Message from Fr. George
Dear Faithful,
In today's day and age, being spiritual means different things to many different people. We live in a time that defining our own spirituality is not only prevalent, but also encouraged by society as an enlightened way of thinking. This approach to a spiritual life can be detrimental, because we place ourselves at the center of all truth and knowledge. We elevate the self to an all knowing and discerning being who in reality is in no need of God and His direction.
The soul is placed under a tremendous burden with such an approach to spiritual life. Ultimately, it's placed in a position to fail. If the human soul had such a clear grasp on its own well being, there wouldn't be a need for salvation. Christ came to restore God's image and likeness that was distorted at the fall which continues to affect the human condition.
Our Lord has set forth a path to salvation, that is through His body, the Church. It's His body that offers eternal life. True Wisdom and Truth has been handed down to us from the days of the Apostles and it is here we will find refuge. Church is not just a gathering of Christ's Body, but also a source of healing and renewal.
We can seek and search the world for answers, but it is only in our participation in the life of the Church and the Holy Mysteries that we find fulfillment and peace. It is as a community of believers that we grow and not in a vacuum of solitude. This is the wisdom that has been handed down to us, and this is the only sure path to salvation.
May the Holy Spirit continue to guide us on our path to salvation.
With love in Christ,
Fr. George
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Read up on the latest Stewardship figures for 2021. Read More.
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The Primary Activity in a Church Must Be Worship
The most important thing that happens at a church is worship. Every church has a certain number of people who worship every Sunday. There is another number that worships periodically. There is another number that worships on Christmas and Easter and holidays. There is another number that will show up for an occasional wedding. And there is a number that doesn’t show up at all, yet claims adherence to a community... Read More |
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Hope/Joy and GOYA aged children are invited to join us on Saturday, 11/13 as we walk and talk about Scripture. We'll be trail blazing the Catoctin Creek Park trails from 1-3pm with intermittent breaks to discuss Scripture. Register today!
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Read the book and join us to discuss it on Nov. 18th.
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"The results of common prayer are astonishing.
You’ll see for yourself."
St. Porphyrios
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[Saint Porfyrios]- ‘I suggest we pray together, both of us, at exactly the same time. We’ll each pray for the other’.
We agreed and promised. We even set the time for the prayer-10 p.m. He explained that he had great faith in this kind of prayer....Read More
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The Distracted Mind And Our Spiritual Life
Have you ever seen this sign at a church door: “Please turn off your cell phones”? We all know that we need to turn them off before Liturgy. We know that only the gravest emergency should interrupt church... Read More |
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Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov on Reading the Gospel
When reading the Gospel, do not seek pleasure, exaltation or brilliant thoughts. Seek to see the infallibly holy Truth. Read More
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Coffee Hour is back! Consider sponsoring coffee hour in commemoration of a loved one or to celebrate an occasion.
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7 Legit Reasons Why So Many Kids are Bored by Church
Last Sunday, our church did its annual multilingual service, with three congregations—Mandarin-speaking, Spanish-speaking, and English-speaking—all coming together for worship. We had readings in multiple languages, and a sermon was given in Spanish with an English translator. Read More |
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