2021 Stewardship Form
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Stewardship 2021 – Be the Light!
Dear Parishioners,
“You are the Light of the world!” Matthew 5:14
We could never have imagined a year ago the kinds of challenges we would have in 2020. Yet at the same time, in many ways our parish thrived in 2020.
Our parish is guided by five core values: Love, Worship, Community, Learning and Service. Sharing the good news of Christ’s love and the hope that comes from knowing Christ is the most important work we do, and it continued without disruption during 2020. In 2020, we celebrated more services than in any year in our history. Our parish loves to worship. We are finding creative ways to come together in fellowship even when we can’t meet in person, with dynamic ministries for just about every demographic. Also our parish reaches far beyond our four walls reaching thousands of people through our livestreaming of the services. Our parish loves to be in community. We continue to offer Bible studies, Orthodoxy 101 and a daily devotional called “The Prayer Team”. Our church now has a pastoral team of three: a priest and two pastoral assistants, offering more ministries and pastoral care. Our parish loves to learn. More people than ever are stepping up to help continue to offer services and ministries. We have more stewards than ever. We gave more in 2020 to charitable causes than ever before. Our parish loves to serve. All of this is possible because of you. Thank you.
As we look ahead to 2021, there will likely be uncertainty. What we can say for certain is that the work of the church—spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, seeking and saving the lost, and serving our fellow man—will never change. And the call to each Christian, to Be the Light in the world, will never change either.
This year’s Stewardship theme is “Be the Light.” There are many ways to Be the Light in the world. The world is where you are at any moment—in your home, in your job, with your friends, within our parish and within our greater Tampa community. Christ tells us in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Being a faithful steward not only serves others but helps to bring them closer to Christ. As you make your stewardship offering for 2021, please meditate on the Bible verse, “You are the light of the world,” and consider how you can Be the Light in the world through stewardship. The amount we offer is not the most critical thing. The spirit in which we give is. The more we give to the church, the more the church is able to give to others. You may not be able to give what you gave in 2020 and that’s okay. Give what you can with a heart of gratitude and generosity.
2020 saw the world, and our community, face challenges that we’ve never confronted. However, even though some things may have changed and some challenges remain, the call to Be the Light in the world has remained the same. When we work together as stewards of our faith, of our parish, and of our lives, we can Be the Light of Christ in the world!
With love in the Lord,
+Fr. Stavros N. Akrotirianakis, Proistamenos
Chris Kyrus, Stewardship Co-Chair
George Mitseas, Stewardship Co-Chair