“The Prayer Team” is a daily devotion written by Fr. Stavros N. Akrotirianakis, written every day since February 2015. Fr. Stavros is the Parish Priest at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Tampa, Florida. It began in February 2015 as an opportunity to write more on the subject of prayer and now has branched into other subjects. On Monday through Friday, Fr. Stavros writes various topics (recent units have included “Go-To Verses from Scripture”, “The Ten Commandments”, and “Building Authentic Relatoinships”), each beginning with scripture and ending with a prayer. On Saturdays and Sundays, he writes reflections on the Sunday Epistles (Saturday) and the Gospels (Sunday). Each devotion includes a verse from scripture, a commentary from Fr. Stavros, and a short prayer that he writes to match the topic.
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw Him they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make Read more…
Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat Read more…
Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24 Christ is Risen! Read more…
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light Read more…
In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when He was taken up, after He had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom He had chosen. To them He presented himself alive after His Read more…
Truly, truly, I say to you, He who hears My word and believes Him who sent me, has eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. John 5:24 On Good Friday night, most churches will make an elaborate procession outside of the Church Read more…
Here is another inspiring story, about another inspiring woman, who also died at Holy Trinity in Asheville, also during Holy Week of 2004—her story was witnessed by the entire congregation. Please take a few moments and read what follows: Have you ever wondered what would be the best way in Read more…
This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15: 12-13 On Holy Thursday evening, the Orthodox Church celebrates a service called “The Passion of Christ,” or sometimes Read more…
Is any one among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Lett him sing praise. Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save Read more…
Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone Read more…
What follows is an inspiring story about a woman named Stavrula who died on Holy Monday, 2004. As you will read below, there are only TWO people in the WHOLE WORLD who are think about her and remember her each year on Holy Monday. I am one of them, the other is Read more…
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice, mercy, and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. Matthew 23: 23 The harshest Gospel of Holy Week is no doubt the Read more…