In 2007 the Church Council resolved to distribute the Missions and Charities collection to the Orthodox Orphanage in Guatemala (for the various needs of the resident Orphans), the Orthodox Project in Mexico City (for building one room dwellings for the poor), and to the Sarasota County Food Pantry which supplies the Venice area. In November of 2008 the Church Council will again determine how to disperse this year’s Missions and Charities collections. We look forward to any suggestions you may have with regard to Missions and Charities dispersal for 2008.

The Holupki Project will be held on Thursday, October 2nd. Your Holupki orders should be in by Wednesday, October 1st.

Please find attached (see flyer) the schedule for a very special and very interesting Venice Interfaith Group Project. Plan to attend the opening luncheon at Holy Spirit Church at 12:00 noon on October 4th. If you have any questions contact Barbara Demis or Lea Ann Bochnak who are coordinating this event for Holy Spirit Church. Please be sure and register by September 25th.

Join us in welcoming Matthew Michael Tapalaga to The Holy Orthodox Church. Matthew was baptized on Saturday, September 13th.

• Please mark your calendar for Sunday, September 21st for the Chicken Scampi Dinner. The Chicken Scampi Dinner will be $12.00 per person, please make your reservations on the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board!!
• Did You Know?? You can sign up to host a Sunday breakfast or to help with cleaning the church. Let one of the ladies of the Women’s Guild know what you would like to do. We need you!!
• Thank you to everyone who attended Senior Moments this summer. Our discussions will resume in September. Watch for dates and times.
• Thank you to all who participated in the completion of the altar covering project. We now have all the appropriate colors donated and will be making the coverings in August/September.
• The next Church Council Meeting is October 7th at 1:30. There are many important items to discuss and as always the faithful of our community are invited and encouraged to attend. We are still in the process of bringing together ideas for renovation of our church please let us hear from you!
• The Women’s Guild has purchased a case of The Orthodox Study Bibles – Old and New Testament for sale to interested parishioners. Please contact a Women’s Guild member or Rachel Porcelli-Spanos for more information or see the order form on the greeting table.

On October 4th Holy Spirit Church will host Meteorologist David Knops who will discuss “Global Warming and our Ecosystem”. Afterwards we will move across the street and view a “Video Exploration of Birds”. These interesting and informative sessions have been organized by the Venice Interfaith Group. Please join us for Christian fellowship and a better understanding of the Florida environment. Watch for more details in upcoming bulletins.

The total for the (CIRF) is $7,887.00 as of 8/31/08. The new air conditioning system cost was$8,240.00. We need your help in not only making up this difference ($353.00) but providing for the other important repair projects necessary at our church. Now we have a roof leak around the dome which will require additional work. The CIRF is an ongoing project, please continue to support this necessary part of our
church life.

Several in our community are ill this week. Remember to send a message of prayer and support. George Jacobs (16139 Appleby Lane, Northville, MI 48139), and Lisa Holak (care of John and Loraine Holak, 2912 Ringwood Meadow St., Sarasota, FL 34235), Mr. John Nicholas (1204 Schooner Lane, Venice Fl. 34285) and Mrs. Anna Techansoff (676 Circlewood Dr., Venice, Fl. 34293).

Holy Spirit Church received a special donation to help defray our growing expenses and matching the July fundraiser of 2007. The donation was $850.00 marked anonymous. A very special thank you to everyone who has supported Holy Spirit Church anonymously (website, bulletin, candles, money, etc, etc.). Many, many years to all our donor families.

Please pick up the new Holy Spirit Church monthly calendar showing upcoming events in our community. We will try to have these available early in each month and you can pick one up by way of the bulletin or at the greeting table in the church foyer.