Fundraising, Stewardship and Development
October 10, 2023
Jesus gave us this parable for us to consider the gifts that God has given us. Although we all receive different gifts, there is no difference in God’s reward for what we accomplish with them. If you want to be a faithful servant, then take whatever you have and offer it faithfully to the Lord.
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Stewardship Ministries
October 18, 2022
The Holy Eucharist is called Holy Communion because it unites us as the Body of Christ. The word Eucharist comes from the Greek word for thanksgiving. This is what we do when we celebrate the Divine Liturgy – we are giving thanks.
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Stewardship Ministries
September 23, 2021
We are called to guard the Gospel message, but not to hoard it. We are instructed not to hide our light under a bushel (Matthew 5:15). As Jesus Christ sends us to be His voice in a changing world, we must also remove impediments or perceived impediments to non-Orthodox inquirers that seek His Truth. What messages do we send out intentionally or unintentionally? What might cause the Gospel message to be ignored or misunderstood? Read More
Stewardship Ministries
September 23, 2021
Home is safe and familiar. It is where we belong. Our Orthodox Christian Church is our spiritual home. It is a place of prayer, comfort, spiritual healing, and celebration. We are at home in the fragrance of incense, the sound of hymns and prayers, the physical touch of kneeling, bowing and making the sign of the cross, and the taste of Holy Communion and antidoron (the blessed bread). Read More
Stewardship Ministries
October 13, 2020
Jesus spoke of love and showed compassion. He taught us by his example to love one another and to be compassionate toward those in need. In the Gospels, we read of the compassion of Jesus Read More
Stewardship Ministries
September 16, 2019
Just as we budget our financial resources to reflect our priorities, we can re-set our allocation of time. We are all busy, but not all of that busy time is well-spent. We may need to say no to certain demands on our time, opening our schedule to God’s prompting. We can live each day anticipating the opportunities he places in our path to offer our gift of time. Read More
Stewardship Ministries
September 21, 2018
Everything we have built, earned or amassed has come from God, and is a blessing. If we think everything we have has come from our own efforts, our possessions will be a curse. Sharing God's blessings is not only one of our obligations, it is one of the greatest joys in life. Not enough people today experience this joy. Read More
Stewardship Ministries
September 16, 2018
Having faith can be difficult. Keeping faith in the face of doubt is the ongoing struggle of every Christian since the earliest days of Christianity. We dedicate the first Sunday after Easter to Thomas the Apostle, forever remembered as “Doubting Thomas” because he doubted the first reports of the Resurrected Christ. Read More
Stewardship Ministries
September 16, 2018
God gives first. He gives us our body, mind, life, health, talents. On the paten – the plate of God's mercy, He gives us Himself as the Bread of Life, the manna from heaven. He gives forgiveness, strength, courage. He gives victory over sin and death. He gives eternal life. Read More
Stewardship Ministries
September 16, 2018
In a culture that frequently encourages us to focus on ourselves, Jesus Christ challenges us to reorient our priorities according to the Kingdom of God breaking into this world. The antidote to greed and selfishness, even when it is masked by religious piety, is genuine repentance and conversion toward Christian steward-ship as a new way of living. Read More
Stewardship Ministries
September 16, 2018
This time of year we often hear people around the church talking about stewardship and we generally understand this to mean making our offering to help support the church. There is a lot of talk about the treasures and talents we have received and the importance of giving back to God. Read More
Homily
September 15, 2018
When we receive Holy Communion, we are drawn out of ourselves and embrace our mission of stewardship, service and evangelization. We carry within us the fire of God’s love that has the power to renew all things. Read More
Stewardship Ministries
September 9, 2018
If asked the question Why do you go to church? most Orthodox Christians would probably be seriously baffled. This isn’t a question that has been asked or pondered upon by most. The reason for this response -- or lack of response -- lies in the fact that most Orthodox Christians take their faith for granted. Read More
Stewardship Ministries
September 9, 2018
Stewardship of our church is really one of those areas where we have indulged the fantasy of magic pills. Why do we have this community, with this building and this staff and these activities? In a word, salvation. Read More
Stewardship Ministries
September 2, 2018
In the Gospel we read that Jesus told a rich young man that though he has kept the commandments, the one thing he must do to inherit eternal life is to sell all that he owns, distribute the money to the poor, and then come, and follow Him. Read More
Stewardship Ministries
November 19, 2017
s Orthodox Christians, we joyfully participate in this national holiday of Thanksgiving, while simultaneously realizing that a follower of Jesus Christ is someone who acknowledges with gratitude all the blessings we receive each and every day! Life, love, faith, health, friendships and relationships, opportunities, and everything in between is a gift from our loving Father in heaven to us! Read More
Homily
October 5, 2017
Some are blessed to follow a career path to a life’s work bringing satisfaction. Others may work in a position that may not appear to be spiritually or emotionally fulfilling. In whatever type of work we find ourselves, our work can become sacred when we dedicate it to God. In the words of Mother Theresa, “Wherever God has put you, that is your vocation. It is not what we do, but how much love we put into it.” Read More
Stewardship Ministries
December 8, 2015
Since 843 the Church has designated the first Sunday of Lent as Sunday of Orthodoxy. Specifically, we celebrate the restoration of Icons by the Empress Theodora. Generally, we commemorate: 1) The victory of Orthodoxy-right worship, over heresy-false worship. 2) The victory of light over darkness and 3) The victory of truth over falsehood. Read More
Homily
December 7, 2015
Yesterday's feast was the Veneration of the Holy Cross. The cross meant a great deal for Christ. Through the cross Christ died so that He can descend into Hades and destroy the power of death. Through the Cross Christ has died and risen. His resurrection means that the power of death has been conquered. Read More
Stewardship Ministries
December 7, 2015
There is a subtle, diabolic and life threatening trap today. Secular society has ever increasingly come to believe in a different god. This one has always been around. He shows up with greater force and intensity in the more affluent areas of the world. And when he gains your heart, like so many other little idols we worship, he really doesn't let go. He may be known by many names, but for the purposes of this article, we will call him the god of materialism. Read More
