Special Events of our Parish Join us for our Parish's Name Day Celebration on Monday, May 9th at our new property. Fr. George and the Parish Council invites our parishioners, their relatives, neighbors, and friends to join us at our Ebenezer Road property to celebrate the Divine Liturgy on the occasion of our Parish Feast Day - Monday, May 9th, at 5:30 p.m. Following this service, we will have a Picnic-Style Pot-luck dinner. Bring your picnic chairs, non-fasting food and beverages, and join us when you are able after work that evening. As always, thanks for your support and encouragement.  Click to download Informative Flyer       Philoptochos Society's 2011 Annual Tea Saturday, May 7, 2011 (Mother's Day Weekend)  12:00 p.m. (noon) - 2:00 p.m. (Click for Informative Flyer)                   Sunday of Orthodoxy "Pan-Orthodox" Vespers Annunciation Cathedral - Sunday, March 13, 2010, 6:00 p.m. What a beautiful Pan-Orthodox Vespers we experienced as "One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church" on Sunday evening, March 13th at Annunciation Cathedral! We commend our Metropolis Cathedral, its clergy, Fr. Paul Kaplanis, Dean, and Fr. Christos Mars, Ephemerios, as well as its Parish Council President, Stephen Georgeson and Parish Administrator, Ginnie Roglin, for overseeing the hosting of all of our Orthodox faithful in the Atlanta metropolitan area. It was a unique opportunity for us to join together, and with His Grace Bishop John of Amorion (on behalf of His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios) officiating, we were able to shine the light of our Lord's truth and His Orthodox Church in a very personal way. I pray our Lord continue to strengthen and encourage us in our Lenten journey and ask your prayers always. We commend Fr. Jacob Myers, our Clergy Syndesmos President, for communicating with our clergy and laity and ensuring everyone was welcome. +Fr. George Tsahakis   Photo at left - Sacrament of Marriage – January 30, 2011  View Recent Parish Events      (Click to view)             Photo at left - Participants, Teachers, Judges, & Time Keeper for 2011 Parish St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival – January 23, 2011 View more Recent Parish Events      (Click to view)                       Thanks to all who supported our 1st Annual "Blessing of the Animals" - Saturday, December 18          - "Why Bless Animals" (click)         - Click for Information Flyer         - Click for Press Release         - Click for Blessing Logo Congratulations to our 2010 Archangel Michael Parish Honorees - George & Helen Psihountas (Click to view Parish Tribute)  (Click to view Metropolis Archangel Michael Feast & Honors for update and photos)      Thanks for Supporting our Booth at the Great Georgia Air Show (click) October 9 - 10, 2010, Falcon Field Peachtree City, GA (Click for Team Chaos Video)  Gravity-defying jets, thundering jet trucks and vintage warbirds marked the 13th edition of The Great Georgia Airshow held at Falcon Field in Peachtree City, Saturday, October 9 and Sunday, October 10. Thanks to all who served and all our guests who supported us.   Parish Celebrates "National Church Musicians Sunday" - October 3, 2010  (Click to view)           Thanks for Supporting Us at the 2010 Peachtree City International Fest - Saturday, 9/25             Click here to view our parish's "Greek Food Booth"     St. Christopher Hellenic Orthodox Church 2010 GreekFest (click to continue)   Additional Greek Fest Photos (Click) A "Sunday Spy" Uncovers "Behind the Scenes" Preparations for GreekFest 2010! (click)  Special Spotlight - St. Nicholas Church at Ground Zero  Statement of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and St. Nicholas Church, Announcing Federal Suit against the Port Authority of New York and New Jesrey (click) Archdiocese Continues the Effort to Rebuild St. Nicholas at Ground Zero (click) Photo: Nicolai Ciannamea St. Nicholas as it stood next to the Twin Towers before 9/11 Ground Zero That 'Other' Worship Space at Ground Zero (click)  Nine years after 9/11, the only worship space destroyed at ground zero has yet to rebuild. CNN's Mary Snow reports in this CNN Video. (click)  Ground Zero Church Waiting to Rise from Ashes (click)            Protection of Our Natural Environment. The first day of September, the beginning of the Ecclesiastical New Year, has also been designated by our holy and beloved Ecumenical Patriarchate as the Day for the Protection of our Natural Environment.    - Akathist in Praise of God's Creation (click)  - Office of the Vespers for the Preservation of Creation (click)   - Message of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for the Indiction and the Day of the Protection of the Environment (click)  - Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios for the Ecclesiastical New Year and the Day for the Protection of our Natural Environment (click)  - Environmental Balance - Learn to become a steward of God's creation by playing this online, interactive game developed by the Department of Internet Ministries. (click) Sharing Special Moments in our Parish During Summer, 2010 (click here)   Sunday, August 15 - Dormition of the Theotokos Celebrated Click to view photos of our commemorations  Click to read Encyclical of Archbishop Demetrios  Click to read Encyclical of Metropolitan Alexios       Catholic-Orthodox Gathering on Thursday, November 4, 2010, 7:00 p.m. Click to view Invitation from Metropolitan Alexios Click to view Program Flyer       Special Feast in September: "Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross" - 9/14         Click for Explanation of Feast Click for Archbishop Demetrios' Encyclical for Feast of the Cross                    Spiritual Nature Walk, July 10, 2010  offered by Fr. George Tsahakis   Click to view photos from event           Click here to download Archbishop Demetrios' Encyclical for July 4th Click here to download Metropolitan Alexios' Reflection for July 4th         On Monday, May 31st, we celebrated Memorial Day holiday - when we remembered U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. We thank our soldiers, past and present, for their courage and service. We commend our soldiers and their families for their sacrifices to our great country which has been so greatly blessed by God. May we pray for our service men and women daily and may we support them and their efforts. If possible, visit cemeteries and memorials on this special day and offer tribute to our valiant men and women who sacrificed their lives for us. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time. In his Memorial Day Message, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Eric Shinseki included a powerful quote: “Poor is the Nation that has no heroes, but beggared is the Nation that has and forgets them.” This weekend, we remember. May the memory of our departed brothers and sisters be eternal!       Ecumenical Gathering Focuses on Religious Freedom (click to view)           Together, We Will Build God's Church Click to download a summary of the next phase of our property development - the design and development of our new building! Click to download Pledge Card to help us design and plan our new building             Click for Pentecost Weekend Events      St. Christopher Outing to Atlanta Braves Game - Friday, May 14th Nearly 20 of our parishioners joined us for our GOYA community outing to support our Atlanta Braves at Turner Stadium. We witnessed a tremendous ninth inning win (6-5) over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Click to view part of the spectacular fireworks show that followed.  3rd Annual St. Christopher Volunteer Work Weekend at the Diakonia Retreat Center A Success! - We thank our nearly 40 parishioners who participated with our April 16-18, 2010 clean-up! (Click for Information & Schedule)         Philoptochos Society Sponsors Unique Fundraiser to Benefit the Charities We Support at St. Christopher Church! (Click here for photos)           Click here for Glimpse of our Lenten Journey           Click for  2010 Lenten Worship & Study Series "Living the Beatitudes" Lenten Worship & Study Series Completed on Wednesday, March 24th         2010 Parish Council Members Fr. George Tsahakis, Protopresbyter Stephen Butler, President George Psihountas, Vice President Steve Sarantis, Treasurer Angelo Moraitis, Assistant Treasurer Sheryl Vasiliadis, Secretary Tom Farmakis, Fotis Sakkas, George Skouteris. & Tammy Soulakos    Patriarch Bartholomew on "60 Minutes" TV Program His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians who constitute the second largest Christian Church in the world on Sunday evening, December 20, 2009 throughout the United States, and globally. Click here to view.   Let us continue to pray for His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and the Holy Patriarchate (Click here for Turkish newspaper article dated 12/25/09 entitled "Patriarchate Drifting Away, Says Bartholomew.")     Click here for A Call for Action for Religious Freedom & Human Rights for the Ecumenical Patriarchate Our Newly Published Philoptochos Cookbook Available Now! Our Philoptochos Society has completed its new Cookbook, entitled Let's Eat GREEK, Y'all! It is available for sale now. All proceeds will be contributed to charity.  It includes 380 recipes from our parishioners and their families, and we appreciate our parishioners' tremendous support in sharing family recipes. For additional information, please telephone our Cookbook Chairman, Cynthia Cromartie, at 770/487-7384 or email her at cynthiacromartie@bellsouth.net. We appreciate your great assistance.   Sample Pages . . .                       Philoptochos Society Continues Prayer Shawl Ministry Susan Kleto shares the goals of our parish's new "Prayer Shawl Ministry."  (Click here for overview and how to become involved.)  Susan Kleto, our Philoptochos Society Prayer Shawl Chairman encouraged our parish’s Prayer Shawl makers and their friends to participate in a Christmas distribution of shawls.  These shawls were directed to women's shelters in Coweta and Fayette counties.  