December 21, 2020

Elias Zapatinas Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship award, established by BMO Capital Markets and supported by ATB Financial, is to support students enrolled at the University of Calgary who embody the passion's, values and resilient spirt of our departed brother in Christ, Elias Zapatinas. The scholarship hopes to inspire and assist young individuals to leave a lasting and positive impact on their communities, just as Elias did. To make a tax deductible contribution to this scholarship, please click hereMay his memory be eternal. 

Save Our Church
Thank you so much to everyone who has so graciously donated to our Save Our Church fundraising campaign. To date, we have raised just over $ 98 000, only $ 2 000 away from our goal! As the end of this unprecedented year is approaching, we would love to hit our goal of raising $100 000. We are asking for a $200 donation from each family. Covid-19 has presented challenges for everyone, so please give what you can. We need your help - this is a time of crisis.

If you haven't donated yet, here's how:

All the funds raised will be used to sustain the maintenance, utilities and insurance of our church and community hall to ensure that we can remain open for the 2021 year and beyond. 

We are grateful for your support! 
Hellenic Community Council & Fr. Peter Rougas
(Click here to view the donation meter!)

Holiday Office Hours
The admin office will be closed on December 23rd and 24th. Voicemails and emails will be responded to on December 28th.

Christmas Bake Sale
Thank you to everyone who purchased goodies from our Bake Sale. We raised over $ 4 500 for the Save Our Church fundraiser! 
A special note of thanks to the following ladies who  their time to prepare and bake everything, and to sell it all: Kathy Vlismas, Toni Henderson, Dina Hasapes, Fotini Kakouros, Dina Kakouros, Maria Hontzias, Eleni Braoudakis, Tasia Polychronis, Katina Anagnostou and Anastasia Russos. 
Thanks as well to Georgina Tzavaras who posted the event through Facebook and a special thank you to Eleni Braoudakis who donated all the ingredients for the bake sale. Your support of our church and community is greatly appreciated!

Church Support Volunteers
The Church committee is looking for some support during services. Specifically, they need members to complete the contact information for attendees, hand out candles, ensure social distancing and proper wearing of masks are maintained. If you can help, click here to sign up

Maids of Athena
Due to the new Covid restrictions, the MOA are unfortunately unable to go Christmas Caroling. As an alternative, the girls have recorded a video on their IG page @moa.calgary to spread some Christmas cheer! If you would like to donate to the Maids of Athena Christmas Video Fundraiser, please send an e-transfer to moacalgary@gmail.comThe money raised will go towards the Hellenic Community and local charities. The MOA thank you in advance for your support and God bless you all this Christmas!  

Sunday School
On behalf of all the Sunday School teachers:
We know it's been a challenging year for everyone, however having the opportunity to teach your children has brought us joy. 
We wish everyone a blessed Christmas and a healthy & joyous New Year. "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" Luke 2:14. 

Online Sunday School lessons return on January 17th, 2021. Please register for classes by clicking here, to enroll your children in the appropriate Level(s). Unless notified, classes are offered the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month from 12:30-1pm. 

Philoptochos
On behalf o the Philoptochos Ladies:
We would like to wish all of our Philoptochos members and the Community as a whole, a blessed Christmas full of good health, peace and joy. May you all take time to enjoy the holidays and may the New Year bring hope, happiness and an opportunity to be together once again. We will keep you posted about any upcoming events. God bless you all!

Father Peter's Office Hours
Father Peter will be in his office Tuesdays to Thursday mornings, assuming there is no church service or other commitments. Appointments are still highly encouraged although members will not be turned away if he is available. To contact Father Peter, click here

Byzantine Chanting
If you are interested in learning Byzantine Chanting, please contact Father Peter at fr.peter@shaw.ca.

Met Youth Chats
Calling all youth 15+! Join Father Peter for monthly Google Meets sessions after his Religious Education classes. Be sure to check the community calendar for upcoming dates and the link to the meeting. 

Attention Business Owners
Our membership business directory is live! Click 
here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge. Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory.

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here.


December 7, 2020

Save Our Church
Our beloved St. Demetrios Orthodox Church in Calgary needs your help. With the COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions, our Church is in desperate financial need to survive. 

We do not expect restrictions to be lifted in 2021 and we therefore are projecting an operational loss of over $100,000 for 2021. We have no reserve fund to cover that shortfall. That is why we need your help. We are seeking $100,000 in donations. 

A $200 donation from each family to be used only to cover our utilities, insurance and maintenance costs for 2021, will ensure that St. Demetrios is still there for you in the years to come. We need your help - this is a time of crisis.

How to donate:
Make a donation online by clicking here
Cheques payable to: Hellenic Community of Calgary
E-transfer to admin@calgaryhellenic.com
- Monthly recurring donations 
Call (403) 246-4553 ext 3 or drop off to any council member during church services
*All donations will receive a tax deductible receipt

We are grateful for your support! 
Hellenic Community Council & Fr. Peter Rougas

(Click here to view the complete message and donation meter!)

Church Support Volunteers
The Church committee is looking for some support during services. Specifically, they need members to complete the contact information for attendees, hand out candles, ensure social distancing and proper wearing of masks are maintained. If you can help, click here to sign up

Maids of Athena
The Maids of Athena have had a busy fall! The girls donated packages of feminine products and baby essentials to the Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter, filled and delivered over 30 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, and volunteered again this November at the Philoptochos Bazaar. They are very excited to continue their tradition of Christmas Caroling from December 21st-23rd. They have Covid-19 protocols in place like singing OUTSIDE (not in homes), masks, and physical distancing. To request the MOA for Caroling, please click here to register. A portion of the proceeds will go towards the Hellenic Community.  

Philoptochos
From the profits of this year's Bazaar, Philoptochos will donate $10,000 to the Hellenic Community and another $7,000, distributed in different amounts, to these organizations: Calgary Children's Foundation, Brown Bagging for Calgary's Kids, Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter, Mustard Seed, Louise Dean School, and the Reset Society. Prior to the Bazaar, they purchased $2,000 worth of winter clothing and other essential items for needy children at Glenbrook Elementary School. Recently, they have also helped a family in need in our own community with a $ 400 donation. The support from the community helped make all this possible - thank you!  

Father Peter's Office Hours

Father Peter will be in his office Tuesdays to Thursday mornings, assuming there is no church service or other commitments. Appointments are still highly encouraged although members will not be turned away if he is available. To contact Father Peter, click here


Byzantine Chanting

If you are interested in learning Byzantine Chanting, please contact Father Peter at fr.peter@shaw.ca.


Met Youth Chats

Calling all youth 15+! Join Father Peter for monthly Google Meets sessions after his Religious Education classes. Be sure to check the community calendar for upcoming dates and the link to the meeting. 

Attention Business Owners
Our membership business directory is live! Click 
here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge. Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory.

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here


November 24, 2020 - Covid-19 Update

Dear members and friends of our community,

We hope and trust that everyone is staying safe and well.

As many of you may be aware, this afternoon Premier  
Kenney made several announcements which also included places of worship and faith based communities. 

As council was proactive in regards to keeping our staff and parishioners safe from the last set of restrictions, our capacity and rules remain unchanged. We will continue to allow 75-85 people into the church which is our 1/3 capacity, on a first come first serve basis. If we are full, you will be allowed to enter the church, light your candle but will then be asked to leave. The masking and distancing rules will remain in effect.

Unfortunately, there will be a change for funerals, baptisms and weddings. Capacity for these events will be reduced from 50 people to 10. This number includes Fr. Peter, a Cantor and one of our staff responsible for sanitizing and ensuring the capacity is not surpassed. 

Our community hall will also be impacted as we will again not be allowed to rent it out for any events. 

We continue to do our best to keep everyone safe in these unprecedented times and hope for your support and compliance to these rules. It is greatly appreciated if members could share this email message with those that may not have email.

Please take extra care of yourselves and your loved ones. 

On behalf of the Community Council and Fr. Peter Rougas,

Diane Polesello
President 

November 23, 2020


Save Our Church
Our beloved St. Demetrios Orthodox Church in Calgary needs your help. With the COVID-19 lockdown and restrictions, our Church is in desperate financial need to survive. 

We do not expect restrictions to be lifted in 2021 and we therefore are projecting an operational loss of over $100,000 for 2021. We have no reserve fund to cover that shortfall. That is why we need your help. We are seeking $100,000 in donations. 

A $200 donation from each family to be used only to cover our utilities, insurance and maintenance costs for 2021, will ensure that St. Demetrios is still there for you in the years to come. We need your help - this is a time of crisis.

How to donate:
Make a donation online by clicking here
Cheques payable to: Hellenic Community of Calgary
E-transfer to admin@calgaryhellenic.com
- Monthly recurring donations 
Call (403) 246-4553 ext 3 or drop off to any council member during church services
*All donations will receive a tax deductible receipt

We are grateful for your support! 
Hellenic Community Council & Fr. Peter Rougas

(Click here to view the complete message and donation meter!)

Church Support Volunteers
The Church committee is looking for some support during services. Specifically, they need members to complete the contact information for attendees, hand out candles, ensure social distancing and proper wearing of masks are maintained. If you can help, click here to sign up

Philoptochos
Thank you to those who purchased items in support of our Bazaar. We also appreciate those who assisted by donating money and supplies. We are grateful for the volunteers who came to prepare items and work the bazaar. Lastly, we acknowledge the tireless efforts of all the members of the Bazaar Committee who, in total, have dedicated over 1000 hours preparing for the bazaar. Everyone’s combined effort helped us to succeed, and therefore be able to make a difference in the lives of many. God bless you all! 

Father Peter's Office Hours

Father Peter will be in his office Tuesdays to Thursday mornings, assuming there is no church service or other commitments. Appointments are still highly encouragedalthough members will not be turned away if he is available. To contact Father Peter, click here


Byzantine Chanting

If you are interested in learning Byzantine Chanting, please contact Father Peter at fr.peter@shaw.ca.


Met Youth Chats

Calling all youth 15+! Join Father Peter for monthly Google Meets sessions after his Religious Education classes. Be sure to check the community calendar for upcoming dates and the link to the meeting. 

Attention Business Owners
Our membership business directory is live! Click 
here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge. Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory.

