Saint Spyridon Weekly E-mail

SAINT SPYRIDON

Hellenic Orthodox Church

EPISTLE & GOSPEL READING

EPISTLE READING

2 Corinthians 6:16-18; 7:1

Brethren, you are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch nothing unclean; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God.

GOSPEL READING

Matthew 15 : 21 - 28

At that time, Jesus went to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon." But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." And he answered, "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.

Worship Service Schedule

Sunday, February 18, 2024 - Sunday of the Canaanite Woman

Orthros - 8:00 a.m.

Divine Liturgy - 9:30 a.m.

**Archangels Academy Breakfast Fundraiser

Saturday, February 24, 2024

Vespers - 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, February 25, 2024 - Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee

Orthros - 8:00 a.m.

Divine Liturgy - 9:30 a.m.

*** Sunday School

YOUTH MINISTRY

AWARDS

National finalists are eligible to receive the following:

St. John Chrysostom Festival Scholarship: $500 to $2,000

FAITH: An Endowment for Orthodoxy and Hellenism: to be announced

SCHOLARSHIPS

Finalists at any level are eligible to receive the following:

Chrysostorm Scholarship to Hellenic Collage: $2,500 up to $30,000 per year

As part of our ongoing commitment to the spiritual growth and development of our youth, we are excited to announce the upcoming Oratorical Festival at our parish. This enriching event will take place after the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, April 14th immediately following the Divine Liturgy.

The Oratorical Festival is a tradition within our parish, designed to offer our young people a platform to express their faith and explore their creative talents in a supportive and nurturing environment.

Categories include: Speech, Poetry, Iconography, Vocal Chant, and Vocal Solo for students in grades 7-12.

Junior Division for grades 7–9
Senior Division for grades 10–12.

Students in grades 1-6 are highly encouraged to participate. Projects should be rooted in Orthodox teachings. All projects are due by Sunday, April 7 to ensure that we have enough time to prepare them for display during the Oratorical Festival. Examples of projects: posters, dioramas, icons, drawings, prayer journal, storybook, shadow box

Topics

The Life of a Saint
The Meaning of a Holy Day
A Miracle of the Orthodox Church
My Favorite Bible Story
The Importance of Prayer
Icons and their Significance

Please direct any questions to Maria Baltsas, Oratorical Chair (773) 615-1719 or englishteacher30@yahoo.com

GOYA MEETING

Wednesday, February 28

7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW FOR THE FANARI REUNION DANCE!

Friday, March 1st, 2024

7:00pm

Holy Apostles Church, Westchester IL

Join us at the Fanari Reunion Dance for an unforgettable night of reconnecting with friends!

Dance the night away and enjoy delicious food and drinks.

Tickets are $10 each.

Click HERE to Buy Tickets

ALTAR BOY MEETING

Saturday, February 17

10 AM - 11:30 PM

anari Camp is excited to continue our Metropolis-wide Fanari Lenten Retreat. The retreat will be a day in the life of camp, and will include: Worship, Orthodox Life, games, Song Night, and much more!

All 5th-12th graders are invited to join us!

LOCATION:

SS. Constantine & Helen, Palos Hills, IL

Click HERE to Register

METROPOLIS YOUTH/YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY

PHILOPTOCHOS / OUTREACH / PHILANTHROPY

ARCHANGEL ACADEMY PRESCHOOL

Click HERE for 2024-25 Enrollment Application

PLUTARCHOS ACADEMY GREEK SCHOOL

Enroll your children in “Πλούταρχος» Academy Greek School, and watch them flourish in the beauty of Greece's heritage! Classes are offered Mondays and Fridays, 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. For more information please call 708-385-2311 or email us at office@saint-spyridon.net

Ellinomatheia: 6th grade Greek School graduates can take this Greek Language Seminar to prepare for the Ellinomatheia exam. The Ellinomatheia certificate can be used to receive a seal of Biliteracy. For more information, please see the flyer below.

STEWARDSHIP

Consider the Following Info...

The volunteer hours that are needed to run our parish total about 21,500 hours annually. Split evenly, this would be about 62 hours annually per family unit (about 1.2 hours per week per family unit). What talent has God blessed you with that you can offer the church 1.2 hours per week? Are you a teacher? Do you enjoy working with youth? Are you handy? Do you enjoy outreach? Please indicate your interest, talent or skill you would like to offer on our stewardship card. The volunteer hours that are needed to run our parish total about 21,500 hours annually. Split evenly, this would be about 62 hours annually per family unit (about 1.2 hours per week per family unit). What talent has God blessed you with that you can offer the church 1.2 hours per week? Are you a teacher? Do you enjoy working with youth? Are you handy? Do you enjoy outreach? Please indicate your interest, talent or skill you would like to offer on our stewardship card.