February 3: Women's Book Club Discussion
 The St. Mary's Women's Book Club is excited to meet IN PERSON AND VIA ZOOM to discuss Toolkit for Spiritual Growth: A Practical Guide to Prayer, Fasting, and Almsgiving by Fr. Evan Armatas on Thursday, February 3, 7-8:30, in the Fireside Room.
Books are available in the church bookstore for $13. Please consider attending even if you haven’t completed the book – our discussions are always enriching. If you plan to attend in person or need the Zoom link, contact the church office.
The book club is open to all women in the parish and meets every other month on the first Thursday of month.
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February 13: Sweet Sunday for Children's HeartLink
Get ready for a social hour filled with delicious sweets and goodies plus opportunities to support Children's HeartLink and Philoptochos. Sweet Sunday is an annual event, and this year's recipient of donations given for sweets is Children's HeartLink, who's connection with St. Mary's goes back decades, as described in The First One Hundred Years: St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church:
In 1969 the Children's Heart Fund, later called Children's HeartLink, was initiated at Metropolitan Medical Center by two physicians. Over 650 children came from the developing countries of the world, including 100 from Greece, for corrective heart surgery. St. Mary's parishioners raised funds, served as translators, and offered their assistance as needed.
How can you participate in Sweet Sunday?
- Volunteer to help on the day of the event and/or to bring 2 dozen cookies, bars, sweet bread slices, bagels, or other goodies. Sign up at church after Sunday Liturgy or contact Andrea Tiggas (call or text 612-239-1522 or email adtiggas@msn.com).
- Give what you can. If you write a check, please make it payable to Philoptochos with HeartLink in the memo.
- Become a Philoptochos member, as this day is our big in-person membership event, too.
Thanks to Sweet Sunday event chairs Cathy Forchas, Connie Kouzes and Andrea Tiggas, and Membership Committee Members Sandra Anderson, Lisa Gallmeyer, Dena Tortorelis and Kathleen Wendland. Contact them if you have any related questions.
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 February 27: Next Philoptochos Meeting
Please mark your calendar and plan to attend the next Philoptochos Meeting on Sunday, February 27, at 11:30 in the Terrace Room. This will be the time to learn about all the Lenten opportunities to serve the parish and others, so we hope to see you there.
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NEW! Sacred Baking Workshops
 One of the missions of Philoptochos is "to promote the Greek Orthodox Faith and traditions, in accordance with its doctrines, canons, discipline, divine worship, usages and customs." With that in mind, we are pleased to announce three workshops to teach how to make the food that is integral to Orthodox services:
• Friday, March 4, 6:30-9pm: Koliva | Memorial Wheat
(for use at March 5 Saturday of Souls service)
• Saturday, March 19, 10:30am-1:30pm: Prosforo | Communion Bread
• Saturday, May 21, 11am-3pm: Artoclasia | Blessing of Five Loaves
All parishioners are welcome to attend one or more workshops, which will be led by Toni Bazakos. Register at the Philoptochos table in the social hour. There is no cost to attend.
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Thank You!
...to our Christmas Liturgy Social Hour Hosts: George, Andrew and Gilbert Atsidakos, Jimmy Geogleris, and George and Connie Kouzes.
...to the "Undecorating Crew": Erline Holman, Annette Legeros and Andrea Tiggas.
...to the Budget Committee members, Sandra Anderson, Jennifer Coin, Mary Ellis, Paulette Hastings, Connie Kouzes, Annette Legeros, Andrea Tiggas (Treasurer), Kathi Wendland, who worked hard to create a 2022 Philoptochos Budget that was approved by the membership on January 23.
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As a member and as a volunteer, we need you in order for Philoptochos to be successful!
It may be obvious, but it's true that Philoptochos is nothing without its members and volunteers. Our annual membership drive runs throughout the first quarter of the year, and our letter inviting women of the parish to join is being mailed at the end of January. Please watch for it, read it, and consider becoming a member in 2022.
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