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here


November 9, 2020

Church Support Volunteers
The Church committee is looking for some support during services. Specifically, they need members to complete the contact information for attendees, hand out candles, ensure social distancing and proper wearing of masks are maintained. If you can help, click here to sign up

Philoptochos
Mark the dates on your calendars for the Philoptochos Annual Bazaar, happening November 12th to 15th (12-6pm each day)! Due to Covid, the Bazaar will be TO GO only. You can pre-order Greek food and desserts online by clicking here or visiting our Facebook page. For phone-in orders, call Toni Henderson at (403) 607-9777. For in-person orders, come during the Bazaar. Only one person per family will be admitted to pick up orders. Please wear your masks and maintain physical distancing. If you can volunteer on Thursday of the bazaar, please call Georgina Tzavaras (403) 815-8098We look forward to seeing you!

Father Peter's Office Hours
Father Peter will be in his office Tuesdays to Thursday mornings, assuming there is no church service or other commitments. Appointments are still highly encouraged although members will not be turned away if he is available. To contact Father Peter, click here

Byzantine Chanting
If you are interested in learning Byzantine Chanting, please contact Father Peter at fr.peter@shaw.ca.

Met Youth Chats
Calling all youth 15+! Join Father Peter for monthly Google Meets sessions after his Religious Education classes. Be sure to check the community calendar for upcoming dates and the link to the meeting. 

Sunday School
For the safety of our children, the teachers and the council have decided to hold off in-person Sunday school lessons. Instead, online Sunday School lessons will be offered the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month from 12:30-1pm. Please register for classes by clicking here, to enroll your children in the appropriate Level(s).

Students will also have the opportunity to chat with Father Peter during online Sunday School Chats, which will be offered the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month. All upcoming online class dates are listed on the calendar on the website main page, along with level info (click here). Links will be provided to all who register.

Capital Projects Fund 
To make a donation to the Capital Projects Fund, click here or call the office at (403) 246-4553 ext 5. Thank you to our:
Socrates Donors
   - Ahepa & Daughters of Penelope
   - Hellenic Seniors Society
   - Philoptochos Ladies Society
Aristotle Donors
   - Mrs. Vasilike Vasilakos - in memory of Andreas Vasilakos
   - Marinakos Family - in memory of Andreas Vasilakos
   - Kevin & Michelle Screpnechuk
All other generous donors!

Attention Business Owners
Our membership business directory is live! Click 
here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge. Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory.

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here.

October 27, 2020

Church Support Volunteers
The Church committee is looking for some support during services. Specifically, they need members to complete the contact information for attendees, hand out candles, ensure social distancing and proper wearing of masks are maintained. If you can help, click here to sign up

Philoptochos

Mark the dates on your calendars for the Philoptochos Annual Bazaar, happening November 12th to 15th (12-6pm each day)! Due to Covid, the Bazaar will be TO GO only. You can pre-order online by clicking here or visiting our Facebook page. For phone-in orders, call Toni Henderson at (403) 607-9777. For in-person orders, come during the Bazaar. Only one person per family will be admitted to pick up orders and masks will be mandatory. If you can volunteer (cashier, order filler, etc.), or can help us prepare, please contact Kathy Vlisma at (403) 836-3665or Georgina Tzavaras (403) 815-8098Many thanks to all the ladies who helped prepare so far, we really appreciate you!


Father Peter's Office Hours

Father Peter will be in his office Tuesdays to Thursday mornings, assuming there is no church service or other commitments. Appointments are still highly encouragedalthough members will not be turned away if he is available. To contact Father Peter, click here

Greek School - Job Posting
The Greek School is looking for a qualified Greek language teacher who has passion and skills to teach advanced Greek language and culture to students of Greek descendants. 
Greek School is a private school with small-sized classes (maximum 10 students per class) to ensure that every student actively participates in class. Our teachers are willing to help students build and improve their Greek skills.

Applicants must have: 

  • Great fluency in Greek language 
  • Excellent conversational and written skills 
  • A passion for teaching 
  • Great communication skillto non-native Greek speakers 
  • Teamwork and interpersonal skills 
  • Growth mindset and willingness to adjust/improve teaching methods 
  • Understanding of students from various backgrounds 
  • Organizational skills 
  • Ability to work with vulnerable groups. 

Interested applicants are asked to submit your resume to Vasiliki at principal@calgaryhellenic.comThis position is being offered on a part-time basis with a probationary period of one (1) month. We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. 

Byzantine Chanting

If you are interested in learning Byzantine Chanting, please contact Father Peter at fr.peter@shaw.ca.


Met Youth Chats

Calling all youth 15+! Join Father Peter for monthly Google Meets sessions after his Religious Education classes. Be sure to check the community calendar for upcoming dates and the link to the meeting. 

Sunday School
For the safety of our children, the teachers and the council have decided to hold off in-person Sunday school lessons. Instead, online Sunday School lessons will be offered the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month from 12:30-1pm.Please register for classes by clicking here, to enroll your children in the appropriate Level(s).

Students will also have the opportunity to chat with Father Peter during online Sunday School Chats, which will be offered the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month. All upcoming online class dates are listed on the calendar on the website main page, along with level info (click here). Links will be provided to all who register.

Hellenic Senior's Society
The Annual General Meeting and Elections will take place today, October 27th at 6:00 pm at the Bow Cliff Community Centre. Anyone that is a member has the right to vote. However to be eligible to participate on the council, you must be a member for at least two consecutive years. As well, dinner will be provided. Please continue to take care of yourselves and stay safe. Hope to see you all there!

Capital Projects Fund 
To make a donation to the Capital Projects Fund, click here or call the office at (403) 246-4553 ext 5. Thank you to our:
Socrates Donors
   - Ahepa & Daughters of Penelope
   - Hellenic Seniors Society
   - Philoptochos Ladies Society
Aristotle Donors
   - Mrs. Vasilike Vasilakos - in memory of Andreas Vasilakos
   - Marinakos Family - in memory of Andreas Vasilakos
   - Kevin & Michelle Screpnechuk
All other generous donors!

Attention Business Owners
Our membership business directory is live! Click 
here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge. Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory.

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here.


October 13, 2020

Church Support Volunteers
The Church committee is looking for some support during services. Specifically, they need members to complete the contact information for attendees, hand out candles and to ensure social distancing measures and proper wearing of masks are maintained. If you would like to help, please click here to sign up. 

Father Peter's Office Hours
Father Peter will be in his office Tuesdays to Thursday mornings, assuming there is no church service or other commitments. Appointments are still highly encouraged although members will not be turned away if he is available. To contact Father Peter, click here

Greek School - Job Posting
Greek School is looking for a qualified Greek language teacher who has passion and skills to teach advanced Greek and culture to students of Greek descendants. 

Greek School is a private school with small-sized classes (maximum 10 students per class) to ensure that every student actively participates in class. Our teachers are willing to help students build and improve their Greek skills.

Applicants must have: 

  • Great fluency in Greek language 
  • Excellent conversational and written skills 
  • A passion for teaching 
  • Great communication skillto non-native Greek speakers 
  • Teamwork and interpersonal skills 
  • Growth mindset and willingness to adjust/improve teaching methods 
  • Understanding of students from various backgrounds 
  • Organizational skills 
  • Ability to work with vulnerable groups. 

Please submit your resume to Vicky at principal@calgaryhellenic.comThis position is being offered on a part-time basis with a probationary period of one (1) month.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those candidates selected for interviews will be contacted. 

Byzantine Chanting
If you are interested in learning Byzantine Chanting, please contact Father Peter at fr.peter@shaw.ca.

Met Youth Chats
Calling all youth 15+! Join Father Peter for monthly Google Meets sessions after his Religious Education classes. Be sure to check the community calendar for upcoming dates and the link to the meeting. 

Philoptochos
Mark the dates on your calendars for the Philoptochos Annual Bazaar, happening November 12th to 15th! This year, we will have online pre-ordering and in-person purchases for TO GO orders only. Click here for the poster.

Food items include:

  • Spanakopites
  • Tiropites
  • Moussaka
  • Pastichio
  • Lamb Dinner
  • Roast Potatoes
  • Chicken Souvlaki Skewers with Pita

Baking items include:

  • Baklava
  • Diples
  • Kourabiethes
  • Melomakarona 
  • Koulouria
  • Paximathia

The order form link will be in the next newsletter and on Facebook. We are asking for some help in preparing items at the community. If you are available, please contact Kathy Vlisma at 403-836-3665or Georgina Tzavaras 403-815-8098Click here to see the preparation schedule. Our next Philoptochos meeting will be on October 20th at 7:00 pm. God bless you all!  

Hellenic Senior's Society
The Annual General Meeting and Elections will take place October 27th at 6:00 pm at the Bow Cliff Community Centre. Anyone that is a member has the right to vote. However to be eligible to participate on the council, you must be a member for at least two consecutive years. As well, dinner will be provided. Please continue to take care of yourselves and stay safe. Hope to see you all there!

Capital Projects Fund 
To make a donation to the Capital Projects Fund, click here or call the office at (403) 246-4553 ext 5. Thank you to our:
Socrates Donors

   - Ahepa & Daughters of Penelope
   - Hellenic Seniors Society
   - Philoptochos Ladies Society
Aristotle Donors

   - Mrs. Vasilike Vasilakos - in memory of Andreas Vasilakos
   - Marinakos Family - in memory of Andreas Vasilakos
   - Kevin & Michelle Screpnechuk
All other generous donors!

MLA Youth Council Applications
MLA Demetrios Nicolaides is inviting anyone ages 15-24 from within Calgary-Bow constituency to apply to the 2020-21 Calgary-Bow Youth Council. Applications must be submitted by October 15th. Just a few reasons to join council:
   - round table discussion with other youth and MLA
   - volunteer experience on a youth council
   - volunteer opportunities at community events
Once selected, the council will meet quarterly to discuss the issues important to members, the community and province. Click here to apply today! 

Attention Business Owners
Our membership business directory is live! Click here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge. Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory.

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here.


September 28, 2020

Church Support Volunteers
The Church committee is looking for some support during services. Specifically, they need members to complete the contact information for attendees, hand out candles and to ensure social distancing measures and proper wearing of masks are maintained. If you would like to help, please click here to sign up. 

Religious Education

Starting tomorrow at 7pm, Father Peter will be hosting monthly Google Meets sessions to discuss various religious topics. Discussion will be 35-40 minutes in length. Click here to join! This month's topic will be about Christianity and God. Future dates and topics are on the home page of the community website. 


Father Peter's Office Hours
Father Peter will be in his office Tuesdays to Thursday mornings, assuming there is no church service or other commitments. Appointments are still highly encouraged although members will not be turned away if he is available. To contact Father Peter, click here


Philoptochos
Mark the dates on your calendars for the Philoptochos Annual Bazaar, happening November 12th to 15thThis year for the Bazaar, we will have online ordering and in-person purchases for TO GO orders only. More details to follow in the next newsletter and on Facebook. We are asking for some help in preparing items at the community. If you are available, please contact Kathy Vlisma at 403-836-3665or Georgina Tzavaras 403-815-8098. Click here so see the preparation schedule. Our next Philoptochos meeting will be on October 20th at 7:00 pmGod bless you all!  

Sunday School
For the safety of our children, the teachers and the council have decided to hold off in-person Sunday school lessons. Instead, our teachers are hard at work preparing various forms of online lesson plans. Online Sunday School will begin on October 4thClasses will run from 12:30-1pm. Please register for classes by clicking here. Students will also have the opportunity to chat with Father Peter during online Sunday school chats, which start on October 11th. All upcoming online class dates are listed on the calendar on the website main page, along with level info (click here). Links will be provided to all who register.

God Bless!


Met Youth Calgary

For the time being, we will be hosting all our events virtually through the ‘Zoom’ platform. We have aNEW website www.metyouthcalgary.com that will include details on upcoming events and ways you can get involved. With Father Peter, we have organized and scheduled events including: Thursday Talks with Father Peter, Saint Saturdays, Game Nights, Religious Education Night and much more!

Our first fundraiser, Greek-2-Go, will be held on October 3rd! To pre-order a Greek meal, click hereand pick it up on the 3rd at the Cretan Society (1814 15 St. SW). Contact Athena E. Manolakos at (403) 690–4523 for more info!

Capital Projects Fund 
To make a donation to the Capital Projects Fund, click here or call the office at (403) 246-4553 ext 5. Thank you to our:

Socrates Donors
   - Ahepa & Daughters of Penelope
   - Hellenic Seniors Society
   - Philoptochos Ladies Society
Aristotle Donors
   - Mrs. Vasilike Vasilakos - in memory of Andreas Vasilakos
   - Marinakos Family - in memory of Andreas Vasilakos
   - Kevin & Michelle Screpnechuk
All other generous donors! 

Attention Business Owners  
Our membership business directory is live! Click 
here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge. Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory.

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here.  


September 15, 2020

Greek School
For families still wishing to register, please click here to find the PDF file that should be filled out for each student individually and returned through email at principal@calgaryhellenic.com. Students will have the option to participate in class or online. We are also offering parents the option to pay in one lump sum or b10 monthly installments. The fees will remain the same as last year for all students.

On Saturday September 12th the doors of our school and the virtual windows opened again! It was nice seeing the excited and sleepy eyes of our students; we have been waiting for this moment for so long. Have a safe and fun school year everyone!


Church Support Volunteers
The Church committee is looking for some support during services. Specifically, they need members to complete the contact information for attendees, hand out candles and to ensure social distancing measures and proper wearing of masks are maintained. If you would like to help, please click here to sign up. 


Religious Education

Starting September 29th @ 7pm, Father Peter will be hosting monthly Google Meets sessions to discuss various topics. Discussion will be 35-40 minutes in length. Click here to join! This month's topic will be about Christianity and God. Future dates and topics:

   - October 27th - The Holy Trinity

   - November 24th - Creation of the World/Spiritual World and the Creation of Man

   - December 14th - Original Sin 
   - January 26th - Salvation of Mankind and the Incarnation of Christ the God-Man
   - February 23rd - Divine Grace and the Church
   - March 23rd - 
Holy Baptism and Holy Chrismation

   - April 20th - Holy Confession and Holy Communion
   - May 18th - Holy Matrimony and Holy Unction

   - June 15th - Death and the Afterlife


Father Peter's Office Hours
Father Peter will be in his office Tuesdays to Thursday mornings, assuming there is no church service or other commitments. Appointments are still highly encouraged although members will not be turned away if he is available. To contact Father Peter, click here


Met Youth Calgary

Welcome Back!! We hope you all had a safe summer! Your Met Youth Calgary Team has been hard at work all summer brainstorming new ways to host events while ensuring everyone’s safety. For the time being, we will be hosting all our events virtually through the ‘Zoom’ platform. We have a NEW website that will include details on upcoming events and ways you can get involved. With Father Peter, we have organized and scheduled numerous events including: Thursday Talks With Father Peter, Saint Saturdays, Game Nights, Religious Education Night and much much more! Be sure to connect with us on Instagram and Facebook along with subscribing to our website to get up to date notifications about this year’s events! Information can be found at www.metyouthcalgary.com. We hope to see you all... even if it's virtually!

On October 3rd, Met Youth Calgary will be hosting the first ever Greek – 2 – Go fundraiser! Come support Met Youth Calgary and get yourself some yummy Greek food! With this event you will be able to pre-order a Greek meal and pick up it up at the Cretan Society of Calgary (Address: 1814 15 St. SW, Calgary AB, T2T 3Y6). The order link can be found here. If you are not able to use the online order form, please contact Athena E. Manolakos at (403) 690 – 4523 to submit your order. We ensure that all of the food will be prepared following Alberta Health guidelines to safeguard workers and consumers. This also includes any additional COVID-19 measures that have been implemented.

Thank you for all of the support while we continue to navigate in this uncharted territory.

God Bless,
~ Your Met Youth Calgary Team

Capital Projects Fund 
To make a donation to the Capital Projects Fund, click here or call the office at (403) 246-4553 ext 5. Thank you to our:
Socrates Donors
   - Ahepa & Daughters of Penelope
   - Hellenic Seniors Society
   - Philoptochos Ladies Society
Aristotle Donors
   - Mrs. Vasilike Vasilakos - in memory of Andreas Vasilakos
   - Marinakos Family - in memory of Andreas Vasilakos
   - Kevin & Michelle Screpnechuk
All other generous donors! 

Hellenic Senior's Society
To all of our members,
We hope that you are all doing well and are staying healthy and protected in these very tense times.
We are currently negotiating funeral plots at Eden Brook Cemetery for our members. By doing this, we are giving members the opportunity to qualify for a special discount. This opportunity is for a limited time only. For more information and for any questions you may have, please call George Liaridis at (403) 703-1412 or Larry Adams at (403) 681-3605. 
 
 

Military Immigration Exhibit
Calgary’s Military Museums is developing an exhibition about Military Immigration. This exhibition will be profiling individual experiences of immigrants coming to Alberta that have served in the military in their countries of origin. Please email Alisha at alisha.lestervanderh@ucalgary.ca with any stories you may have!

Attention Business Owners  
Our membership business directory is live! Click 
here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge. Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory.

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here.  


August 31, 2020

Greek School
To all families, please find the information for you to register for Greek School this year. We are pleased to offer families the choice of either in person or remote learning for Greek School. We have been working on upgrading the registration form to meet your needs due to COVID-19. Click here to find the PDF file that should be filled out for each student individually and returned through email at principal@calgaryhellenic.com. Please remember to use Adobe Acrobat Reader to open the file. You will have the option to choose the Program Delivery that best works for your family with the choice between in-person or online.

There are three payment options: by credit card (full amount), by credit card (10 monthly instalments) or cash/debit (full amount). Cheques will not be acceptedAs soon as we receive your registration form you will be notified as to how you will proceed with the payment. The fees will remain the same as last year for all students. We are kindly asking you to send us the forms ASAP in order to assign the classes to the teachers and to determine the breakdown of the students.

Online Class duration will vary depending on the age of the students, from 2-3 hours on Saturday and 1.5 to 2 hours on Wednesdays. The in-person delivery hours will remain the same 9am-12pm on Saturdays for Preschool to Greek 35 and 5:30-8pm for Kindergarten to Level 6 on Wednesdays.

We look forward to offering a wonderful and safe Greek School experience for all students and welcome you to join us!

Capital Projects Fund 
To make a donation to the Capital Projects Fund, click here or call the office at (403) 246-4553 ext 5. Thank you to our:

Socrates Donors

   - Ahepa & Daughters of Penelope
   - Hellenic Seniors Society
   - Philoptochos Ladies Society
Aristotle Donors
   - Mrs. Vasilike Vasilakos - in memory of Andreas Vasilakos
   - Marinakos Family - in memory of Andreas Vasilakos
   - Kevin & Michelle Screpnechuk

All other generous donors! 

Hellenic Senior's Society
To all of our members,
We hope that you are all doing well and are staying healthy and protected in these very tense times.
We are currently negotiating funeral plots at Eden Brook Cemetery for our members. By doing this, we are giving members the opportunity to qualify for a special discount. This opportunity is for a limited time only. For more information and for any questions you may have, please call George Liaridis at (403) 703-1412 or Larry Adams at (403) 681-3605. 
 

Scholarship Recipients 
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2020 Order of Ahepa and Daughters of Penelope Scholarships! The below applicants have been awarded scholarships based on academic merit and the criteria outlined:

  • AHEPA FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP $1000 -
    Katerina Kounougeris

  • GREEK COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP $700 -
    Victoria Lambrinoudis
  • HARRY PROTOPAPPAS SCOLARSHIP FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT $1000 -
    Kassandra Hut

Congratulations again to the above applicants on their accomplishments and we wish them the best in their academic journey!

Scholarship Committee
Order of Ahepa and Daughters of Penelope

Military Immigration Exhibit
Calgary’s Military Museums is developing an exhibition about Military Immigration. This exhibition will be profiling individual experiences of immigrants coming to Alberta that have served in the military in their countries of origin. Please email Alisha at alisha.lestervanderh@ucalgary.ca with any stories you may have!

Attention Business Owners  
Our membership business directory is live! Click 
here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge. Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory.

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here.  


August 17, 2020

Thank You
Dear Members,
Thank you for helping us have a peaceful Panagias service during these odd times. Your patience and understanding is deeply appreciated! 
On behalf of the Community Council & Fr. Peter Rougas

Contact Father Peter
Although Fr. Peter is not seeing anyone at this time, please feel free to contact him via email at fr.peter@shaw.ca or call his office at (403) 249-8876. 

Hellenic Senior's Society
To all of our members,
We hope that you are all doing well and are staying healthy and protected in these very tense times.
We are currently negotiating funeral plots at Eden Brook Cemetery for our members. By doing this, we are giving members the opportunity to qualify for a special discount. This opportunity is for a limited time only. For more information and for any questions you may have, please call George Liaridis at (403) 703-1412 or Larry Adams at (403) 681-3605. 
 

Scholarship Recipients 
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2020 Order of Ahepa and Daughters of Penelope Scholarships! The below applicants have been awarded scholarships based on academic merit and the criteria outlined:

  • AHEPA FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP $1000 - 
    Katerina Kounougeris

  • GREEK COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP $700 - 
    Victoria Lambrinoudis
  • HARRY PROTOPAPPAS SCOLARSHIP FOR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT $1000 - 
    Kassandra Hut
Congratulations again to the above applicants on their accomplishments and we wish them the best in their academic journey!