Shawls were distributed to the shelter(s) on December 20, 2009. In Coweta County, the women's shelter is sponsored by the Community Welcome House. The following was taken from their website:  "The Community Welcome House is Coweta County 's Counsel on Domestic Violence. We serve a diverse population. We acknowledge our residents are the experts on their life. We acknowledge that healing the scars of domestic violence may take a life time. The Community Welcome House is a non-profit 501 (C)3 program. Our program is sustained by financial and in-kind donations from those that understand and want to stop the violence. Our purpose is to stop the violence. We do this by education to the societal crime of domestic violence. It reaches out into the community. It effects the victim, the family, and the job place. It is a shameful silent crime. Our dating teens experience it. By education to the signs of an abusive personality, awareness is raised."  Fr. George thanks those already involved with this ministry and encourages those who may be interested to email Susan Kleto at sbkleto@aol.com.     Thank you for 2009 GreekFest Support! Stephen Butler, Chairman of this year's event, on behalf of all of our parishioners, thanks you for supporting our 2009 GreekFest offered on Saturday, September 19, 2009 at Falcon Field Airport in Peachtree City, GA! All proceeds of our annual fundraiser benefit our Building Fund. Click to view Photos - Part 1 of 2 of last year's event Click to view Photos - Part 2 of 2 of last year's event Click to view Program and Listing of our Sponsors We thank all of our sponsors and guests, and especially our parishioners who assisted with this wonderful event.   2009 PATRIARCHAL VISIT – SPECIAL U.S. WEBSITE:  His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew visited the United States October 20 – November 6.  He led the Religion, Science, and Environmental Symposium: “Restoring Balance: The Great Mississippi River” from October 21-25.  For information on the symposium, the schedule of events for the visit, and more on the Ecumenical Patriarch and his environmental efforts visit the special US visit site at http://usvisit2009.org/   Click here for News Release, Photo Links, & YouTube link of full "Ecumenical Gathering of Peace" at Annunciation Cathedral on October 29th visit (Metropolis of Atlanta website) Click here for Wall Street Journal OpEd by His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew entitled, "Our Indivisible Environment: If life is sacred, so is the entire web that sustains it."     Birthday Greetings to Becky Butler on Sunday, September 20th                Fr. George, Becky's husband Stephen, her sister Faye, and our parishioners joined in wishing Becky Butler "Chronia Polla!" - "Happy Birthday" following church services on Sunday, 9/20/09.    Thanksgiving at Our Wedding Anniversaries: "...At this anniversary of their marriages, we family and friends celebrate and rejoice with them, asking that they be blessed from above for many years to come..." On Sunday, September 13th, Fr. George offered our traditional Orthodox prayer of thanksgiving for the 40th wedding anniversaries of Stephen and Becky Butler, Alec and Pat MacDougall, and Angelo and Diane Panousis, and for the 25th wedding anniversary of Pete and Susan Kleto. Afterwards, the four families hosted a beautiful parish luncheon celebrating this milestone. May God bless them and their families with many more years of Spirit-filled, healthy, and happy life.    Welcome to our new parishioner! Congratulations to her familiy and friends! "You are baptized; you are illuminated; you are anointed with the Holy Myrrh; you are hallowed; you are washed clean, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen." With these words, on Saturday, September 12th, Fr. George ended the Sacrament of Holy Baptism and welcomed young Isabella Maria Ellinas into the Body of Christ, witnessed by her parents, Emanual and Valerie Ellinas, her Godfather, Steve Sarantis, her Great Grandmother Mary Ellinas, her paternal grandparents, Johnny and Jeanie Ellinas, her many familiy members pictured to the left, and her many friends and parishioners who were present. We also commend Eva Sarantis, paternal Great-Aunt for overseeing the beautiful reception afterwards and thank the entire family for their warm and generous hospitality. Na Zisi! May God grant young Isabella Maria many years of Spirit-filled, healthy, and happy life.  Prayers for the Protection of the Environment On August 31st in the evening, Fr. George joined our faithful in offering the special service  of the Vespers for the Protection of the Environment. It consisted of prayers of supplication to our loving God and Savior Jesus Christ for the protection of the environment and stability in all creation. This service was in preparation for the new ecclesiastical year, September 1st, when our world-leader, His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew has asked us to pray for the environment. Two Hymns from this service that we can offer daily in our prayers include: O Creator of the Universe, Who from the beginning of time have set each and everything in its appropriate place, do not despise the works of Your hands, but look down from Heaven upon this vineyard, O Lord, with a merciful eye, and restore it according to Your will, deflecting every destructive contrivance and corruption. For You are our Shepherd, our Deliverer and our Savior, and in mercy and compassion it is Your aid we accept, glorifying You, the Master. Look upon the works of Your hands with a compassionate eye, O merciful God, and rid the expanse of the atmosphere, O Lord, from dreadful ruin, death-bearing emissions, and poisonous contamination, by which danger and death threaten. Corruption comes into being through thoughtlessness; therefore, take pity on Your creation and grant prudence, also granting to all reconciliation, salvation and divine mercy.  