PARISH VOICES

I don't remember exactly how, or why, I started doing the following. When our four children were young back in the 1990's, I began tucking them in with a blessing using the sign of the cross. To Orthodox readers, this may not seem out of the ordinary. However, I was Protestant at the time. Making the sign of the cross is not a normal Protestant action. The Lutheran church and other liturgical-based denominations use it during services, performed by the pastor. In the Lutheran

Three years ago, on the Feast of the Holy Transfiguration, I walked into Holy Apostles for the very first time. I didn't know then how much I needed this parish, or how much I needed Christ to meet me in a way I could not ignore. I only knew I was scared. Scared of what? Scared of being disappointed again, scared of hoping, scared of wanting God and not knowing if He wanted me. The Feast of the Transfiguration is the moment in the Gospels when Christ reveals His glory openl

One of the funny things about writing a retrospective is stepping back into my memories to think about what’s been going on over the past few months. This quarter’s Treasurer Update includes Pascha! Here it is early August and I can hardly believe that Pascha was less than four months ago…it feels more like a year! But to settle down to the numbers. On the giving side...

As we reflect on the Theotokos on her dormition, we remember that the course of human history radically changed when this beautiful young girl, the Virgin Mary, said 'yes' to God!!! The angel Gabriel announced God's plan: "You will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son...and you shall call His name Jesus." The God who spoke galaxies into existence, the one who suspends the planets and gives life, didn't force His way into humanity. Instead, He waited for the free respon

You ever have those moments when you feel stuck and unsure, and then someone shares something seemingly simple and you start crying, look up at the icon of Christ, and think, "Okay Lord… I hear You"? That was me this morning. Fr. Tom told a story about a priest friend who grew up in Greece. He held up a tiny pencil that was barely an inch and a half long. That priest had one pencil for the entire school year. By May, he had to pay attention to every bit of it - how much was

We had an outside dog named Duke on the farm when I was growing up. He had free rein to do as he pleased. He was pretty good at causing mischief and pretty bad at hiding it. A number of times he would approach us in the early morning acting as though nothing was wrong, but it was painfully clear that he had tangled with a skunk overnight. I am sure all of you know that smell, and when it is fresh and on a dog's fur, it's especially pungent. You might also be familiar with som

Our series looking back twenty years enters its seventh month. Last month I shared the June 2006 issue, with its feast-day celebration and a graduating class headed out the door. The July 2006 issue is the sound of a parish exhaling, and then, almost immediately, asking what comes next. "Now that we are settled into our new church," George Plumis writes in his President's Corner, the questions have turned practical: ongoing building-fund contributions, maintenance, a capit

Sometimes, I listen to the Coffee House channel in the car. I like the softer, ballad and relaxing music for my long commutes when I'm not listening to a favorite podcast. So many times a phrase jumps out at me and touches me with something I need to hear. Now, the whole song may not apply such as unrequited love, a breakup…..you know how it goes with songs. The other day a Colbie Caillat song came on, "Realize," and the phrase "Take time to realize" settled in my mind. Here'

Finishing up this chapter of my life, I've had the great opportunity to shed some retrospect on the past few years. My name is Anthony Sitaras and I just graduated from a public high school here in Shoreline. Throughout my educational career, I put lots of time and focus into my academics, and my musical extracurriculars. As spiritually inclined as I had been up to my Junior year, I decided I wanted to become more involved in the rest of my high school life, and slowly began

Tuesday, June 30, 2026 — We came together to celebrate our beloved parish patron saints, the Holy Apostles, on their feast day. We were blessed with a great turnout at an beautiful local park and fair weather! It was afternoon of togetherness and kids running around having fun; of grilled hot dogs, souvlaki, potato salad, and banana pudding. Thank you to our Parish Council for spearheading our feast day and extra special thanks to Josh, Tina, and Januarius for their leadershi