Glory to God forever!
Through God’s grace and the support of Share the Faith, Saint Anthony the Great Orthodox Mission continues to grow in love, worship, and numbers.
In February, we welcomed into our beloved church family the newly baptized and illumined servants Ephraim and Symeon. In March, by Holy Chrismation, God’s handmaiden, Maria, was welcomed into our Savior’s embrace and into the holy Orthodox Church.
We continue to offer a service every single day. Every morning, 8-12 faithful attend First and Third Hours at our mission and the numbers continue to increase. Vespers and Divine Liturgy attendance continue to increase as well. Our three seminaries from our mission continue to study and serve wholeheartedly in our church community.
And even though attendance numbers are important, I am most proud that the love in our community continues to grow. My heart is often overwhelmed by observing the Holy Spirit actively working in our church family. I feel like my heart may explode some days! This love is in the non-flashy things: the random traveler that shows up to coffee hour who is welcomed and treated if they were an angel, or simply in the people’s love to comfort and mourn with each other. Or the forty-five souls who attended the Mutual Rite of Forgiveness. It is undeniable that our little mission offers undeniable evidence that God’s grace is working in our lives. We challenge all who read this to come to the North Carolina mountains and visit this extraordinary little church!
We could not do any of this without God’s grace and the financial support, prayers, and encouragement of Share The Faith’s faithful supporters. I and our parish council thank you with all of our hearts.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Photios Parks
