Message from Metropolitan Alexios
My Beloved Ones,
As we continue through the remainder of our Lenten journey, the Church, in its infinite love and mercy, has compassion for our struggles. As this point, Pascha is several weeks away, and it can become easy to allow our weariness to become, at first a distraction, and then a temptation.
It is for this very reason that the Church has chosen to dedicate this Fourth Sunday of Lent to a saint who gave us a guide to help us resist these temptations and overcome our weaknesses. I am of course referring to St. John Climacus, and his The Ladder of Divine Ascent.
What little we know St. John’s life is that his mastery of asceticism in the Sinai Desert made him a greatly respected person, especially to those Monks in the surrounding area. Though he resisted the iugmenos of the Raithu Monastery’s request to write his knowledge, St. John eventually compiled his many years of struggle into a book for the benefit of the Brotherhood.
The Ladder of Divine Ascent takes the form of thirty “steps” toward theosis, or human unification with our Creator. These steps on the ladder (which correspond to the thirty years of Jesus’ life before beginning His Ministry) begin with a renunciation of the world, continuing through discussions on slander, greed, instructions concerning stillness and prayer, before finally ending the on the last step of the ladder, “Concerning the linking together of the supreme trinity among the virtues.”
While the book began as a guide for those living in asceticism, there is much that we can learn from it, even simply by examining this above icon of the Ladder of Divine Ascent. The activity of the monks against the demonic powers is both frightening, but perhaps strengthening. I say it is strengthening, for we realize that even these men and women who have chosen to set themselves apart from the world (which is the meaning of the Greek agios, or holy), are still subject to the weapons of the demons—even to the point that one of the monks is seen being swallowed by the Evil One, represented by the mouth at the bottom of the icon.
In the face of such challenges ourselves, we might wonder as the Disciples did, after Jesus told them it would be easier for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle than for a Rich Man to see Heaven, “Who then can be saved?” (Luke 18:26) Of course, if we, like the Rich Man, rely only on our belief in ourselves, we are destined to fall from the Ladder too. However, if we cling to God, to His Commandments, and to prayer and fasting, we too can continue our way up the Heavenly Ladder.
My brothers and sisters, though we may be weary with cares, and with the burden of our own sinfulness, let us not fall into the sin of despair, let us instead rest in the spirit of prayer and fasting, so that we might gather strength to complete the course of the Fast with God’s grace and love.
+ALEXIOS
Metropolitan of Atlanta
From the Chancellor's Desk
As we proceed through Great and Holy Lent, I invite you to reflect on how to make this period a spiritually fruitful time that will lead you to the ecstasy of a resurrected life. I thank Fr. Chris Foustoukos for sharing this beautiful reflection.
- Surrender your hands to Christ. Make them the hands of His Love. Write a letter this week to a friend long ignored. Tell that person how much you appreciate him/her.
- Surrender your tongue to Christ. Make it the tongue of His love. Telephone two or three people you have intended to phone but have not. Tell them what they mean to you or to say thank you or sorry.
- Surrender your deeds to Christ. Make them the deeds of His love. Take something you have made or bought to someone who means a great deal to you, but for whom you rarely express your love – a fresh loaf of bread – a small remembrance that has your love as a wrapping.
- Surrender your feet to Christ. Make them the feet of His love. Visit someone who is shut-in, lonely, or an absentee church member. Nothing can take the place of a personal visit in the home, nursing home or hospital. Don’t expect to be rewarded. Make it a gift.
- Surrender your heart to Christ. Make it the heart of His love. Make a list of at least 10 people – friends and enemies – for whom you will pray daily. Forgive them if they have wronged you. Ask for forgiveness if you have wronged them.
- Pray daily at home. Use a devotional aid such as Daily Lenten Meditations for Orthodox Christians by Presbytera Emily Harakas.
- Bring the proceeds of your Lenten fast (the money you saved by eating more simply and eating less) to church as your Lenten almsgiving or put it in your Orthodox Christian Mission Center Bank available in the Narthex for our use during Great Lent.
- Practice metanoia, repentance. Just as a clean engine always delivers power, so a life cleansed through repentance and forgiveness allows the power of God to flow through, enabling us to live truly resurrected lives.
- Watch less TV, or not at all, during Lent to devote more time to prayer and spiritual reading.
- Worship every Sunday. Attend special church services offered during weekdays.
- Lead your family in prayer and Scripture reading. Use the Lenten family practices recommended in the book Making God Real in the Orthodox Christian Home, by the Rev. Anthony Coniaris.
- Read through the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Meditate on one verse each day.
It is by practicing the askesis or discipline of the above that you will be able to say with Saint Gregory the Theologian at Pascha: “Yesterday, I was crucified with Him; today, I am glorified with Him. Yesterday, I died with Him; today, I am alive with Him. Yesterday, I was buried with Him; today, I rise with Him.
+Fr. George Tsahakis
Chancellor
Youth, Education & Hellenic Culture
St. Stephen’s Summer Camp 2019 Summer 2019 Dates are:
Week 1: June 23 -June 29
Week 2: June 30 - July 6
Week 3: July 7 - July 13
Week 4: July 14 - July 20
Week 5: July 21 - July 27
For more news, activities, and upcoming events, please click this link!
2019 OCAMPR Conference
"The Orthodox Christian Association of Medicine, Psychology and Religion, an international, pan-Orthodox organization endorsed by the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, welcomes presentations of Workshops and Papers at its Annual Conference, " Isolation. Violence. Hope and Communion" which will be held November 7 -9 at Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Glenview, IL (Chicago area).
The Annual Conference offers a unique opportunity for Orthodox clergy, theologians, and healthcare professionals to come together for fellowship and to engage in interdisciplinary dialogue. OCAMPR requests that proposals for presentations reflect professional, academic discussion on critical issues regarding the helping professions and pastoral care, specifically as it relates to our Orthodox Christian faith."
For more submission infornation please click here.
Family Life Ministry
A growing branch of Family Life Ministry and generously powered by Leadership 100, Engage Orthodoxy is a place for anyone to find Orthodox Christian Content curated by a thoughtful and intentional administrative team.
“Engage Orthodoxy” is not only the name of this new site, but it is also the name of a movement away from division and towards unity. Engage Orthodoxy is a movement towards community, involvement, Orthodox friendships, and relationships. EO seeks to bring the the faithful, the curious, the lost, and the searching TOWARDS their faith and Christ and in turn, towards each other. Engage Orthodoxy is a movement forward into the future of the faith. Join us as we move toward Christ, toward each other, and toward the church.
For more information, or to order “Woven: An Interactive Book for the Modern Teenage Girl on Orthodox Christianity” 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.
- May 4, 2019 - St. Andrew - Kendall, FL
To see the full list of seminars in Florida and in our entire Metropolis please visit: http://www.familylifeministry.atlanta.goarch.org/upcoming-events-2/
Registration is online. Materials costs are included in the registration.
The Strategic Plan
Clergy-Laity Workshops (6/27 & 6/28/19)
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 …
PLAN TO PARTICIPATE AT THIS YEAR'S METROPOLIS CLERGY-LAITY ASSEMBLY, THURSDAY JUNE 27 and FRIDAY JUNE 28.
MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW - Click here for the online portal.
Visit Click here to view a list of the completed goals.
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.
M
NEW YORK – With a well-attended retreat at Saint George Greek Orthodox Church in Bethesda, Maryland, Y2AM (Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministry), has concluded another successful season of “Be the Bee” retreats.