September 27, 2020

Do Whatever He Tells You
Sunday Sermon

- Fr. Gregory Edwards Ph.D - Dean -


The cycle of the Gospel of Saint Luke in the Orthodox Church always starts after the conslusion of the Feast of The Holy Cross. Today on the First Sunday of St. Luke the Gospel lesson comes to us from Luke 5:1-11. Father Gregory shares with us an inspiring message that we can encounter the Living God if we hear and are obedient to His word. In today’s Gospel lesson Peter and the other disciples hear Jesus’ word to push out into the deep and let down their nets, even though they had toiled all night and caught nothing. Jesus asks the disciples to do something and gives no explanation. Peter’s response to Christ, “at Your word”, should be our own as we step out in faith and obedience when we are asked by the Church to do something we do not fully understand. Peter and the disciples had a life changing encounter with The Living God and it transformed their lives to the point they “left everything and followed Him”. This life changing encounter is not just for Peter and saints from the past, but is it for us as well. God invites us to participate in miracles as we step out in faith and obedience and become co-workers with Him.



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.