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March 27, 2020 My Dear Saint George family, I pray that you are well and enduring our national struggle with strength and determination. There is little doubt that we are enveloped in a health crisis, the like of which we have never experienced. How ought we, as Orthodox Christians, respond? In his Epistle to the Romans, St. Paul tells us what our call is during these days of darkness: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12) You and I are to take comfort in the hope that this will pass. As our physical or mental anxiety may increase, we are summoned to patience, to endure and to not give up, and to pray fervently for protection and deliverance. I ask our loving God to continue to give each of you these spiritual gifts. I am reaching out to you, to let you know that Saint George is not only receiving but is also giving. We are blessed to have the Bishop George Fund, the Altar Fund, and Philoptochos to offer assistance to those who are experiencing a financial need. If you, or anyone you know, is in need of assistance at this time, please contact me. I have no doubt that each family and individual of our faith community has been impacted in a number of ways, perhaps financially. Your demands are many and your resources are not limitless. The same is true for our Church. Though sadly, we cannot gather together in our normal fashion, our expenses continue and our reliance on you is greater than ever. God’s house is your house. It is in this spirit that I humbly remind you to remain faithful to your Stewardship pledge so that we can sustain our faith life, our ministries, and our facilities. If you have not pledged, now is an excellent opportunity to make that commitment. Please make every effort to do what you can to see our parish through these challenging days. Working together, remaining faithful to the Psalmist’s words “What return shall I make unto the Lord for all that He hath given unto me…” As we are now live-streaming services, our home has become our Church. My prayers for you are to remain strong and hold on to the great hope to which we are called. I ask the blessing of God on each of you and pray that you remain vigilant and patient during these uncertain times. With certainty know, Christ is our hope, the Theotokos our protector, the Saints our intercessors and we the faithful, His witness. To join us in Prayer on Fridays and Sundays, use the following link: http://meetingslive.net/ Faithfully Yours, Fr. Dimitrios Antokas Presiding Priest |
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| Attachments: |
| PASTORAL LETTER.pdf |
