Sunday Services:
8:45 am Orthros
10:00 am Divine Liturgy
Christ is in our midst! He is and ever shall be!
Click above to place a Saint in a Pew at Saint Catherine
This Sunday is the 12th Sunday of Saint Matthew.
This week we celebrate The Indiction. The Indiction begins on the 1st of September and is observed with special ceremony in the Church. Since the completion of each year takes place, as it were, with the harvest and gathering of the crops into storehouses, and we begin anew from henceforth the sowing of seed in the earth for the production of future crops, September is considered the beginning of the New Year. The Church also keeps festival this day, beseeching God for fair weather, seasonable rains, and an abundance of the fruits of the earth. The Holy Scriptures (Lev. 23:24-5 and Num. 29:1-2) also testify that the people of Israel celebrated the feast of the Blowing of the Trumpets on this day, offering hymns of thanksgiving. In addition to all the aforesaid, on this feast we also commemorate our Savior's entry into the synagogue in Nazareth, where He was given the book of the Prophet Isaias to read, and He opened it and found the place where it is written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for which cause He has anointed Me..." (Luke 4:16-30).
It should be noted that to the present day, the Church has always celebrated the beginning of the New Year on September 1. This was the custom in Constantinople until its fall in 1453 and in Russia until the reign of Peter I. September 1 is still festively celebrated as the New Year at the Patriarchate of Constantinople; among the Jews also the New Year, although reckoned according to a moveable calendar, usually falls in September. The service of the Menaion for January 1 is for our Lord's Circumcision and for the memorial of Saint Basil the Great, without any mention of its being the beginning of a new year.
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During the summer we have been able to safely accomodate the number of parishioners who attend while maintaining the six foot 'social distancing' requirement without the attendance groups we used the first three Sundays after our reopening. Should our attendees exceed the capacity which we can accomodate, the church will remain open for a brief time following the Divine Liturgy to commune the faithful who were not able to be present in the church proper.
Holy Communion continues to be offered in the traditional manner at the conclusion of the Liturgy. Everyone is to approach by the center aisle pew-by-pew, maintaining your distance in the line using the designated social distancing X's that have been placed in the center aisle. You may remove your masks momentarily to receive Holy Communion. Please do not touch the red communion cloth; it will be held underneath your chin by the assigned adult helper. Those not receiving Holy Communion are in the same line and will not stop for Holy Communion but continue to the Antidoron by the side exit door. We do not prioritize the children as there is no in-person Sunday School class for them at this time. We have begun classes by Zoom.
Our church sanctuary is sanitized between services. Note that there is an increase in coronavirus cases in Palm Beach County and observe all precautions.
Please read the COVID-19 Update from His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios in the Metropolis section of this bulletin.
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CDC Website for current Coronavirus updates: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
This Week at Saint Catherine
Sunday, August 30 ~ 12th Sunday of Matthew
8:45 am Orthros - Link to the Orthros Service text
10:00 am Divine Liturgy - Link to the Divine Liturgy text
11:00 am Sunday School by Zoom
1:00 pm HDF Meets by Zoom
3:00 pm Greek School drive-by to pick up books
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Monday, August 31
Greek School begins by Zoom
6:30 pm Great Vespers Live Stream from Saint Photios Shrine
www.facebook.com/SaintPhotios/
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Tuesday, September 1 ~ The Indiction "Beginning of the Ecclesiastical New Year"
7-8 pm Webinar in Honor of the Protection of the Environment
The St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine
Celebrating the Feast of Indiction and the Protection of the Environment
Featuring Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis & Dr. Lee Ann Clements
Register for the webinar (pre-registration required):
https://goarch.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LjdoDIFnR-a9l8sqX9R10w
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Wednesday, September 2
7:00 pm Parish Council Meeting by Zoom
Parish Financial Summary
Income: $348,482
Expenses: $384,629
Net Income (Loss) ($ 36,147)
Youth Safety Resources
We’re committed to connecting young people with Jesus Christ. To do that, we need to create ministry environments that are safe and health. For more on how you can help, please visit our new Youth Safety website: goarch.org/safety.
