Category: Pastoral Letters

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” – Matthew 19:14

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Not that I need any reminders, but this past week has been the perfect opportunity to reflect upon how blessed I am to serve as the priest of St. Anna’s. To be sure, this week was full of emails, lists, meetings, running around and the normal happenings of “a day in the life…”

This week was also Vacation Bible School; those three days were the littlest of God’s creation descend upon the church in loud, pounding, squiggly droves. There are no greater sounds, which ring through the hallways of our rented space than the voices, laughter, and roar of the children. I mean, really, how often do you hear people making “train sounds” as they move from room to room? Adorable!

Spending time with the kids in the church is a reminder of the precious responsibility that we all have, when it comes to correctly raising our young people. They need instruction. They thirst for knowledge. They want to laugh, but yes, they want to learn.

Seeing the curriculum come alive in their eyes is the most rewarding experience. To know that a future generation is being given the opportunity to know God and to understand that He loves them unconditionally is our hope that the seeds planted today, will yield spiritual fruits tomorrow. The reason that St. Anna was founded, was for these children. They will enjoy a stable, positive, nurturing environment that is grounded in Christ, and protected by His angels. (Angels are the theme for this week’s VBS).

It is also a motivational inspiration to see all of the “grownups” who come together for the sake of the children. This is undoubtedly, an extremely, busy time of year. Never the less, so many people have chosen to bank their time in the Kingdom, so that our little ones could enjoy a quality program – dedicated only to them and to their Savior. Please allow me the opportunity to thank the people that made this week a blessed possibility. True Angels, themselves:

Our Chairman, Barbara Hillas. Heidi Gounaris, Heidi, Hanna, and Luke Varechok; Kim, Mitch and Matthew Mallas; Zachary Petrogeorge; Argie Priskos; Anne Cline; Tanya Holbeck; Kris Parenti; Christina Georgelas Packer; Rose Pylidis; Eleni Johnson; Laina Mau; Kennedy Chachas; Joanna Dokos; Liberty Mudrock; Mary Feotis; Dr. Irene Petrogeorge; Yelana Brockbank; Eleni Yannias; Pres. Andrea and Markella Savas. Food donations were generously given by Sophie Wondolowski, Dn. Anatoli and Margaret Kireiev, Marriane Jesse with the Landmark Grill and Dr. Charles and Elizabeth Beck.

You see? That’s quite a list. With about thirty kids participating this year – that’s about a one-to- one ration of kid being served/person serving kid. Praise God for the generosity that is shown to our precious youth!

I also with to thank the parents, grandparents and godparents who took the time out of their set schedules to bring their kids to Vacation Bible School. Your commitment to them will be rewarded as these young people grow to raise their own kids in the Church, and place Jesus Christ at the center of their lives.

Simply stated: these fun, innocent, and creative efforts are meant solely for the purpose of salvation. Salvation for the participants and for those who serve them. Programs like Vacation Bible School are quite literally, Liturgy in action. Yes, its cute. But its purpose is serious.

Please continue to pray for our little ones. They will need all possible assistance, as they grow to navigate the world themselves. And when their stakes are higher, when their decisions are more critical, and when their judgement is put to the test, they will have experiences such as Vacation Bible School to keep them safe and grounded.

So, thank you, to the teachers, volunteers, lunch ladies and providers.
You’ve heeded the command of the Lord to bring the children to Him. You are now doers of the Word. You are now apostles.

With Much Love in Christ,

Fr. Anthony

Please forgive me if I misspelled or forgot your name in our list of volunteers. You are all appreciated; listed or not!

HAVE YOU SIGNED UP FOR A COMPLIMENTARY, INFORMATIONAL Q&A DINNER EVENT TO LEARN ABOUT OUR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN?

MANY HAVE ATTENDED THESE FUN EVENTS; BREAKING BREAD TOGETHER AND BUILDING THE ANTICIPATION OF OUR FUTURE! NO PRESSURE. NO HYPE. NO HARD SELL.

THE NEXT EVENTS:

SATURDAY, AUGUST 12 AT THE HOME OF JOE AND ANN SASICH. SPACE IS LIMITED BUT AVAILABLE. CALL ANN AT 801-518-2528. LET HER KNOW YOU’RE COMING!

THURSDAY, AUGUST 17 AT THE HOME OF STEVE AND ELAINA SIMOS. SPACE IS LIMITED BUT AVAILABLE. CALL GEORGETTE LOWE AT 801-573-8856. LET HER KNOW YOU’RE COMING!

