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www.annunciationwi.org

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Page 3

MARCH 1 SUNDAY SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY Orthros 8:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m. Sunday School following Holy Communion 6:00pm—Sunday of Orthodoxy Sts. Cyril & Methodius Church MARCH 4 WEDNESDAY PRE-SANCTIFIED 6:00 p.m. MARCH 6 FRIDAY 2ND SALUTATIONS 6:30 p.m.

MARCH 8 SUNDAY SUNDAY OF ST. GREGORY PALAMAS Orthros 8:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m. Sunday School following Holy Communion MARCH 11 WEDNESDAY PRE-SANCTIFIED 6:00 p.m. MARCH 13 FRIDAY 3RD SALUTATIONS 6:30 p.m. MARCH 15 SUNDAY SUNDAY OF THE HOLY CROSS Orthros 8:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m. Sunday School following Holy Communion MARCH 18 WEDNESDAY PRE-SANCTIFIED 6:00 p.m. MARCH 20 FRIDAY 4TH SALUTATIONS 6:30 p.m. MARCH 22 SUNDAY SUNDAY OF ST. JOHN CLIMACUS Orthros 8:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m. Sunday School following Holy Communion

(Continued)

MARCH CALENDAR

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Page 4 March 2015

MARCH CALENDAR MARCH 24 TUESDAY ANNUNCIATION FEASTDAY VESPERS 6:30 p.m. Followed by a reception hosted by the Ladies Philoptochos Society MARCH 25 WEDNESDAY ANNUNCIATION FEASTDAY Orthros 8:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m. MARCH 27 FRIDAY AKATHIST HYMN 6:30 p.m. MARCH 29 SUNDAY SUNDAY OF ST. MARY OF EGYPT Orthros 8:30 a.m. Divine Liturgy 9:30 a.m. Sunday School following Holy Communion

Taste of Greece Thank You

A sincere THANK YOU to everyone who volunteered their time and effort for Taste of Greece 2015!

With your help, we were able to have an extremely successful event this year and it would not have been possible without ALL of our amazing volunteers. It is a rewarding experience to have our entire community come together for one common goal, our beloved Annunciation Church! Look for a full financial report in next month’s Koinonia.

Thanks again!

Nicholas Ganos & Greg Papachristou

Taste of Greece Co-Chairmen

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ANNUNCIATION COMMUNITY

“Fellowship”

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Page 6 March 2015

FR. ANGELO ARTEMAS

Questions From College Students – Part 2

Why do we attend the same old liturgy every Sunday?

Our main worship service is the Sunday Divine Liturgy which is basically unchanged in its structure from the time of the Apostles. It is divided into two parts: the Liturgy of the Word (for those who are obtaining knowledge), and the Liturgy of the Faithful (for those who desire to be nurtured by and live in Christ). The first part involves hymns, prayers readings and sermons that should relate to and speak to our present times, and the second part involves offering and receiving the Word of God Jesus Christ/Eucharist that is timeless, and leads to eternal life. Both parts are necessary and essential, but the second part completes the first. Most Protestant denominations have little or no practice or understanding of the second part, and have mostly made up the first part according to their knowledge and desires, and not according to historical Apostolic practice.

Can’t I be spiritual and do good things without going to liturgy?

It is vital to have a historical connection to the Church of Jesus Christ and the Apostles, and a direct connection to His Sacraments/Mysteries because being Spiritual is not about our knowledge and feelings, but about the Holy Spirit of God entering us and changing us. By definition Spirit is something that comes from outside of us, and every Sacrament is the requesting and receiving of the Holy Spirit. We can have fellowship and pray as often as we want, but only the authentic and historical and REAL practice of sacramental worship fills us with the Spirit of God. Many times today's manufactured worship without structure and historical connection only fills us with ourselves - and makes us judge and condemn others. We are not called to bring people to Christ by threatening them with hell if they don't accept Christ, or by judging/condemning them, or by claiming we are better/more spiritual than them; or even by evangelizing them. We are called to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and visit the physically and emotionally needy. Then they will know that we are authentic Christians.

Do we baptize infants because we’re born sinful?

