Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Church
of
Albany, New York

Welcome To Our Community

2009-2010

 

Therefore be imitators of God as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us...and let there be thanksgiving (Ephesians 5).

Saint Sophia over the years has increased both in physical size and in membership. Our goal as Orthodox Christians should always be to Grow in His Grace, and to constantly strive to move towards Theosis, and in order to do so, we are reminded constantly that we are a Community and Christian family first and foremost. As we update our edifice, our iconography, and our technology, we must also update our religious experience through participation and involvement. On the surface this may sound simple. Just fill out a pledge form and become a member, or attend Sunday School, or Greek School, or simply work at one of our foremost fund raising events The Greek Festival or the Souvlaki Fest Weekend. Unfortunately, this is not what it means to be a member of the Body of Christ. Certainly donations and a monetary or working commitment are important, but our Community is first and foremost a place of prayer, sharing, fellowship, and spiritual growth. It is a Church whose philosophy is to ask us all to commit our souls and bodies to work towards the ultimate end known as salvation.

 

Historically speaking, we are the Church of the seven Ecumenical Councils. We are the Church instituted and maintained by the Holy Spirit and the followers of Christ, which has been passed down from generation to generation. We are, additionally, the Church, which, over the centuries, has maintained both the traditions of the people, as well as the Gospel teachings. Is it enough, though, to recognize what we are and the precepts which make up Orthodoxy alone? Certainly not. To rest upon the laurels of history and tradition only serve as trophies collecting dust, or awards cluttering our walls. We are called to do more. We are also called to be imitators of God.

 

To imitate God means we understand what God Himself has passed on to us and what He has commanded us to do. In the Gospel of John, we are commanded to, Love one another as I have loved you. We are called to not only obey His commandments, but to emulate His life. What this encompasses is the desire and implementation to be humble, contrite, forgiving, loving, and committed. It means we need to put forth a greater effort, supporting one another, praying, fasting, and participating in the life of the Church, as well as overcoming pre-conceived notions and stimuli set forth by society, but not from God. It means educating, reviewing, and constantly updating our lives. It means setting goals both long term and short term, so that our total person might grow in His grace. It means developing a deep, personal relationship to God, and it means endeavoring to perform all these initiatives with the innocence of children, and not with the arrogance or bluntness of know-it-all-adults. It means developing a contrite witness, rather than a judgmental and defiant persona. It requires an entire sense of witness, which involves our entire being, mind, body, and soul; physically, mentally, and spiritually. All this presents a challenge, because it is not an easy task to accomplish this imitation. Unfortunately, we are so driven to accomplish goals which have only personal satisfaction attached to them, rather than Christ-like qualities. We are much more in tune with what our neighbors might do or say, rather than what Christ might teach us to follow. Imitation of the Lord is difficult, but neither is it beyond our reach. What it takes is not only a total involvement, but a desire to witness, overcome, share, and participate in. 

The challenges we face each and every day become more complex as we proceed with our lives. The Church, which once was the central focus of our forefathers, unfortunately, is but a small and minute part of our entire weekly schedule. Certainly we recognize the complexities of raising children, working, and providing for one's family, and surviving societal norms, but the Church and God should always be at the forefront of each and every Christian soul. Keeping this in mind, Saint Sophia, her clergy, parish council members, committees, staff, and volunteers have developed programs to keep us involved with our Church and her teachings, and hope that this coming year we shall all progress in our quest to become...imitators of God. .............Father Pat 

Now, let's meet our Saint Sophia Family and review the many programs and services she offers.... 

 

  Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ! 

Ladies Philoptochos Society 

Do you wish to share the love you have with your fellow mankind? Do you wish to grace the lives of others by assisting them in their time of need? The Ladies PHILOPTOCHOS Society of Saint Sophia will give you the opportunity to do so. All that is necessary is the desire to share your commitment, love, and experience with people of the same backgrounds. 

Through social functions, geared to raise funding, such as fashion shows, bake sales, garage sales, and dances, the women of the PHILOPTOCHOS Society develop a camaraderie that is unique within any structure. Long lasting, and even lifetime, friendships are made. If you wish to help formulate plans and methods to voluntarily aid and relieve the poor, the destitute, the aged, visit the sick in hospitals or visit the shut-ins, and all those who may need the help of the Church, please attend a PHILOPTOCHOS Society meeting usually held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 PM. Our first meeting which will be held on Tuesday, September 15th with an Agiasmos at 6:00 PM in the Church and a Pot-Luck Dinner in the Center starting at 6:30 PM. 

 

 

Church School 

Church School begins regularly at 9:30 AM, starting Sunday, September 20^th. All participating members are asked to be in Church to hear the gospel reading prior to classroom instruction. 

