Little help here?
So I’m trying to figure out exactly what this blog will look like over the next couple of years. I’ve committed myself to putting some serious time into RLP. I thought maybe you could help me think about this.
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Sabbatical Sundays
Sabbatical Sundays: Becoming a Child
I’ve been in the mountains of Colorado for the last two Sundays. There is no Orthodox church in Creede. I’ve been worshipping at a little UCC church here that I love. And I’ve been reflecting on the Sundays of my sabbatical.
I don't think it was an accident that I felt drawn to the Orthodox Church in this short season. And I think I understand why these Sundays have been so meaningful to me. When I walk into an Orthodox Church, I don't know anything. I don’t know the theology. I don’t know the language. I don’t know the practice. I don’t know the deep meanings behind the symbols, icons, and worship movements. It’s like being a child again. A few weeks ago I asked the nice lady at the back if I could light a candle too. I didn’t know if it was permitted for visitors to light candles, and I wouldn’t have been insulted if I hadn’t been allowed, so deep into my child-like state was I. Children are always being told that they can’t do things. We’re used to it. So when she said, “Yes,” I was thrilled.
Yay for me! I get to light a candle.
You know how kids are with candles; we love to light them. So I lit my candle and put it in the plate of sand with the others. I felt proud to have done it, and I looked around to see if anyone was watching me. Kids always think people are watching them. I was a small part of the worship service that day. Just a tiny part of it. My candle was one among many in a service where the candles themselves are just a small part of the whole. I kept looking at my candle, watching it slowly burn down. Another man lit one at the same time and our candles burned at the same rate, remaining the same height throughout the service. He had reddish hair and was skinny and had friendly eyes and he said hi to me after the service. I felt like we were candle buddies, our candles having been
Sunday at Saint Joseph Orthodox Church
I am aware that a large number of Orthodox Christians have found my accounts of visiting the Orthodox Church. The Internet is mysterious. Sometimes a posting or article "makes the rounds," as they say. I want to thank the Orthodox brothers and sisters who came by and said hello.
Update 11 June: Father Early has posted a picture of us at Saint Joseph Orthodox Church last Sunday.
Last Sunday Jeanene and I continued our sabbatical Sundays at Saint Joseph Orthodox Church in Houston. They are a part of the Antiochian tradition of the Orthodox Church. Someone in the church mentioned a connection with Antioch of Syria, which is the place where the term "Christian" first came to be used. I've been told that a great many Arab Christians are a part of this ancient tradition.
The people at Saint Joseph were very friendly. A man came up to us
This Sunday - Saint Joseph in Houston
I was trying to think about where I would go to church this Sunday - Sunday #6 in my 13 sabbatical Sundays. Then I remembered that we're going to Houston for a wedding on Saturday evening. We'll stay with my sister on the west side of Houston Saturday night. Sunday morning we're going to worship at Saint Joseph Orthodox Church in Houston.
I am rather intrigued by the Orthodox Church now, so yeah, I'm going again.
Saint Joseph Orthodox Church in Houston
This is Pentecost Sunday on the Orthodox calendar, so I'm looking forward to celebrating with brothers and sisters of a different tradition. I have no idea what to expect for Pentecost Sunday. As deeply symbolic as the Orthodox Church is, I'm sure it will be challenging, thoughtful, and full of rich meaning.
By a strange coincidence, this church is only a few blocks from where I lived when I was in Junior High. We lived on Ivyridge, just south of the church.
rlp
Saint Anthony the Great part 2
Sunday I went back to Saint Anthony the Great. Jeanene and the girls did other things, which was fine with me because I was wanting to keep my thoughts tuned to my experience and prayer. I love my children, but when they are with me there is always a piece of me that is keeping tabs on them.
I was so excited too. Really very happy to be there and hopeful that perhaps the Eternal Creator might have something for his imperfect child to learn that day. Saint Anthony the Great has a coffee and conversation hour after the service, so I planned to stay for that as well.
The first week I was very interested in the candles that the faithful lit and put in boxes of sand near several of the icons. These were little tapered candles that burned down, conveniently, about the time the service was over. I asked the greeter if I might light a candle. She was surprised and seemed very happy. “Yes, of course,” she said. She told me that the candles represented the light of Christ coming into the world. I feel that piece of faith is held in common with our church as well. We light candles for the same reason.
I took my candle down front and prayed that I would
Not for Lightweights
Last Sunday was the 4th of 13 in my sabbatical time. Each of them is precious to me. Each week I am choosing a place and a way to worship. I’m not a church tourist, hoping to see new things. I’m seeking spiritual experiences. I want to worship. Saturday night Jeanene and I still hadn’t decided where to go. I experienced something common to our culture but new to me. The “Where do you want to go to church - I don’t know where do YOU want to go to church” conversation. I found the Saint Anthony the Great website. It's an Orthodox church that has beautiful Byzantine art in the sanctuary. We decided to go there.
Shelby and Lillian went with us. On the way we warned them that this was going to be different. “They might not have changed their worship service much in a thousand years or so,” I told the girls.
That was an understatement.
Sabbatical Sundays 1 - The Quakers
First Sunday - 3 May 2009
There is a scene in Philip Gröning’s wonderful documentary “Into Great Silence” where the camera is trained on one of the Carthusian monks at prayer. He’s praying….praying….still praying….and….still praying.
I understood immediately what the filmmaker was doing with this insanely long shot of a man sitting without moving. He was helping us understand how
Works in Progress
“Bearing Witness,” a Foy Davis story set in Fort Davis, Texas when Foy was in 3rd grade. Part one was posted 3-17-10. Part two should be ready next week.
“Lenten Satchel,” a short essay on the strange items that make up my Lenten journey this year. Because of Tracy’s comment. Posted here 3-18-10
“Last Things,” an essay about my final days at Covenant. Soon to be published by the Christian Century. Will be linked here when it is online at the CC website.
My Latest Book
I’m proud to announce that Turtles All The Way Down came out in November of 2009. This was my first experience with the Consafo model of social media community publishing.
2000 copies were printed. We sold well over 500 as advance purchases or in the weeks leading up to Christmas. This paid for the printing costs completely.