FEBRUARY PASTORAL MESSAGE
Beloved,
What an exciting month February offers us. Our Stewardship Committee’s Online Stewardship Program which we’ve been tweaking the last year+ is 100% functional and user friendly. There are many ways to become a Steward, the easiest of which is to simply text "STLUKEGIVE" to 73256. For a physical copy of your stewardship card, you can print it online or contact the Church office.
The highly anticipated MDF (Music and Dance Festival is taking place the weekend of February 14-16th. We have a huge delegation of youth and adult teachers/advisors attending this inaugural event which brings all the youth of our Metropolis to the downtown Philadelphia Sheraton. It will be a memorable weekend of Greek Dance, Liturgical Song, Live music, Saturday night Glendi and topping it off with Awards Banquet on Sunday evening. Complete details can be found on our Metropolis website nj.goarch.org. Reach out to me if you have any questions.
On the evening of February 22nd, we are given the opportunity to come together as a family once again for the Apokreatiko Glendi which is hosted graciously by our St Luke Greek School. This evening fellowship of great food, music, dancing, and drinks is a great opportunity for young and old, teens and young adults, to relax and enjoy one another's company. Complete details are in the flyer found in this Epistle.
If that isn’t enough, February ushers in the pre-lenten season with the Triodion. The Sunday Gospel readings leading up to lent will assist us in preparing for Great Lent. With the Sunday of the Publican & the Pharisee (February 9th) we are shown the ugliness of false pride and the beauty of true humility before God. On the Sunday of the Prodigal Son (February 16th) we are reminded of the importance of repentance as we are also told of the great and loving Father who awaits to embrace & forgive us regardless of how long we have been away, regardless of how great our sins are.
Friends, let us celebrate all the events in the life of the Church; spiritual, social and charitable. Join me and your brother and sister Christians weekly for worship, receiving Holy Communion, and fellowship. “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them,” Matthew 18:20.
With brotherly love and pastoral blessings,
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Rev Father Christ Kontos,
Protopresbyter
