Metropolitan Alexios' Message
My Beloved Ones,
This Sunday we shall join the joyful children of Jerusalem who welcome our Lord, waving palm branches, and singing, “ὡσαννά, εὐλογημένος ὁἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου, βασιλεὺς τοῦ᾿Ισραήλ. Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (John 12:13) Palm Sunday is a day of joy as we prepare for a week of spiritual struggle, because we Orthodox understand that through His entry into Jerusalem, the Son of God takes His final steps towards both, His voluntary Passion, and His salvific Resurrection.
Though the Apostle Paul was not a Disciple during Christ’s ministry, his Epistle to the Philippians shares in the brightness of this day, when He tells the Church in Philippi: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near” (Philippians 4:4-5). Indeed, the Lord is near on this Palm Sunday, as we are asked to share in the joy of the children of Jerusalem, bearing our palm crosses and welcoming Him into our hearts. Though we know that the coming Holy Week will take us to the foot of the Cross on Golgotha, now we are meant to take comfort and strength in the knowledge that this Sunday is a taste of Christ’s triumphant Resurrection.
We should follow the Apostle Paul’s counsel to the Philippians: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving… the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). The events of the Last Supper, Christ’s Betrayal, and His Crucifixion will test our souls and hearts, but “…brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9).
My Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, may we begin Holy Week by thinking on the good things, focusing on the lovely, excellent, and praiseworthy, so that we may remain strong during the events of Holy Week, and ready to welcome that Feast of Feasts, Pascha.
+ALEXIOS
Metropolitan of Atlanta
Message from the Chancellor
April 15, 2022
Dear co-workers in Christ,
As we journey to Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Pascha, I thank you for your sacrificial and caring efforts to serve God and His Holy Body these past 40 days. As my brothers and sisters in Christ, I pray daily for each of you and add:
- On behalf of His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios, we thank you for your prayers for his health and for peace and healing in our world.
- Your diakonia testifies to the glory of God. He desires for us to live with Him. He calls us to welcome others to encounter Him through our worship, service, witness, and fellowship.
- It is impossible to identify all the acts of kindness and stewardship our faithful offer each day. However, we know God is working in our midst whether we are aware or not and He sustains us as we labor together.
- We are not a club or business; as the Body of Christ on earth, we have been given the stewardship of God’s creation and to use His truth and ample blessings to lift each other up and not weaken or destroy. You and your family are essential co-workers in our shared ministry. I thank you and your family for your faith and support.
- Daily we are given opportunities to reconcile with God and each other. He desires for us to come together in peace and unity. He taught us to renounce the temptations of Satan to judge and condemn others.
- Let us pray often: “As a good and loving God, forgive every sin we have committed in word, deed, or thought, for there is no one who lives and does not sin. You [Christ] alone are without sin. Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your word is truth.”
- I am grateful for your patience and friendship. I ask for God’s mercy and for His and your forgiveness for my shortcomings. May He forgive us all.
- At this time of year when we journey through Holy Week and read the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ arrest, persecution, crucifixion, and death for us, I am reminded of the special privilege of calling myself a Christian. I “get to” lift up my personal cross and offer sacrifice, love, and respect for our Crucified Lord and His Holy Body, the Church. He calls us to forgive just as He forgave those who persecuted Him. This is one aspect of what it means to “follow Him.” Everything we do for Him and for those whom we serve brings us closer together; it assists His salvation plan for His creation.
- I rejoice at the possibilities that lie ahead… for our parishes, our God-protected Metropolis, Archdiocese and Patriarchate. As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are His soldiers serving those He places in our paths. We “get to” lift up and strengthen each other, to walk in His light, and to share His love and mercy. Thank you for being my co-workers.
- I pray in the days ahead that the Holy Spirit guides us to do God’s will in all things as we journey together towards Him and His Eternal Kingdom.
- May we always see the image of God in each other. We ask His help to overcome temptations to harm or condemn others, whether consciously or unconsciously. May we fast and pray to overpower our weaknesses.