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 23 AT THE GUN VAULT. SPACE IS AVAILABLE. CALL CHARLES BECK AT 801-573-6800. LET HIM KNOW YOU’RE COMING!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 26 AT THE SIX PACK RANCH. SPACE IS AVAILABLE. CALL ELAINE ZAMBOS AT 801-599-6954. LET HER KNOW YOU’RE COMING!

See the Bulletin for full details. Then sign up and attend an event. God bless! Those kids I just wrote about, they’re going to need a church some day. Just saying.

“Most holy Theotokos save us.
With many temptations surrounding me, searching for salvation, I have sought refuge in you; O Mother of the Word, and ever virgin, from all distresses and dangers deliver me.”

Dearly Beloved in the Lord,

I welcome you to the Month of August. September is no longer the month for back-to-school, so we should all be settling in for a nice fall and making our preparations for everything a new school year brings.

How sad is that?!?

I’m very much old school in that I believe that August is the time to start shopping for new school clothes, not finish shopping for them. We used to start school with leaves beginning to fall, not soaring, 100 degree temperatures. To me, August is meant for one purpose – at least the first half of it – it contains the season of the Theotokos and the commemoration of her Dormition.

The Fast has begun and we are now a few days into it, so I pray that you have used the time productively and are receiving the spiritual benefits greatly afforded by this season. Of course, the other way of truly appreciating this season, and finding solace in the embrace of the Theotokos, is participating in the Paraklesis Services which are chanted each Monday, Wednesday and Friday during the first two weeks of August.

This past Wednesday evening, we held our first service of the year. And I must say, that it was the most inspirational and moving Paraklesis that I have ever attended. Yes, I wrote that…ever.

Our St. Anna’s chanting group has been practicing for weeks in preparation for these services. They have dedicated hours to rehearsals and prayer. With angelic vibrancy, they melodically, and with dignity, lifted up their voices in supplication to the Mother of God. It was lovely in every way.

Well, here is a way that, in fact, it wasn’t so lovely – there were almost as many chanters as there were participants. I realize that these final days of summer are filled with more and more activities, especially realizing that an entire month of summer has pretty much been wiped away. But, I need to take this opportunity to remind you of the importance of the Theotokos in our lives.

She is our greatest intercessor. She understands pain, sorrow and loss as much as any human being that has ever existed. She gave birth to a Son, Who was destined for glory and appreciation, but only received buffetings, spite, jealousy, anger, violence and death. And she, as a mother, was there to witness every horrific detail. Did she grow angry? Was she jaded? Did the challenges of life cause her to become callous and aloof? No. NO!

This is how she hears our prayers, understands our sorrows, embraces our challenges, sympathizes with our sadness and agonizes over the weight of our sin. And when we come together and pray the supplicatory cannon, that is the Paraklesis Service, we offer to her our prayers, knowing that she will deliver them to Him, Who answers prayers and offers His great mercy. She hears the suffering of her children, and delivers those messages of need to her Son.

Please keep in mind, some special and unique opportunities to avail yourselves this unique opportunity of prayer, comfort, joy and wellness:

When coming to the Paraklesis (literally, meaning “Comfort”), please bring a written list of people of whom you wish to be lifted up in prayer. If you don’t bring a list of people with you, please prepare it when you arrive at the church. I have appropriate sheets available for you as you enter the sanctuary.

Also, please be reminded that the Paraklesis Service on Monday, August 7th will take place at 10:00 am, not in the evening. And again, I remind you, that following the Paraklesis Service on the 7th, will be a special and informative Luncheon on the progress of our Capital Campaign and an opportunity to share ideas that you may have concerning our eventual purchase of land for our church. Please RSVP to Barbara Hillas at 801-604-4884. Personalized packets will be prepared for all participants, so we would very much like to plan for your attendance.

Even if every detail of every aspect of your life is washed over with complete bliss, and you don’t seem to have a care or concern in your life, I would still invite you to come to the Paraklesis Service and engage in a more significant relationship with the Theotokos and her Son and our God. I would also invite you to come to them repeatedly. Once is nice. All of them is nicer!

I hope to see you at services, beginning this Friday evening. Let us allow the Mother of God to guide us into the Kingdom through her prayers, intercessions and love. Participating in the Service of Paraklesis is our opportunity to return her favors and show her our love. Yes, that was guilt. Come to church!