Scholarship Committee
Order of Ahepa and Daughters of Penelope

Attention Business Owners  
Our membership business directory is live! Click 
here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge. Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory.

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here.  


August 17, 2020 - Reminder for Panagias

Dear Members,

As you know, Panagias is a very important day and many parishioners have been preparing themselves for this day. Unfortunately, the capacity inside the church is limited to 75 people. Once we have 75 people in the church, Parish council members will escort you into the community hall, socially distanced and the Divine Liturgy will be live-streamed on the large projector screen. You will still be able to light your candle and make a donation prior to being escorted to the hall. All parishioners are asked to remain in the hall during the entire service, even during Holy Communion.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy and once the entire church has been vacated, Father Peter will remain in the church and will be administering Holy Communion to parishioners who were in the hall. Council members will guide those parishioners from the hall into the church.

If you are not comfortable coming to church, we invite you to participate in the Liturgy by watching on our Youtube channel St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church Calgary.

We are required to keep detailed records and contact information (name and phone number) for each person who attends each service, by date. In the event that someone in our Church tested positive for the virus, we can easily access all those that were on church that day and contact everyone.

We'd like to remind you that in order to attend Church, parishioners will need to:

  • Remain socially distanced
  • Wear masks (mandatory as of August 1st)
  • Sanitize their hands
  • There will also be no change provided so please come prepared

A friendly reminder that the abuse of volunteers and staff will not be tolerated under any circumstances and those who act in ways that do not comply with our Code of Conduct and the directives of AHS will be asked to leave.

Χρόνια Πολλά! 

On behalf of the Community Council and Fr. Peter Rougas, 

Diane Polesello
President
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Community


July 31, 2020 - Member Update

Dear Members,

Thank you for your patience while we continue to navigate the pandemic and reopening our Church in a safe manner. Reopening our Church and attendance for all falls under guidelines set out by the provincial government. In order to attend Church, parishioners will need to:

  • Remain socially distanced
  • Wear masks (mandatory beginning August 1st)

We are also required to keep detailed records and contact information for each person who attends each service, by date. In the event we have someone who identifies to us or if public health contacts us to let us know that someone in our Church tested positive, we can easily access all those that were on church that day and contact everyone.

Each time you enter Church, you will be asked to provide your name and phone number to keep these records detailed and precise. This is necessary to keep everyone safe; our clergy, our volunteers and especially our parishioners.

Should the attendance reach capacity, we will inform those arriving that we have reached capacity. Parishioners will be able to light candles and then proceed outside. We can only do this if everyone follows the guidelines and rules. 

Abuse of volunteers and staff will not be tolerated under any circumstances and those who act in ways that do not comply with our Code of Conduct and the directives of AHS will be asked to leave.

We hope that everyone understands this is difficult for all, especially those responsible for the Community and Church.

On behalf of the Community Council and Fr. Peter Rougas, 

Diane Polesello
President
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Community


July 17, 2020 - Member Update

Dear Members,

The last few months have been unprecedented and challenging for most of us as we adapt to changes in our daily lives while trying to remain healthy and optimistic. There have been several changes to our Church and Community, of course, the most noticeable being the inability to have Church services, host fundraisers and rent our hall as in previous years. We have been working hard over these months to keep as much consistency to our operations as possible by bringing services to our parishioners via live stream and now our limited attendance option. We encourage all members to subscribe and watch via our YouTube Channel by clicking here and attend services in person if you are comfortable doing so. 

Due to the lockdown and gradual reopening of our Church, our ability to generate revenue for the Community via offerings, hall rentals and fundraisers has been drastically impacted, as has our ability to manage expenses. We anticipate economic recovery will be very gradual and are mindful of the financial health of the Greek Orthodox Church and Community and remaining financially responsible. We have implemented increases to rental fees for the upcoming hall rental season, as well as cost cutting measures related to rentals. As is happening across the landscape, salaries for all paid employees of the community have been reduced and some paid positions have been eliminated. Rest assured, the sustainability of our Community is a top priority. We thank all those who have supported our Church via the online virtual disko. 

Related to capital projects, we want to thank those who have generously donated and also wish to provide an update. With regards to the stair project and the heating and air conditioning upgrades that we have planned, there have been some changes in our timeline due to COVID and although originally scheduled for this summer, we will need to postpone the project to summer 2021. We have successfully raised monies to date, which would have allowed us to move forward this year. Several delays, beyond our control and due to the pandemic, have made the completion of the project by September 2020 impossible for this year. 

Again, we want to thank those who have donated to this project and assure our members that all monies raised for this project, as promised, will not be used for any other purpose other than what was intended through the fundraising campaign. The funds raised will be placed in a locked account until August 2021 and we will continue to fundraise in the meantime for all our project needs. 

In addition to continuing to offer the ability to participate in services virtually and attend Church in a safe environment, the Community Council collaboratively with Fr. Peter Rougas are working together to create a schedule of events and experiences which will enable us to provide more engagement in our new environment. Our ecclesiastical planning and programming will follow the general guidelines set out by the Archdiocese. Members are encouraged to take time to review these guidelines by clicking here. There will be more communication to come regarding the schedule of ecclesiastical events and programming from Fr. Peter. 

As a reminder to all our valued members, we are still looking for two more members of council and several volunteers to implement programs throughout our Church and Community. We have particular need for individuals who are interested in supporting special events and fundraising - ideas are welcome but we especially need individuals to lead the initiatives. 

Those interested in actively participating can contact the council  by emailing admin@caglaryhellenic.com


On behalf of the St. Demetrios Community Council and Fr. Peter Rougas, 

Diane Polesello 
President 
St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Community


July 12, 2020 - Sunday School Survey

Dear families,

This is certainly an unusual time - in our world, for our church, and with our schools. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of our lives in recent months and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future.

We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we prepare to make arrangements for the return of Sunday school in the Fall. Although we're uncertain of what that will look like yet, the health and safety of your child's learning environment is of the utmost importance. 

To help us better prepare, could you take a couple minutes to complete this survey. Click here

As more decisions about the 2020-21 school year are made, we will provide you with additional information. Please make sure we have your current email address and check the community bulletins for more information in the upcoming weeks and months.

May God bless you & keep you all in His care!  

"We Miss You Sunday School Students~ God bless "   
The Sunday School teachers 


July 7, 2020 - Church Procedures for July

With the newly updated information from AHS, our church will be open, on a first come first serve basis, on Sundays for the month of July. Below are the guidelines and rules for the safety of our clergy, staff, volunteers and all parishioners. 

  • RSVP's are no longer required
  • Social distancing rules will still be in effect - which means those who do not live together must remain 2 meters apart, which gives us approximately capacity for 75 people to stay in adherence with provincial regulations 
  • All parishioners must wear a mask for the entire duration of service and sanitize their hands upon entering the church 
  • Parishioners showing symptoms or answering yes to any of the following questions will be denied entry
    • Have you traveled outside Canada in the last 14 days?
    • Have you been in contact with anyone who is confirmed to have COVID?
    • Do you have fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath?
  • Council members reserve the right to deny entry to anyone they feel does not meet the criteria
  • Parishioners will be asked to sit only in pews that are open and not marked closed
  • There will be no offering tray (disko) and no exchange of money however members will still be able to contribute money through the space at the candle station or can make a donation online at www.calgaryhellenic.com/donate
  • Candles will be handed out by a council member
  • Holy Communion will not be offered 
  • All icons will be marked unavailable for touching/kissing
  • Only the main entrance of the church will be open for entry, but people may use the washrooms in hall
  • There will be no coffee service and everyone will be asked to leave immediately
  • At the end of service, Father Peter will announce that people will have to leave by row and will be escorted and queued by a council member
  • All surfaces will be wiped down between services with AHS approved disinfectant

Please assist us by communicating this with your family and friends who may not have email.

We look forward to seeing you! 

Diane Polesello
President
Hellenic Community of Calgary

June 11, 2020 - Church Procedures

Thank you to everyone who attended service last Sunday! It was wonderful to have so many familiar faces back in the church. Just a quick reminder to all who would like to attend service on June 14th, 21st & 28th:

  • Parishioners must RSVP by emailing admin@calgaryhellenic.com or calling (403) 246-4553 ext 3 by noon of the previous Thursday. You must include the names of all those from your family that will be attending along with your address for the purposes of contact tracing should an outbreak occur. You will receive confirmation of your attendance. If you do not receive confirmation of your attendance, do not come. Walk ins will not be permitted. The 50 person limit will include clergy and volunteers required to administer the process.
  • Parishioners showing symptoms or answering yes to any of the following questions will be denied entry
    • Have you traveled outside Canada in the last 14 days ?
    • Have you been in contact with anyone who is confirmed to have COVID ?
    • Do you have fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath?
  • Council members reserve the right to deny entry to anyone they feel does not meet the criteria.
  • Parishioners will be asked to sit with those they live with; otherwise a distance of 6 ft or 2 m apart must be kept.
  • Parishioners will be asked to sit only in pews that are open and not marked closed.
  • There will be no offering tray (disko) and no exchange of money however members will still be able to contribute money through the space at the candle station. 
  • All children under 2 years of age must be held by a parent/guardian.
  • All entering the Church will be asked to hand sanitize and don a mask which they will ideally bring, if they do not have masks a mask will be provided to them. They must wear mask for the entire duration of the service.
  • Candles will be handled and handed out by a council member wearing gloves, gloves will need to be changed between touching any other surfaces.
  • All icons will be marked unavailable for touching/kissing.
  • Only the main entrance of the church will be open for entry, but people can leave from back entrance or go to the gym.
  • There will be no coffee service and everyone will be asked to leave immediately.
  • At the end of service, Father Peter will announce that people will have to leave by row and that they will be escorted and queued by a council member.
  • All surfaces will b e wiped down between services with AHS approved disinfectant solution. 

Schedule

  • June 14th – Only members 65 and over who have RSVP‘d and been confirmed
    • RSVP by June 11th at noon
  • June 21st – All members with surnames A-K that have RSVP’d and been confirmed
    • RSVP by June 18th at noon
  • June 28th – All members with surnames L-Z that have RSVP’d and been confirmed
    • RSVP by June 25th at noon

On behalf of the Community Council,

Diane Polesello
President
Hellenic Community of Calgary


June 2, 2020 - Church Re-Opening: A Message from Father Peter Rougas

Our Church will be reopening on June 7th for Sunday services. Our members have been emailed the guidelines and regulations for the reopening of our church as well as providing an opportunity for those who wish to attend to come in an organized manner due to the limited capacity we have. If anyone would like to RSVP, please contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellen.com or (403) 246-4553 ext 3. 

