June 1^st, 2025

Always a Spiritual Focus, First

 Dearest Parish Families,

 On this Sunday, we commemorate the Sunday of the Holy Fathers who gathered in Nicea to convene the very first Synod of the Church of Christ. It was at this Synod council that our Nicean Creed was created and adopted, a beautiful synopsis of our entire faith, unifying our understanding of the Holy Trinity. It is this creed that we recite at every single Divine Liturgy, this creed that we say during our Holy Sacraments of Baptism, chrismation, and ordination. This creed is the very foundation of our beliefs as Christians.

 In the development of the Christian Church, there is one thing that maybe we are no longer able to recognise and appreciate:  how hard actual distances were in the post-Biblical days. There was no easy travel and/or commuting. Even in the eleventh century, when the Christian Church was about to be split apart by squabbling and heresies, it would take sometimes months to be able to travel from Constantinople (the Eastern Church) to Rome (the Western Church). Communications were difficult, made even more difficult by the dangers of travel (via robbers).

 Another detail we may not appreciate is that, here in the Northeast, it is easy for us to find another Orthodox Church. That is not the case everywhere. I well remember my first parish that I served was in Grand Junction, Colorado, a five-hour drive from my home in Denver. In the winters there, I couldn’t drive over the Continental Divide because of the deep snows and closed highways. I had to fly—take a plane and fly to serve the Church on weekends.

 So, it becomes easier to understand how far-flung communications would be greatly delayed, and differences of theological understandings would emerge. It took this first Holy Synod of the unified Church to convene in Nicea to set a unified understanding of what our Church believes in. And this is what our Creed represents:  the foundation of our understanding.

 So, we commemorate this Sunday that gathering of the Holy Fathers of our developing Church who gave us our foundation of the Holy Trinity:  God, the Father, Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Always remember this as we commemorate and recite every Service our meaning of faith.

 Faithfully, Father Samaras

 10^th Morning Gospel Lesson

Sunday of the Holy Fathers

 On June 1^st, we commmemorate the holy Martyr Justin the Philosopher; the holy Martyrs Chariton, Charito, Evelpistos, Hierax, Peon, and Valerian (or Liberianos), who witnessed with Saint Justin at Rome; the holy Martyr Firmos; the holy Martyr Thespesios. We also relate the edifying story of the farmer named Metrios; the Holy Hieromartyr and Bishop Pyrros the Virgin who reposed in peace. And today, the seventh Sunday of Pascha, we celebrate the First Ecumenical Synod in Nicaea of the three hundred eighteen God-bearing Fathers

2025 PARISH COUNCIL

 President - Theo Christ 

Vice President – Yvonne Anastasiou

Secretary – Dina Mastoras

Parish Council Member - Evdokia Sofos 

Parish Council Member - Dialecti Voudouris 

Parish Council Member - Anastassios Mentis 

Parish Council Member – Paula Refolo

Parish Council Member - Theodore Vougiouklakis

Parish Council Member - Mike Anastasiou