September 06, 2020

His Return on Investment
Sunday Sermon

- Fr. Gregory Edwards Ph.D - Dean -


Today on the 13th Sunday of Matthew Father Gregory shares with us a message of encouragement, that all things are given to us by God for His Glory. The Gospel lesson comes to us from Matthew 21:33-42. In this pericope we hear the Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers, who after being given everything needed to produce fruit as tenants chose to forget their place in the vineyard as stewards and even killed the heir. In the parable the landowner owns the vineyard, puts up all the investment and has all the legal and social power to enforce and expect a return on what is his, but is disappointed by the attitude of the tenants. Orthodox Christians should ask themselves these questions, “am I going to fall into the same trap as the wicked vinedressers?” Do I recognize that God is the owner of the vineyard and His possession is the Church, from which He expects fruit? Everything we have, our faith, time and money is given to us by God to treat as precious things and He entrusts these gifts to our care to enjoy, but He expects a return on His investment.



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.