FROM THE CHANCELLOR`S DESK June 19, 2009

Dear Reverend Vicars, Reverend Clergy, and the Faithful of the Metropolis of Atlanta:

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

I want to share an imaginary story about a little robin that I have never forgotten. The small bird saw Jesus on the cross with His painful crown of thorns. The bird flew around and around until he found a way to remove a thorn, and in removing the thorn, the bird stuck himself.

My brothers and sisters in Christ, each one of us in our daily ministry of serving our Lord and Savior, is called to be that bird. What if we were to ask ourselves each day, “What have I done to help our Lord? What comfort have I given in His behalf? Does my work really mean something, and if so, how do I share it as God’s faithful steward?”

The little robin tried to remove just one thorn. When I consider the crown of thorns on Christ’s head, I think of that robin. Yet, I know how easy it is to look at our world without seeing the poor and suffering – those who have found themselves isolated from God’s Holy Body – whether by choice or through unawareness? Perhaps the crown of thorns we see in life is too overwhelming to realize how we can work together with one another to remove the obstacles we confront.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has chosen each of us to be His love and His light in the world. Last week, in Clearwater, Florida, we had the opportunity as a Metropolis family to witness that love and light at our 2009 Clergy Laity Assembly and Philoptochos Conference. I thank you for attending as our clergy, parishioners, and co-workers in Christ.

There, we were reminded that God has chosen each of us to assist Him. There, His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta challenged us to support and grow our youth while serving all our faithful, especially those who no longer find themselves in our midst, or who have never discovered the Body of Christ. There, we tasted of the seemingly boundless hospitality of our host parish, Holy Trinity Church in Clearwater, Florida, led by Fr. James Rousakis, Dr. Ted Vlahos, Mrs. Jeannie Demas, and their many co-workers. There, we were reminded of how important and necessary each of us is to help remove the thorns causing pain and suffering to God’s children and bring them ever closer to Him.

As I traveled back to Atlanta, I considered our many fruitful efforts and prayed for God’s guidance concerning “What should I do now after this beautiful encounter?” I concluded with the following thought: As a Metropolis body, in our respective ministries and parishes, we must respond by making something beautiful for God — something very beautiful. For this we must give our all, our utmost as we cling to Jesus Christ, as we grasp Him, and may we never let go for anything.

Thank you for your continued support of my ministry and the privilege of serving you in this special office. Glory to God always!

Faithfully yours,
V. Rev. Fr. George Tsahakis
Chancellor



PARISH BULLETIN BOARD HOLY TRINITY, Augusta, GA “Baking for Orthodoxy” Saturday June 20, 9am
Session 2: How to make koliva
Session 2: How to make prosfora
Session 3: How to make Tsoureki (Easter Bread)
$15/session or $35 for all three!
Space limited. Must sign up in order to participate. RSVP by e-mail to holytrinitygoc@bellsouth.net

HOLY TRINITY, New Orleans, LA is asking anyone who has Community pictures from years gone by, to please bring them in to the Office where they will be scanned and returned. The Parish Council has chosen the month of September to be “Holy Trinity History Month,” as part of the recognition of the Cathedral’s 145th Anniversary. Plans include setting up a historical display.

HOLY CROSS/STS. CONSTANTINE & HELEN, Huntsville, AL Philoptochos delivered 41 blankets to Project Linus for needy children in the community.

ST. KATHERINE, Melbourne, FL is collecting school supplies for children in foster care or kinship care.

CHRIST THE SAVIOR, Spring Hill, FL Ladies Society made and delivered Mothers’ Day toiletry baskets & haircut certificates to the women and children at the Dawn Center.

ANNUNCIATION, Atlanta, GA Day School is looking for teacher's assistants to work during the 2009-2010 school year. The Day School currently educates children ages 18 mo.-Kindergarten. If you enjoy working with children and are interested in learning more, contact Michelle Wright, adsdirector@hotmail





FEAST DAYS and NAME DAYS FOR THE COMING WEEK June 21
2nd Sunday of Matthew
Julian the Martyr of Tarsus
Terentios, Bishop of Iconium
Nikitas the New Martyr of Nisyros

June 22
3rd Monday after Pentecost
Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata
Zenon the Martyr & his servant Zenas of Philadelphia
Anastasios the Serbian

