Message from Metropolitan Alexios
June 21, 2019
My Beloved Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
I greet you with love and joy in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! I pray that this summer season will be a blessed one for you and your families!
I am so very pleased to write to you today, for I have received word that Archbishop Elpidophoros of America will be making His first pastoral visit to the Metropolis of Atlanta, when He joins us at the Grand Banquet of our 2019 Clergy-Laity Assembly, at the Hyatt Regency in Jacksonville, FL.
I encourage all our parishes to participate in our Clergy-Laity Assembly, including its many workshops and offerings, and to then welcome His Eminence on this very historic occasion!
I know that like myself, all of my Metropolis family awaits the arrival of our Archbishop Elpidophoros with true zeal and enthusiasm! Therefore, I hope to see many of my Metropolis brothers and sisters celebrating this historic and joyous event in the life of our Holy and God-Protected Metropolis of Atlanta. I remain,
+ A L E X I O S
Metropolitan of Atlanta
_____________________________________________
My Beloved Ones,
I greet with love and joy in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as our Archdiocese prepares for an important event in the history of Hellenic Orthodoxy in America: The Enthronement of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.
I consider myself very blessed to have been able to accompany His Eminence from the Ecumenical Patriarchate to the Archdiocese here in New York. Truly, the welcome His Eminence received from the members of the clergy and laity who had gathered together on Wednesday night to greet Him was a profound moment of spiritual joy.
I also consider it no accident that His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew has, in the person of Archbishop Elpidophoros brought us hope. Indeed, Elpidophoros means “Bringer-of-Hope”. Neither is the election of this Elpidophoros a signifier of wishes—as our people come to know His Eminence and His Ministry, they will understand that this hope is an active promise.
For those who wish to view His Eminence’s Arrival into JFK Airport, you may find the video here. However, I wish to quote from His English remarks below.
“I come to this Archdiocese to be your servant, and the true servant of Lord. I come to shoulder the responsibilities of the heavy office and to share them with you, for I know that you are worthy co-workers in Christ. We shall work openly with each other, with transparency, honesty, clarity – speaking the truth in love, that we may rebuild the confidence of the beloved people of our Archdiocese in its institutions.
I come to this Archdiocese to serve, and not to be served, even as our Lord came to minister and not to be ministered unto, and to give his life as a ransom for many (cf. Matthew 20:28). Those of us who lead must be the first ones to serve many (cf. Matthew 20:27). I also pledge to you that I shall give my life, my energy, my utmost for the highest goals of this noble Eparchy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
That we should preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ – in season and out of season.
That we should share the love of God without reservation and without limitation with all people.
That we should embrace every corner of our Archdiocese – every young person, every senior, every marriage, every hurt, every lack, every doubt. And I especially want to draw closer to our fellow Orthodox Christians in the United States. We have so many Orthodox communities that live in isolation from one another, but we are all brothers and sisters of the same family and we share the same Holy Flesh – the Body of the Lord, and the same Holy Blood that we drink from the Sacred Chalice in unity of faith and love. Should we not be closer in every way? I look forward not only to working with my fellow Bishops in the Episcopal Assembly, but also to getting to know and engage with all the Orthodox Christians of America – to know their hopes and their dreams.
Let no one feel excluded from the Chalice of Faith! We must work together to build an Archdiocese that values excellence more than habit, transparency more than isolation, and dignity more than expediency.
I arrive on these blessed shores full of hope – all of you are my “Elpidophoroi” – my bearers of hope and of the high expectation that this Holy Archdiocese of America will progress from “glory to glory,” as the Apostle says, and as I say – that we shall do it together. Besides, on this journey we have the souls of all our ancestors at our side; for they came to this, their “undiscovered country,” succeeded beyond expectations, and today we have their resting places, from which we yet take strength and hope, for “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the “oikoumene” and all who dwell therein” (Psalm 23:1, LXX).
In my mind and heart, I firmly believe that His Eminence will offer a great deal to this lofty and demanding ministry of the Archdiocese of America, in which the Church has elected him. As a shepherd, imitating Christ’s example, and in a God pleasing way, he will minister to all the People.
In closing, I want to ask from all of you the pious people of Atlanta Metropolis to pray for the stability of the Orthodox Church in America for the Clergy and the People and that God will enhance the work we do all together, as we serve in the vineyard of the Lord.
+ALEXIOS
Metropolitan of Atlanta
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.
- Sep 07, 2019 - St. George, Hollywood, 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.