Our Parish Council

CURRENT PARISH COUNCIL EVENTS & PROJECTS

Spring General Assembly of Our Parishioners. March 8, 2026

Parish Council President Anthony Limberakis’ Report

My dear Brothers and Sisters of our beloved Annunciation,

Thank you for being here today. Standing before you as your Parish Council President is a deeply personal honor. Annunciation is in my DNA—I was baptized here, I was married here, as were my parents, and my family has been woven into the fabric of this community for generations. My grandfathers, Dr. Anthony Borden and Father John Limberakis, were a dynamic team who helped build this church. Father John served as Proistamenos for twenty formative years, and alongside him was my Yiayia Presvytera Elizabeth—a beloved Presvytera who helped shepherd this community with grace, warmth, and tireless devotion. She welcomed people into her home and into her heart, and her presence was felt by so many of you in this room. My Yiayia Lillian, in her own right, served as the Parish Council President who initiated the Consecration of the Church. I am humbled now to follow in all of their footsteps, and I take this responsibility with the utmost conviction.

I also want you to know something about this year’s Parish Council. We have a remarkable group of people serving alongside me—many of them newer, younger faces, bringing fresh energy, fresh ideas, and a genuine excitement to serve our community. This is not a council that is content to simply maintain the status quo. We are motivated, we are engaged, and we are eager to think creatively about what Annunciation can become. We are asking questions like: What are we doing well? What could we do differently? What does a truly thriving parish look like—and how do we build one? I am proud of this parish council, and I believe you will be too.

I want to share a vision with you today—not a list of line items or committee reports, but a picture of what this parish can look like. The details you will hear from our committee chairs: Dean will speak to our Capital Campaign, Paul will address stewardship, and Ginny will share all the exciting plans for our 125th Anniversary celebration. My job this morning is to tell you why any of it matters.

We are working toward a parish that is thriving, engaged, and proud. A community where every family who walks through our doors feels not just welcomed, but wanted. Where our young people grow up with deep roots in their faith and a genuine love for this place. Where our ministries are vibrant and our people are connected to one another. Where Annunciation is not just a church people attend—but a home they belong to.

I also want to speak for a moment about why we invest in this place. You may wonder: why are we spending money on buildings? Why renovate classrooms and parking lots and sidewalks when there are so many other needs?

The answer is simple. We invest in this place because we believe in what happens inside it. Children come to these classrooms to learn about their faith and their heritage. Families gather in these halls to celebrate and to grieve together. Young people find their identity here. New families discover a community that cares about them. Our facilities are not an end in and of themselves—they are the vessels through which all of that holy work takes place. When we make this place better, we make all that happens in it, better, in so many ways.

Our fathers and forefathers built this church with their extraordinary Stewardship of Time, Talent and Treasure because they believed their children and grandchildren deserved a spiritual home of the highest caliber. We owe them—and we owe our own children—the same commitment and the same degree of extraordinary stewardship. Dean will share more about the specifics of our Capital Campaign and how you can be part of it. What I want you to know is we are not only building for today, but for the next 125 years!

I now want to talk about stewardship—because stewardship is how we sustain everything we love about this place. It is how we keep Father John present for every baptism, wedding, and hospital visit. It is how we fund our youth programs, our outreach ministries, our Greek School and Catechism and choir. It is how we pay for the lights to be on when you walk through the door on Sunday morning.

But stewardship is not just a budget line. It is an act of faith. It is each of us saying: I believe in this community and I WILL commit my time and resources for the good of our children and grandchildren. Join me in making this sacred investment, so together we can transform our Annunciation congregation into an Annunciation community.

Paul will share the details of our 2026 Stewardship program with you. What I want to say from my heart is this: if this parish has ever meant something to you—if you were married here, if your children were baptized here, if you have found comfort within these hallowed walls—then please make your pledge this year. Give as generously as you can, striving to reach the $2100 mark, which would give our parish financial independence. Give prayerfully. And give knowing that every contribution, at every level, makes a difference.

Now, a parish is not a building—it is its inspirational people. And the people of Annunciation give me tremendous hope, as our parishioners are DOERS; just look at all the ministries our parishioners have initiated.

