St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church

 

HEARTS TO CHANGE THE WORLD:  SEPTEMBER 2013-APRIL 2014 

 

God’s glory never ceases to amaze me. He allows us to work with Him depending upon HIS STRENGTH AND HIS POWER 

to accomplish HIS WILL for HIS KINGDOM! How much better can life be?  That question will be answered when we 

stand before God.  Zechariah 4:6, was given to the prophet in regards to the Temple of God being rebuilt in Jerusalem:  

“Not by mighty power, nor by strength, but by MY SPIRIT, says the LORD ALMIGHTY.” 

 

How often do human efforts fail? But, once God enters the equation of GOD + man = FRUITS for God’s Kingdom!  Quot-

ing the “Orthodox Study Bible” notes on page 1043: 

“Human efforts achieve NOTHING in the Kingdom of God. Human efforts                                                                                    

UNDER the POWER of GOD and the HOLY SPIRIT yield EVERTHING God wills.” 

 

The following items have been donated to our Community Outreach this past year: 

 

So numerous were school supplies, art supplies and health care products that I stopped counting! These were distrib-

uted to various schools throughout the community. 

 

This year’s Outreach partnered with the residents of Emeritus of Canton, who knitted numerous scarves under Carol 

Capocci’s direction. The High School Sunday School Class tagged and bagged 456 pieces of hats, mittens, and scarves 

into 152 sets that were distributed to Madge Youtz, Cedar, and McGregor Schools, the YWCA Preschool, and the Bat-

tered Woman’s Shelter. 

 

Our next partner was the “Raiders Relief Students’ Organization of Mount Union College. (Thank you Mr. Harry Padis 

for informing them of our Outreach). This group donated over 1000 stuffed animals for our “Hugables for Christ” cam-

paign! (Previously for St. Nicholas Day we had bagged and tagged 325 “Hugables for Christ”). Of the 1000 donated, 400  

“TY Beanie Babies” were given to our various schools to be used for special prizes. On Sunday, December 15, 2013, the 

Middle School and High School Sunday School classes tagged and bagged 600+ “Hugables for Christ” in 3 hours! Madge 

Youtz School received enough “Hugables for Christ” for each student (332+) for Christmas 2013! The rest were given to 

the Salvation Army (490) and to the YWCA Preschool Program (100). 

 

Valentine’s Day came and went, but not without our Parish donating enough candy (389 pieces) for every student, 

teacher and staff member of Madge Youtz School! We also had enough 

candy, cards and socks to distribute to Cedar School. 

 

The final phase of our Community Outreach, “New and Used Library 

Books” for the Madge Youtz School Library, was a huge success.                  

Our St. Haralambos Philoptochos donated 50 children’s books to our          

Outreach! Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you! 

 

We added that to our purchases made from the “Friends of the                          

Library Sales” in Florida and in North Canton to yield approx. 130 books. 

Our Thanks and Hats off to Nicole Tank for her donation of 30+ books 

from her personal collection! THANK-YOU. Our Fall 2013 donation of 

120 books added to our Spring 2014 donation of 260 books plus 80   

Children’s Highlights Magazines brought our grand total to 460 units    

for the Madge Youtz School Library! 

 

Gladys Hunt, author of Honey for A Child’s Heart, states “…children don’t  

stumble onto books by themselves; they must be introduced to the wonder    

of words put together in such a way that they spin out pure joy and magic.       

A good book is a magic gateway into a wide world of wonder, beauty, delight, 

and adventure.”  This is what your Library Outreach will do for the children of 

Madge Youtz School.  It just so happens that when Mrs. Schrock’s second grade 

was looking at the “new” arrivals for their library, one of the books was on 

“Rainforests.”  Guess what they are going to be studying in the next few 

weeks?  “Rainforests.”  Coincidence—I don’t think so.  God ALWAYS has a plan! 

 

Please continue over the summer to collect school supplies, art supplies, 

health care products, stuffed animals, hats, mittens, and scarves, and new and 

used books for next September’s Community Outreach. 

 

Our goal has always been “Faith in Action” to our community: “Loving God 

with ALL our heart and Loving our neighbor as our self.” To God be the GLORY 

for the great things He has done for us, His servants of St. Haralambos parish. 

 

Always in Christ’s Love, 

 

Karen Lazoran, Coordinator 

April 10, 2014 

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Koinonia May & June 2014 

Principal Ms. Gloriane Allen and Youtz students. 

Principal Ms. Gloriane Allen and School 

Community Worker Mrs. Susan Deem   

hand out donated books to the students. 

 

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