The Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Johnides Family Cultural Center on January 13, 2012. His Grace Bishop Andonios, Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, will bless and dedicate the newly finished facility, and congratulate the congregation on their accomplishment.

The new Cultural Center will allow the congregation to improve and expand its many programs, which serve church members, as well as the broader community. The Cultural Center is one of three buildings currently under construction that will constitute the new church complex. The ribbon cutting is a major milestone for the parish, which has worked toward the realization of the new church complex for over a decade now. Upon completion of the entire project, the facilities will include the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Sanctuary, the Nicholas S. Zoullas Hellenic Center, and the Johnides Family Cultural Center.

The opening and construction of the Johnides Family Cultural Center was made possible through the patronage of Hamptons resident Coula Johnides. “With the Johnides Family Cultural Center, we will be able to improve these ministries, and we will be able to offer exciting new ministries for the enrichment of our members, and for the enrichment of the broader East End community.” said Father Alex Karloutsos. “Coula, along with all of our supporters, has opened up a new horizon of possibility for us,” he went on to say. The Church plans to expand it’s language and culture institute to include instruction in Russian, and Romanian in addition to Greek. There are plans for a summer bible camp in the works, and the number of cultural, educational, social and philanthropic offerings for adults will grow as well. The church hopes to host Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and addiction prevention programs as well. With seven state-of-the-art classrooms, a recreation room for the youth of the parish, a spacious conference room, fully wired administrative offices, a library, and a fully equipped kitchen, the Johnides Family Cultural Center will be among the best, most versatile, and well equipped church community centers in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and on Long Island.

Until now, the Greek Orthodox Church of the Hamptons has conducted its day to day affairs from a cramped church basement, holding Sunday school in makeshift, cubical classrooms, while worship services have been offered for an often standing room only congregation in the little church upstairs. Today, the church’s ministries include a full schedule of liturgical services, Sunday School, the Greek Language and Culture Institute, a Greek Language summer camp program, bible study, a seniors group, and youth ministry programs for teens and elementary school children. The church also conducts a variety of philanthropic initiatives throughout the year, and offers a variety of lectures and presentations.

The new building will become the center of operations for the thriving Orthodox Christian community of Long Island’s East End, which hosts the annual Blue Dream Benefit Gala and offers the well known Hamptons Greek Festival each summer.

In 1969, the Johnides family moved to the Hamptons, and opened The Old Stove Pub. Coula, who owned and operated the Hamptons land mark steak house together with her siblings, has become the major benefactor of the center. The sole surviving Johnides sibling, Coula has been a strong supporter of the Greek Community, the Orthodox Christian Church, and initiatives for the young and old of society throughout her lifetime.

Continuing and expanding her legacy of philanthropy, she Honors and perpetuates the memory of her beloved parents, John and Vasiliki, and her much loved siblings, Constantine, Steven, and Helen with the construction of the Johnides Family Cultural Center. She has committed $1,000,000 to build the center and has also established the Johnides Family Foundation, which aims to offer educational programs to enrich the lives of the younger and senior members of society, to provide scholarships for the education and formation of young people, to develop cultural and religious programs bringing the young and old together, and to generally advance Hellenism and Orthodoxy on the East End. The foundation is also dedicated to the perpetual upkeep and maintenance of the Johnides Family Cultural Center and its accompanying facilities.

The ribbon cutting, blessing and dedication service will be offered directly after Divine Liturgy (the Eucharist celebration of the Orthodox Church) on Sunday, January 13th. Services will begin at 10:00 AM with the ribbon cutting at approximately 11:30 AM. The Church address is 111, Saint Andrew Road, Southampton, New York. All are welcome to attend.