Holy Wisdom

St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church,

Founded in 1926

2504 N. St. Mary’s Street,

San Antonio, TX 78212-3799

Office: 210-735-5051

Emergency : 210-788-8797

PAGE 2 ST. SOPHIA GREEK ORT HODOX CHURCH VOLUME 17, ISSUE 5

2017 Church Organizations

Parish Council, Nick Anthony, President……...210-849-9283

GOYA

Katerina Papanikolaou, President……....….…....210-452-5822

Danny Organ, Advisor…………….…..….….....210-545-7597

Stewardship Committee

Roger Sanftner..……………………….………...210-884-0792

Philoptochos

Laurene Dunn, President …………….…...…….210-320-6343

Sunday School

Tomi Papanikolaou……………….……....…….210-542-5822

Book Store

Gus Vangelakos…………………....…....……...210-577-0254

Heather Ryniker ………………………..……...210-540-2773

Librarian/Archivist/WEB Master

David Karle………….………....webmaster@stsophiagoc.org

Hellenic Organizations

AHEPA

Costa Sgagias, President ………...........….……210-659-2677

Daughters of Penelope

Kathy Kaberides, President …………..…...….....210-381-8135

High School

Graduates

Rini Tsounakas will be

graduating on May 20, 2017

with honors (top 10% of her

class), from Incarnate Word

High School. Rini will be attending Hofstra

University in Hempstead, New York, (her Mom's

alma mater.) She was invited into Hofstra's

Honors College and also accepted into the Legal

Education Accelerated Program, (LEAP). Rini

plans to major in music business and become an

entertainment/patent attorney. Philippians 4:13.

We are truly blessed.

Jordyn Paige Welzbacher graduates from Reagan

High School and plans to go to UTSA in the Fall.

From the President

Christ Is Risen!

Xristos Anesti! Dear fellow Parishioners,

I am truly honored and humbled to serve as president

for our congregation and in service to our spiritual

leader, Fr. Brendan. As the Parish Council and I

embark on our responsibilities to you and our

Church, I will endeavor to instill unity, transparency,

trust and effort toward an inclusive community with

Agape Love as the foundation for all we strive to

achieve. To be sure, this will require all of us to

put the past aside and focus on a productive and

prosperous future for our St. Sophia Parish.

In the coming weeks, we will be planning a Parish

Organization Leadership Summit, whereby the

leadership of each of our parish organizations invited

to come together with the purpose of establishing

alignment toward our Parish goals. More

information on this gathering will be provided once

planning is complete. The summit will be

professionally facilitated by an outside, third-party

provider.

To close, as we look to the future of St. Sophia

Greek Orthodox Church and our efforts to share our

Orthodox Faith within and outside of our Parish

community, there are many exciting opportunities to

consider. Doing so together will truly serve San

Antonio, at large, as we contribute to the dynamic

growth of the city we all call home.

In faithful service,

Nick D. Anthony

President

SSGOC Parish Council

SSGOC Congregation

ST. SOPHIA GREEK ORT HODOX CHURCH VOLUME 17, ISSUE 5 PAGE 3

Ladies Philoptochos Society

May 2017 Monday, 1st: 6:00 pm Board Meeting at Papoul’s.

Sunday, 7th General Membership Meeting after Divine Liturgy

in Double Classroom Elections & Refreshments.

Sunday, 21st: Catechetical School Teachers & Student Recognition

Monday, 15th: 9:30 am Traveling Loaves & Fishes Sandwich prep @ St Mark’s

Christ is Risen!

Philoptochos extends a heartfelt thank you and appreciation to all of our volunteers, ladies and GOYA aged

who came to help decorated the Kouvoukleon with flowers on Holy and Great Friday, giving in faith to lend

beauty to the Vespers and Lamentations Services. It truly is a reflection of your great love for God and our

Church. Truly He is Risen!

Habitat for Humanity: The Mission of Habitat for Humanity

is in providing affordable homes for lower income families.

Participants are required to contribute hours of “sweat equity”

in the building of their homes and have training in responsible

home ownership. Our Philoptochos Ladies braved the cool,

windy weather to volunteer by providing boxed lunches and

iced tea for the hardworking volunteer work crew on Saturday,

April 22nd. It was a wonderful experience as we had an

opportunity to tour some of the completed homes and see the

work in progress. We look forward to working with the Habitat

for Humanity in the future.

General Membership Meeting: Executive Board Elections:

To be held on Sunday, May 7th at our General Membership Meeting after Divine Liturgy.

