Prez to Prez was created in November 2006 to encourage and support Presvyteres of the Holy Orthodox Church in faith, in love, and in relationships with their husbands and families. We had a hiatus from January 2012 through September 2015. We welcome your feedback. Feel free to write with your comments or ideas. Click here for archived issues of Prez to Prez.

 

Scripture for the Week:  “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. Psalm 23:1-4

Quote for the Week: “Do you know what a great gift it is that God gave us the right to speak to Him every hour and moment, wherever we are? He always listens to us. This is the greatest honor we have. For this reason we must love God.” - Saint Porphyrios

Thought for the Week  - “Finding Hope and Strength in Jesus”
In our world increasingly beset by hurricanes, political strife, and rampant disinformation, we find ourselves in a literal and figurative cacophonic whirlwind. The noise is loud. I can only think of echoes of a song from an old Broadway musical, “Stop the World, I Want to Get Off.” Just like the character Littlechap in the same musical, we must turn away from stress and chaos and bring our focus back to the simplest and purest love--our relationship with Christ. Finding our way back to Him is the healing balm we need for our frayed edges. With humility I need to turn with an open heart whispering His Name. I rest and rejoice in His light and unfailing love. To walk along the path of peace, even thought it is a struggle and requires steadfast effort to calm my heart and set aside time for prayer. In refocusing our eyes on Christ, we turn from the distraction and turmoil of the world towards His eternal light. May we become vessels of hope and agents of God's unyielding love within our parishes and within the world. 

Question for the Week:  What is it that is currently “dimming the light” in my life? How can I allow God to overcome those distractions so that I can more fully bask in His perfect light?

 

 

Quote for the Week:  "Grieve, but not without hope” – St Augustine of Hippo

Scripture for the Week: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.”  2 Corinthians 1:3-5 

Thought for the week: "We are Not Alone” - Through personal grief, loss and hardship
This week, many were privileged to hear the interview “A Conversation with Clergy Wives about Personal Grief and Loss” on “ Live with the Louhs”  featuring our beloved sisters NSP President Pearlann Bithos and Patricia Artemas along with Matushka Trudy Richter who are recently widowed. Their words serve as poignant reminders of the fragility of life and how quickly chapters can change for any of us.  Listening to their stories, compel us to more deeply cherish our time with those closest to us. In times of grief and loss, we know that the Lord is steadfast by our side. Yet, the emptiness of a silent house and no longer feeling connected in the same way with our church communities can feel isolating and scary. Take time to listen to the interview. Click here to listen. 

Grief, loss and emptiness filter throughout many stages of our lives. We may be sending our first or last child off to college. We may be seeing the decline of elderly parents and taking on new responsibilities for their care. We may be experiencing a frightening diagnosis or have someone close to us who is struggling with physical or mental health issues. We may be packing boxes for a huge life change and moving to a new parish. We may be experiencing daily hardships that seem unsolvable in our marriages or facing messy and complex problems with our kids. Whatever pain, grief or heartache we face, let us be reminded that we are not alone.  God is with us.

Within the confines of our loving and caring sisterhood, hopefully, we can find the courage to reach out for help and also become the support needed through some of these difficult chapters. Consider ways you might reach out for support, and understand too that often when we give support, we find it reciprocated.  Write a letter of encouragement, make a call, be a peaceful and listening presence in the life of someone in need. Join a support group, online or in person. Read a children's book about grief (the simplest message is often the most immeidately impactful). Forgive. Amend. Pray. 

"And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:20

Question of the Week: Is there a grief, loss, or emptiness that I am experiencing right now that I am trying to carry on my own? Amongst my sister presvyteres, is there someone I know that is suffering with grief, loss, or emptiness and trying to carry it on her own? How can God use our sister relationships to end our self-imposed isolation? Am I willing to trust that God will use us to lighten each other’s burdens? 

With love 

Your Prez to Prez team - Pat Tsagalakis,  Donna Pappas  and Michelle Triant 

Mark your calendars for the National Clergy Couples Retreat - Growing From Glory to Glory "Living in Christ From the Inside Out in Marriage & Ministry” - January 20 - 23, 2025 at St. Stephen Coptic Christian Retreat & Conference Center, Titusville, Florida  Download the Retreat Flyer

 

Quote for the Week:
“The Most Holy Mother of God prays for us ceaselessly. She is always visiting us. Whenever we turn to her in our heart, she is there. After the Lord, she is the greatest protection for mankind. How many churches there are in the world that are dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God! How many healing springs where people are cured of their ailments have sprung up in places where the Most Holy Theotokos appeared and blessed those springs to heal both the sick and the healthy! She is constantly, by our side, and all too often we forget her.”  ~ Elder Thaddeus

Scripture for the week: 
“Search me O God, and know my heart, test me, and know anxious thoughts, see if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”  Psalm 139

Thought for the week: (The Theotokos is constantly by our side)
Years back, I met an extraordinary and faithful woman, who told me stories of life growing up in a Romanian orphanage.  When she was a child, her fears and anxieties were heightened especially at night. Every evening when the nuns would tuck her into bed, she would pull up her covers over her head.  One evening, the Gerondissa (Abbess) noticed that she was hiding underneath the covers and said, “My dearest Alina, why do you cover your head?  You have nothing to fear my child.  It’s important to keep your head well above the covers, not only so you can breathe – but so that the Theotokos can kiss your beautiful cheeks as you are peacefully sleeping at night.  The Theotokos is our refuge and protection in times of need."

