PRESENTATION OF CHRIST

GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH

CURRENT JANUARY 2019

Dear Presentation of Christ Family,

“Lord Jesus, establish your ministry on this block, so

the people can be cared for.” A woman in the Hill

District said this prayer each day as she drove past

her disenfranchised neighbors. Months later, this same woman walked into the

newly opened FOCUS Mission Center and greeted Father Paul Abernathy, the

Executive Director. With tears in her eyes, she thanked him. To her, a caring

Orthodox Christian presence was an answer to this daily prayer.

Father Paul related this story to us at our 2nd Annual Christmas Parish Family

Retreat. FOCUS continues to serve the needy of the area, first making sure their

most basic needs are met without condition, then offering them the Gospel of Jesus

Christ.

To love our neighbor in such a way is a beautiful thing, but it also fulfills two

straightforward commandments from our Lord: Jesus told us to love one another,

and to do unto the least of our neighbors as we would do unto Him.

Everywhere we go during the holiday season red kettles with ringing bells remind us

of this commandment. And so, we give our spare change to those who are without.

But the Lord calls us to give of our first fruits, and to help those in need year-round

regardless of the season. In the new calendar year there will be many

opportunities to become even more involved with our blossoming Outreach Ministry.

Join us and bring a friend, so that the Lord’s ministry, which was established on this

block over 100 years ago, may be strengthened and expanded here and throughout

East Pittsburgh.

See you at Church,

Fr. Dean Kokanos

A Note from President and Stewardship

Chairman Steve Markantone

We would like to wish you a happy, healthy, and blessed new year. It is hard to believe

that 2018 has passed. We realize how hectic the end of the year can be for all of us

with the holidays and our year-end commitments. Yet this is a great time to reflect on

the positive changes our church has had, not only in our community at the

Presentation of Christ, but also in the East Pittsburgh community.

Stop and think about all of the lives we have touched this year giving hope and

demonstrating love to our fellow citizens. It is more than just helping the sufferers of

the landslide, although that should make every one of us proud. You can learn a lot

through adversity. Our parish rose to the occasion and demonstrated the love and

faith that we are taught every Sunday morning. Father Dean has demonstrated great

leadership through his vigorous love and devotion of everyone in this community,

thanks.

The church continues to move in a positive direction due to your generosity and hard

work. The parishioners of Ypapanti once again demonstrated that LOVE, FAITH, and

FAMILY can and will overcome almost anything with God’s help. Once again we would

like to thank you for the dedication you have provided in the past, present, and future.

You are and always will be a beloved member of the Ypapanti family.

Steve Markantone

Parish Council President

Parishioner Spotlight: Christina Batis

2019 marks the year I will turn 28. I will be 28 years old and have no

hesitation whatsoever, like many other Greek “kids,” to call their parents at

the blink of an eye. Check engine lights, how to wash my whites to get them

really white, and help with my taxes are common things that light up Gloria

and Tasso Batis’s cell phone. My dad actually turned an extra bedroom in

my house I bought into a walk in closet. And trust me, I probably myself

have enough shoes for an entire orphanage....

Jokes aside, they, like the typical Greek family, gave me the foundation to

grow into my own success. To think that 400,000 American foster kids don’t

have that support and are on truly on their own at 18 without a family is

quite disheartening.

When I first started at BNY Mellon 4 years I felt compelled to take

advantage of their commitment to each employee to match $10,000 per

year if they so choose to engage in community partnership efforts. The true

statistics and stories of foster kids captivated my heart beyond any other

cause, due to my own blessings. I’ll never forget the first year I collected

donations, a woman representative told me she was so grateful for the

larger shoes as the older children are often forgotten about and get made

fun of in school for their worn down footwear.

Together, we helped hundreds of local foster kids walk in confidence into

2019. The HR department at BNY Mellon and our church’s combined effort

raised 143 pairs of shoes and almost $3,000 in funds to go to the area of

greatest need through the Ticket to Dream Foundation. I even got the

shipment off in time for the kids to have the shoes for Christmas morning!

Now each child has a small piece of Ypapanti’s love with them every day as

they take strides to find their forever home. I, as well as the kids, thank you

for your compassionate donations.

HOUSE AND BUSINESS BLESSINGS 2019

Every year, on the Feast of Theophany, Orthodox Christians around the world have a blessing of the

waters to celebrate the Baptism of Christ and the revealing of the Holy Trinity to mankind.

We then receive the blessing of this Holy Water to renew ourselves in Christ and to remind ourselves

that through Christ all things are again made clean. We also extend this blessing to our homes and

businesses to wipe away temptations and attacks that might lead us away from Christ.

If you wish to have Fr. Dean bless your home and/or business, please complete the form below and

return it to the Church.

Name: __________________________________________________

Phone: __________________________________________________

Street Address: ___________________________________________

City, State, Zip: ___________________________________________

Please Suggest three (3) dates that might work for a house blessing.

1.) _________________________

2.) _________________________

3.) _________________________

Thank you for taking the time to complete this form. You may place it in the Sunday collection

basket, mail it to the Church, or email it to Fr. Dean at FatherDeanKokanos@gmail.com

1672 Electric Avenue PO BOX J East Pittsburgh, PA 15112

Thank you to our

Philoptochos for hosting a

successful Parish Christmas

Party!

We give thanks to God for

our faithful stewards who

donated nearly 100 pairs

of shoes and over $500 in

donations for the Ticket to

Dream Foundation. Special

thanks to Christina Batis

for her work on this.

Thank you to our Church School teachers for a successful Christmas Pageant!

