Petition for Father Evangelos Aravantinos

We all feel that we have Father Evangelos to count on. The loss will be irreplaceable. Please reconsider...

Why take our Father away from his spiritual children . He needs to stay where he belongs at home in Vancouver with us his spiritual children .

Great changes have been made because of Father Evangelos. We hope he can stay and help influence our children the same way he has influenced us. God bless.

It saddens me to think Fr Evangelos is leaving.

please keep him

Father Evangelos has been instrumental for the youth in our community. I for one, am the mother to a shy, anxious little boy who loves this priest. Father Evangelos via his loving, encompassing acceptance for the youth in our community, has been able to bring young families back into the church. In a time of an aging population, this speaks volumes. Our community would not be what it is now without him. Please allow us to have some continuity in church, especially when Vancouver has already lost one priest to retirement and a 2nd relocated. The decision to also relocate Fr Evangelos does not appear to make logical sense. We will be incredibly saddened and disappointed to see him go! Please reconsider. Thank you

When I found this out, it was very difficult for me to comprehend. Father has helped me grow up, he has guided me through my life and helped me with everything. I truely wish that he is able to stay and help continue on helping the church grow as a community especially when it comes to the Youth. There are no words to show how hurt I am about this news and I'm sure that goes for everyone who knew Father. We hope that you can hear and listen to the people who love and care for Father Evangelos that he is able to stay with us and guide our church and community for many more years to come.

Father Evangelos has built a large strong community filled with young families who have grown to love and respect him dearly. We feel very comfortable and not afraid to go to him with anything that is on our minds and most importantly, our children feel the same way. These children have developed this strong foundation and relationship with Christ that OUR priest has played a large instrument in. He has built the Greek School that has been flourishing for years now, despite all the efforts of certain individuals that were determined to knock it down. We ask that you reconsider your decision and allow Father Evangelos to stay here. This is a critical time in the world for Christians, especially the young ones. Taking the rock away from our children at such a critical time in THEIR lives is really not fair to them and I believe that is not what you would want to do to these children. Please reconsider.

Σεβαστέ σεβασμιώτατε, Σας παρακαλώ μέσα από την καρδιά μου να αλλάξετε γνώμη και να μην μας στερήσετε το πάτερ Ευάγγελο από τις ζωές μας.Τον άνθρωπο που με την αγάπη, την υπομονή, την πίστη, το χαμόγελο κατάφερε μέσα σε αυτά τα 9 χρόνια να γεμίσει την εκκλησία με νέες οικογένειες εν Χριστώ.Το ελληνικό σχολείο που άρχισε με 8 παιδιά και τώρα έχει 68 ψυχούλες.Ο πάτερ είναι πολύ αγαπητός με τα παιδιά,έχει ιδιαίτερη σχέση, ξέρει τα κουμπιά τους και τα παιδιά τον λατρεύουν.Θα είναι τεράστια η απώλεια σε όλους εμάς,μικρούς και μεγάλους....Μετά από την δυσάρεστη ανακοινώση σας για την μετάθεση του πάτερ Ευάγγελου μεγάλη θλίψη έχει σκοτεινιάσει τα πρόσωπα και τις καρδιές μας.Σας εκλιπαρώ αφήστε τον εδώ στο σπίτι του,στους φίλους του που τον έχουν αναγκή.Εν Χριστώ αγάπη.

