Sunday Services:
8:45 am Orthros
10:00 am Divine Liturgy
Christ is in our midst! He is and ever shall be!
Click Here for the Live Stream during scheduled services!
◦ We are now accepting donations for our Saint Catherine / AHEPA Chapter 18 Thanksgiving Ministry. Please label your donations “Thanksgiving Ministry” and send them to the Church office.
Many of our Divine Liturgies have been recorded and can be viewed at www.youtube.com. Subscribe to our YouTube channel: Saint.Catherine.Greek.Orthodox.Church
Greek School presents OXI Day Celebration Program and Luncheon after the Divine Liturgy
All Things are Possible to the One Who Believes in Jesus Christ
Saint Catherine Philoptochos Invites you to our 11th Annual Afternoon Tea to benefit Autism and other charities. Saturday, November 10th, 2pm - 4pm
Join us on Saturday, November 17th, for our 65th Annual Saint Catherine Name Day Dinner-Dance
Registration for HDF 2019 is underway! HDF will be held in Atlanta, GA on January 18-21 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.
Sunday School Presents the 2018 Candlelight Service, Nativity Progran and Dinner on Saturday, December 15th
Making education more accessible is just one way your gifts and prayers reach around the world.
Eleventh Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 21:14-25
At that time, Jesus revealed himself to his disciples after he was raised from the dead, and he said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go." (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, "Follow me."
Peter turned and saw following them the disciple whom Jesus loved, who had lain close to his breast at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?" When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" Jesus said to him, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? Follow me!" So, the word went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die; but Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, "If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?" This is the disciple who is bearing witness to these things, and who has written these things; and we know that his testimony is true. But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.
Prokeimenon. Plagal First Tone. Psalm 11.7,1.
You, O Lord, shall keep us and preserve us.
Verse: Save me, O Lord, for the godly man has failed.
The reading is from St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 6:11-18.
Brethren, see with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that would compel you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who receive circumcision do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. Peace and mercy be upon all who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God. Henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.
7th Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 8:41-56
At that time, there came to Jesus a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue; and falling at Jesus' feet he besought him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As he went, the people pressed round him. And a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years and had spent all her living upon physicians and could not be healed by anyone, came up behind him, and touched the fringe of his garment; and immediately her flow of blood ceased. And Jesus said, "Who was it that touched me?" When all denied it, Peter and those who were with him said, "Master, the multitudes surround you and press upon you!" But Jesus said, "Some one touched me; for I perceive that power has gone forth from me." And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace." While he was still speaking, a man from the ruler's house came and said, "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more." But Jesus on hearing this answered him, "Do not fear; only believe, and she shall be well." And when he came to the house, he permitted no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. And all were weeping and bewailing her; but he said, "Do not weep; for she is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand he called, saying, "Child, arise." And her spirit returned, and she got up at once; and he directed that something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed; but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.
The Feast of the Protection commemorates the appearance of the most holy Theotokos in the Church of Blachernae in Constantinople in the tenth century, as recorded in the life of Saint Andrew the Fool for Christ's sake. While the multitudes of the faithful were gathered in church, Epiphanius, the friend of Saint Andrew, through the Saint's prayers, beheld the Virgin Mary above the faithful and spreading out her veil over them, signifying her unceasing protection of all Christians. Because of this we keep a yearly feast of gratitude, imploring our Lady never to cease sheltering us in her mighty prayers.
In the Greek tradition, this feast is celebrated on October 28, while in the Slavic tradition, this feast is celebrated on October 1.
Both the country and the time of the martyrdom of these holy Martyrs are unknown. All were beheaded, after having endured many bitter torments.
Saint Steven passed his life in ascetical discipline in the Monastery of Saint Sabbas, from whence also he received the name Sabbaite. He was consecrated bishop and reposed about the year 790, bequeathing to the Church a number of melismatic troparia.
