Scholarship Funds—Deadlines are Soon!

The Arthur and Theodore Jabour Scholarship

St. Elias has set up a scholarship fund in the names of Arthur and Theodore Jabour available for Orthodox high school seniors and college students in Central Texas. For more information on this scholarship, download the application by clicking here, or call the Church Office. The deadline for this Scholarship is May 1.

The Rabab Sayegh Scholarship

St. Elias has set up a scholarship fund in the name of Rabab Sayegh available for Orthodox high school seniors and college students in Central Texas. For more information on this scholarship, download the application by clicking here or call the Church Office. The deadline for this Scholarship is May 1.

The Francis Maria Scholarship

The Francis Maria Scholarship is available for Orthodox high school seniors and college students in the US and Canada. For more information on this and other scholarships, go to www.antiochian.org/scholarships .
The deadline for this scholarship is May 15.

The Harry and Florence Kouri Scholarship

The Harry and Florence Kouri Scholarship is available for a 2012 DOWAMA Graduating High School Senior. For more information on this and other scholarships, go to www.antiochian.org/scholarships. The
deadline for this scholarship is May 1.

Women’s Scholarships

Each year, the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Women of North America are able to award scholarships, usually in the amount of $500 each, to help women continue their education in order to improve their circumstances and those of their families. The qualifications for the scholarship are as follows:

1. The applicant must be a female over 25 years of age;
2. The applicant must be a member in good standing of a parish of the Antiochian Archdiocese;
3. The applicant must be actively involved in her parish;
4. The applicant must be applying for or registered in an academic or trade program of study; and
5. The applicant must demonstrate financial need.

The application deadline is June 1. For more information on this and other scholarships, go to www.antiochian.org/scholarships.

The Parish Council Update By Emil Sayegh, Chairman 7th April 2013

During his visit in March, His Grace Bishop Basil met with the Parrish Council at on Sunday 3/3/2013. Bishop Basil made the following points to the council that I think are important to share with all:

• The need of an expansion program was ample clear to everyone:
• The beginning of the 2nd campus does not mean an end to St. Elias downtown.
• He expressed his view that once one loses a downtown location, it will be hard to replace due to rising real estate prices.
• It is time for St. Elias to expand in a very meaningful way. St. Elias has not seen a recent expansion to speak of, with the exception of the elevator, which was not a capacity expansion.
• The Second Campus has to be a priority for everyone in the parish equally. It has to be a priority to those that are planning to stay in the downtown location, as well as those that are planning to move to the 2nd campus.
• The giving from all parishioners( both those that want to stay, or start the new campus) has to be joyful, and truly sacrificial. It cannot be conditional, and it cannot be small amounts. You cannot build a church with small amounts of giving. The entire church family has to fully participate.
• Bishop Basil urged us to shun extreme views and bring everyone to the middle. The best view is that is in the middle which is that the first campus stays, while the entire congregation truly put its existing resources, and contributes sacrificially to build the new church. Bishop Basil urged us all to bring our relatives, and friends that espouse the extreme views to the middle ground.
• Bishop Basil made it clear that he cannot guarantee what future generations will decide with regard to the downtown church location.
• Bishop Basil urged the council to ask people for money and not be timid. People of like income should ask money from individuals of like income. Asking each other in our community works in a meaningful way to raise money.