On Friday, October 29, 2010, St Nicholas Church in McKees Rocks/Pittsburgh was vandalized. The assailants smashed through a stained glass window, ripped down a royal door, and overturned a candle stand. Fr Tom reminded his flock that though these trials may come, no one can take away the gift of our faith in God. (Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost)

We are partakers of the rich mercies and blessings that God has liberally poured out upon our lives. Fr Tom reminds us that all of our blessings, both spiritual and material, are meant to be freely given to others, just as they have been given to us. (Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost)

Our God is not a benign spirit in the sky. Our God is the God Who reaches out to us in our sinfulness. Fr Tom teaches us that we are called to have a life-changing encounter with the God Who snatches us from the grip of sin and death. (Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost)

God did not create sickness and disease nor does He desire for us to suffer. However, Fr Tom teaches us that the sovereign God uses suffering to draw us closer to Him. (Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Christ was obedient to His Father in all things. Fr Tom teaches us that God blesses those who are obedient to His commands and the result of loving obedience to God is the growth of the Church. (Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

Membership in the Body of Christ is not like being a member of any human organization. Fr Tom teaches us the words of our Lord which clearly state that begin a joined to Him requires total commitment. (Sunday after the Elevation of the Cross)

Even though we live in a pluraistic society, Orthodox Christians must uphold the uniqueness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Fr Tom teaches us that Christ and the Cross are not simply one way to the Father, but the only way. (Sunday before the Elevation of the Precious Cross)

The scriptures are replete with examples describing the union between God and His people as a marriage. Fr Tom teaches us that the intimate union God desires to have with us begins with our baptism. It's up to us, however, to keep our garment undefiled in order to worthily partake of the eternal Marriage Supper of the Lamb with His Bride. (Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Beheading of St John the Baptist)

As Christians, we have been entrusted with the Kingdom of God. But this great gift comes with a responsibility. Fr Tom explains that the parable of the Vinedressers is God's warning to us to fulfill our essential mission to grow the Church. (Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost)

The readings presented by the Church on this day remind us of the most fundamental teachings about what we believe and who we are called to be as Christians. As we celebrate the Falling Asleep of the Mother of God, Fr Tom tells us that the Virgin Mary is the one who embodies hearing and keeping those most basic teachings. (Dormition of the Mother of God, Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost)