Holy Transfiguration Stewards

Holy Transfiguration

Orthodox Christian Church

November 25^th 2024

 

Glory to God for His blessings throughout this year at Holy Transfiguration!

 

This has been a truly blessed year for our parish, a year of opportunities and growth.

It was only last year in November that Father Nichalas was offering Catechism classes for two people. What changes can happen in one short year! As of last month, he is offering Catechism classes to eight adults, while Presvytera Evangelia is at the same time offering youth Catechism to four children. Our parish is working together in order to eventually bring into the Orthodox Faith eight adults along with eight children over the next 8 months.  

Our parish council has been inspired by gratitude for our newest members; we have worked this year to update our facilities in order to ensure that all who come through our doors are able to attend the Divine Services and worship with us. Welcoming those who seek a place within the Orthodox Church has been our joyful task throughout the year. We have enhanced our ability to welcome others by means of installing a chairlift that can be accessed through the south west side door. We have added changing tables in the restrooms to better accommodate the needs of our youngest members and their caregivers. More microphones have been added in the sanctuary to aid those who lead our worship services.

We are not just concerned with the state of our facilities. Our parish knows that the Orthodox Faith is both practiced within the Divine Liturgy and also within the community. Following our successful Spring Fundraiser, we used our abundance to donate over 80 meals to local first responders and others who care for our community. We gave meals to the local police department, fire department, and the officers of the Cerro Gordo country jail. We even had enough meals to provide every resident of Beje Clark, the local half-way house, with a traditional Greek meal.

In our Orthodox Faith, we pray that God blesses everyone with mercy and a second chance.

We even expanded the impact we have within the community this year through our once-again participation in the city’s Ethnic Lunch. We participated in this event for the second year in a row, but this year we used the proceeds from this event to benefit two local philanthropic organizations. We donated funds to both the local homeless shelter and the local Caring Pregnancy Center. We also formed a new ministry to coordinate some of these activities, Orthodox Christians for Life. We will continue to offer support and visitations to those residents at the local homeless shelters during the winter months.

Glory to God for all of these opportunities to serve!

Everyone’s contributions of time, talent and treasure are greatly appreciated by Father Nichalas and all of the members of our Parish Council. We want to say, “You have made this all possible”. You shared God’s Blessings in your life with His Church in order to help accomplish His works in the world.

Good and Faithful Stewards, it is only with your support that our parish can minister to the Faithful and the community at large. We cannot do this without your participation and support.

We recently heard during the Sunday Liturgy, St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians, “He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully . . . And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work.” Reflecting on our growth and blessings in this year to date, let us each commit to increasing the bounty with which we sow our time, talent, and treasure to further expand the reach and influence of our beloved Orthodox Faith in our lives and the lives the people around us.

Our accomplishments are products of our personal and collective collaboration with God’s Plan and Will. Each and every one of us is called to participate in this wonderful offering of time, talents, and treasure. Support our ministries to those with us and those around us. Our parish has increased what it offers; God has increased His blessings to us while calling us to even greater things.

Will you help us increase these offerings to all those in need of God’s presence in their lives through your stewardship support of our parish? We hope to gather $85,000 in stewardship support this year.

We can do it with you!

With gratitude and thanksgiving for all the blessings that have been shared with us,

The parish council, stewardship team, and Fr. Nichalas March

 

MEMBERSHIP
To be a member in good standing you must be a pledging steward who is up to date, you must be a frequent communicant at the Holy Chalice, and not have any canonical impediments that effect your relationship with the church.

As of Sunday January 12th, these Faithful members of our parish have returned their stewardship pledge and/or committed to support the operations of our parish in 2025. Let us all join together to grow the Faith and minister to the people of North Iowa.

Stewardship pledges as of 1/11/2025 totaling more than $42,000+

We are HALF WAY THERE ALREADY, help us reach our goal of $85,000.

Jamie & Nancy Zanios

Amber & Jacob Gray

James & Jean Marinos

Leah Osborne

Nick Pappas

George & Cindy Fountas

Mary Alukos

Jim Pattas

Maria & P.K. O'Handley

Fr. Nichalas March and family

Nick Vlantes

Tim & Laurie Lichman

Elaine Pappajohn

Jared Lichman

Leo Andolino

Sarah Rabie

Don & Johanna Wilson

Shannon Hickman

Kalliope & Mark Eaton

Tedi Anne Hassapopoulos

Isaac & Brooke Berg

K & E Costa

George Lattas

David Greder

Denisa & Radu Hagau

Gary & Bonnie Kavars

Lynn & Mary Kaufman