The Church Complex is Closed to All Parishioners

All Liturgical services will continue to take place but are closed to the faithful until further notice.

The Faithful should continue to participate by attending services through our live streaming broadcasts posted on Facebook. Each services will be live and recorded for later viewing. See the full schedule here.

The church office is closed until further notice. Phone calls and emails will be addressed. Please call 315-446-5222 or for non-emergent issues please send email to parishcouncil@stsophias.org

We recognize the heightened concern associated with COVID-19 and are diligently focused on ensuring the continued health and safety of all our parishioners. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide additional updates as they become available on this page. Please check back routinely.

 

May 22, 2020

Reopening the Church Update
President's Message

Soon we will be permitted to gather together in our beloved St Sophia's to celebrate the Divine Liturgy and to receive Holy Communion. But how we do this? We will prepare for that future day with caution, just like much else in our daily lives in this "new" world. We believe it will still be many weeks before in-person services are allowed, regardless of how quickly social distancing restrictions change.

We want to open the church, but obviously, we want to also ensure the health and safety of all our parishioners. To that end we have formed a working group which includes four physicians, Parish Council officers, and Father David. The group will set down the rules for church attendance, keeping in mind Federal, State and Local edicts along with guidance from the Archdiocese and the Metropolis of Detroit.

As soon as we are given clearance to reopen, we will send out a letter by regular mail and email as to the procedures that will be in place for attending services. The committee will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide additional updates as they become available.


Christos Anesti
Peter Manolakos 
Parish Council President

 

May 22, 2020

Memorial Day Services
Monday, May 25th
at
Woodlawn and Oakwood Cemeteries

Father David will be performing services at two local cemeteries this Monday.

The schedule is as follows:

WOODLAWN CEMETERY
800 Grant Blvd.
8:30 AM
Service at the Tent behind the Mausoleum

Woodlawn Safe Pray Way Protocol

1. Please wear masks and conform to 6 foot safe distancing guidelines.

OAKWOOD CEMETERY
940 Comstock Ave.
10:00 AM
Drive-In Service (Remain in Car)

Oakwood Safe Pray Way Protocol
 
1. Enter the cemetery at the Comstock Avenue side, near the cemetery office and across from the mosque. Parish Council members will direct you as to where to park. The memorial service will be conducted near the grave of Fr. Harmand. Park on the driveway that circles that section of the cemetery.

2. You must stay inside your car during the service. Please do not get out of your car, we have made a commitment to the cemetery staff that we will adhere to their strict safe distancing rules and this includes staying in our cars.

3. Everyone can listen to the service on the car radio, AM 1640 or you may watch it on Facebook Live. Please keep in mind that the radio signal only reaches within the confines of the cemetery.

4. After we're done praying, please exit the cemetery. If you want to drive around the block and back into the cemetery, that's fine, but the cemetery has asked that everyone exit the cemetery when the prayers are done. They want to avoid having everyone get out of their cars at the same time and place.

5. Again, this is the commitment we've made to the cemetery staff, please cooperate.
 
 
If you would like Father David to pray for your beloved family members by reciting their names during these services, please send a list of names by emailing frdavid@stsophias.org or by calling Father David at 315-269-4940.

Deadline for submissions is Sunday, May 24th at 8pm. No names will be accepted on Monday, Memorial Day.

 

April 23, 2020

 

St. Sophia's Greek Cultural Festival Postponed

  Rescheduled for August 13-16, 2020

 
After continuing to monitor evolving developments with the COVID-19 pandemic, our Greek Cultural Festival slated for June 11-14, 2020 has been postponed until later this summer. The new rescheduled dates of the Greek Festival are Thursday, August 13-Sunday August 16, 2020.
 
The Festival Committee is saddened to announce this news, as many patrons look forward to the start of summer with this premier cultural event. “We held out on making this decision as long as we could, but we realize the health and safety of our volunteers and patrons is our top priority.” said St. Sophia's Greek Festival Committee Chairman Peter Lemoniades.

Your patience, understanding, and continued support are deeply appreciated. We eagerly hope to see all of you later this summer in August to celebrate our 47th Annual Greek Festival.