Many of our Divine Liturgies have been recorded and can be viewed at www.youtube.com. Subscribe to our new YouTube channel for 2020:
Saint Catherine Greek Orthodox Church (2020 services)
Saint Catherine Greek Orthodox Church (2015-2019 services)
Shop with Amazon, donate to Saint Catherine
Amazon Smile is a program that allows for 0.5% of your eligible Amazon purchase to be donated to our Saint Catherine Church (No Added Cost To You). To sign-up visit Sign up for Amazon Smile and press "Select" next to our church name. Then remember to log in to "smile.amazon.com" when you shop.
While we pray for continued protection and permanent relief, we selected a new date for our 4th annual retreat to continue this precious tradition and to strengthen our spiritual health. 4Th ANNUAL RETREAT SPIRITUAL FORMATION OF THE HEALER Panagia Chapel Conference Area Diakonia Retreat Center. Retreat Leader is Fr. Dr. Gregory Georgiou ❖ Ph.D. in Counselor Education & Supervision ❖ Holds a Master of Divinity from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology ❖ Holds a Master of Art in Community Mental Health Counseling ❖ NC Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) & Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) ❖ Director of Pre-marital Programming for Metropolis of Atlanta. Fee for the retreat is $200/person and $225/couple. Please make your check to: Holy Unmercenaries Medical Society Checks can be mailed to: Holy Unmercenaries Medical Society c/o St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church 5108 Kuykendall Road Charlotte, NC 28270 Registration deadline is Oct 16th Please RSVP to Teresa at: teresa_jacob@icloud.com
The Stewardship of Time. Our 2020 Stewardship Campaign.
The Metropolis is pleased to announce a new and updated website for our beloved Diakonia Retreat Center: thediakoniaretreatcenter.com. Truly, it is only appropriate that such a place, which has seen much growth over the past few years, receive a brand new website that shall include even more information about the activities of the jewel of our Metropolis. The DRC is the home of Saint Stephen's Camp, the annual weekend for special needs families, our fruitful candle ministry, retreats for clergy and laity, and much more!
Creating healthy, Christ-centered ministry environments. ------------ As an Archdiocese, we're ready to take the next step in youth safety. ------------ The new Policies for the Safety of Children and Youth is how we'll do it. ------------ Ministry heads check this out! We must prepare and follow all the steps for the safety of our children. Our Archdiocese requires this in order to participate in any youth events !!!
CYBER CRIME HAS BEEN INFILTRATING OUR LIVES FOR YEARS. More recently, parishes and religious communities around us are being targeted by a phishing scam . . .
Flagler Drive by the church will be closed through next summer. The bridge is scheduled to be completed after Pascha 2021.
First Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from Matthew 28:16-20
At that time, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshipped him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age. Amen."
Prokeimenon. Third Tone. Psalm 46.6,1.
Sing praises to our God, sing praises.
Verse: Clap your hands, all you nations.
The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 15:1-11.
Brethren, I would remind you in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, by which you are saved, if you hold it fast -- unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
12th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 19:16-26
At that time, a young man came up to Jesus, kneeling and saying, "Good Teacher, what good deed must I do, to have eternal life?" And he said to him, "Why do you call me good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments." He said to him, "Which?" And Jesus said, "You shall not kill, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and You shall love your neighbor as yourself." The young man said to him, "All these I have observed; what do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.
