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We Are Privileged to Hold the True Light on behalf of our Lord, Jesus Christ
My dear Brother Clergy,
With the above words of my title in mind, on behalf of His Eminence Metropolitan Sevastianos, I humbly remind you of the awesome responsibility we have as clergy holding the Light of Christ to let it so shine in our pastoral ministry as to attract people from darkness to His Light.
In today's world, many things are being posted on the Internet and social media that oftentimes confuse and divide our Lord's Holy Church. This time last year, at the Clergy-Laity Assembly in San Diego, our Archbishop mentioned this very fact in his Clergy Breakfast Remarks: “…I am not saying that we cannot use the technological toolkits that are available to us. In fact, we have to use them, but use them in ways that are consistent with our theology, with the Holy Fathers, with the canonical order of the Church, and with Holy Tradition.” Following up on this wise thought, we also need to be on guard, carefully examining which social media posts and blogs are really ways for the Evil One to cause discord in Orthodoxy.
For this reason, I'm asking you to prayerfully consider what you write—not only in your sermons, but also on social media, and on blogs belonging to other individuals. If we consider all these media different teaching opportunities, we need to be sure that whatever we preach lifts the light of Christ and does not cause darkness or diffusion.
I encourage you with our Lord's assurance: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
Faithfully yours with brotherly love,
Fr. George Tsahakis
Chancellor, Metropolis of Atlanta -
July 8, 2025 Reminders for Wedding PlanningMy dear Brother Clergy,
Thank you for sending in your wedding paperwork to our Registry Office at least four weeks in advance of the sacrament. Some clergy report they have difficulties with this and to help, we recommend they not confirm the date of the wedding with the bridal couple until the ecclesiastical paperwork is completed, just as they are used to doing when they reserve and make deposits for their reception venue.
Also, our Registry Office has been receiving calls related to planning delays as follows:
1) If an Orthodox is getting married abroad, the "Freedom to Marry Form" must be affirmed by our Metropolitan well in advance to ensure the destination clergy fulfill their local ecclesiastical obligations.
2) Our parishioners planning a re-marriage after a Civil Divorce need your help in obtaining an Ecclesiastical Divorce before any wedding dates are confirmed for a subsequent marriage. Proactively educating your parishioners that our Orthodox practice is that every parishioner who has received a Civil Divorce should not wait until re-marriage, but immediately begin seeking to return to be in good ecclesiastical standing. (This last point is unknown by many and we can help our faithful by offering our help much earlier.)
This message's aim is to support and remind our clergy that the Registry Office seeks to issue "Episcopal Licenses to Marry" quickly and efficiently. Your help with the above further assists this goal. We thank you.
For ongoing questions, feel free to contact JoAnne Mertzanis, jmertzanis@atlanta.goarch.org, who oversees the Registry Office. You also can email me if needed.
Faithfully yours,
+Fr. George Tsahakis
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Upcoming Clergy Retreat - Register by This Thursday, 1/22/26Dear Brother Clergy,
On behalf of His Eminence Metropolitan Sevastianos of Atlanta, I encourage you to register by this Thursday, January 22nd for our next Metropolis of Atlanta Clergy Retreat scheduled for February 3-5, 2026 at our Diakonia Retreat Center. Contrary to misinformation some have heard, this is a required event for all active Metropolis of Atlanta Clergy, except with permission from the Hierarch by this Thursday..
His Eminence Metropolitan Sevastianos chose to have this Metropolis Clergy Retreat the first week of Triodion in 2026. It will be Tuesday through Thursday, February 3 - 5, 2026. Arrival is scheduled from 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, and departure either at lunch (1:30 p.m.) or afterwards.
Click here to register today. It's fast and easy.
Faithfully yours,
+Fr. George Tsahakis
Chancellor -
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Priority Review of Background Checks & Youth Safety Compliance
Dear Reverend Fathers,
For the past seven years, our Metropolis has required background checks and youth safety training for all youth workers. Additionally, for the past three years, we have required background checks for all Parish Council candidates—both newly elected and returning members.
This year, I have observed that in some parishes there is an assumption that everyone is up to date. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. For this reason, I am asking each of you to take the following priority action:
Please meet with your Parish Youth Safety Administrator (PYSA) as soon as possible and review the compliance status of:- Yourselves as clergy
- All Parish Council members (new and returning)
- All youth safety workers
This review is essential because our parishes are at risk if these standards are not met. Ensuring compliance protects our youth, our parishioners, and the integrity of our ministries.
As you meet, use the 3-page handout at this link to record the status of 1) Youth Safety Compliance - Parish Certification & 2) Parish Council Compliance Completion Form. A few of our clergy already submitted these, but again, they must be completed while looking at your compliance record with your PYSA using your actual status and not assuming all have completed background checks and for youth workers, safety training. When complete, email your completed pages 1-3 of the handout to Lia Chroni.
Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter.
With gratitude for your ministry and brotherly love in Christ,
+Fr. George Tsahakis, Chancellor
Metropolis of Atlanta
P.S. Monica Gjerde has developed a comprehensive overview of various resources to help with the background check process. Click here to view. -
November 20, 2025Good afternoon, Brother Clergy, Esteemed Parish Council Members & Board of Elections,
I hope this email finds you well and experiencing a beautiful beginning to the Nativity Fast.
In the interest of clarity, this e-mail includes one PDF that has a complete set of Parish Council Election Forms: both the Metropolis of Atlanta’s—plus the Archdiocese’s addendums. As before, please ensure that these forms are also shared with your Parish Board of Elections. Click here to view.
For those communities that have already submitted their paperwork, please be sure to fill out the new addendums as well and submitting them to the office to ensure your parish’s ratification.
Thanking you for your attention to this important aspect of our parish elections,
Faithfully yours,
+Fr. George Tsahakis, Chancellor
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Check back next Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.
Every Tuesday at 2:00 p.m., this page is updated to remind clergy of pending requests from Metropolitan Sevastianos and our Metropolis Office. Sometimes, clergy may miss emails, so check this page once per week after Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. to ensure you have not missed an email or important notice asking for your help.