- Kali Dynami – may the strength of God’s Angels enable us to follow and live with our Risen Lord. In all things let us seek to serve His Holy Body on earth just as the Heavenly Powers serve Him in Heaven. May we ask Panayia and the Saints to pray for us and serve as our role models in our respective ministries.
- Kali Anastasi – Blessed Resurrection – may the joy of our Lord’s salvation be nurtured in our families, homes, workplaces, parishes, and in the world at large. I look forward to adding my voice with yours proclaiming “Christ is Risen!”
- Let us not forget during the Paschal period to share the light and renew the hope of all who are sick, suffering, at war, bereaved, in prisons, and lost. “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Faithfully yours,
+Fr. George Tsahakis
Chancellor
Youth, Education and Hellenic Culture
St. Stephen's Summer Camp has a rich tradition, dating back to the 1980's, and is grounded on the principals of living a true Orthodox lifestyle. There are liturgical services twice a day, opportunities for reflection, team building activities, community living and meals, athletics, arts & crafts, and nightly social activities.
Summer 2022
Week 1: June 26 - July 2
Week 2: July 3 - July 9
Week 3: July 10 - July 16
Week 4: July 17 - July 23
Week 5: July 24 - July 30
Camper Registration will open Tuesday, April 12 at 12:00 p.m. ET
Camper Registration Cost is $450.00 per camper.
$200.00 deposit upon registration and the remainder will be due by June 15, 2022.
Amazon Wishlist
We have put together an Amazon Wish List of items to assist in making St. Stephen's Summer Camp the best week of the year. Please take a moment and see if you can help in any way. All items will be shipped directly to the Metropolis in Atlanta.
If you do give us a gift, please let us know who you are so we can Thank You! Click Here!
On Youth Safety Protocols
From Father George Tsahakis, Chancellor: On behalf of His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios and Monica Gjerde, our Metropolis Youth Coordinator, I commend you for working to achieve the ongoing safety and protection of our youth. Please review the following:
Login in to Armatus Administration to see your Parish Summary Now!*
https://armatus2.praesidiuminc.com/armatusUser/login
In closing, we understand this effort requires 100 percent compliance. The parish I serve, St. Christopher Church is 100 percent compliant with the above protocol. If your parish is at 100 percent, email me so I can add you to the listing for His Eminence's review. He is both supportive and has completed his background check, the 2-part Youth Safety and 1-part youth worker regulations online training. This is an ongoing responsibility for all our clergy and their youth workers... we support your efforts to guide your parish to 100 percent compliance. Thank you.
*If you misplaced your password, contact your Parish Youth Safety Admin to get it.
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 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).
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 2022 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.
New Release from Trisagion Films: Saint Ignatius the God-bearer
Today, we released the latest video in our series about the lives of Orthodox Saints. St. Ignatius the God-bearer is about the life and martyrdom of the third bishop of Antioch. St. Ignatius was a disciple of the St. John the Theologian and, according to Orthodox tradition, was the little boy that Jesus Christ sat in the midst of the disciples when He said, "Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3). St. Ignatius was also known as the "God-bearer" (Theophoros), because he bore God in His heart and prayed to Him unceasingly. He was also given this name because he was held in the arms of Christ, the incarnate Son of God. As bishop of Antioch, St. Ignatius led the church with courage during a difficult time of persecution. He strengthened the flock through his willingness to suffer for Christ. This comes through in the letters St. Ignatius wrote to various churches on his way to martyrdom. We hope you enjoy this video about his life and about the history of that era.
If you enjoy our work, please consider contributing to our effort. We use donations to support our artists, upgrade equipment, and maintain our website and domain name. One option is the crowdfunding site Patreon, where your monthly donation will go a long way in helping us share the Orthodox faith with the world. You can also make donations via PayPal. Contact us directly if you would like to donate via other methods. We greatly appreciate any help you can give!