The latest news I have on THE PROJECT of getting that ball rolling to begin an Eastern Orthodox Mission in Parker is, quite frankly, not much.
The Bible Study has been slow to resume. A new family is visiting Saint Marks and lives close to us and might be open to some involvement. I'm kicking around a number of ideas to try and regain some momentum.
The positive thing is: Saint Marks is feeling more and more like an old friend to us.
Some of the ideas I have are the following: Draw up and distribute flyers and handbills and paste them up all over Parker with the web address of the blogspot and with my e-mail address. Start a newsletter with the tentative name of the Parker Orthodox Times. Start a book study using the books of John Eldredge with an Eastern Orthodox analysis of each one. Attend a Random Hearts event.
As you can see, I have many ideas. But there is one basic thing I'm lacking at the moment: Guinea pigs to practice all these ideas on. :)
I can't be Orthodox as an individual. To ever see this dream become a reality, I'm going to have to find a "Fellowship of the Heart" to journey with.
Part of this Fellowship will have to be found at my home parish.
But part of this Fellowship will have to be searched for.
My dreams for this new church are many and detailed. I wish to see Western Rite Orthodoxy really take off. I wish to see Western Rite parishes every bit as dynamic and thriving as any AMIA parish or CANA parish out there. Of course, we will have to do our parishes differently, because as Orthodox we operate under different contraints then our Anglican counterparts. But make no mistake: Orthodox with a small "o" Anglicans will be our biggest competitors. Behind them will be the LCMS Lutherans.
Why is it a competition, even though we would prefer it not be? Because we believe that Orthodoxy is Christianity without distortions, at least on a doctrinal level. Now WE can distort things ourselves by the way we live, but at least the beliefs are not distortions. It's hard enough to live lives that aren't distorted. When we add distorted and heretical teachings on top of our already distorted lives, things get really sticky.
I have started to pray that someday all the "orthodox" Anglicans will see the light and come home to Holy Orthodoxy. I also pray that as Orthodox Christians, we and our leaders will prepare for and get ready for such an event. We need to pray for our Bishops and other leaders to have deep wisdom about how such an event might become possible.
We need to work on our approach without compromising who and what we are.
What we can do: We can have weekly small groups, book and Bible studies, "singspirations," and otherwise emulate aspects of the Evangelical Culture around us without accomodating to that culture. We remain Orthodox but point to the commonalities between us and the Evangelicals around us. When the differences become apparent, we explain how those differences coming from our side of things can bring life.
We may not be able to do "Praise and Worship" during the Mass, but we can do it in the middle of the week and make some of our "dry" Orthodox parishes less dry when it comes to the life of the community. Orthodoxy isn't dry, but we sometimes make it that way by what we do to Orthodoxy. This doesn't have to be our situation.
Columba Silouan
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I guess I don't understand the passion to start an orthodox mission when you have 3 Western rite Orthodox parishes very close to you, and even more Eastern Rite Parishes.
Are you studying for the Priesthood or some to be a Deacon, or maybe a former pastor.
I guess I don't understand.
We have been fortunate enough to have a new, long awaited Western Rite Antiochian Parish Mission start recently.
Three seems like a luxury. Are there theological differences I am not aware of. I believe they are all Antiochian, and part of the True Orthodox Church, but I may be mistaken. I know many fellowships call themselves Orthodox, but are not in Communion with the Church.
I do not understand where you are coming from and why you would not become a part of an already established Parish, especially if, like me, you are a new convert. I have only started to understand what conversions means.
Our Parish is very small, but such a blessing, a community in Christ and we already find we need each other on this road to salvation.
We are so new, small, fragile, yet strong in Christ, and hope to grow and encourages others to "Taste and See".
I do not mean to question if you have a calling, and it's in humbleness and with some wonder that I am asking and would like to understand.
Anna
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