All of us, have experienced times in our lives, where our struggles and worries seem unmanageable. We too, may feel like pulling the covers over our head to try to cover up our fears or frustrations of life’s circumstances. The Mother of our Lord is our beloved mother.  She will serve as our greatest refuge and support in times of need.  She is constantly by our side through all our joys and adversities.

We are blessed to have the Panayia as our constant source of protection and healing.  This week, may we ponder the joy of her presence in our lives.

Questions for the week:  In what ways has the Theotokos's presence touched my life?  Has she inspired me to trust in God's perfect will even when it seems hard to accept? Has she influenced my concept of what it means to be a mother? Has she helped me define what it is to be a strong woman of God?  Has she extended her protection and comfort over me and the ones I hold dear? How can I use these days leading up to her falling asleep to deepen my connection with her?

 

 

 

Quote for the Week: "For a woman to be a presvytera is something great and wonderful.”- St. John Chrystostom Scripture for the Week:  "She shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever she does shall prosper." Psalm 1:3 Thought for the Week: A Mother’s Day Poem for our Presvyteres (written by your prez to prez team along with help from AI.chat) 

Thank you Presvytera, you are cherished, and adored, 
For your selflessness and love, forever outpoured.

In joyous moments, your laughter resounds, 
As our priest wife, your love abounds. 
In times of sorrow, you are a comforting light, 
Embracing our families, in darkness or light.

Through sleepless nights and endless care, 
You tend to souls with a gentle prayer. 
With arms wide open, you embrace each heart, 
Guiding us forward, always doing your part. 

To our presvytera, our mother so dear, 
On this special day, let your heart clearly hear, 
Our gratitude and love, heartfelt and true, 
For the sacrifices made, we honor you.

Through the joys and trials that life may bring, 
With faith in God, you will chant and sing. 
Presvytera,  we thank you from the depth of hearts 
For you are generous, kind and oh so smart

Happy Mother's Day, dear presvytera, so true, 
May your heart be filled with blessings anew. 
Know that you are cherished, loved, and seen, 
A guiding light led by Panagia, our Mother and Queen. Question for the Week: How do I see my relationship to our parish? Has God given me a mother's heart? a sister's heart? a daughter's heart? a third cousin twice removed heart? How do I feel about my answer? (Bonus: Call another presvytera and share your answer!)

 

 

Scripture of the Week
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:7, 10

"Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” James 5:16

 Quote for the Week
“Everything that you gain in your inner battles will be reflected in your life in God. Struggle against every passion which arouses in you critical thoughts about others. Do not accept what the enemy suggests to you against someone who is unjust towards you. Whether you are alone in your room or in company, every critical thought, every negative inner movement, create a crack in your spiritual fortress and in that of your community. No thought is born or passes without consequence. With good thoughts, you will be able to see in every person that you meet someone very beloved. With negative thoughts, on the contrary, your facial expression and your psychological energies will spoil your relationships and affect the environment around you. When grace is with us, we do not see the defects of others; we only see the sufferings and the love of our brethren. 

- Archimandrite Sophrony

Action for the Week
Sisters - we need to make time! Make an appointment to receive the Sacrament of Holy Confession.

We are designed for confession. Burdens on our hearts are hard to carry, and, if they are not confessed, rarely go away of their own accord. Rather, they have a way of making life harder, heavier, and unbearable as time passes. The Apostle James (5:16) wrote: "Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” 

Thought for the Week
In the pre-communion prayers, there is a final prayer by St. John Chrysostom which begins, 

“I stand at the door of Your Holy Temple, yet I do not put away my grievous thoughts…”

Lent is a purifying time. We seem to see around us the ‘chaff being separated from the wheat,’ faithful people making great efforts to attend the services and confess their sins, and we wonder in our hearts, “Am I the chaff or the wheat? Will the Lord accept me into his kingdom? Or will I be shut out like the maidens with no oil in their lamps?” We see how we are progressing through this sacred Lenten period, how we are growing, but perhaps more glaring, we see how we are falling short, and instead of focusing on the glory of the Lord, we may focus on our own personal failures. This is the time to raise our chin and look to the Lord for His great loving kindness and mercy and to say, “I have sinned like the harlot and I am not worthy to gaze on Your Holiness!” None of us is worthy, and if we can come away from Lent with this sense alone, we actually have a clearer understanding of our perpetual need for God. 

This week, are at the mid-way point of Great Lent - and have an opportunity to receive the gift of forgiveness through the Sacrament of Confession. We get a chance to re-boot, and begin again to recommit our lives to wholly embrace Him, our Lord and Master, and to realize that without Him our life is barren and without purpose. As Presvyteres there is so much to distract us from this vision, this high calling, so many temptations to forget that after all, we are simple servants of a great and wondrous King. Let us receive forgiveness,  finish the course of this race with our eyes firmly set on the Lord: His humility and kindness, His strength, mercy and forgiveness, His power and love, and His Glorious Resurrection and Kingdom without end. Let our “Christ is Risen!” come from a humble and unpretentious heart which bows down to the King of Glory who will raise up our unworthy souls and bodies and bring us into His Heavenly Kingdom to live with Him forever. 