The provincial government has imposed regulations for worship and we will be following those regulations. The faithful are not allowed to kiss the icons, gospel or the hand of the priests. Processions will not be held around the church to ensure social distancing and the most important is that Holy Communion will NOT be offered to the faithful as per the governments regulations of no shared items, such as chalices, spoons, etc. That being said, the Body and Blood of Christ cannot and will never transmit sickness or disease but we must follow the rules that have been placed upon us. As of now, our Archdiocese has not permitted any alternative methods in the distribution of the Holy Gifts. That being said, the provincial regulations as well as any directives from the Archdiocese may change and at that point, announcements will be made as needed.

I know many people are excited that the church is reopening but many people also want to stay safe and stay away from places where people gather which I respect and understand. For that reason, services will continue to be streamed so you can follow along from home.   

For those who would like to receive Holy Communion, please reach out to me and I can come to your home so you can partake of the Holy Gifts. 

Be safe! 
FP

May 28, 2020 - Church Re-Opening

Dear Members,

Thank you for patience during this difficult time. Our church has now been closed for almost 3 months and many things have changed in our day to day lives.

I am happy to announce that we will be reopening church for live services on Sundays at this time, following the below precautions and guidelines starting on Sunday, June 7th.

  • Parishioners must RSVP by emailing admin@calgaryhellenic.com or calling (403) 246-4553 ext 3 by noon of the previous Thursday. You must include the names of all those from your family that will be attending along with your address for the purposes of contact tracing should an outbreak occur. You will receive confirmation of your attendance. If you do not receive confirmation of your attendance, do not come. Walk ins will not permitted. The 50 person limit will include clergy and volunteers required to administer the process.
  • Parishioners showing symptoms or answering yes to any of the following questions will be denied entry
    • Have you traveled outside Canada in the last 14 days ?
    • Have you been in contact with anyone who is confirmed to have COVID ?
    • Do you have fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath?
  • Council members reserve the right to deny entry to anyone they feel does not meet the criteria.
  • Parishioners will be asked to sit with those they live with; otherwise a distance of 6 ft or 2 m apart must be kept.
  • Parishioners will be asked to sit only in pews that are open and not marked closed.
  • There will be no offering tray (disko) and no exchange of money however members will still be able to contribute money through the space at the candle station. 
  • All children under 2 years of age must be held by a parent/guardian.
  • All entering the Church will be asked to hand sanitize and don a mask which they will ideally bring, if they do not have masks a mask will be provided to them. They must wear mask for the entire duration of the service.
  • Candles will be handled and handed out by a council member wearing gloves, gloves will need to be changed between touching any other surfaces.
  • All icons will be marked unavailable for touching/kissing.
  • Only the main entrance of the church will be open for entry, but people can leave from back entrance or go to the gym.
  • There will be no coffee service and everyone will be asked to leave immediately.
  • At the end of service, Father Peter will announce that people will have to leave by row and that they will be escorted and queued by a council member.
  • All surfaces will b e wiped down between services with AHS approved disinfectant solution. 
Schedule
  • June 7th – Only members 65 and over who have RSVP‘d and been confirmed
    • RSVP by June 4th at noon
  • June 14th – Only members 65 and over who have RSVP‘d and been confirmed
    • RSVP by June 11th at noon
  • June 21st – All members with surnames A-K that have RSVP’d and been confirmed
    • RSVP by June 18th at noon
  • June 28th – All members with surnames L-Z that have RSVP’d and been confirmed
    • RSVP by June 25th at noon

We would like ask any volunteers able to assist our admin to make calls to our members without email over the coming days to share this information, please contact admin@calgaryhellenic.com. Also, please be sure to spread this message to your family and friends. 

Lastly, we would also like to sincerely thank all those that have made donations over the last few weeks. This has assisted us greatly and although we have taken several cost cutting measures will not be enough to continue to sustain us in the coming months for however long restrictions continue to apply.

We kindly and humbly ask that if you are able to, please continue donating online (click here) and if you have yet to pay your membership, please call into our office and Penelope will be more than happy to assist you by taking your payment over the phone.

Thank you for your kind consideration.

On behalf of the Community Council,

Diane Polesello
President
Hellenic Community of Calgary

To view this announcement in Greek, please click here.


May 25, 2020

Capital Projects Fund 

To make a donation to the Capital Projects Fund, click here or call the office at (403) 246-4553 ext 5. Thank you to our:
Socrates Donors

   - Ahepa & Daughters of Penelope
   - Hellenic Seniors Society
   - Philoptochos Ladies Society
Aristotle Donors
   - Mrs. Vasilike Vasilakos - in memory of Andreas Vasilakos
   - Marinakos Family - in memory of Andreas Vasilakos
   - Kevin & Michelle Screpnechuk
All other generous donors! 

Contact Father Peter
Xristos Anesti! Although Fr. Peter is not seeing anyone at this time, please feel free to contact him via email at fr.peter@shaw.ca or call his office at (403) 249-8876. Also, if anyone is interested in an online Religious Education session, please send him an email. 

Philoptochos
Xristos Anesti! The ladies of Philoptochos send warm greetings to our beloved community members. We hope that you are all doing well. This pandemic has put us all in a very difficult situation, but if there is something we can do to help, 
please call President Kathy Vlisma at (403) 836-3665. Remember to keep strong in your faith through daily prayers for your family and the world. We pray that you all continue to be in good health!

Greek School
As we are heading to the end of this adventurous school year we would like to thank our Greek School families for their support and engagement during the school’s closure. We would also like to remind all of the new and returning families that registration for the next school year will take place in early September. For more information, please email Principal Vicky at principal@calgaryhellenic.com. For our returning families, we're kindly asking you to complete a short survey (click here) to help us be well prepared. 

Maids of Athena
On behalf of the Maids of Athena, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported our fundraising efforts in support of the Raise them Up campaign for the Alberta Children’s Hospital. We raised just over $4 000 which will go towards supporting mental health initiatives for the youth. Thank you to our sponsors, donors and volunteers for contributing your time, efforts and money to this very worthy initiative.

We'd like to extend an additional thank-you to those who donated to our Christmas Caroling Drive back in December. From that, we were able to make a $500 donation to the Capital Projects Fund for the revamp of the church front steps.

I hope everyone stays safe and healthy! 

Nefeli Kotopoulos
Maids of Athena Chapter President 

Ahepa & Daughters of Penelope Scholarships
Calling all high school & university students! Please visit www.dopcalgary.com/scholarships to view and apply for the different scholarships available. Note: deadline dates vary depending on the scholarship.

2020 Scholarship Information
2020 Scholarship Application

Attention Business Owners
Our membership business directory is live! Click here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge. Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory.

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here.


May 13, 2020

Re-Opening Soon!

Dear Members and Friends of our community,

Christ is Risen!

As many of you have heard or read in the media, places of worship will be reopening under strict guidelines and processes. While we understand that our faithful are eager to come back to church, we need to ensure the safety of the Clergy, staff and members. 

As we work through and define our processes for the weeks/months to come, please be patient with us. One we have a process in place, we will communicate how we plan to roll this out to all our members.

In the meantime, please continue to take good care of yourselves and others in our community. 

On behalf of the Community Council,

Diane Polesello 
President
Hellenic Community of Calgary

To view this message in Greek, please click here.


April 28, 2020

Capital Projects Fund
To make a donation to the Capital Projects Fund, click here to make an online donation or call the office at (403) 246-4553 ext 5Thank you to our Socrates (Ahepa Family, the Hellenic Seniors Society & the Philoptochos Society) & Aristotle (Mrs. Vasilike Vasilakos & Marinakos Family - In Memory of Andreas Vasilakos, Kevin & Michelle Screpnechuk) Donors, along with everyone else! 

Contact Father Peter
Xristos Anesti! Although Fr. Peter is not seeing anyone at this time, please feel free to contact him via email at fr.peter@shaw.ca or call his office at (403) 249-8876.

Philoptochos
Xristos Anesti! The ladies of Philoptochos send warm greetings to our beloved community members. We hope that you are all doing well. This pandemic has put us all in a very difficult situation, but we wanted to let you know that you can reach out to us if you, or a family member, are in need of assistance. If there is something we can do to help, please call President Kathy Vlisma at (403) 836-3665. Remember to keep strong in your faith through daily prayers for your family and the world. We pray that you all continue to be in good health! 

Ahepa & Daughter of Penelope Scholarships
Calling all high school & university students! Please visit www.dopcalgary.com/scholarships to view and apply for the different scholarships available. Note: deadline datesvary depending on the scholarship.
2020 Scholarship Information
2020 Scholarship Application

2020 Young Journalist Fellowship
The European Union Delegation to Canada and the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) are thrilled to launch the 2020 edition of the European Union-Canada Young Journalist Fellowship. To be eligible, participants must be enrolled in a Canadian university/post-secondary institution or active in the field of journalism, between the ages 18-30, and a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. The application deadline has been extended until September 30th. For more information, click here. 

Attention Business Owners
Our membership business directory is live! Click here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge. Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory.

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here.  



April 19, 2020

Dear Members,

Χριστός Ανέστη και Χρόνια Πολλά!

This Easter has been unlike any other and yet we are still so blessed. During this time of isolation, we have so much to still be grateful for, including the volunteers of our community who have gone above and beyond to ensure that we remain connected during this very important time. 

I would like to recognize the efforts of council member Mr. Vasili Douros, who attended each Holy Week service to provide IT support and ensure that hundreds of our members were able to join in the service this past week. I'd also like to thank Fathers Dimitri and Peter Rougas for their inspiring services during this time of isolation, as well as Mr. Lefteris Safaris, Mr. George Mylonas and Mr. Konstantinos Doumos, who supported our parish priests during this past week. 

In addition, I would like to recognize the efforts of Ms. Penelope Alefantis our administrator and Mrs. Kathy Vlismas and members of the Philoptochos Society for their community outreach, dropping off Easter baskets, or just calling to check in with many of our isolated seniors during this time. Thank you also to Ms. Anastasia Russos and Mr. Stathis Tarkazikis for ensuring that the premises remain secure, safe and clean during this time. 

Although we are in challenging and uncertain times, our collective commitment to our community and church remains strong. We are grateful to all of those members who heard our call for donations, and took action. We continue to welcome donations (click here) which will cover the costs of operating our community. Thank you to everyone who has donated during these difficult times. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. 

