memory
1-Year Memorial for the late✝
Nicholas Georgeadis
Coffee Fellowship Sponsored in his Memory
May their Memory be Eternal!
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Watch our live-streaming services here: | | |
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Light a Candle
Light a candle for health or in memory of a loved one.
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Coffee Hour
Please support St. Sophia by sponsoring coffee fellowship for memorials. Please click the button below.
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Upcoming Services & Events
Thur., April 18, 2024
Greek School
5:30 PM
Religious Education
6:00 PM
Fri., April 19, 2024
Akathist Hymn
6:30 PM
Sat., April 20, 2024
Greek School
9:00 AM
Divine Liturgy - Gloversville
9:30 AM
Sun., April 21, 2024
GOYA Meeting - Damaskos room
11:30 AM
Vespers - Christ the Savior (Ballston Lake)
5:00 PM
Mon., April 22, 2024
Men's Basketball
6:30 PM
Tues., April 23, 2024
Senior Program
12:00 PM
Wed., April 24, 2024
Pre-Sanctified Liturgy
9:30 AM
Knitters
12:15 PM
Thur., April 25, 2024
Greek School
5:30 PM
Fri., April 26, 2024
Youth Retreat
6:00 PM
Sat., April 27, 2024
Saturday of Lazarus
Divine Liturgy
9:30 AM
Youth Breakfast & Palm Making
11:00 AM
Sun., April 28, 2024
Hierarchical Divine Liturgy
9:30 AM
Palm Sunday Luncheon
12:00 PM
Bridegroom Service
6:30 PM
Mon., April 29, 2024
Bridegroom Service
6:30 PM
Tues., April 30, 2024
Bridegroom Service
6:30 PM
Wed., May 1, 2024
Holy Unction
6:00 PM
Thur., May 2, 2024
Divine Liturgy
7:30 AM
Crucifixion Service
6:00 PM
Fri., May 3, 2024
Hours
8:30 AM
Epitaphios Decorating
10:00 AM
Lamentations
6:00 PM
Sat., May 4, 2024
Divine Liturgy
9:30 AM
Resurrection Service & Divine Liturgy
11:00 PM
Sun., May 5, 2024
Great & Holy Pascha
Agape Service
11:00 AM
Easter Egg Hunt
12:00 PM
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GOYA Meeting
There is a GOYA meeting at 11:30 am in the Damaskos room. Please join us to discuss preparation of the upcoming Easter events.
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2024 Stewardship
Stewardship Commitment cards for 2024 have been coming in at a steady pace. But, if you have not made your commitment yet for this year, please find the 2024 Commitment cards on the table in the exonarthex or the information table by the church office. And because of the increase in church expenses, please consider increasing your support as best you can. But know that whatever you can offer, your support is always appreciated.
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Hierarchical Divine Liturgy
We are pleased to welcome His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos on April 28
for Palm Sunday. Please join us!
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Palm Sunday Luncheon
Next Sunday is Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. We are pleased to welcome His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos who will celebrate the Divine Liturgy with us. Following church services, we invite everyone to enjoy our traditional Palm Sunday Luncheon. Tickets are $15 for adults; $8 for youth ages 6-17; free for children age five and under.
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Luminaries
Luminaries honor the memory of a deceased loved one and light the path for the Procession of the Epitaphios on Good Friday evening around the Church grounds. The donation is $10.
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John C. Googas, Jr.
Please click below to donate in his memory to the St. Sophia General Fund.
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Georgia Papadakis
Passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 13, 2024 at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany. Born in Crete, Greece, she was the daughter of the late Spiro and Xanthippe (Petrakis) Stavroulakis. Georgia was a talented seamstress as well as an accomplished homemaker, but her proudest moment was when she became a US citizen.
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Please click below for the Spring 2024 Calendar. For more information, please contact Theodosia Legato at sundayschool@stsophiaalbany.org. | |
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Easter Donations
Donations for special items are still needed for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter. Please call the church office for an up-to-date listing.
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If you do not have a copy of the “Holy Week-Easter” service book, brand new “anniversary editions” are now available at the Pangari. Each and every service of Holy Week is offered in both Greek and English for an in-depth understanding beginning with Palm Sunday and ending with the Resurrection and Agape Services. The cost is $30. Also available is the service book for the beautiful Akathist Hymn. The cost is $15. | |
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DOP Easter Lantern Sale
Every Easter do you worry "Will I get my Easter Flame home safely?" Worry no more! New this year for Easter, the Daughters are selling Easter Lanterns, "Fanarakia" to bring your Easter flame home safely after Anastasi. Lanterns are $10 each and come with a tea candle. Come check them out Sunday during coffee hour, we'll have them on display and available for purchase. They will be on sale up until Holy Week.