Question for the week:
What steps am I taking to prepare myself to receive the Bridegroom? Is my lamp filled, so-so, or closer to empty? What can I do to ensure I am ready?

If you are interested in contributing an entry to share for Prez to Prez - please contact us!

Much love - Your Prez to Prez Team

Pat (p.tsagalakis@comcast.net)
Donna (presdee@att.net)
Michelle (michelle.triant@gmail.com)

 

Quote for the Day: 
May the severe winter winds become tranquil air,
the gusty storm become a pleasant breeze,
the misgivings of fear become great confidence,
the meting out of punishment turn into bliss,
the perils of grief become spiritual rejoicing,
the tossing waves calm into placid water,
the arm-wrenching helm turn toward a safe harbor,
the harvest of heavy sin be transformed into a stipend of grace. 
~ St. Gregory of Narek

Scripture for the day:  “Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” Matthew 8:24-27 

Thought for the day: 
Living in the Pacific Northwest, we get our fair share of rainy, blustery days. It’s fascinating that amidst the rain pouring down, how small little hummingbirds will find their way to our feeder to experience the sweetness awaiting outside our kitchen window - especially during the windy and rainy days of winter. 

It seems like they don’t even notice the impending danger of the elements swooping around them. Seemingly, they aren’t impacted by the large water drops or the whipping of the wind that could knock them all to the ground. Instead, we notice that they don’t seem phased by anything that might keep them from the simple delight of the sweetness brought by our bird feeder.

We as presvyteres face many storms through our life in ministry and sometimes feel it’s best to retreat inside hoping it will all pass. It’s especially hard when trust is broken and we experience betrayal or hurt from those in our church family. The struggles experienced are real and test us beyond what is comfortable.  

Let’s keep in mind how Jesus calms the winds and waves of the storm for His disciples. We read in Matthew:
“Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” Matthew 8:24-27 

Christ not only calms the physical storms, but He can also calm the seas within our minds, hearts and souls. Do we call on Jesus when the waters of anguish begin to fill our ship? When we are being tossed so hard that we feel like we can barely hang on do we stop, approach our prayer corner and recite the Jesus Prayer? “Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have Mercy on me!” Sometimes in life, we just try to outlast the storm, forgetting to call on the One who can calm it.

Let us keep our hearts, eyes, and hopes focused on Jesus. Let us be like hummingbirds, seeking the nectar of love and encouragement from the scriptures, prayer, and divine services with an open heart and humble spirit. Seek what is joyous and sweet – even amidst the storms. 

Question for the day:  What is one storm I have weathered when I experienced God “calming the waters” and setting things right?  What did that feel like?  How did it impact my life then?  How does it impact me as I look back?  Extra credit:  Share your story with a friend who needs the encouragement of knowing God will sustain us and carry us through. 

With much love
Pat, Donna and Michelle 

Your Prez to Prez team 

Quote for the Week:  Joy destroys sadness, in tragedy it gives patience, in prayers it gives grace, in labors and struggles it gives delight, in obedience it gives merriment, in hospitality it gives shelter, in hope it gives recourse, in mourning it gives comfort, in sorrow it gives assistance, in love it gives decoration, and in patience it gives reward." ~ Abba Nilus

Scripture for the Week: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

Thought for the Week: JOY by Donna Ashwort

Joy does not arrive with a fanfare, on a red carpet strewn with the flowers of a perfect life.
Joy sneaks in, as you pour a cup of coffee, watching the sun hit your favorite tree, just right.
And you usher joy away, because you are not ready for it. 
Your house is not as it must be, for such a distinguished guest.
But joy cares nothing for your messy home, or your bank-balance, or your waistline, you see.
Joy is supposed to slither through the cracks of your imperfect life, that’s how joy works.
You cannot invite her, you can only be ready when she appears.
And hug her with meaning, because in this very moment, joy chose you.

Question for the Week: When was the last time joy chose to visit you? How did you react? How do you feel as you think back on this? Bonus: Find someone with whom you can share your story.

There is still time to register for the upcoming Clergy Couples retreat.  We hope you will join us!  https://www.goarch.org/2022-clergy-couple-retreat

Love,
Pat, Donna, and Michelle 
Your Prez to Prez Team 

 

 

Dear Sisters,

Quote for the Week: “There is nothing more precious than to love a wife and to be loved by her” - St John Chrysostom

Scripture for the Week:  “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 15:5-6 

Thought for the Week: Prioritizing Time Together with Your Husband (Pat Tsagalakis) 

The first week of October we have an opportunity to attend our first National Clergy Couples Retreat. Priests and presvyteres throughout  the Metropolis of San Francisco have experienced first-hand, the power, joy and connections made through these retreats especially tailored for clergy couples. 

Taking time out of our busy schedules to reconnect without distractions or interruptions strengthens us as a couple and helps us to deepen our understanding of one another.  

You might say, “We already have a great marriage” or “We are really struggling right now.” Wherever you may land on the scale, attending this retreat could be an opportunity to build greater connection, healing and reconnection. Don’t let time restraints, money, or parish obligations override your determination to grow your marriage  - Make it a priority and take advantage of this incredible opportunity to connect with your husband while sharing fellowship and fun with other clergy couples.  