June 23
3rd Tuesday after Pentecost
Agrippina the Martyr of Rome
Holy Martyrs Aristocleus the Priest, Demetrius the Deacon and Athanasius the Reader
Holy New Martrys Archpriest of Crete Gerasimus, Knossos Neophyte, Xepponessos Ioachim, Lampe Hierotheus, Seteia Zacharius, Kisamos Melchisadek, Piopoleos Kallinicus and Those Martyred with Them (1821-1822)
Mark, Bishop of Ephesus

June 24
Nativity of the Forerunner John the Baptist
St. Elizabeth, Mother of the Forerunner
Panagiotis the New Martyr

June 25
3rd Thursday after Pentecost
Leavetaking of the Nativity of the Foreunner John the Baptist
Prokopios the New Martyr
Fevronia the Righteous Martyr
Dionysius & Dometios the Righteous of Mount Athos

June 26
3rd Friday after Pentecost
David the Righteous of Thessalonika
Appearance of the Icon of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos of Tikhvin

June 27
3rd Saturday after Pentecost
Sampson the Innkeeper of Constantinople
Joanna the Myrrhbearer
Anektos the Martyr
Luke the Hermit



































































































SAVE THE DATE - June ST. JOHN, Tampa, FL Junior Olympics June 19-21

ST. ATHANASIOS, Gulf Shores, AL Yard Sale, June 20

ST. BARBARA, Sarasota, FL PHILOPTOCHOS Luncheon Sat. June 20, 11:30am

HOLY TRINITY, New Orleans, LA June 21"Father & Son Acolyte Sunday"
Recognition of College Graduates

ST. CHRISTOPHER, Peachtree City, GA Father’s Day Luncheon Sunday, June 21

CHRIST THE SAVIOR, Spring Hill, FL Father's Day Blessing & Brunch, June 21

ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM, Stuart, FL Sunday, June 21 Father`s Day Luncheon - dads & kids eat for FREE!!! Ladies $10 donation

HOLY TRINITY, Charlotte, NC GOYA Retreat/Beach Trip to Charleston, SC June 22-24, rising 9th–12th graders. $90/person

TRANSFIGURATION, Florence, SC VBS June 22-26

ST. PHILOTHEA, Athens, GA Bread for Life Banquet, Tue. Jun 23 7-10pm

HOLY TRINITY, Orlando, FL Tuesday, June 23,6pm-8pm, first of three Estate
Planning Workshops

ST. NEKTARIOS, Charlotte, NC Family Prosfora Workshop June 24,10am-12:30

HOLY TRINITY, New Orleans, LA Vacation Church School Fri, June 26: 6-8pm, Sat. June 27, 9am-3pm Sun. June 28 11:30am-2pm

ST. PAUL, Savannah, GA, St. Paul’s Day Luncheon, June 28, Lemon Baked Chicken, Roasted Potatoes - Greek Style, Salad,Roll, Dessert Iced Tea & Coffee. $8/person

ST. NICHOLAS, Wilmington, NC VCS Monday, June 29–Friday, July 3




UPCOMING EVENTS HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, Tallahassee, FL Spaghetti Dinner, July 3, 11am-7pm

ANNUNCIATION, Atlanta, GA PAREA Monday, July 6, Noon, Evans Fine Foods

ST. PAUL, Savannah, GA Vacation Church School for children ages 4-12 July 6-10, 9am-12:30 pm. “Feasts of the Theotokos”

ST. NEKTARIOS, Charlotte, NC Council of ministries retreat July 17-18
For all Ministry Directors, Team and Group Leaders, Philoptochos Board Members and all members of the community interested in planning for the community

ST. NEKTARIOS, Charlotte, NC July 17 Community Cookout

ST. CHRISTOPHER, Peachtree City, GA GOYA Braves vs. NY Mets Outing Sunday, July 19,6pm,Tickets $18 Outfield Seats

ST. GEORGE, Greenville, SC Basketball Camp July 27-July 31, ages 5-13

ST. GEORGE, Greenville, SC Vacation Church School Aug. 3-8, 9am-noon

ST. NEKTARIOS, Charlotte, NC Missions and philanthropy Ministry Yard sale August 7-8

ST. CATHERINE, W. Palm Beach, FL Vacation Church School Aug. 10-14

HOLY TRINITY, Orlando, FL Vacation Bible School Aug. 10-14

ST. MARK, Boca Raton, FL, Greek Dance Camp, Aug.10-14,ages 7-15,9am-2pm (aftercare available) $90/camper. Dance instruction, movies/videos, t-shirt, dance competition, costume fashion show, arts & crafts, take-home dvd, snacks

1st Annual Celebration, Panagiri at the Beach, Aug. 14-16, hosted by ST. JOHN, Myrtle Beach, SC GOYA

