Over the past few years The Glenview Greek Fest has grown and developed from its reinstitution as an indoor fest to full blown outdoor festival with food tents, carnival attractions, and wonderful community involvement. This year looks to continue that development and growth. Before I proceed to my main points, I would like to thank the Festival Chairs Christy Gouletas and George Logothetis, along with all the organizers and volunteers. It would not be possible for us to gather together for such an impactful weekend without your tireless efforts, and we look forward to enjoying the fruits of their labors on July 27 & 28.
Hopefully by now it is well known in the parish that in addition to supporting the ministries of Saints Peter and Paul, one of the key goals of our festival is to offer greater community involvement. We achieve that by selecting two nonprofit organizations (one local to the Glenview community & one ministry of the Orthodox Church) to receive a donation from the festival proceeds, and inviting them to be a part of our festival. In this way the festival, which relies on community participation to be successful and profitable, is also giving back and supporting that same community. This year the two organizations that we will be supporting are: Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) and Family Service Center (FSC).
OCF is the official collegiate campus ministry program under the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America. OCF transforms the lives of college students in the United States and Canada by guiding them along the path to Jesus Christ through His Church, cultivating a campus community of worship, witness, service, fellowship and education.
The vision of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship is:
- To be the loving presence of Christ and the Orthodox Church on college campuses;
- To be an integral part of students’ spiritual formation by challenging them to explore the Faith; and
- To inspire students to commit to living an Orthodox Christian way of life daily.
FSC is a mental health agency serving the communities of Wilmette, Glenview, Northbrook, and Kenilworth, as well as residents of New Trier and Northfield Townships. FSC provides clinical insight and counseling at affordable fees for children and adults, as well as crisis response services, educational programs, and ongoing support groups.
In order for our festival to have as large an impact as possible in supporting Saints Peter and Paul’s ministries, the continued spiritual development of our college students, and the counseling and mental heath assistance of FSC we invite all who are able to help by volunteering and patronizing the Glenview Greek Fest. I hope to see you all in the weeks and days leading up to the festival and especially on July 27 & 28.
+ Fr. Panagiotis