Parish History - Page 4
In 1949 the parish adopted and published its BY-LAWS OFTHE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH EVANGELISMOS OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, which were the local parish by-laws. A copy of these by-laws may be found in the church archives.
The first set of icons for the church were, of course, the original ones installed in the early 1920s (iconographer unknown). When new icons were ordered from Holy Mount Athos in 1955, the orginal set was stored until about 1960 when they were donated to a new mission church in Missoula, Montana. The GOYA from Missoula had written an article in the ATLANTIS Greek language daily in New York asking for donations for their new church, and Board President at the time, James Hronas, corresponded with them and arranged to have the huge and very heavy icons packed and shipped by rail to Missoula. Many individuals donated the second set of icons, which served the parish until the move to the new church on Napa Valley Drive. While some of the icons were used in the new church, a third set was painted by noted iconographer, Elias Katsaros. In 1989 about 22 of the second set of icons were donated to the small St. George parish in Memphis, Tennessee.
When in the 1950s a group of ladies of the parish decided to offer Grecian delicacies to the pubic as a fundraising activity, they did not dream that it would snowball into the tremendous undertaking that it has become, even though the Pastry Sale was highly successful in those beginning years. A few hundred baklava, sourota and finikia, and about 25 loaves of bread disappeared almost instantly at that first sale. After that fantastic reception, the Pastry Sale project grew so that now more than 15,000 baklava and many other sweets and breads are baked for the sale each year. The Pastry Sale eventually developed into our annual International Greek Food Festival held each May.
Another important event of the late 1950’s occurred when the Parish Council recognized the need for an English-speaking priest, and learned of the coming ordination of a young graduate of Holy Cross Seminary, George Scoulas. For the first time in our history, our parish had a representative attend the 1958 Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America. At Salt Lake City, parish council President and delegate, James Hronas, approached then Archbishop Michael to plead that he designate an English-speaking priest to our parish and obtained the Archbishop’s promise of consideration. Members of the Parish Council (James Hronas, Henry Bridoux, George Plastiras) went to St. Louis to meet with the young deacon and later, in the summer of 1958, Father George was ordained at the National GOYA convention in St. Louis, attended by James, Helen and Demetra Hronas (age, one year). Father George came to serve Annunciation Parish in September 1958.
Between 1959 and 1960 three historic parish decisions were made: the parish accepted and adopted the UNIFORM PARISH BY-LAWS OF THE GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA, and the all-male General Assembly voted that women be allowed to attend and participate in the General Assembly for the first time. In addition, the old “church dues” (a uniform assessment) system was discarded in favor of the new “pledge” system, introducing an entirely different concept of giving to the church. With these decisions, our parish entered a promising era of progress.
In 1959 it was noted that in the State of Arkansas when proclamations were issued mentioning the major faiths, usually only Protestants, Catholics and Jews were referred to. Rep. Gale Windsor of Pulaski County was approached and agreed to introduce a House Resolution (No.18, later approved by the Legislature) stating that the Eastern Orthodox Church be recognized as the fourth major faith by the State, and requested communication and individuals in the state of Arkansas to include the Eastern Orthodox Church when referring to the major faiths. This was a common practice in the larger population centers where Orthodoxy had long received this recognition.
In 1960 Mr. Theo Stathakis generously donated the ornate, hand-carved Bishop’s Throne which we still have today. It was ordered from Greece at a cost of approximately $2,500. A matching Kouvouklion (burial bier), which is decorated for Good Friday each year with many beautiful, fragrant flowers, was also purchased from Greece. The Daughters of Penelope donated the Proskinitarion (a large icon display) which is now located in the narthex of the church. New pews were purchased in 1969, and the old pews in the balcony were refinished. The old pews were donated in the early 1990's to a new parish in Marietta, Georgia, after another set of pews was installed in our church.
The Annunciation Parish celebrated it 50th Anniversary in 1963 with the consecration of the church on Center Street by His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos, prelate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America. A gala banquet took place at the Hotel Marion, attended by many dignitaries including then-Governor Orval Faubus. Father George Scoulas was our priest at the time.
In 1965 the men of the parish, with some trepidation, decided to try bringing a live band for a Greek folk dancing and dinner event for the parish and for the public. The “Mangakia” from Oklahoma City played to a large and enthusiastic crowd at the Armory, and this became an annual event for a number of years. The Mangakia played for about the first four events, and were followed by bands from Chicago, Atlanta, etc.
