Recently, I had the honor to be elected President of the Parish Council for 2010. With my Lord’s wisdom and help as well as you my dear parishioners I will try my best to be a good president. There have been many great leaders before me that have left a mark in the expansion and beauty of our church. I look up to each with gratitude and admiration for bringing our Church to the threshold of prominence in the Capital Region.

This opportunity means a great deal to me. My family moved to Albany in 1977 and immediately my two daughters were enrolled in Sunday School and Greek School, as well as the youth groups and the dance group. Now my grandchildren are doing the same. My husband and I joined several organizations, and have been involved and volunteered throughout the years. St. Sophia has been a wonderful and vibrant community to raise a family, and the warmth, love, and support my family and I have felt and received from all of you over the years reaffirms what a special place it is.

St. Sophia is truly a thriving community with new families moving in all the time. We have a strong and energetic Parish Council and a parish-wide commitment to growing our spiritual and fellowship programs. When you, dear parishioners, join us actively with your Time-Talents-Treasure… we know that we are being supported. It encourages us. It inspires us. Remember, we are here to serve this Parish with the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and guidance and your involvement.

This new year will be focused on strengthening our many existing programs and creating new programs for all our parishioners. We have a full slate of programs for all ages and interests – spiritual, educational, cultural, social, athletic, language, dance, and music. To strengthen these existing programs and to launch new ones, we need as many of you as possible to participate in these programs and, more importantly, to be willing to step up into leadership positions. We are fortunate to have many, many people willing to help out with things, but we also really need individuals willing to be leaders! Further, the youth programs, while vibrant, are in need of additional leaders and parental involvement to advance their programs. The area most critical of parental involvement is that of Sunday School Teachers. We need parents to step up and help teach a class. Without teachers we cannot teach your children their faith during the most import years of their development. See Fr. Pat or Lainie Christou if you want to teach a class. This will be one of the most rewarding experiences you will have, while being a great role model for your children.

I extend a special invitation for young and old to attend Bible Class on the third Tuesday of each month. It is a fun night where we fill our spirit with our Lord’s teachings. We also enjoy delicious goodies with our coffee and good fellowship. This month Fr. Pat will be reading and reviewing a very special book that touched my life after I read it. It is "The Way Of The Pilgrim." This classic of world spiritual literature is the firsthand account of a pilgrim’s journey as he endeavors to live out Saint Paul’s instruction to "pray without ceasing." The narrator, an unnamed nineteenth-century peasant, sets out on his pilgrimage with nothing but a Bible, a rosary, and some dried bread. As he walks, he recites the Jesus prayer ("Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me")--a prayer that is said to quiet anxiety and fill the heart with love for all creation. With this prayer constantly on his lips, the pilgrim undergoes a profound spiritual education.

Update on the Catering Company…There has been a delay with the Liquor License. NYS wanted a health permit and a facilities inspection. Hopefully, they should be operational in a month or so. In the meantime please make sure your special events are booked in the church calendar, so that you will be assured of having the date you want.

May God continue to bless us and help us make 2010 a year that grows and strengthens the community, and gives us the conviction to move forward in our spiritual journey with peace, forgiveness and love for each other.

If you have questions on where you can best help, or if you have concerns, comments and suggestions please feel free to drop us a note…leave them in any Parish Council member mail box in the church office.