On behalf of all of council, Χριστός Ανέστη. We look forward to the time we can be together again, but until then, please continue to take care of yourselves and each other, and please stay safe.

Kind regards,

Diane Polesello 
President
Hellenic Community of Calgary

To view this message in Greek, please click here.



April 11, 2020

A Message from your Parish Council

Thank you for your patience as we establish out our live streaming of services for Holy Week. The schedule for Holy Week is listed in this message and it is also available on the calendar of the main page of our website (click here). When you subscribe to our Youtube channel (click here) you will be notified when the live feed begins for each service (fingers crossed the wifi works and we are able to host the live stream!). 

The Parish Council would like to extend their deepest appreciation and gratitude towards all the members who have already donated to the church during this very difficult time. We humbly remind those those who haven't made a donation yet and would like to give, to please click here, and select which donation type you would like to contribute to. Please note, the amounts listed are simply suggestions. Any donation at this time is greatly appreciated. 

If you would like Father Peter to light candles for your family and loved ones, please indicate so in the comment section of the donation form and provide the names which you would like him to read. 

If you are not able to access the technology, please call (403) 246-4553 ext 5, leave a message with your name and phone number, and our Admin staff will be in touch to process your donation online.

Wishing all our families and members a blessed Holy Week and hope you're all staying safe and well.

Kali Anastasi!

Diane Polesello
President
Hellenic Community of Calgary


March 27, 2020

Humble Request

Good afternoon to our members and friends of St. Demetrios Church and the Hellenic Community of Calgary, 

We hope that everyone is healthy and staying home during this difficult time. The closure of our church mandated by the Government, Archdiocese and common sense is going to have a tremendous negative outcome on our revenue stream for our church and community. 

As this is typically the busiest time of year for revenue and given that we are missing March 25th, Palm Sunday, and all our Easter Services, we kindly ask that you consider an online donation. 

Although the Church doors are locked, we continue to hold services, support our members, pay our employees and keep the building secure. 

We humbly and kindly ask that you please consider making a charitable donation, from your home, in order to help keep the Church operating during the crisis so that we are able to open our doors when the quarantine is lifted.

To make your donation, please click here, and select which donation type you would like to contribute to. Please note, the amounts listed are suggestions. Any donation at this time is greatly appreciated and if you can donate an amount greater than those listed below, please select General Church Donation under the donation type, enter your amount, and please provide a comment if you would like to specify your donation.  

  • Candle & Disko offerings for a week - $20 
  • Candle & Disko offerings for a month - $80 
  • Memorial Candle - $10 
  • In lieu of Epitaphio Flowers - $20 
  • In lieu of Palm Sunday Lunch - $15 
  • In lieu of Palm Sunday Lunch Family of 4 - $60 
  • In lieu of Good Friday & Resurrection Service - $20 
  • All Easter Services - $100

If you would like Father Peter to light candles for your family and loved ones, please indicate so in the comment section of the donation form and provide the names which you would like him to read. 

If you are not able to access the technology, please call (403) 246-4553 ext 5, leave a message with your name and phone number, and our Admin staff will be in touch to process your donation online.

Your generosity during these difficult times is always appreciated.


Kind regards,

Diane Polesello
President
Hellenic Community of Calgary & Hellenic Society of Calgary


March 23, 2020

Church Services Live Stream

Dear members and friends of our Hellenic Community and Church, 

All Church services will now be live streamed on Facebook. If you do not have access to Facebook, you can follow along by clicking here and visiting St. Pauls of Regina's website. Go to the "Social" tab on the right side of the main page to see and hear the services. 

Below is St. Paul's Church schedule until the end of March:

  • March 24th - Annunciation of the Theotokos: Evening Divine Liturgy 7-8PM
  • March 27th - 4th Stanza of the Salutations: Evening 7-8PM
  • March 29th - 4th Sunday of Great Lent: Matins & Divine Liturgy 9-11AM

Currently, we are working towards getting a live stream from our St. Demetrios, but the wifi signal isn't strong enough to support that. Until then, we have permission from Father Spyro in Regina to use their live stream. 

On behalf of the Board of Directors/Community Council & Father Peter, 

Diane Polesello
President 
Hellenic Community of Calgary and District 
Hellenic Society of Calgary and District


March 20, 2020

COVID-19 UPDATE

Dear members and friends of our Hellenic Community and Church, 

Earlier today, we received word from the Archbishop of Canada that church services are to be held behind closed doors with the priest, the chanter and the sexton. To view his message, please click here. Therefore, there will be NO public open church services until further notice. 

We are still working on live links to connect us to our services. This will be communicated once it is working properly. In the meantime, there are live links to services all over the world on social media as well as “Greek Television” channels. 

We kindly ask our members and parishioners to share this information with all those who may not be connected to email or other forms of digital media.

As mentioned before, we are in an unprecedented situation, but must all do our part to #flatten the curve. As community members, you can help by reaching out to our isolated seniors at this time or alert us of anyone needing assistance at admin@calgaryhellenic.comso we can assist by facilitating grocery shopping or anything else that may be of urgent need. 

Things you can do for yourselves and others

  1. Stay home;
  2. Wash your hand regularly with soap and water;
  3. Pray;
  4. Check on seniors and others that may be vulnerable, that you know of via telephone, have a friendly chat, and make sure they are ok as previously mentioned. Perhaps make them a meal and drop it off on their front porch;
  5. If you are healthy, please donate blood;
  6. Don’t forget to take care of yourselves, sleep well, get fresh air, and exercise as you are able

If you are experiencing symptoms please use the online screening tool provided by AHS, or call 811 for more information. Your trusted source of Covid 19 information should be:
https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/topics/Page16944.aspx

On behalf of the Board of Directors/Community Council & Father Peter, 
Take good care of yourselves and each other,  

Diane Polesello
President 
Hellenic Community of Calgary and District 
Hellenic Society of Calgary and District

March 18, 2020

COVID-19 Update 

As many of you are aware, as of 3:30pm Tuesday, March 17, 2020, Alberta has declared a public health emergency on #COVID19AB. As a result, all events in the province larger than 50 people are cancelled, effective immediately. 

As per the provincial and municipal restrictions and on the advice of the Archdiocese, we will be limiting church services to those under 60 years old and to a maximum of 50 people per service. Sunday Church service times will also change to 9 am – 11 am. 

We are currently working on a live link and will share with our members as it becomes available. 

Only the main church doors will be open for entry so please use those when/if you come to church. Please refrain from kissing any icons / eachother / the priest’s hand. Please try and sit 2m apart in the pews and please follow Fr. Peter’s direction during the service. 

We kindly ask our members and parishioners to share this information with all those who may not be connected to email or other forms of digital media. 

Due to the government restrictions, all activities in the adjacent community hall have been cancelled as well. 

Our Greek School committee, principal and teachers have done an outstanding job in finding solutions to continue to deliver Greek School via digital means, which means Greek school will continue to take place but from each family's home. 

We are in an unprecedented situation, but must all do our part to #flattenthecurve. As community members, you can help by reaching out to our isolated seniors at this time or alert us of anyone needing assistance at admin@calgaryhellenic.com so we can assist by facilitating grocery shopping or anything else that may be of urgent need. If you are experiencing symptoms please use the online screening tool provided by AHS, or call 811 for more information. Your trusted source of Covid 19 information should be: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/topics/Page16944.aspx 

As the communication with the Archdiocese & Government changes we will communicate with our members as soon as we can.

On behalf of your Community Council and Fr Peter Rougas – Stay safe and healthy during this time.

Best Regards,
Diane Polesello - President 
Hellenic Community of Calgary & Hellenic Society of Calgary


March 16, 2020

Capital Projects Fund
To make a donation to the Capital Projects Fund, click here to make an online donation or call the office at (403) 246-4553 ext 5Thank you to our
Socrates (Ahepa Family, the Hellenic Seniors Society & the Philoptochos Society) & Aristotle (Mrs. Vasilike Vasilakos & Marinakos Family - In Memory of Andreas Vasilakos, Kevin & Michelle Screpnechuk) Donors, along with everyone else! 

Fr. Peter's Office Hours
Fr. Peter's office is now open once a week on Tuesday's, from 9-11am! Everyone is welcome during those hours. Appointments are still highly recommended. Email Father Peter at fr.peter@shaw.ca or call his office at (403) 249-8876. 

Ahepa & Daughter of Penelope Scholarships
Calling all high school & university students! Please visit www.dopcalgary.com/scholarships to view and apply for the different scholarships available. Note: deadline dates vary depending on the scholarship.
2020 Scholarship Information
2020 Scholarship Application

2020 Hellenic Heritage Greece Program The Hellenic Heritage Foundation (HHF) will be sponsoring five students from across Canada to partake in their program this summer. This two-week trip is open to students of Hellenic descent, aged 18 to 26. The deadline to apply is March 18th. For more information, please click here to view the flier or visit:
www.nationalhellenicsociety.org/application.html

Greek School
The Ellhnomatheia online registration portal is now open for students ages 8+ and adults, who wish to write the Greek language competence exam. Please click here by March 22nd to register. For more information please contact Greek School at principal@calgaryhellenic.com.

Met Youth
The 5th Annual Lenten Retreat has been cancelled. 

2020/21 Minister’s Youth Council
Alberta Ministry of Education is looking for approximately 40 junior and senior high school students between the ages of 14 and 19 with diverse interests, identities, backgrounds and perspectives from all regions of Alberta. Of those 40, they will be accepting up to eight returning council members and at least 32 new members. The council will continue to give students the opportunity to build their leadership skills at the provincial level, make an impact on education and leave a legacy that will last well into the future. Students can apply before March 18th. For more information, please click here.

2020 Young Journalist Fellowship
The European Union Delegation to Canada and the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) are thrilled to launch the 2020 edition of the European Union-Canada Young Journalist Fellowship. To be eligible, participants must be enrolled in a Canadian university/post-secondary institution or active in the field of journalism, between the ages 18-30, and a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. 
The deadline to apply is May 11th. For more information, click here

Attention Business Owners
Our membership business directory is live! Click here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge. Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory.

Lost & Found
Now located in the church office. Stop by on Sundays after church to see if your belongings are there! 

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here.  

To view this newsletter in Greek, click here.

March 12, 2020

COVID-19 Prevention

Dear Members and Friends of our community,

We realize that there is increasing attention and concern regarding COVID-19.  We remain vigilant at our community regarding cleaning protocols and, in addition to regular processes, we have implemented extra cleaning precautions throughout our church and property upon AHS recommendations.

