MINISTRY NEWS

VOLUME 4 , ISSUE 1

JAN. 1 - JAN. 7

For our full calendar of events and services, visit https://holytransfiguration.info/calendar/

Due to the number of ministry events in this email, some email programs cutoff our message and include a link to see the full version in a web browser. If you do not see a flyer for an event listed above, please access that link.

It's almost that time of year again! Home Blessings will begin directly after Theophany (from January 7 through February 18). Please complete this online form in order to submit your request.

NOTE: The Church Office will be closed during weekday church services and all-day on Tuesday, January 6th in observance of the Theophany of our Lord.

Parish Membership - Every year, we seek your support and renewed commitment to help ensure that we are meeting our parish’s growing time, talent & treasure needs. We are also required by the Archdiocese Regulations to have all members of the Parish renew their membership each year to remain in “good standing.” 

Your Gifts in Service to God

Through stewardship, we offer our time, talents, and treasure as members of the Body of Christ, striving to reach our full potential in Him. Your generosity supports our church’s mission and transforms lives—both within and beyond our parish.

2026 STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN

How to submit your 2025 Membership/Stewardship Card: 

1. PAPER: Grab a paper Stewardship form from a Parish Council member in the Narthex on Sunday. You may mail back the completed paper form to the Church or drop the completed form in the offering tray.

2. ONLINE: You can complete the Online Membership/Stewardship Form on the church’s Stewardship webpage (https://holytransfiguration.info/join/).

3. SCAN: use the QR code. Simply point your camera on the QR code and click the yellow link that appears within your picture frame. 

HTGOC member Karen Fox hosts an outdoor Christmas display at her home with thousands of lights synchronized to music. Live Santa and Mrs. Claus visit on select dates for photo ops and treats. The first Santa visit is on Sunday, December 7th at 6:30pm. Our Santa speaks Greek! Check Facebook page for details, @Foxfamilylights. Donations are accepted for our church in addition to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. 

The light display runs nightly from 6-11 p.m. starting December 1 through Epiphany and features a light tunnel, walk-thru feature and two interactive stations. One is a Letter to Santa table where children can write a letter to Santa and either give it to Santa or put it in the Santa mailbox. Second is a memorial ornament station in honor of Karen's Dad, Thomas Comsudes, and brother, Thomas Christopher Comsudes, where visitors can either bring an ornament or make an ornament to honor someone who has passed and hang it on the memorial tree.

Address: 2994 Clary Hill Court, Roswell, GA 30075. Please reach out to Karen at (678)524-2067 with any questions or to schedule group visits.

SAVE THE DATE: AHEPA #519’s 13th Annual Scholarship Game Night will be held on Saturday, February 21st, 2026 in the PLC. 

In the past twelve years, this event has raised over $56,000 and helped provide over 117 College scholarships for deserving men and women in the Marietta area. More details and information info to follow, but please mark your Calendars now to enjoy this annual event which promises a fabulous dinner and an exciting evening of games and prizes. 

Our next meeting will be Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 10:00 am in Lower Level Parish Hall Classroom #127. Please text Ann Zakreski at 770.329.7421 if you plan to come.

Upcoming Sessions via Zoom:

Jan. 3, 17, & 31,

Feb. 7 ,

Mar. 7 & 28

For more information and a Zoom invite, please reach out to BJ Spanos at 404-771-9335 or email

The Mixed Choir practices on Tuesday nights / sing on the 1st & 3rd Sundays of the month.

Next practice: Jan. 6 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the Church Sanctuary

Ministry information...

The Men's Choir practices on Thursday nights / sing on the 4th Sundays of the month:

Next practice: Jan. 15 & 22 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the Church Sanctuary

Next Sunday singing the Divine Liturgy: January 25

Ministry information...

A group of friends (age 50+) who gather together purely for the enjoyment of each other’s company. They share experiences in life, their philosophies, values, ideas and goodies. Meetings are a light lunch with a guest speaker presentation.

Next meeting: Jan. 15

Ministry information...

Sunday, January 25: Membership Luncheon/General Meeting following Divine Liturgy

We meet on the first Tuesday of each month at 11:00 am in the Church Library (St. Basil Conference Room) followed by an optional lunch out.



ALL book lover readers are welcome to come.

DECEMBER MEETING



Tuesday, Jan. 6, at Noon, in the Church Library (St. Basil Conference Room)

Book: The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros

Meeting followed by optional lunch out - restaurant TBD

Philoptochos News: Use the 2026 Membership Form to join or renew your membership in Philoptochos. 

If you have not already joined or renewed your membership in Philoptochos, please do the following:

1.    Go to the church’s website: holytransfiguration.info.

2.    From the “home” page, select MINISTRIES from the heading at the top of the page.

3.    Under Philanthropy, select PHILOPTOCHOS.

4.    On the Philoptochos page, select 2026 Membership Form (Download).

5.    Save the Membership Form to your computer.

6.    Follow the directions at the bottom of the form to complete, make payment to the Philoptochos Square account, and submit your completed form.