Our Righteous Father Abramius, born in Edessa in Mesopotamia in 296, took up the monastic life and brought many pagans to Christ. Mary, his niece, upon the death of her parents, joined Abramius at his hermitage and under his guidance advanced swiftly in the love of God. Through the wiles of the evil one, however, she fell into sin, and falling from them into despair, she left her uncle and became a harlot. When he learned where his niece was, Abramius put on the clothes of a man of the world and went to visit her in disguise. Through his exhortations, Mary returned to her first hope in the mercy of God, was rescued from the life of harlotry, and ended her life in great holiness. He himself reposed in the year 366. Saints Abramius and Mary were friends of Saint Ephraim the Syrian, and it was he who wrote their account.
Saint Anastasia, who was young in age and lived in a convent, was seized by the impious. Confessing Christ openly and with boldness and enduring manifold torments, she was beheaded in the year 256, during the reign of Valerian.
These Saints were from Aegae in Cilicia, brought up in piety by their parents. Zenobius was a physician, and healed many freely by the power of God; because of his virtue he was consecrated Bishop of Aegae. With his sister he was taken by Lysias the Governor, and after many tortures they were beheaded, about the year 290, during the reign of Diocletian.
Of these holy Apostles, Stachys became the first Bishop of Byzantium, consecrated by the Apostle Andrew. Having shepherded his people for sixteen years, he reposed in the Lord. As for the others, each one shone forth in the episcopal see appointed to him: Apelles, Bishop of Heraclea; Amplias, Bishop of Odyssopolis; Urban, Bishop of Macedonia; Narcissus, Bishop of Athens; and Aristobulus, Bishop of Britain.
These Saints were from Asia (that is, Asia Minor). After the death of their father, their Christ-loving mother Theodota reared them in piety and in all manner of virtue, and had them instructed in every science, especially that of medicine. This became their vocation, and they went about healing every illness and malady, bestowing healing freely on both men and beasts alike; because of this, they are called "Unmercenaries." And thus, having completed the course of their life, they reposed in peace.
These Martyrs contested in Persia about the year 330, in the reign of Sapor (Shapur) II, King of Persia (325-379). Acindynus, Pegasius, and Anempodistus, Persian Christians, confessed Christ before the King, and were put to many torments. Aphthonius and Elpidephorus, drawn to the Faith of Christ through the Martyrs, were beheaded with another 7,000. Saints Acindynus, Pegasius, and Anempodistus were at last burned to death. Two churches were dedicated in their honour in Constantinople. As is often the case in church hymns, there is a play on the meanings of the Saints' names here. Acindynus means "unimperilled"; Pegasius is derived from pegazo--"to gush forth"; Aphthonius is derived from aphthonos-"abundant"; Elpidephorus means "hope-bearing"; Anempodistus means "unhindered." These are all Greek translations of their Persian names.
Saint Acepsimas, a bishop, Saint Joseph, a presbyter, and Saint Aeithalas, a deacon, suffered exceedingly cruel torments and martyrdom during the reign of Sapor II, King of Persia (325-379). See also April 17.
The consecration of the Church of Saint George in Lydda of Palestine took place during the reign of Saint Constantine the Great. See also April 23.
Our father among the saints Raphael of Brooklyn (November 20, 1860 - February 27, 1915) was born Rafla Hawaweeny in Beirut, Lebanon, to Damascene Syrian refugee parents. He was educated at the Patriarchal School in Damascus, the School of Orthodox Theology in Halki Island, Turkey, and at the Theological Academy in Kiev, Russia. In 1904 he became the first Orthodox bishop to be consecrated in North America; the consecration was done by Archbishop St. Tikhon of Moscow and Bishop Innocent in New York City. He served as bishop of Brooklyn, New York until his death.
During the course of his ministry as an auxiliary bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church in America, St. Raphael founded the present-day primatial cathedral of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (St. Nicholas Cathedral), established thirty parishes, and assisted in the founding of St. Tikhon's Orthodox Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania.
Bishop Raphael was glorified (numbered among the saints) by the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America in its March 2000 session, and the glorification services by that Holy Synod took place in May of that year at St. Tikhon's Monastery with the participation of bishops representing the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and the Church of Poland. He is commemorated by the Orthodox Church in America on February 27, the anniversary of his death, and by the Church of Antioch on the first Saturday of November, which is shortly before Raphael's own patronal feast (the Feast of the Archangels, November 8).