Taking time to nurture your marriage sets an important example to all in your parish family, that will have a lasting impact on your ministry.   Make this upcoming Clergy Couples Retreat a priority and register today! You won’t regret it! Here is the link to find out more! https://www.goarch.org/2022-clergy-couple-retreat

Question:  How do I feel when I think about taking time to focus on our marriage? (Extra Bonus: Ask your spouse to answer this same question. Spend time sharing your answers.)

With love - your Prez to Prez (Pat, Donna & Michelle)

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JUNE 2022

Quote for the week:  “No matter what bitterness or disappointment has befallen you, no matter what unpleasantness has happened to you, say, “I shall endure this for Jesus Christ!” and it will be easier for you. For the name of Jesus Christ is powerful. Through it all unpleasantness is calmed, and demons disappear. Your disappointments will also be calmed and your pusillanimity will be quieted.” ~ St. Anthony of Optina

Scriptures for the week:  We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 

“For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.” ~ Psalms 30:5

Thought for the week:  (by Presv. Donna Pappas) 
Sometimes, God has other plans. We had been offered the opportunity to be a part of IV Next at Ionian Village this summer.  We prayed, prepared presentations, laid out our travel plans, bought our tickets, and secured time off from work. I even left my work computer at home vowing to take a total break from the merry-go-round we had been on for far too many months to focus on the IV experience and connect with the participants.  We made it through the first leg of our trip with a planned 2-day layover to visit our son.  It was so good to have that precious time with him! At the end of the two days, we had all the bags re-packed and ready to meet up with the IV crew and participants and fly to Greece. But when my husband woke up feeling a little “off”, we decided to test for COVID before heading to the airport.  With the appearance of those two lines, our plans dissipated, and instead, we found ourselves quarantining in an apartment in Connecticut.  

I think each of us can recall a time when our plans have been derailed and the disappointment threatens to overwhelm us, but when we look back (and sometimes in the midst of the disappointment), we see God’s hand and feel His love more keenly. There have been beautiful moments these past days:  FaceTime check-ins with our kids, virtual delivery of our sessions with the IV Next participants, extra time with our son and walks in the woods. Are we still disappointed? Certainly! Have we been able to experience God’s mercy in the midst of this? Indeed!

Question for the week: 
Let us each consider a time of great disappointment in our past.  As we look back at that situation, in what ways did God exhibit His mercy during that time?  Share your story with someone - it may be exactly what they need to hear! 

With love,
Your Prez to Prez Team
Donna Pappas, Pat Tsagalakis & Michelle Triant

 

MAY 2022

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MARCH 2022

Dear Sisters in Christ, 

We offer our thanks to our Prez to Prez team for continuing to lead and inspire us through this mid-point of Lent! Praying you and your families are well!

Quote for the week:  
“A Christian must be courteous to all. His words and deeds should breathe with the grace of the Holy Spirit, which abides in his soul, so that in this way he might glorify the name of God. He who regulates all of his speech also regulates all of his actions. He who keeps watch over the words he is about to say also keeps watch over the deeds he intends to do, and he never goes out of the bounds of good and benevolent conduct. The graceful speech of a Christian is characterized by delicateness and politeness. This fact, born of love, produces peace and joy. On the other hand, boorishness gives birth to hatred, enmity, affliction, competitiveness, disorder and wars.” ~ St. Nektarios, Wonder-worker of Aegina 

Scripture of the week:    “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” ~ Matthew 5:7 

Thought for the week: We are now at the mid-way point of Great Lent.  The Church beautifully reminds us of the adoration of the Holy Cross and to keep our eyes focused on Christ and His mercy.
Many of us have had the opportunity over the last two weeks to see the exquisite film ,“Man of God”, which gives us an intimate view of the life of St. Nektarios, wonder-worker of Aegina. There is no doubt, that St. Nektarios, like some of our husbands, faced persecution and unfounded accusations during his ministry. We weep reflecting that St. Nektarios, like some of our modern-day priests, was exiled unjustly, convicted without trail, and slandered without cause. Yet, despite all of the obstacles and persecutions, our beloved St. Nektarios persevered in seeking and serving the Lord. He is an example for all of us of forgiveness, faith, hope and love. 

The movie also shares a very troubling and ugly side of the hierarchy during his life-time. We all recognize that there are those within the walls of the Church who have caused hardships to the faithful. Yet, there are also many holy men amongst our hierarchy who are trying to live a life in Christ and many who are filled with the Holy Spirit. During these turbulent times of war and unrest, it is indeed a wake-up call for us to pray more diligently than ever for our hierarchy. Please consider taking a moment this week, to write a letter of encouragement to any member of the clergy. Send a note to your Metropolitan, your spiritual father, or anyone in need of a kind word. Above all, let us pause and pray for all those in Church leadership. May the Lord continue to guide and protect our clergy and their families, now and forever.  

Question of the Week: 
Do I take time to acknowledge the honorable qualities of the clergy in my life? A few written words about the qualities we see in them that are worthy of respect can have positive repercussions beyond what many may realize.

During this Holy Season of Great Lent, let us also remember the many who are also suffering from the conflict in Ukraine. Countless people have lost loved ones and homes, escaping to another country with only their lives. Those who have been "refugee-d" are enduring very bitter crosses right now and would benefit from our prayers. Please consider taking a moment now, to pray. 

