My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

A STEWARD OF SAINT ANDREW IS ALSO AN AMBASSADOR OF THE CHURCH

Every year the parish conducts elections for the new members of the parish council and every year following the ratification of the elections by His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael the new members of the parish council take the oath of office before God and fellow parishioners.

As leaders of the parish, the parish council members are on the front lines and are able to have a long-term positive effect on their parish. To serve on the parish council is a ministry and those who serve are called to represent Christ to all whom they meet in all aspects of life.

The holy mission of the parish as defined in the Uniform Parish Regulations - and therefore the mission of the Parish Council -- is "...to keep, practice and proclaim the Orthodox Christian Faith pure and undefiled."

Above and beyond the many and various responsibilities of the members of the parish council, they also represent the community, and therefore, become the ambassadors of the church wherever they go. However, they are not the only ambassadors of the parish. Every steward of the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Andrew in South Bend is an ambassador. By being an Ambassador you, the individual member, must also reflect the Orthodox Christian values, conduct, proclaim the Faith and keep it pure and undefiled. Every Orthodox Christian should be a supporting member of the parish, in other words, everyone should make a financial commitment to the operating needs of the church.

I find it alarming and astonishing that there are still Orthodox Christians attending the divine services, receiving the sacraments, are served by the parish priest of Saint Andrew and yet do not think that they too have the same responsibility as everyone else of supporting the church financially. No parish is self-sustaining! Only those people that attend once a while may not think of it but not someone who attends frequently.

There are always those individuals who are indifferent, those who do not practice the Faith, those who are not willing to support financially the local church, those who have no commitment to Christ, those who find a million excuses of not giving to the church, individuals who pretend not to know. No one with common sense or any interest or concern in the church can ever believe that the local church is self-sustaining and does not need assistance.

You, the existing and supporting members of the church, the stewards, should, as the ambassadors of the parish, inform others of how the local parish functions and the responsibility of not only to support the parish financially but also to contribute and work to raise funds. It is not what the parish can do for you but what you can do for the parish!

The mistake that everyone in the parish makes is to place all the community responsibilities, all concerns, all financial obligations, all fund-raising, etc. on the shoulders of the volunteer members of the parish council. That is unjust and totally wrong. We must all share in the great responsibility of running the local parish and to restrict our support by just giving an annual donation and nothing more. Remember that Stewardship means, Time, Talent, and Treasure!

May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ bless all of you as you continue to serve Him with selfless love, faith, and humility.

In Christ's Divine Service,

+Father George