Click to read news article "Green" Patriarch Bartholomew I Prays for the Environment  Click to read the following messages from our Hierarchs to learn the significance of September 1st: Ecumenical Patriarch's Message for the Day of the Protection of the Environment Archiepiscopal Encyclical: Beginning of the Ecclesiastical New Year Metropolitan Alexios' Reflection on the New Ecclesiastical Year        2009 - 2010 Religious Education Year Blessed! Fr. George leads our faithful in asking our Lord's blessings for our new academic year which began on Sunday, August 16th, by offering the traditional Agiasmos/Blessing Service. Afterwards, he blessed all our students, teachers, parents, and classrooms.  For additional information on our Religious Education Classes, contact Becky Butler, 770/461-1800. For information on our Hellenic Language Classes, contact George Skouteris, 770/253-2722. We hope you and your family will participate in our efforts this coming year!   Hellenic Language Classes Underway! Our parish is blessed to have Mr. George Skouteris teach our Hellenic Language classes again this year. On Sunday, September 6th, he brainstormed the interests and needs of the students, and with their help, he has set four goals for the coming academic year: 1) Develop basic conversational skills for newcomers to the Greek language that emphasize practical usage and ease of communication. 2) Teaching our students some ecclesiastical Greek (i.e., the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and basic petitions used in worship services); 3) In addition to classroom practice and instruction, students will be provided handouts using the Greek alphabet correlated to a teaching CD that will instruct us on the proper Greek pronunciation to practice at home; and 4) welcoming back returning students from last year and new students this year. We hope you will join us! Check parish calendar for listing of class dates.   Choir Practice Online Ministry Initiated at St. Christopher's Church Each Sunday we have the opportunity to worship our Lord with the beautiful hymnology of His Holy Church. Fr. George encourages our choir members, chantors, and interested parishioners to attend our weekly Choir Practice every Thursday at 7:00 p.m. to learn our Orthodox hymns in Greek and in English. In response to parishioners asking for additional assistance in learning the hymns of our Sunday Divine Liturgy, Fr. George has launched a special webpage aimed at helping parishioners practice the special hymns of each Sunday at home. If you wish to be part of this ministry, please telephone Fr. George at 770/381-1842 and sign up. He thanks all our parishioners for joining our congregational singing during worship services led by our choir and chantors, and he encourages all of us to participate as we are able.    Outreach Event a Tremendous Success! Special thanks to our Outreach Committee Chairman, Georgia Lungaro and her husband Charlie for hosting a most enjoyable afternoon of fellowship at their home on Sunday, August 16th. In addition to our wonderful meal, parishioners shared updates of their families and exchanged ideas about our parish and its growth and development. Special thanks to all who participated and shared food and fellowship in the comfort of their warm and inviting home. Before breaking up just before 7:00 p.m., Georgia and Charlie "showered" our parishioners who didn't want to leave, with more of their cordial hospitality and fellowship. Thanks again for an unforgettable and enjoyable afternoon! May God bless you and your home always. [Not pictured - Stephen Butler, our photographer!]        St. Christopher Celebrates Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos - Saturday, August 15, 2009 (Click to view photos.)        Congratulations to our Sister Parish's Name Day - August 6, 2009 - Transfiguration of our Savior Greek Orthodox Church, Marietta, GA Chronia Polla - Happy Name Day to the Transfiguration of our Savior Church in Marietta, GA on the occasion of its Name Day on August 6th. His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios concelebrated a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Wednesday, August 5th, with Fr. Panayiotis Papageorgiou, Proistamenos of Transfiguration Church, and nine other local Orthodox Clergy in attendance (including our Fr. George Tsahakis). Following church services, its parish leaders recognized the 20-year progress that the parish has experienced. Glory to God for His countless blessings! Fr. George expresses his appreciation to Stephen and Becky Butler, Faye Georgio, and Steven Wilson for joining him at this special event and representing our St. Christopher Church.  Fr. Panayiotis Papageorgiou, Proistamenos of the Transfiguration of our Savior Church in Marietta, Georgia, assists His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta in offering the blessing of the food following the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Wednesday evening, August 5th.                      Vacation Church School, July 31 - August 1, 2009 The Ark of Salvation Thanks to all our participants, volunteers, and parents for making this ministry so enjoyable and inspiring!                     Special Services and Events in July, 2009 Click to view photos)

