Belated New Year's Resolutions (er, goals)

As the New Year picks up steam, it's a good thing to take a look back and then a look forward.

During the past year on the church front, I continued my duties as an Orthodox Reader and Server (Acolyte). I co-taught the Adult Sunday School Class at our parish church, trading off months with our Assistant Priest. I helped to initiate a monthly healing service at our parish (Service of Holy Unction) and I set up a regular time of Intercessory Prayer once every other month during the Adult Sunday School hour.

I also obtained permission to have a Youth For Christ representative (who plans to embark on a missionary trip to Cyprus) visit our Sunday School class in an attempt to raise support for this effort and better partner with the Orthodox Church. Brandon spoke to our class and at least one person signed on as a supporter. There may have been others as well. Our own family also pledged a monthly dollar amount to help Brandon reach his goal.

Finally, early in the year, I was able to re-obtain a Stations of the Cross set I originally put together for Wellspring Anglican Church. These were donated to the Saint Laurence Retreat Center where these can bless guests for years to come.

Looking back, this was one of my most productive years in volunteer church work.

My goals for next year are to preview and run at least one The Way course in an attempt to do Orthodox Evangelism. Permission was granted from my Arch-Priest to do this.

I will probably preview the course at Saint Mark's during the Adult Sunday School hour, and I may run the course in my local area at a Christian coffee shop up the street.

One of my desires for next year is the possibility of legally changing my first and middle name. If I go through with this, my name will be changed to my Orthodox name, Columba Silouan. My last name will stay the same.

My original middle name will continue to be carried proudly by my daughter. My son has a middle name inspired by his maternal grandfather.

I am hoping to go through with my dream of laying the groundwork for a Western Rite parish in my immediate area. My hopes include pulling together all of the things I've learned over the past few years.

I believe an Eastern Orthodox church with uncompromising standards for worship during the Divine Liturgy paired with an innovative outlook in other aspects of parish life is a workable and sustainable model to pursue and follow in planting a new parish.

I have been inspired by a local AMIA priest and his goal to plant 20 churches by 2020. I believe his approach and the approach of his parent church in reaching a community has merit and can be integrated with an Eastern Orthodox approach in spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.

I plan to continue the writing of my issues-oriented autobiographical book with hopes of wrapping the book up this year and finding a publisher. When I get the manuscript to a point where I'm satisfied with it, I plan to run excerpts past a couple of friends to get some feedback.

I also have a goal to start advertising Quiet Minds vitamins as an additional source of income and to help others address Central Nervous System Disorders.

Of course, I plan to take in a few Rockies games this year, and my new co-worker has vowed to teach me the art of Fly Fishing.

I also plan to continue my practice of being a family man, husband and father. The highlight of our year on the family front last year was our vacation to Washington D.C. and Maryland (Ocean City) to see Dianna's sister and brother-in-law and our two nieces.

All in all, these are some detailed resolutions (er, goals) for the coming year. Please pray for me the sinner and for God's will to be done.

Columba Silouan