Currently, we have over 100 members participating in our Church School who are taught ably by several parishioners who volunteer their time and energy to help instill our children with a basic knowledge of our Orthodox faith. This year we welcome Lainie Christou as our Director in charge of supervision of teachers as well as curriculum development. Formal instruction begins with the nursery schschool aged children and continues up and through high school. Our teachers are dedicated in bringing a true, educational, religious experience to our children. Included and part of the educational process is the participation of designated classes to attend the entire Divine Liturgy. Parents are encouraged, on these “Family Worship Sundays” to sit with their children’s class to help our children participate fully in the Divine Liturgy as one family. 

Adult Religious Education 

The third Tuesday of each month is dedicated generally to our spiritual growth in the form of Bible study and catechism. This year we will complete our studies of the Gospel of Luke, as well as examine The Way of the Pilgrim, a 19^th century story about the experiences of Christian from one holy place to another. Come and experience the various tenets of our faith, her dogma, teachings and traditions as we walk in the steps of Jesus Christ as seen through Luke. Our guide is Father Pat. Classes begin, Tuesday, September 22, 2009, and continue through June 2010. 

Choir 

Under the direction of Choirmaster Harry Ermides, the Senior Choir of St. Sophia takes pride in providing inspirational liturgical hymns which are sung during the year in Church. Additionally, the Choir has taken on varied programs such as the Christmas Pageant Program and the Holy Week Program, as well as a concert entitled "A Journey to Pascha" prior to Holy Week.

In February 2007, the Choir debuted “in concert” along with the acclaimed Albany Symphony Orchestra at The Canfield Casino in Saratoga, the Troy Music Hall, Troy, NY, and The Berkshire Theater in Pittsfield, MA. The World Premier of Greek Composer Kostis Kritsotakis, “The Voyage of Odysseus” was performed masterfully by our Choir giving the St. Sophia Community and members of this choir a lot to be proud of. This was the main event of the concert series titled “Mythology” and was attended by over 1200 patrons in the communities mentioned, in spite of severe snowstorms during the first two concert nights.

The St. Sophia Choir recorded its first CD Easter 2008. The CD “Hymns from the Divine Liturgy and Holy Pascha,” recorded March 29, 2008 contains a collage of hymns from the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom as well as many of the beautiful hymns from Holy Week and the Lenten period. Our 2^nd CD was recorded live at the Divine Liturgy, February 1, 2008. This was a commemorative CD recorded by a gathering of 50 current and former members of choirs directed by Spiro Takes, in whose memory the CD was dedicated. Both CD’s are available from the St. Sophia bookstore.

Beyond all this is the camaraderie and fellowship which the choir shares as friends and family members having the opportunity and the privilege to sing praises to our Lord Jesus Christ. The Choir will begin singing at the September 13^th services. Rehearsals are usually held each Thursday at 7:00 PM, beginning September 10^th. Join us during open enrollment during the months of September or January.

Young members of our community are encouraged to “carry the torch” by singing with the Sr. Choir each Sunday. The Youth choir itself consists of youths from 4th grade through high school. This will be the training ground for our future choir membership and will take an active role in church life as it develops. The former Spiro Takes Awards Program has been revised and is now established as an incentive for our youth to participate in the Senior Choir. It provides a one time award of up to $1,500 to students who have sung in the Sr. Choir a minimum of 2 years prior to graduation from High School and who were also previous members of the Jr. Choir for at least 2 years. In both cases they must sing each Sunday and at special services as requested by the Choir Director as well as rehearse according to the choir’s schedule. Youth Choir rehearsals will begin in early October. However, students are encouraged to sing each Sunday when the choir begins in September.

 

Archives & Library 

St. Sophia is very fortunate to have the expert services of Dr. Christopher Kendris as curator and director, and Iakovos Personnius, Associate Director, who is our expert in computers and high technology of this jewel among jewels which is quite extensive and valuable. The Archives include a collection of photographs extending back to 1922 and are catalogued and indexed both by event and names of individuals in the photographs. You will be amazed to see among the collections of archives so many historical documents and extensive pictorial history of our St. Sophia Church community since the days it was founded in 1922 to the present day. It is a labor of love and a tribute to the founders of our Church community – our fathers, mothers, and our grandparents who came to this great country when they were teenage immigrants and brought our heritage, culture, and humanity with them. Chris and Iakos welcome additions of old archival photographs and documents to add to the collections. 

The book section, which is also catalogued and indexed, includes a collection of Greek heritage and contributions by Greek authors, religious documents, and reference materials. There is always an interesting and informative showing of photos and documents on a TV monitor screen that automatically moves from one view to another. It is located in the glass display case in the main hallway next to the cloak room opposite the front office. Stop to look! Please take the opportunity to visit the Archives & Library Center during the Fellowship Hour on Sundays after the Divine Liturgy. Chris and Iakos will help you get acquainted with the archival collections. Chris’s late, beloved wife Ariadne-Yolanda also contributed her voluntary services..

