PANAGIA CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL PHILOPTOCHOS 

Philoptochos means "Love of the Poor"

February 2021 PHILOPTOCHOS Activities and Calendar

 

UPCOMING PHILOPTOCHOS ACTIVITIES AND WAYS YOU CAN TAKE PART 

National Philoptochos "Random Acts of Kindness"  A call for “Kindness”  "To all persons, all ages  — children and adults, The kick-off in conjunction with Valentine’s Day and continuing through our Great Lent. Our Lenten Effort is to actively demonstrate the attributes of the Trinity: Mercy, Kindness, Love and Tenderness, the attributes of a Christian."

A Box labeled "Acts of Kindness" will be in the church narthex where you can place a description of your act (NO NAMES PLEASE).  These acts will be Posted at the church and on the church website in the Philoptochos Corner for everyone to appreciate and perhaps emulate.  

ON-GOING PHILOPTOCHOS CHARITY EMPHASES

Donations of non-perishable foods for the Bread of the Mighty Food Bank.  A box is available in the Narthex for your donation which will be taken to the food bank once a month.  In December, we donated 100 pounds of food. In January, we donated 17 pounds.  

Support of Alachua County Homeless School Children:  Thanks to the generous donations of parishioners, we donated $600 to the Homeless School Children Project.  They will provide a report of how the donation was used.

LENTEN SEASON BEGINS

Triodhion begins on February 21 with the Publican and the Pharisee.  While COVID-19 is still with us and restrictions remain, Fr. Paul will be holding the traditional services and Philoptochos will need volunteers to decorate icons for the Akathist Hymn Friday services and Koliva for Saturday of the Souls.  Plans for a take-home fish dinner for Palm Sunday, a celebration for Easter Sunday under a tent outside.  See the Parish Council site for more information.  We welcome ALL to share ideas of how to celebrate this special season safely.

We invite you to volunteer to support the services.  Please e-mail Carol Tsekouras at PhilPres@gnvorthodox.com

Decorate an Icon for Friday Akathist Hymn service on the following dates:

March 19 & March 26
April 2, April 9 & April 16

April 24, Saturday of Lazarus, come to make palm crosses, spring cleaning of the church and grounds, and decoration of our church for Palm Sunday.  Put this date on your calendar and we will see you at the church that morning.

April 26 - Decorate the Icon of the Bridegroom

April 30, 9:00 am, come to decorate the Kouvouklion - Everyone is invited.

Become a member of Philoptochos or Renew your Membership  if you have not done so already.  Only eleven members to date.  We need everyone.

ELECTION OF A NEW BOARD:

Elections of a new board are held in May each year.  Your President and Treasurer are finishing their second two year terms and are not eligible to hold office again.  We need volunteers. specifically, an Election Chairman to recruit board members and to oversee the election.  We know how very difficult it is to keep Philoptochos up and running in these times BUT it is such an important part of the functioning of our Orthodox Christian faith that we are asking that you search your heart and volunteer to become an active part of this very rewarding work of our church. 

Please e-mail Carol Tsekouras at PhilPres@gnvorthodox.com to discuss what is involved and to nominate someone (or yourself).

 

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January 2021 PHILOPTOCHOS Activities and Calendar

Our mission: "To aid the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the orphaned, the imprisoned, the widowed, the handicapped, the victims of disasters, to undertake the burial of the impoverished person and to offer assistance to anyone who may need the help.  See calendar of events  

Greetings in the New Year:

It's been a long 2020 and not, shall I say, the best year of our lives.  I have really missed the Christian fellowship that Philoptochos provides to us all.  No gatherings to bake goodies, no coffee hour after church, no in person meetings.  It's been a kind of fellowship desert this year. We are all ready to see faces and hear voices and just be together again.

When we understood that COVID was going to be with us for a long time, we began having ZOOM meetings. In 0ctober. a Board meeting, and then in November and December we had general meetings.  Participation has been limited.  

Our next ZOOM meeting is scheduled for January 19 at 7:00 pm. We encourage everyone who is interested in Philoptochos activities to join this meeting and share ideas of how to continue the philanthropic work of our Philoptochos chapter. To join, send an e-mail to PhilPres@gnvorthodox.com to get the ZOOM Link.    If each one does a little, Philoptochos can accomplish mighty things without burdening the few.  

Accomplishments - in spite of COVID and limited woman power.    A total of six of our members provided all the people-power required for our work.  We need all of you to keep things going.   

Fund Raising:

Thanksgiving Bake Sale

Christmas Bake Sale

Generous Free Will Offerings to Social Services and Homeless School Children Project.

Membership Drive (Only 9 members signed up to date)

Support of On-going Philoptochos Endeavors

1.  Obligations to the Metropolis and the National Philoptochos are up to date--though reduced a bit.

2.  Easter and Christmas cards went out to the congregation

3.  Christmas Cookie Gift Bags for parishioners after the service 

5.  Church has been decorated for special feast days (Easter/Christmas, etc.)

6.  Basil for Epiphany service.  

7.  A cash donation of $600 to the Homeless Project

8.  Social Services Program provided parishioners with funds to feed their families ($200).

Donations of Goods:

1. Donations of 100 pounds of non-perishable foods made to the Bread of the Mighty Food Bank

Collections for this project continue on an on-going basis - Green plastic bin in the Narthex will be emptied each month and taken to the food bank.  

2. Homeless School Children Project:  a large box packed tightly with Warm winter clothing was collected and delivered to the School Board's Homeless Children program.  

 

Please remember that HELP will be NEEDED with the customary events from now through Pentecost once the Archdiocese eases regulations put in place to protect us during the pandemic.  Our effort now must be to work on contingency plans "What, Where, When and Who" so once we are safe from Covid we can effortlessly join together to celebrate a joyous Pascha season.