Prayer for Peace
Almighty God and Creator, You are the Father of all people on the earth. Guide, we pray, all the nations and their leaders in the ways of justice and peace. Protect us from the evils of injustice, prejudice, exploitation, conflict, and war. Help us to put away mistrust, bitterness, and hatred. Teach us to cease the storing and using of implements of war. Lead us to find peace, respect, and freedom. Unite us in the making and sharing of tools of peace against ignorance, poverty, disease, and oppression. Grant that we may grow in harmony and friendship as brothers and sisters created in Your image, to Your honor and praise. Amen.

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FEBRUARY 2022

Scripture for the Week: "Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." - 2 Peter 1:5-8

Quote for the Week: Humility and Love, there you have it. This is everything” – St Paisios

Thought for the Week: Have you ever left a conversation wishing you handled it differently? Our words, interactions, facial expressions, and the curiosity we bring to each interaction can impact all involved, especially when we may not see eye to eye.

As presvyteres, we often hold a safe space for people to share their thoughts and feelings. It can get a little tricky when we disagree with their strong opinions and ideas. How do we step back in the moment, think and pray before responding? Jesus clearly invites us into self reflection and pause.

"Get the log out of your own eye before you start pointing at the speck in your sister or brother's eye." (Matthew 7:5)

In those hard conversations, before we utter a word, let us sincerely invite God to mediate the conflict / conversation and moderate our emotions.  Pause, take a breath, and try to listen carefully to his/her point of view. Then, during the conversation, stay mindful of three things:
self awareness, other-awareness, and God-awareness.

• Other-awareness - How am I affecting others? What do others seem to be feeling? Am I truly listening and trying to understand things from their perspective?  What do they seem to need? How can I demonstrate genuine love and forgiveness?
• Self-awareness - What’s going on in my own heart? What am I feeling? Why? How am I inclined to respond? What will I do instead?
• God-awareness - Am I inviting God to be with me during this conversation?  Am I acting in faith or unbelief? What words that I speak would glorify and honor Him.  

At the start of Great Lent, our Church offers the beautiful prayer of St. Ephraim to anchor us in awareness of ourselves, others, and God.

“Lord and Master of my life, take away from me the spirit of laziness, despair, lust of power and idle talk.

But rather, give to me your servant, the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love.

Yes, Lord and King, grant me to see my own faults and not judge my brothers and sisters, for You are blessed unto the ages of ages. Amen.”

Question for the Week:  How do I typically react when I find myself in a conversation where I do not see eye-to-eye with the other person?  Do I retreat? attack? probe to understand? other?  How do I feel after my "typical" reaction?  Are there adjustments that God might be inviting me to make?

May we begin Great Lent cultivating the spirit of peace, humility and love.

With much love,
Your Prez to Prez Team - Pat, Joy and Donna

OCTOBER 2021 (Loving Your Enemies)

Quote to ponder: “Whoever will not love his enemies cannot know the Lord and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us to love our enemies in such way that we pity their souls as if they were our own children.” (+ St. Silouan the Athonite)

Scripture to ponder:  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Romans 12:14-21

Thought to ponder:   Loving  Your  Enemies

In the Christian catacombs of Rome, the following story was found:

A rich man named Proculus had hundreds of slaves. The slave named Paulus was so trustworthy that Proculus made him the steward over his whole household. One day Proculus took Paulus with him to the slave market to buy some new workers. Before the bargaining began, they examined the men to see if they were strong and healthy. Among the slaves stood a weak, old man.

Paulus urged his owner to buy this slave. Proculus answered, "But he is good for nothing." "Go ahead, buy him," Paulus insisted. "He is cheap. And I promise that the work in your household will get done even better than before."

So Proculus agreed and purchased the elderly slave. And Paulus made good on his word. The work went better than ever. But Proculus observed that Paulus now worked for two men. The old slave did no work at all, while Paulus tended to him, gave him the best food, and made him rest. Proculus was curious, so he confronted Paulus, "Who is this slave? You know I value you. I don't mind your protecting this old man. But tell me who he is. Is he your father who has fallen into slavery?"

Paulus answered,
"It is someone to whom I owe more than to my father." 

"Your teacher, then?" 

"No. Somebody to whom I owe even more."

"Who then?"

"This is my enemy."

"Your enemy!"

"Yes. He is the man who killed my father and sold us, the children, as slaves." Proculus stood speechless. "As for me," said Paulus, "I am a disciple of Christ, who has taught us to love our enemies and to reward evil with good."

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Our Lord instructed us in the Gospel to Love our enemies. And where this appears in the Bible (Lk. 6, Mt. 5), there is no caveat. That is to say - our Lord does not specify who our enemies are. He does not give us “permission”, as it were to consider any person an “enemy”. 

Perhaps we already know who our “enemies” are - whether it’s someone we’ve had disagreements with, or someone with whom we just don’t see “eye to eye”. It could be someone who has hurt us deeply, or who has avoided or neglected us. Regardless, our Lord’s command stands, “Love your enemies”.

While it may be very difficult to summon feelings of love for someone who has hurt us, we can start by asking our Lord to help us refrain from critical thoughts and words about the other. We certainly can appreciate that we probably don’t “know their whole story”. Additionally, we can also choose to pray for the other. It can be as simple as taking a minute to offer daily the Jesus Prayer, “Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on _____”. By God’s grace, this may soften our heart at least a little bit for the other.