And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
Saint Alexander was sent to the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea as the delegate of Saint Metrophanes, Bishop of Constantinople (see June 4), to whose throne he succeeded in the year 325. When Arius had deceitfully professed allegiance to the Council of Nicaea, Saint Alexander, knowing his guile, refused to receive him into communion; Arius' powerful partisans threatened that they would use force to bring Arius into the communion of the Church the following day. Saint Alexander prayed fervently that God might spare the Church; and as Arius was in a privy place relieving nature, his bowels gushed forth with an effusion of blood, and the arch-heresiarch died the death of Judas. Saint Alexander was Bishop from 325 until 337, when he was succeeded by Saint Paul the Confessor, who died a martyr's death at the hands of the Arians (see Nov. 6). The Saint John commemorated here appears to be the one who was Patriarch during the years 562-577, surnamed Scholasticus, who is also commemorated on February 21. He was from Antioch, where he had been a lawyer (scholasticus); he was made presbyter, then was sent to Constantinople as representative (apocrisiarius) of the Patriarch of Antioch, and was appointed Patriarch of Constantinople by the Emperor Justinian. Saint Paul was Bishop of Constantinople during the years 687 - 693, in the reign of Emperor Justinian II, and presided over the Quinisext Council in 692.
The Synaxis of the Holy Hierarchs of Serbia: The Saints commemorated on this day are: Sabbas, First Archbishop and enlightener of Serbia (see Jan. 14); Arsenius, his successor, a great hierarch and wonderworker; Sabbas II, son of Saint Stephen, the first-crowned King of Serbia; Nicodemus, About of Hilandar, later Archbishop of Serbia; Joannicius, Archbishop, later Patriarch from 1346 to 1349; Patriarch Ephraim, an ascetic, who crowned Prince Lazarus, and later left the patriarchate to live in solitude; Spyridon, Ephraim's successor, who reposed in 1388; Macarius, who printed many church books in Serbia and abroad, was very zealous in renovating and adoring churches, and reposed in 1574; Gabriel, Archbishop, who took part in the Church Council of Moscow during the patriarchate of Nicon, for which the Turks accused him of treason and hanged him in Prusa in the year 1656. Also commemorated are Eustathius, James, Daniel, Sabbas III, Gregory, Cyril (Patriarch), John, Maximus, and Nicon. Many of them labored in asceticism on the Holy Mountain, and all were "good and faithful servants, good labourers in the vineyard of the Lord".
Although the historical accounts differ somewhat, the Deposition that is celebrated today took place most likely during the reign of Emperor Arcadius (395-408), when the precious Cincture of the Mother of God was brought from Zela of Cappadocia to Constantinople, and placed in the Church of the Theotokos in the section of Chalcopratia.
Saint Cyprian was born of pagan parents in Carthage of Roman Africa about the year 190. An eloquent teacher of rhetoric, he was converted and baptized late in life, and his conversion from a proud man of learning to a humble servant of Christ was complete; he sold his great possessions and gave them to the poor, and because of his zeal and virtue, was ordained presbyter in 247, then Bishop of Carthage in 248. He was especially steadfast in defending the sanctity and uniqueness of the Baptism of the Church of Christ against the confusion of those who would allow some validity to the ministrations of heretics; his writings continue to guide the Church even in our own day. Having survived the persecution of Decius about the year 250, he was beheaded in confession of the Faith during the persecution of Valerian in 258, on September 14; that day being the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, his feast is kept today.
