By Fr. Panayiotis Papageorgiou, Ph.D.
We celebrate this year the twentieth anniversary since the completion of the permanent sacred space, the beautiful Temple (or Sanctuary) of our Parish.
We should remember and honor during this year all of those who have offered Time, Talent and Treasures in order to make this dream a reality. Many of them are still here, still working hard and deeply involved in the life of our community. Others have gone to rest with our Lord and we should offer prayers for them.
Those of us who arrived here after the dream was accomplished, should stand in awe in front of the beautiful sanctuary and chapel and bow with reverence in front of the exquisite Iconostasio.
From the cultural perspective, the amphitheater and Parish Life Center, the annual Greek Festival and other social and cultural activities offer to us and our families an opportunity to celebrate life and friendship. A lot of work has gone into establishing these things, which now bring joy to all. Cudos go to those who have worked so hard to make them a reality.
It is only appropriate to celebrate this great accomplishment, but it is also time to thank God for this blessing and opportunity given to us to be part of it.
As we look forward into the future, we cannot help but think of what else there is to do as we continue to worship God and also honor the efforts of those who have gone before us.
We look forward to the completion of the iconography in our sanctuary.
On this twentieth anniversary of the completion of the holy Temple of our parish, let us also consider seriously what a tremendous responsibility we are carrying on our shoulders. It is not just the tradition and experience of the last twenty or thirty years that we are conveying to our children and the world around us. We are the keepers of a very special gift! We have been entrusted with the responsibility to hand down to the generations that follow us the correct and proper Faith and Worship, the Orthodox Christian Faith, which has been kept pure and undefiled for two thousand years! This is a great privilege but also a tremendous responsibility!
In Christ’s Love,
Fr. Panayiotis