Finally, the fruit that this whole exercise produces in us is that of self-examination. While we certainly know what the other person’s offense was, perhaps we can come to realize that we ourselves have also failed in love towards others.

All of this is possible only by God’s grace, and the Gift of His All-Holy Spirit. As St. Silouan the Athonite said: “The soul that has not known the Holy Spirit does not understand how one can love one’s enemies, and does not accept it.”

Let us cooperate with the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, to heal us from within and help restore us in our relationships with others, even those who we might even at one time have considered our “enemies”.

Question to Ponder: Who, in my life do I need to forgive?

With all our love,

Your Prez to Prez Team
Joy, Pat, Donna and Michelle

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SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

 

Quote for the Week:  “Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me bring Your love. Where there is injury, let me offer Your healing and pardon. Where there is sadness, let me bring Your Presence filled with joy. Where there is despair, let me  bring Your hope. Where there is doubt, allow me to plant seeds of faith. Where there is darkness, let me shine forth Your light. Yes, Divine Master, help me not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love. For it is in giving, that we receive. It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned. And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.  - St. Francis of Assisi

Thought for the Week:  It’s September. Many of our sister presvyteres are sending their children off to school, going back to work (in person) and joyfully celebrating the new liturgical year.  After the last year filled with pandemic fatigue, uncertainty and turmoil, we had all hoped this fall we could make a fresh start filled with hope and healing.

Unfortunately, much uncertainty remains. During this time when opinions, memes, division, and passions are soaring – we come face to face with many of the faithful in our churches who are divided, anxious, and quick to defend his or her point of view. It’s tricky as a presvytera, because often we are the person who hears the complaints and worries out of the mouths and hearts of those in our parish. It doesn’t matter what stance we hold – we all are faced with the opportunity of HOW we will respond to those who are not like minded or who aggravate us with their words, actions, or opinions. How can we be that “instrument of peace” to which Saint Francis refers? 

One great piece of advice we were given while raising our teenagers was, “Remember the duct tape”. (referring to duct taping our mouths closed so that we listen instead of talk).  Oftentimes, we are so quick to respond, share our point of view, or assert our solutions or opinions that we forget what is most needed:  an inquisitive peace-filled heart and willingness to stop and listen. “Remember the duct tape”. Yes, it’s a reminder that what our children, friends and parishioners need most is a listening ear as we try to navigate these complex conversations with an open heart.  We may not be able to change minds or steer people in our direction – but if we can let go of judging and instead value love and connection above all else, we will be able to be a true instrument of God’s abiding peace.  Let us remember - even amidst differences in practice and political opinion,  we are ONE in Christ. This is a very important thing to remember, and that which can and does unite us, even though we can all be very different.

Question for the week:  How can I find the peace to pursue connection at a time when so many are polarized within our communities?  

Here are a few book recommendations:  

        Becoming Bulletproof by Evy Pompouras
        High Conflict by Amanda Ripley
        Soul Mending by Fr. Dn. John Chryssavgis 
        Why We’re Polarized by Ezra Klein
        The Hype Machine by Sinan Aral

With all our love, 
Your Prez to Prez Team 
Pat Tsagalakis,  Donna Pappas, Michelle Triant,  and Joy Corona 

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AUGUST 10, 2021

Scripture of the week:  “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

Quote for the week:  “Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, Who bestowed glory on His immaculate Mother Mary Theotokos, will also bestow glory on those who glorify her. Those who call upon her… will receive the forgiveness of their sins, both here and in the age to come. For He has shown her to be His Cherubic throne on earth, an earthly heaven, the hope and refuge and confidence of our race, so that if we celebrate, with the sacred mysteries, the festival of her Holy Dormition, we might find mercy and grace in the present age and in the age to come.” – St. John, Archbishop of Thessalonica’s sermon on the Dormition of the Theotokos

Thought for the week:  This is a very blessed season of prayer and fasting, in which we commemorate the Dormition of the Theotokos. Her faithful, God-centered life and Christ-filled death – or “falling asleep in the Lord” – are given to us to contemplate especially during these first 2 weeks of August each year.

When one thinks of the Life of Our Holy Mother, and indeed as well her Falling Asleep in the Lord, it is especially her intercessions that come to mind. How many times in every Divine Service, in the services of the Paraklesis which we celebrate this season, and, really, in almost every prayer of the Church – how many times do we ask for Her intercessions?!

A familiar Kontakion often chanted during the Small Entrance of the Divine Liturgy supplicates her, “Be thou quick, O good one, to come unto our aid who in faith cry unto thee. Hasten to intercession and speed thou to make supplication, thou who dost ever protect, O Theotokos, them that honor thee!”

Truly, we have a POWERFUL and FAITHFUL intercessor on our behalf! She is the “Mother of All Christians”, who we believe is constant in her intercessions for all of creation.  As well, the Theotokos is a Model, an Inspiration, and a Prayerful Guide for us presvyteres, whose calling is to be prayerful “Mothers” in our little corners of the world – our families, both nuclear and extended, our spiritual families, our parishes, our work, etc.