Love in Christ,

Fr. Anthony

“Build the house, that I may take pleasure in it, and that I may be glorified.”
– Haggai 1:8

Dearly Beloved in the Lord,

Realizing that you are accustomed to my message coming to you in the middle of the night, or awakening Friday mornings to find your Weekly Bulletin, placed in your in-box, I went to sleep last night after a wonderful day. I couldn’t even find the energy to send out a simple announcement. Not that I’ve traveled too far from Utah, and my current Time Zone is only one hour off, but the last couple of days have been filled with so many magical hours, that I’ve been too zapped at night to write even a single word.

As I write this message to our dear, St. Anna friends and family, I’m in Portland, Oregon; leaving this evening and returning home in time for a lovely wedding at Holy Trinity Cathedral. I’m here with my mom and cousin, having come to visit my Uncle Bill Zakis, my mom’s oldest brother who just turned 94-years-old. I’ve spoken about, and written about my uncle before. He is one of the most influential figures in my life.

Born in a tiny, coal mining town in Wyoming to immigrant parents with no education, we went on to become an internationally-known geologist and engineer. He didn’t travel the world with his family, we worked all over the world with his family. He and Aunt Virginia, together with their four children would live in places like New Guinea, Australia, Iran, Dubai, Argentina…oh, and New Mexico & Colorado. When they would come to Salt Lake City to visit family, the stories of their adventures were highly anticipated. Every detail of their every mundane, daily activity was like a fictitious novel to the cousins who simply went to school, did yard work, and played soccer – all without the assistance of servants and “house boys,” like our “royal family” experienced.

So, just like a child, once again, I’ve been able to sit with my uncle, now confined to a wheelchair, and listen to his stories. Funny thing, though, he hasn’t mentioned instances like his perilous escapades on rope bridges, interactions with cannibals, connections with billionaire sheiks, finding oil wells with hand-made maps and gut instincts, or putting out explosive fires with technical skill and more gut instincts.

At this time in his life, these things seem to be unimportant. He talks about Hanna, Wyoming, the place where he and his siblings were born. The little place where my papou (grandfather) built a life and where my yiayia (grandmother) built a home. There are nearly 16 years separating my mom and my uncle; they lived almost entirely different lives in that little town. Uncle Bill was off to WWII before my mother was even out of elementary school. But there are so many things that unite their experiences. I’ve learned more about those experiences in these past two days, than I have in a life time.

What has struck me so beautifully, however, is the one thing through time, circumstances, adventures, deaths, laughter, tears, and every day living…is faith. My grandparents were people of devout faith in God and love for their Church. In my own recollection, Yiayia was constantly quoting scriptures, chanting hymns and reflecting upon the lives of the saints. She was constantly in prayer, and we knew not to interrupt her as she spoke to Theouli (God) throughout the day.

This is the immigrant faith that was delivered upon the shores of this great nation and eventually found its way to central Wyoming, and ultimately to Salt Lake City.

This is the story of my family. This is the story which mirrors the families of many people we know. This is a portion of our spiritual family’s history. To the people in my past, and the people in your past, we owe a great debt of gratitude in delivering up, a life connected to God. And to those of us, who came to a path, leading to the Kingdom of God, without prior example, you are to be blessed for introducing such a gift to your own children and continued progeny.

Indeed, I’ve been given the gift of vibrant and living faith from family that I know, and have never known. They sacrificed that my children may also know the Lord, worship in His House and receive His precious Sacraments. I’ve been sitting in the room of a luxurious, retirement center in the beautiful Northwest, learning to truly, appreciate, the gifts I’ve been given and the responsibilities I’ve been given in order to perpetuate, share and grow our Orthodox Faith.

So then, here is where my message transforms into a commercial. Please, stay with me. This is important.

We all have history. We all have a past. We all have roots. But sometimes we are given the opportunity to write history, create a future, and establish roots for future generations. As we, the faithful of St. Anna’s begin this process through our Capital Campaign, we are given the blessing to further-establish a spiritual home of prayer, inclusiveness, Holy Tradition, joy and primarily, the Orthodox Faith.

In order that we can all take part in this mission and progress with a united purpose, we are hosting six gatherings where we can break bread, learn of our mission, and charge forward with a collective fire and enthusiasm. We’ve mentioned these gatherings before, but in today’s bulletin, the specific dates, times and locations are included. Please, please, please, look at the times and choose one. There is ample opportunity for each and every member of our community to be intimately included in our efforts.

