Synaxis of the Holy Theotokos, Boxing Day
Christ is born! Glorify Him! I wish you all a most blessed Christmas season and a blessed new year as well.
Christmas reminds me of how much I have to be thankful for and, thereby, of God’s love toward us seen foremost in the Incarnation of His Son and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I am also so thankful for all of you who make this ministry possible that is by God’s grace having such an impact on the lives of so many students.
Because of your faithful support, I’m able to minister to the students in Annapolis nearly full-time. This translates into more time to meet with students, lead services, and catechize those journeying to Christ and His holy Church. The OCF at St. John’s College is one of the largest per capita in the country.
By God’s grace, fourteen have journeyed to holy Orthodoxy through ACM in the past five years and there are several more on the way. In January, one of our catechumens will be brought into the Church, God willing, and another inquirer is on her way to the catechumenate. I’m currently meeting regularly with four inquirers who are interested in learning more about the Orthodox Faith. Praise God!
On Sunday, December 14 we were blessed to meet with His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah (OCA) for a private conversation following Vladika’s first Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Cathedral since being elected Metropolitan. Fr. Constantine White, Alyssa Przystawik (both ACM board members) and I, plus ten of my OCF students from St. John‘s, as well as some OCF students from Georgetown were able to enjoy an informal discussion with Vladika on the challenges of living out and growing in the Orthodox Faith while at college. It was a tremendous blessing (please see attached picture).
This March, we are planning to journey to San Francisco during Spring Break to volunteer at St. Raphael House, an Orthodox Christian homeless ministry. Six students are planning on joining me on the trip.
If any of you would be willing to donate frequent flyer miles to ACM for this community service project, please let me know. We have some fundraisers planned as well, but the main cost will be the cross country flights. We will be serving dinner to the homeless families and doing some maintenance work for St. Raphael House. God willing, we will also visit some of the holy sites in the City associated with St. John of San Francisco and Shanghai. It will be a wonderful opportunity for growth, service, and education for all.
May God richly bless you this Christmas season and throughout the new year! Each one of you is in my prayers. Thank you for your faithful support of Annapolis College Ministry, which makes this ministry possible and is your share in its fruit for the Kingdom of God.