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Pastoral Letters

Pastoral Letter May 27, 2018

“Apart from love nothing whatever has existed, nor ever will. Its names and actions are many. More numerous still are its distinctive marks; divine and innumerable are its properties. Yet it is one in nature, wholly beyond utterance whether on the part of angels or men or any other creatures, even such as are unknown to us. Reason cannot comprehend it; its glory is inaccessible, its counsels unsearchable. It is eternal because it is beyond time, invisible because thought cannot comprehend it, though it may perceive it. Many are the beauties of this holy Sion not made with hands! He who has begun to see it no longer delights in sensible objects; he ceases to be attached to the glory of this world.” — St. Symeon the New Theologian

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Of the many, many holy shrines that we visited while on our Pilgrimage to the Holy Land and to Asia Minor, the vast majority of them were Greek Orthodox monasteries and churches. Some, however were either Jewish historical sites, Muslim shrines or Roman Catholic sites. On one particular day, we prayerfully prayed our respects at the Tomb of King David (a most holy sight for the Jews) and in that same hour ascended several stairs into what is now a small, Latin Church.

It is built upon the ruins of the Upper Room, where the Mystical Supper took place, where the Disciples hid in fear of their lives, following the Crucifixion of Christ, where the Lord appeared to them after His Resurrection, and where the Holy Spirit descended upon them as tongues of fire on the Feast of Pentecost. One, singular and ornate column from St. Helen’s original church, built upon this site remains in the interior of the space.

As we make our preparations for Holy Pentecost; the gift of the Comforter that Christ promised to the world (John 14:16), who is the Holy Spirit, I find myself back in that little church, that little room, and imagine what transpired in that space. We know the story, we look forward to the service of Pentecost; for the Kneeling Prayers to the Holy Spirit are among the most beautifully crafted words which flow from the mind of the Church.

Through the coming of the Holy Spirit, there is an instant and bold transformation in the persons of the Disciples. Their despair was displaced by hope. Their confusion was replaced with clarity. Their individual fears had succumbed to a collective purpose. Their ministry was transfigured from students of the Gospel to proclaimers of the Gospel. Those who were once meek with questioning in their hearts, now had all the answers – in Christ – and through the Holy Spirit.

But for all of the amazing details of the event of Pentecost, and in all the glory that was, and is Jerusalem and the Holy Sites, and for all the history that has amassed in the life of the Church, everything comes down, as St. Symeon so eloquently stated in the above-referenced quote, to love. The love that God has for His children.

Pentecost is a celebration of God’s love. His desire to not leave us abandoned and flailing around in our own demise. The Holy Spirit offers discernment, wisdom, connection, participation and actualization of God in our lives. These are all accomplished simply because the Lord wills it to be so, through His unyielding love for humanity.

I have been back from our trip long enough to realize that while I venerated several significant and historical altars, there is only one altar that defines Christ’s love for all of us in the most dynamic of ways. Surprisingly, its not the altar of the Holy Sepulcher, or the altar of the Nativity or the altar of the Transfiguration or any other altar but that of St. Anna’s.

Pentecost is the event that blasted the Church out of Jerusalem and into the world.

Into our world.

Every holy and significant sight that can be visited in the ancient world is only understood and valued through our own experiences that the Holy Spirit grants us in the here and now. St. Anna’s is our here and now. St. Anna’s is where Christ’s love abounds for us and where the Holy Spirit is active in our lives. Where the Mysteries are received. Where the Gospel is proclaimed.

And I’m not even describing St. Anna’s as a physical space as much as a collection of Orthodox Christians and a family in Christ. The Holy Spirit is strong and active in our lives through the Love He demonstrates towards us and the love we extend to our brothers and sisters in Christ.

The line which connects Jerusalem and Cottonwood Heights is clear and distinctive. This line is the mystery of the event of Pentecost.

It’s good that our parish made this trip. It’s also good that we returned to our families, our work and our lives.

While it’s true that our Pilgrims indeed walked with God.

Its equally true that they walk with Him, no less significantly in the midst of the people we love; back home and in our parish.

With Much Love in XC,

Fr. Anthony

Please be reminded of the early time for Liturgy on Monday so that we can gather at Mt. Olivet Cemetery to pray for our loved ones who have passed on to eternal glory.

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Bulletins

Weekly Bulletin for May 27, 2018

Weekly Bulletin for May 27, 2018

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Homilies

Services for Sunday, May 20, 2018

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Uncategorized

2018 Parish Fishing Trip

The Parish Fishing trip will take place Thursday, July 26, 2018, through Sunday, July 29, 2018.   Please join us for a wonderful family event for all age groups and enjoy fellowship, fishing, food and worship in the beauty of God’s creation. To get a sense of the festivities, visit this link to last year’s trip photos:

Please review the registration form and release for more detailed information: 2018 Fishing Trip – Final Registration and Release form

Completed registration forms can be scanned and emailed to Chuck Karpakis at chuck@paragonproperties.biz. Alternatively, we will have registration tables during fellowship hour beginning on Sunday, June 3, 2018!

