ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ

Twelve years ago this coming September 29th, I knelt before the Holy Altar Table here at our beloved Taxiarchae Church and was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by the laying on of hands of His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios. During that service of Holy Ordination, the Bishop put into my hands the Amnos-the Parakatathiki-the Holy Covanant or Trust for which I will be held accountable on the day of Judgment. The charge during that sacred moment was, "Receive this Parakatathiki-this Sacred Trust-and guard it until the Second Coming at which time you will have to give an account." This Covenant represents the awesome responsibility entrusted to me as your priest to guide and care for the soul of each of the beloved faithful parishioners of this Holy Parish who became my flock on that day, and to guide these precious souls to Salvation in Christ. My humble and sincere prayer today is, although I am unworthy and flawed by many limitations, that I was in some small way able to fulfill this responsibility to each of you during the past twelve years. Where I have made mistakes and have failed you in anyway, I humbly and sincerely ask for your forgiveness.

Twelve years have passed as an instant. During these twelve years, God blessed Daphne and me with the birth of our four children: Maria, Katerina, Yianni, and Thea. During these twelve years, God has blessed our family with your love, support, and presence in our lives. You have indeed become our family. During these twelve years, God has blessed our Parish family with much growth in our ministries, in our philanthropic outreach, in the teaching ministry, in our youth and young adult ministries, and in our liturgical experience. God has truly blessed us with a loving, caring, and unified community. Glory and thanksgiving be to His Holy Name!

"To everything there is a season; A time for every purpose under heaven." With a deep personal sense of that most poignant word, Χαρμολύπη or "joyful sadness", I write to you today to ask for your love, support, and understanding as I accept the call of the Church to serve the Lord and His Holy Church in a new ministry. After much prayer and self-reflection, I obediently answer the call of the Church through the invitation of our Spiritual Father, His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios, to serve as the Chancellor of the Metropolis of Boston. This decision does not come easily, but I humbly ask for your understanding, support, and love as I undertake my new responsibilities. Please pray for me that the Lord will guide, inspire, and strengthen me for this most sacred and privileged diakonia.

Words cannot begin to express the thankfulness that Daphne and I have in our hearts for the unconditional love, acceptance, and embrace that we have received from you, our parish family. We will forever be grateful for the manner in which you made us part of your beautiful family of the Taxiarchae-Archangels parish. Although I will no longer be your pastor, I will always remain a friend and spiritual father to you and this community. I pray that you will likewise continue to embrace my children as they maintain their relationships and their active participation in this loving community, as I will be traveling from parish to parish on a weekly basis.
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