Archbishop Elpidophoros delivered an Archpastoral Address at the Annual Metropolis of San Francisco Clergy Retreat themed “Contemplate, Reconcile, and Unify” on March 6, 2024, at the Saint Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center in Dunlap, California.
In his speech, Archbishop Elpidophoros expressed gratitude for the unity and synergy demonstrated by the clergy and laity of the Metropolis, emphasizing the importance of reflection on the retreat’s theme.
He commended the efforts of Father Nicholas in organizing the event and delivering insightful presentations. The Archbishop highlighted the significance of unity, citing biblical references and emphasizing the spiritual unity experienced by the Disciples on the Day of Pentecost.
He urged clergy members to recognize their interdependence and reliance on the Lord, emphasizing their role in spreading the message of love, forgiveness, and compassion to their communities.
Read the speech of Archbishop Elpidophoros:
Your Eminence, Metropolitan Gerasimos, Beloved Brother in Christ,
Your Graces, Bishops John and Spyridon,
Dear Protopresbyter Nicholas,
Beloved and Reverend Fathers,
These past few days being with the Ecclesia of the West have been not only gratifying, but truly edifying. The synergy of Clergy and Laity in this Metropolis, manifest in your Clergy Laity Assembly, is a model of Church ministry and governance.
I have enjoyed my time with you and the teachings around the theme of “Contemplate, Reconcile, & Unify” – all worthy subjects for reflection.
For us, who are clergy and are responsible for leading the liturgical life of the Church and providing sound pastoral guidance to the Faithful, the consideration of this theme has been both informative and illuminating. I want to thank Father Nicholas for his efforts on our behalf, and for the very well-made presentations.
I commenced the invocation yesterday with that most beautiful and familiar Psalm, numbered 132 in the Septuagint, which speaks of our brotherhood. The wonderful Greek expression, “ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό,” reminds us that wherever we find ourselves gathered in unity, we experience the fulness of the God. The same expression is used to locate, physically and spiritually, the Disciples on the Day of Pentecost:
Καὶ ἐν τῷ συμπληροῦσθαι τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς πεντηκοστῆς ἦσαν ἅπαντες ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό.
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. *
When we say, “in one place,” we mean much more than the Upper Room. This is the place of the heart, where the Disciples beat as one.
And so it can be for us, who stand in the Order of Melchizedek with our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. When we recognize our dependence on the Lord and our interdependence with one another, the Spirit can flow through and from us to bring transformation to the lives of our People.
We are priests of the Most High – not to fulfill some ritual purpose. We are called to preach and teach the same Logos, the same Message of transfiguration that manifested on Mount Tabor! That is it possible for human beings to be capable of love, of forgiveness, of compassion, of mercy. That we are – each and every one of us – capax Dei – capable of receiving God.
In his closing remarks the Archbishop said:
We have come to the close of these Clergy Laity Assembly deliberations, and I want to congratulate all of you for your dedication to the health and well-being of this God-saved Metropolis of San Francisco.
The Metropolis has the weighty responsibility of hosting the National Archdiocese Clergy Laity Congress this upcoming July in San Diego, and simply witnessing your good work here gives me great confidence about the prospects for the Congress.
We need these local Assemblies and national Congresses in order to keep in touch with our Faithful in the Parishes, where the People of God live out their lives.
Every voice deserves to be heard. Every parishioner merits our consideration. And remember, we are not as homogenous a community as we once might have been.
There are literally tens of thousands of people in our pews who have adopted the Greek Orthodox Faith, and they bring a tremendous diversity of gifts to our churches.
There is also wide divergence of political and even cultural priorities found in our communities, but this should not be a cause of division. Rather, it should be the cause for substantive and deep conversations that focus on our Holy Orthodox Faith, the truly uniting factor that resonates throughout the community.
You have all given a good account of yourselves here, and I am delighted to be able to remain and spend a little more time with your clergy. The spirit of this place is so conducive to reflection and contemplation; so we will engage further with prayer and with worship.
May all of you travel the path through the Holy and Great Lent with good intentions and with spiritual focus, such that you arrive with joy and assurance at the Holy Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
May His blessings abound in your lives through these holy days, and may you all attain to the redemptive love and gladness of the Holy Pascha, through the intercessions of His All-Holy Mother, the Life-Giving Spring, through the prayers of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker of Myra, and through all the Saints. Amen.