The Festival website, syracusegreekfest.com will be updated accordingly as new information is announced.

Μείνε καλά (Stay Well),

St. Sophia's Greek Cultural Festival Planning Committee

Parish Council President’s Message
with regards to
Greek Festival Postponement


The Festival Planning Committee has announced that we are postponing our Festival until August 13-16.  As you all know, the Festival is our primary fundraiser so we hope to have it, IF WE CAN. The Festival committee will continue to plan for the August date.

The press release notes that our primary concern is the safety of our volunteers and our patrons. So, before we get dozens of emails suggesting that an August date may not be sufficiently delayed to assure that safety, let me be very very clear. We HOPE to hold the Festival in August. But we will not go forward with that date if the health conditions are not sufficiently settled to allow us to safely move forward. We certainly do not know what the rules will be for Onondaga County. And whatever the rules are, we will be acutely sensitive to keeping volunteers who need to show up before August and those who prepare food well before the Festival, safe.

The postponement is, as I said, a hopeful one. But as we know, hope is not a plan. So, to repeat, the guiding principle of the plan is not hope. The guiding principle is safety.

Obviously the August date is disruptive. We expect to hear from many of you regarding how this  will impact your ability to participate.

However events work out, I know that our Parishioners will step up to insure that St Sophia’s remains a strong and vibrant community.
 

Christos Anesti!,  

Peter Manolakos
Parish Council President
 

 

 

April 15, 2020

Audio Only Stream of

Holy Week Services
Now Available


We are now also offering Holy Week services live in Audio only format to those that do not have access to the internet. To participate, simply call from any telephone to access the audio only portion of each service. Please notify loved ones, family and friends of this option by providing them with the following information and instructions:
 
Toll-Free Number: 1-866-416-1721
Participant Passcode: 9458460#
 
Simply dial the above toll-free number from any telephone and when asked please enter the passcode followed by the pound sign (#).
 

Good Friday Youth Retreat
on
Facebook Live


Father David will be presenting an online Good Friday Retreat for the youth of our parish. To participate, simply connect to the live feed from our Facebook page on Friday, April 17th at 11:30am. A link is provided below. We ask that the youth participate by using the "chat" feature during the live stream. Please note that this retreat will only be streaming on Facebook Live only.
 

April 10, 2020

Submit Remembrance Names
for
Good Friday

 

Remember your departed loved ones on Good Friday during the Epitaphios Service. You may submit the names of your loved ones by emailing the Orthodox Baptismal first names of the deceased to frdavid@stsophias.org or by calling him at 315-269-4940. Please submit the names by 4pm on Good Friday, April 17th.

 

April 9, 2020

Letter from Father David Explaining Changes to Holy Week & Pascha Schedule

 

Beloved in Christ:

 

I’ll start with this:

Be the Bee has a great video about the frustration we may be feeling regarding the quarantine dictates of the Archdiocese and Metropolis, you can view it HERE, or at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5R-CLKxwEk&feature=youtu.be

 

(It’s a good video to watch upon seeing our Holy Week service schedule:)

 

Saturday, April 11 - Lazarus Saturday Orthros, 9 am and Divine Liturgy, 10 am

                           - Great Vespers, 6 pm

 

Sunday, April 12: - Palm Sunday Orthros, 9 am and Divine Liturgy, 10 am

                          - Bridegroom Orthros, 6 pm

 

Monday, April 13: - Holy Week meditation with Fr. David, 10 am

                          - Bridegroom Orthros, 6 pm

 

Tuesday, April 14:    - Bible Study, 10 am (webinar and live-streamed)

                              - Bridegroom Orthros, 6 pm

 

Wednesday, April 15 … - Holy Week meditation with Fr. David, 10 am

 

Thursday, April 16 …… - Divine Liturgy, Institution of the Eucharist, 10 am

                                 - 12 Passion Gospels, 6 pm

 

Friday, April 17:     - Hours for Pascha, 10 am

                            - Vespers, 3 pm

                            - Epitafios, 6 pm

 