We are not born sinful (we actually do not teach original sin although it has worked itself into our history) but we are born into a fallen world through no fault of our own; and in infant baptism we are washing off the fallen world/dying with Christ, and being born into a spiritual and eternal life/rising with Christ.

Why don’t Protestants emphasize tradition as much?

Other denominations do not emphasize tradition and apostolic history as much because continuity has been broken off since Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation (the baby has been thrown out with the bathwater is a common expression regarding the Protestant Reformation). It may not be a lack of conscious recognition but simply a break in continuity.

Aren’t we supposed to preach from place to place?

St. Paul acknowledges that some are called to be itinerant preachers like he was (travelling place to place) while others are called to be fathers and hierarchs who establish a community and nurture it over time. Both are acceptable, but there have historically been more stationary fathers and hierarchs than itinerant preachers.

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CHURCH NEWS

Dear Friends, The 2015 Taste of Greece event is now in the books. Although the final numbers are not yet in as of this writing, it appears this Taste of Greece was the best ever. An event like this doesn’t just happen; it takes dedication, commit-ment, vision, and hard work. This was a community-wide effort, from all of the people who worked, donors/contributors, and to all those who patronized us and spent their hard earned money. A special thanks to both Nicholas Ganos and Greg Papachristou for chairing this year’s Taste of Greece and making it so successful. Thanks to: Pat Galanis, Philoptochos members, and the baking angels Peter Pappas and Harriet Sporra in finance Bob Busse, Emo Mamalakis, Karvelas team and the entire kitchen crew Steve Dietz and all of his pit crew Loretta Krenitsky & Dorothea Sarandos and their crew in the bookstore and gift shop Despina Papageorge & Mary Fournogerakis and their crew in coffee Matt Gritzmacher and our bartenders Nick Karegeannes, Joe Carvella, and Clem Stoeckl cashiering Grace Busse and the rest of the greeters Phil Naylor and our tour guides Gene Wright for advertising Mike Stavropoulos and Ground Crew Service for setting up and taking down Kelly Fuchs for all your assistance Parish Council members for their support A special thank you to Fr. Angelo and Fr. Leo for being there and spreading goodwill. Fathers, thank you for all you do. I am sorry if I have left anyone out, it is not intentional. I am overwhelmed of what our community is capable of doing. Taste of Greece is quickly becoming another great Annunciation tradition. Again, thank you all for a great experience. Sincerely, Dennis Stappas Parish Council President

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Dear Annunciation Family,

Our mission is philanthropy. This is why we bake, have luncheons, gather rummage. You make it all possible. This past month Philoptochos assisted with medical bills totalling nearly $3,000.00. I want to thank our members who bring these issues to our attention and to the Philoptochos Board who is always so supported of these confidential requests.

As you all know, Philoptochos spends a great deal of time working in our Cultural Center and using these beautiful facilities. Therefore, the ladies of Philoptochos have offered to replace the lights in the great room of the Cultural Center. It is our pleasure to assist the Parish Council in maintaining this beautiful building. The cost of this repair is slightly less than $6,000.00.

In this month’s Kinonia you will also find a reservation form for the annual Plaki Dinner. Please make your reservations early. We always have such a wonderful family time together. This year’s chef will be Curt Dowling. Curt was the chef at our first Plaki dinner which we hosted in the Cultural Center. The Markopoulos Family is generously donating all the supplies for the event. Thank you to them all!!

In May Philoptochos will be having elections for the Board for 2015-2017. I ask each of you to consider volunteering for this Board. These are wonderful women who give of themselves so selflessly. We will have more information in the April Kinonia. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact any of the Board Members.

May you have a blessed Lenten Period.

Pat Galanis

Annunciation Philoptochos President

PHILOPTOCHOS NEWS

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FELLOWSHIP COFFEE SOCIAL IN THE CULTURAL CENTER March 1st—hosted by the Ladies Philoptochos Society & Bake Sale March 8th— OPEN/Contact Kelly to donate March 15th—hosted by the Foundation Board March 22nd—OPEN/Contact Kelly to donate March 29th—OPEN/Contact Kelly to donate Host a Coffee Social in honor of your loved ones. Please contact the Church Office to schedule your date. (414-461-9400)

PARISH COUNCIL Officers Meeting: Thursday, March 12th at 7:00pm

Parish Council Meeting: Thursday, March 26th at 7:00pm

Both meetings will be held in the Cultural Center.