All events are at private homes and businesses except for a luncheon that will take place after the DAYTIME CELEBRATION OF THE PARAKLESIS ON MONDAY, AUGUST 7TH AT 10:00 AM. If you don’t want to come out at night, please join us for this gathering. It is expected to be our largest of the six.

But again, please, please, please pick one, participate and get engaged in the process. At each of the six gatherings, you will receive a most valuable, precious and historic gift that will help to inspire us through the process of establishing a permanent place for our church. You really won’t want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

So now, we’ll make our own history and carve out our own adventure. Traversing the globe won’t be necessary. What is however necessary, is re-discovering the faith that brought our Church to the far-reaching outposts of this nation, and will eventually plant a permanent home for our parish in the southern portion of the Salt Lake Valley.

With Much Love in Christ,

Fr. Anthony

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Please be reminded of the immediate services and accompanying activities:

Saturday, July 22nd
Feasts of St. Mary Magdalene and St. Markella the Virgin Martyr
Orthros, 9:30 am
Divine Liturgy, 10:30 am

Sunday, July 23rd
Parish Name Day Picnic
Canyon Rim Park, 3:00 pm

Monday, July 24th
Dormition (Falling Asleep) of St. Anna, the Mother of the Theotokos
THIS IS OUR PARISH NAME DAY
Great Vespers with Artoclasia, 5:00 pm
Our “Pioneer Day.” Please be in church!

Tuesday, July 25th
Dormition (Falling Asleep) of St. Anna, the Mother of the Theotokos
THIS IS OUR PARISH NAME DAY
Orthros, 9:30 am
Divine Liturgy, 10:30 am

THIS SUNDAY, JULY 23RD IS AN ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT DAY IN THE LIFE OF OUR PARISH. PLEASE BE IN CHURCH, AND ATTEND THE PICNIC IN ORDER TO RECEIVE IMPORTANT INFORMATION CONCERNING THE CRITICAL AND ONGOING EFFORTS OF OUR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN AND THE GROWTH OF OUR BUILDING FUND. YOU WON’T WANT TO MISS OUT!!!

“Rejoice, divine and blessed Anna! Grandmother of Christ our God! You are the blessed ground who caused to blossom the earth which brought forth God for the world! You unceasingly studied the law of God, inscribing grace for all! By your giving birth you broke the bond of barrenness; you overcame death with incorruption; you passed over to divine splendor, after you gave birth to the Theotokos, the Light-bearing lamp. Pray with her that great mercy may be granted to our souls.” – Vespers Hymn for the Dormition of St. Anna

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I pray that you have all enjoyed a blessed week. I must say that our experience up at Strawberry Reservoir for our annual Parish Fishing Trip was a weekend filled with Christian fellowship and great fun. We prayed, ate, danced, ate, fished, ate, laughed, ate…you get the idea.

What a great time! God bless our trip organizers, Chuck Karpakis and Mark Vrontikis. We enjoyed the company of over 140 people who came up during the weekend, and around 70 people who remained for the Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning. This is continuing to be a lovely July tradition in the life of our community.

July is just full of traditions. We’ve already celebrated Independence Day. Fireworks, BBQ’s, parades, and fun. Every other year (when I’m not attending the National Clergy/Laity Congress) I very much enjoy spending the 4th of July with family and close friends. And let’s not forget our own local holiday toward the end of the month. Pioneer Day! Yeah!!!

So here it is: this message is meant to serve as an important announcement, as well as an appeal to your spiritual sensibilities. While the customs and traditions of our own parish are still growing and forming, I feel it necessary to still send out the reminder that the Feast of the Dormition of St. Anna, our Parish Name Day is the 25th of July.

What does that mean, practically? And what should be developing in your mind’s summer calendar?

Firstly, that while your neighbors and co-workers are commemorating their ancestral journey into this Valley, and celebrating their pioneer spirit, we will be celebrating Great Vespers on the 24th of July.

Great Vespers for the Feast of the Dormition of St. Anna is on Monday, July 24th at 5:00 pm.

I scheduled the service in the late afternoon in case you have evening plans that are also long-standing traditions. Since more and more places are outlawing areal fireworks, your night should be freed up to attend church for your PARISH NAME DAY. Yes…capitalized for emphasis since, I pray, we really should come together, in the church, to honor the Mother of the Theotokos and our Matron Saint Anna.

