Reflections and Sermons

The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. Psalms 33:10

When was the last time we stopped for a minute and came up with a recent inventory of all our interactions with people known and unknown and if it brought us closer to Christ, if in addition those we interact with are brought to Christ or turned off by our poor example refuse to come into His home and shun His very presence?

The psalmist David says (Psalm 86:1-7) Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

This long Journey whose planning stages began on February 9th with the start of the Triodion period, and that comes to a complete conclusion on June 7th with the Feast of Pentecost, peaks on the 19th of April when we Orthodox celebrate Pascha.

So, I urge you this Great Lent to ask yourself: How is the noise of my life drowning out the voice of God?

...of course I’ll pray for you, and you must pray for yourself also.

Christmas 2019 by Rev. Christopher P. Foustoukos, Proistamenos

I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. (Psalm 32:5)

A month into our new routines (work, school days, sports, clubs, commitments, church, ministries, bible studies, prayer, festivals, service, GOYA, dance, Greek school, and maintaining friendships) we may find ourselves very busy, still adjusting, and in all likelihood struggling from

Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.

In most recent years, we have repeatedly heard the same cry of concern from parents, teachers, youth advisors and even parish council members. “Where are the children?” Over the years it seems that desperation and concern have grown.