CHOIR REHEARSALS Please mark your calendars for the following Choir rehearsal dates:

Thursday, March 5th & 19th at 7:00pm.

PARISH NEWS

Order of AHEPA

Milwaukee Chapter #43

Student Scholarship Applications now available.

Application Deadline—Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Personal Interview—Sunday, March 15, 2015

Awards Presentation—Sunday, May 3, 2015

Applications available through email at [email protected]

Or Dr. Peter Gaveras at [email protected]

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PARISH NEWS Annunciation Feastday Donations

Iconostasion Icon of the Annunciation:

For the continued good health of our family. Peter & Evelyn Pappas.

Narthex Icon of the Annunciation:

Available...please donate

Five Artoclasia Breads/March 24th:

For the good health of Demetrios & Koula, Alex, Fotini & children and Athanasios, Tia & children. Offered by Demetrios & Koula Tongas.

Five Artoclasia Breads/March 25th:

For the good health of Konstantinos, Linda, Zoe & William, Steve, Patty, Stephanie, Billy & Johnny. Offered by Steve Dietz & Patty Armiros-Dietz.

Holy Week Donations Available

Two Palm Solea Arrangements

1,000 Palm Crosses

Four Epitaphion Floral Arms

Four Epitaphion Floral Cascades

1,500 Epitaphion Carnations

Solea Floral Arrangement/Icon of Christ

Solea Floral Arrangement/Icon of the Theotokos

Easter Lily Plants /Spring Plants

Various Altar/Narthex Icon Candles available

Please contact the Church office to make your Holy Week/Pascha donation.

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Page 13

February

February 8

5 Loaves Prosphora: For the continued health and well being of my mother Lambia Alexopoulos and son Harry Walters. Offered by Jane Alexopoulos-Walters.

February 14

Altar Candles: In loving memory of Lisa Haidemenos on her memorial. Offered by her friend, Eleni Alexopoulos Topetzes.

March

March 1

Altar Candles: In loving memory of our son George Paches on his 1 Year Memorial. Offered by Harry & Alice Paches.

March 8

Altar Candles: In loving remembrance of Celia Seraphim. Offered by Ted Seraphim and Catherine Spyres and her family.

March 15

Altar Candles: In loving memory of my husband Steven Alex on his 3 Year Memorial. Offered by his wife Athene, children and grandchildren. You are deeply missed.

March 22

Altar Candles: Offered in Silent Prayer.

March 29

Altar Candles: In loving memory my parents John & Wilma Gianos. Offered by Susan Gianos & Family.

40 DAY CHURCHING Ivan & Christina (Vasilatos) Ballester blessed their son Alexander on February 22, 2015. BAPTISMS The Servant of God Peyton Evan was baptized on February 8, 2015. Parents are Evan & Andrea (Stoeckl) Burlew. Sponsor is Greg Carvella. The Servant of God Michael was baptized on February 15, 2015. Parents are Daryl & Maria (Panagiotopoulos) Boyd. Sponsor is Greg Karvelas.

FUNERALS The Servant of God Catherine Beyer was buried on January 15, 2015.

The Servant of God Richard Hoernke was buried on January 22, 2015.

The Servant of God Emmanuil Fergadakis was buried on January 26, 2015.

The Servant of God Ann Syriopoulos was buried on February 2, 2015.

May their loving memories be eternal!

OFFER YOUR SACRED GIFT

*Sunday and Feastday Offerings*

• Altar Candles $25.00 Donation • Icon Candles—Narthex/you light $25.00 Donation day of lighting • Prosphora (5 loaves) $25.00 Donation

In Loving Memory or for the Good Health of a Loved One. Call the Church Office today to offer your Loving Gift and Sacred Tribute!

SACRAMENTS

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Page 14 March 2015

Dear Annunciation Family and Friends:

I certainly hope all of you had an opportunity to enjoy a “Taste of Greece” a few weeks back. Lines to the Grand Foyer on Saturday and an almost constant flow of customers all day Sunday were a great sight to see! The hardworking volunteers in all the various areas were plentiful and energized. What a wonderful testimonial of what our Annunciation Community is!