For the maintenance of their armed forces, the Roman emperors decreed that their subjects in every district should be taxed every year. This same decree was reissued every fifteen years, since the Roman soldiers were obliged to serve for fifteen years. At the end of each fifteen-year period, an assessment was made of what economic changes had taken place, and a new tax was decreed, which was to be paid over the span of the fifteen years. This imperial decree, which was issued before the season of winter, was named Indictio, that is, Definiton, or Order. This name was adopted by the emperors in Constantinople also. At other times, the latter also used the term Epinemisis, that is, Distribution (Dianome). It is commonly held that Saint Constantine the Great introduced the Indiction decrees in A.D. 312, after he beheld the sign of the Cross in heaven and vanquished Maxentius and was proclaimed Emperor in the West. Some, however (and this seems more likely), ascribe the institution of the Indiction to Augustus Caesar, three years before the birth of Christ. Those who hold this view offer as proof the papal bull issued in A.D. 781 which is dated thus: Anno IV, Indictionis LIII -that is, the fourth year of the fifty-third Indiction. From this, we can deduce the aforementioned year (3 B.C.) by multiplying the fifty-two complete Indictions by the number of years in each (15), and adding the three years of the fifty-third Indiction. There are three types of Indictions: 1) That which was introduced in the West, and which is called Imperial, or Caesarean, or Constantinian, and which begins on the 24th of September; 2) The so-called Papal Indiction, which begins on the 1st of January; and 3) The Constantinopolitan, which was adopted by the Patriarchs of that city after the fall of the Eastern Empire in 1453. This Indiction is indicated in their own hand on the decrees they issue, without the numeration of the fifteen years. This Indiction begins on the 1st of September and is observed with special ceremony in the Church. Since the completion of each year takes place, as it were, with the harvest and gathering of the crops into storehouses, and we begin anew from henceforth the sowing of seed in the earth for the production of future crops, September is considered the beginning of the New Year. The Church also keeps festival this day, beseeching God for fair weather, seasonable rains, and an abundance of the fruits of the earth. The Holy Scriptures (Lev. 23:24-5 and Num. 29:1-2) also testify that the people of Israel celebrated the feast of the Blowing of the Trumpets on this day, offering hymns of thanksgiving. In addition to all the aforesaid, on this feast we also commemorate our Saviour's entry into the synagogue in Nazareth, where He was given the book of the Prophet Esaias to read, and He opened it and found the place where it is written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for which cause He hath anointed Me..." (Luke 4:16-30).
It should be noted that to the present day, the Church has always celebrated the beginning of the New Year on September 1. This was the custom in Constantinople until its fall in 1453 and in Russia until the reign of Peter I. September 1 is still festively celebrated as the New Year at the Patriarchate of Constantinople; among the Jews also the New Year, although reckoned according to a moveable calendar, usually falls in September. The service of the Menaion for January 1 is for our Lord's Circumcision and for the memorial of Saint Basil the Great, without any mention of its being the beginning of a new year.
Our righteous Father Symeon was born about the year 390 in a certain village named Sis, in the mountain region of Cilicia and Syria. Having first been a shepherd, he entered the monastic discipline at a young age. After trying various kinds of ascetical practices, both in the monastery and then in the wilderness, he began standing on pillars of progressively greater height, and heroically persevered in this for more than forty years; the greater part of this time he spent standing upright, even when one of his feet became gangrenous, and other parts of his body gave way under the strain. He did not adopt this strange way of life out of vainglory, a charge that some of his contemporaries made against him at the first: because he was already famous for his asceticism and holiness before ascending his first pillar (in Greek, style, whence he is called "Stylite"), many pious people came to him wishing to touch his garments, either for healing or for a blessing; to escape the continual vexation they caused, he made a pillar about ten feet high, and then higher and higher, until the fourth and last was about fifty feet high. The Church historian Theodoret of Cyrrhus, an eyewitness of his exploits who wrote of him while Symeon was yet alive, called him "the great wonder of the world." God gave him the grace to persevere in such an astonishing form of asceticism that multitudes came to see him from Persia, Armenia, South Arabia, Georgia, Thrace, Spain, Italy, Gaul, and the British Isles. Theodoret says that he became so famous in Rome that the Nomadic Arabs by the thousands believed in Christ and were baptized because of him; the King of Persia sent envoys to inquire into his way of life, and the Queen asked to be sent oil that he had blessed. He also was a great defender of sound doctrine, and confirmed the Orthodoxy of the Holy Council of Chalcedon for many who had been beguiled by the teachings of the Monophysites, including the Empress Eudocia, widow of Theodosius the Younger. After a life of unheard-of achievements and struggles, he reposed in peace at the age of sixty-nine, in the year 459.