Our youth ministries—HOPE, JOY, GOYA, PTO, Greek School, Greek Dance, and Catechism—are alive and growing. To the parents who sacrifice their evenings and weekends, THEIR TIME AND TALENT to make sure their children are here, participating in the life of this church: thank you. That sacrifice is its own form of stewardship, and this community is better and more alive because of it. We want to keep earning it. So I ask you directly: what more can Annunciation do to enrich your children’s lives? Please share your ideas with Father John, me or any member of the Parish Council—we are listening.

I am especially proud to celebrate a recent achievement. At the 2nd Annual Metropolis of New Jersey Music and Dance Festival, held right here in Philadelphia this past February, our Greek Dance program—led by the extraordinary Effie Patounas and Debbie Sourias—brought home remarkable honors. Our Kymatakia dancers, in the JOY age group, earned Platinum and 1st Place in both Folk Expression and Greek Dance. Our Meraklides group earned Bronze in Greek Folk Dance. And our GOYA Girls Liturgical Choir earned 2nd Place in the Large Group category. Please join me in congratulating Effie, Debbie, and all of our talented young dancers and singers. You make us so proud.

We are also excited to announce the formation of a new Couples Guild—a welcoming initiative designed specifically for young married couples and young people at that stage of their lives. We want to create a space where they can build friendships, grow in their faith together, and become more deeply rooted in the life of this parish. Details are coming soon, and we would love your involvement.

If you have been thinking about getting more involved but aren’t sure where to start—please come talk to me or any member of the Parish Council. We will listen, learn what engages you, and connect you with the ministry leaders who would love to have you. There is no wrong door. There is a place for you here.

2026 is a year of celebration. Our nation celebrates its 250th anniversary right here in Philadelphia. And we celebrate our own 125th Anniversary as the first Greek Orthodox Church in Philadelphia and the sixth oldest in America. We stand on the shoulders of people who did not know failure—who sacrificed everything to raise their families close to their faith, and who left us something extraordinary. This year, we honor them—and we do it all year long.

It begins with our OPA Festival, Mother’s Day Weekend, May 7–10. The festival is one of the great expressions of who we are—our faith, our culture, our hospitality—shared with the whole community around us. It is our gift to Elkins Park, and it takes every one of us to make it happen.

And it culminates on October 10th, when we gather at the Crystal Tea Room in downtown Philadelphia for our 125th Anniversary Grand Gala. Peter will share all the details with you today. What I ask is simply this: be there. Bring your families. Celebrate what has been built, and commit to what we are building together.

Finally, I want to leave you with a picture of what I hope we are building. I hope we are building a parish where a young family who moves to Elkins Park can find a community that wraps around them, embraces them. Where a college student comes home and feels genuinely missed. Where someone going through the hardest season of their life knows that they are not alone. Where our children will look back decades from now and say—that place shaped me. That is the parish we are working toward. And I truly believe, with every fiber of my being, that we can get there—get there together.

Thank you for the privilege of serving you.

Prayerfully yours,

Anthony C. Limberakis

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church Parish Council President

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MISSION

The Parish Council is composed of 13 members dedicated to serving God by acting as servant leaders for our clergy, ministries, and community. While members differ in age, experience, skills, financial support, and interests, they all find joy in collaborating to grow the ministries and nurture a Christ-centered parish grounded in faith and love. These servant leaders are crucial in shaping the community's future and upholding our Mission and Vision principles.

DUTIES AND PARTICIPATION

In the Oath of Office, the parish council members affirm that they “…will fulfill faithfully and sincerely the duties and obligations required of a member of the Parish Council….” No contract is signed, but a promise is made, resting on the shared commitment of all council members to serve the Church, the Body of Christ on earth. We are His hands, feet, eyes, and more. To serve on the council is a ministry and a mission. We are called to use the gifts with which we have been blessed to carry out the work of the Church.

Council members' duties and responsibilities include ensuring good governance of the community, discussing long-term plans, reviewing monthly financial reports, overseeing staff, assisting with church-wide events like the OPA Festival, and promoting vital ministry programs and activities. They aim to connect with parishioners, greet and usher during worship services, and build relationships.

THE 2026 PARISH COUNCIL