STEWARDSHIP  2011

My Dear Faithful Servant and Steward in the Lord,

When Jesus called His disciples, we read that Philip brought Nathaniel to Jesus, telling him to “Come and See.”  We also read in the New Testament of the Samaritan Woman at the well who left her bucket and went to tell the people to “Come and See….”.

With this in mind, our Holy Archdiocese uses this phrase as the theme for its Stewardship Campaign throughout our Churches for the year 2011.  I also invite you also to Come and See.  Our Blessed Parish of Panagia is forever grateful to the stewards, individuals and familes who have supported and shared in the growth and life of this Church, making it their Spiritual Home.  And among the many areas of stewardship are included stewardship of time, stewardship of natural resources, stewardship of children, stewardship of food and drink, stewardship of caring, and stewardship of our financial resources.

With humble pride, we call out to all to Come and See this beloved parish.  In this year 2010, let us all be inspired by the work of the Holy Spirit among us, and we prayerfully ask that you consider your personal offering of time, talent, and treasure to help us continue to grow our ministries.

As you pray, review and contemplate the year ahead, let us understand that we are the caretakers, the defenders, and the ones who are entrusted with this most noble and holy task.  We need to focus upon the true intent of Jesus’ words making sure that the Christian Stewardship of our time, our talents, and our treasures indeed totally support this Parish.  Our time and talents are needed to offer back to our Lord as we have been blessed with those special abilities.

Therefore, I am pleased, along with the members of the Stewardship Committee, invite you to consider becoming a part of the Panagia Community and commit your pledge and gift to Christ and His Church for the year 2011.  Please know that your beloved Church of Panagia can only survive and flourish with your active service of time and talents.  But our Parish is also dependent upon that financial gift given back to God by you as a show of support and thanks for His never-ending blessings.  And it is through your gift of loving support and generosity and commitment that will continue to make His Church alive for future generations to come.  Therefore, we ask that you pray upon this most sacred and challenging commitment that is before you, and give back to the Lord proportionately as we know how we have so abundantly been blessed. 

Please know that your beloved Church of Panagia still stands proudly today because of the commitment and generous and love of its founders and following generations. We ask and invite you to be a part of that legacy.  Together, as a Church family, our pledge shows our intended commitment of support and love to Christ, His Ministry, and our beloved Parish of Panagia.  We invite you to join our Panagia Family today.

With all the grace and love of our Creator, Who is the source of goodness for us all, I remain,

Paternally,

                                                                       Very Rev. Timothy G. Bakakos

                                                                       Very Rev. Timothy G. Bakakos

                                                                                   Archimandrite