A warm "thank you!" to all of our parishioners, friends, neighbors and visitors who made our October festival such a glorious, inspiring and successful event. From the foundational work done nearly a year ago, to those who worked with a smile in the far corners of the kitchen on the 12th and 13th, to those who came, enjoyed and supported, you are all a blessing to this community, and are very appreciated by our Parish Council and me.

Photo: His Eminence feeding our beloved George Condaris birthday cake.

So October was quite a month, but we had a very powerful event occur with the close of September as well. Rather unexpectedly, we received a welcome visitor—Metropolitan Alexios! On the weekend of the 30th, His Eminence arrived for a pastoral visit with our community. It was truly inspiring to see the hierarchical throne occupied, to hear His Eminence chant the moving hymns of Orthros with our chanters, to see the icon of the Good Shepherd actualized in our midst. Our metropolitan and spiritual father came home to us!

His Eminence is a man of God, prayer, inspiration, and kindness. So the weekend clearly held a host of instructive lessons for our community … really too many to name. But I think the most profound was that of humility.

To begin with, there was the issue of expectation—or lack thereof. When I first talked with His Eminence about his arrival, I immediately began jabbering about where he would stay when he came into town, what we would eat at our planned luncheon, what we would do to welcome him when he arrived, and a host of other minutia. He stopped me mid-thought, reminding me that he was not coming to eat or to be entertained, but to see our people, to connect with his flock. His expectation was fellowship, not "things." He informed me in a graceful, thankful way, that the simplest lodgings would do, and that he was very satisfied just to "share a cup of coffee" with our parishioners after Liturgy on Sunday.

When Sunday morning rolled around, His Eminence quietly made his way into the Altar area without my even knowing it. As I came to try and help him unpack his vestments, he made it clear that he could manage himself and that I was free to continue with the service. Before I knew it, he had vested himself, organized his books, and arranged everything he would need for the service.

A few minutes later, and he was busy lighting the incense and cutting the offering bread—the Altar servers and I stood around watching, deeply impressed and moved by the humility of our "humble shepherd." The archpriest was doing the work of the Altar boy. When I suggested he let the boys help him, he again reminded me of the purpose of his visit: "I am a servant."

After Liturgy, in the community center, His Eminence warmly greeted our parish and was offered several gifts of love from the leaders of various parish ministries. With every presentation, His Eminence made it a point to personally thank and embrace each member of each ministry group. When the children of the parish came forward, offering him a bouquet of flowers, his immediate response—after profusely thanking the children—was to begin passing out the flowers, one to each child.

His Eminence received our gifts with thanksgiving and love; then he immediately multiplied them in our midst—gifts of the Spirit abounded in our parish on that day. In this way, he showed us the miracle of the multiplied loaves and fish in the wilderness; he showed us what it means to be "faithful over a few things."

Again, there were many lessons on that extraordinary weekend. I’ve only touched on a few. But I will never forget the humility, the unassuming, graceful presence of Metropolitan Alexios at our parish. In this season of giving, reflection and outreach, I am truly thankful for our humble shepherd.

When he came to us, he taught me how to be a better priest. And he taught us all how to be people of God.

Halloween Hang-up! To celebrate or not to celebrate—this question is a constant and difficult one for Christian parents to answer. Check out this article by Fr. Alex to learn more about the origins of Halloween and some possible solutions!