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Pan-Orthodox Lenten Vespers
Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt 4/21: Christ the Savior Ballston Lake (349 Eastline Rd.)
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Epitaphio Flower Collection
Donations of flowers and other specialty items are needed for the many services for Lent and Easter including “flower wreaths” for the icon of our Panagia for Salutation Services and the Akathist Hymn. See the complete listing on the information table or the spring copy of the Testament.
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Lent has begun and we are now on our ”Journey to Pascha”. The most beautiful Byzantine Music for Choirs is sung now!
This is the best time for our Jr. High and High School SINGERS to join and sing each Sunday…including the Sunday of Orthodoxy, the Sunday of the Holy Cross, Palm Sunday, Holy Tuesday (the Hymn of Kassiane), Holy Thursday (The Crucifixion Hymn), Good Friday, The Lamentations, and Easter Sunday (CHRISTOS Anesti)!
Our Holy Week & Easter services are several weeks after Western (American) Easter, therefore there should not be any conflicts in one service or another.
Also, nothing, I mean nothing you have ever sung with your school chorus, or in a school play, can ever be more challenging or more beautiful than the Orthodox Byzantine Hymns of Holy Week.
I will direct & teach everyone who wants to join and sing, every Saturday before or after dance practice. I will conduct these sessions only if at least 5 boys and/or girls (with the support of their parents), will commit to learning & singing with the choir every Sunday through the end of this season before the Festival.
Please sign up by texting me at (518) 573-7003 with your full name, your singing voice (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, or Bass). If I receive at least five (5), hoping for more, I will contact you on when and if we can start.
Harry J. Ermides, Director
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2024 Greek Festival
We're looking for volunteers for this years Festival. Please complete the form below which is fillable and return it to the Church Office.
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2024 FESTIVAL BAKING SCHEDULE | |
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Kourambiethes
April 9th (Tues 5-7 pm) (prep); April 10th/11th (Wed/Thurs 9 am-3 pm) (bake/package)
Almond Cookies
April 16th (Tues 5-7 pm) (prep); April 17th/18th (Wed/Thurs 9 am-3pm) (bake/package)
Finikia
April 23rd (Tues 6-8 pm) (prep); April 24th (Wed 9 am-3 pm) (bake);
April 25th (Thurs 9 am-3 pm) (dip/package)
Spanakopita/Tiropita
May 8th (Wed 9 am-1 pm) (prep); May 9th/10th (Thurs/Fri 9 am-3 pm) (make pitas)
NYC Pastry Packaging
May 13th/May 14th (Mon/Tues 3-7 pm)
To volunteer, please text or e-mail either:
Mary Patelos at (518) 429-5510 – marepat19@gmail.com or
Marie “Nana” McCullough at (518) 369-2313 – mmccullough11@verizon.net
Thank you!!
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HCHC Diaconate Program
Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology is now accepting applications for its Certificate for the Diaconate. It is important that potential candidates begin the application as soon as possible to become involved in the regular meetings and training of the Diaconate Program throughout the year. Please click below for more information.
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Study Abroad in Greece
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and Hellenic American University announce their partnership with a mission to facilitate educational opportunities in the US and Greece. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on March 22, 2023, outlining the common scope that includes the support of a Greek language initiative, Hellas Alive, and the development of study abroad, civic engagement, faculty, and student exchange opportunities. Please click below for more information.
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Greek Language & Culture Academy | |
The St. Sophia Greek Language & Culture Academy is looking for an enthusiastic part time Greek teacher for the 2024-2025 school year on Saturday mornings. The student’s ages range from 3 years old to middle school. Grade levels are flexible with competitive hourly wage.
For more information, please call or text Eleni at (518) 669-7293 or e-mail greeklanguageacademy@stsophiaalbany.org.
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CrossRoad 2024
Open to all High School Juniors and Seniors
CrossRoad is a ten-day academic summer institute that prepares High School Juniors and Seniors to make big life decisions and invites them to connect with the Orthodox Christian theological and spiritual tradition in a deep and meaningful way. CrossRoad offers a space for young people to form authentic and lifelong friendships, ask hard questions, and explore their calling as an Orthodox Christian in the 21st century.
The CrossRoad Summer Program is designed for High School Juniors and Seniors who are interested in exploring their faith and purpose from an Orthodox Christian perspective. It is open to young people from all walks of life, regardless of their background or level of religious education. Whether you are new to the Orthodox Christian faith or were baptized as an infant of the community, the CrossRoad Summer Program is a welcoming and supportive environment where you can deepen your understanding of your faith and connect with other young Orthodox Christians from across the country.
CrossRoad is designed to best meet the needs of Orthodox teens in their Junior or Senior year of High School who desire to deepen their faith in an Orthodox setting. For this reason, applicants must be between the ages of 16 and 18 years old, and should not have graduated high school prior to April of the year they apply. For CrossRoad 2024, we will accept students in the high school class of 2024 or 2025 (Juniors and Seniors).
