Comments | sufitom: visiting

sufitom

visiting

May 13, 2007 17:35

For the first time since I started attending an Orthodox church I attended a Liturgy in a church other than St. Stephen's. It was an Antiochian church as opposed to an O.C.A.. I felt like such a rebel. I went to meet some LJ friends at St. Philip's in Souderton, Pa.

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babydriver May 13 2007, 22:59:28 UTC

INDEED HE IS RISEN!

I'm glad all went well for you!

babydriver May 13 2007, 23:00:39 UTC

Wow, that was totally the wrong userpic. I meant this one.

sufitom May 13 2007, 23:08:38 UTC

so william macy has risen?

babydriver May 13 2007, 23:10:34 UTC

HAHAHA indeed!

Do I go to hell for that?

sufitom May 13 2007, 23:13:18 UTC

Yes, it was good. I'm afraid I liked it a little too much. Makes me feel like a traitor to St Stephen's. But Fr. Victor and I talk all the time about the Antiochians. Their churches are vital and congregations growing. And there was a whole higher level of energy there than at St Stephen's. There are a couple of younger parishioners at St Stephen's that I think may jump ship.

babydriver May 13 2007, 23:20:41 UTC

One of the things I love most about Orthodoxy is the feeling that you're home in many places. I would like to see some vitality return to St. Nicholas, but when/if I am forced to move in the future to find a better job, it is comforting to know that I'll probably have quite a few parish choices.

sufitom May 13 2007, 23:25:32 UTC

The choices are abundant for me in my area. There are several Greek, Russian, Rocor, OCA, Ukranian and one or two other Antiochian churhes in the area, but that's because this is a big city area with many ethnic groups. If you read the Orthodoxy community, people who live in the center of the country have very few Orthodox churches. They seem to be clustered on the coast. One thing I would like is to learn more about Orthodoxy in Alaska.

barbarakelley May 14 2007, 20:11:47 UTC

the book Orthodox Alaska: A Theology of Mission by Fr Michael Oleksa comes to mind... You might like it.

ambermae May 15 2007, 15:17:03 UTC

There is a lecture series by Fr Michael available here.

sufitom May 17 2007, 06:36:11 UTC

Thanks.....I must tell you how much i enjoyed the liturgy....I'm feeling a little like a traitor to St Stephen's....I enjoyed the chant's more than I thought I would....the Russian Choral tradition is so ingrained in me....I talked to Fr. Victor about Matins before liturgy and he said it was a Greek tradition and that Russian churches have matins before Vespers...then he launched into the new Western Rite liturgies in the Antiochian churches...anyway, it would be in the realm of possibility to see me in an Antiochian church someday....There are some college kids who love St Philips because of the feeding homeless every Thursday night....they shouldn't have to drive 25 miles to another church for mission opportunities and I spoke ot a mom at my church who wants more opportunities for her kids ages 10 through 14....the Antiochian churches are moving in this direction and I told the college kids that we should try and bring those good things to St Stephen's and they said we all will try but they are impatient....the OCA church has to ( ... )

ambermae May 17 2007, 13:58:33 UTC

I understand your frustration. When I visit other parishes I often wish my home parish had icons like theirs, or chanting like theirs, or priests like theirs, and so on, but in the end my parish is where God put me and I'm committed to it. It really comes down to the purpose of Church: to become one body of believers and unite ourselves to Christ. We can do that without missions, without fancy chanting, and without walls covered with icons. Mostly it just takes some imperfect people and a lot of prayer.

All Saints is a strong community, but even we don't have mission opportunities. I think it really comes down to each individual person becoming a representative of Christ in the community, and if the parish grows in such a way to support mission more formally then great! If not, then we're not less of a parish for it.

I hope that you can come to some peace with your parish and realize that you've been put there for *your* salvation. It was great to meet you!

sufitom May 17 2007, 23:49:40 UTC

I understand your frustration. When I visit other parishes I often wish my home parish had icons like theirs, or chanting like theirs, or priests like theirs, and so on, but in the end my parish is where God put me and I'm committed to itof course you're right and keeping me on track as always...it seems that many of the issues I run into in these early days of Orthodoxy are issues you have struggled with too. It's nice to know someone who has worked through some of these things. I can remember not so long ago telling you how certain I was that it was no accident to be at St. Stephen's and Fr. Victor was certain of it too. We talked about building up programs for youth and children and putting up more icons and long term plans....how fickle I am, but I also know there was an element of newness and some exotic chants the other day and that would certainly disappear after a while there at St Philip's. And I will certainly not easily leave the priest and the church that has taken me so far in such a relatively short time ( ... )

sufitom May 17 2007, 23:51:02 UTC

Great to meet you and Chris, David and Dina.
Hopefully we can meet agian with a little more time and a little less hectic.

sufitom May 17 2007, 03:45:03 UTC

Thanks. I wonder about Orthodoxy in cultures that are so far removed from Western or Eastern Europe. Like Eskimo's and in Japan for instance.

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