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Pastoral Letters

Pastoral Letter May 20, 2018

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Having returned exactly 24 hours ago from our spiritual odyssey, a two-week pilgrimage that spanned the Holy Land and parts of Asia Minor (Istanbul and Cappadocia) I, as well as the participants on our journey look forward to sharing our experiences and sharing the Gospel. The Gospel that came to life right before our eyes. In the coming days, our group will plan a reunion and we will begin to discuss how we can best open our hearts, cameras and memories to all who are interested. I pray that you are as interested in hearing what we saw, as we are to share it. Have a blessed evening.

With Much Love in Christ Who Ascended from our Midst,
Fr. Anthony Jet-Lagged Savas

Categories
Bulletins

Weekly Bulletin for May 20, 2018

Weekly Bulletin for May 20, 2018

Categories
Homilies

Services for Sunday, May 13, 2018

Categories
Bulletins

Weekly Bulletin for May 13, 2018

Weekly Bulletin for May 13, 2018

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Homilies

Services for Sunday, May 6, 2018

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Pastoral Letters

Pastoral Letter May 6, 2018

Dearly Beloved in the Lord,

Christ is Risen!
Truly He is Risen!

The ancient and eternal city of Constantinople. It is a place where for centuries, worlds, cultures and armies have collided. It is the intersection between East and West, that which bridges together the dynasties of the Roman Empire and is the fertile ground in which the seeds of our precious Faith were nurtured, matured and brought to a glorious fruition. We celebrate Her prolific past as we stand in awe of all She commands.

The ancient and eternal city of Constantinople. Home to patriarchs, emperors, saints and artists. The definitive backdrop of our Eastern Orthodox history and the setting for every highlight and low point of our development as a Church. Our greatest accomplishments were forged here, our greatest battles were fought here, our most dynamic losses were endured here. The mind of the Church thinks through the process of Byzantium. The heart of the Church beats in a pattern that is reflective of this city.

The ancient and eternal city of Constantinople. The externals, the details, the tinsel, the pageantry, the glory and the humility of the church: they all have their origins here. Chrysostom preached from the rafters and filled the streets of this city with the faithful who were thirsty to hear the Word of God. Remnants of the City Walls remain as reminders of erstwhile protectors and guardians. Constantinopolitan contributions to the Church are found within Her art, music, architecture, worship, dress, ethos and mentality.

The ancient and eternal city of Constantinople. Our Orthodox Churches look like Orthodox Churches because of Orthodox Churches from Constantinople. Our Orthodox liturgical life breaths like Orthodox liturgical life because of the Orthodox liturgical life of Constantinople. Orthodox worship sounds like Orthodox worship because of the Orthodox worship of Constantinople.

Today, I am incredibly blessed to be writing this message from Constantinople. Truth be told, I’m sort of the office nerd right now. I’m sitting in the lobby of the Bosporus Hilton, working on my computer while several people from our group are sitting with each other, enjoying their fellowship and looking back fondly, upon the events of today – the first full day of our Pilgrimage.

The day, and by extension, our entire trip, began this morning, touring the grounds of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. We venerated the relics inside our St. George Cathedral and strolled the grounds of the humble facilities that house the ministries of the world’s leader of Orthodox Christianity. We then found ourselves outside the private office of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, awaiting his entrance into the Throne Room of the Patriarchate. It would be here that our audience would be granted. From the door just to the left of the throne, he emerged. Smiling and greeting us with warmth and love. He spoke to us about his love for the Church in America and talked about his upcoming events: symposia, pastoral visits, historic liturgies and humanitarian efforts. He addressed us firstly in Greek, asked if everyone understood, then switched to English when we told him that several members of the group could not understand him. He said that Fr. Elias and I could translate for the people. Fr. Elias and I then thought the people were in trouble.

His English (one of seven languages he speaks) is clear, kind and perfect. We hung on every word and embraced him with respect and admiration. He stood before us, representing many things:

Apostolic Succession
The Protector of the Flame of Orthodoxy
The Green Patriarch and champion of the environment
The world leader of our faith
The voice of the persecuted and minority populations.

But most importantly, he communicated the love a father has for his children. He was not distant nor hide behind pretense. It was like sitting in your grandfather’s dining room and listening to his stories, receiving his wisdom and expressing your respects. It was always comfortable and never intimidating. It was the perfect beginning to what will be the spiritual experience of a lifetime.

So again, greetings from Constantinople. His All Holiness sends the love and blessings of the Mother Church to the faithful people of St. Anna’s. He has been watching our progress and loves how events have unfolded for us. We are in his prayers and protection. We must keep him in our prayers for his protection. Today has been beautiful. I think I’ll go join our group now. I look lonely over here by myself.

With Much Love in our Risen Lord,

Fr. Anthony