Dear Friends in Christ, 2009 has been a tough year for many of us, financially, socially, and spiritually. We are living in an era of great change, which leaves us often feeling unnerved and unsure. While affirming the difficulty that many of us are in, we also are nearing the time of Thanksgiving, when we… Continue reading Thanksgiving Even in Hard Times
Category: Holy Theotokos Greenville
Posts originally appearing on the website of Nativity of the Holy Theotokos Orthodox Church in Greenville, North Carolina.
Stepping Outside of Time
Dear Friends in Christ, We’ve entered Fall, a time when things should be starting to unwind. We’ve heard about the lazy days of Summer, but how many of us actually had a time to relax? All the things we end up doing make the time fly by. Soon, we will begin the Holiday Season, with… Continue reading Stepping Outside of Time
Our One Year Anniversary
Dear Friends in Christ, September 2009 marks the first anniversary of Nativity of the Holy Theotokos Orthodox Church here in Greenville! On September 20 of last year we gathered for that first Vespers service, and joined together again the next morning for our first Divine Liturgy. Since that time, we have become an active part… Continue reading Our One Year Anniversary
The Dormition of the Theotokos
Dear Friends in Christ, It’s hard to believe that we’re in August already, and we are almost about to celebrate the one year anniversary of the founding of our mission here in Greenville! One of the highlights of the month of August is the feast day of the Dormition of the Theotokos, which we celebrate… Continue reading The Dormition of the Theotokos
An Orthodox Take on Death
Dear Friends in Christ, With the recent passing of several celebrities, we are once again confronted with the reality of death. Whenever someone famous dies, the response is predictable; the modern world has developed its own set of funeral customs for the famous. Our first hint of the news is often from a gossip site;… Continue reading An Orthodox Take on Death
On the Practical Effects of Baptism
The Scriptures have laid the foundation of baptism, and the Church Fathers and serious theologians through the ages have expounded extensively on the subject, such that anything I could say on the matter would be redundant and insufficient. However, as a pastor, I have the opportunity to relate the theory to the practice for the… Continue reading On the Practical Effects of Baptism
Righteousness Then and Now
“Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” John 14:10. Dear Friends in Christ, In this passage from the Gospel of John, which we read at… Continue reading Righteousness Then and Now
Eastern Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Orthodox Christian?
Different people use different names to describe the Orthodox Christian Church: Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Orthodox Christian, and Eastern Orthodox are just some of the terms employed. They all actually refer to the same Church, but the different terms owe mostly to the different perspectives of those describing the Church. At its most basic level, the… Continue reading Eastern Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Orthodox Christian?
What Does the Word Theotokos Mean?
You may have noticed that our Church is named Nativity of the Holy Theotokos, and you may then wonder what the word Theotokos means. Theotokos is an ancient title for the Virgin Mary, which literally means “the Birthgiver of God” or “Mother of God.” Therefore, our Church is named after the birthday of the Virgin Mary, which… Continue reading What Does the Word Theotokos Mean?
God Remembers Our Labors of Love
Dear Friends in Christ, But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though we speak in this manner. For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do… Continue reading God Remembers Our Labors of Love