Please plan on being with us that evening for services, including the Artoklasia, or the Blessing of the Five Loaves.

Secondly, the Divine Liturgy will naturally follow the next day. While I am aware that it is not possible for everyone to take the morning off of work to come to church, but I am really imploring all of you, who are able to be in church, to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in commemoration of our Parish Feast.

The Orthros and Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Dormition of St. Anna is on Tuesday,
July 25th at 9:30 am and 10:30 am, respectively.

Thirdly, please remember that our Parish Name Day Picnic is on Sunday, July 23rd at Canyon Rim Park. This will be our opportunity to gather around each other, commemorate our Third Anniversary as a parish and give thanks to our loving Lord for putting our spiritual home in the hands of Christ’s Maternal Grandmother. I will never, ever, cease praising and thanking God for the name He bestowed upon us.

Our church family is united with a member of His family.

Our mystical identity is forever intertwined with His identity.

Our sacred Mother is the Mother of His Mother.

Please, never let the knowledge of this great honor diminish or fade.

Also, please be mindful that we will be discussing some extremely important details concerning our ongoing Capital Campaign at the Picnic. This effort will take the sacrificial and generous support of all of us to have any hope for success.

So there you have it: our July Traditions. Sacred Traditions. Fellowship Traditions. Holy Traditions.

Wow. Just wait until August…

With Much Love in Christ,

Fr. Anthony

“Build the house, that I may take pleasure in it, and that I may be glorified.”
– Haggai 1:8

Dearly Beloved in the Lord,

Please take a moment to read the above-cited scriptural verse. Read it again. Meditate upon it. Close your eyes and allow a visual image to take form. Hear God’s commandment that a home should be built unto His glory. Hear the sounds. See the sights. Feel the excitement.

This short verse, from the equally-short Book of Haggai will be embedded in the minds and inscribed on the hearts of the good people of St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church. For this scriptural command is our clarion call to rise up, become prayerfully motivated, and set our sights on the most important goal that we as a community of believers, will ever hope to accomplish.

This Verse is the theme for our Capitol Campaign, dedicated to the purchase of land for our eventual and permanent parish home. Hear the sounds. See the sights. Feel the excitement.

It has been a few weeks since I have had the opportunity to properly address you, using this, my favorite medium – these Thursday Evening/Friday Morning messages. I feel deeply connected to you, every time I sit down to write down the contents of my thoughts and prayers. While I was away on vacation (and on a brief hiatus from my pastoral messages), I quietly reached a great mile stone in my humble ministry. On June 15th, I celebrated the 20th Anniversary of my ordination to the Holy Priesthood.

Twenty years is a long time. Sometimes the days have been long, but the years have gone by quickly. Far, too quickly. In the span of two decades, I have experienced incredible blessings and have suffered some pretty substantial challenges. I have shared in the absolute joy of God’s children, and have been witness to the most traumatic and horrific times in people’s lives. We’ve lived in three states and have served two Metropolitans.

I’ve read the prayers of healing, forgiveness, marriage, baptism, chrismation, funerals, sanctification, protection and travel. I’ve blessed hundreds of babies and couples. I’ve blessed thousands of luncheons and dinners. The opportunities to stand before the faithful, and beside the bishop, are equally humbling and exhilarating. I won’t lie: I completely love being fully vested, unto God’s glory – not mine. And I take pride in a near-spotless altar (minus the continual wax drippings).

It’s all been beautiful. Even the most challenging of times have been filled with countless blessings, and opportunities to learn, grow and mature. I’ve enjoyed long-lasting relationships and have endured broken ones, as well. Some of those fractured relationships have been my fault. Other have not. I lament them all, none the less. I ask forgiveness of the people I’ve hurt. And I extend forgiveness to those who have crushed my spirit. It’s all fascinating. It’s all written by the hand of God. Every moment of the past twenty years has been filled with wonder.

But please permit me to speak (or rather, write) as plainly, and as precisely as possible, when I state that:

There is nothing that I have accomplished, worked towards, dreamed of, prayed about or acted upon, within the life of the Church, more significant, than our eventual goal of building our church. Building St. Anna’s Church. Building Christ’s Church.

To be sure, we are just taking the first, little, baby steps towards this lofty and sacred task. We have received the scope of our project through the voice of the Parish Assembly – $3,000,000.00! We have received the blessings of His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver to proceed. We have begun meeting with individuals and families in the parish, whom we hope and pray will take the lead responsibilities in financing our holy project.