The weblink www.ahs.ca/covid provides guidance around prevention, testing and other useful information. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms call 811 from your home before visiting a hospital.

  • fever
  • cough
  • extreme tiredness
  • difficulty breathing

The federal government’s coronavirus travel advisories can be found at: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html

We strongly encourage all our members and staff to visit these websites to help guide any spring break or other travel decisions. It is important to bear in mind that decisions made by airlines, travel companies, and other countries may impact your travel plans or ability to return to Calgary, and depending on your destination and mode of travel, you may be required by Canada Customs to self-isolate upon return.

AHS notes that the following steps are important in preventing the spread of common respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19 and influenza, whether at home or while travelling:

  • use good hygiene practices, such as frequent handwashing
  • cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue, and dispose of tissues immediately and wash your hands
  • avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
  • stay at home and away from others if you are feeling ill
  • don’t share items that may have saliva on them such as drinking glasses and water bottles
  • clean high-touch surfaces, such as taps, doorknobs and countertops, frequently
  • contact your primary health provider or Health Link by calling 811 if you have questions or concerns about your health

Rest assured that there is a considerable amount of work going on at our community behind the scenes to prepare for what next steps might be.

We thank all our members for their attention to this in helping protect each other.

Best Regards, 
Diane Polesello - President 
Hellenic Community of Calgary and District 


March 2, 2020

Pastoral Message for Lent
We are entering the most beautiful and sacred period of the Church, the Lenten period. For us as Orthodox Christians, we are tasked to take up our cross and follow Jesus. What better way to do that than actually attending the Lenten Services and following in Christs’ footsteps as he approaches Golgotha to be crucified. As Orthodox Christians, many of us, because we were born into the faith, take it for granted. We know what we know from our grandmothers and mothers, very basic things about our faith. When you truly start to understand our faith, you will not see a faith of strictness but one of leniency, forgiveness, empathy, philanthropy and most importantly love. You will hear the words of St. Basil, “True Fasting lies in rejecting evil, holding ones tongue, suppressing ones lust, evil words, lying and betrayal of vows” or St. John Chrysostom, “Let the mouth fast from foul words, and unjust criticism of others, for what good is it if we abstain from birds and fish but bite and devour our brothers. Let the ear fast, by not listening to gossip and evil talk.” 
The Gospel we hear on Meatfare Sunday, Christ opens up paradise to those who fed the poor, gave drink to the thirsty, clothed the naked and visited the sick or imprisoned. He did not ask, what did you eat Wednesday or Friday! Fasting will not gain entry to paradise. Fasting is a tool that we use as Christians to purify ourselves and to focus on what’s important spiritually and to increase the good works/deeds that Christ asks us to. We have many weekly services in Lent and in my opinion, the most beautiful one takes place Wednesday nights, the Pre-Sanctified Divine Liturgy. The Pre-Sanctified Divine Liturgy is only about an hour long, performed in darkness and truly something everyone should participate in. This is a perfect time for us as Christians to dive into our faith! One tool that many people use is the Daily readings app by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of the U.S. It tells us the saints of the day, gospel/epistle readings and a description of important events. 

Let’s use this time to focus on the words of St. Basil the Great, John Chrysostom and Christ to put fasting into perspective. Once again, fasting is an important tool and something we should all try to do but it is not the most important thing and if you are having trouble keeping the fast, please come speak to me. According to the church canons, the parish priest can modify the fast. Basically, we can work together on a custom meal plan!

Open your eyes to identify those in need! Open your wallet to help those in need and make a difference! Open your heart to love your neighbor! Plug your ears from hearing gossip! Hold your tongue from hurting someone! Each of us must focus on these things to make the world a better place and to make us better people/Christians! By doing these things, we will be able to approach Christ Himself every Divine Liturgy by receiving Holy Communion.

God bless you and have a Blessed Lent!

FP

*NEW* Office Hours

Our office hours have changed. They will be as follows:
Monday: 9am - 3pm
Tues & Wed: 9am - 2pm
Thursday: 9am - 1pm
Friday - Sunday: Closed

Capital Projects Fund
To make a donation to the Capital Projects Fund, click here and be sure to submit the brochure (click here) to Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com. Thank you to our Socrates (Philoptochos & the Hellenic Seniors) & Aristotle (Mrs. Vasilike Vasilakos & Marinakos Family - In Memory of Andreas Vasilakos) Donors, along with everyone else! 

Fr. Peter's Office Hours
Fr. Peter's office is now open once a week on Tuesday's, from 9-11am! Everyone is welcome during those hours. Appointments are still highly recommended. Email Father Peter at fr.peter@shaw.ca or call his office at (403) 249-8876. 

2020 Hellenic Heritage Greece Program
The Hellenic Heritage Foundation (HHF) will be sponsoring five students from across Canada to partake in their program this summer. This two-week trip is open to students of Hellenic descent, aged 18 to 26. The deadline to apply is March 18th. For more information, please click here to view the flier.  

Maids of Athena Fundraisers 
On Sunday March 8th, the Maids of Athena will be hosting their Annual Bake Sale after church in the Hellenic Community Hall. Items purchased from the Krinos fundraiser will be available for pickup that day. 
ALL proceeds will be donated to the Build Them Up Campaign for the *NEW* Alberta Children's Hospital Centre for Child & Adolescent Mental Health. Hope to see everyone there! 

Greek School
The Ellhnomatheia online registration portal is now open for students ages 8+ and adults, who wish to write the Greek language competence exam. Please click here by March 22nd to register. For more information please contact Greek School at
principal@calgaryhellenic.com.

Sunday School
The lesson plans for March will focus on the Journey to Pascha. Great Lent is a time for self-examination and self-denial - a time for taking control of our lives and our bodies. The purpose of the fast is to give us a greater awareness of our dependence on God. It is a time to improve ourselves and our relationship with God. Check out this link for more information.

The Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian to be read each week-day during Great Lent:
O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust of power, and idle talk. But give rather the spirit of chastity, humility, patience, and love to Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own transgressions, and not to judge my brother, for blessed art Thou, unto ages of ages. Amen.   

Met Youth
Come join Met Youth Calgary on April 11th for the 5th Annual Lenten Retreat! To celebrate the five years, we will also be hosting the 2020 Alberta Regional Assembly in conjunction to the Lenten Retreat. For anyone that is interested in attending or helping with the planning process please email us at orthodoxyouthcalgary@gmail.com, or contact us via Instagram or Facebook. Stay tuned for more details in the upcoming newsletters and social media! It’s going to be a weekend you do not want to miss out on! 

2020/21 Minister’s Youth Council
Alberta Ministry of Education is looking for approximately 40 junior and senior high school students between the ages of 14 and 19 with diverse interests, identities, backgrounds and perspectives from all regions of Alberta. Of those 40, they will be accepting up to eight returning council members and at least 32 new members. The council will continue to give students the opportunity to build their leadership skills at the provincial level, make an impact on education and leave a legacy that will last well into the future. Students can apply before March 18th. For more information, please click here.

Calgary Hitman Multicultural Night
Come celebrate with the Calgary Hitmen Hockey Club the 5th Annual Multicultural Night on Saturday, March 7th! Tickets are only $12 and can be purchased here. Remember to bring your flags!

Attention Business Owners
Our membership business directory is live! Click here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge. Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory.

Lost & Found
Now located in the church office. Stop by on Sundays after church to see if your belongings are there! 

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here.  

To view this newsletter in Greek, click here.


February 17, 2020

Capital Projects Fund
To make a donation to the Capital Projects Fund, click here and be sure to submit the brochure (click here) to Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com. Thank you to our Socrates (Philoptochos & the Hellenic Seniors) & Aristotle (Mrs. Vasilike Vasilakos & Marinakos Family - In Memory of Andreas Vasilakos) Donors, along with everyone else! 

Fr. Peter's Office Hours
Fr. Peter's office is now open once a week on Tuesday's, from 9-11am! Everyone is welcome during those hours. Appointments are still highly recommended. Email Father Peter at fr.peter@shaw.ca or call his office at (403) 249-8876. 
Bible Study is back! On February 26th at 6pm in the church. The topic for the class is the Divine Liturgy explained.

2020 Hellenic Heritage Greece Program
The Hellenic Heritage Foundation (HHF) will be sponsoring five students from across Canada to partake in their program this summer. This two-week trip is open to students of Hellenic descent, aged 18 to 26. The deadline to apply is March 18th. For more information, please click here to view the flier.  

Maids of Athena Fundraisers 
On Sunday March 8th, the Maids of Athena will be hosting their Annual Bake Sale after church in the Hellenic Community Hall. Thank you to those who purchased items from Krinos. They will be avail
able on March 8th (day of Bake Sale) for pick up from 11am-2pm.  
ALL proceeds will be donated to the Build Them Up Campaign for the *NEW* Alberta Children's Hospital Centre for Child & Adolescent Mental Health. This new centre will be dedicated to helping children, adolescents and their families in need of urgent and intensive mental health care. 

Greek School
The Ellhnomatheia online registration portal is now open for students ages 8+ and adults, who wish to write the Greek language competence exam. Please click here by March 22nd to register. 
For more information please contact Greek School at principal@calgaryhellenic.com.

2020/21 Minister’s Youth Council
Alberta Ministry of Education is looking for approximately 40 junior and senior high school students between the ages of 14 and 19 with diverse interests, identities, backgrounds and perspectives from all regions of Alberta. Of those 40, they will be accepting up to eight returning council members and at least 32 new members. The council will continue to give students the opportunity to build their leadership skills at the provincial level, make an impact on education and leave a legacy that will last well into the future. Students can apply before March 18th. For more information, please click here.

Attention Business Owners
Our membership business directory is now live! Click here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge. Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory.

Lost & Found
Our lost and found is growing! If you have misplaced something, also please call the admin office at 403-246-4553 ext 5 to check if we have it!

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here.  

To view this newsletter in Greek, click here.


February 3, 2020

Capital Projects Fund
To make a donation to the Capital Projects Fund, click here and be sure to submit the brochure (click here) to Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com. Thank you to our Socrates (Philoptochos & the Hellenic Seniors) & Aristotle (Mrs. Vasilike Vasilakos & Marinakos Family - In Memory of Andreas Vasilakos) Donors, along with everyone else! 

Fr. Peter's Office Hours
Fr. Peter's office is now open once a week on Tuesday's, from 9-11am! Everyone is welcome during those hours. 

2020 Hellenic Heritage Greece Program
The Hellenic Heritage Foundation (HHF) will be sponsoring five students from across Canada to partake in their program this summer. This two-week trip is open to students of Hellenic descent, aged 18 to 26. The deadline to apply is March 18th. For more information, please click here to view the flier.  

