About this ministry
Ministry Reading Group
The Ministry Reading group is a group of Orthodox men who have been called together by Fr. Noah because he sees in them an active or potential calling to ministry in the Church. This group has not been created with the presupposition or expectation that they will become a member of the ordained clergy, but simply to cultivate and nourish in the members the calling to service. For this reason, the first text that we have read together and discussed as a group is If You Love Me, by Matthew the Poor, a text on the nature of service in general for any Christian, lay or clerical. First and foremost this ministry seeks to engender in its members a love for Christ our God, for as He said to His Holy Apostle Peter as they walked together on the sea of Galilee after His most glorious Resurrection: "Do you love me?... feed my sheep" (John 21:17).
Furthermore, as Christ our God said to His disciples: "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few, therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" (Matthew 9:37-38). Fr. Noah seeks to answer this need by creating a space where future laborers and servants may be prepared for whatever callings may arise in their lives.
The ministry reading group meets on a monthly basis at St. Philip or over Zoom after prayerfully reading selections from spiritual or pastoral texts, and discusses these texts with prayer, under the guidance of Fr. Noah and Fr. James, and over a potluck breakfast. If you would like to get involved and feel you may be discerning a call to ministry, please discuss this with Fr. Noah.
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