Church records list parishioners who have served in the office of President of the Parish Council after 1965: George Hronas (1970-71), Dr. James Pappas (1976-77), George P1astiras (1986-87), Gus Vratsinas (1972-75; 1978-85; 1988-95), Ron Harb (1996-2001), and Wayne Alley (2001 – to present).
By the mid-1970s, the parish had outgrown its facility at 15th and Center. In order to construct a church and educational building that would be adequate to meet the church’s needs, the old church downtown was sold to private interests for $120,000 and 4.5 acres of land at the corner of St. Charles Boulevard and Napa Valley Drive was purchased from Dr. H. A. (Ted) Bailey for $105,000. Dr. James Pappas headed the Building Drive Committee and he, along with Gus Vratsinas, personally co-signed a mortgage for $250,000 for the building of the church in West Little Rock. Upon completion and occupancy in 1983, the facility at 1100 Napa Valley Drive was valued at $1,150,000.
The antique bell from the old church was installed at the new facility, along with our beautiful chandelier and many other furnishings and objects used in worship at the old church. New icons, including Christ the Creator (Pantocrator) in the dome, the Platytera in the apse, all the iconostasion icons, the Crucifixion, Resurrection and Christ giving His blessing near the church exit, were painted by noted iconographer, Elias Katsaros. Later Katsaros painted the dome icon a second time after the first icon was damaged by moisture. Deacon Dimitris Leussis, also an iconographer, painted the Apostles icons surrounding the Platytera and the saints adorning the side walls.
In the early summer of 1985, the Parish celebrated its first Greek Food Festival which has become a wholesome, family-style annual event that all Little Rock looks forward to. Each year the Festival has grown until it is estimated that our average attendance is more than 50,000. Held on church grounds, the Festival has included all the usual Greek culinary delights as well as Indian, Middle Eastern and Russian foods, reflecting the ethnic makeup of our Parish. Tours of the church have also proved very successful each year, with an average of 2,000 visiting the sanctuary each year to hear our priest give informative talks on the Orthodox Faith. Mike Kumpuris served as chairman the first four years of the Festival, followed by Nick Taras, Wayne Alley, and Mike Harb who have each served two years. Others who have served as chairman are: Terry Masching, Brock Martin, David Sargent, Dr. Ned Alley and Mike Bailey. Wayne Alley and Christina Martin currently serves as the co-chairs of the 2009 25th Anniversary Festival. Ethnic music, dancing, arts and crafts are all an integral part of this Church’s endeavor to celebrate the multi-ethnic culture of our community and to support the vital work of local charities.
In 1988 the parish burned its mortgage ($285,000) after only five years, thanks to our Lord and to the hard work and generosity of all its members. Then in 1992, the physical plant was enlarged, adding a classroom, a stage, storage space and playground to accommodate our growth. The expansion was paid for without the necessity of a mortgage.
A Greek-American Folk Dance Society was organized in 1989 and performs in authentic costumes at the Festival and other local events. Charter members are: Terri Buckles, Pete Vratsinas, Libby Vaden, Eva Marie Delfos Sargent, Mike Arbanes and Nick Manitzas.
In 1989 a unique project, the Annunciation Spiritual Scholarship, was established by the Annunciation Greek Church Scholarship Foundation. George N. Plastiras served as the first President of the Foundation, the purpose of which is to express the love of the parish toward its children by encouraging their higher education and at the same time, nurturing their spiritual growth. The $1,000 annual scholarship is available for all Orthodox young people of the parish who meet certain criteria, such as regular Sunday School attendance, participation in the annual St. John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival, and active participation in GOYA (our youth ministry program). The program has proved very successful in keeping the young people active in the parish. Many fundraising activities have been held and donations made so that the scholarship is now fully endowed. The first recipient of the Annunciation Spiritual Scholarship was Fofe Ging, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Ray Ging of Jacksonville (1992-93 and 1993-94) The second recipient was Linda Meti, daughter of Mrs. Narjis Meti of Little Rock (1993-94). The third recipient was Raouf Kassissieh, son of Mr. and Mrs. Issa Kassissieh (1994-95). Charter members of the Annunciation Scholarship Foundation were: George Plastiras, Medina Fugate, Helen Hronas, Christina Hronas, Joe Chacko, Mike Kumpuris, K.V. Mathen, Victor Miron, Dr. Alex Pappas, and Father Elias Scoulas. In addition, Dorothea (Dots) Fry joined the Foundation Board shortly after it was organized.