Saturday, April 18:          - Protoanasasi Liturgy, 10 am

                                     - Orthros for Pascha, 8 pm

 

Sunday, April 19: - Paschal Liturgy, 10 am

 

Please note:

  1. I really want people who want Holy Unction to be able to attend the Unction Service. Since we don’t have to do it during Holy Week, I’m going to schedule it for later, when we can gather in the church.
  2. We’re not doing any Presanctified Liturgies; instead, I’ll do short meditations on the gospels of the day at 10 am, and the Bible study on Tuesday.
  3. We’re dividing the Orthros for Pascha (which ends with “Christos Anesti”), and the Paschal Liturgy. We’ll do the Orthros at 8 (to include as many people as possible), and the Liturgy the next day at 10am (normal Sunday time).
  4. I will take names for the Friday service - email (“frdavid@stsophias.org") or call me at 315-269-4940.
  5. Candles will be handled in the same way they’ve been handled for the last few weeks - buy them online and put the names there.
  6. Kids and others can follow the GOA “zine” for Holy Week HERE or at https://www.goarch.org/en/-/holy-week-zine

I sure wish this was different. This is the best we can do. Follow as much as you can, and look forward with me to the time when we can see each other’s faces again.

 

Yours in Christ,

Father David

March 26, 2020

Jesus Prayer Group &
Liturgical Services Streaming Live
on Facebook and

Now on YouTube

 

The Faithful should continue to participate by attending services through our live streaming broadcasts posted on Facebook Page and our YouTube Channel. Each group meeting and service will be live and recorded for later viewing. Please like our Facebook page and subscribe to our YouTube channel to stay informed of all upcoming broadcasts.
 
 

March 26, 2020

An Idea to Help our Parishioners

Beloved in Christ, 

Let’s consider ways we can help each other during this crisis.

Many restaurants and businesses owned by our parishioners are facing perilous financial times, some totally closed and others with income and staff significantly curtailed. 

There is one small way we might be able to help. Let’s assemble a list of restaurants and other businesses that are still open. Put your take-out shoes on!

Hard-working parishioners who own various businesses have always been generous supporters of St. Sophia’s over the years. So this is an opportunity for all of us to think how we might "give back" to them now.

To create this list, please send the names and contact information about any restaurant or business that you know of to the church email: parishcouncil@stsophias.org

Please include: 

  • The name of the business 
  • The address
  • Hours of operation
  • Phone number 

We will compile a list and distribute it to our parish to encourage as many as possible to support them however possible.

Thank you,

Fr. David

 
 

March 21, 2020

Message from Father David Regarding Candles

Beloved in Christ,

You may remember my sermon on February 2, when I spoke about how important it is that we light a candle when we come to Church - we re-member the feast of the Presentation and the song of St. Simeon. I take this very seriously, and I know you do, too.

Now we’ve come to a time when we attend the divine services of the Church online, and therefore cannot light candles.Our solution is for you to purchase candles online, send me a list of names you want remembered, and make your donation online as well.

I will light an actual candle (this is NOT a “virtual candle” app), taper or vigil candle, and at the end of Orthros I will read the list of names. I’ll do this just before the Great Doxology.

This is our tradition, and this is a way that we can maintain that tradition even during this unusual period of virus-fighting.

Fr. David

Note: Candles may be purchased online at anytime during the week. Deadline for lighting and remembrance name recital during the Sunday Divine Liturgy Service is 7:30am of that morning.

Purchase Candles

 

March 21, 2020

Weekly Bulletin & Nepsis Publications
Temporarily Suspended
Stay Informed with our Online Sources

With the church's complex closed and the cancellation of all events, the Weekly Bulletin and Nepsis will not be published until further notice. To receive up to the minute church related announcements, please visit our enhanced website, sign-up for our email list, and follow us on all the social media platforms.