Please click below for more information or to fill out an application.
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Choir
The choir will be participating in the Divine Liturgy. New members are welcome to join anytime. Please contact me by e-mail or text with info.
Harry Ermides: (518) 573-7003 or hermides92@gmail.com
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CYO Youth Basketball
The CYO Youth Basketball program held here after school has openings for both boys and girls from 3rd grade to 8th grade. The cost is $145 for registration and player’s jersey. E-mail is ballersacademy32@gmail.com. Please click below to view the flyer.
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Food Pantry
“Food Insecurity” is a new catch phrase used to describe people who have limited means and often suffer from hunger. We have a Food Pantry Collection box located near the coatroom. Donations are needed and accepted all year long. When this box is full, a truck from the Food Pantries will pick up our collection to be dispersed to neighborhood food pantries. Last year they delivered 4,139,525 pounds (yes, over 4 million pounds) of food and the need continues to grow. Donations of non-perishable food items, paper supplies, and baby supplies are always needed. Please be a part of this effort to address hunger issues and donate when you can.
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Cookbook
A very nice gift idea for anyone who likes to cook. The Philoptochos “Treasured Greek Recipes” features a great selection of family recipes that fit into today’s focus on eating healthy— the Mediterranean diet -- healthy but also delicious. See Maria Sokaris on Sunday or the church office during the week. The cost is $20 and makes for a lovely hostess gift.
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5th Annual The Eleftheria Capital Region AHEPA Golf Outing
Please join Albany Chapter 140, Trojan Chapter 306 and Schenectady Chapter 125 who are sponsoring the 5th Annual The Eleftheria Capital Region AHEPA Golf Outing. This outing promises to be a fun-filled day complete with great food, prizes, raffles and challenging golf. All proceeds will benefit the local AHEPA Chapter scholarship funds and philanthropic programs, as well as Night Out For You. The outing will take place on Wednesday, June 12 at Normanside Country Club in Delmar. There are several levels of sponsorships available. Please click below for more information. Thanks for the support!
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AHEPA District 6 Scholarship
Please click below to view the 2024 AHEPA District 6 Scholarship application. Please note that it is a fillable PDF. We prefer that the responses are typed in. The deadline is May 1. If you have any questions, please contact our Scholarship Secretary, Brother Chris Pappis at ahepascholarshiped6@gmail.com.
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AHEPA Chapter 140 Scholarship
Please click below to view the Albany AHEPA Chapter 140 Scholarship application. The deadline is June 30. If you have any questions, please contact George Gregory at gregorikis@aol.com.
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2024-2025 Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarships Available
Applications and instructions for six (6) scholarships administered by the Office of the Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America are available for awards to be made for the 2024-2025 academic year.
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Archbishop Elpidophoros of America Ordains Archdiocese Chancellor Bishop Nektarios of Diokleia
Today, Saturday, April 13, 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America ordained Archdiocese Chancellor Bishop Nektarios of Diokleia. Axios! The elevation took place at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of The Holy Trinity in New York City with the presence of his family, hierarchs, clergy, and Greek Orthodox faithful who proudly shouted “Axios!” for His Grace.
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Archbishop Elpidophoros of America Welcomes the Presidential Guard of the Hellenic Republic to New York City
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America welcomed the Presidential Guard of the Hellenic Republic to a Doxology Service celebrating Greek Independence Day. The service, held on April 12, 2024 at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine, is the first event of a weekend honoring the 203rd anniversary of freedom and independence of Greece from the Ottoman Empire.
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams Hosts Reception at Gracie Mansion for Greek Independence Day
Yesterday, April 9, 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America and esteemed Greek Americans from New York, attended a reception, hosted by New York City Mayor Eric Adams at Gracie Mansion celebrating Greek Heritage. The annual event coincides with the New York City Greek Independence Day parade which will take place on Sunday, April 14 on 5th Avenue.
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Fr. Apostolos Chasapis Appointed Parish Priest for Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church Jackson Heights, NY
On Wednesday April 10, 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America welcomed Fr. Apostolos Chasapis to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America headquarters. His Eminence appointed Fr. Chasapis as the new parish priest for Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Jackson Heights, New York. Chancellor of the Archdiocesan District Fr. Elias Villis was also present at the meeting.
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Message from Archbishop Elpidophoros of America for the Clergy-Laity Congress 2024 | |
Mayor Eric Adams Hosts Reception to Celebrate Greek Heritage | |
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Solicitations
Solicitations of any kind are not allowed anywhere on Church property without
Parish Council approval.
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Spring 2024
Please click below to view the current issue of the Testament including Fr. Pat's Insights, Parish Council, Youth Ministries and more!
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Follow us on social media to stay up-to-date! | | | | |
