Dear Holy Trinity Family,
During this Lenten Season, as we reflect on our many blessings and prepare for Easter, and as we celebrate the beauty of a new spring with its colorful, blooming flowers and trees, and its birds in song, our Philoptochos chapter continues its philanthropic work. In accordance with the Philoptochos Mission Statement, we continue to provide help to the less fortunate, promote the benevolent purposes of our Church through presentations and other educational resources, and preserve and perpetuate the doctrines and customs of our Orthodox faith.
Springtime means Easter Market! Our amazing co-chairs, Andrea Nicholas and Elizabeth Zoulis are diligently and tirelessly working to make this yet another successful event. Proceeds from this important fundraiser directly support our ministries and other philanthropic endeavors. Our members gather to bake, cook, prepare, and pack Lenten and Paschal foods, home-baked Greek pastries, and other related goods. Please support our chapter by volunteering your time, purchasing foods and goods, and/or making monetary donations. Orders for all our Easter Market goodies are being accepted right now! Please refer to the enclosed Easter Market Pre-Order Form.
Until April 17, our chapter will be collecting all types of bags such as handbags, clutches, briefcases, laptop bags and crossbody bags, as part of our Pre-Loved Handbags Drive to benefit women at local outreach programs and shelters in our area. Please consider donating your gently used or new handbag to someone who needs it. Drop off your handbags during the collection period at the brightly decorated box located in the Church’s social hall foyer.
The annual Presanctified Divine Liturgy dedicated to our chapter will take place on Wednesday April 17. After the service ,a light Lenten supper will be served followed by an inspirational talk by Matthew Lootens. I look forward to sharing this special evening with you!
For May, our chapter plans a Prosforo-Baking workshop where we will not only bake the Prosforo but learn about what it means. The exact date and details are to be determined. Thinking even further ahead, our chapter’s fun-filled End of-the Year Party will be held on June 19, 2024. We are also planning a Soap Drive, to collect bars of Dove Soap that will be distributed to the incarcerated women at the Bedford Hills and Taconic Correctional Facilities. Stay tuned for more details about all these future events.
Of course there are many ways to become involved in our chapter, including volunteering for one or more of our Outreach Ministries. Once a month, volunteers at the Carver Center assist food-insecure members of the Port Chester community. Volunteers prepare a meal for HOPE Community Services of New Rochelle six times a year. Our chapter sponsors the weekly Community Food Drive, which is in special, high gear now during the Lenten season. Once a month, volunteers make sandwiches that are delivered to those in need at the Grace Episcopal Church in White Plains. Also, once a month, volunteers prepare and deliver a pasta and salad meal that feeds about 60 grateful friends at the Oasis Shelter in New Rochelle. Through our Soup Run, we provide a meal, toiletry kits, clothes, and various sundry items to the homeless and those living in shelters in Manhattan and elsewhere. Our Philoptochos chapter also provides other ways to be engaged. Every month both the Knitting for Charity Club and our Book Club meet. Visit our Church’s website at www.holytrinitynr.org or stop by our Philoptochos bulletin board in the Church’s social hall foyer for more information about what dates are available for you to participate in any of the Outreach Ministries and for further information about these ministries, clubs, and other forthcoming events.
Finally, remember our chapter is connected. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram where you can see photos, read about our ministries, clubs and events, and see what we all do to make the world better.
With gratitude and love,
Agathy Gerkis
Philoptochos Chapter President
avloula@gmail.com
avloula@gmail.comNo Facebook? No problem!
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