Pastoral Message from the October Beacon
10/01/2020
Dear Faithful and Friends of the Assumption,
This month, our dedicated Sunday School Teachers will be beginning a new year with a “new” normal. Classes will not meet on our property but in our virtual meeting rooms on Zoom. Students will not sit at the table together and break their Eucharistic Fast with a piece of Antidoron, but be miles apart in their own homes. It is truly a unique time with a unique set of challenges.
In addition, the Archdiocese has fully implemented Youth Protection Policies for all events in which youth are participating. The Youth Protection Policies include background checks, training and a depth of youth supervision which compounds the difficulties of youth programs. It is challenging enough to implement these important policies in the “real” world—it is even more challenging in the “virtual” world.
I would like to take a moment to thank Kristen Kyriacou for accepting the position of Youth Worker Coordinator. Kristen has been ensuring that all of our youth workers are in compliance. In addition, I would like to thank Chuck Shuff for taking over as Sunday School Director and for all of our Sunday School teachers: Hadley Dimitropoulos, Angeliki Kourelis, Laura Leathers, Dana Schenk and Chuck Shuff. We are grateful for all of our past directors and teachers—we also recognize that the Youth Protection Policy and Covid 19 make this year more challenging. May God Bless all of our Youth Workers, past, present and future.
What is not unique is the privilege we bear for the formation of our children within His Church. No matter how the context may change, we continue to give glory to God by coming together as a Eucharistic community every Sunday (and Feast Days). No matter how great our challenges may be, God’s love for us and our love for Him transcends our hardship. We must continue to share this love with one another and instill its recognition in our children. Without it, life is a constant pursuit of a happiness or joy that is continuously fleeting.
Once again, I would like to thank our youth workers and all of our faithful that keep His light burning in our hearts. Glory to God!
Father Jon
"Attract, Serve, Illuminate"