 

Greek School 

The progress of our Afternoon Greek School continues to progress and educate as evidence by the large enrollment. In maintaining our Greek language and cultural heritage, we are all responsible as parents and as a community to accomplish this. In our commitment to continuously upgrade our Greek School, we are pleased to announce our new director Kiki Maglaras who will also be teaching our successful pre-school program and all the beginning and intermediate levels. We are also thrilled to have Eleni Efstathiadis continuing with us this year teaching the Advanced Regents level along with the part-time help of Eleni Christou. The goal of this program is for our students to be able to read, write and communicate in Greek, have a better understanding of their Greek heritage and ultimately for graduates to take the New York State Regents Exam and receive credit points as part of their high school transcripts. Various classes are held generally every Monday through Friday 4:15 PM - 8:00 PM, beginning on Monday, September 14^th, and will run through the first week of June 2009. For more information please contact the Church office.

 

Adult Greek Language 

Under the direction of Kiki Maglaras, St. Sophia is again proud to offer Greek language lessons for both parishioners and visitors alike. Classes for three levels are held on Thursday evenings beginning at 5:30 PM. A registration fee is required plus the cost of all materials. Classes are scheduled to begin on September 24^th. and will run through May 20^st, 2010. Call the Church office for further details. 

 

Youth Programs 

The future of any institution can only be insured by the education and success, care and nurturing of the succeeding generation – the youth. Keeping this in mind, we have developed several segments of our Youth Programs with the hope and understanding that our future generations will maintain the traditions and teachings of our Church while developing relationships which will last a lifetime. Under one umbrella are: 

☺ JOY ☺ ☺ GOYA ☺ ✠Altar Boys ✠ ☺ Athletic Program ☺ 

Father Pat serves as the Director of all these programs, but is capably assisted by both adult and young adult advisors whose only concern is to serve Saint Sophia and guide, teach, oversee, and protect our children. 

VOLUNTEERS – As with any group, volunteers are always needed to ensure and promote a vibrant program. If you are interested in serving any of our Youth Programs either as an advisor, or coach, or if you have an idea for a program, please feel free to contact Father Pat during the year. Volunteers are always appreciated and welcome. 

JOY 

JOY is a religious, educational, social, and recreational program designed for all our children aged 7-12 years old. Maria Sokaris and Maria Ziamandanis are our trusted and hard working advisors who help to plan and implement events throughout the year. We generally meet one Friday each month, and on special occasions during the weekend. Our goal is to promote sound relationships among this age group, and develop a positive parent/child relationship through this group. Parents are not simply encouraged to attend, but are expected to participate. Each meeting begins with a small religious discussion prior to any activity. This year we are planning a special presentation on the challenges, and the pitfalls of the internet for concerned parents. Also on the agenda, and back by popular demand will be the Sports Spectacular, hosted by the GOYA and the overnight religious retreat. We are also scheduling a special Community Service Project for our older JOYers. Programming begins Friday, September 25^th on getting to know Jesus and our traditional Ice Cream Social. 

GOYA 

GOYA is a youth group specifically geared for our teenagers aged 13-18 who have not graduated from high school. Mary Googas, Theodosia Legato, Barbara Rustin and Stephanie Kontakos serve as our advisors of this prolific group who have the opportunity to learn about the promulgation of the Church through service and activity. Planned events are: the annual Senior Holiday Dinner honoring our more established citizens; GOYA sponsored breakfasts to raise money for various events, trips and a religious retreat. Our first meeting will take place on Sunday, September 13^th, after church services in the Pappas Cultural Room. Elections will be held Sunday, September 20^th, immediately after services.

 

Athletic Program 

This program has proven to be a huge success the past few years. This year, soccer and youth basketball are on the agenda. The head advisors are George Kontakos, George Koutsakis, Theodosia Legato, Deanna Socaris, and Harry Moisidis. who have donated many precious hours spending Sundays after church and week nights on instruction and play. We are looking for even more volunteers to come forward in order to teach the basics, and coach our children in a variety of sports. The culmination and reward of this effort is the Archdiocesan JOY/GOYA Olympic program, co-chaired by George Kontakos held each Memorial Day Weekend. Sports, however, are not the only reason to participate in this program. All aspects of sport and participation are explored. One of the most overlooked aspect of this endeavor is the fund raising aspect, and there are several events to participate in including Souvlaki Fest 2009. There will also be an Awards Breakfast hosted by our Olympic athletes Sunday, September 27th, as well as the annual Palm Sunday Luncheon.

 

Acolytes 

This is a special religious program in which our young men aged 8-88 have the opportunity to serve the church. Under the supervision of James Diamantopoulos, serving as advisor, and Andreas Chrisou, head altar boy, our altar servers have a unique vantage point during the Divine Liturgy and other related Services of the Church, and have a unique responsibility in serving the Church. Additionally, each year a special end of the year trip is planned. Any young man interested in participating in this program is asked to contact Mr. Diamantopoulos following the Divine Liturgy.