We meet on the second Monday of every month in the Church Library from 7:00-8:30 p.m. / co-hosted by Pres. Patty & Michael Gavalas, Please email us at mgavalas@holytransfiguration.info to be added to our email list.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE



Monday, Jan. 12 / Feb. 9 / March 9

The Ascetic of Love

We will be reading and discussing The Ascetic of Love (available in the church bookstore) for three months since it is a longer book. For January, we will focus on the saint's biography (pages 1-139). The Ascetic of Love: Journey into the heart of love in this work which celebrates the life of Saint Gavrilia (1897-1992). The narrative captures the essence of her spirit, inviting readers into a world where love transcends boundaries, offering lessons in faith, charity, and the beauty of a life devoted to others.

Young Adults in their 20’s and 30’s meet twice a month for continuing education and fellowship. Second Sunday YA Class & Discussion meets on the 2nd Sunday of each month, and Third Thursday Social Gathering meets on the 3rd Thursday of each month.

Want to learn more? Join the HTGOC Young Adults GroupMe chat for notifications on events.

Contact Fr. Michael or Ministry Lead

Next meeting: Jan. 11th (Second Sunday)

Dear Parish Family and Friends,

Are you or someone you know unable to attend church due to illness or some other reason? Would you or someone you know like a visit from a member of our clergy team or lay volunteer? If so, please fill out this form and we will do our very best to arrange times to visit!

In Christ,

HTGOC Clergy Team

Dear Parish Family and Friends,

If you or someone who's part of your community is in need, Philoptochos is here to help. Please contact Jamie Hughes at 770-710-7733 or by email for details.

In Christ,

Philoptochos

Dear Parishioner,

We are continuing our Neighborhood Gatherings at Holy Transfiguration. These small gatherings give our parishioners an opportunity to get acquainted with other parishioners that live in their immediate vicinity. I would like to ask that you consider hosting a Neighborhood Gathering in your home for parishioners in your area. We will help you set it up and will send out the invitations to your parish neighbors. This is an opportunity to host as an act of stewardship to bring parishioners closer together in a more intimate, social setting. 

The time and date of the Gathering will be your choice, to accommodate your schedule. We plan to have a Parish Council member and a Priest at each Gathering to provide "talking points", to get conversations going, and to answer church-related questions. Food or snacks will be optional. And if you do choose to have food or dessert at your Gathering, we suggest that you do it as a potluck so that all may participate in providing an item.  

If you are willing to host a Neighborhood Gathering, please respond directly to me, Steve Tingas, at  stingas@holytransfiguration.info. Thank you for considering.

Steve Tingas

Outreach Chairman

770-845-5045

stingas@holytransfiguration.info

PHISHING SCAM AWARENESS

We are aware that several phishing-type communications have been received by parishioners from supposed members of the church leadership. The church (priests, staff, Parish Council, ministry leads) will never email or text you asking for you to buy gift cards or send money for any reason. If you receive such a message, it is a scam. Please disregard the request and report it to the church office. Always verify requests for financial assistance through direct communication with the church office. Protect yourself, your personal information, fellow parishioners, and the church by being cautious of these fraudulent attempts.

FELLOWSHIP/COFFEE HOUR SPONSORSHIP

Fellowship/Coffee Hour Sponsorship is a great way to honor someone's birthday, nameday, memory, or a significant event with your church family. For ministries, it is a great opportunity to bring awareness to your group and gain members. Reserve your date using the links below.

YOUTH MINISTRIES REGISTRATION

Registration for our 2025-2026 youth ministries (Catechism, Hellenic DanceHope & Joy, GOYA) is now open! Please register your child/children and select what ministries he/she/they will be participating in.

For more information about these ministries:

It is important, and also mandatory, for all youth who are participating in ministries of the parish to have completed the Youth Ministries Registration Form AND for the parent(s)/guardian(s) of that youth to have completed the membership/stewardship form. Completing both of these forms will not only give us the information we need to better serve the youth, but it will also be a big step towards helping all families become active and involved members of the parish.

So, with this email, we are asking everyone with a child/children participating in youth ministries to make sure that both of the necessary registrations/forms are completed:

BEYOND HOLY TRANSFIGURATION

Pilgrimage of Discovery: Applications Now Open 

The Pilgrimage of Discovery annual program is a 7-day, all-expense paid, religious and cultural annual summer journey to Constantinople awarded to Orthodox Christian young adults across America, connecting them with their ancestral religious roots. Participants deepen their Orthodox faith through a curated, guided experience, exploring holy sites, having a private audience with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and much more. This immersive journey creates a lasting impact on identity, faith, family, community and culture and helps secure the continuity of the Orthodox church from a grassroots level. 

This religious-educational journey includes an audience with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and visits to historic sites around Constantinople. It is the opportunity of a lifetime for up to eighteen young adult leaders, women and men, from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to be awarded the gift of a transformative and immersive experience in Constantinople, the Queen of Cities.