It may not be easy to be as “Mother” to those around us, in imitation of the Theotokos. Being faithful to Christ, regular in prayer, honest, humble, self-effacing, obedient to our Lord, filled with His Divine Spirit – these at times may seem rather unattainable. Truly, many, many moments in our lives may actually feel that they parallel the sorrow our Holy Mother felt when she saw her Son hanging on the cross. “A sword shall pierce through your own soul” were the words prophesied to the Theotokos by St. Symeon the God-Receiver, an absolutely perfect description of what “Mothering” involves. We have to see our loved ones suffer, we feel powerless at times to help those around us. We weep, we petition with tears and deep sighs, we struggle to understand the many “Why’s” in our lives.

And yet… And yet, our Holy Mother both illustrates and intervenes. She guides us in how to live a faithful life in Christ, and very importantly, she is so near, interceding for us. For, having “trampled down death by death” in her own Life-filled death by God’s grace, she is always ready to help and near in her intercessions.

Let us resolve this season to draw a little bit closer to Our Holy Mother. To sing her praises in the Paraklesis services, to ask for her intercessions and help with the problem situations and people in our lives, to become more like her in our “Mothering”. As we sing during this season, “After God, do all of us for refuge flee unto thee; a firm rampart art thou and our protection.” 

 

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JULY 20, 2021

 

 

Love,
Your Prez to Prez Team
Pat, Donna, Joy, Michelle & Faye

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JUNE 16, 2021

LENTEN REFLECTION March 26, 2021

Pray: (5-5-5-1)

•  Five things for which I am thankful.
•  Five people in need, for whom I choose to lift up in prayer.
•  Five things I need today (peace, patience, strength, etc.).
•  One  person that God will place in my path today whom I can help. 

Let us do our best to take time out of busy schedules to stop and rediscover the love of the Lord! “Return to the Lord, for He is gracious and merciful!” Question for Week:  When was the last time I stopped and took the time to sit in quiet and stillness? (No soundtrack, no multitasking, etc....just absolute stillness and quiet). Can I give myself 5 minutes each day this week to do so? Warning: This could become a daily habit.

MARCH 2021

JULY 2019

Quote for the Week:  

We are blessed in order to bless others.

We are forgiven in order to forgive others.

We are loved in order to love others.

We are comforted in order to comfort others.

We are saved in order to help others find salvation.

Christ came to serve in order to teach us to serve others.

We are His people. He is in us and we are in Him.

May the Divine Liturgy continue after we leave the Church.

We return into the world as other “Christs” and the Liturgy we experienced in Church continues 
when we make His love real through our acts of mercy in this world.

In the name of the Lord, go forth in peace into the world! Amen. - Fr. Anthony Coniaris

 

Scripture for the Week:  Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.Hebrews 12:14 

 

Thought for the Week:  As presvyteres, most of us navigate through life with a deep desire to be ambassadors of God’s love. Sometimes we succeed, and other times we fail. But, through the years, I’ve learned that when I follow a prompting from deep within to move away from my narrative in order to embrace and act out of compassion and love, I have the overwhelming peace of Christ. I do not need to understand, I simply need to respond. This is agape love in action - a way of life which often does not make sense but does require a response. 

 

We have these holy moments of opportunity. To go out of our way to visit someone who is suffering. To dare to encourage and simply listen to a parent struggling with their child. To acknowledge the humanity of those who are homeless. To say a kind word to a parishioner who isn’t always so kind in return. Sometimes when we spend too much time analyzing and qualifying a brief moment of opportunity, the moment is lost. If I ignore God's prompting and proceed on my way with my own agenda, God will raise up another to perform His will - and agape slips through my fingers.  

 

These acts of service bring us close to the heart of Christ - allowing the Holy Spirit to be fully alive within each of us. As surely as breezes from the water flow around us, so does the Spirit of God. 

 

This summer, let’s practice embracing holy moments - to be the person God created us to be, and doing what we hear God calling us to do in each moment.   

 

Questions for the Week:   Has God called me into a holy moment of opportunity this week? If so, how did it feel? If not, how can I open my heart to hear and accept God's invitation into a holy moment this week? (Holy moments can be transformative to your spiritual well-being...feel free to experience more than one!).

Thought for the Week: The Journey (by Presvytera Harriet Pepps Wilson)

Christ is Risen!! We have just passed the finish line of our 2017 Lenten Journey…the journey that brought us to Pascha…the most important time of the year! St. John Chrysostom says of in his Catechetical Homily read at the Liturgy of the Resurrection: “Let all of you enter into the joy of our Lord…. The table is richly laden. All of you, fare sumptuously on it,” let’s take a moment to reflect on the journey that has gotten us here.   As Orthodox Christians, we travel this road annually but each time it is different. It is like the annual vacation trip. Each year we see there are new things to discover on the road and because it has been a year, even the old things are new again.  It is supposed to be that way.  Our journey through Great Lent should be fresh and new each year.  Like Lamentations 3:22-23 says: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end: they are new every morning: great is Your faithfulness.”  God does not change but we do. 