Christmas Parish Family Retreat

PANEGYRI

Sunday, January 27, 2019

Immediately Following Divine Liturgy

at Ypapanti’s Olympia Hall Community Center

Special Performance by:

The Grecian Odyssey Dancers

MUSIC. FUN. PRIZES

Including: Sports Memorabilia and Other Items

Fun Activities for Children

Bring your family and friends and enjoy the afternoon party!

PRICE: Adults: $20; Teens &Students $10; Children 12 & under: $5

For Reservations, please call Mary Doreza at 412-877-3415

Our outreach ministry’s next offering is

Mental Health First Aid Certification

Please email Fr. Dean at FatherDeanKokanos@gmail.com to register by

Monday, February 11.

Details below.

Presentation of Christ

Feast Day Services

Great Vespers on Feb. 1 at 7PM

and

Feast Day Feb. 2, 8:15 AM Matins, 9:30 AM

Divine Liturgy. Lunch to follow.

Please remember to bring creamer and juice. Thank you.

Calendar for January 2019 – Subject to Updates

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday December 30 8:30 AM Matins 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy Trisagion- Karystinos/ Prestogeorge Vasilopita Cutting

31 5:00PM Matins & Divine Liturgy Feast of St. Basil

January 1

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2 6:00PMCollege Student Get Together – Hall NO Paraklesis or Adult Educ

3 7:00 PM Odyssey Practice

4 9:30 – 10:30 AM Royal Hours of Theophany

5 8:30 Matins 9:30 Divine Liturgy- Blessing of the Waters 5:00 PM Great Vespers

6 8:30 AM Matins 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy Blessing of the Waters

7 Synaxis of St John the Baptist 8:30 AM Matins 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy

8 10:00 AM YASOU 7:00 PM Parish Council

9 Cooking for the Homeless 2PM 6:30 PM Paraklesis 7:30 PM Adult Education

10 7:00 PM Odyssey Practice

11

12

13 8:30 AM Matins 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy Trisagion-Koutsavlis 12:00 PM Philoptochos

14 15 7:00 PM Choir Practice

16 6:30 PM Paraklesis 7:15 PM Odyssey Pract 7:30 PM Adult Education

17 18 Feast of Sts. Athanasios & Cyril 8:30 AM Matins 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy

19 10:00 AM Priests, Treasures and Presidents Meeting All Saints – Canonsburg

20 8:30 AM Matins 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy 2:00 PM Odyssey Practice

21 22 23 6:30 PM Paraklesis 7:30 PM Adult Education

24 7:00 PM Odyssey Practice

25 St. Gregory the Theologian 8:30 AM Matins 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy

26

27 8:30 AM Matins 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy Feast Day Celebration

28 29 7:00 PM Sandwiches for the homeless

30 6:30 No Paraklesis 7:00 PM Orthodox Movie Night

31 7:00 PM Odyssey Practice

FEB 1 7:00 PM Great Vespers Presentation of the Lord in the temple

FEB 2 Presentation of our Lord in the Temple 8:15 AM Matins 9:30 AM Divine Liturgy

Presentation of Christ “Ypapanti” Greek Orthodox Church 1672 Electric Avenue, PO Box J, East Pittsburgh, PA 15112 - 412-824-9188

Website: www.PresentationOfChristPgh.org

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @PresentationofChrist Under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, His Eminence

Demetrios Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and

His Eminence Metropolitan Savas

The mission of Ypapanti is to proclaim with joy the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to

teach and spread the Orthodox Christian Faith and to be a community devoted to

and energized by the love of God and our neighbor.

Rev. Fr. Constantine Kokanos Sunday Services

Cell Phone: 412-760-7203 Matins – 8:30 AM

Email: FatherDeanKokanos@gmail.com Divine Liturgy – 9:30 AM

Lucy Koutsavlis, Admin Assistant Paraklesis Service – Wednesday at 6:30 PM

Email: lkoutsavlis@ypapanti.net Orthodox Adult Education -

Office Phone: 412-824-9188 Wednesday at 7:30 PM

Office FAX: 412-824-9740

Stefanos Giannikas, Chanter Tara Reis, Events Coordinator

Filia Arvanitis, Asst Chanter 412-824-5540

Thomas Rosvanis, Asst Chanter

Wilford Clark, Custodian

2018 Parish Council Members (2019 Members Sworn In After Publication)

Steve Markantone, Pres 724-325-1729 Anthony Peter J 412-596-5348

Stan Prestogeorge, VP 412-824-5033 Koutsavlis, Samantha 412-926-8523

Tom Rosvanis, VP 412-373-5057 Koutsavlis, Sophie 412-461-8246

Paula Borsch, Treasurer 412-721-1840 Lazaridis, Kiki 412-443-3022

Anastasia Andrews, Treas 412-398-3194 Mantzouridis, Petros 412-780-0201

Sam Koutsavlis, Secretary 412-461-3450 Pranis, Tootie 412-373-1270

______________________________

Organizations & Committees

Sunday School Director -Paula Borsch Grecian Odyssey Dancers

Philoptochos – President – Sylvia Graziano Director – Mary Doreza

Choir Director-Tom Rosvanis President – Elias Bardis

Choir President – Toni Morgan Junior Olympian Dancers

Organists- Marguerite Ellis & Roula Kyros Directors – Michelle Kotsagrelos

YAL-Nick Stupakis & Dean Leventopoulos Jamie Orfanopoulos

GOYA/Youth Advisor-Roula Kyros Asst Directors – Elias Bardis

St. Kyriaki Book Store – Deborah Gryziak Maria Bardis

YASOU Co-Presidents-Tootie Pranis GAPA – President – Elias Bardis

Mike Orson