Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As I sit down to write this monthly message we are preparing for the annual parish meeting which will take place on Sunday, January 27.  By the time you read it, the annual meeting will have already taken place.  Updates and reports will have been given from the various parish groups and ministries.  Decisions will have been made concerning our financial status and how we will fund the work of the Church in the coming year.  Elections will take place to choose those who will assist in guiding the parish through the year ahead as members of the parish council.  And everyone in the parish will have the opportunity to participate in this important annual event.

Annual parish meetings—which are a source of both blessings and challenges—can be seen as the parish, the manifestation of the Church on its most local and immediate level, celebrating and putting into practice what Saint Paul writes about in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, with each person contributing to the life of the parish in their own unique way.  “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.  And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works in all…  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all…  For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ…  And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Corinthians 12).

There are so many people within our parish who diligently serve our parish needs: the officers and members of the parish council who sacrifice of their time to serve the needs of this community; those who edit and print the quality newsletter which is prepared for us every month;  the Myrrhbearers Altar Society, whose members work so lovingly and attentively in so many areas of our parish life—from providing and caring for the covers

and cloths used in the Church to the weekly setup of the coffee hour and special events, to its fundraising activities, and so on; the coordinator and teachers of our Church school program which educates the young people of our parish;  the FOCA-Fellowship of Orthodox Christians- which supports the work of the Church on many levels, beginning with our own local parish; those who see to the ongoing and demanding attention needed for the maintenance of our church and parish facilities; the choir which is so dedicated to beautifying the worship of our community and which is something that we continue to be grateful for; those who assist in the Altar by reading and serving; the ongoing development and maintenance of our parish website; those who make a monthly donation of flowers to beautify the Holy Altar; those who exercise hospitality, welcoming any and all guests and visitors; those who provide transportation to church services and activities  for those who don’t drive; those who clean the church and attend to the candle desk; and the list goes on and on.   

Each and every one of those who serves the parish and assists its work in any way also manifests the truth of what Saint Paul wrote in his first letter to the Church in Corinth.  “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit...  There are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works in all.”  This is something to remember and something to celebrate.

I hope that all who give of themselves so generously in these ways are aware of my deep gratitude and appreciation for all they do on an ongoing basis.  And let me add that there is always need for more help and more sharing of the many tasks that go into enabling our parish to fulfill its mission or proclaiming the fullness of the Gospel.  As we continue to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, let us pray that all of us will continue to work together in unity.

With love in the Lord,
Father David