Christ is in our midst! He is and always shall be!
On June 24/July 7, the Holy Orthodox Church commemorates the Nativity of the Holy Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John; St. Michael, the Great Prince of Tver; the New Martyr Panagiotes of Caesarea on Cappadocia; the Synaxis of Righteous Zachariah and Elizabeth; St. Faustus and Companions, the 25 Martyrs of Rome; and the Translation of the Relics of the Great Martyr John of Romania. Through the prayers of Thy Saints, O God, save, have mercy upon, and protect Thy people. Amen!
FEAST OF STS. PETER AND PAUL: June 29 is the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, pre-eminent among the Apostles. Hierarchical Vespers begins Friday, June 28, at 6:00 PM at Sts. Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church, 920 W 7th Street in Frederick, MD. On Saturday, June 29, Orthros is at 9:00 AM followed by the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. Let us join our sister Church in celebrating the lives and preaching of these great Apostles!
FOR REFLECTION….
At long last, vacation season is upon us – a time when we can spend time relaxing, getting away with the family, and simply enjoying our life. It is helpful to remember that there is no vacation from God during these months. Discipleship is a full-time, daily calling which summons each of us to remain focused on the most important goal of our lives: coming closer to God and holding fast to that closeness. You and I are called to avoid the “principle of fractions” — adopting the attitude that we can only give God 30 percent of ourselves, or may be 50 percent, or sadly, perhaps only 10 percent of our time, our energy and our attention. Christ’s call to discipleship was total, full time, and demanding. It has no season, it is ongoing. It is not a matter of convenience for us, it is the reality of commitment. Keeping up your daily prayer, your weekly worship at the Holy Altar, spending time feeding your soul through spiritual reading — these are some of the ways we keep inviting the Holy Spirit into us to renew us and make us whole again. So keep Christ actively in your heart and soul, remembering there is never a second when he forgets you!
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ORTHODOX YOUTH MISSION TEAM: July 6-13. St. George will send 18 youth and 6 adult leaders to poverty-stricken east Kentucky to repair homes, so they are warmer, safer and drier. We are currently training and fundraising to cover our needed supplies and transportation. Please support St. George’s poverty-fighting efforts under the Appalachian Service Project at https://stgeorge.org/
“To prevent ‘Sinburn’, use ‘Sonscreen” – God