Message from Metropolitan Alexios
My Beloved Ones,
I am pleased to be able to share with you all important updates concerning the fall meetings of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, which took place at the Holy Archdiocesan headquarters in New York City last week, on October 17th and 18th, 2018.
Concerning the progress of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox National Shrine, the Archdiocesan Finance Committees have extensively discussed with Synod the plans to resume construction. The Holy Synod, with His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Geron of America, visited the Shrine, and I can report that a great deal has been accomplished in terms of the scaffolding and electrical work; what remains then is the sheetrock application and painting. The iconography for the Shrine is near completion, as it is being written in Athonite monastery of Xenophontos.
In discussing Hellenic College-Holy Cross, the Metropolitans are aware that the school is facing financial difficulties because of lower attendance figures. Naturally, this is of great concern to all of us, and so many different ideas were discussed with His Eminence to address this challenge by this year’s end.
Lastly, and most importantly as it concerns our Metropolis of Atlanta, is the matter of the Auxiliary Bishops. There are four such Hierarchs, each of whom belongs to the Archdiocesan Headquarters, and, they report to His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios. It was decided last week that His Grace Bishop Sevastianos of Zela will be appointed as an Auxiliary Bishop to our Metropolis of Atlanta in early December 2018, where he shall assist myself and my coworkers.
To briefly summarize his curriculum vitae, “His GraceBishop Sevastianos was born in Ano-Zodia, Cyprus. He is a graduate of the Economic High School, Morphou, Cyprus (1973) and the Theological School of the University of Athens, Greece (1978). He received a Th.M. in Pastoral Psychology at Columbia Theological Seminary, Decatur Georgia (1982), and furthered his studies in Pastoral Psychology at Vanderbilt University, Nashville Tennessee and Middle Tennessee State University (1982-1984).
He was ordained Deacon on January 17, 1974, by the late Metropolitan of Morphou Chrysanthos and Priest on March 4, 1978 in England by the Bishop of Tropaiou Gregorios the current Archbishop of Thyateira and All England. He received the offikion of Archimandrite by the late Archbishop of Thyateira Athenagoras.
As a Deacon he served the late Metropolitan Chyrsanthos of Morphou (1974), St. George Church, in Akadimia Platonos, in Athens (1975), St. Nicholas Church in Kato Patisia, Athens (1976-78), and as a priest in Nottingham England (1978-79), Holy Trinity-Holy Cross in Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. (1980-82), Sts Constantine and Helen – Holy Cross, Huntsville, Alabama (1982-84, 1989-93), the Cathedral of Panayia Catholike, Limassol Cyprus (1984-88), Holy Transfiguration, Marietta, Georgia (1993-2004), and St. Nicholas Cathedral, Tarpon Springs, Florida (2004-06). He was appointed Chief Secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America on June 1, 2006, a position that he still holds.
Bishop Sevastianos, has been actively involved in the Administration of the Church in general, and in particular in our Holy Archdiocese, serving as a Council member on the Metropolis and Archdiocesan levels; in the Administration Committee of the Archdiocesan Council where he assisted in developing resources for the training of Parish Councils and in the Legal Committee of the Archdiocese. He has served as President of the Clergy Syndesmos of the Metropolis of Atlanta for several years and the Archdiocesan Presbyters Council.”
This blessing of another Bishop in our Metropolis will allow even greater numbers of our communities to receive Hierarchical visits and blessings, more often! I know that longtime residents of our Metropolis will be very pleased to have a former co-worker with us once again in this beautiful region of the southeastern United States, and so I am certain you will all join me in giving His Grace Bishop Sevastianos a warm welcome.
In the same spirit of collaboration and dialogue that guided these decisions of the Eparchial Synod, I send all of you greetings, as we look forward to our Archangel Michael Honors weekend, November 9th-11th, where our Metropolis Council and Metropolis Philoptochos shall likewise gather together for our autumn meetings, to discuss and plan things for the future benefit of our Metropolis, which, with God’s Grace shall continue to grow in strength and love.
