Forward Planning

Church of Saints Constantine and Helene - Father Terry Appointment as Ex-officio to the Committee

At its final meeting for 2023, the President, suggested to the Management Committee to consider for future working relations to be better communicated between the Committee of Management and Father Terry. The Management Committee unanimously resolved to offer ex-officio appointment of Father Terry to the Committee of the HCWA. The Church of Saints Constantine and Helene, which is owned by the Community, is fundamental to the Hellenic Community, and the Parish Priest, essential to the life of the Community. Father Terry will be entitled to attend all meetings and to receive all documentation for those meetings. The Committee looks forward to welcoming Father Terry to the committee and to his contributions at committee meetings.

2023 at the Church of Sts Constantine and Helene – “Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.” (Isaiah 12:5)

By the Grace of God, the blessing and guidance of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia and with the ongoing love and support of our parishioners, Sts Constantine and Helene has had another wonderful, blessed and productive year.

It has been a busy year with many events, baptisms, weddings, funerals and of course our weekly Church services. The highlight of our year was undoubtedly the pastoral visit of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia who visited our church on Wednesday the 12^th of July 2023 to conduct the baptism of baby Stylianos Gerovasilis, the fourth child of Parish Priest Fr Terry Gerovasilis.

Other events, highlights and outreach programs for the year include:

• Continued with the Monday Morning Mother’s & Childrens Group where mothers and children regularly attend the Divine Liturgy. Following the service, morning tea and activities are held in the church hall. The children are instructed in the basics of the Orthodox Faith.

• Continued with the Wednesday English Divine Liturgy at 6.00pm. At the conclusion of the service, a Bible Study is presented in the church hall under the title, “Orthodox Parea”. Wednesday evenings are particularly popular with Catechumens preparing for Baptism or Chrismation.
• The Sunday School at Saints Constantine and Helene continues to grow strongly where children are taught passionately and systematically in the faith by the teachers. Throughout the year, various activities for the Sunday School are held including a picnic at King’s Park and the end of year Christmas performance which this year was attended by more than 150 people.

• Saints Constantine and Helene 2023 Christmas Toy Drive for the Perth Children’s Hospital collected 515 toys (roughly $6,000 in value).

• For the Feast Day of Sts Constantine and Helene in May the parish organised a Vespers Dinner which was attended by 120 people and the following day the Feast Day Luncheon was attended by 400 people.
• The Feast of the Holy Cross – Free Luncheon – in September had 150 people attend.
• The parish hosted a Special Event in May to launch the 100-year celebrations of the Hellenic Community of WA. This included an Artoklasia and Memorial Service in the morning and was followed by a morning tea in the church hall.
• The parish priest of Sts Constantine and Helene, who is also a member of the Saint Andrew’s School Board, ministers also to the students of St Andrew’s Grammar and the residents of the Hellenic Aged Care in Dianella.

• The nursing home ministry continues to grow with regular visits to elderly parishioners in 10 nursing homes around metropolitan Perth.
• The parish hosts Weekly free Sunday morning teas in the hall.
• Free Christmas Luncheon in November 2023 with 150 people in attendance with end-of-year Sunday school performance, Christmas carols and raffle prizes.
• Name Day dinner for His Grace Bishop Elpidios of Kyanea held on the 15^th of November 2023 in the hall with 150 people in attendance to honour His Grace.

• Sts Constantine and Helene 2023 Fundraising amounts raised included:
  • $3,500 for floods in Greece (Special Archdiocese Tray)
  • $4,610 raised for earthquake victims in Turkey
  • $5,000 for St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Theological College (2 Archdiocese Trays – Sunday of Orthodoxy and Feast of Dormition)
  • $8.500 for 3 Patriarchate Trays (Easter, Missionary Tray, and St Andrew’s Feast Day but does not include Christmas 2023 – still to come). It’s worth noting that in 2022 only $3000 was collected from the overall Patriarchate Trays since the parish had not yet introduced the use of EFTPOS. Only in 2023 when EFTPOS was introduced at the church, did the overall figures of money raised for special tray collections drastically increase.
  • $1,100 for the Bioethics Committee
  • 515 Christmas toys for Perth Children’s Hospital (worth the value of around $6,000).

The parish gives great thanks to all the wonderful committee members, volunteers and donors who help make our Church so special. At this time of the year, when we are celebrating the Nativity of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, it is worthy for us to pause and give thanks to God for all the blessings and Grace that he showers down upon us in our lives. The Nativity of our Lord is a reminder to always walk in the light of truth, always praise God and always strive to show Christ-like love to our fellow brothers and sisters.

The Hellenic Community was successful in its insurance claim for the water damage to the Church and for repairs to proceed in mid-2024.

The Management Committee