St. Anna Greek Orthodox Church

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

There is so much on my mind and in my heart at this time, that I am finding it impossible to put my thoughts and feelings into writing. The events of the past week are still surreal to me. So much has transpired on so many levels: spiritually, personally, ministerially, institutionally, practically and realistically.

We are in our new building.

That sentence is simple enough, but the factors that have contributed to that statement, and the nuances that support it as reality are still elusive to me. We are still setting up offices, creating classroom space, figuring out where things are, identifying vendors, creating procedural documents and finding our way around.

I am still prayerfully working on crafting some sort of a semblance of all I am thankful for at this time. The individuals, our parish council, our ministry leaders, my family. It’s all swirling around in my mind and I know that very soon, I will be able to properly give thanks to you all. You have accomplished so much as a parish in such a short amount of time. God’s love shines brilliantly upon you.

So for now, and at this time, I am going to jump into some normalcy and call attention to some activities in the life of our St. Anna Parish.

Last Saturday evening, as you well know, we sponsored a Gala Celebration in commemoration of finalizing our move to the new church and giving thanks to the good people of St. Thomas More. As I have shared before, I felt it to be burdensome to our parishioners to hold a Glendi and an Apokreatiko (Meat Fare) Celebration in such close proximity to each other. We went forward (successfully) with the Glendi. But, Great Lent is still upon us and we should usher it into our lives – of course spiritually, but also with some good fun.

So please join us on February 21 at 7:00 pm for our Mardi Gras Family Night. Just like our other Family Nights throughout the year, such as Halloween and Christmas, we will come together in a more casual atmosphere; this time easing ourselves into the rigors of the Great Fast. Remember that Family Nights are a celebration of our St. Anna Family. If you don’t have children or grandchildren, it does not mean that this party is not for you.

Please remember that Sunday School Classes resume this week. There are many things different about the program at this time. Notably the children will be excused for class at the conclusion of the Liturgy.

IF WE HAVE NEGLECTED TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THS BEFORE, LET ME BE CLEAR NOW: SUNDAY WORSHIP WILL NOW BEGIN WITH THE ORTHROS AT 9:00 am FOLLOWED BY THE DIVINE LITURGY AT 10:00 am. WE ARE STARTING EARLIER BECAUSE SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES WILL BEGIN LATER. THIS WAY, WE SHOULD FINISH THE DAY’S ACTIVITIES AT THE SAME TIME AS BEFORE. THIS IS OUR PLAN. WILL IT WORK OUT PERFECTLY? I HONESTLY DON’T KNOW. WE WILL FIND OUT TOGETEHR AS WE BEGIN OUR NEW NORMAL.

I do want to share one final thought about last Sunday. It’s a personal thought. After the conclusion of our first Liturgy, His Eminence elevated my priesthood by bestowing upon me the title of “Protopresbyter.” This was a great and humbling honor, as this is the highest office a married clergyman can hold in our Orthodox tradition. Through the work of the Parish Council, you the parishioners of St. Anna’s gifted me with a pectoral cross that is lovely beyond measure. I am ever grateful for your generosity and Christian love. Thank you so much!

As gilded and bedecked as it is, it is still a cross. It bears the image of the crucified Christ. It is a symbol of our collective sacrifices and labors unto God’s glory. As a parish, we all share in the successes and celebrations we enjoy. Just as we all carry our responsibilities and suffer each others challenges. We are One. We have been blessed as One.  We glorify God as One. 

Thank you for your patience in this disjointed writing. I am praying for focus and clarity in these busy days. But as I said before, normalcy is returning. God bless you for all that has been accomplished. Let us go forward in peace, joy and Christ’s love.

With Blessings and Gratitude,

Fr. Anthony

Good Evening, Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Well, I have to say that several people have been putting in countless hours of back-breaking work to prepare our new worship space and church home for next week’s grand procession and first Liturgy. God bless you all who are both putting in the time and effort; and everyone who is praying for your strength, endurance, patience and inspiration. As you can well-imagine, there are multiple facets to dismantling, moving and recreating a parish within a couple weeks. To be sure, we have been preparing for months, but the bell has only recently rung to get actual tasks accomplished.

All of the major moving has been done. There are only a few items remaining in the church that are necessary for worship at the most basic levels. I have some personal items to remove from the office as well as the official files for the parish Sacramental Registry and Stewardship. You won’t believe how much stuff we managed to acquire in only a few, short years.

What primarily remains are the sacred vessels, icons, and objects that you, the St. Anna Parishioners will transfer from the current location to the next. Please watch for details and specifics as they continue to evolve. But, by God’s grace, I was with the Metropolitan last weekend during the Metropolis Basketball Tournament and received much-valued instruction. Please pray for a sunny, clear, warmer-than-usual day, free of smog, traffic and red lights as we make our way to our new home on February 2, 2020. 
But before we scooch out of here, let’s please keep in mind a few more thoughts:

Tomorrow, Saturday, January 25 is the Feast of St. Gregory the Theologian, Archbishop of Constantinople. Orthros is at 8:00 am followed by the Divine Liturgy at 9:00 am

This Sunday, the 26th will be the FINAL SUNDAY LITURGY at the St. Thomas More Campus. Please, be with us this Sunday to celebrate the divine services in a place that has served us well, in an atmosphere which has inspired us to greater heights.

Next Thursday, January 30th will be the last service celebrated in our current chapel  (or at least what will remain of it by then). The Feast of the Three Hierarchs, 2020 will forever be remembered as the final time that a holy chalice and paten were raised in the context of Orthodox Worship at St. Thomas More through St. Anna’s.

After that…

What blessings await us – that we will share together?

What challenges await us – that we may rise to meet them as one?

What souls are yet introduced to Christ – that we may serve them with love and devotion?

A building initially constructed to sell trees, seeds, shovels and bark will now perceive, echoing within its walls, the Baptisms of the Faithful, The Marriages of the Couples, The Burial Rights of the Departed, The Confessions of the Suffering, The Laughter of Fellowship, The Scampering of Children, The Wisdom of our Elders, The Proclaiming of the Gospel, The Celebration of all Divine Mysteries, and the Proclamation that Christ is, indeed, Risen from the Dead!

So, at the risk of repeating, we have only three more opportunities to receive Communion in our present location. Don’t miss the opportunity to create the latest memories of this blessed place.

With Much Love in Christ,

Fr. Anthony