The Orthodox Evangelism course known as The Way has arrived in the mail. The Way is a boxed set of five CDs that the faithful can use to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ as understood in and through Holy Orthodoxy.
This course is similar to the Alpha Course that Anglicans in England put together to win the unchurched to Christ and to bring nominal Christians back into the fold.
I plan to review this course and present it to our Adult Sunday School class in the near future. It takes a dedicated team to run this course, so I'll be on the hunt for such a team.
I've obtained permission from our Arch Priest to use this course, although the course recommends obtaining permission from a bishop. As I understand things, some of these decisions and permissions have been delegated to our Arch Priest, so his permission is probably sufficient.
This winter has been a bit difficult, and I've been unproductive in church matters as a direct result. My colleague and friend at work came down with a severe respiratory infection which sidelined him for seven work days. Afterwards I caught it and I've lost a total of three work days. This has prevented projects like blogging and writing.
Now that I'm on the mend, such projects can resume, Lord Willing of course.
Blessings in the Holy Trinity, One God
Columba Sillouan
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Inspiration from a Past Trip
I've been sorting through some photos from our trip to Washington D.C. this past summer. Of special interest to me are the photos of The National Cathedral and the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Many of these photos were taken by my sister-in-law, and some were taken by me.
Great Christian Architecture and Artwork inspires me. Never mind the fact that one building was built by the Episcopal Church and one building by the Roman Catholic Church. These buildings are nevertheless edifying for all Christians.
Enjoy the posting of these wonderful photos and let them inspire you as well.
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
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
Sunday, December 12, 2010
A New Orthodox College in San Diego
The first Orthodox undergraduate liberal arts college in the United States has been started in San Diego.
The name of this new college is Saint Katherine College.
The link is here: http://www.stkath.org/
Blessings,
Columba Siluoan
The name of this new college is Saint Katherine College.
The link is here: http://www.stkath.org/
Blessings,
Columba Siluoan
Monday, December 6, 2010
Positive Parish News
In the vein of sticking with Antioch, there is positive news to report about life at the parish I attend.
In recent weeks, we've instituted a "children's sermon" during the 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy, a monthly Holy Unction service, and a monthly Intercessory Prayer session during the Adult Sunday School hour.
I also have hopes to preview "The Way" Orthodox evangelism program at some point in the future.
My hope to see more Orthodox churches planted in our region is nothing more than a dim and flickering dream at this point in my life. I have a wife and two young children and I work 40 plus hours a week. There isn't much time left over to work with in pursuing the evangelism dream.
Perhaps when the time comes in my life when my schedule opens up a bit, the "mess in Antioch" will be nothing more than a distant memory.
My prayers still include a future Western Rite Orthodox Church in Parker and elsewhere around the state of Colorado. Perhaps years of prayer can help to lay a foundation for actual later concrete results in this area.
In the meantime, I shall continue my endeavor to be "Orthodox in Parker."
Blessings in the Holy Trinity, One God
Columba Silouan
In recent weeks, we've instituted a "children's sermon" during the 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy, a monthly Holy Unction service, and a monthly Intercessory Prayer session during the Adult Sunday School hour.
I also have hopes to preview "The Way" Orthodox evangelism program at some point in the future.
My hope to see more Orthodox churches planted in our region is nothing more than a dim and flickering dream at this point in my life. I have a wife and two young children and I work 40 plus hours a week. There isn't much time left over to work with in pursuing the evangelism dream.
Perhaps when the time comes in my life when my schedule opens up a bit, the "mess in Antioch" will be nothing more than a distant memory.
My prayers still include a future Western Rite Orthodox Church in Parker and elsewhere around the state of Colorado. Perhaps years of prayer can help to lay a foundation for actual later concrete results in this area.
In the meantime, I shall continue my endeavor to be "Orthodox in Parker."
Blessings in the Holy Trinity, One God
Columba Silouan
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Metropolitan Philip
This is probably a bit risky, but I'm going to weigh in on the controversy concerning Metropolitan Philip.
After the first round of controversy over "Auxiliary Bishops" I had hoped things had blown over.
When the second round surfaced, I was discouraged.
Having been a part of the movement to combat liberal revisionism in the Episcopal Church in the late 1990's and early 2000's, I thought I had made a clean getaway from controversies over Primates and Bishops.
My family and I followed a church plant started by an Episcopal priest who would later become a Bishop in the Anglican Mission in the Americas.
Our reason was the same as the rest of our fellow church members: The ordination of a practicing homosexual Bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire was unacceptable.
Personally for me, this didn't mean that I believed homosexuals in other fields besides ecclesiastical fields shouldn't have full equal rights. Homosexuals make fine Doctors, Dentists, Lawyers and Businessmen.
But I believed and still believe that the office of Bishop and the state of being a practicing Homosexual don't go together. My attitude was "Fine. Be a homosexual if that is your choice, but choose another career besides Christian Priest or Christian Bishop."
