TSN0922

7 THE SHEPHERD • SEPTEMBER 2022 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO I n the occasion of the start of the new school year and leaving the summer holidays behind with nostalgia, I would like to share with my beloved community, the experiences that I gained this summer in the beautiful land of Greece. Wanting to dedicate part of my time, knowledge and skills, I volunteered in the municipality of Argos - Mycenae, in the field of primary education school committees where we created a program to create vegetable gardens in the schools of Argolis. Apart from the fact that I offered my precious summer vacation, I felt and received the love, warmth, and inclusion of the people I worked with. I would strongly recommend to my peers to get involved in sim- ilar experiences through volunteering in Greece or other countries. Not only to get a familiarity of different cultures, traditions and lifestyles, but to serve as a helping hand for the places that need it most. I would like to publicly thank the Municipality of Argos - Mycenae for this beautiful opportunity, the mayor of our city Mr. Dimitrios Camposos, the president of school com- mittees Mr. Nikolaos Gavunos, for the initiative and the idea, Mrs. Aliki Lambrinou and Mrs. Katerina Pitsaki, and finally my beloved godparents Mr. Renta Vasilios, and Mrs. Irini Liakopoulou–Renta for their support, and my parents Nick Mellos and Konstantina Ntakaris–Mellos for their en- couragement and patience. Vassia Mellos Sponsored Announcements With the president of school committee Mr. Gavunos With the mayor of Argos Mr. Cabosos With Mrs. Aliki and Katerina, the ladies that helped on the project “Rebuild My Church”.... ese words of our Lord Jesus Christ have been the inspiration to rebuild the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, the only house of worship destroyed on 9/11, since that fateful day in 2001. But it is rebuilt as more than the humble Greek Orthodox Church of lower Manhattan. It is rebuilt as a National Shrine and place of pilgrimage for our Nation. And in accordance with the word of the Lord, it will be a House of Prayer for all people (Mark 11:17). e Consecration of St.Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at theWorld Trade Center in NYC, took place in a moving ceremony on July 4 in the presence of a great number of guests and officials who filled the church. Outdoor seating areas were set up for the many attendees to watch the services on screens via the live broadcast. e Consecration coincided with the open- ing ceremony of the 46th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress. Our Parish sent the following delegates to represent our community of Saint Spyridon: Fr. Andrew Scordalakis, Parish Council President James Gilpin , John Kalas , and Youth Ministries Director Julie Dennis . Philoptochos An- thousa Chapter President So a Samouris and Christine Tradas attended the National Philoptochos Convention which marked 90 years of philanthropy. continued service with you all here on Park Blvd. I appre- ciate, respect and love each and every one of you, especial- ly those whom I have stood shoulder to shoulder with as co-workers in the Lord’s vineyard. Coming now out of the dark days of Covid the future looks very bright and exciting. Let’s ALL join hands together and work towards something better, something finer for the betterment of the future gen- erations that will follow a er us as we have followed a er our forefathers and mothers – the foundation upon which we all have been preparing for a long time to provide something greater than ourselves, amen! +A 1 FR. ANDREW