Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
November is the month where we are called upon, traditionally by Presidential proclamation no less, to come together to give thanks for the many blessings we have received. Although our nation is going through extraordinary difficulties, we need to recall the our national tradition records that the giving of thanks by our New England pilgrim fathers was not for overwhelming bounty, but for having survived an extremely harsh period during which many did not survive. Even if we are in difficulty, then, we can take a lesson from our forefathers. Recently, Father Seraphim Gan gave an interview wherein he gave his impressions of his time as secretary to Metropolitan Laurus of blessed memory. He said that the one thing that needed to be remembered about him above all else is that everything that happens to one, everything, is a gift from God.
Our parish has been greatly blessed in the organic growth that has come about in the last couple of years: marriages, engagements, baptisms of infants and adults, as well as those more personal and individual blessings that descend upon us. Most especially, we need to give thanks for the coming to us of the Myrrh-Streaming Iveron Icon of the Mother of God from Hawaii, and the chance through her to come to befriend the steward, Reader Nectarios.
Dear people, let us make our thanks known to each other together in our parish thanksgiving on Sunday, the 21st and rejoice in God our Benefactor.
Father George
DOUBLE YOUR CONTRIBUTION
THROUGH OUR MATCHING GRANT!
Now through Palm Sunday, April 28
Help us build our new Parish Hall,
and move to our historic Chapel Campus!
(Want to contribute to our General Fund?
Please scroll down ~ Thank you!)
From 'St John of Shanghai and San Francisco, Zealous Builder of Churches'
Everywhere he went he either oversaw the building of churches or supported the same with his attention and prayers... He wrote about the godly work of building churches:
"In building churches here on earth, we create for ourselves eternal habitations in heaven."
ALL DONATIONS TO OUR
BUILDING FUND
Are DOUBLED, up to $38,000
Now through Palm Sunday, April 28