MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST! BELOW YOU WILL FIND THE COMMUNIQUE FROM THE ASSEMBLY OF CANONICAL ORTHODOX BISHOPS OF THE U.S.A. I HOPE ALWAYS TO KEEP YOU INFORMED AND UP TO DATE ON THE STATUS OF OPENING OUR CHURCHES AND OTHER SERVICES. THANK YOU, FR. VASILIOS.
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GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
8-10 East 79th St. New York, NY 10075-0106 * Tel: (212) 570-3530 Fax: (212) 774-0237
www.goarch.org - Email: communications@goarch.org
Contact: PRESS OFFICE
pressoffice@goarch.org
Date: May 14, 2020
The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA:
A Nationwide Approach for the Staged Reopening of Churches during
the COVID-19 Pandemic
“Feed My Lambs”
To the Orthodox Christian Faithful of the United States of America:
Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!
In this time of global pandemic, the majority of the Faithful of our Churches have been withheld from receiving Holy Communion and attending Divine Services in order to safeguard their health and the health of others. We, the Hierarchs of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA, are taking action to restore the possibility of Holy Eucharist to the “lambs” of Christ, in accordance with His word1.
We are aware that the course of the disease is not certain by any means. The structures that were put into place for Holy Week and the Holy Pascha, and which remain the common practice to this moment, may be necessary again in the future, depending on the best public health assessments and legal requirements.
Nevertheless, we have heard the pained cry of the Faithful who, although faithful in their devotion, as witnessed by virtual participation in broadcast services and their continuing stewardship support of the Church, have felt an intense separation from Holy Eucharist and their Communities. Therefore, in order to meet the spiritual nourishment of our Orthodox Christians in this time of the careful and considered re-opening of societal functions – with all the diverse legal restrictions among varying civil jurisdictions and with recommendations from public health experts – we have developed a common toolkit to facilitate the nourishing of the Faithful through the Most Pure Body and Most Precious Blood of our Risen God and Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ, and return to liturgical services.
The system takes into account the plentitude of differing realities in the various regions, jurisdictions, and demographics throughout the country. It considers the wide-ranging parish sizes, local policies, and climate conditions. It provides each bishop assistance in determining a way forward that, when applied properly and tailored for specific parishes, leads to the best practice for a given scenario. Thus, there will be instances where one parish might be able to open while conditions remain unsafe for another. For this reason, it is of utmost importance for faithful to attend only their “home” parish during this period of restoration and follow the directives of their presiding bishop. Attending a neighboring parish can elevate risk, shift the aforementioned considerations, and contribute to regression.
Finally, we acknowledge that this is a first step in a long journey, in which we rely on the Mercy of God. With faith in the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray that better days will soon be seen, and the resumption of the normative practices of the worshipping Church may return to their full exercise.
It was the Lord Himself Who commanded the Apostles to feed the Five Thousand when He said: “You give them something to eat.”2 And it was the Disciples who distributed the blessed five loaves and two fishes to the assembled, after they were arranged in groupings by the Lord.3 We are following His example, asking that you also arrange yourselves to partake of the Holy Eucharist parish by parish, so that you also “may eat and all be filled” as were the Five Thousand.4
Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!
For more information, please visit www.assemblyofbishops.org/
Footnotes:
1 John 21:15-25
2 Mark 6:37
3 Mark 6:39-41
4 Mark 6:42
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HELLO DEVOTED PARISHIONERS AND ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS OF ST. JOHN'S. I HAVE BEEN IN MY HOME IN ASTORIA FOR 7 1/2 WEEKS NOW, SINCE I AM OVER 70 YEARS OLD. HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT SINCE WE ARE TOLD TO SELF-ISOLATE I HAVE BEEN AWAY FROM OUR BELOVED ST. JOHN'S AND MY DUTIES THERE. I HAVE BEEN PRAYING FOR ALL OF YOU CONTINUALLY AND HOPE AND PRAY GOD WILL ANSWER OUR PRAYERS SOON.
EVERY THURSDAY EVENING NOW AT 7:30 P.M. I HOST AN ONLINE BIBLE STUDY. IT IS OPEN TO ALL WHO WISH TO ATTEND. PLEASE EMAIL ME AT THE CHURCH EMAIL ADDRESS OR TO MY PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS FOR THE WEEKLY LINK.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND BLESSINGS!