I am deeply saddened to hear that Fr. Evangelos is to be transferred from our Church and our Community. It is unfortunate that a few bad apples, who are supposed to be the leaders of our Community, have succeeded in getting rid of the one good thing that has helped so many and done so much for this community over the past 9 years. It is truly sad that at a time like this when we try and teach children, young and old, that bullying is wrong and NOT ACCEPTABLE, that the Bishop and the Metropolis see it fit to bully our Church, parishioners and community, by transferring our Spiritual Father for no apparent reason other than to satisfy a few with a hidden agenda. Maybe its a sign of what our Greek Community as a whole has become over the past years. There is no communication, no cooperation, no support and definitely no respect for each other. We have developed a divide and conquer mentality and that’s exactly what the Bishop is doing to the Greek people of British Columbia. CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR! We have already lost a few amazing priests over the past few years to nonsense and we are also losing a great one to retirement. Fr. Evangelos has been a shining light for our Church, the community and ALL the parishioners. ESPECIALLY the youth. He has done wonders for the new families and their young children and has been a very big part of many people’s lives. Just when you think that there will be some stability in our community, the Bishop puts his grimy little paws in the mix and stirs things up. I hope that the Bishop/Metropolis reads all these comments and letters he receives. I urge him to reconsider his decision to transfer our Spiritual Father. Only then would he be blessing our Church and community.

Please do not relocate Father Evangelos, he is so well loved and has such a strong connection with our community . I speak for myself , but I can guarantee 100% of the community would agree with me , that we want Father Evangelos as our priest permanently. This man puts a smile on everyones face every time and makes everyone feel so welcomed .

Father is the reason my kids like going to church, to take him away would be an injustice.

I am deeply saddened by this decision to transfer our father, a true god send to all of us, our community and our children. The members of the East Van community board who instigated this to happen should be ashamed of themselves for their inappropriate and self serving actions and wrongful behaviors. There are very big and deep rooted problems within this community board and it's about time they stepped down! Father Evangelos has only brought us all closer together! Through the school, church, and all the events, We have met so many wonderful families. Our children have met great friends, and through the school program an excellent greek education! It is only through genuine people such as our father and the presvithera and their passion for bringing us together we have been able to build this great community. I am hoping the Bishop gives strong and serious consideration to all our feedback and keep our father in our church.

I have been reading the discussion comments in this petition forum that everyone is sharing in this tragic decision that has been bestowed upon us especially the families with young children. Obviously we all agree to what father has contributed to this congregation spiritually and the connection that he has with our children. He has been the driving force in creating and bringing families into the church with the start up programs from toddlers to teenagers. For the most part the comments read here are directed to his Holy Eminence Metropolitis Sotirios as they should be. The majority place blame with his decision. We need to take a step back as individuals and community and think for a moment as to why this decision was made and what was the hand that dealt it.I believe in my heart and I know for a fact that his Eminence Sotirios would not by any means to this extent bestow upon us this grief and sorrow and emptiness in our hearts and come to a conclusive decision to take our Parish priest from its congregation. Usually these decisions are made when forced upon over a period of time and actions that have preceded. We need to take a deep breath, step back, think and analyze what has happened and the hand that was dealt to his Holy Eminence. This after all is a high stakes Poker game that is played with the so-called Community of East Vancouver and the Metropolis of Toronto. As we sit here in this petition column making our comments heard the same as the petition/request made by the East Vancouver Community and its board members along with its blessings requesting for reasons tendered as written to be heard and taken into consideration for the removal of the Father. I am sure that all of you as you read this you are probably saying to yourself this cant be done and a handful of people cant make such a request and have any carry, or weight or have any merit or ground to stand on. Imagine for a moment that you were indicted without a grand jury or anyone hearing abo

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Father was very supporting to me and my family in the very difficult moments of my life when I was diagnosed with cancer and I had to undergo harsh treatments. Father Evangelos is full of kindness and carrying and a blessing for the orthodox community, both Greek and Romanian.

Father has done nothing but add positively to our lives,he has helped increase the attendance of services as well as supporting our youth. Our parishioners trust and love him and Presvitera with all our hearts. The wishes of a few should not effect the many who greatly benefit from him as our priest.

Father Evangelos has meant a lot to this community and I think it would really change the social fabric of the community if he was taken. There needs to be so respect to the community members and I do believe listening to our collective voice would show us just that.

I am an alter server at Saint Nicholas' church and I believe I speak for all of us when I say that father Evangelos has been a huge factor in us continuing to serve