Until then, I greet you with love and joy in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
+ALEXIOS
Metropolitan of Atlanta
From the Chancellor's Desk
“22The glory that You have given Me I have given them, so that they may be one, as We are one, 23I in them and You in Me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that You have sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.” (John 17:22-23)
Regrettably, our world today is much divided. Consider the damaging personal attacks and negative commentary that pervades our culture and is reported non-stop in our daily news. “He said this… She said that… That group did this… This party did that…!” There appears to be such a huge rift between all the peoples of God’s precious world. And finally, consider the hatred that generates the terrorist plots that we stand guard against daily. Indeed, in every area of our world, division seems the norm. The idea of “unity” is missing in our fractured, divided, and segmented world.
We divide on race, politics, country, opinions, and religion. Only when people choose to come together and cross the boundaries that normally divide us, do we approach the concept of harmony. Our perfection, our unity, our becoming “one,” is found in Christ Jesus. Only in Him do we find the means to bring down the barriers that separate us, so that all of us become one family. Only in Him do we realize that the things that divide us can become the very witness to God's powerful love. Our Lord came to reconcile and reunite us. Our calling is to live and love as “one” – one with our Lord Jesus Christ and one with each other.
Let us pray daily that God inspire all of us to become “one” in Spirit and purpose, “one” in faith and service, and “one” in His perfect love. Amen.
+Fr. George Tsahakis
Chancellor
Youth, Education & Hellenic Culture
Happy New Ecclesiastical Year! The 44th Biennial Clergy Laity Congress unanimously passed the NEW Policies for the Safety of Youth and Children! There is a great article on page 12 of the July/August Orthodox Observer explaining the Next Steps in Youth Safety. Please take time to read the article and the new policies since they affect everyone involved in all youth programs.
In Christ,
Monica
The Strategic Plan
FAITH FORUM
Want to learn the latest best practices on how to grow your parish?
How about learning to create a plan for the future of your parish?
How do I fund the essential ministries of my parish and become less dependent on fund raisers?
Have I covered all the significant risks to my parish and what risks go beyond insurance coverage?
Are my religious education programs covering all that they should and are they effective? Is leadership training important to my role in the parish?
If you and your fellow parishioners have ever discussed these topics and you want to learn more, then …
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR MARCH 9, 2019 FROM NOON TO 5PM AT ST. NEKTARIOS GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH IN CHARLOTTE, NC
MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW
Take a look at the online portal.
Vist www.atlstrategicplan.org/portal to view a list of the several goals completed in 2017.
Family Life Ministry
The Metropolis of Atlanta’s Family Life Ministry (www.familylifeministry.atlanta.goarch.org) strengthens individuals, families and church families through adaptable programs, blogs and educational materials as a means of fostering connection within our homes and our parishes.
Join Paula and Edna as they discuss the latest book from with FLM, “Woven: An Interactive Book for the Modern Teenage Girl on Orthodox Christianity” with Bobby Maddex from Ancient Faith Ministries.
For more information, or to order "Woven" please visit, woveninhislove.org
We also share with you helpful links from the OCN and the Family Life Ministry of the Metropolis of Atlanta.
Journey of Marriage (Pre-Marital Seminar)
All couples marrying in the Metropolis must attend a Metropolis-sponsored Journey of Marriage seminar prior to their wedding. The couple will present their certificate of completion to their parish priest after the seminar.
To see the full list of seminars in Florida and in our entire Metropolis as more seminars are scheduled please visit: http://www.familylifeministry.atlanta.goarch.org/upcoming-events-2/
Registration is online. Materials costs are included in the registration.
Shop with Amazon, donate to the DRC
Amazon Smile is a program that allows for 0.5% of your eligible Amazon purchase to be donated to the Diakonia Retreat Center (No Added Cost To You). To find our Amazon Smile page, visit https://smile.amazon.com/ch/91-2187047.
Keynote Address of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios
At the 44th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress
“All Things Are Possible to the One Who Believes in Christ”
(cf. Mark 9:23)
Δόξα τῇ ἁγίᾳ καὶ ὁμοουσίῳ καὶ ζωοποιῷ καὶ ἀδιαιρέτῳ Τριάδι, πάντοτε, νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων.