Taste of Greece in the Round Room in the basement of the Church? Sunday School during Taste of Greece in the Round Room? Various dinners of Chicken, Gyros, Pastitsio and Flaming Saganaki coming out of the Round Room kitchen? Seating for four hundred in the Round Room? Certainly we could host an event in the Round Room, but would it compare to and be as successful as the event in the Pihos Cultural Center?

We have a great deal to be thankful for. All the smiling faces of the young and not so young, side by side, working for the common good of our beloved Church. Oh, don’t think there wasn’t an opinion or two cast in objection to something. What do you expect when you put that many Greeks in a room!!

Our challenge is before us. We know what our fund raising goal is. It is now time for all of us to commit to sustaining and perpetuating our Faith and our Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. Reality only occurs through your thoughtful and generous financial support of our Capital Campaign

“A Foundation of Faith . . . Securing Our Orthodox Future”.

Once again, my heartfelt request to all to be as supportive as you possibly can. On behalf of the Annunciation Foundation, I remain,

In His Service,

Norman D. Eckstaedt

President, Annunciation Foundation

414.840.5484

FOUNDATION NEWS

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“A Foundation of Faith……Securing Our Orthodox Future”

Name__________________________________________________________________

Address________________________________________________________________

Email__________________________________________________________________

Phone/Cell Phone________________________________________________________

I/We Wish to Pledge

_____$35,000 per yr for 3 yrs or $105,000 Heavenly Angel

_____$10,000 per yr for 3 yrs or $ 30,000 Large Foundation Stone

_____$ 7,500 per yr for 3 yrs or $ 22,500 Foundation Stone

_____$ 5,000 per yr for 3 yrs or $ 15,000 Five Leaf Cluster

_____$ 3,000 per yr for 3 yrs or $ 9,000 Three Leaf Cluster

_____$ 1,000 per yr for 3 yrs or $ 3,000 Singular Leaf

_____$______ per yr for 3 yrs or $_______ Total

Although the Campaign ends June 30th, 2015, we would appreciate the receipt of your

pledge on or before April 1st, 2015. We will contact you for inscription instructions.

Mail to: Annunciation Greek Orthodox Foundation

9400 West Congress Street

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53225

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As Greek Orthodox Christians our participation in worship services is paramount. When we are Baptized and Chrismated, we accept the responsibility of being active Orthodox Christians, not just in our lives but in the services of the Church. Each of us has our different talents that God has given us, whether that means serving Him as a Chantor, Choir Member, Altarboy etc., we all work together to Glorify HIM!

In the same way, we Glorify God with our talents and our service to the Church, some are also asked to be an Epistle Reader, a most important and very Holy responsibility. Each ministry of our Church will have this Blessed and Holy responsibility as an Epistle Reader of the Church each month.

March— Altar Boys

April—Parish Council Members

May—Philoptochos Society

Therefore, let us use our talents to worship God so that He too may say

to us “Well done you good and faithful servant, enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Diakonia—Service

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Page 20 March 2015

PARISH NEWS Orthodox Fundamentalism

Published Date 1/29/15

One of the cornerstones of Orthodox Christianity is its reverence for the great Fathers of the Church who were not only exemplars of holiness but were also the greatest intellectuals of their age. The writings of men like St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian, and St. Maximos the Confessor have been and will always remain essential guides to Orthodox Christian living and Orthodox Christian faith.

Thus it is alarming that so many Orthodox clerics and monks in recent years have made public statements that reflect a “fundamentalist” approach to the Church Fathers. And unless leaders of the Orthodox Church unite to repudiate this development, the entire Orthodox Church is at risk of being hijacked by extremists.

Like other fundamentalist movements, Orthodox fundamentalism reduces all theological teaching to a subset of theological axioms and then measures the worthiness of others according to them. Typically, this manifests itself in accusations that individuals, institutions, or entire branches of the Orthodox Church fail to meet the self-prescribed standard for Orthodox teaching. For example, when the Theological Academy of Volos recently convened an international conference to examine the role of the Fathers in the modern Church, radical opportunists in the Church of Greece accused it and its bishop of heresy.

