February 13, 2022

Our Father - Part 4
Sunday Sermon

- Fr. Gregory Edwards Ph.D - Dean -


Today Father Gregory continues his series on the Lord's Prayer by reflecting on the petition, "Give us this day our daily bread." Translated the petition says, "give us tomorrow's bread today." To answer what type of bread Jesus is referring to, Father Gregory examines the use of the word bread and its significance to the Hebrews. Bread in the Jews mindset would imply manna that God rained down from heaven in the wilderness during their journey from Egypt to Israel. They were allowed to collect enough bread for each day, which kept them focused and dependent on God. The prophet Isaiah says that in the time of the Messiah people would eat bread without a price and Jesus came and fed the five thousand. Jesus says that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word coming from God. Bread in this petition cannot be only material bread we are called to share with our brothers but it is the bread that gives eternal life, the living bread that came down from heaven, Jesus Himself.



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.