COVID-19 has been a time for all of us to be challenged in our faith and struggle through the hardships that it presents. As I have been striving to persevere through this time, I have seen my kids fight this battle alongside me as well. Boredom, unknowns about the future, disruptions to their typical school routines, and cancellation of many summer events have presented them with an equal amount of challenges that we adults are faced with. 

I know I have been tempted during this time to just focus on my own fears, struggles and anxieties but today I would remind all of us to stop and look at the children and youth in our lives and take a little extra time to support them. I'm sure all of us have children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, or even neighborhood children that have been surviving COVID. Today I would like to encourage everyone to take time to do something small for the children in each of our lives and let them know that you care about them and understand how hard this time is for them. Maybe it will be a time to open up a discussion about our faith and how we can lean into Christ during times of uncertainty and fear.

Additionally, for those that have Orthodox children and youth in their lives, I would offer a few small options to encourage them them during this hard time and to support their faith:

1. Be the Bee (6th grade and above) - This is an excellent video series put on by the Archdiocese to help middle, high school, and college students engage their faith and face the challenges that our modern society presents to them. There are even some episodes that touch on COVID.
2. Virtual Church School - Rooted in Prayer (K-5) - This is a new virtual camp put out by Ancient Faith Radio that has full lessons plans, videos, songs, craft ideas, and much more.
3. Children's Orthodox Books (K-8) - There is a wealth of Orthodox books for children on both Ancient Faith and the Greek Archdioceses Department of Religious Ed, one even by a local artist :)

As we continue to navigate our path through COVID-19 let's continue to support and pray for those 'little people' around us who may not know how to articulate their feelings during this time but are struggling to find Christ and endure the pandemic with faith and patience.

In Christ,

Dn. Steve

​Dear Ones,

Amidst the tragedies and horrors afflicting our world in these dark days, I would like to share a timely article from one of my professors from seminary, Fr. Luke Veronis.

The article reminds us that our Savior, Jesus Christ, truly has conquered sin, death, and the devil. Through His resurrection He turned all of these on their head, divinely overcoming them through His power and authority over all. During these times it is important to remember that we, through prayer, can connect with those departed with love through Christ and intercede on their behalf.

Click here to read the article.

In Christ,

Dn. Steve

​Dear Ones,

Christ has ascended in glory from us into the heavens and sits at the right hand of God the Father!

I greet you on this blessed Feast with good news regarding the reopening of Holy Resurrection. The Steering Committee has been hard at work over the last week completing the "Parish Readiness" checklists so that we can reopen the church as safely, and as quickly, as possible. We have made great progress thanks to their hard work, and we can today announce the following: Holy Resurrection will reopen on Wednesday, June 3rd, for communal worship and reconnecting with one another, albeit, with certain limitations. The most important of these is the limitation that we can only have 25 people, including clergy, at a service. 

Things will be and will look, different for a while. Your patience and your prayers are needed as we return to normalcy one step at a time. To help you in this time of change we have scheduled an "Open House" for this Sunday, May 31st, at Blanchet, from 12-2 pm. During the "Open House" you will learn about the changes we have made in order to comply with the regulations provided by local, state, and federal agencies, as well as those provided by the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco.

We will test out our reservation system (Eventbrite) and send you a personal invitation to the "Open House". You should expect to see an email Friday afternoon. If you haven't received a call or email by Saturday, please let Deacon Steve know. 

Please keep in mind that what we have done, and what we are asking of you, is done to keep everyone safe and to prevent the transmission of this deadly virus. These are acts of sacrificial love for God and neighbor, and in obedience to our Bishop.

Please review the guidelines and instructions included here. There will be a test =).

fj

Christ is Risen! 

This coming Sunday is yet another beautiful Gospel account of Christ's active ministry of healing and salvation, as we read about the healing the blind man.  As we continue to enjoy the wonderful Sunday themes during the Paschal season it is easy to forget something though. Amidst all these joyful Sundays we can easy gloss over the saints are being celebrated. This coming Sunday we celebrate St. Vincent of Lerins who was a staunch defender of the Orthodox faith in the 5th century. Many of you probably know him for his famous quote about the centrality of continuing in the faith that has been believed 'everywhere, always, and by all'.

