Message from Metropolitan Alexios
My Beloved Ones,
This Sunday we will begin a joyous period in the life of our Church: the 40-day Nativity Fast, wherein we prepare for the Incarnation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The importance of Lent means that many Orthodox do not emphasize this “Winter Lent”. Unlike Lent, the period before the Nativity is not especially somber. Indeed, with the joyousness of a secular holiday like Thanksgiving, as well as observances like Christmas vacation, there are those who question whether our modern world needs this Fast.
This Fast is also known as Phillip’s Fast, because St. Philip the Apostle’s feast day falls on November 14th, one day before the beginning of the Fast. St. Philip, John the Evangelist tells us, was from Bethsaida, which was also the home of Philip’s fellow Apostles, Andrew the First-Called and Andrew’s brother, St. Peter. St. Philip’s zeal for the coming of the Messiah was so great, that he is known to have brought a group of Greek Jews to see the Lord, just as he most famously, demonstrated true faith by telling a skeptical Nathanael to, “Come and see!” (John 1:46).
Too often, we are also skeptical; if not of our Lord (like Nathanael), then of the many guides our Church gives to us. We question why—when so many of our Christian brothers and sisters eat and drink freely—we are asked to abstain. The reason, of course, is simple: just as we prepare ourselves for the Passion and Resurrection by sacrificing our own passions, we are meant to prepare for our Lord’s birth in a humble cave, by demonstrating a small kind of humility in spirit. Our Lord, consenting to born near beasts of the field, did not enter this world as a King. Is there a better way to honor His humility by cleansing our bodies and hearts, so that we will approach the Christ Child quietly and reverently?
“Come and see!” said Philip to Nathanael. As we begin the feast named in this Saint’s honor, may we hold true to his words, and ask for his intercessions to our Creator, that we stay on the proper path to the humble manger.
+ALEXIOS
Metropolitan of Atlanta
COVID-19 Resources
New OCAMPR website and COVID-19 Resources
Christ is in our midst! In response to the challenges we are facing in our communities, country, and worldwide, OCAMPR is reaching out to provide assistance to care professionals at this time. Please visit the new OCAMPR website and our COVID-19 Resources page: https://www.ocampr.org/covid-19-resources.html It contains links to the best resources for healthcare professionals as we serve our clients, patients, and parishes. Consider contributing useful information that you have found or developed. We are in the process of developing additional resources that might be useful.
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
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).
September 9, 2020
My Brothers in the Lord,
I greet you with love and joy in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! I pray that we all experienced a blessed and joyous feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos.
As we enter this period of the new Ecclesiastical Year, the Metropolis turns its attention to those beautiful events: the Winter Youth Rally & Hellenic Dance Festival. Both WYR and HDF remain committed to safe environments for our Metropolis faithful to come together in fellowship, worship, and dance. Indeed, the Metropolis continues to closely monitor the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, in accordance with CDC, State and Federal Guidelines.
Therefore it is with a heavy but clear heart that I write to inform you, based on the recommendation from both the WYR Committee & the HDF Executive Committee(in consultation with our Metropolis Administration, and the Clergy Syndesmos) we feel the safest and most prudent decision is to cancel this year’s Winter Youth Rally, and the Hellenic Dance Festival for 2021.
While this news must surely come as a disappointment, please know that your WYR and HDF teams are working diligently, in coordination with the Metropolis Youth Office, to prepare a few educational events, webinars and opportunities, which will allow us to celebrate our Hellenic Culture and Faith, while observing proper safety measures.
Thanking all the Metropolis faithful--grandparents, parents, and children--for theircontinued patience, and encouraging our continued prayerful intercessions to our Most-Holy Mother, I remain,
Paternally yours with love and blessings in the Lord,
+ A L E X I O S
Metropolitan of Atlanta
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
➩ Updates to atlstrategicplan.org ⇦
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.
M
The Direct Archdiocesan District (DAD) is pleased to announce the launch of an online version of its popular “Journey of Marriage” pre-marital workshop. For several years the DAD has been offering in-person, all-day workshops at host parishes. Trained facilitators have visited the host parishes and presented the six-session program authored by Dr. Philip Mamalakis and Father Charles Joanides. These workshops received praise from the attendees for the practical and directly applicable lessons that every couple should consider before their wedding.
The Center for Family Care is pleased to announce the launching of Comfort Food for Families Advent Series, a weekly series that will be released on Mondays, beginning on November 9th and ending on December 28th.
The Department of Religious Education has a variety of educational and gift items for the Christmas season for all ages. Browse the collection on Orthodox Marketplace but order early as we are still experiencing some slower delivery times.
The Department of Religious Education has released the 2021 Topic Tips and Resources for the St John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival. Simultaneously, the parish registration is now available.
I am so very pleased to be with you for this magnificent feast of your Patron Saint – the Commander of the Heavenly Host, Michael, whose name – Μιχαήλ, is a question: “Who is like God?” What a question to ask this day! A question for all of us to consider, and whether our lives are like God and reflect His love for all creation.
On this week's episode of "Live with the Louhs," a radio ministry of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Fr. Nicholas and his wife, Dr. Roxanne Louh, a Clinical Psychologist, discuss how to "Navigate Through The Political Divide."
The Leadership 100 Board of Trustees unanimously endorsed the vote of the Executive Committee to approve a one-million-dollar contribution to the Clergy Pension Fund following a special appeal by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.