Dearly Beloved,

On September 1st the Church proclaims the beginning of a New Year. The Indiction, as it is called, was established in Byzantium to mark the beginning of the year for legal and financial purposes, similar to how we use the term “fiscal year”. While the original purpose no longer applies, we still call September 1st the beginning of the ecclesiastical year because the liturgical cycle of feasts begins in September with the Nativity of the Virgin Mary which we will celebrate in few days. In this way we begin our annual journey through the liturgical cycle in which we seek and experience Christ and His Grace.

September 1 has now also become well associated as the Day of the Protection of the Environment. As His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has stated, “How we treat the earth and all creation defines the relationship that each of us has with God. It is also a barometer of how we view one another.” On September 1, we will gather in our parishes to remember our role as stewards of creation, pray for forgiveness for the damage humans have caused to the environment and invoke God’s assistance so that we can begin to heal the wounds of environmental degradation.

In our everyday life, September also sees the beginning of the school year for our children. With this, life goes “back to normal” after the slowdown of summer. All of us, clergy and laity, can benefit from “going back to school” especially when it comes to our faith. Our faith is not meant to be static. We are meant to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” 2 Peter 3.18. I encourage you to use this new ecclesiastical year as an opportunity for attending to your own education “in faith”.

Likewise, the new ecclesiastical year brings with it the new cycle of activities, programs, ministries and events in the life of our parishes. All of these are for the purpose of bringing people to Christ and to continue His mission in the world. A new year brings an opportunity for a new, fresh, start. I urge you to make this year a better year in your parish. Make this year an opportunity to strengthen and to expand the ministries that serve the people of God.

Our Metropolis has engaged in a strategic planning process so that our Church can meet the challenges of our present age. Every parish can use the “sweeping” vision that the planning retreat articulated – Stewardship, Worship, Education, Evangelization, Philanthropy. We find these elements in Acts of the Apostles in that first Church founded after Pentecost (Acts 2). At the very end of the description, the author of the Book of Acts states, “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” Acts 2:46-47.

The strategic vision provides a framework to evaluate, strengthen and expand our ministries and programs so that they may find favor with all the people so that the Lord will add to the Church. A dynamic Church will be “a favorite” of the people. People will be attracted to worship when that which is offered is beautiful, meaningful and inspirational. People will want to belong to a community where generosity is abundant and there is a positive spirit of cooperation and mission. People will want to participate in education that meets their needs. People will want to support a community that is committed to service, missions, and acts of philanthropy.

The source of this dynamism though will not be found in a strategic plan, no matter how well it is crafted. The source of a dynamic church is God Himself, Who fills us with His Holy Spirit. The Church described in the Book of Acts of the Apostles was the Church that moved and acted through the power of God’s Spirit, and that first Church grew. And likewise, by allowing God’s Spirit to work through us today, the Lord will add to our blessings as well.

Let us make each day of this new ecclesiastical year a day when we call upon God to guide us and empower us to do His Will in all of our endeavors.

With Love in Christ,
+ G E R A S I M O S
Metropolitan of San Francisco