Message from Metropolitan Alexios
My Beloved Ones,
This Thursday, we have the good fortune to be able to celebrate Thanksgiving. And while we of course look forward to the delicious food, as well as the warmth of family and friends, Wednesday, however, is a religious feast of great importance to our Orthodox faith; and not incidentally, one that is equally related to eucharstia, thanksgiving.
As I discussed before the Feast of the Nativity on September 8th, Saints Joachim and Anna were themselves so thankful to be blessed to receive a child in their old age, that they promised to dedicate their offspring to God. Therefore, when the Theotokos was three years old, her parents fulfilled their promise to God, by bringing her into the Temple, where she resided until she was betrothed to Joseph at the age of 12.
Of course, Wednesday’s Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple helps to prepare us by looking forward to the fulfillment of Virgin Mary’s role as the willing Handmaiden of the Lord; but now, as it falls so close to Thanksgiving, I ask us to consider the depth of what it means to be truly thankful.
Tradition tells us that Joachim died when Mary was six years old and Anna, when Mary was eight; but perhaps some might wonder why those who prayed so deeply for a child, would be so willing to give that child up? The answer of course, is that Joachim and Anna recognized the reality that this child was not theirs, but that she was in fact a gift given to them from God. Joachim and Anna, in all their belief, understood that God had graced their faith, by allowing them to become part of something greater than themselves. Though they fell asleep before the Annunciation, in witnessing their daughter’s Entry into the Temple, they were able to glimpse their own roles in His Divine Plan.
We too should follow the example of Saints Joachim and Anna, in making Thanksgiving a daily occurrence: not just a yearly one, with Thanksgiving; or even a weekly one, with the Divine Liturgy. Thanksgiving should therefore become a common exchange, by which we give back to God, just as freely as we are blessed to receive His bountiful gifts. As the Psalmist says, it is good to “…declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night”. (Psalm 92:2)
Truly, it is my fervent hope that you and your families have a blessed Thanksgiving, full of warmth and love. Furthermore, it is my wish that each of us carry these feelings of gratitude toward God through the remainder of the Advent Fast, through the Nativity and the New Year, and indeed through each day of the rest of our lives.
+ALEXIOS
Metropolitan of Atlanta
From the Chancellor's Desk
This Thanksgiving, as Christians, let us see God especially in our heart. We are created in His image, and in a pure heart one can see the image of the invisible God. Our heart is the altar where God meets humankind and enters into a dialogue with us. God speaks to our heart and our heart answers back to God. True faith is not the knowledge and the confession of certain religious thoughts. God is not a subject to be studied and to be known by our mind. We need to speak to Him as “Our Father,” and to listen to Him as His children. God desires a personal father-child relationship.
With our families, we thank God for bringing us together in His Body as a community, not as individuals, but as members of the one Church, the one people of God, the one Body of Christ. In this community of faith, as brothers and sisters in God, we help each other, and together draw strength and grace from God to continue the struggles of our daily life. In our worship, and particularly in the Divine Liturgy, we live together with the saints, with our family and friends who have preceded us, and with Christ. We partake of His heavenly gifts of divine grace. Thus, we experience the Kingdom of God upon earth, and we anticipate its fulfillment at the Second Coming of the Lord. This is the reason why Christ came into the world to call us back to God, to His eternal Kingdom. On this Thanksgiving Day, may we join together and praise and thank God for His precious gifts. And I thank you for your support, encouragement, and commitment to serving in God’s Holy Vineyard.
+Very Rev. Fr. George Tsahakis
Chancellor
Youth, Education & Hellenic Culture
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.
Winter Youth Rally Registration is now open here! For HDF Registration click here!
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.
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.
- December 1, 2018 - Holy Trinity - Charlotte, NC
- January 19, 2019 - St. Catherine - West Palm Beach, FL
- May 4, 2019 - St. Andrew - Kendall, FL
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.