The key intellectual error in Orthodox fundamentalism lies in the presupposition that the Church Fathers agreed on all theological and ethical matters. That miscalculation, no doubt, is related to another equally flawed assumption that Orthodox theology has never changed—clearly it has or else there would have been no need for the Fathers to build consensus at successive Ecumenical Councils.

The irony, as identified by recent scholarship on fundamentalism, is that while fundamentalists claim to protect the Orthodox Christian faith from the corruption of modernity, their vision of Orthodox Christianity is, itself, a very modern phenomenon. In other words, Orthodoxy never was what fundamentalists claim it to be.

Indeed, a careful reading of Christian history and theology makes clear that some of the most influential saints of the Church disagreed with one another—at times quite bitterly. St. Peter and St. Paul were at odds over circumcision. St. Basil and St. Gregory the Theologian clashed over the best way to recognize the divinity of Holy Spirit. And St. John Damascene, who lived in a monastery in the Islamic Caliphate, abandoned the hymnographical tradition that preceded him in order to develop a new one that spoke to the needs of his community.

It is important to understand that Orthodox fundamentalists reinforce their reductionist reading of the Church Fathers with additional falsehoods. One of the most frequently espoused is the claim that the monastic community has always been the guardian of Orthodox teaching. Another insists that the Fathers were anti-intellectual. And a third demands that adherence to the teachings of the Fathers necessitates that one resist all things Western. Each of these assertions is patently false for specific reasons, but they are all symptomatic of an ideological masquerade that purports to escape the modern world.

The insidious danger of Orthodox fundamentalists is that they obfuscate the difference between tradition and fundamentalism. By repurposing the tradition as a political weapon, the ideologue deceives those who are not inclined to question the credibility of their religious leaders.

In an age when so many young people are opting out of religious affiliation altogether, the expansion of fundamentalist ideology into ordinary parishes is leading to a situation where our children are choosing between religious extremism or no religion at all.

It is time for Orthodox hierarchs and lay leaders to proclaim broadly that the endearing relevance of the Church Fathers does not lie in the slavish adherence to a fossilized set of propositions used in self-promotion. The significance of the Fathers lies in their earnest and soul-wrenching quest to seek God and to share Him with the world. Fundamentalist readings of both the Fathers and the Bible never lead to God—they only lead to idolatry.

George E. Demacopoulos

Fordham University Professor of Historical Theology

Director and Co-Founder, Orthodox Christian Studies Center

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CHURCH FINANCIALS

DID YOU KNOW... that not only can you view and print the church calendar and monthly Koinonia from the website, you can also make donations (memorials, etc.) and pay your stewardship online? Please take a look at this easy process of just 5 steps.

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103364 Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church (B)

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Thank you for advertising in our church bulletin.I am patronizing your business because of it!

Please Cut Out This “Thank You Ad” and Present ItThe Next Time You Patronize One of Our Advertisers

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Ground CrewService, LLC

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LUNCHES DINNERSFacilities for weddings

private banquets & meetingsample free parking

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Please support the advertisers in your bulletin,and thank them for their continued support.

They make your bulletin possible.103364 Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church (A)

GALANIS, POLLACK, JACOBS& JOHNSON, S.C.

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ResidentialWork

640 S. 70th St.

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ConsiderRememberingYour Parish in

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5141 S. 108th StreetHales Corner, WI 53130

414-425-1010

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Annunciation

Greek Orthodox Church

9400 West Congress Street

Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53225

(414) 461-9400

PRESORTED

NON-PROFIT

U.S. POSTAGE PAID

PERMIT NO. 5274

MILWAUKEE, WI

Deliver To:

Or Current Resident

ANNUNCIATION LISTSERV If you would like to receive news and announcements by email through the new Annunciation Church Listserv, simply email [email protected] with your first name, last name and email address.

ANNUNCIATION FACEBOOK & TWITTER If you would like to follow Annunciation Church through Facebook and/or twitter go to:

https://www.facebook.com/annunciationchurch and/or https://twitter.com/#!/AnnunciationMKE

Please notify the Church of address changes.