Nominees for the Board are as follows (in alphabetical order):

Cynthia Asvestas Cindy Hughes

Georgia Carson Eunice Kritsidimas

Annette Cash Pamela Layden

Vicky Dolan Kathy Nelson

Marlene Graham Advisor: Lauri Dunn

Crochet/Knitting Group

We will be organizing a new group. For those interested in learning how to crochet or in brushing up on their

crochet skills. As our skills improve we can create items for charitable causes. This will be open to everyone

in the community and all skill levels (from absolutely no skills to any and all levels of skills) are invited!

Megan Crandall has generously offered to help organize this group and host the first gathering in her

home. We welcome anyone with experience to help teach those of us who are beginners. We are tentatively

looking at beginning in June. For times and location, please contact Megan @ 210-818-1174 or Kathy Nelson

@ 210-828-2734.

PAGE 4 ST. SOPHIA GREEK ORT HODOX CHURCH VOLUME 17, ISSUE 5

AHEPA

AHEPA Update

A really BIG thank you to the Ahepans, especially George Hathaway that helped to make our

Greek Independence Day Luncheon/Program a success. Thank you to Niko Papanikolaou and

all the children for an outstanding program. The dancers did a great job. Can’t forget to thank

the Goyans for helping to serve the meal.

Also, thank you to everyone that attended the luncheon, thank you for the donations to the Dan Anthony

Memorial Scholarship and thank you for helping to clean up afterwards.

The Set up Crew The Kitchen Crew

A future Ahepan Posting of the Colors

Special Guests The Dancers

PAGE 5 ST. SOPHIA GREEK ORT HODOX CHURCH VOLUME 17, ISSUE 5

The Ahepans also presented Ralph LaRochelle with a shadow box in recognition and appreciation of service to

his country and the United States Air Force from April 8, 1959 to October 31, 1980.

Next month, our ‘Greek Booth’ will be part of the Texas Folklife Festival: Friday - June 9, 5pm to 11pm,

Saturday - June 10, 11am to 11pm, and Sunday June 11, noon to 7pm.

Volunteer signup sheets are available in Mangos Hall. Please consider signing up to help - - we need about 20

folks per shift.

Also, we are asking for donations to help off-set the expenses of our booth. Don’t forget, we share the profits

with our beloved St. Sophia. In addition, this option provides an excellent opportunity for those who may not

be able to work at the Folklife Festival to make a contribution to this worthwhile event.

As a reminder, 2017 chapter dues ($50.00) are now due. Please pay your dues soon.

We thank everyone in advance for your support of all our AHEPA events.

Our next AHEPA meeting will be on May 8th, 7pm, Mangos Hall.

God Bless,

Costas Sgagias

Christos Anesti!

Our April meeting was held on April 17th.

Our Pascha Bake Sale was a successful one and I would like to thank everyone who came to help bake,

package and deliver the orders. Thanks to all who ordered from us this year. Sorry if you missed it. We did

not have much leftover to sell.

The scholarship applications and instructions have been given to the church office and should be posted on the

church’s website on our page. Please ensure packets are complete as if not, they will be disqualified.

Our next meeting will take place on May 8th beginning at 7:00 pm in the double classroom. This will be a

very important meeting as we will be installing next year’s officers. Please try to attend.

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at 210-381-8135.