Such a person can even choose something similar, like Professor of World Religions or Psychologist. But I've always been against the ordination of practicing homosexuals.
Scripture and Tradition are against the ordination to Holy Orders of those with sexual standards that differ from those believed in by the Christian Church for two thousand years.
This is every bit as non-negotiable to me as the Ordination of Women to the Holy Priesthood and Episcopate.
The Priests are Icons of Jesus Christ. The Icon has to be a faithful representation.
Leaving ECUSA for the AMIA was a decision based on conscience.
Leaving the AMIA and journeying to Eastern Orthodoxy was a matter of belief.
Once my family and I joined the Antiochian Archdiocese, we hoped we were home.
In spite of the recent problems, I've come to believe that we are STILL home, even in Antioch.
Am I happy or pleased about the current controversy? Not in the slightest.
In recent weeks, I went through a bit of a panicked state about the controversy.
I even posted a comment on www.ocanews.org. This is not the safest thing to do if you're a member in good standing of the Antiochian Archdiocese. I was frustrated and discouraged about the controversy, however, and on a lark, I posted my comments. I realized later that for me personally, this action might have been sinful.
My comments likened the current situation with Metropolitan Philip to the situation of the owner of the Denver Broncos, Pat Bowlen.
My analogy was that Pat Bowlen, who is an aging NFL owner nearing the current age of Metropolitan Philip, has made some bad decisions as of late.
Hiring Josh McDaniels has set off a chain reaction that has led to the current mess the Broncos are in. McDaniels might be a good coach in the future, but he was too young to be given the power and responsibility that Mr. Bowlen gave him.
There are persistent rumors that Pat Bowlen is battling short-term memory loss or possibly Alzheimers Syndrome.
I put forth the theory that Metroplitan Philip's advancing age might be causing him problems in a similar vein. Some of his recent decisions have also caused chain reactions.
In the past, the Broncos have been to many Super Bowls and have won two. I suggested that right now, the Denver Broncos are a real mess, but that they will survive it.
I also said that the Antiochian Archdiocese will also survive our current troubles. Metropolitan Philip has also presided over the winning of some "super bowls." But right now our "team" is having a bad season in light of some of his recent decisions.
Running away again is not the answer.
Taking up the Cross of Christ, as Father Stephen Freeman argues in Glory to God for All Things is a better course of action.
I was tempted to look to other Orthodox jurisdictions for "a way out" of this crisis.
But my parish is really "home" for me. I realize this every time I serve at the Altar as an Acolyte or Reader.
I'm still "home" even with these controversies which are "above my pay grade."
Metropolitan Philip was not the first Metropolitan of the AOANA and he won't be the last.
And the story isn't over yet. The Holy Spirit can still reach Metropolitan Philip and lead him in a different direction then the one he is currently pursuing.
This is a different sort of controversy than the one I faced in ECUSA. Issues of the faith are not in question. Issues about the Bishops won't last forever. The AOANA is part of the Holy Orthodox Church and I believe the Orthodox Church is self-correcting over time.
So I need to bloom where I'm planted, and wait this time of troubles out.
Metropolitan Philip has done many good things in the past. Paving the way for Fr. Peter Gillquist and others to enter the Orthodox Church was one of those good things. That one was a "super bowl win."
The present doesn't undo those things.
I hope and pray MP "lightens up." Nevertheless, this is God's issue, and not mine.
As penance for posting on OCAnews.org, I decided to actually read the book Metropolitan Philip, His Life and Dreams to balance out the things I've been hearing and reading about.
All of this is an issue of Loyalty. Will I be loyal to my Archdiocese even when things are difficult?
It's good spiritual therapy for me.
I began to learn the sin of disloyalty when my parents were divorced in the 1970's.
I thought of my dad as a "tyrant" at the time.
What I failed to realize was that I was still to maintain a measure of loyalty to him because he was still my father. "Honor your Father and Mother" is not a commandment that is easily abrogated.
If a parent tries to get a son or daughter to forsake God, then that son or daughter must obey God first. But the son or daughter of divorcing parents is seldom put in such a position.
Learning loyalty now through this hard situation is penance and therapy for past sins.
Taking up the Cross, being patient and loyal and waiting for God to move the heart of our "king" and "father" is a better course of action then rebellion and disloyalty.
So I'm staying put in Antioch. No more church hopping or jurisdictional hopping to escape problems and challenges.
May God have mercy on me a sinner, and may God save the Antiochian Archdiocese and the Western Rite!
Blessings in the Holy Trinity, One God
Columba Silouan
After the first round of controversy over "Auxiliary Bishops" I had hoped things had blown over.
When the second round surfaced, I was discouraged.
Having been a part of the movement to combat liberal revisionism in the Episcopal Church in the late 1990's and early 2000's, I thought I had made a clean getaway from controversies over Primates and Bishops.
My family and I followed a church plant started by an Episcopal priest who would later become a Bishop in the Anglican Mission in the Americas.
Our reason was the same as the rest of our fellow church members: The ordination of a practicing homosexual Bishop in the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire was unacceptable.
