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Prayer Shawl Ministry

We are happy and excited to announce that the Philoptochos PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY at St.Nicholas is well underway! With the amazing dedication of our friends, we were able to have Father John bless the shawls ready to be shared with those who may need comfort. “Prayer shawls are intended to be a reminder of God’s ever-present love.”  Our friends knitted and crocheted to create beautiful prayer shawls for those in need during a time of stress, illness or medical treatment, bereavement or at any time when comfort and prayer are needed.  Our goal is to fulfill Philoptochos’s mission to help those in need so that every recipient feels the love and prayers of St. Nicholas surrounding them during their time of need. Please contact Peggy Hardee if you would like to send a shawl to a family member or friend or see a Philoptochos member for details. (peggyj.hardee@gmail.com)

Dear Sisters of Philoptochos, 

                Please accept my heartfelt appreciation for allowing me to serve our Philoptochos this year. I promise to help each of you fulfill the mission of our beloved St. Nicholas chapter:

 

  • To help the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the orphaned, the imprisoned, the widowed, the handicapped, the victims of disasters, to undertake the burial of impoverished persons and to offer assistance to anyone who may need the help of the Church through fundraising efforts; and
  • To promote the charitable, benevolent, and philanthropic purposes of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, through instructional programs, presentations, lectures, seminars and other educational resources;
  • To preserve and perpetuate Orthodox Christian concepts and the Orthodox Christian Family, and through them, to promote the Greek Orthodox Faith and traditions, in accordance with its doctrines, canons, discipline, divine worship, usages and customs;
  • To promote participation in the activities of the Greek Orthodox community, with the cooperation of the Parish Priest and the Parish Council.

 

                How can we begin this new journey together without first thanking Elene Berwanger for her leadership and guidance in serving as President of our Philoptochos? Her dedication and love for St. Nicholas has been an inspiration to each of us. Rest assured you have not seen the last of her smiling face. Elene has promised to continue serving St. Nicholas’s Philoptochos. Many thanks, Elene!  Always remember you are loved and appreciated!

 

                Over the summer months I have been meeting with your board, Carole Rothemich, Stephanie Galanides, and Elena Haveles to promote our mission by organizing events and fundraisers. With so many incredible ideas from these  talented women, we compiled a list of social events and fundraisers that will help us to help others.  If you have any ideas that you would like to bring to the table,  please do not hesitate to call me.   Will you please review the list below and consider where your talents will best be served? We would certainly appreciate you stepping forward to volunteer or even chair a position. Together, we will make a difference and help our chapter be successful in Philoptochos’s mission.

 

******(Please note that several dates have been put on St. Nicholas’s calendar and others have yet to be decided. All dates may be subject to change)******

 

  • Family Movie Night with refreshments  Saturday, September 11th
  • Wine and Cheese Paint Night Thursday, October 14th  (Carole  or Elena)
  • Membership Dinner (Carole)
  • Bake Sale (Elene Berwanger & Toni King)
  • Cooking Classes (Hope Damergis)
  • Chili Cook-off and Football Game Day Sunday, January 9th
  • Prayer Shawl Ministry Philoptochos is creating a PRAYER SHAWL MINISTRY at St.Nicholas. This ministry may be found in many churches and is a way to fulfill our mission, helping our community and church family. “Prayer shawls are intended to be a reminder of God’s ever-present love. A shawl is a gift for every time and every occasion—joyful or sorrowful—for every circumstance of life.”  I will be sharing all the operational details of how this works at our first meeting in September. If you are interested in being a part of this worthwhile ministry or being the chairperson, please call. (Peggy 757.651.3811)
  • Music on the Lawn with a Food Truck (CINCO DE MAYO).           Saturday, May 7th
  • Fish Fry (date to be determined)
  • St. Nicholas Philoptochos Cookbook 
  • Guest Speakers to preserve and grow the Orthodox Christian faith and its ideals.

 

                Your board has given considerable thought to how St. Nicholas’s Philoptochos can devote itself to carrying on its mission of philanthropy and charitable works. At our first meeting we will discuss what organizations we will decide to support. Several ideas have been shared, but we need your ideas and advice. Please take the time to think how we can best put our fundraising efforts to best use and bring them to our meeting on Thursday, September 16th @ 6:00 PM. Your opinions and perspectives are important and I look forward to hearing your suggestions.

 

A thousand thank yous for giving with a cheerful heart! I am looking forward to sharing fellowship with each of you. Here’s to another great year at St. Nicholas!

 

Blessings, Love, and Joy,

 

Peggy

 

Acts 20:35

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

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Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church
621 First Colonial Road
Virginia Beach, VA 23451
secretary@stnicksgoc.org
757-422-5600

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