Classes offered late winter/early spring of 2009 . . . Introduction to Orthodoxy Classes - Our Final Class of this series was Sunday, June 7th. Fr. George appreciated the tremendous support and attendance, and is planning a new catechetical series later this summer. Parishioners, visitors, and newcomers received an overview of the Orthodox faith by attending this course presented on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of every month, from 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m, January - June. Fr. George used the text, Orthodoxy 101: A Bird's Eye View (available for purchase in our Bookstore). This series was an excellent resource for anyone contemplating joining the church and also helpful for Orthodox Christians who wished to increase his or her understanding of our faith.           2nd Annual Diakonia Center Volunteer Work Weekend - May 15 - 17, 2009  Click here to view Metropolitan Alexios' Thank You Letter . . . Parishioners traveled to Salem, SC on May 15-17, 2009 for our 2nd Annual Diakonia Center Volunteer Work Weekend. Our Parish Council had set aside this weekend for parishioners to offer our time and talents and volunteer at the Metropolis of Atlanta Diakonia Center in Salem, SC. All parish families were invited to join us. Last year, we had about 45 persons spend Friday late afternoon/evening - Sunday afternoon. Fr. George Savas, Executive Director has confirmed he has plenty of volunteer work needs for us this year, including some new tasks. This special weekend affords us with a great opportunity to assist our Metropolis retreat center, as well as have fun, fellowship, and spiritual time together. The Diakonia Center provided all bed linens, towels, and food. Our parish made a contribution to cover these food and linen expenses as we did last year. We enjoyed fellowship with our parishioners as we improved our beautiful retreat center. (Click here to view last year's event and photos.)     View our Parish's Name Day Celebration held on Saturday, May 9, with His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios presiding and Atlanta area Clergy and parishes joining us for church services and luncheon!         LET FREEDOM RING IN A VERY WARM WAY Quilts for Soldiers Project More than a dozen volunteers from our Philoptochos Society gathered on Sunday, May 3rd and again on Sunday June 14th to cut, sew, assemble, and tie our parish's efforts to supply quilts for our soldiers in Veterans Administration Hospitals and soldiers' families at home. The following photos depict the various stages of assembly of our quilts in progress. Thanks to Presbytera Marinda for chairing this effort, and all our Philoptochos members who assisted. (Click here to view photos.)           Metropolis of Atlanta Pascha Glendi - Saturday, April 25, 2009 (click)  Faithful from Metropolis of Atlanta parishes joined His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios and Metropolis leadership as they hosted our annual Pascha Glendi at the Diakonia Retreat Center.           Pascha Glendi - Sunday, April 19, 2009 (click)  Following Agape Vespers, our parish community, along with family members and friends enjoyed a wonderful afternoon at George & Julie Skouteris' home - an annual tradition that began before our parish started in 2003 for Orthodox faithful at Pascha!       Eastern Orthodox Easter & Holy Week  (News Update - click photo to open)         Lenten Journey to Great & Holy Pascha - March 2 - April 19, 2009 (click to view)   (A glimpse of our church services and ministries offered during Great & Holy Lent)

Welcome to New Family!  Fr. George, Tammy Soulakos, Helen Psihountas, and Bobby Spezzano welcome John and Carla Sharpe to our parish. Re-locating from Arizona to Georgia, the Sharpes are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their new grandchild later this year. Welcome! May God bless you and your family always.        Congratulations to our Youth Speakers!  Fr. George and our parish family congratulates our three parish youth who advanced and participated in the 2009 Metropolis of Atlanta Central Conference St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival at Annunciation Cathedral in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, March 14th. They were part of 12 students from seven parishes within our conference who advanced from their parish Oratorical Festivals. They included Nick Psihountas, Angelique Soulakos, and Mary Ramsaier. Thanks to George Psihountas and Tammy Soulakos for serving as chaperones.      Follow Bishop Savas and a team of OCF students as they renovate an ancient Church and Cemetery in Constantinople. Click here for a daily blog, beginning March 14th.      