Personally for me, this didn't mean that I believed homosexuals in other fields besides ecclesiastical fields shouldn't have full equal rights. Homosexuals make fine Doctors, Dentists, Lawyers and Businessmen.
But I believed and still believe that the office of Bishop and the state of being a practicing Homosexual don't go together. My attitude was "Fine. Be a homosexual if that is your choice, but choose another career besides Christian Priest or Christian Bishop."
Such a person can even choose something similar, like Professor of World Religions or Psychologist. But I've always been against the ordination of practicing homosexuals.
Scripture and Tradition are against the ordination to Holy Orders of those with sexual standards that differ from those believed in by the Christian Church for two thousand years.
This is every bit as non-negotiable to me as the Ordination of Women to the Holy Priesthood and Episcopate.
The Priests are Icons of Jesus Christ. The Icon has to be a faithful representation.
Leaving ECUSA for the AMIA was a decision based on conscience.
Leaving the AMIA and journeying to Eastern Orthodoxy was a matter of belief.
Once my family and I joined the Antiochian Archdiocese, we hoped we were home.
In spite of the recent problems, I've come to believe that we are STILL home, even in Antioch.
Am I happy or pleased about the current controversy? Not in the slightest.
In recent weeks, I went through a bit of a panicked state about the controversy.
I even posted a comment on www.ocanews.org. This is not the safest thing to do if you're a member in good standing of the Antiochian Archdiocese. I was frustrated and discouraged about the controversy, however, and on a lark, I posted my comments. I realized later that for me personally, this action might have been sinful.
My comments likened the current situation with Metropolitan Philip to the situation of the owner of the Denver Broncos, Pat Bowlen.
My analogy was that Pat Bowlen, who is an aging NFL owner nearing the current age of Metropolitan Philip, has made some bad decisions as of late.
Hiring Josh McDaniels has set off a chain reaction that has led to the current mess the Broncos are in. McDaniels might be a good coach in the future, but he was too young to be given the power and responsibility that Mr. Bowlen gave him.
There are persistent rumors that Pat Bowlen is battling short-term memory loss or possibly Alzheimers Syndrome.
I put forth the theory that Metroplitan Philip's advancing age might be causing him problems in a similar vein. Some of his recent decisions have also caused chain reactions.
In the past, the Broncos have been to many Super Bowls and have won two. I suggested that right now, the Denver Broncos are a real mess, but that they will survive it.
I also said that the Antiochian Archdiocese will also survive our current troubles. Metropolitan Philip has also presided over the winning of some "super bowls." But right now our "team" is having a bad season in light of some of his recent decisions.
Running away again is not the answer.
Taking up the Cross of Christ, as Father Stephen Freeman argues in Glory to God for All Things is a better course of action.
I was tempted to look to other Orthodox jurisdictions for "a way out" of this crisis.
But my parish is really "home" for me. I realize this every time I serve at the Altar as an Acolyte or Reader.
I'm still "home" even with these controversies which are "above my pay grade."
Metropolitan Philip was not the first Metropolitan of the AOANA and he won't be the last.
And the story isn't over yet. The Holy Spirit can still reach Metropolitan Philip and lead him in a different direction then the one he is currently pursuing.
This is a different sort of controversy than the one I faced in ECUSA. Issues of the faith are not in question. Issues about the Bishops won't last forever. The AOANA is part of the Holy Orthodox Church and I believe the Orthodox Church is self-correcting over time.
So I need to bloom where I'm planted, and wait this time of troubles out.
Metropolitan Philip has done many good things in the past. Paving the way for Fr. Peter Gillquist and others to enter the Orthodox Church was one of those good things. That one was a "super bowl win."
The present doesn't undo those things.
I hope and pray MP "lightens up." Nevertheless, this is God's issue, and not mine.
As penance for posting on OCAnews.org, I decided to actually read the book Metropolitan Philip, His Life and Dreams to balance out the things I've been hearing and reading about.
All of this is an issue of Loyalty. Will I be loyal to my Archdiocese even when things are difficult?
It's good spiritual therapy for me.
I began to learn the sin of disloyalty when my parents were divorced in the 1970's.
I thought of my dad as a "tyrant" at the time.
What I failed to realize was that I was still to maintain a measure of loyalty to him because he was still my father. "Honor your Father and Mother" is not a commandment that is easily abrogated.
If a parent tries to get a son or daughter to forsake God, then that son or daughter must obey God first. But the son or daughter of divorcing parents is seldom put in such a position.
Learning loyalty now through this hard situation is penance and therapy for past sins.
Taking up the Cross, being patient and loyal and waiting for God to move the heart of our "king" and "father" is a better course of action then rebellion and disloyalty.
So I'm staying put in Antioch. No more church hopping or jurisdictional hopping to escape problems and challenges.
May God have mercy on me a sinner, and may God save the Antiochian Archdiocese and the Western Rite!
Blessings in the Holy Trinity, One God
Columba Silouan
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