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.
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ADULT ORTHODOX RELIGIOUS EDUCATION MINISTRY (DIAKONIA)
Saint Nikolai Velimirovic emphasized the significance of the continuing adult education and how crucial to the spiritual health of the faithful and community around us when he said, "The better one knows our Orthodox faith, the more he loves it." (Missionary Letters)
We, at Saint Andrew, take adult education seriously. For years there has been an online adult religious education on a daily basis, we have a weekly Adult Bible Catechetical Class, we have an Orthodox Parish Library, all of our faithful are able to purchase religious items and books on the various aspects of our Faith from the Saint Andrew Bookstore, and various Orthodox pamphlets free of charge on spiritual topics as well as synopsis of the Mysteries (Sacraments), Church History, and the numerous traditions, social issues, etc.
I congratulate all of you who show such great interest and willingness to enrich your knowledge of our Christian Faith. "The gate by which we enter the Kingdom of God is increasingly becoming narrow, and we need to have ongoing instruction, guidance, encouragement, inspiration, support and, where necessary and importantly, correction."
Many of our Christian converts to the Orthodox Faith have described the discovery of Orthodoxy as "discovering gold". Other converts have described finding "the light of the early Church" that still shines in Orthodoxy." Others have described Orthodox Christianity as the "fullness of the Christian faith."
It is my hope that these classes and the religious education offered to our people will afford them the opportunity to discover this "gold", this "light of Christianity", this "fullness". Our goal at Saint Andrew is not only one of discovery, but also one of learning how to experience this fullness of life in Christ through the fullness of the Christian faith retained without alteration in the Orthodox Christian Church, the authentic Church of Christ.
Saint Peter the Holy Apostle writes, "...you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10).
A blessed Great and Holy Lent to all.
With agape in Christ God,
+Father George