August 01, 2021

Gifts Within Our Grasp
Sunday Sermon

- Fr. Gregory Edwards Ph.D - Dean -


Today, on the 6th Sunday of Matthew, Father Gregory shares with us in his sermon that The Church is Christ extended throughout the ages. He conveys in his message that each of us as Baptized Orthodox Christians have been given gifts from God and make up the Body of Christ. Both the Epistle, which comes to us from Romans 12: 6-14 and the Gospel, taken from Matthew 9:1-8, connect for us the idea that human beings have been given authority, passed down from Christ and the Apostles.  Each part of the Body has a specific purpose, which should neither be over or under estimated. Parish priests cannot serve every function of the church, but they can help us to discover our God given gifts. As Orthodox Christians we should desire to serve others showing them honor and recognizing the gifts within our grasp.



The Rev. Fr. Gregory Edwards, Ph.D., was raised in Virginia and eastern Pennsylvania, and became a member of the Orthodox Church while studying for his Bachelor's degree

307 19th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35233 | Fr. Gregory Edwards, Dean | 205.716.3080

Photography Credits: Beth Hontzas - Music: Presbytera Katerina Makiej





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The Rev. Fr. Gregory Edwards, Ph.D., was raised in Virginia and eastern Pennsylvania, and became a member of the Orthodox Church while studying for his Bachelor's degree in Religious Studies at Brown University. After completing a Master's Degree in the New Testament and early Christianity at Florida State University, he conducted doctoral studies in Greece at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, graduating summa cum laude in 2012. Ordained in 2007, he served parishes in Thessaloniki and Volos for 9 years. He and his wife Presvytera Pelagia lived in Greece from 2006-2016, where their four children were born. He has served as Assistant Professor of Missiology at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary in New York since 2014. Before coming to Birmingham in March 2019, Fr. Gregory served St. George Greek Orthodox Church in New Port Richey, FL from 2016-2019.