Family & Friends of

St. Demetrios

The Greek Orthodox Church of

Elmhurst, IL

Weekly

Bulletin

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Dear Beloved Family and Friends of St. Demetrios,

This is a reminder that the Sunday of Orthodoxy is this

Sunday (March 24th)! 

Please remember (especially for our children) to bring your favorite icon to church with you so you can participate in a procession around the church at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy.

Kali Sarakosti!

Memorials...

With the Saints give rest, O Christ, to the soul of Your servant where there is no pain,

nor sorrow, nor suffering; but life everlasting.

 Μετά των Αγίων ανάπαυσον, Χριστέ, τας ψυχάς των δούλων σου,

ένθα ουκ έστι πόνος, ου λύπη, ου στεναγμός, αλλά ζωή ατελεύτητος.

Sacraments...

BAPTISMS

"All who have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Alleluia"

We welcome into the Greek Orthodox Faith

WEDDINGS

"Join them together in oneness of mind; crown them with wedlock into one flesh;

Grant to them the fruit of the womb, and the gain of well favored children."

_______________________________________________________________________

March 11, 2024

Dear Reverend Fathers,

I hope and pray that you are all well. At the direction of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, I would like to share with you all the 2024 Catechetical Homily of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for the Opening of Great and Holy Lent. Please note that this is to be read during the Divine Liturgy this Sunday, March 17, in your respective parishes. You will find both documents embedded in this email below in both English and Greek.  

I pray that you all have a prayerful and spiritually uplifting Lent this year. May I take this opportunity to wish you all Καλή Δύναμη as we journey towards Pascha together.

Conveying to you the paternal blessings of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros, I remain,

Archimandrite Nektarios Papazafiropoulos

National Chancellor

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese

My Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,                                                         

By God's grace, we enter Holy Lent, a season focused on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, the pillars of Orthodox Christian spirituality. Clean Monday, approaching in a few days, marks the start of the forty-day fast preceding Easter. While prayer and fasting are often emphasized, almsgiving is sometimes overlooked, partly due to the outdated connotations of the term "alms" and the distortion of "stewardship." Understanding our fiduciary role, as Jesus illustrates in Luke 12:42, has become challenging. Today, "stewardship" is often linked with church donations, contrary to God's intended financial principles.

We envision our church not just as it is, but as a vibrant community thriving with possibilities. Our parish's greatest strength lies in the multigenerational dedication to preserving Hellenic and Greek Orthodox traditions. We wholeheartedly support all ministry programs, including our schools, and actively engage in community outreach. Hosting successful blood drives and aiding various charities are among our recent accomplishments. Our annual festival has deepened connections with our community, showcasing our rich traditions. As we look ahead, we remain committed to expanding our outreach and strengthening our parish. Our primary aim is to welcome more families into our fold. We invite you to join us in supporting these worthy endeavors with your pledge. Together, we can achieve even greater heights. Below, on the left side of the graph you will see a high level snapshot of our expenses vs stewardship, a difference of nearly ($470,000) in 2023. On the right with you and your families support we are hoping to narrow the gap by increasing stewards in addition to stewardship.

Your thoughtful consideration of this commitment is crucial. We urge you to reflect on the impact of your contribution. We recommend a monthly pledge of $100 from each family to sustain both the physical infrastructure and the spiritual offerings of our church. To streamline your contributions, we encourage you to utilize our Tithely site to make your monthly contributions (Saint Demetrios-Elmhurst Tithely Site). Your steadfast support is not merely a financial transaction; it lays the cornerstone of our Greek Orthodox faith for generations to come, especially for our children. Your monthly commitment is most meaningful when coupled with your active presence, your readiness to serve, and your earnest prayers. Remember, giving isn't a substitute for dedication—it's a tangible expression of your devotion and gratitude for the abundant blessings in your life.

2024 Stewardship

as of Friday, March 22nd

We are grateful to the 184

Stewards, for their committed amount of $74.427

THANK YOU!!!

We continue to need your support. To fulfill your Stewardship commitment complete the form online or submit your commitment card and return it to church. 

We were blessed to host our Spring TEAM-Belong session last Saturday! Our TEAM-Belong friends and our teen volunteers had a great afternoon together! Watching all the fun interactions taking place and everyone supporting each other was heartwarming. We played basketball, had scooter races, played music and sang with our various instruments, made crafts, and had fun with sensory toys. The parents had an informative presentation about ACCESS Sports, which provides access to team sports for young athletes with disabilities in and around Elmhurst. Thank you to our amazing presenters from ACCESS Sports, who shared the opportunities with this exceptional program!

We also had a meal together and concluded with a paraklesis service in our chapel with Father Dionysios. Thank you to everyone who came out to be together and support one another as one united, holy family. We look forward to our next TEAM-Belong gathering on our parish picnic weekend, June 14-16. More information is forthcoming. Kali Sarakosti!