• Watch for the 2009 Liturgical Calendar available soon.
• The Women’s Guild has purchased a new freezer and the following items are available every week. Holupki (stuffed cabbage) will be available for $2.00 each, Large Kolachy (nut, poppy and apricot rolls) for $9.00 each and Perogi $5.00 per dozen. Contact a member of the Women’s Guild for more information. Take some home and try them. You will enjoy the homemade specialty items made by our women.
• 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!!
• Senior Moments will resume after the first of the year. Attendance this fall was wonderful, from 10-22 per session. Thank you all for participating in this essential element of our community.
• The Women’s Guild meets on the first Sunday of the month following coffee hour.
• Please remember to RSVP with Lynne Morris to attend the “Salute to Vienna” musical program at Van Wezel Hall on January 1 at 8:00 pm. See the advertisement on the bulletin board for more information.

Happy Birthday wishes to Mehmet Ozkan (11-23) and Nina Butros (11-25).

The ladies of the Women’s Guild have prepared stuffed cabbage (holupki), nut, poppy seed, apricot rolls and Perogi, and they are now available anytime. Just ask anyone in the kitchen or in the Women’s Guild and they can guide you to the proper person who will fill your order from our freezer.

The Christmas Boutique will be held on Saturday, December 6th from 9 am to 1 pm. We would like new (or nearly new) arts and crafts or other gift items that could be used for the Christmas Boutique. As usual, we are hoping for a big sale with many items and many customers. Please volunteer your help and support this important effort!

The Women’s Guild Christmas Season Luncheon (gathering) will be held at Crow’s Nest Restaurant on Sunday, December 7th at 12:30 pm. Please see Rosalie Hardman for your reservations. The cost is only $10.00 – The Women’s Guild will take care of the rest.

A very big “Thank You” to all the ladies in the Women’s Guild, especially for their tireless and important efforts to enhance our community life and worship!!

The new gold altar cloths donated by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Czekalski are being prepared by Mrs. Mary Ann Markowski and her sister Virginia. The new altar cloths will be blessed on December 21st and used for Christmas.

Remember those who are ill this week. A message of prayer and support is always appreciated. Mrs. Lois Plumblee and Mrs. Anna Techansoff.

On Tuesday, November 11, the Church Council of Holy Spirit Church resolved to disperse $1,800.00 to the following Missions and Charities (please be aware that any gift that was “earmarked” for a particular charity was properly distributed as requested). Agape Flights of Venice $150.00. Agape Flights transports and serves missions and missionaries who are serving in Haiti and Dominican Republic which have been hit so severely by hurricanes. The OCA Christmas Stocking Project $350.00. The “Christmas Stocking Project” makes Christmas Stockings filled with gifts available to children in many countries of Eastern Europe including Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine among others. South County Food Bank $500.00. The South County Food Bank provides food and necessities to the needy in the southern parts of Sarasota County including the Venice area. Guatemala Orthodox Orphans $150.00. This donation is for the various daily needs of the resident orphans. Orthodox Project in Mexico $150.00. This project helps build one room dwellings for the poor. The Endicott Orthodox Project $500.00. This offering provides food, clothing and other necessities for the Endicott family. May God bless each of these worthy ministries.

In addition, to the Missionary Donations described above, the people of Holy Spirit Church, through the Good Samaritan Fund, have given $1,550.00 (Year To Date) to the needy of our parish and community. These monies have been distributed based on need for groceries, medicine, school clothes, and other critical necessities.

These Missions and Charities donations total some $3,350.00. What a beautiful testament of giving from the people of Holy Spirit Orthodox Church to the Kingdom of God. May God Bless each of you for the love demonstrated in the giving of your financial gain, your prayers, and your time.

Many, many years!

Please note the Fourth Annual Venice Interfaith Community Association Thanksgiving Eve Service on November 26th

On November 15, 2008 the Tatiana McKinney art work (formerly part of the Holy Spirit Iconostas) was donated to the Holy Theotokos Mission of Orlando, Florida. This Romanian Mission is served by Father Nichoia Regos. They have rented space and are in the process of preparing that space for Divine
Services. The Mission met on November 16 to determine what donation might be made to Holy Spirit Church for the art work. Regardless, we pray that the art will continue the Orthodox outreach of Holy Spirit Church in Venice.

The “Kids Creating Community” meeting will be held today. Please remember that the only entrance fee will be a bag of groceries for the Area Food Pantry. The presentation and dinner will be held from 3:00 to 5:00 pm at the United Church of Christ (next door). Don’t forget a full Turkey Dinner will be served. Please make your reservations with Lea Ann Bochnak.

This week you received our Special Christmas Mailing. This mailing contains a letter describing the upcoming Christmas Boutique, the Christmas Boutique Flyer, the Yearly Christmas Poinsettia request with remembrances, and the appropriate envelope for your poinsettia offering. If you did not receive your materials or if you have any questions please see a Church Council Person.