ST. CHRISTOPHER, Peachtree City, GA GreekFest 2009 Sept. 19

HOLY TRINITY/HOLY CROSS, Birmingham, AL GREEK FESTIVAL Sept. 24-26

HOLY TRINITY, Asheville, NC Greek Festival Sept. 25-27

ST. NEKTARIOS, Charlotte, NC Saturday, Sept. 26 Goyans Gone Gray BBQ, Band & Bonfire

2nd annual YAL Convention & Basketball Tournament, HOLY TRINITY, Charlotte, NC Oct. 9-12, (Columbus Day weekend)

ST. MARK, Boca Raton, FL Golf Tournament, Boca Greens CC, Oct. 17

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, Tallahassee, FL 2009 Greek Food Festival Oct. 23-24

National Philoptochos Children’s Medical Fund Luncheon, November 14, Boca Raton Resort and Club, hosted by the Metropolis of Atlanta.


ST. STEPHENS CAMP NEWS St. Stephen's Summer Camp-2009 is taking registrations for
Session IV-----August 3-7, 2009
'HOLY GIFTS FOR THE HOLY PEOPLE'
Please do not delay, as all other sessions have filled!


Please send in forms immediately! Registration is not complete by phone or email....forms must be sent in to be registered. They may be scanned or faxed if paying by credit card.



ST. STEPHENS CAMP
Session I: Sunday, July 12 - Saturday July 18, 2009

Session II: Sunday, July 19 - Saturday, July 25, 2009

Session III: Sunday, July 26 - Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009

Session IV: Sunday, August 2 - Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009
Held at
The Diakonia Retreat Center
864-944-6788
www.diakoniacenter.org
455 Quail Ridge Road
Salem, SC 29676

Questions may be addressed to:
+Father Stavros Akrotirianakis-Camp Co-Director-(813)876-8830 frstav@gmail.com
+Father Matthew Carter-Camp Co-Director: frmatthewcarter@gmail.com
Ethel Gjerde-Assistant Camp Director: 404-271-8951 sargepw8@yahoo.com
Michelle Cassimus-Youth Coordinator: 404-634-9345 Ext. 19 youth@atlmetropolis.org

DOWNLOAD ALL FORMS: www.atlmetropolis.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
All forms will be on our NEW WEBSITE: www.atlmetropolis.org
by Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2009.
You may email us to receive them directly as attachments.
Please do not delay in getting all of your forms mailed immediately!
(Please remember you will not be sending the Priest Recommendation Form. He will send it to us here at the Metropolis.)

Questions may be addressed to:
+Father Stavros Akrotirianakis-Camp Co-Director-(813)876-8830 frstav@gmail.com
+Father Matthew Carter-Camp Co-Director: frmatthewcarter@gmail.com
Ethel Gjerde-Assistant Camp Director: 404-271-8951 sargepw8@yahoo.com
Michelle Cassimus-Youth Coordinator: 404-634-9345 Ext. 19 youth@atlmetropolis.org


GREEK LANDING DAY CELEBRATION AT ST. PHOTIOS The Greek Landing Day Celebration is scheduled for June 25. 26 and 27 in historic St. Augustine, Florida. The historic occasion being commemorated is the landing of the first Greeks on American soil on the 26th day of June in the year 1768, 241 years ago. The events for the celebration will include Church Services at the magnificent St. Photios Chapel, and a glendi on Saturday the 27th from 10am to 3pm which will include the performances of traditional Greek dances from the youth of the surrounding communities.

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in America will recognize the arrival of 500 Greek colonists who on June 26th,
1768 registered as incoming indentured servants in St. Augustine, FL at the 23rd annual Greek Landing Day
Celebration at the St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine Thursday June 25th—Saturday June 27th, 2009.