WE ARE STILL IN NEED OF DONATIONS FOR THE RENOVATIONS. SO PLEASE TAKE THE TIME AND BE AS GENEROUS AS YOU CAN TO HELP KEEP ST. JOHN'S A VIABLE COMMUNITY FOR TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE.
IF YOU HAVE NOT SENT IN THIS YEAR'S STEWARDSHIP 2020 PLEASE DO THAT TODAY. THE 2020 FORM IS ON OUR WEBSITE.
SINCE WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO MEET AND HAVE SERVICES ALTOGETHER WE ARE ASKING FOR YOUR EASTER DONATIONS BE SENT TO THE CHURCH IN ORDER TO HELP US MEET OUR ONGONG OBLIGATIONS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!
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CHRISTOS ANESTI! ALITHOS ANESTI!
THE HIDDEN POWER OF FAITH: RESURRECTION by Fr. Theodore Stylianopoulos
One of the saintly authors who has challenged me as a Christian throughout my life is St. Symeon the New Theologian (949-1022AD). Like St. Paul centuries before him, St. Symeon was privileged with many visions of the Risen Christ. His key teaching was that true Christian life involves an inner conversion, a spiritual renewal, leading to a conscious knowledge of the Risen Lord in daily life. St. Symeon called this personal knowledge of Christ “living faith” (zosa pistis) as distinct from formal faith content with routine religious observances. He described himself as a “brother-living beggar” (ptochos philadelphos) who had found a wealthy Master freely giving away His gold. St. Symeon saw his vocation as going out into the streets to call all other beggars in life to literally “run” and partake of the Master’s astonishingly generous and boundless riches.
In one of his works (Symeon the New Theologian: Discourses, translated by C. J. deCatanzaro, Pauline Press, 1980 pp. 181-185). St. Symeon provides a striking interpretation of Holy Pascha. According to the saint, Pascha is not only the joyful feast of Christ’s Resurrection which we celebrate once a year, but also an eternal mystery which occurs daily in those who know the mystery of Christ as Risen Lord. Pascha an event spiritually present at all times in those who take their Christian commitment seriously. It is “the hidden power of our faith.”
What then is this great mystery? It is nothing less than knowing Christ inwardly and personally, this is, being consciously aware of His presence and power. When the Risen Lord finds a humble and penitent soul that believes in Him, loves Him, and longs to live by His grace, He makes Himself consciously known to that soul. Christ comes to be “buried in us as in the tomb . . . He unites Himself to our souls and rises again, and raises us with Himself.” In this way Christ’s resurrection that happened two hundred two thousand years age occurs again in us as we come to know the Risen Lord here and now. “Christ Himself comes to us and raises us up from the dead and gives us life.”
But what is the Christian believer’s part in the miracle of new life? In simple terms, it is primarily one of loving Christ and obeying Him by following His teachings. Christ speaks of the experience of a perpetual Easter in John 14: 18-23 where our Lord says: “If one loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him.” What makes the resurrection experience a hard and complex struggle is than often we live by our own will and in our own set ways far away from the love of Christ. Turning to Christ can only be by way of committed faith, humbleness, and deep repentance a true conversion of the mind and heart to Christ evidenced by a changed life in loving obedience to Him.
Most of us can hardly think of reaching the heights of St. Paul and St. Symeon. But these great saints who profoundly experienced the new life in Christ provide a sublime vision of our ultimate goal toward which we take small steps. The “hidden power of faith’ is always available because the Master never ceases to distribute the riches of His grace to those who eagerly seek Him. As we continue our Lenten journey, with our prayers, fasting, worship and good works, may Christ lead us to a true connection with Him, a cleaner inward knowledge of Him, and thus an even deeper experience of His glorious resurrection. End
Finally, I thought it would be advantageous for us to read and contemplate what this wonderful man and priest understands about the value of the Resurrection of our Lord especially during such very trying times in our life. However, it is during such horrific times that we grow closer to our Lord and realize how frail we are and need of His comfort. On the other hand, this forced isolation has extended in a way Great Lent for all of us in a strange sort of way. It is always the fear of the unknown that deepens our daily pray and hope in our salvation from the plague that has its grip upon all. May we pray with our whole hearts and minds that our Lord will have mercy upon us and keep all of us always under the shadow of His wings. AMEN!