Santa Barbara AHEPA Chapter 243

El Camino Submission
Santa Barbara Chapter #243
Established October 17, 1929
“Promoting the Harmony of Greek Culture, Service, and Community”
http://www.ahepa 20.org/~chpter243/

It has been a very interesting and full six months even for this energetic and forward thinking chapter. In August our Parish Priest and member of our chapter, Fr. Paul Paris, took an assignment in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and we welcomed our new Parish Priest (and our newest chapter member) Fr. Simon Thomas and Presbytera Stephanie. Her father Chris Ronson is a Past President of the Modesto Chapter.
In October we hosted an expanded coffee hour after the Sunday Liturgy to celebrate our 77th chapter birthday and years of continuous service to Ahepa and the community. PDG Chris Mellas and his daughter Cassandra presented the Ahepa program “A Journey to Greece”. This elicited a lot of interest and we have two potential participants in the program. In attendance were The Honorable Dimitrios Caramitsos-Tzaras-Consul General of Greece, The Honorable Marty Blum-Mayor of Santa Barbara, Past Supreme President Dr. James F. Dimitriou, Current and Past District Governors of Ahepa and Daughters of Penelope.
We assisted our Philoptohos Chapter in welcoming Orthodox youth from the neighboring colleges to our Parish. We offered our November Glendi date to our Parish who hosted a very successful 20th Anniversary celebration of the consecration of the current facility. Our fund raiser will be held in the first quarter of the New Year. We have been working with UCSB to promote a concert with Greek singer Haris Alexiou (which was ultimately cancelled), and have been serving as the liaison with our Archbishop and UCSB for a discussion on Gnostic philosophy. We are promoting the Greek movie “The 11th Day” for the Santa Barbara Film Festival, and looking at other projects as fund raisers and Greek Heritage promotions. Our Greek Independence Day program may have a speaker of national recognition and promises to be very special
Our promotion of Ahepa Scholarship opportunities and our involvement in our community does bring us new members which proves the idea that rewards come as the result of your service.
As we look forward to our Christmas Party we wish all of you MERRY CHRISTMAS and may the NEW YEAR bring Health, Joy, and Success to you and yours.
The Members of Chapter #243

December’ 2006 Newsletter-“Keeping the Spirit Alive”
ORDER OF AHEPA
SANTA BARBARA CHAPTER #243
Established October 17, 1929
“Promoting the Harmony of Greek Culture, Service, and Community”
http://www.ahepa20.org/~chapter243/

The month of December is very special. It is the high-point of the Holiday Season-a time where we join together with other religious doctrines and amongst ourselves and reconnect with the teachings of the son of God. The prime teaching is of LOVE and from that center manifests many expressions. The prime teaching is of LOVE.
The most visible expressions of LOVE however are seen in our local civic and church communities and touch our moral center benefiting all of us. Your support of our programs not only allow us to pursue our goals, but more importantly create a sense of community-people of like mind and spirit always expressing LOVE
This very special Ahepa chapter is blessed with energetic members willing to share their special gifts in this expression and we welcome men who have this mind-set. If you have an interest in our work please contact one of us or leave word at the office.
The “Journey to Greece” program will accommodate a limited number of participants. December 31st is a deadline to submit an application for next summer’s program. Applications are available online @ Ahepa.org or Ahepa20.org. You may contact me or George Papazacharioudakis for information and application. This also applies for District 20 Scholarship Applications. The deadline for submission is March 1, 2007. The Ahepa National Scholarship Application deadline is March 31, 2007
Join with us as we celebrate the Name day of St. Barbara on Dec. 3rd and 4th. This will be a very special weekend. Please visit our web site for more Ahepa news items.
We wish you a joyful month and we thank you for your support.
Jim Brown, President.

November 2006 Newsletter
ORDER OF AHEPA
SANTA BARBARA CHAPTER #243
Established October 17, 1929
“Promoting the Harmony of Greek culture, Service, and Community”
“Keeping the Spirit Alive and In the Mix in 2006”
http://www.ahepa20org/~chapter243/

November is upon us and brings with it a taste of winter, and thoughts of the holidays which will be with us too quickly. This is the month of Thanksgiving when we look at our blessings and realize how blessed we are and give Thanks to our Heavenly father. The blessings of our parish community are too numerous to list however the recent arrival of Niki Thomas and the good health of Presbytera and child would certainly head our list.
Our Ahepa chapter has much to be grateful for also. We are part of a dynamic organization. Our chapter is comprised of a membership that is forward thinking and energetic. Our past year has seen growth and maturity in many aspects of chapter development. Your support of our programs is an important part of this process and we appreciate your trust and support.
The coming months have many important and interesting events on the schedule. We urge everyone to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the consecration of our present Saint Barbara Church. In early December there will be a popular Greek singer performing at UCSB, Arts and Letters. We should have application forms for the District 20 Scholarship program this month. Please leave your name in the office so that we can send you the forms. Let us not forget the name day of our Patron Saint, Saint Barbara on December 4, 2006.
Lastly, we want to Thank those of you who came to our 77th Chapter Birthday coffee hour. There was a presentation of a program sponsored by the Ahepa and the University of Indianapolis for our youth of senior high school age and college students. This is a six college credit program of 4-5 weeks in Greece. It was an informative program that was well received. More information is forth coming.
We Thank You and we Appreciate Your Support.

Jim Brown, President

CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY-The Ahepa Cooley's Anemia Foundation anounces a breakthrough in the cure for this disease. Dr. michel Sadelain announced that Thalassemia has been cured lab mice. This may prove to be the wy to cure other single-gene disorders. CLEOPATRA'S CYPRUS-Off the western shores of Cyprus is the tiny island of Yeronisos. Since 1990 investigations reveal periods of occupation separated by long periods of abandonment-the Chalcolithic, the Hellenistic, and the Byzantine. all periods have facinating details, but most interesting is the Agios neophytos Monidtary with links to Cleopatra and the birth of her first son, (Caesari0n) by Julius Caesar in 47 BC. A RAY OF HOPE FOR KOSOVO-As the Serbs and Albanians still struggle with their destiny-Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes-the Parish Priest of Saints Constantine and Helen Greek orthodox Church and who is secretary of Ahepa chapter 254-district 19, Boise Idaho and who is the President of the Decani Monastery Relief Fund which provides hope and spiritual and economic relief to Serbs and refugees in Kosovo is drawing support from across the country for this effort.