The number of colonists in this British
expedition far surpassed those in the establishment of the failed 1607 Jamestown colony (144 men and boys) and the 1620 settlement of the Plymouth colony (127—130 total
crew and passengers.
The official mayoral proclamation succinctly describes the circumstances of what became of the ill-fated New Smyrna Colony: “In April of 1768, 1400 pilgrims left their homes in Smyrna, Mani, Crete, Italy, Corsica and Minorca to escape poverty and oppression. They sailed for the New World with Dr. Andrew Turnbull, entrepreneur and servant to the
English Crown. He offered hope and freedom in return for seven years of indentured service. Two months later, they arrived in the port of St. Augustine, Over 200 of their fellow
travelers died in route. After registering with the harbor master and taking on additional supplies, they sailed 75 miles south to establish an indigo plantation calling it New
Smyrna. History documents the colonists’ 10 year struggle
and the eventual escape of less than 300 survivors who fled on foot to St. Augustine where they found refuge and
justice.”
Greek Landing Day Celebrations begin Thursday evening at 5:30 with the opening reception for the new temporary
exhibit, Steven Papadatos: A Retrospective of One Man’s
40-year Career. Several of Mr. Papadatos’ ecclesiastical
designs will be on exhibition through April 30th, 2010.
Shrine Chaplain, Father Nikitas Theodosion will celebrate
the services of matins, Divine Liturgy and the colonists’
memorial Friday June 26th at 9:00am in the St. Photios
Chapel. St. Augustine Mayor Joseph Bolles will read the
2009 Greek Landing Day City Proclamation and Victoria
Pitenis of Daytona Beach will read her award winning essay,
St. Photios Shrine. Refreshments will be served.
Liz Lazarides White will lecture on Greek cooking at
4:00pm, Friday, June 26th, at the Shrine. Her cookbook Opa!
will be available for purchase. Liz and her husband Ed will
also be available at the Saturday Glendi.
Join in a day of great Greek music and food at the annual glendi(party). Chairperson Melody Herr has been preparing with the Ladies Philoptochos of St. John the Divine in
Jacksonville and the siser Orthodox churches of Daytona Beach and St. Augustine to bring all the favorite Greek pastries and savories to our visitors. The glendi will be held
in the Constantine Sisters Courtyard Saturday June 27th,10am—3pm.
Fernando Arango will provide youth activities. All are invited to bring their children for the 9am Colonial
Spanish Quarter Scavenger Hunt, followed by a special youth activity.

For more information call (904) 829-8205 or www.stphotios.com for complete details.



2009 SFGOCM CONFERENCE, WINSTON-SALEM, NC 33rd Annual Choir Conference
of the Southeastern Federation of Greek Orthodox Choirs and Musicians
Hosted By
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of Winston-Salem, NC
July 24 - 26, 2009

Contact Information:
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church
435 Keating Drive
Winston-Salem, NC 27104
Phone: 336-765-7145
Fax: 336-659-1643
Website: www.wsgoc.org
Virginia Moutos, Chairperson

For Information or Questions Contact:
Scott Marshall Phone: 336-926-9835
Email: scottmarshall@remax.net


Music & Musicians

Liturgy of Peace by Christopher Kypros
To order music, contact Christopher Kypros Phone: 757-617-1484
Email: pherky@cox.net
Adult Choir:Christopher Kypros, Choir Director, Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Norfolk, VA

Organist:Elia Nicholas, Organist
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Raleigh, NC

Teen/Youth: Connie Marshall, Organist & Children’s Choir Director
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Winston-Salem, NC

PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR MUSIC AND CHOIR ROBE!

Registration, Reservations & Sign-In
Conference Registration Deadline is June 26, 2009
Hotel Reservation Deadline is June 26, 2009
Hospitality & Early Conference Sign-In is Thursday, July 23, 6:00-8:00pm
Conference Sign-In at Annunciation GOC is Friday, July 24, 8:00 am - 9:00 am

FEES

Adults
The 2009 conference registration fee covers all choir refreshment breaks, Friday lunch, Friday Dinner/Dance, Saturday lunch, Saturday Grand Banquet, Sunday Farewell Lunch,
a conference T-shirt, a tote bag, and a CD recording of the liturgy.
$125 postmarked no later than June 26, 2009
$150 postmarked after June 26, 2009 (includes a $25 late fee)

Teens (7th-12th) and Youth (K-6th)
The 2009 conference registration fee covers T-shirt, all meals & activities (Friday-Sunday)

$25 postmarked no later than June 26, 2009
$50 postmarked after June 26, 2009 (includes a $25 late fee)

PLEASE NOTE
Payment must accompany each registration form.
Each attendee must complete the proper forms (Adult, Teen/Youth/Childcare, Guest)
Please make check payable to SFGOCM Conference 2009 and mail with forms to:
Choir Conference 2009
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church
435 Keating Drive
Winston-Salem, NC 27104


Hotels:

Arrangements have been made to accommodate conference attendees at negotiated rates with two hotels located next to each other: The Hampton Inn & The Sleep Inn.
In order to receive Group Rates, please register by June 26, 2009
Cancellations must be received 24 hours prior to date of arrival to avoid charges.