Jesus (Joshua) of Navi was born of the tribe of Ephraim in Egypt, in the seventeenth century before Christ. When he was eighty-five years of age, he became Moses' successor. He restrained the River Jordan's flow and allowed the Israelites to cross on foot. He caused the sun to stop in its course when he was waging war against the Amorites. He divided the Promised Land among the Twelve Tribes of Israel and governed them for twenty-five years. He wrote the Old Testament book that bears his name, and having lived 110 years in all, he reposed in the sixteenth century before Christ. His name means "God saves."
Saint Mammas was from Gangra of Paphlagonia. He was born in prison, where his parents were suffering for Christ's sake and ended their lives. He was named Mammas because, after he had long remained without speaking, he addressed his foster mother Ammia as "mamma." He contested for Christ about the year 275.
Saint John became Patriarch during the reign of Tiberius, in the year 582, governed the Church for thirteen years and five months, and reposed in peace in 595. It was during this Patriarch's reign, in the year 586, that the title "Ecumenical Patriarch," not used before this, came to be instituted.
After the death of the 20,000 Martyrs of Nicomedia, their Bishop Anthimus fled to a certain village to care for his remaining flock. The Emperor Maximian sent men in search of him. When they found him, he promised to show Anthimus to them, but first took them in as guests, fed them, and only then made himself known to them. Amazed at his kindness, the soldiers promised him to tell Maximian that they had not found him. But Anthimus went willingly with them, and converting them by his admonitions, baptized them on the way. He boldly confessed his Faith before Maximian, and after frightful tortures was beheaded in the year 303 or 304.
Saint Theoctistus, a monk at the Palestinian lavra of Pharan, embraced a more severe life in the wilderness with his friend Saint Euthymius the Great. They founded a monastery, of which Theoctistus was the abbot. He reposed in deep old age in 451.
Saint Babylas was the twelfth Bishop of Antioch, being the successor of Zebinus (or Zebinas); he was beheaded during the reign of Decius, in the year 250, and at his own request was buried in the chains with which he was bound. The Emperor Gallus (reigned 351-354) built a church in his honour at Daphne, a suburb of Antioch, to put an end to the demonic oracles at the nearby temple of Apollo. When Julian the Apostate came in 362 to consult the oracle about his campaign against the Persians, the oracle (that is, the demon within it) remained dumb until at last, answering Julian's many sacrifices and supplications, it told him, "The dead prevent me from speaking." It told Julian to dig up the bones and move them. Julian, then, in the words of Saint John Chrysostom, "leaving all the other dead, moved only that Martyr." He commanded the Christians to take away Saint Babylas' bones, which they did with great solemnity and triumph. When this had been done, a thunderbolt fell from heaven destroying with fire the shrine of Apollo, which Julian did not dare rebuild. Saint John Chrysostom preached a sermon on this within a generation after.
The Prophet Moses-whose name means "one who draws forth," or "is drawn from," that is, from the water-was the pinnacle of the lovers of wisdom, the supremely wise lawgiver, the most ancient historian of all. He was of the tribe of Levi, the son of Amram and Jochabed (Num. 26:59). He was born in Egypt in the seventeenth century before Christ. While yet a babe of three months, he was placed in a basket made of papyrus and covered with pitch, and cast into the streams of the Nile for fear of Pharaoh's decree to the mid-wives of the Hebrews, that all the male children of the Hebrews be put to death. He was taken up from the river by Pharaoh's daughter, became her adopted son, and was reared and dwelt in the King's palace for forty years. Afterward, when he was some sixty years old, he fled to Madian, where, on Mount Horeb, he saw the vision of the burning bush. Thus he was ordained by God to lead Israel and bring it out of the land of Egypt. He led Israel through the Red Sea as it were dry land and governed the people for forty years. He wrought many signs and wonders, and wrote the first five books of the Old Testament, which are called the Pentateuch. When he reached the land of Moab, he ascended Mount Nabau, on the peak called Phasga, and there, by divine command, he reposed in the sixteenth century before Christ, having lived for some 120 years. The first two Odes of the Old Testament, "Let us sing to the Lord" and "Attend, O heaven, and I will speak," were written by him. Of these hymns, the first was chanted by the shore of the Red Sea as soon as the Israelites had crossed it; the second, in the land of Moab, a few days before his repose. The Holy High Priest Aaron was the elder brother of the Holy Prophet Moses. He was appointed by God to serve as the spokesman of Moses before the people, and also before Pharaoh, in Egypt. Afterwards, in the wilderness, he was called to the ministry of the high priesthood, as narrated in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers in the Old Testament. The name Aaron means "enlightened."
