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Beloved in Christ,
Each year, the Lord blesses us with the sacred journey of Great Lent—a season that invites us to deepen our faith, renew our hearts, and walk more intentionally with our Savior. This year, our parish has an extraordinary opportunity to gather for a Lenten Retreat on The Sublime Mystery of Christ’s Passion, guided by the gifted Orthodox scholar and teacher, Dr. Eugenia Constantinou.
In previous years, many have cherished our Wednesday morning Lenten Study. This year, instead of holding a separate weekly study, it is my hope that our entire parish will come together for this single, dedicated 5.5‑hour retreat on a Saturday in Lent, making it the central priority for our teaching and spiritual formation during the season.
Yet, I want to speak from the heart as your Priest.
Often, parish events—even spiritually rich ones—are quietly viewed as optional. Something to attend “if nothing else comes up.” But this year is different. This retreat is not something we are simply offering to ourselves. We are hosting it for our non‑Orthodox Christian neighbors in Fayette and Coweta Counties. As we prepare to build our new church, Christ is giving us a sacred responsibility: to be present, to be welcoming, and to become true neighbors in His name. Just as you invite your friends and neighbors to our GreekFest and Golf Classic, you have a new opportunity to share our faith in an easy way that mimics the good will of the community’s former Good Friday services offered in conjunction with local Christian Churches. We become one Body in Christ and witness His love.
Our presence matters.
Our hospitality matters.
Our witness matters.
If we long to be a parish that shines with the love of Christ, then we must show up—fully, joyfully, and together.
In the Gospel, our Lord reminded us that many were invited to the great banquet, but some excused themselves with reasons that sounded reasonable:
“I have purchased land…”
“I have bought oxen…”
“I have married…”
These are real responsibilities—but Christ shows us that even good things can become excuses that keep us from the Kingdom.
My prayer is that we will lovingly set aside anything that competes for this one sacred day. Let us not repeat the excuses of the banquet parable, but instead respond joyfully to Christ’s invitation to a deeper encounter with His Passion.
Dr. Constantinou will guide us into the world of the first century, shedding light on the meaning and reality of the Crucifixion with clarity and spiritual depth. Her teaching opens both mind and heart, helping us experience Christ’s sacrifice in a way that renews our hope and sharpens our love for Him. You do not have to purchase the book to benefit. We ask every parishioner register using the QR code on the attached flyer. I would like to thank Claudia Sliwinski for chairing this event with the support of our Philoptochos Society and Parish Council and I thank all those who will be volunteering to assist that day.
This retreat also allows our parish family—and our Christian neighbors—to pray together, learn together, and grow together as one body in Christ. It is an opportunity to build bridges, strengthen friendships, and reveal the generous, welcoming spirit we want our new church to embody.
Beloved, I ask you—as your Priest who loves you—to make this retreat a priority and register. Not as an optional event, but as a moment of grace. A moment of witness. A moment for us to be the Church Christ calls us to be.
Let us gather on March 28th with open hearts, united in faith, ready to embrace the powerful mystery of Christ’s Passion.
With love in Christ,
Fr. George Tsahakis