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SPIRITUAL NEEDS
While snipers, soldiers, and biochemical experts are hard at
work keeping athletes at this summer's Olympic Games safe, elite priests will
also be on duty to deal with matters of the soul. Orthodox priests from the
Church of Greece will be available to any athlete at any time. They will also
hold morning and evening services every day at the Olympic Village. The Church
of Greece announced the plans at a service blessing the Greek Olympic and
Paraolympic teams.
A spokesman, Father Epifanos Economou, said the priests are
multilingual and speak European or Slavic languages and have received special
instructions.
They will have printed material in foreign languages for
athletes. Economou added, "Not just any priest could do this work, they
have to have special qualifications." The church of Greece also instructed
area churches to clean up their property, ring bells sparingly, and have
brochures ready for tourists who are interested in the country's Orthodox
heritage.
—Reuters, Elite Priests Deployed for Olympic Spiritual
Needs, August 2, 2004. Illustration by Jim L. Wilson and Jim Sandell.
There is a sense in which ministers all need special
qualifications to do the work of the Lord, but that doesn't mean there isn't
something for everyone to do.
God has placed in us special spiritual gifts that allow us
to do the work He's called us to do.
Everyone, not just priests and pastors are ministers.
1 Peter 2:9-10 (NASB) "But you are a chosen race, a
royal priesthood, a HOLY NATION, a people for God's own possession, that you
may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into
His marvelous light; [10] for you once were not a people, but now you are the
people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received
mercy."
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