According to the opinion of many Fathers of the Church, based on an ancient tradition, this is the Zacharias whom, as our Lord said, the Jews slew between the temple and the altar (Matt. 23:35), first, because even after the Virgin Mary gave birth, he continued to refer to her as virgin and number her among the virgins; second, because Zacharias' son John was not found during the slaughter of the Innocents, since the elderly Elizabeth had taken him and carefully hid him while he was yet an infant, in an unnamed place somewhere in the desert, where, according to the Evangelist, "the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel" (Luke 1:80). When the child was not found, his father was slain by Herod's command.
Message from Metropolitan Alexios
My Beloved Ones,
This coming Tuesday we are blessed to celebrate another Ecclesiastical New Year. Even in these unique circumstances of the current pandemic, we should continue to offer thanks to Almighty God for safeguarding us to see this new year.
Although the observance of September 1st as the Ecclesiastical New Year is kept by our Ecumenical Patriarchate, many Orthodox Christians might wonder ‘why this date?’ Why not January 1st?
The tradition begins with the Roman Emperors, who from the time of Caesar Augustus in 3 BC instituted a new yearly tax to be paid for a period of fifteen years (this was also the length of time for a Roman soldier to serve in the army). This order or, in Latin, “indiction” was proclaimed before every winter season. After the Fall of the City in 1453, our Ecumenical Patriarch continued the Constantinopolitan tradition, writing the Indiction on September 1st, marking the harvest, and so, the passing of the old year into the preparation for the new. (The later Papal Indiction made the Western New Year, January 1st, but September 1st continues to be our Ecclesiastical marker.)
On a liturgical level, the Church honors this date with a Gospel reading that is full of salvific meaning. Our Lord enters the Synagogue at Nazareth, and taking the scroll of Isaiah the reads the prophecy that concerns Himself: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” (Luke 4:18-19)
My beloved, even amid difficulties and struggles, we must never forget that the reality of the Church means that all our feasts and celebrations are taking place now, even as they have already historically happened. This means that on September 1st, we shall once again experience the announcement that this is now “…the year of the Lord’s favor.” Even if this calendar year does not seem favorable to our human understanding, we should use this opportunity as a new beginning: maintaining a positive, grateful spirit, continuing to pray to God not only “For favorable weather, for an abundance of the fruits of the earth”, but also for “for peaceful times”.
+ALEXIOS
Metropolitan of Atlanta
COVID-19 Resources
May 22, 2020
I greet you my beloved with love and joy in the name of our Resurrected Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! I pray that this message finds you well, as we prepare to re-open our churches.
This past week we hosted conference calls via Zoom with all the parishes in our God protected Metropolis. I offer my sincere gratitude to all who participated in these meetings as they were very beneficial, not only for those who attended, but for myself as well. In those meetings, we were able to review, assess the regulations of each State and see how we can best celebrate our Church Services in each location. From our discussions, we received valuable information to share with all of you.
Therefore, in addition to the guidelines stated in the letter dated May 13, 2020, please consider these supplementary guidelines as well.
To read the rest of His Eminence's letter and review the Metropolis protocols, please click here.