Glory to the holy and consubstantial, and life giving, and undivided Trinity, always, now and forever and to the ages of ages.
1. With this expression of doxology and thanksgiving to God, we are together again in our 44th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress. We focus on the theme of this congress, which is, “All Things Are Possible to the One Who Believes in Christ”, as we prepare to deal with the challenges that we face as the Greek Orthodox Church in America, the Eparchy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the West. Our theme is based on the words of the Lord, If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes (Mark 9:23), Who also added: Truly I say to you if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed you will say to this mountain “move from here to there”, and it will move, and nothing will be impossible to you (Matthew 17:20-21). We have been together in Clergy-Laity Congresses since the year 2000 in Philadelphia and then in succession in Los Angeles, New York, Nashville, Washington, Atlanta, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Nashville, and now in Boston, the place of education and democracy.
We express also our wholehearted thanksgiving to His All Holiness our Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for his warm love and abundant blessings, for his very inspirational message that we just heard and for sending to us the distinguished Hierarchs: Metropolitan Apostolos, Geron of Derkoi, and Metropolitan Maximos of Selyvria to represent him at this Congress. Profound thanks belong also to His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of Boston, the gracious host of this 44th Congress and the people of this Metropolis who offer such an outstanding hospitality.
2. In the period between our last Clergy-Laity Congress in Nashville 2016 up to today, we have had a number of events worth mentioning, but allow me for brevity of time to limit myself first to remember our brothers and sisters that have passed away during this period.
We had the passing of three prominent hierarchs of our Archdiocese, namely, Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago, and Metropolitan Philotheos of Meloa. A few days ago, Bishop Iacovos of Catania also passed away. In addition, we had the passing of 29 priests and 24 presvyteres of our Archdiocese. We also had quite a number of members from Archdiocesan organizations that joined the Church Triumphant and are no longer with us. So, we count 4 members from the National Board of the Ladies Philoptochos Society, 53 members of Leadership 100, and 61 Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Order of St. Andrew. May their memory be eternal, and may they rest in peace and joy in heaven, in the company of the saints and the righteous.
At the same time, we were blessed with the election of the new Metropolitan of Chicago in the person of Archimandrite Nathanael Symeonides, and with many ordinations to the diaconate and to the priesthood. Thus, we had 30 ordinations to the diaconate, and 35 ordinations to the priesthood. During the same period, 16 of our priests retired, 12 clergymen were incardinated to our Archdiocese from various jurisdictions and 8 clergymen were released.
3. As we all know, the major issue that occurred during this period were the difficulties and problems at the Archdiocese and at the building of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center.
We have been harmoniously working together in our Greek Orthodox Archdiocese for almost 20 years. During these years, we have encountered—in executing our sacred work—joy, love, harmony, achievement, and unity, but also sadness, hardship, distancing, and apathy. As members of the Orthodox Church, which is the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27), we have worked with most sincere dedication in the course of promoting in America the Orthodox Christian Faith, and the universal values of the Hellenic Tradition, as well as having the unique honor of being the living and dynamic presence of our Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Western Hemisphere. During this same period, we gratefully ascertained the fact that, by the grace of God, significant and verifiable progress has been realized in many areas of our Archdiocese.
There have appeared, however, since the 2016 Clergy-Laity Congress in Nashville, unexpected serious economic difficulties and problems and organizational inefficiencies for which we genuinely and deeply regret.
For me, personally as Archbishop, after a long 19-year experience of serving here, and for the entire faithful of the Archdiocese, this dire situation caused truly unbearable pain. This pain resulted from the fact that in spite of the sincere and unselfish offering of work done by many people, we suddenly found threatening before us an extremely difficult and really unacceptable situation. I am truly and deeply sorry for the disappointment, sorrow, frustration and pain that this unfortunate situation brought upon each and every member of our precious and beloved Archdiocese. And I am still refusing to accept and justify the stopping of the building of St. Nicholas. To stop the building of a church, truly monumental and highly symbolic universally for Orthodoxy as is St. Nicholas at Ground Zero is really unthinkable. Tragically, this unthinkable happened.
