Religion

Saturday, March 20, 2004

Preacher, Teacher, Evangelist, Priest, or what???

Okay, I wrote a big explanation, but accidently deleted it. Grrr... Long story short... What is a "preacher" in the <a href="http://www.oca.org">Orthodox Church</a>? --David Pe+er Paul was appointed a preacher and an appostle as a teacher of the Gentiles Ephesians 4 splits up some of the various roles into prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These roles where to be the ones who led the church (the saints) for the building up of the body of Christ and to do His service. These are the ones that through their roles mature men in the fullness of Christ. When mature, they would no longer be carried away by every whim or trickery or craftyness that someone could come up with to manipulate them (emotionally, spiritually, theologically, etc) as one can do with children, but would instead speak truth about God and Christ without shaming others, without doubting oneself or God, without being prideful of one's journey, through true love for the Body and for the head, that being Christ. Noah was considered a preacher of righteousness (from 2 Peter).

Wednesday, March 17, 2004

Its a comin’

This year, I am looking forward to Easter/Pasca almost as much as I did last year in some ways, more so in others, and less so in even others. I guess that's what one could call growth... Last year, I was a catacumen in the <a href="http://www.oca.org">OCA </a>attending a little <a href="http://www.oca.org/pages/directory/listing.asp?KEY=OCA-SO-NICSAC">mission church</a>. Which probably meant that I spent most of a year "not listening". I also spent several weeks in April in turmoil. I talked to a couple non-orthodox friends about my decision to become a member of the Orthodox Church. I had some specific concerns and felt that they could give good wisdom or at least a good perspective on what it was looking like. In the end, come Pasca I was chrismated, given the name Pe+er, and joined the church with my wife and three others. I decided to spend my first year as a "newly illumined" in observation. I have regularly attended the next catacumen class (and will probably regular attend the next one and the next one, etc), and have enjoyed picking up stuff that I missed the first time. This has allowed me to see the process from a different perspective. This has allowed me to see what kind of questions this group of seekers were asking the priest. This allowed me to see what kind of struggles this group of people were tring to get out of or get into or whatever. I've also spent the year making conscious observation of many of the tools that are available to Christians and in many ways are encouraged to be used by Orthodox. This includes things like prayer, fasting, alms giving, intentional community, communion, confession, serving others, making the sign of the cross, showing proper respect, reverence, worship, and adoration properly as it relates to people, icons, the cross, christ, eucharist, the faithful, the priesthood, the church, etc. Some of these - communion, intentional community, and prayer come readily to mind - I am a lot more comfortable with (read: used to them or used to doing them). Others - fasting, confession, and making the sign of the cross to name a few - have been more of an observation (read: not-used to them or used to doing them). They are, of course, tools. They are not your salvation, however, they are an integral part of it. This is analageous to taking a bath, brushing your teeth, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, etc. These are not needed for life to be sustained, however, each in their own way contribute to a "better" life. So, some of them I have been doing (or learning to do), others I have observed only, and others I have observed and done some. I think this is healthy and good. My plan for my second year is to take a couple tools that I have observed and do them some. Also, to take a couple of the tools that I have observed and partially done and do them more. All of this, of course, is between me, my priest, and my God. I am certainly not here to complain nor boast. However, it does present challenges. Growth, of any kind, means change. Anyway, one of the things I am looking forward to this year is the services themselves. Last year I was an active participant - going from catacumen to newly illumined. This year, I am watching the excitement grow, the sublte changes in the litergies, in the icons, in the location of "stuff" in the church and I see all the change. It reminds me of being out west and seeing the great dust flying... you know something's going on, something is moving, and it is headed toward you. You don't feel it - except maybe in your gut; you don't hear it - except as a low rumble if you listen closely as the litergy changes, as the songs change, as the prayers for the catacumen change; you don't see it - except by observing the effects and subtle changes that are going on as the physical side of worship changes, and the fasting and feasting change rolls. Anyway, I'm excited, I'm uncertain, and I'm working my way through it. Peace, David Pe+er

Friday, February 27, 2004

Fasting

Okay... we got this fasting thing... I know there is more to it than just fasting - prayer and alms giving are the duo that makes starvation life giving. However, I'm not posting this to talk about those two. I'm talking about fasting... So, I say again... we got this fasting thing.... Apparently, as I understand it, we fast because Adam did not. (We fast because we do not...) What did Adam eat? Well, simply put, he ate fruit. So, what do we fast from? Meat. Anyone else see the problem here? --Moose

Saturday, December 06, 2003

I don’t know him yet…

I don't know him yet, except through my Father, but here is a picture of Dmitri. <img alt="dmitri.jpg" src="http://david.dpitts.com/archives/images/dmitri.jpg" width="150" height="200" border="0" /> May God grant him many years. Speaking of my Father, whom I am learning to know... <img alt="63F03-11-30(6-52).jpg" src="http://david.dpitts.com/archives/images/63F03-11-30(6-52).jpg" width="320" height="240" border="0" /> And, of course, my Mission Parrish.... <a href="http://www.oca.org/pages/directory/listing.asp?KEY=OCA-SO-NICSAC"><img alt="100F03-11-30(7-44).jpg" src="http://david.dpitts.com/archives/images/100F03-11-30(7-44).jpg" width="320" height="240" border="0" /> http://www.oca.org/pages/directory/listing.asp?KEY=OCA-SO-NICSAC</a>

Tuesday, September 23, 2003

Do not go gently… I don’t understand… A comment on becoming Orthodox

Dylan Thomas October 27, 1914 ~ November 9, 1953 Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night Do not go gently into that good night. Old age should burn and rage at the close of day. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night. Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. And you, my father, there on the sad height, Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.