Sunday School Teacher Gifts-Free Printable

It's that time again.

The time of year to express our gratitude to all those who work so tirelessly for the benefit of others.

Last year, these are the little tokens offered to our Church School to express the sentiment.

Here's how I made them.

If you're Greek...time to start thinking of festival season.

If you're Greek...or even if you're not...
it's time to start thinking of festival season.

Yes indeed it is.

If you are Greek or belong to a Greek Orthodox Church you know exactly what I mean. As soon as Easter/Pascha has been celebrated... the baking begins!

What are classic parts of the festival, other than the fantastic time with each other?

Well, there's the food.

And then there's the food.

Umm, did I mention the food?

There's the dancing and music.

Then, there's the Agora (the village store). 

Joyous Feast-Pascha Moments and Updates

A beautiful joyous feast to all.  

From Holy Saturday at Midnight until this upcoming Sunday, is one day! 

Christos Anesti! Christ is Risen!

Check out these cool Pascha Chocolates!

Actually found these while we were heading to the awesome Metropolis of Boston Retreat Center for the National Presbytera Retreat. It was a fantastic time and the facilities are so beautiful and staff are very engaging and attentive.
Next retreat is in October in Texas, mark your calendars!!!
Can't wait to see all my Sister-Presbyteres, it truly is a sisterhood.

We stopped at this grocery in Concord that turned out to be divine. 

I found these, they made me giggle. I've been wanting to share them for a long time.

Here are some of our beautiful flowers from our Kouvouklion.

They are still aromatic.

I made this wreath on Holy Friday, after helping with the flowers for the Kouvouklion.

This year we weren't able to get bay leaves and these gorgeous lemon branches came instead.

These were left over and so before heading to the Apokothelisis service (the Un-Nailing), 

I was able to tie this together. Not as structured, sort of whimsical?

Too big? What do you think?

The World Weeps

Icon from The Life of Christ in Icons Board Book by Marina Paliak 2011

Here are one of the adorable crafts from our Lenten Retreat.

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Holy Thursday

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Today we celebrate, wave those palms.

Not sure of the original source, if you know it, contact me please, to allow proper credit. Thank you to the sweet soul that shared it with me and gave me a BIG smile and laugh.

Have a Blessed Holy Week!
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From the Little Fields of Basil Bookshelf:My Yellow Balloon

My Yellow Balloon
Author: Tiffany Papageorge
Illustrator:  Erwin Madrid 

20 Orthodox Crafts for Lent and Other Times

With Holy Week approaching here are ways to help our littles.  Looking for a fun craft to add to your church school lesson or perhaps a Lenten retreat or just someway to reinforce the lessons of the season at home? You are not going to believe this post! I gathered my favorite Orthodox crafts, all one place, to make it easier to pick.

  Whoo hoo, let the fun begin!!

If you like what you see and wish to pin it, please be courteous and take from the source post, give credit to these incredible people who inspire us. Photo heavy post after the jump.

Quiet Reflection

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Great Sadness-Memory Eternal

"With a very heavy heart, His Eminence informs you of the untimely passing of the Rev. Fr. Matthew Baker, who tragically died in a car accident early this evening. Fr. Matthew was recently assigned to the Holy Trinity Parish of Norwich, CT, following the retirement of Fr. Paul Pantelis. During this evening's snow storm, Fr. Baker was traveling home from the parish when he had an accident from which he did not survive. His children who were traveling in the car with Fr. Matthew are thankfully not injured. The Metropolitan spoke directly with Presbytera Katherine a few moments ago and expressed the love and sympathy of the entire Metropolis and assured her of our prayers, presence and support.

More information will be forthcoming tomorrow.  Please join His Eminence as we pray for Fr. Matthew's eternal repose. We pray for Presbytera Kate, their six beautiful children, Fr. Matthew's mother and their entire family, that the Lord surround them in His comforting and peaceful embrace. May he rest in peace! May his memory be eternal!" Metropolis of Boston

More information will be shared by His Eminence and the Metropolis.
In the meantime, to assist this special family, a fund has been set up at
http://www.gofundme.com/nizf2g

Sharing this with great sadness, our hearts and prayers go out to the Baker family.
Please share this information, as we try to support this sweet family.
Eleni

Surviving Lent

How to get through Lent? How to get through Holy Week? 

