Welcome!

Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Norfolk, Virginia, is blessed and delighted to present the 3rd Annual Women’s Retreat over Cheesefare weekend, February 28-March 1, 2020, at the Holiday Inn Virginia Beach-Norfolk Hotel & Conference Center in Virginia Beach, Virginia. We hope that you will join us to begin our Lenten journey together discovering who we are called be to in Christ.

The weekend begins Friday evening with “Wholistic Worship--Exercise for Body and Soul.” This activity will focus on movements used in worship and prayer and how and why we use them. The workshop will be followed by dinner, a Trisagion service and the opening session. The remaining weekend will include educational sessions, time for personal reflection, a craft, and, of course, time for fun, relaxation, fellowship, and sisterhood!

With great joy, we welcome two accomplished Presvyteres from the San Francisco Metropolis to lead our annual retreat.

Presvytera Pat Tsagalakis, with her words and music, generously shares her gifts and talents with her church and community. She is best known for her willingness to live the command in Psalm 100: “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!” Presvytera Pat and her husband, Fr. Tom, serve as guest speakers and retreat leaders at marriage and family seminars throughout the country. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan. Presvytera Pat teachers Elementary and Middle School Music at St. John School in Seattle. She is a youth group leader and directs both the choir and chat groups at Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church in Shoreline. Presvytera Pat coordinates communication/social media for the Family Wellness Ministry’s Facebook page and FWM website. She is also the coordinator and contributor to Prez to Prez, an online ministry serving the National Sisterhood of Presvyteres. Presvytera Pat has also been actively involved as co-chair of Camp Agape Northwest, a local Philoptochos ministry serving kids with cancer and their families.

Presvytera Donna Pappas graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with a double major in architecture and construction, but after several years in the construction industry returned to school for a teaching credential. She taught for many years but is most thankful for her 15 years as reading intervention teacher for a Title 1 elementary school and having the opportunity to turn the lives of her students around. She now crisscrosses the state of California coaching and training other teachers to work with their struggling readers. She holds a masters’ degree in reading and language arts and a reading specialist credential. Presvytera served as the coordinator for the Family Wellness Committee for the Strategic Planning Commission for the Metropolis of San Francisco and now serves as part of the Family Wellness Ministry team for the Metropolis. Pres. Donna and Fr. Jim have served the parish of St. George in Fresno, California for the past 27 years and have led seminars and workshops throughout the Archdiocese dealing with family, teen, and marriage issues. She has also enjoyed being a featured speaker for many Philoptochos events and women's retreats in her metropolis.

They will be exploring the retreat theme “Who Has Christ Called You To Be?” Hearing, Living, and Responding to His Call.

• Session 1: Hearing the Call

Who Christ Calls Us To Be

• Session 2: Living the Call

Created for Connection – Building Wholehearted Relationships with Christ and One Another

• Session 3: Responding to the Call

Experiencing the Journey of Great Lent with Intention and Purpose

To be fully immersed in the retreat experience, you are encouraged, but not required, to stay at the hotel during the retreat (hotel details on the attached registration form). This will allow you the greatest opportunity to bond with your spiritual sisters and remove yourself from your daily routine to find sustained renewal and restoration for your body, mind, and soul. If you are planning to stay at the hotel, be sure to reserve your room as soon as possible to take advantage of the retreat rate and to ensure room availability.

Also included is a request for you to identify which meals you will be partaking and any food allergies or restrictions you may have. All meals will be meatless in accordance with the Lenten Cheesefare fast. If you are not registering online, please mail or deliver this form with your registration form.

If you have questions regarding the retreat, you can contact either of the following individuals:

Debbie Woodell 757-853-5930 Presvytera Chrysanthie Bessinas 847-894-2676

In Christ,

Debbie Woodell

Registration Chair