Agape: Serving One Another - Serving Christ

Our Sunday Agape is going very well, and we are very happy to see how our Church School and Folklore program are adjusting to the new schedule. Little by little, our Sundays are beginning to look more and more like a true family and community day—where we worship together, our children learn and play together, and we have time to sit, eat, and get to know one another better.

Let us remind ourselves of the purpose of these gatherings.

First and foremost, Agape is about strengthening our parish community and deepening our relationships with one another. We naturally share meals with those who are closest to us — with our family and our dear friends. Yet, because we are united with one another in Christ, there is no one among us who should be a stranger. In Christ, we become one family, and the table of the Church becomes the place where that family gathers.

There is another important reason for these gatherings: we want our children to experience the Church not simply as a place where we come for services, but as the place where the family gathers around the table. We want them to grow up knowing that their friends, their families, and their parish are all part of one life in Christ. Around this table, our children build friendships, learn to care for one another, and discover the joy of belonging to the Church.

And from this table, we go back into the world. We return to our homes, our work, our schools, and our daily responsibilities, carrying with us the joy of being together. Then, as the week goes by, we look forward to gathering again — to worship together, to share a meal again, and to continue growing together as one parish family in Christ.

We are especially grateful to all of our Agape sponsors who have generously stepped forward to provide the Sunday meal. Your generosity and willingness to serve are helping us build this beautiful tradition. We encourage everyone else to join the list and sign up for Agape. If our families continue to participate, each family will only need to sponsor a Sunday approximately once every two years.

With these new activities and longer Sundays, however, comes a little more work. We are looking for volunteers who would be willing to come a little earlier on Sunday mornings to help set up the tents, tables, and chairs before the Divine Liturgy. We would also greatly appreciate your help after the Liturgy — whether by helping serve the meal, clearing tables, removing chairs, taking down the tents, or making sure everything is properly cleaned and returned to storage.

Even a few extra hands can make a big difference. If you are able to arrive a little earlier, stay a little longer, or simply notice something that needs to be done, please lend a hand. As our community grows, so does our opportunity to serve.

Our Lord reminds us: “Whoever wants to be first among you, let him be your servant.” (Matthew 20:27) These words are not simply a call to work for the benefit of other people. When we serve our parish, care for one another, prepare a meal, set up a table, welcome a guest, or stay a few extra minutes to put things away, we are ultimately offering that service to God Himself. Our small acts of service with open heart, become an expression of our love for Christ and our participation in the life of His Church.

Thank you to everyone who is already contributing their time, energy, food, and love. These may seem like small acts, but together they are helping us create something very important: a parish where we worship, serve, eat, and grow together as one family in Christ.