December 27, 2020

Saint Stephen's Witness
Sunday Sermon

- Fr. Gregory Edwards Ph.D - Dean -


True faith regards things not seen as so real that they are more real than the things of this world. On December 27th we commemorate Saint Stephen the First Martyr, a man who realized his Divine calling and continued Jesus’ ministry even to the point of martyrdom. Father Gregory shares with us in his message that the purpose of the Incarnation and the whole life of Jesus is that God became man so that man may become Godlike. During the Nativity season Orthodox Christians stand in awe of God’s humility in condescending to become man. From the Epistle taken from Acts 6 and 7 we see God standing in awe of man, as Jesus Christ stands from His Throne in heaven and prepares to receive Stephen who has finished the race, receiving a crown. Saint Stephen is brought before the Sanhedrin on the same charges as Jesus; that of denigrating both the law and the temple. In giving his testimony he reminds them that from Abraham, to Joseph and Moses, God has often worked outside the holy land and any temple because the Most High does not dwell in a temple made with hands but He came to dwell in each of us. God seeks to dwell in our bodies and transform our lives so that we too may have the shining face of an angel like Stephen. Saint Stephen is the great example for us of a man filled with the Holy Spirit, who lived a life of faith evidenced by continuing the ministry of Jesus Christ

Click the link to read Fr. Gregory's sermon notes: https://churchlinkfeeds.blob.core.windows.net/notes/40362/note-129003.html



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.