Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church Mission Sunday: The Universe Is Our Parish

Mission Sunday Divine Liturgy begins at 9.30 am
http://www.goarch.org/archdiocese/departments/outreach/resources/mission-universe
Mission Sunday Letter from OCMC Executive Director, Fr. Martin Ritsi
by Alex Goodwin

I sought the Lord, and He answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.
Look to Him, and be radiant;
so your faces shall never be ashamed.

Psalm 34:4-5

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Greetings in Christ! Throughout the coming days of Great and Holy Lent, we look forward to celebrating our Savior's Resurrection with great anticipation, prayerful reflection, and genuine expressions of love for others.

Christ's loving sacrifice can be the source of life-changing peace in the hearts of the faithful. It is this peace that is our blessed duty to share with the world. March 2nd, 2014, the beginning of Lent, is also Mission Sunday among the Orthodox Churches of North and Central America.

The Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) has been established by the hierarchs of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America to help parishes and individuals to share the Orthodox faith around the world. Through service, outreach, and evangelism, Orthodox Christians have been able to minister to countless people who desperately need Christ in their lives by participating in the ministries of the OCMC. In so doing, they have helped rebuild the Church in places like Romania and Albania after the fall of Communism and establish the Church in places it never before existed, like among the Turkana of northern Kenya. Thousands of people have been received into the Body of Christ as a direct result of these efforts.

Continuing to support Orthodox missions and remembering Orthodox missionaries in prayer is important, but in the spirit of the Lenten season, please consider this invitation to participate in the joyful work of missions yourselves and helping others from your parish to do so as well. The clergy, the laity, the young, and the old can all go into the world with the gift of Orthodoxy.

The Christian missionary is compelled by an urgency to proclaim the message of the Gospel, but in sharing Christ they are also seeking Him. He does answer - delivering them from all fears of leaving home, friends, and family.

Join the ranks of countless men and women who have endeavored to make disciples of all nations this Great and Holy Lent. Serve and be radiant in your loving witness to all people so that the Lord may be magnified before them, and so that we may exalt His name together for all ages.

In Christ,

Fr. Martin Ritsi

2/12/2014Please Pray for the Orthodox Faithful of Annunciation Orthodox Church in Pakistan

TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE OCMC LIST: Send an email to: listserv@listserv.goarch.org
In the body of the email type: subscribe ocmc