4. Confronted by this situation of our Archdiocese, we immediately started taking appropriate measures for corrections. Most important among them was a thorough and in depth auditing by external special firms of the finances and management policies and procedures of the Archdiocese and separately of the finances related to the St. Nicholas building activities. As a result of these measures we have already seen—and are continuing to see—positive outcomes, thus gaining better perspectives for future developments. A very important part of correcting these previous inadequacies and deficiencies is the much better arrangement and systemic enhancement of the administrative and financial management of the Archdiocese. We are going to dedicate special time to discuss all relative issues in the forum that will follow this afternoon.
But before that, I would like to publicly express our gratitude to the members of the Executive Committee of our Archdiocesan Council, both our Metropolitans, and our lay people, and particularly, the officers of the Archdiocesan Council. They did an amazing work, offering a huge number of daily and nightly hours in order to make sure that proper procedures and measures are established. I feel it my duty at this point to mention the three officers of the Council, i.e. the Vice-Chair Archon George Tsandikos, the Treasurer Archon Michael Psaros, and the Secretary Dr. Cathy Walsh. In addition to them, sincere thanks are due to the financial committee of the Archdiocesan Council, presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of Boston, and chaired by Archon Lou Kircos with the constant assistance of the highly specialized in managerial and auditing affairs Mrs. Elaine Allen, to the Chancellor of our Archdiocese Bishop Andonios of Phasiane, and to the CFO of our Archdiocese Fr. Soterios Baroody. Profound gratitude belongs also to you, clergy and laity brothers and sisters, representing all of our parishes. In spite of the vicious propaganda by enemies of the Church to stop you from offering your regular stewardship allocation to the Archdiocese, you not only continue your important regular allocation but a significant number of you covered partially or entirely in advance the stewardship for the entire year 2018. Such an astonishing dedication reveals the high human and faith quality of our own people like you, which radically differs from the distancing, apathy and even enmity expressed by some individuals. We also thank the numerous people who offered their unselfish and continuous services related to the building of St. Nicholas at the World Trade Center.
Having in mind the picture of what happened and the correcting measures related to it, let us now proceed with the challenges that are confronting us, as we continue our sacred mission of Orthodox presence and witness in the United States.
5. Challenges are not unknown to our Orthodox Christian Church. Please remember what happened to the Early Church at its very beginning. The first Christians in the Apostolic times were a minority of a minority in their era and world; only the 12 Apostles with a small number of people. They did not have any types of schools or seminaries as it so happened with its contemporary Judaism. They did not have strong financial resources. They faced, almost immediately, persecution. For the first three centuries, the early Christians were confronted not only by the reality of persecution, but also with the challenge of overcoming their need for survival and making Christianity a universal religion destined to embrace the whole of humanity.
As we know, what followed after the first three centuries, and the possibility given to Christians to freely practice their faith, was an exponential expansion of the Christian Church all over the world. But here again, in spite of astonishing progress, the Church faced serious challenges; heresies and schisms. The Ecumenical Councils and the local synods, as well as the unique wealth of the writings of the great Church Fathers and theologians are eloquent witnesses of the magnitude and the seriousness of the challenges. Needless to say that persecutions of the Christians continued to occur frequently throughout history reaching the truly unbelievable number of 30 million martyrs only during the 20th century.
Since we are an integral part of the Orthodox Church, we are now facing our own portions of challenges.
6. Challenge 1: The non-stopping change in everything. It is well known that changes happened throughout history. In today’s era, however, changes do not occur every century or every year, or even every month. They occur every hour. Communications, a basic function of human life, have become a matter of electronic media, texting has replaced fully articulated dialogue, knowledge and information has become an issue of googling, twitter and Facebook. The degree of irresponsible, distorted and falsified usage of language and communication has reached such a point of radical change and disconnection from the truth that sociologists and historians say that we have entered in a new era, the post-truth era. Basic institutions like family have been radically altered. A recent statistic, for instance, states that today we have in the United States 21 million children of only one parent. Even shopping is going through a complete transformation dominated by Amazon and online activities. Lifestyles are more and more determined by the lifestyles of various celebrities, regardless of norms of elementary ethics. This whole situation creates a sense of instability and of inability to plan and program things since often times before putting a plan into action the conditions related to it have already changed.