The Hampton Inn Kings & Doubles $82
GROUP CODE: GOS (add 12.75% tax)
1990 Hampton Inn Court, Winston-Salem, NC 27103
RESERVATIONS: (336) 768-9168 or 1-800-HAMPTON
Complimentary Hot Breakfast or On The Run bags, and Evening Cookies.
Pool, fitness center, business center & laundry facility. Hi-speed internet, local calls, microwaves, refrigerators, coffee makers, hair dryers, irons & boards.

The Sleep Inn Kings & Doubles $69
GROUP CODE: 2247 (add 12.75% tax)
1985 Hampton Inn Court, Winston-Salem, NC 27103
RESERVATIONS: (336) 774-8020 Fax (336) 774-1185
Complimentary Breakfast or On The Run bags and Evening Cookies.
Fitness center, business center & laundry facility. High-speed internet, local calls, microwaves, refrigerators, coffee makers, hair dryers, irons & boards.










































































































































































ST. PHILOTHEA GOLF CLASSIC St. Philothea Golf Classic
Monday September 21, 2009
The Georgia Club
Athens, GA
Tee time 1:30 p.m.

A benefit for
St. Philothea
Greek Orthodox Church
& Bread for Life

www.stphilothea.ga.goarch


GOT GREEK? TELL US ABOUT IT! We are looking for students with Greek ancestry interested in taking part in the first NATIONAL ONLINE STUDY exclusively for undergraduate and graduate students of Hellenic heritage. Whether you`re first-, second-, third-, fourth-, or even fifth-generation, WE WANT TO HEAR HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT BEING (EVEN A LITTLE BIT) GREEK.
We are currently interviewing and surveying students like you - including members of student groups on more that 40 campuses across the country - who are sharing their views and opinions on everything from music and food, to parents and professions, in this IN-DEPTH, NATIONAL SURVEY OF GREEK AMERICAN/GREEK/HELLENIC STUDENTS, sponsored by the Next Generation initiative, and independent educational foundation.
TAKE THE NEXT GENERATION NATIONAL STUDENT SURVEY AT www.gotgreek.org



THE ORIGIN OF FATHER`S DAY The idea for an official Father’s Day celebration came to a married daughter, seated in a church in Spokane, Washington, attentive to a Sunday sermon on Mother’s Day in 1910-two years after the first Mother’s Day observance in West Virginia.
The daughter was Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd. During the sermon, which extolled maternal sacrifices made for children, Mrs. Dodd realized that in her own family it had been her father, William Jackson Smart, a Civil War veteran, who had sacrificed-raising herself and five sons alone, following the early death of his wife in childbirth. For Mrs. Dodd, the hardships her father had endured on their eastern Washington farm called to mind the unsung feats of fathers everywhere.

Her proposed local Father’s Day celebration received strong support from the town’s ministers and members of the Spokane YMCA. The date suggested for the festivities, June 5, Mrs. Dodd’s father’s birthdays were three weeks away-had to be moved back to the nineteenth when ministers claimed they need extra time to prepare sermons on such a new subject as Father.

Newspapers across the country, already endorsing the need for a national Mother’s Day, carried stories about the unique Spokane observance. Interest in Father’s Day increased. Among the first notables to support Mrs. Dodd’s idea nationally was the orator and political leader William Jennings Bryan, who also backed Mother’s Day. Believing that fathers must not be slighted, he wrote to Mrs. Dodd, "too much emphasis cannot be placed upon the relation between parent and child."

Father’s Day, however, was not so quickly accepted as Mother’s Day. Members of the all-male Congress felt that a move to proclaim the day official might be interpreted as a self-congratulatory pat on the back.

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson and his family personally observed the day. And in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge recommended that states, if they wished, should hold their own Father’s Day observances. He wrote to the nation’s governors that "the widespread observance of this occasion is calculated to establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children, and also to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations."

Many people attempted to secure official recognition for Father’s Day. One of the most notable efforts was made in 1957, by Senator Margaret Chase Smith, who wrote forcefully to Congress that "Either we honor both our parents, mother and father, or let us desist from honoring either one. But to single out just one of our two parents and omit the other is the most grievous insult imaginable."

Eventually, in 1972-sixty-two years after it was proposed-Father’s Day was permanently established by President Richard Nixon. Historians seeking an ancient precedent for an official Father’s Day observance have come up with only one: The Romans, every February, honored fathers-but only those deceased.