Procession of Holy Icons & Affirmation of our Holy Orthodox Faith - Sunday of Orthodoxy, March 8th (click to view)        Winter Storm fails to interrupt church services at St. Christopher Church on Cheesefare Sunday, March 1st. Click on photo to learn about our services and activities on the Second Saturday of the Souls, February 28, and on Cheesefare Sunday as we prepared for Great & Holy Lent as a parish family. We pray for God's mercy and for the safety of all affected by this storm.    New Parish Outreach Ministry Instituted With enthusiasm and support from our Parish Council and parishioners, Georgia Lungaro called her first meeting of the new "Outreach Ministry" to order following the Salutations Service to the Theotokos on Friday, March 13th. Fr. George introduced the ongoing need and many opportunities for our faithful to share the witness of our faith, worship, fellowship, and service with all that are part of our parish - our visitors and those seeking to learn about Orthodoxy, our new families and converts, our shut-ins, our lapsed and unchurched, and especially our active parishioners. In response, Georgia invited brainstorming ideas to help us organize, and solicited and received volunteers to lead the various ministry teams to serve and respond to the various needs that Fr. George identified. As she begins to implement our ideas, we invite our faithful to share and participate in this important ministry that our Lord taught as "His Great Commission" in Matthew 28:18-20: 18And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” After our meeting, a group of parishioners remained for fellowship and shared lenten foods offered by our faithful. Thanks again to everyone who participated. We hope you will join us! Glory to God!      Healthy Parenting Program A Huge Success  Good parenting isn't hammering our child into a clone or ideal of the "perfect child", but rather, being a partner in helping our young ones to discover what God intends them to be and helping them reach that goal. Good parenting seeks to discover healthier ways to raise our children and be well-functioning adults. On Sunday, February 22, 2009, Paula Marchman offered this third session of her ongoing series of pastoral support and counseling for our parishioners with an examination of how our children develop in their early years, along with the importance of their relationship with their parents. This early growth influences later developmental issues of autonomy and self-esteem, and how they show up in adolescence and young adulthood. In addition, Paula examined the importance of healthy boundaries in our families. In today's world, rather than parents becoming their children's best friends, they are encouraged to become leaders of their youth. This approach will help our youth make healthy choices and become problem-solvers and good decision-makers as they confront the challenges of today's world. Handouts and resources from the Archdiocese Center for Family Care were distributed.  Paula emphasized that as parents, it is our goal to give our children "roots and wings." Her fourth session (to be scheduled after Pascha/Easter) will focus on marriage enrichment for our parish couples and will be scheduled one evening during the week. Please telephone Fr. George if you can attend, 770/381-1842. We deeply appreciate Paula's programs, along with the help of her husband, Tom Lekas.

GOYA Lunch & Putt-Putt Outing on February 22, 2009 Our Goyans, together with Fr. George and their lay leaders (Jeanie Ellinas, George Psihountas, Presbytera Marinda Tsahakis and Katie Tsahakis) travelled to Newnan, Georgia on Sunday afternoon following Paula Marchman's "Healthy Parenting" workshop for lunch and putt-putt golf. Goyans chose Steak and Shake Restaurant to eat their final hamburgers on Meatfare Sunday and afterwards, played "glow-in-the-dark" putt putt.               Katie Tsahakis, and her dad, Fr. George each scored a "hole-in-one" during the 18 hole round, and everyone had a great time.

2009 Parish St. John Chrysostsom Oratorical Festival Update Congratulations to our youth who participated in our Annual Parish St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival held on Sunday, February 1st. Our Junior Speakers included Angelique Soulakos, Mary Ramsaier, and John Soulakos. Our Senior Speakers included Christina Psihountas, Marion Kleto, and Nicholas Psihountas. Each of them offered a beautiful and personal witness of the Orthodox theme they selected. We also appreciate the assistance of our three Judges, BJ Spanos, Anthony Vlachakis, and Katie Tsahakis, and the Timekeeper, Helen Psihountas. We commend Becky Butler for serving as Chairman and we thank the Religous Education teachers and parents who assisted her. Four of the six youth will participate in the Conference Festival scheduled for Saturday, March 14th. For additional information, contact Becky Butler at (770) 461-1800 or by email at becky_butler@bellsouth.net.     Goya Christmas Caroling - December, 2008 (Click here to view photos.)               Diakonia Volunteer Work Weekend in May, 2008 (click here to view photos.)