St. Sophia Greek  Orthodox Church

440 Whitehall Road
Albany, NY 12208
Tel: (518)489-4442
 

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St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church

440 Whitehall Road
Albany, New York 12208-1520
Tel. (518) 489-4442 Fax: (518) 489-6059
Rev. Father Patric Legato, Pastor
e-mail: Rev. Fr. Patric Legato
e-mail: St. Sophia Church

LITURGICAL HOURS
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CHURCH WORSHIP SERVICES:
Sunday- Orthros 8:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.
Weekdays- Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m.

OFFICE HOURS:
Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.Phone: (518)-489-4442

 

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, boutiques, 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, the sick, and all those who may need the help of the Church, please attend a PHILOPTOCHOS Society meeting held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 PM.

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CHURCH SCHOOL

Church School begins regularly at 9:30 AM, starting Sunday, September 23rd 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. Under the supervision of Mary Pat and John Chris Googas, as directors, formal instruction begins with the nursery school 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.

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ADULT RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

The third Tuesday of each month is dedicated to our spiritual growth in the form of Bible study and catechism. 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 18, 2007, and continue through June 2008.

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GREEK SCHOOL

The progress of the Afternoon Greek School has grown leaps and bounds these last few years as evidenced by the large enrollment. In maintaining our cultural heritage, we are called to "rear up the young." In our commitment to continuously upgrade our Greek School, we are pleased to announce the continuation of Eleni Christou as Greek School Teacher for our Advanced and Regents Level, as well as our pre-school Greek teacher,  Stephanie Dimopoulos and Kiki Maglaras for all other beginning to intermediated levels. The goal of this program is for our students to be able to read, write and communicate in Greek and ultimately for graduates to take the New York State Regents Exam and receive credit points as part of their transcripts. Various classes are held generally every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM, beginning in September 11th, and will run through the first week of June 2008. Also, the Kindergarten - 2nd grade instruction will resume on Saturdays at 10:00 am.  For more information please contact the Church office.

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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. Classess 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 20th and will run through May 22nd, 2008.   Call the Church office for further details.

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ACOLYTES

Any male aged 8 years old and older who is willing to commit the time is able to share in the unique opportunity of serving as Acolytes before the Holy Altar of God. Our dedicated men have the special opportunity to experience the richness and beauty of the Divine Liturgy from a special vantage point, attending the Divine Liturgy from 9:30 AM to its conclusion, as well as having the opportunity to serve the Lord in the altar at various Services held throughout the year. We are pleased to have Mr. James Diamantopoulos as our Altar Co-ordinator ably assisted by our head altar boys Michael Lois and Athanasios Athanassiadis. Please feel free to contact any of our Co-ordinators at coffee hour throughout the year and volunteer for a life rewarding service to the church.

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YOUTH PROGRAMS
 

JOY is a religious, educational, social, and recreational program designed for our youth who range in age from 7 to 12 years old. Under the direction of advisors Stephanie Kontakos, Barbara Rustin, 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 21st with a presentation on peer pressure and our Ice Cream Social.

 

GOYA is a youth group specifically geared for our teenagers 13-18 who have not graduated from high school.  Mary Googas, Theodosia Legato, and Effie Maglaras serve as our advisors of this prolific group who have the opportunity to learn about the promulgation of the Church through service.  Among the scheduled events are programs designed to address alcohol abuse by teenagers and  the responsibility of the parent;  Fall Harvest Dance; Senior Holiday Dinner.  Our first meeting will take place on Sunday, September 9th, after church services in the Pappas Cultural Room.

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CHOIR

Under the direction of Choirmaster Harry Ermides, the Senior Choir of St. Sophia takes pride in providing inspirational liturgical music which is sung during the year in Church. Additionally, the Choir has taken on varied programs such as the Christmas 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.

 Beyond all this, however, 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 16th services. Rehearsals are usually held each Thursday at 7:00 PM, beginning September 6th. Join us during open enrollment during the months of September or January if you can sing.

This year we will continue to organize the St. Sophia Youth Choir. This group will consist 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 Spiro Takes Awards Program was established as an incentive for our youth to participate in the youth choir. It provides a financial reward upon graduation from high school based on the number of years each student participates in our choir program. The youth choir rehearses every Thursday evening from 6:00 to 6:45pm and members sing every Sunday before Sunday school.

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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 10th 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.

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ATHLETIC PROGRAM

The athletics program at St. Sophia has proven to be a huge success. Programs were created for both children and adults such as soccer and basketball, and preparing our youth to compete competitively at the Junior Olympics sponsored by the Archdiocesan District Games held on Memorial Weekend. The Athletic Committee is planning another year of fun, learning and sportsmanship for the entire community. Registration for each program will take place throughout the year during the fellowship hour on Sundays. Please look for upcoming and detailed information for each program in the Sunday Bulletins and future Testaments.

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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 or pastries. Once a month, a full–course luncheon is held, along with organized field trips 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. When the local chapter of "Habitat for Humanity," needed help with their fund raising activities, they offered their talents. The bakers in the group have been getting together before their movie to make Prosforo for offering at church services. Their latest 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.

Additionally, 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. These one-hour classes are held on Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:30 AM.

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GREEK FOLK DANCERS

Under the capable direction of Tina Yavis and her many assistants, our dancers have been performing for 25 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 8 years old or older 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 2nd and 3rd Sundays of September after Church services, and classes will begin shortly thereafter. There is a registration fee of $10. Please note that family membership to St. Sophia is mandatory.


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ARCHIVES & LIBRARY

St. Sophia is very fortunate to have the expert services of Dr. Christopher Kendris as curator and director 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.

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 exhibit on a variety of topics in the glass display case in the main hallway next to the cloak room opposite the front office. Stop to look at the exhibits! Please take the opportunity to visit the Archives & Library Center during the Fellowship Hour on Sundays after the Divine Liturgy. Christopher would love to to help you get acquainted with the archival collections.  His late, beloved wife Ariadne-Yolanda also contributed her services.

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PARISH COUNCIL

This Parish Council is committed to improving and enhancing the programs at St. Sophia whether it be cultural, educational, or just social activities. The Youth Choir which started two years ago is growing as well as the Athletic Program which has been charged to make better use of the Gymnasium for our parishioners. Of course, we will have our Annual Church Dance in November and the annual New Year’s Eve Party. On November 18th we will have our annual Commitment Sunday which will now include honoring those volunteers who unselfishly have given their time during the year to St. Sophia. 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 these students feel that St. Sophia is their home away from home.

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MISCELLANEOUS PROGRAMS AND/OR SERVICES

CULTURAL & EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

ST. SOPHIA BOOKSTORE

TODDLERS PLAY GROUP

MEN’S BASKETBALL

GRECIAN FESTIVAL

PENTECOST PANAGYRI

JAZZERCISE

LIBRARY & ARCHIVES ROOM

AHEPA
DAUGHTERS OF PENELOPE
SONS OF PERICLES
MAIDS OF ATHENA