In that post I ask a question as to why people will venerate icons even though the service has been going on for at least 20 minutes.
From another Jim
You will find that Orthodox worship is not regimented in the same way that Protestant worship is. If it's a parish that has Orthros and Divine Liturgy on a Sunday morning, DL begins whenever Orthros is finished. the switch from one service to the other is pretty well seamless, so the whole flow of the morning is quite different that what one experiences in Protestantism. Yes, in North America we try to be close in our timing of the services, but exactness simply isn't going to happen. Orthodox Christian also feel freer to come and go in accordance with what they can manage (or choose to). They will participate actively while they are present in different ways as you have noticed. So all of that means that Orthodox Christians are less likely than Protestants to plan to be in their seats (yes, I know that may not be literally true for many Orthodox Christians!) at a fixed time with plans to depart en masse at a second fixed time.
Some will enter to church for their private prayers. That's perfectly OK so long as they are not disruptive. [I was about to post when I see Second Chance has gone into more detail.]
Of course, all of this will vary from parish to parish. In my own little mission parish, with only about twenty of us on a given Sunday, there's more unanimity in our arrivals and departures. Since we are in rented quarters where we have to set up and take down for every service, we don't have icons all around to be venerated, so you will see very few examples of the acts of personal piety which you may see elsewhere.
BTW, I'm enjoying your blog. I like your rambling style, but glad you don't ramble all over the globe
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