Archbishop Elpidophoros of America was warmly welcomed by Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco to the Clergy Laity Assembly which took place from March 4-5, 2024 at the Saint Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Center in Dunlap, CA. The theme of the 2024 Assembly is “Contemplate, Reconcile, Unify.”
Archbishop Elpidophoros offered his Archpastoral Message to the attendees which included Assembly and Philoptochos members, remarking, “Love is what brings us together at this Clergy Laity Assembly today. Love for our God, love for our Faith, love for our traditions. And love for the Church, which can be seen in every one of your shining faces. As the Evangelist John tells us in his First Epistle: If you do not love your brother or sister whom you have seen, how can you possibly love God Whom you have not seen?
“Therefore, beloved brothers and sisters, let us enjoy this time together as the Church, as the Body of Believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. I congratulate all of you for this Metropolis Clergy Laity Assembly, and I look forward to your work, so that it may be added to the coming Clergy Laity Congress of our Archdiocese this coming July here in the Metropolis, in San Diego.”
The following day, Tuesday, March 5, Archbishop Epidophoros and Metropolitan Gerasimos celebrated the Divine Liturgy and offered a Nineteen Year Memorial for Metropolitan Anthony of blessed memory.
Source: Goarch / Photos: Kosta Petrakos