In America today, Father’s Day is the fifth-largest card-sending occasion, with about 85 million greeting cards exchanged.
From the ST. SOPHIA, Miami, FL bulletin


VACATION CAN BE GOOD FOR THE SOUL Summertime is here and everyone is planning a vacation with their family and/or friends. Vacations can be good
and relaxing if they are planned correctly, but may also
become tiring, and even exhausting, if we allow ourselves to go too far.
What is even worse, vacations can become a source of spiritual harm and anguish if we place ourselves in settings and situations of sin and temptation. God wants us to be
happy and full of joy. God wants us to enjoy life as much as possible. God wants us to enjoy nature and the whole
creation responsibly within the boundaries of His love and
according to His Commandments. God does not want us to suffer. The greatest source of spiritual anguish and psychological pain is our sin, our separation from our Creator. God cares about us and does not want us to sin for our own good, for our own benefit.
Unfortunately, vacations, many a time, become a cause for sin, because not only do we relax our bodies, but we also relax our guard against the devil and his devices. The crafty one is tirelessly waiting for us to lower our spiritual defenses, to drop our
guard, to abandon our prayer, which creates a hedge around us, so that he can enter the house of our soul and loot, ravage and ruin whatever gifts and virtues we have built up with great labor and God's Grace over time.
Vigilance and prudence are required as we watch over our soul and our salvation during this time of vacationing and relaxation. Just because we are on vacation it
does not mean that we should abandon our spiritual efforts. It does not mean that we should stop praying and glorifying God. It does not mean that we should sleep in on
Sunday morning or go fishing or swimming. Our vacation has to be as blessed and holy as the rest of the time of our life. Every day of our life has to be an opportunity to
praise and honor God. Every moment of our life has to be connected to our source of comfort, wisdom and strength, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
My brothers and sisters, let us travel, vacation and have fun without sinning. Let us enjoy what God has given us without disconnecting from Him. Let us guard our souls
and lives to keep them holy as the Lord wants them to be.
Have a Joyous summer and a Blessed vacation!

Fr. Panayiotis Papageorgiou, HOLY TRANSFIGURATION, Marietta, GA


"LEAD ME, FOLLOW ME, OR GET OUT OF MY WAY." Addressing his troops just prior to D-Day, Gen. George S. Patton proclaimed these challenging words. His intent was clearly to demonstrate the need to move in the right direction, with the right momentum, and that he was going to lead, so all others should either be able to lead him, willing to follow him, or have the sense enough to avoid becoming a hindrance to the mission at hand.



Frequently throughout the Gospels, our Lord calls us to, “Follow Me.” What is Jesus’ mission? The answer is simple enough, even self-evident! Yet, it is amazing how often His simple call becomes confused in the practice of those who hope to lead Christian lives, whether simply their own or to lead others’ as well.



In the Old Testament, those who stray from the right path are told, once they have repented: “…you will seek the Lord your God and you will find Him, if you search after Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” [Deuteronomy 4:29] Of course, repentance presupposes the self-awareness of one’s sinfulness. The penalty for ignoring that awareness is clear: “’There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘for the wicked.’” [Isaiah 57:20]



We can either follow Christ, or – as His followers – become genuine leaders in His name. Yet all too often instead of either leading or following our Lord in obedience, conflicts arise due to contrasting, even warring, self-interests; when even the arrogant claim to be on the side of the Lord. Such conflicts would hinder the spread of God’s teaching! Through it all, Christ always sees in truth.



Thus in Proverbs we are advised: “keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching. Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck. When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you. For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light….” [Proverbs 6:20-27]



Far from being easy, leading can be a severe challenge because one must be able to reach within the heart of those whom they are to lead. An Eastern saying accurately teaches: “The great leader is the one before whom the people say, We did it ourselves.” Still, anyone who tries to bring the light of Christ to those who stand in darkness can attest that, at times, it can seem as frustrating as teaching advanced mathematical theory to the village idiot! Yet humility, love, and accountability to the Lord must prevail.



The faithful leader says: “I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment.” [Proverbs 8:20] As St. Augustine shares, even though Christians who will not assume leadership responsibilities travel, “by an easier road and are less hindered since they bear a lighter burden”, just the same: “In addition to the fact that I am a Christian and must give God an account of my life, I as a leader must give him an account of my stewardship as well.”



On Sunday, as we remember Father’s Day, let us permit no obstacle to prevent us from being in our Father’s House. Let us come together in repentance and love, seeking His leadership in our lives, praying together in faith. In His love, I look forward to seeing you then!

God bless,

Fr. Anthony Stratis, HOLY TRINITY, New Orleans, LA