Dear Parishioners,
Christ is Risen! Christos Anesti!
First and foremost, it is with a great sense of joy and thanksgiving to God that we are in a position, after two months, to reopen our church on Sunday, May 31 and welcome you back to church in small groups. We have missed you, as we know you have missed worshipping in our church. We look forward to welcoming you back to church.
What we are doing is a temporary process. It is not exactly as we wish to come back. But it is a step in that direction. This is the spirit in which we offer these guidelines.
The Church is the Body of Christ. He is the head. We are the Body—we are the mouths that proclaim the Gospel, we are the hands that do the work of charity, we are the feet that carry the message, we are the minds that create new and better ways to share the message of salvation.
What follows are a combination of what His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios has asked the parishes of this Metropolis to do, (Click Here for Metropolis of Atlanta protocol and Supplementary Protocol as of May 22) combined with challenges and arrangements specific to our parish (Click here to view our protocol – Updated on June 22). I ask that you carefully read through these guidelines. I ask that you read through them with your families, and with your children. If there is someone in your family who does not have a computer or you know of a fellow parishioner who does not have a computer, please share these thoughts with them. I ask that you discuss them with one another. If there is something you do not understand, please do not hesitate to contact Fr. Stavros (frstav@gmail.com, 813-394-1038), Charlie, (chambos@stjohntpa.org, 813-843-8471) or a member of the Parish Council.
These guidelines are for this unique period of time in which we find ourselves. They will not be like this forever. And during this time, as we slowly come back, they may need to be modified. So please review them with care, and practice them with grace and with patience. If we all do this, we can transition ourselves back so that we can once again worship in our church, at first in small groups, and ultimately all together. We understand that this is a challenge for all of us and we will get through it together.
We look forward to seeing you at church in the coming weeks!
With love in the Risen Lord,
+Fr. Stavros N. Akrotirianakis