In Theta Pi, Kathy Kaberides, President

Daughters of Penelope

PAGE 6 ST. SOPHIA GREEK ORT HODOX CHURCH VOLUME 17, ISSUE 5

2017 Stewardship Pledges As of April 27th

Mr. & Mrs. Themis Alyfantis

Mr. & Mrs. Nick Anthony

Mr. Peter Anton

Mr. & Mrs. Greg Asvestas

Mr. & Mrs. Rudy Bagnato

Mr. & Mrs. Jack Bellos

Mr. & Mrs. Edward Bishop

Mr. & Mrs. Nasr Botros

Mrs. Estelle Bournias

Mrs. Nena Bratianu

Mr. & Mrs. Steven Broadaway

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Brown

Mr. James Burns

Mr. Steve Calamars

Mr. & Mrs. Peter Callins

Mrs. Olga Callins

Mr. Louis Cardenas

Mr. Chris Carson

Mrs. Catherine Carson

Mrs. Georgia Carson

Ms. Niki Cascio

Mrs. Annette Cash

Mrs. Katherine Catsifas

Mrs. Katherine Copas

Mr. & Mrs. Nick Costas

Mr. George Crabtree

Ms. Mary Crabtree

Mr. & Mrs. Jason Crandall

Mr. & Mrs. David Crane

Mr. & Mrs. Dean Danos

Mr. John Danos

Mrs. Beatrice Demitre

Mr. Phillip G. Demitre

Mr. & Mrs. Dimitrios Dimas

Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Dolan

Mr. & Mrs. Doyle Dunn

Mr. & Mrs. Micheal Eason

Mr. & Mrs. Mike Eldred

Mr. & Mrs. Kalliopi Evans

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Fadrowski

Mr. & Mrs. Sostenes Flores

Mr. & Mrs. John Fotopoulos

Mr. & Mrs. George Gavallos

Mr. & Mrs. James Georgoulakis

Mr. & Mrs. Victor Gerleman

Mr. Basile Goungetas

Mr. & Mrs. John Graham

Ms. Antoinette Grauke

Mrs. Christina Hamblin

Mr. Nickolas Hamblin

Mr. George Hathaway

Mrs. Aspasia Hensley

Ms. Jean Homitsky

Mrs. Athena Houghtaling

Mr. & Mrs. Marq Hughes

Mr. & Mrs. Peter Kaberides

Mr. & Mrs. David Karle

Mr. & Mrs. Bill Karras

Mr. & Mrs. Kostantinos Kastis

Mr. & Mrs. Peter Kastis

Mrs. Olga Kouchoukos

Mr. & Mrs. Iraklis Kouroumousis

Mr. Jerry Kouroumousis

Mrs. Eunice Kritsidimas

Mr. & Mrs. Anthony Kylitis

Mr. & Mrs. Constantinos Kylitis

Mr. & Mrs. Ralph LaRochelle

Mr. & Mrs. Michael Lambert

Mr. & Mrs. William Layden

Mr. Jonathan Layden

Mr. Albert Lymberry

Mr. John Lyons

Mr. George Manolopoulos

Mr. & Mrs. Stan Masters

Mr. William Mastoris

Mr. & Mrs. Symeon Michaelidis

Mr. & Mrs. Chris Morrell

Mr. & Mrs. William Morris

Mr. & Mrs. Manuel Munoz

Ms. Andrea Nichols

Mrs. Isabelle Nichols

Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Organ

Mr. & Mrs. Harris Papahronis

Mr. & Mrs. Nikos Papanikolaou

Dr. Chris Paris

Fr. & Pres. Brendan Pelphrey

Mr. & Mrs. Tony Pena

Ms. Ellen Pepps

Mr. & Mrs. Serafirm Perdikis

Mrs. Mary C. Petrutsas

Ms. Donna Jean Philbrick

Mr. & Mrs. Dale Reeves

Mr. & Mrs. John Reeves

Mr. & Mrs. Paul Rodriguez

Mr. & Mrs. Chris Rokas

Mr. & Mrs. Frank Rosenkranz

Mr. & Mrs. Earl Ryburn

Mr. & Mrs. Eric Ryniker

Mr. & Mrs. Luis Salas

Mr. & Mrs. Roger Sanftner

Mrs. Dorothy Sawyer

Mr. & Mrs. Costas Sgagias

Mr. & Mrs. Tom Smith

Mrs. Helen Stanley

Mr. & Mrs. Sotirios Stathakis

Mr. & Mrs. Chris Stievo

Mr. & Mrs. James Stutzman

Fr. & Prsv. Dan Suciu

Ms. Abezu Teferra

Mr. & Mrs. Aynalem Tegene

Mr. & Mrs. Spyros Ticoras

Mr. & Mrs. Demetrios Tingas

Mr. & Mrs. Dan Titerle

Ms. Beth Tsounakas

Miss Irini Tsounakas

Mr. & Mrs. John Tsouvalas

Mr. Charles Tsouvalas

Mr. James Vamvakias

Mr. & Mrs, Augustus Vangelakos

Mr. & Mrs. James Varelas

Mr. & Mrs. James Verreos

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Vlattas

Mr. & Mrs. Floyd Walker

Mr. & Mrs. John Watkins

Ms. Christy Welzbacher

Mr. Jordyn Welzbacher

Mr. & Mrs. Nathan Wiegreffe

Ms. Stephanie Wilkinson

Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Wolf

Mr. & Mrs. Demetrios Yiannos

Mrs. Georgia Zannaras

St. George

The Great Martyr & Triumphant

Happy Birthday!

VOLUME 17, ISSUE 5 ST. SOPHIA GREEK ORT HODOX CHURCH PAGE 7

Editor’s Note

Remember that the Newsletter

deadline is May 15 for the June/July

2017 issue. You may either mail, fax or

e-mail your articles or items before the

deadline to the Church Office.

(Addresses are on the front page). If

your name does not appear in the

birthday or anniversary lists, please fill

out a Church Register form located in

the Hall pamphlet rack and return it to

the office. If you know anyone who is

ill and not on the Prayer List and

would like their name listed, call the

Church Office at 735-5051.

Our Church Family

May 2017

Happy Anniversary!