 March 21, 2020

Online Bible Study
This Tuesday at 10am


Please join us this Tuesday at 10am for our Bible Study discussion. You may participate via videoconferencing or audio only. Here is how to join the virtual meeting:
 

Video/Audio Conference (on PC, iPad, Tablet, Smart Phone):

https://meet.syntela.com/meet/25624617

Note:
To join via Desktop, the PC must have a microphone and camera

Audio Conference Only:

Dial (351) 222-2275
Use conference code: 25624617#

 

March 20, 2020

Liturgical Services Streaming Live on Facebook

 

The Faithful should continue to participate by attending services through our live streaming broadcasts posted on Facebook. Each services will be live and recorded for later viewing.

Live streaming offerings for this week:

Access them on Facebook Video Here

Friday, March 20, 9 am: Presanctified Liturgy

Friday, March 20, 6 pm: Akathist Hymn

Saturday, March 21, 6 pm: Great Vespers (time change)

Sunday, March 22, 10 am Liturgy-Sunday of the Holy Cross (9 am Orthros)

Monday, March 23, 6 pm: Jesus Prayer group

Wednesday, March 25, 6 pm Presanctified Liturgy

Friday, March 27, 10 am: Presanctified Liturgy (time change)

Annunciation Liturgy on March 25: The Upstate NY GO priests will be gathering at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Rochester to celebrate the Liturgy for this holy feast, 10 am. 

We will be live-streamed at Link

Yes, Annunciation is streaming over YouTube rather than Facebook, and I’ve had some people ask for us to do that as well. I hope to have both platforms (Facebook and YouTube running at the same time) going with good sound and picture by Sunday morning, and I’ll send the YouTube link as soon as I figure out how to.

 

March 17, 2020

Instructions from His Eminence
Metropolitan Nicholas Regarding COVID-19

 

March 17, 2020

St. Sophia's Response to Coronavirus Pandemic

Fr. David makes an important announcement about St. Sophia's response to the Coronavirus crisis on Facebook Live on March 17th at 6:30pm.

Read Transcript  

 

March 14, 2020

All Sunday Evening Pan-Orthodox Lenten Vespers Are Cancelled


As per the directives from all Orthodox jurisdictions, we have cancelled the Sunday evening Vespers services for this year.

 

March 13, 2020

URGENT-Notice of Event Cancellations

PER DIRECTIVE OF METROPOLITAN NICHOLAS OF DETROIT

ALL  NON-LITURGICAL EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED THROUGH APRIL 5TH ARE CANCELLED OR POSTPONED

DIVINE LITURGY AND ALL OTHER LITURGICAL SERVICES REMAIN AS SCHEDULED

The following have all been cancelled
through and including April 5th:

Sunday Coffee Hours
Sunday School
GOYA, Jr. GOYA, JOY, YAL
Greek School
Greek Dance Practices
Preschool Playdate-March 14th
Greek Festival Pita Making-March 14, 21, 28
AHEPA Meeting-March 14th
AHEPA Kafenio-March 14, 21, 28
Oratorical Festival-March 15th
Philoptochos Meeting-March 17th
Greek Independence Day Celebration-March 22nd
Greek Flag Raising at City Hall-March 25th
Ecumenical Councils Lecture-March 21st
BeeTreat Retreat-March 28th
General Assembly Meeting-April 5th

Please check with your ministries advisor or leaders if cancelled events will be rescheduled or when postponed events will resume.

Check back for further updates.

 

March 12th, 2020

Coronavirus Guidelines


We recognize the heightened concern associated with COVID-19 and are diligently focused on ensuring the continued health and safety of all our parishioners.

Until further notice, we ask that each parishioner follow the guidelines developed by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America based on the instructions of the US Center for Disease Control (CDC)

1.) The clergy will not offer their hands to be reverenced and will refrain from touching the faithful either through handshakes or an embrace.

2.) Do not kiss the icons or blessing cross. Honor shall be shown by only bowing.

3.) No books – Liturgical or Scriptural, will be kept in the pews. Parishioners are instructed to bring their own books from home.

4.) Sick individuals are not to attend any service or scheduled church function.

5.) After every service, all liturgical objects and surfaces will be thoroughly cleaned.

Please contact a parish council member if you have any questions or concerns. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide additional updates as they become available.