St. Vincent clearly highlights the importance of following the Christian faith received from Christ, passed on to His Apostles, and continued down to the present day through the Church. This reality not only safeguards us against straying from the normative Christian path but it reminds us that we are not alone in this pandemic and struggle. We are connected to the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. Our Christian faith, rooted in the person of Jesus Christ, allows those past and present Christians to be one in the Body of Christ. In this time of ongoing isolation and anxiety, we can take refuge in knowing that we are connected to millions and millions of Christians throughout the ages and even in our present day.

As evidence that we are not alone, I wanted to share that our own Metropolitan Gerasimos has been sharing videos each week to the faithful within our metropolis. This coming Saturday (5/23) at 12:30pm the Metropolitan will be conducting a service for those who have passed away or are afflicted by COVID-19 and you can submit names to be prayed for at this service. Likewise, Archbishop Elpidophoros has posted many videos to reach out to the faithful across all America. The Archdiocese has also created a COVID-19 relief fund for those that have been impacted financially by the pandemic to receive up to $2,500. These are just a few small examples that we are truly not alone and that the Church is always here for us in whatever situation we face.

I pray that you continue to be uplifted by the reality that the Church is with you and that our good Lord continue to shine His loving face upon you.

In Christ,
Dn. Steve

"As the physician of the sick and the suffering, and as the helper of the faithful who hope in You, O gracious Lord, who wills that all humanity be saved, from Your throne of majesty, look upon us with mercy; hear our voice out of the depths, as we cry to You saying: We all entreat You, free us from the threat of this pandemic, O God most compassionate."

This beautiful hymn is the first troparia in a newly compiled supplication service for us as we continue the battle against the coronavirus. This service was compiled by Metropolitan Cyril of Rhodes and translated by Fr. Seraphim Dedes who founded the AGES initiative which is an excellent source of liturgical music and texts translations into English. This supplication service comes to us in as we plod forward in enduring the coronavirus and its widespread affects.

"Earnestly we pray, O our Savior very merciful: Straight away avert the spread of the disease, for we know no other God and Lord except for You. Holy Trinity, our God, have mercy on us and save us."

Throughout the service, amazing hymns are interspersed with an entreaty that the Holy Trinity, our God, may have mercy on us and save us from this despised illness.

"Fear of the pandemic has gripped the hearts of all of Your servants, O compassionate Lord and God. Quickly come and save us, we earnestly entreat You, invoking Your great mercy, Savior most merciful."

The service recognizes that not only are we afflicted by the direct body threat that COVID inflicts but also that fear is constantly attacking us. The very air and atmosphere of our lives have been polluted by fear from the disease and powerfully gives us petitions to plead to our Savior to deliver us from this constant anxiety, mental anguish, and spiritual leach.

"Having borne the Redeemer of humanity, Virgin most pure, ineffably, entreat Him to inhibit the spread of the pandemic that has plagued the entire world; and with your motherly grace,  give us your calming comfort."

"Haralambos the Martyr is known for combating the plague. O Lord, by his prayers rescue us from it, and we shall sing, glorifying your mighty power, O God."

"Join the Theotokos, all you arrays of angelic powers, honored Forerunner of the Lord, holy Twelve Apostles and all the Saints together, and pray for our salvation, and intercede for us"

Hymns are dedicated to have the entire body of the Church, the Church triumphant prays for us the Church militant in during this dark time. For we are all one the body of Christ, His Church, and we as a spiritual community throughout the ages all support each other through our oneness in our Savior.

"O compassionate Lord and God, as an inexhaustible sea of tender love, please do not allow humanity to languish and perish from contagious disease"

And most of all, we cast ourselves at the feet of our Lord's 'inexhaustible sea of tender love'. The Lord our God, who is fully human like us, who underwent horrid sufferings throughout his life, can relate and knows the pain and sorrow each and everyone one of us feels. Jesus weeps at the suffering we experience and has true empathetic compassion. His compassion isn't theoretical or distant, but it is so close to us because He experienced the human condition of suffering yet without sin. It is through His love, true experienced self sacrificial love, that we can take comfort to rest in Him and find the peace which surpasses all our suffering, hardship, and fear.

Dn. Steve