I have been asked these questions before, more than once, in lots of different ways.  It usually eludes to fasting as we near the beginning or end of it and the anticipation of the feast ahead.  

Isn't that Christian life, perseverance and anticipation?  So, the only way to "get through", is to do it joyfully.  Fasting is not a chore or punishment, it is but a tool.  A tool and exercise to reinforce in us perseverance and humility.

So how to get through these periods? Simple, it is the way we are to get through all the rest of the year.

Joyfully with prayer, repeating the prayer of the heart.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have Mercy on Me, The Sinner.

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We Begin

To Forgive:

In the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is a verb meaning to stop feeling anger and blaming. In Greek, the meaning is more to willingly show favor, grant pardon and exercise grace. Each year on Forgiveness Sunday, we look back and forgive and look forward once more,  one more opportunity to examine what is true and how we may grow from it.

Forgive Me.
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True Love

True Love is able to shine through every single barrier.

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Coffee Hour Buffet

The time has come again. Each year I like to host coffee hour in February. There are many reasons why the early part of February is important to me and I see this as a special offering.  I try each year to have some great standby's like bagels and try some new things too.

Last year, I posted what the contenders for the Coffee Hour were and then Lent was upon us and I never posted what I actually made. Go figure.  Here are some pics from last year. I didn't get a chance to take another picture once the plastic was off, as it was time to serve.

Cake balls

Thought for the Day

It's Friday, Yeh!!!!
Happy Name Day to all the Vasilios's, Vasiliki's, Vaso's, Vanessa's, Bill's, Basil's, Gregory's and John Chrysostom's today. And of course anyone else celebrating today for the Three Hierarchs, including all the teachers out there!

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Olive Oil Love

How can you not love olive oil. Now think of it in a soap!

I recently received this fantastic package of olive oil based soaps, 

from Grecian Look and was asked to comment on them. 

Grecian Look is an internet based supplier of some items 

that can be hard to find outside of Greece for personal or festival use. 

My enthusiasim for these soaps is pretty high, as one of my memories from way back is actually watching my Yiayia make olive oil soap. As long as she was living we had a big hunk of it in the laundry room and bathroom. 

Here and Now

Hello there...I'm back.

Well- truly I never left, I've been writing posts several times a day (in my head) and they are really good ones. You the kind that make you giggle as you read them. I'm giggling at least.  The challenge is finding time to put down. The break was necessary and good.

Thank you for checking in, here is a little preview of what has been happening and what is ahead.

What have I done with my window boxes for the season?

It looks gorge and cost less than $5.

We had our annual St Nick Party, loads of fun!

Just keep swimming...

The school year is fast approaching and some new and not so new challenges are ahead.

Here is some wisdom to help along the way.

Usually I look like the one on the left, but sometimes that's me on the right.

The Holy Fathers and the Saints always tell us, "It is important to get up immediately after a fall and to keep on walking toward God." Even if we fall a hundred times a day it does not matter; we must get up and go on walking toward God without looking back. What has happened has happened-it is in the past. Just keep on going, all the while asking for help from God.

Elder Thaddeus of Votovnica

Pentecost and Kites

Pentecost was this past Sunday. It started with a beautiful liturgy, followed by the Kneeling Vespers and an evening with 800 of our closest friends and our Hierarch for dinner.  In between we were able to squeeze in some kite flying.  Made at school and one of the most awesome kites I have ever seen. SO MUCH FUN! What's Pentecost without squeezing in some kite flying after all.

Did you do anything special to help the little people celebrate the day?


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The Light Shines from Within-True Bioluminescence

This is a Georgian Hieromonk, just watch. It's not important if you don't understand what he is saying this is powerful all the same.  Just watch, I know it's a little long, it really is even more prevalent when he begins to bless the people (around 3 1/2 minutes into the video). Lord have Mercy.

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