 

Senior Citizen Matinee Videos
And Exercise Programs 

Every Thursday afternoon at 12:30 PM an enthusiastic group, known as the Young at Heart Club, hosted by Jim Stolis, meet in the AHEPA room to share fellowship. They enjoy a movie and a cup of coffee, and a variety of delicious home-made appetizers, sandwiches or pastries. Once a month, a full–course luncheon, prepared by Chef James, is served. At times during the year an organized field trip is planned to places of interest. We have visited Astoria to shop for the holidays, seen the Radio City Christmas Show and the exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum in NYC, and journeyed to Chatham, NY, to take in the summer plays at the Mac-Hayden Theater. Other activities are presently in the planning. Previous activities of the group have been working with the local chapter of “Habitat for Humanity,” when it needed help with their fund raising activities, they offered their talents. Another project involved helping to develop a list of parishioners who have served their country in the Armed Forces since WWI. Their untiring efforts resulted in an honor roll of names published, framed and displayed in our vestibule for all to read. The group has also hosted health fairs, informational meeting on Medicare Part D, and healthy cooking. Please stop by and join the group - THERE ARE NO DUES! 

Additionally, some of the group meets on Tuesdays for board games or card playing. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday for approximately one hour (11:15 AM to noon), an exercise program especially developed for senior citizens is offered to help tone and strengthen their muscles and bones. This free program is sponsored by the City of Albany.

20

Greek Folk Dancers 

Under the capable direction of Tina Yavis and her many assistants (Mary Googas, Maria Googas, Tina Marathakis, Marie McCullough, Maria Ziamandanis, Stephanie Kontakos, Diane Cohen, and Barbara Rustin) our dancers have been performing for 33 years and have enjoyed traveling to many senior citizen centers, schools, colleges, international shows, etc. etc. Children, who are eligible to join when they are in the 2^nd Grade or older, have become very involved in learning the dances from all parts of Greece. The elaborate costumes are a credit to them and to the community as they add to the sophistication of their performances. Registration is on the 2^nd and 3^rd Sundays of September after Church services, and classes will begin shortly thereafter. There is a registration fee. Please note that family membership to St. Sophia is mandatory. 

St. Sophia Website – stsophia.net 

Our website, managed by our most capable Administrator, Peter Mafilios, is updated on a weekly basis which includes St. Sophia’s history and information, Church information including Church photos explaining their significance and architecture, monthly calendar, links to affiliated websties, Testament articles, the current Sunday Bulletin, voluminous pictures, scripture verses, various articles, upcoming news and events, etc. etc. etc.. Please visit St. Sophia’s website at: http://stsophia.net/
 

Parish Council 

The Parish Council consists of Father Pat, as the head of the parish, and the 12 elected lay members of the community. The Council implements and administers the programs, policies and affairs of the parish and is engaged in the day-to-day functioning of the parish. The Parish Council is committed to improving and enhancing the programs at St. Sophia whether it be cultural, educational, or just social activities. Last year’s shed building by our parishioners was overwhelming successful; we will keep this mind for the future. We do listen to our parishioners – that is why we restored the Thanksgiving dance. We will be holding by popular demand from the community-at-large the 3^rd Annual Souvlaki Fest on September 18^th and September 19^th. On November 22^rd we will have our annual Commitment Sunday and will honor a few of the many volunteers. We continue to provide the St. Sophia Scholarship awarding $15,000 annually. Our goal is to work closely with organizations such as the Philoptochos in order to make visitors and guests to feel that St. Sophia is their home away from home. 

The Testament 

We take great pride in THE TESTAMENT which is the monthly newsletter of our Church. This magazine presents the news of our Church along with other social, cultural, and religious interests. It also has articles written by our parishioners, as well as a monthly column by our priest, parish council president, Philoptochos president and a monthly calendar guide to the events of the month. The TESTAMENT is edited by Helen Sokaris. Any and all articles are welcome. However, all articles must be submitted to the TESTAMENT no later than the 10^th of the preceding month and may be dropped off at the Church Office or you may e-mail Helen at sokarishm@msn.com. Anyone interested in joining The TESTAMENT staff is asked to contact Father Pat or Helen.

 

Miscellanea Programs and/or Services  

CULTURAL & EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

ST. SOPHIA BOOKSTORE

 MEN’S BASKETBALL

GREEK FESTIVAL

ANNUAL PICNIC 

We invite everyone to join and volunteer in the many

programs offered here at St. Sophia.

If you are interested in starting yet another program

please call the Church office at (518) 489-4442

or contact the Parish Council and/or Father Pat.