We’re particularly interested in supporting the professionals on the frontlines, many of whom are carrying additional risks and burdens. It is easy to be overworked and isolated specifically as the stresses and complexities of care-providing increase.
Visit our Support for Frontline Professionals page:
https://www.ocampr.org/support-for-frontline-healthcare-professionals.html Here you may sign up for prayer support, receive a daily quote and reflection, or share your work experiences. Please share these resources with anyone whom you think might benefit.
We know that these are unique times for all of us, and we also know that we have been invited to provide important care at this time. OCAMPR seeks to support each healthcare professional because we do not need to respond alone. If you have any questions, comments, or specific needs that OCAMPR can assist you with at this time, do not hesitate to reach out to us at ocamprinfo@gmail.com. We seek to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2) at this time as we offer our skills and services in faith and in love.
May our God of mercy, compassion, and love, through the prayers of His Most Holy Mother, Sts. Kosmas and Damian, St. Luke the Physician, and all the Saints be with all of you in the Lenten Season.
in Christ,
OCAMPR Executive Board
I just wanted to make available to you a very extensive set of resources I offered on my last AFR podcast with a lot of specific suggestions for parishes to consider in 10 strategic areas as a result of COVID-19 as well as a lot of other online resources they could access.
The podcast was over 2 hours given all of the content and resources, and I have also provided two written transcripts, once of the entire show, and a second one that just featured all of the ideas in the 10 areas and resources. I also encouraged those people who can afford to do so to accept the Coronavirus Contribution Challenge by taking their government check they will receive and contributing it to their local church, ministry or charity.
The podcast is free and can be shared and used with no conditions or restrictions. The specific podcast “Spread The Word Not The Virus” can be accessed here: https://www.ancientfaith.com/podcasts/stewardshipcalling/spread_the_word_not_the_virus
The printed resources can be downloaded here https://stewardshipcalling.com/internet-radio/, by scrolling down to the April 1, 2020 program notes.
Feel free to use or share what you want on the Metropolis communications or wherever. Thanks again for all you do and stay safe.
Have a blessed day.
Bill Marianes
Youth, Education and Hellenic Culture
For information on Policies for the Safety of Youth and Children, please click https://atlmetropolis.org/policies-for-the-safety-of-youth-and-children! Please remember that all parishes must comply and sign their parish contracts by December 1 to host any youth ministry programs or events on the parish level (Sunday School) or to participate on a District or Metropolis Level Events (Retreats, WYR & HDF).
July 27, 2020
My beloved in the Lord,
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.
To see the full list of seminars in Florida and in our entire Metropolis for 2020 and beyond, and to register, please visit: https://atlmetropolis.org/pre-marital-seminars-journey-of-marriage
Registration is online. Materials costs are included in the registration. The seminars are currently being conducted by Zoom meeting.
The Strategic Plan
Have you gone to the atlstrategicplan.org website to find completed materials covering Stewardship or Outreach, Best Educational Materials or Youth Worker Training?
Now you can watch videos in each of these 4 areas to learn from the experts!
Workshops at the 2019 Metropolis Clergy-Laity Assembly in Jacksonville, Florida on these topics were videotaped to provide additional materials to help parishes in these areas.
The Stewardship Training video can be found here: https://atlstrategicplan.org/home/completed-goal-materials/9-1-comprehensive-stewardship-program
The Best Education Materials Training video can be found here: https://atlstrategicplan.org/home/completed-goal-materials/4-1-best-education-materials/
The Outreach, Evangelism, and Philanthropy Training video can be found here: https://atlstrategicplan.org/home/completed-goal-materials/7-1-outreach-evangelism-and-philanthropy
The Youth Worker Program Training Video can be found here: https://atlstrategicplan.org/home/completed-goal-materials/11-2-youth-worker-program/
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Take a look at the online portal.
Vist www.atlstrategicplan.org/portal to view a list of the completed goals.