7. Challenge 2: Economic pressure and poverty. Economic pressure and poverty are universal phenomena with serious consequences not unknown to us. For instance, the need for adequate income causes people to work in two professions, in essence pushing family life to a marginal status. We have the sad experience of many family problems being caused by financial pressures. On the other hand, we face phenomena like human trafficking or slavery involving 35 million women and children who are objects of financial labor and pleasure exploitations due to extraordinary conditions of poverty. Certainly, poverty, along with its accompanying consequences, one of them being violence, cannot be ignored by us. And of course, the economic factor has been central as a challenge to our Archdiocese, as we are confronted by the complicated economic difficulties that we experienced in the last year.
8. Challenge 3: Disconnecting from the Church. It has been noticed that in America, but much more so in Europe, the major Christian denominations are losing people. Roman Catholic and Protestant communities, with a few exceptions, see their membership diminishing. People are not becoming atheist or agnostic, but rather they simply do not want to be connected any longer to any organized religious body. We also, as Orthodox Church, are affected by this phenomenon to a certain degree. There are parishes in our Orthodox Church in which this disconnecting attitude occurs. In our case, this happens particularly with a number of mixed marriages and among the young adults. People disconnecting from the Church is an alarming challenge not to be overlooked. Added to some changing demographic conditions, this disconnecting attitude might lead small parishes to extinction.
9. Challenge 4: Attacks against the Christian Faith. The attacks, frequently violent, against the Christian Faith and the proliferation of many religions like Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and other religio-cultural variations are a major challenge. Atheism today is not what it used to be 30 or 40 years ago. On the other hand, religions other than Christian are becoming more militant and aggressive, not passive and neutral as in the past. Young people of our Faith frequently tell us that in their colleges and universities there are classes and courses in which the presentation and promotion of anti-Christian ideas is a common practice, parallel to the proliferation of ideologies hostile to Christianity and to religions replacing Christianity. Not to speak about what is happening in the press, with social media, television, and with movies and shows in terms of presenting inaccurate views and distorted information about articles of faith, and which even deal with Christianity in sarcastic, humiliating, and ridiculing ways and language.
10. In order to successfully confront the aforementioned challenges, we have to undertake a number of important tasks. First, we have to become fully aware of where we are and what we are. What our parishes are today are not the same as when they were initially founded by first generation immigrants who came mostly from villages and towns, having a homogenous population with an Orthodox and Hellenic identity. The churches that our pioneer ancestors created here were originally something similar to what they had left in their place of origin, namely, Orthodox ecclesiastical institutions serving their practical needs, i.e. liturgies, baptisms, weddings, funerals, memorials, etc. In addition, their parishes were places of tremendous social and psychological support and strength in an effort for survival in a new land of which most of them did not even know the language.
Now we are in the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and even 6th generation. The current conditions need parishes which are not self-limited closed entities serving elementary religious needs and merely supporting survival. Thanks to the grace of God and to the hard work of our pioneer ancestors, we are now beyond the language of survival. The conditions now require a form of a parish whose members, a) have a strong consciousness of an Orthodox identity and ethos, which make them different from our fellow Americans with whom, however, they fully share the big benefits and advantages of being citizens of this blessed country, and b) have an awareness that they have been called to an apostolic mission of sharing the truth, the light, the joy, and the peace of the Gospel with the non-Orthodox people, with whom they live in the same location or elsewhere. Such a strong consciousness of Orthodox Christian identity and full awareness of apostolic mission require proper cultivation, education, and methodical training.