In 1998 our parish purchased the home immediately west of the church property with future space needs in mind. The house was updated and renovated in 1999 and is currently used as a rental property. A beautiful hand-carved Byzantine icon screen (iconostasion) was created and installed in our church by famous woodcarver, Kostas Pylarinos of Astona, New York, in 1999. Mr. Pylarinos also carved several icon stands and lecterns for us.
On January 1, 1999, another chapter in the history of the Annunciation began with the assignment of the Reverend Dr. Nicholas J. Verdaris to the parish. Father Nicholas continued with vigor the work of embracing people from all walks of life and from all heritages in the service of Christ. The parish that was originally founded by a small group of Greek immigrants, today aptly reflects America, and is comprised of over 200 families representing 18 different nationalities, all witnessing to the good news of Christ, striving to reflect His love, and living according to the principles and discipline of the Orthodox Church. As a result of our parish’s steady growth, the many ministries and programs of the parish have expanded considerably. For example, now we have well over 100 children actively participating in our Sunday School program and in our youth ministries, JOY (Junior Orthodox Youth; for children ages 8-11) and GOYA (Greek Orthodox Youth of America; for children ages 12-18). With the continued growth of our parish, through the grace of God the parish continues to expand its ministries for the young and young at heart.
Upon his arrival, Fr. Nicholas quickly saw the opportunity to expand the charitable work of the Annunciation that is so beautifully manifested in the annual International Greek Food Festival. Thus he spearheaded the launch of the annual Greek Fest Easter Seals Golf Classic – a tournament that draws together the flavor of the International Greek Food Festival and people’s love for golf and fellowship. This wonderful endeavor supports the important work of Easter Seals together with that of the parish. It has since quickly grown to include the annual Taste of the Mediterranean Bash – a pre-tournament and festival bash that highlights tasty Mediterranean food and fabulous auction items. Both of these endeavors are now staples of this small parish’s commitment to use its blessings to grow as well as better serve the Little Rock community.
Towards the end of the year 2000, under Fr. Nicholas’ guidance, a Master Plan was at long last put into action and the parish embraced an exciting building project. By 2002, the tremendous building program was complete and the parish facility had nearly doubled in size. The project included an increase in the number of classrooms, a new and large parish hall (Annunciation Ballroom), reception area (Gabriel Hall), offices, bookstore, etc. The new construction enabled the Annunciation to transform the original parish hall into a very well-equipped gymnasium for our youth, as well as a remodel of all of the existing classrooms. Furthermore, parking was increased and the church kitchen enlarged and updated. A bell tower added a Byzantine touch to the facility, in keeping with the original domed sanctuary. It was also during this time that the parish commissioned Mr. Elias Katsaros to produce three very large icons (The Holy Trinity, The Nativity of Christ and The Baptism of Christ) that were installed in the Spring of 2008.
With the building project complete, the expansion of the parish facility was officially blessed in beautiful and impressive ceremonies on May 31st through June 2nd 2002. The observances were headed by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, the head of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, together with His Eminence Metropolitan Nicholas of Detroit, along with Father Nicholas Verdaris, Father Pierre Delfos and Deacon Teodor Petrutiu. The Annunciation in Little Rock ceremoniously launched into a new era grateful for its rich history and looking forward to the future with high hopes.
Today through the Grace of God, the Annunciation in Little Rock continues to welcome men and women who are seeking the truth in Christ contained in the Orthodox Christian Faith, the sacramental and spiritual life of the Orthodox Church, fervent Christian love (agape), and the warmth that can only be found amongst those united in their dedication to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
By James & Helen Hronas
Edited by the Rev. Dr. Nicholas J. Verdaris
Note: This history was first compiled for and published by the Pulaski County Historical Society, Little Rock, Arkansas, when they requested a history of Greek immigrants to Little Rock. The material has been subsequently expanded to include other historical data for the parish as a whole. 1 Footnote: All Preface quotes are taken from: *Papaiouannou, Dr. George, THE ODYSSEY OF HELLENIZATION IN AMERICA