Met Youth - Apokries Party - CANCELLED
We would like to thank everyone that supported the upcoming Apokries Party hosted by Met Youth Calgary. Unfortunately, due to the lack of interest we made the difficult decision of cancelling this upcoming event on Saturday February 8th, 2020. We would like to thank those of you that purchased tickets and supported the success of this event. If you have purchased tickets, we will be getting in contact with you shortly. Future events are in the works. Stay tuned to our social media for updates. God Bless you all.

Maids of Athena Fundraisers 
On Sunday March 8th, the Maids of Athena will be hosting their Annual Bake Sale after church in the Hellenic Community Hall. Additionally, they are hosting a Krinos Fundraiser, where you can order frozen tiropites, spanakopites and bougatses for your home! Click here to complete your orders for Krinos. The deadline for Krinos orders will be February 8th and pick up of orders will be March 8th (day of Bake Sale) from 11am-2pm.  
ALL proceeds from the Krinos Fundraiser and the Bake Sale will be donated to the Build Them Up Campaign for the *NEW* Alberta Children's Hospital Centre for Child & Adolescent Mental Health. This new centre will be dedicated to helping children, adolescents and their families in need of urgent and intensive mental health care. 

Attention Business Owners
Our membership business directory is now live! Click here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge.  Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory.

Lost & Found
Our lost and found is growing! If you have misplaced something, also please call the admin office at 403-246-4553 ext 5 to check if we have it!

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here 

To view this newsletter in Greek, click here.


January 20, 2020

Poker Night 2020
Join us for the 12th Annual Poker Night on January 25th! Proceeds will benefit the Community Capital Projects Fund and Scleroderma Canada. To view the event page and to register, please click here. The entrance fee for players is $250 but if you'd like to join us for dinner only, tickets are just $50 and can be purchased online as well. We hope to see everyone there!

Capital Projects Fund
To make a donation to the Capital Projects Fund, click here and be sure to submit the brochure (click here) to Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com. Currently, we have raised just over $150 000! Thank you to our Socrates (Philoptochos & the Hellenic Seniors) & Aristotle (Grand Central Bar & Grill & Mrs. Vasilakos - In Memory of Andreas Vasilakos) Donors, along with everyone else! 

URGENT! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR CASINO! 
The upcoming AGLC Casino will be held on February 2nd and 3rd at the Elbow River Casino. Volunteers are needed! We will receive $60 000 - $80 000 from this casino! The funds we receive from volunteering at the casino are integral to the operation and sustainability of our Greek School, as well as other programs. Please click here to sign up!

Fr. Peter's Office Hours
Fr. Peter's office is now open once a week on Tuesday's, from 9-11am! Everyone is welcome during those hours. 

Philoptochos
Happy New Year to all! We wish the members of the community good health, joy and peace in 2020! 
We are hoping to have new members join Philoptochos in 2020! We are looking for ladies of the Greek Orthodox Faith - 18 years and older who are positivewho enjoy working with othersladies who have a passion for helping the poor, who want to serve in their community, and ladies who want to be active members of Philoptochos. 
To accommodate our elderly Philoptochos members, for the months of January, February and March, our meetings will be held on Sundays after church. Our first meeting of 2020 will be January 26th at 12:30 in the Board Room downstairs. We are asking all Philoptochos members and those interested in joining, to please bring your membership payment of $20 to the January meeting.  

Sunday School
We pray you all had a bright Christmas and start to the New year. May God’s light guide your way in 2020. 
All children ages 3+ are welcome to join Sunday school. Children meet at the front right pews for 11am, take communion and then proceed downstairs to the classrooms for lessons. Children are picked up following Divine Liturgy from the classrooms.  
Why Go To Church?
In 2008, a parishioner wrote a letter for the newspaper editorial and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. He wrote “I’ve gone to church for 30 years now and in that time I have heard probably 1,500 sermons. But for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one. So I must be wasting my time and the priest is wasting theirs by giving those lengthy sermons.”  This started a real debate in the “Letters to the Editor” column. After a couple of weeks someone wrote this clincher: “I’ve been married for 30 years now. In that time my spouse has cooked some 10,000 meals. But for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this… They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to work. If my spouse did not prepare these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would probably be spiritually dead today”. When you are DOWN to nothing…. God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical and spiritual nourishment! When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say, “Jesus, could you get that for me!”

Met Youth - Apokries Party
Join Met Youth Calgary on Saturday February 8th for the 2020 Apokries Party! Come and experience a true festival of fun for both young and old! Cocktails will be at 6pm and dinner at 7pm. Costumes are HIGHLY encouraged! All ages are welcome! There will be contests and prizes, face painting, cotton candy, and music provided by DJ Stappas from Halifax, NS! Tickets are $50, with tickets reduced to $25 for 9pm entrance. Email Met Youth Calgary at orthodoxyouthcalgary@gmail.com, or contact (403) 690-4523 to purchase your tickets today!

Maids of Athena Fundraisers 
On Sunday March 8th, the Maids of Athena will be hosting their Annual Bake Sale after church in the Hellenic Community Hall. Additionally, they are hosting a Krinos Fundraiser, where you can order frozen tiropites, spanakopites and bougatses for your home! Click here to complete your orders for Krinos. The deadline for Krinos orders will be February 8th and pick up of orders will be March 8th (day of Bake Sale) from 11am-2pm.  
ALL proceeds from the Krinos Fundraiser and the Bake Sale will be donated to the Build Them Up Campaign for the *NEW* Alberta Children's Hospital Centre for Child & Adolescent Mental Health. This new centre will be dedicated to helping children, adolescents and their families in need of urgent and intensive mental health care. 

Attention Business Owners
Our membership business directory is now live! Click here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge.  Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory. Please ensure that your membership for 2020 is paid in January to have your business listed for all 12 months. If not renewed by January 31st 2020, your listing will be removed until your membership is renewed. 

Lost & Found
Our lost and found is growing! If you have misplaced something, also please call the admin office at 403-246-4553 ext 5 to check if we have it!

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here 

To view this newsletter in Greek, click here.


January 6, 2020

Poker Night 2020
Join us for the 12th Annual Poker Night on January 25th! Proceeds will benefit the Capital Projects Fund and Scleroderma Canada. To view the event page and to register, please click here. Entrance fee for players is $250 (and if you register online 
prior to January 17th, you'll be entered into a draw to win 2 free re-buys!) If you'd like to join us for dinner only, tickets are $50 and can be purchased online as well. We hope to see everyone there!

Capital Projects Fund
To make a donation to the Capital Projects click here and be sure to submit the brochure (click here) to Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com. Currently, we have raised just over $150 000! Thank you to our Socrates (Philoptochos & the Hellenic Seniors) & Aristotle (Grand Central Bar & Grill & Mrs. Vasilakos - In Memory of Andreas Vasilakos) Donors, along with everyone else! 

Hellenic Society Casino
The upcoming AGLC Casino will be held on February 2nd and 3rd at the Elbow River Casino. Volunteers are needed! We will receive $60 000 - $80 000 from this casino! The funds we receive from volunteering at the casino are integral to the operation and sustainability of our Greek School, as well as other programs. Please click here to sign up!

Fr. Peter's Office Hours
Fr. Peter's office is now open once a week on Tuesday's, from 9am-11am! Everyone is welcome during those hours!

NIATA
Starting January 13th, Niata will once again be running their Monday classes from 6PM to 7PM. This is in addition to the current Saturday class. Both classes are open to new and returning students, grades 1 to 12. The cost of attending either class is waived for community members. Click here to complete the registration form. Offering Niata classes two days a week will grow our program and help accommodate everyone’s busy schedules. The continued demand for this dance program exists because it honours our cultural history and promotes our Greek identity within our youth.
As always, do not hesitate to contact Effy Klironomos at niata@calgaryhellenic.com or 403-701-8496 with your questions, comments, or concerns.

Adult Greek Dance
TONIGHT!  Adult Greek Dance will be starting up again! Classes will be held on the first Monday of the month at 7pm in the lower hall of the Community. The registration fee will be $20 members and $30 for non-members. For more information, please contact Kathy at kdesautels@shaw.ca

Greek School
Wishing everyone  a very Happy New Year! 
May 2020  be even more prosperous and enjoyable than the previous years. Classes resume on January 8th and January 11th with the Vasilopita cutting.
Want to improve your Greek language skills this winter? Our adult classes will begin on January 15thPlease visit our website by clicking here, or call 403-246-4553 ext. 4, or contact the school by email at greekschool@calgaryhellenic.com

Hellenic Seniors Society
The Hellenic Senior Society would like to wish you all a wonderful healthy happy blessed  and prosperous new year. We would like to invite you to the cutting of the Vasilopita on Sunday, January 12th right after Church service at the community hall. See everyone there! 

Philoptochos
Happy New Year to all! We wish the members of the Hellenic Community good health, joy and peace in 2020!  Thank you to all those who came to church on January 1st and who celebrate the cutting of the Vasilopita with us! As decided upon in our previous meeting, meetings during January, February and March will be held on Sundays after church. Our first meeting of 2020 will be January 26 at 12:30 in the Board Room downstairs. Please remember to bring your payment for the Philoptochos 2020 membership to the first meeting. We are looking forward to seeing you all there!

Met Youth - Apokries Party
Join Met Youth Calgary on Saturday February 8th for the 2020 Apokries Party! Come and experience a true festival of fun for both young and old! Cocktails will be at 6pm and dinner at 7pm. Costumes are HIGHLY encouraged! All ages are welcome! There will be contests and prizes, face painting, cotton candy, and music provided by DJ Stappas from Halifax, NS! Tickets are $50, with tickets reduced to $25 for 9pm entrance. Email Met Youth Calgary at orthodoxyouthcalgary@gmail.com, or contact (403) 690-4523 to purchase your tickets today!

Attention Business Owners
Our membership business directory is now live! Click here to view it. As a reminder, all paid members can have their business listing added free of charge.  Contact Penelope at admin@calgaryhellenic.com if you wish to add your business name and contact information to the directory. Please ensure that your membership for 2020 is paid in January to have your business listed for all 12 months. If not renewed by January 31st 2020, your listing will be removed until your membership is renewed. 

Lost & Found
Our lost and found is growing! If you have misplaced something, also please call the admin office at 403-246-4553 ext 5 to check if we have it!

Information for Funeral Services
For information regarding funerals and memorial services, please click here.


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1 Tamarac Crescent SW, Calgary, AB T3C 3B7

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