And if you will please read the announcement in this week’s Bulletin, you will learn of our plans to reach out to every, single individual, couple and family, who call St. Anna’s, their spiritual home. Our in-home meetings are not only for those blessed with wealth or resources. The opportunity to hear our plans, share our vision and actively participate is for everyone. And everyone will have, just that opportunity. Hear the sounds. See the sights. Feel the excitement.

Up until now, our rollout has been subtle and understated. But from now, be prepared to hear the message at every gathering and to measure our progress at every turn. The time has come to plan for our future and secure a place that will eventually house our weddings, baptisms, funerals and Liturgies. It is in this future space, where we will hear the Gospel, listen to the Word, partake of the Mysteries, and sing His praises. The time is at hand, that we build the house, that he may take pleasure in it, and where He may be glorified.

Hear the sounds.
See the sights.
Feel the excitement.
Pray the prayer.
Read the Announcement!

With Much Love in Christ,

Fr. Anthony

(Hey – we’ve been given the opportunity to do something that is literally once in a life time. Can you believe it?!?)

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Apostles, I pray that we also serve as shining examples of those who live the Word of God and spread the Word of God. Their zeal drove nearly all of them to martyrdom and we give thanks for their faith, bravery, talents and love for Jesus Christ and the Church that they would help to establish. We send up a special Name Day greeting to the chancellor of our Metropolis, Dn. Paul (Apostolos) Zaharas. Many Years to him, all who celebrate this sacred festival, and the entirety of faithful Orthodox Christians who benefit from the work of the Holy Apostles. God Bless!

Love in Christ,
Fr. Anthony

“For You are the resurrection, the life and the repose of your servants, O Christ our God, and to You we give the glory, as to Your Father Who is from Everlasting, and Your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.”

Dearly Beloved in the Lord,

This coming Monday is Memorial Day. Last year, I was most grateful to stand with many of you as we commemorated our loved ones who have passed on from this world.

Once again and in continuing with the long-standing Salt Lake City tradition, I will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery on Memorial Day so that we can pray the Trisagion prayers for our departed in Christ.

If your family members are buried at a different cemetery, please feel free to contact me at franthony@stannagocutah.org or 801-824-3987 to schedule a time when I can accommodate you as well.

I pray that you enjoy a most blessed and safe Memorial Day Weekend. I remain,

With Love in Christ,

Fr. Anthony

“Therefore whoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” – Matthew 7:24-27

Dearly Beloved in the Lord,

Christ is Risen!
Truly He is Risen!

In the church office, still waiting to be hung with my other artwork, is a framed print of a beautiful lighthouse, inscribed with a portion of the above scriptural text. It was given to me many years ago, by my godmother, Sylvia Petrulakis, as a cherished gift when I was ordained a deacon. The lighthouse stands firmly embedded on the rocky coast as the waves crash violently against the jagged stones. Nothing, seemingly could possibly prevail against this fortified beacon…or frustrate its ultimate purpose…for its foundation had been properly established and sturdily built.

You see, this parable is not so much about houses, storms, rain, or even challenges and tribulations. But the primary lesson our Lord imparts…is about foundations. Buildings can be designed as whimsically or pragmatically as the architect’s talent, ability or imagination might allow. But the foundation, never lauded…or even particularly noticed for its aesthetic value or beauty, must simply perform its function – that is to keep the home…the building… the skyscraper…the bridge; standing upright and steadfast.

This Sunday, we will end our third year of Sunday School at St. Anna’s. I’ve written it before, and I’ve heard it said many times: “Has it really been three years?!?” Three years of hard work. Three years of joy. Three years of steady growth. Three years of Orthodox witness. And three years of tending to the emerging Faith of our precious youth. Yes. It’s been three years.

I remind our advancing students and our one graduate, that your parents, families, parish, priest, deacon, and Sunday School teachers did not work earnestly and faithfully to develop your intellect, character, spirit and judgment upon the weak and transitory properties of sand.

Your foundational roots are deep…they are powerful and complex. And they were nurtured here in the nurturing environment of St. Anna’s. The hours spent in class listening to teachers, engaged in dialogue, participating in creative role-plays, making crafts, and even coloring in the obligatory pictures of icons, have given you step-by-step, week-to-week, Sunday-to-Sunday building blocks that form the strong fortification of your Christian experience.