11. Facing these grave situations and responsibilities, we urgently need the development of programs:
a) First, there is a need to develop programs for an adequate and attractive adult education related to the Orthodox Christian Faith. How many of our parishes have established such programs? The great Apostle Paul writing to the Philippians at the end of his life, declared that now his urgent purpose was to learn Christ, and the power of His resurrection, and to share in His Passion (cf. Phil. 3:10), clearly indicating that there is no ending in learning the inexhaustible wealth of faith in Christ. Learning Orthodoxy is a matter of a continuous never ending education. This is what the great Fathers of the Church did for the faithful of their time on a continuous, non-interrupted daily basis.
b) Next to developing programs for an Orthodox adult education, there is a greater need to seriously review what we do in introducing our children and young people to Orthodoxy as a Faith, as a lifestyle and as a superb cultural gift.
Children’s introduction to Orthodox Christianity is a big priority for us. Properly developed and applied relevant programs, not only cover a vital need, they are also a strong antidote to some of the challenges which we mentioned before. Needless to say, that what frequently happens in our parishes, namely, to offer the session of the introduction to Faith at a time parallel to the Divine Liturgy, needs thorough revision. Such a practice deprives the children from attending the Divine Liturgy and creates a childless liturgical congregation which is not good.
It is obvious that in our Church in America the activities and programs related to Orthodox religious education need review, strengthening and enhancing. When, following objective statistics, 45% of the members of our Greek Orthodox population have at least one University or College degree, which means that they are advanced in education and knowledge, we cannot have limited knowledge of our Faith, or even sometimes exhibit an Orthodox illiteracy. When the parents are deficient in terms of Orthodox knowledge, what then will happen to their children? The necessity of dealing systematically and intensely with issues of proper Orthodox training and education for adults and for children constitute an urgent priority. In this case today, we are in an advantageous position because plenty of Orthodox Educational material and relevant resources are available. The question is if and how we use them.
12. An equally urgent priority is the issue of dealing with the challenge of people disconnecting themselves from the Church and gradually distancing or even cutting themselves off. The number of these people in our case might be relatively small compared to major Christian denominations here and in Europe. The phenomenon, however, cannot be ignored, and the fundamental questions cannot be avoided, namely, what is the cause of distancing and disconnection? A central answer may be the dissatisfaction with the function and activities of a parish, or that the parish has nothing else to offer in terms of participatory engagement except the Sunday liturgy. Thus, here the question arises: What can be done in order to improve the life and activities of a parish?
There are parishes in which we notice an ongoing task to have as many parishioners as possible involved in various activities or special projects. In my numerous visits throughout the country, I have encountered parishes which have developed various activities for the parishioners, especially for young adults. There must be a way for the proliferation of all relevant information. In this case, philanthropic tasks on a wide spectrum, special cultural events and athletic opportunities for the young, in addition to the annual festival, could also become instrumental in keeping the people connected to the Church. The care for involving members of mixed marriages is another opportunity with great potential, especially since disconnection occurs frequently with mixed marriage families.
13. There is an open field inviting all of us to work together in order to confront all challenges and to respond to the call of the Lord Who says to us: As the Father has sent me, even so I send you (John 20:21). This sacred task is certainly exciting but not easy. Even our present financial and administrative difficulties play a very challenging role. An equally very challenging role in our sacred task is the necessity to continue immediately the building of St. Nicholas. But we are not an organization, a club, a corporation, or even a fraternity. We are the people of God, we are His Church, we are the believers in Christ. Our theme for this 44th Clergy-Laity Congress is, “All things are possible to the one who believes in Christ” (Mark 9:23). All things are possible to us who believe in Christ including any challenge, including any social, cultural, psychological or financial problems or even provocations coming from the contemporary world. This remains true for us presuming that we are following the line of action of our God and Lord Jesus Christ, Who started and continued to the end His saving ministry by proclaiming the Gospel, by teaching and by healing (Matt. 4:23). Proclaiming the Gospel, teaching the truth revealed by Christ and healing the suffering is our mission and our strategic plan for the present, the future and forever.
Thus, facing reality, we certainly are in a position to say along with St. Paul, I know how to be abased and I know how to abound, in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. I can do all things in Christ and with Christ Who strengthens me (Philip. 4:12-13). Truly, “All things are possible to the one who believes in Christ”.
###