 

Depending at what season we find ourselves in will determine a lot of how our journey goes.  As a single woman, I often enjoyed a more focused and disciplined Lenten journey and had time to participate in services and read spiritual books and meditate on spiritual things.  Later when I married and was blessed with children the Lenten season changed.  I couldn’t be as focused on services and had no time to read books, yet the journey was still there for me.  My focus was more on my young children. I found that for the “mommy” season of my life, my job was to help my girls experience their personal Lenten Journey along with me.  You and I also have another job, one that does not end and one that impacts our journey.  That is the role of Presvytera.  Though each of us may treat this role differently it still is part of us and still makes a mark on our journey.  In thinking back over my many journeys to Pascha, I now realize those “mommy” years were just as important in my spiritual growth as the ones when I was single. Of course, many years and even now, I felt and feel like a failure.  I struggle maintaining my fast and disciplines and to tell you the truth, I was and still am a failure… but the journey wasn’t and isn’t a failure.  Each year is new and different and fresh and regardless of my poor attempts of maintaining a spiritual discipline, God still reveals Himself to us! 

 

We are constantly learning about ourselves and God’s mercy, maybe more so in the failure years. It is at the end of these difficult journeys that we cherish even more the words of St. John Chrysostom: “You who fasted, and you who did not, rejoice today. The Table is richly laden. All of you, fare sumptuously on it.  The calf is a fatted one; let no one go away hungry.  All of you enjoy the banquet of faith.  All of you enjoy the riches of His goodness.”   I am now, again, at a new and different season of my life.  My girls are grown and gone. My journey now is more of what I had when I was single.  I have more time.  However, I am a different person today than I was then.  We grow through all the nuances that the seasons of our lives bring. 

 

Yes, each of us experience a personal journey depending what season of life we are in. Yet, we also share this journey.  We share it as women and as Presvyteres.  Let us walk beside each other.  Let us be there for one another.  Let us support and help each other.  Remember the journey is not for our awesome God … He doesn’t need it, but WE do and often we need each other’s help to find our way to the destination.

 

Rejoicing with you, as a fellow traveler on this journey to Pascha where we eat together from the richly laden Table of Life! Christ is Risen!!!

 

“May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.” Romans 15:5-7

 

 Quote for the Week:

“If at some time you show mercy to someone, mercy will be shown to you.  If you show compassion to one who is suffering (and of course, this is not a great deed) you will be numbered among the martyrs.  If you forgive one who has insulted you, then not only will all your sins be forgiven, but you will be a child of the Heavenly Father. 
If you pray from all your heart for salvation – even a little – you will be saved. If you rebuke yourself, accuse yourself, and judge yourself before God for your sins, with a sensitive conscience, even for this you will be justified.
 If you are sorrowful for your sins, or you weep, or sigh, your sigh will not be hidden from Him and, as St. John Chrysostom says, ‘If you only lament for your sins, then He will receive this for your salvation.'” + St. Moses of Optina 

Thought for the Week:  Compassion (by Presvytera Roxanne Louh)

We are all equipped with the innate ability to feel compassion and altruism toward others, right? If that is the case, why is it so hard to feel this supposed natural emotion when someone hurts us, or someone that we love? It’s as if compassion can be turned off in our hearts just like a switch, the moment we get offended. Although, this is has been a controversial issue, it is generally accepted by scientists that we are born with benevolence. But as we age, and gain an increased awareness about people and their motivations, we make assumptions that we don’t even realize we have made. We learn that everyone doesn’t always have our best interest in mind and, with this realization, it becomes increasingly more difficult to express these types of positive feelings. It almost feels threatening! Try attempting to feel compassion towards someone this week when you don’t feel that compassion and benevolence is being reciprocated towards you. It’s hard, right?

When someone is hurtful toward us, our minds seem to naturally get stuck on negative thought patterns that leave us reasoning that the person who hurt us simply doesn’t deserve our compassion. What is the result? We fight (or hurt) back or we distance ourselves emotionally as a means of protecting ourselves from those who hurt us. But is this defensiveness really protecting us? Does fighting back to teach someone their wrongs really help? Do we actually feel better? Do others who have wronged us really see that their ways are flawed?

Researchers and spiritual leaders assert that violent, aggressive or otherwise offensive people are really just people whose compassion and benevolence was never developed. Compassion, they say, is really no different than language acquisition. We are all born with the propensity to learn and develop this skill, if placed within an environment that nurtures its development. It would seem then, that people who offend us and/or act with aggression and hostility are people whose sense of compassion was never nurtured and therefore lays dormant, just waiting to be activated.

Ghandi said it best when he said, “Be the change you wish to see in this world.” Offer compassion even when it is not being received. Set your mind on good things when it’s going down a dark path. Practice compassion with the same kind of discipline that you use to accomplish other challenging goals in this life.

To cultivate compassion when you are having trouble feeling it, set your mind on positive thoughts. “Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing” (1 Peter 3:9). Let your attention be drawn toward other positive aspects of your day, other positive relationships in your life, other positive aspects of that person and/or other positive moments that exist in your life. Unstick your mind from the righteousness you feel that really only serves to keep you feeling bitter. It is not your job to make others see their wrongs and change their ways. Sometimes, practicing compassion can have more of an impact in this world than any other response you might give in the hopes of seeing change. Most people change when they gain self-awareness. Self-awareness occurs for most, when other people don’t add to the mix. In this way, others may see themselves and we may maintain the peace that has been granted to us by the almighty Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

 

Question for the week:  To whom in my life do I have difficulty showing compassion?  Am I willing to cultivate compassion towards them as part of my Lenten journey this year?  How do I think it will impact my life and the lives of those around me?

 

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