I remind our parents that in Sunday School, and throughout the spectrum of our Youth Ministry activities, we are striving solely for the building of foundations.

The Foundation that is Christ.

Our prayer is to equip our children for storms that we hope will never come. We stand as your partners in Faith and our Orthodox Christian values & traditions. Thank you for recognizing the importance of Sunday School in your children’s lives and for making sure they were there.

I gratefully remind our teachers, that for a few years, before attending Seminary, I enthusiastically held your position. As a Sunday School teacher at Holy Trinity Cathedral, I enjoyed the preparations, research, readings and prayers before each class. I especially cherished the interaction and discussions with the kids. Of course, I owe a great debt of gratitude to my own teachers who dedicated themselves to my spiritual education. I think they did a pretty good job!

So, in the spirit of offering thanks and gratitude to our teachers, please pray for the continued strength and inspiration of:

Heidi Varechok
Elaina Simos
Rebecca Shand
Cindy Johnson
Barbara Hillas
Jamie Cayias
Tanya Holbeck
Bob Varechok
Harry Hillas
Brandee Mau
Georgette Lowe
Elaine Peterson

and, especially, though she does not like to be singled out,
and since I’m already in trouble anyway for mentioning her…

Kim Mallas, our ever-dedicated Sunday School & Youth Director.

The good news: there were 78 students registered in our Sunday School Program this year.
The better news: we are losing only one student to graduation (Congratulations, Alexia Savas!) So the program should be more vibrant than ever, next year!

The sad news: Brandee Mau made an instant and massive impression in our high school students during the one year she taught. She and her lovely family will be moving back to Wyoming this summer, and they will all be greatly missed. It is my humble prayer that we, as a community, will send them with Christ’s love and our appreciation of having known them.

If Sunday School is the building of a foundation, then standing in front of our 10th,11th, and 12th graders is the finishing touch and the final word. Brandee and Harry have done such a wonderful job.

This was truly a blessed year in our Sunday School Program!

Lots of rock.
No sand.

Hardly the ideal setting for a day at the beach. But the perfect environment for Orthodox Christian education!

With Love in our Risen Lord,
Fr. Anthony

AS A REMINDER:
THIS WEEKEND IS SUNDAY SCHOOL GRADUATION, MAY 21ST, 2017, FOLLOWING THE DIVINE LITURGY.
THERE ARE 78 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN SUNDAY SCHOOL.
I WOULD LOVE TO HAND OUT 78 CERTIFICATES TO 78 STUDENTS.
PLEASE SEE TO IT THAT YOUR CHILDREN ARE IN ATTENDANCE, TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS BLESSED MILESTONE OF THEIR SPIRITUAL FORMATION.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we approach this weekend, looking forward to the celebration of Mother’s Day, I pray that all of the Moms, Grandmothers, Godmothers, and influential women in our lives will be richly and abundantly blessed. Just this past week, His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver, reflecting on the naming of our parish of St. Anna, told me that without the participation of the Mother of God, the Theotokos, there is no salvation for human kind. She made God’s plan possible through her “yes.” And without St. Anna, there is no Theotokos. No Mary…no “yes,” no salvation. Your parish has such an important Saint.”

We honor the mother of the Theotokos every time we pray to God. We bless her name every time we petition Him with any and all requests, unto salvation. Her name, is in our hearts as His name is on our lips. We honor the Theotokos, and as specific inheritors of St. Anna’s tender ministry of motherhood, we hold her dearly.

Giving thanks to God for the abundant gifts He continues to pour upon us, we must acknowledge, as His Eminence reminds us, that the incredible Mothers in the life of Christ, must be ever-present in our proclamation of God’s incarnation in the flesh. The God Man, Jesus, is Man, only through His birth from a young maiden. Through her sincere piety, unyielding faith, steadfast devotion, and tender love, He came into the world to save us from sin, destruction and death. His mother made this possible.

Her mother made HER possible.

There is no way of skirting the significance of their roles in the lifting up of humankind; returning us to the very Kingdom, from which we were once banished.

A blessed Mother’s Day to all who celebrate. Our very lives are but a witness to your sacrificial love and obedience to your sacred vocation of motherhood.

As I am, myself, the son of an incredible Mother, and the husband of a woman fiercely dedicated, in every way, to the well-being of her children, I remain,

With Love in our Risen Lord,
Fr. Anthony