Please pray for the brothers and

sisters listed on the this page who

are sick. If you are sick, please let

us know so we can pray for you as

God’s family. Please let us know

when you are having surgical

procedures and Fr. Brendan will

perform the PARAKLEISIS Service

during your procedure. In the event

of any hospitalization, please let

us know so we can bring the Lord’s

comfort in prayer or sacrament.

MEMORIALS can be announced in the newsletter calendar, however, must be recorded by the 15th in the church office prior to the printing of the following months calendar. Newsletter deadlines remain the 15th of the month.

Remember in your Prayers

Happy

Mother’s Day

Chrissy Anthony

Argie Bonduris

Jim Borum

Katie Copas

Dora Costa

Megan Crandall

Phillip Demitre

Doris Dimas

Doyle Dunn

Kristina Frey

Michelle Frey Gutt

Don Hucthinson

Fr. John Kondratick

Olga Kouchoukos

Ralph La Rochelle

Mimi Moultrup

Tomi Papanikolaou

Tom Poulos

Harry Rokas

Mina Sidler

Sophia Sotiriou

Helen Stanley

Fr. Dan Suciu

Beth Tsounaks

Ismene Valescu

Nikki Walker

Sylvia Wolf

Anthony Zannaras

1- Juliann Sakelakos

2- Christina M. Hamblin

2- Andrew Paulson

2- Christina Perdikis

2- Justin Strout

2- Panagiotis (Peter) Velentzas

3- Timothy Swainhart

3- Senia Tovar

5- Caren Alyfantis

5- Ronald Khory

7- Nina Rokas

8- Alex Barrow Jr.

8- Ralph Cortinas

8- Maria Evans

8- Matthew Oserov

9- Sam Maropis

9- Emmanuel Michaelides

10- Rolf Butler

11- Peter C. Anton Sr.

11- Nicholas Berlint

11- Arianna Brown

11- Demetrios Tingas

12- Maritsa Dinibutun 13- Stephanie Tsapakis

13- Georgia Poenitzsch

14- Dawn Mayo

14- Abel Tegene

15- Anastasia Dale

15- Lucas Khory

15- Lisa Papadopoulos

15- Jamil Sayfi

17- Penn Brown

17- Jessica Sauerwein

17- Thomas Vlattas

18- Paula M. Dodge

18- Alexander Dracopoulos

18- John N. Fotopoulos II

18- Charles Koutras

19- Luke Butler

19- Shane Poston

20- Annette Constandine

21- Michael Boutsis

22- Cynthia Asvestas

22- Alexia Organ

23- Andrea Nichols

23- Noor Shamieh

24- Louise Anna Eldred

24- George Geer

25- James Tsouvalas

26- Elizabeth Diakogiannis

26- Sotirios Peppas

27- Helen Frank

27- Nicholas Mitran

28- Sherry Fotopoulos

28- Alexandra Harris

2 Victor & Mimi Gerleman

3 Willie & Amanda Morris

3 James & Karen Stanley

6 Jeffery & Maria Boehme

12 Sammy & Anna Hale

14 Christ & Judith Coteff

14 Peter & Lamar Kastis

15 Dennis & Chris Peppas

16 Ron & Michelle Gutt

17 Rudy & Michelle Bagnato

24 John & Paula Dodge

24 Thimios & Barbara Partales

24 John & Francine Zannidachis

26 Michael & Christina Albrecht

26 Constantine & Sara Malouf

31 Eddie & Stacy Bishop

31 George & Liz Diakogiannis

31 Steve & Sofia Hudkins

31 Petros & Silvana Papagerakis

31 Fr. & Pres. Brendan Pelphrey

31 John & Sylvia Wolf

John 14:6

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the

truth, and the life. No one comes to the

Father, except through Me”

29- Annie Sierra

29- Myra Main

30- Ralph Erian

30- Kalliopi Evans

30- Nick Papanikolaou

30- Christos Rodriguez

31- Eleni Kylitis

31- Mark Saenz

31- John E. Zannidachis

Non-Profit

Organization

U.S. Postage

PAID San Antonio, TX

Permit No. 1212

Services And Scripture Readings

Special Services

8:30 am Orthros

10 am Divine Liturgy

St. George

Monday, May 1

St. Constantine and Helen

May Sunday services

8:30 Orthros

10 AM Divine Liturgy

Sunday Epistle Reading: Acts 9:32-42 May 7 Gospel Reading: John 5:1-15 Sunday Epistle Reading: Acts 11:19-30 May 14 Gospel Reading: John 4:5-42 Sunday Epistle Reading: Acts 26:1, 12-20 May 21 Gospel Reading: John 9:1-38 Sunday Epistle Reading: Acts 20:16-18, 28-36 May 28 Gospel Reading: John 17:1-13

Change Service Requested