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CatherineBrigid
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« on: September 16, 2012, 05:33:18 PM » |
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Well, today was THE day I've been waiting for... my first ever visit to an Orthodox church!!! I didn't go alone...one of our Anglican priests (who will be ordained Orthodox in Nov) and those of us who are going to be part of his parish-in-formation also went...it was kind of a catechism class "field trip" in a way, LOL. So having other new folks that I already knew there was a huge relief.  Anyway, any lingering doubts or wonderings about "if God is leading me this way" were completely obliterated in about five minutes flat... it was THE most profound, beautiful, deeply touching, holy, and amazing worship service i have ever, ever EVER had the honor of attending. Several times I was moved to tears by the profound sense of the holiness of God and the sheer beauty of all of it... I'm almost without words. Simply amazing. I remember thinking that "regular" church will just never be the same again, could never, in a zillion years, measure up to what this was today... |
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* * * http://www.SNMOC.org(St. Nicholas of Myra WR parish) May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rain fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his han |
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LizaSymonenko
Слава Ісусу Христу!!! Glory to Jesus Christ!!!
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« Reply #1 on: September 16, 2012, 05:48:53 PM » |
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Glad you "felt" it....and were inspired. May this be the first step on your journey home. It truly is awesome to behold. I've been Orthodox my whole life, and yet....the whole thing still leaves me in awe. |
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Conquer evil men by your gentle kindness, and make zealous men wonder at your goodness. Put the lover of legality to shame by your compassion. With the afflicted be afflicted in mind. Love all men, but keep distant from all men.
—St. Isaac of Syria
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CatherineBrigid
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« Reply #2 on: September 16, 2012, 05:58:19 PM » |
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May this be the first step on your journey home
This is the most recent step in a very long journey that's taken probably a year or more..this is the step where it all fell together and was confirmed for me that this is absolutely where my children and I belong. Our priest (who has been our priest in the Anglican church) will be ordained Orthodox in November...there are several of us parishoners-to-be who,God willing, will be Chrismated that same day. We'll all go to South Carolina as Anglicans, and come home (back to Atlanta, Georgia area) as a brand-new Russian Orthodox (ROCOR) Western Rite parish. THAT will no doubt be a day of tears & goose bumps galore. And I don't think I've ever been as sure of anything in my life, as I am of this. |
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« Last Edit: September 16, 2012, 05:59:17 PM by CatherineBrigid »
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* * * http://www.SNMOC.org(St. Nicholas of Myra WR parish) May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rain fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his han |
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mabsoota
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« Reply #3 on: September 16, 2012, 06:25:56 PM » |
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it's awesome, i know. but remember the enemy will trouble u along the way, so if, at some time, it doesn't 'feel' as amazing, remember it's just the attacks of the enemy or maybe just a bad day, don't take it as a bad sign. i have been orthodox for 4 years, and am in a fairly new (big) church due to moving jobs, and one of the many aunties i didn't know congratulated me today on having Holy Communion! well, it did 'feel' special today, as i realised some areas in my life that needed sorting out (following the sermon), so i repented more than usual during the prayers, and went up for Holy Communion with more than the usual awe and wonder. i didn't realise it had made me look like a newbie though!  may you always approach God with faith like a little child, and may you always remember His love and care as you do today. |
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celticfan1888
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« Reply #4 on: September 16, 2012, 06:32:58 PM » |
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I'm really happy for you! I wish you luck on your journey! Just remember, try not too get too emotional, sometimes it can lead people astray. (I'm trying to be helpful, not sound like a grouch)  |
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« Last Edit: September 16, 2012, 06:35:02 PM by celticfan1888 »
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Forgive my sins.
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Shiny
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« Reply #5 on: September 16, 2012, 06:35:35 PM » |
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I'm really happy for you! I wish you luck on your journey! Just remember, try not too get too emotional, sometimes it can lead people astray. Um how is that? I'd love to weep during DL, honestly. |
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“There is your brother, naked, crying, and you stand there confused over the choice of an attractive floor covering.”
– St. Ambrose of Milan
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celticfan1888
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« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2012, 06:44:22 PM » |
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I'm really happy for you! I wish you luck on your journey! Just remember, try not too get too emotional, sometimes it can lead people astray. Um how is that? I'd love to weep during DL, honestly. Sometimes it can be dangerous and leading to delusion. God's energ leads one toward humility. If what you experience does not lead you towards humility and repentance, then it is simply one of the other myriad of created energies floating around that we come into contact with at various times. In the presence of grace the emotions are transcended, transformed, not stimulated. Emotionalism is a sure sign of impurity and the wrong kind of energy being present. A lot of things are mistaken for grace that are not grace. Emotion isn't bad, you just shouldn't invest too much into it. |
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Forgive my sins.
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mabsoota
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« Reply #7 on: September 16, 2012, 06:49:01 PM » |
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i see there has already been an answer, but i was going to say 'don't make major decisions based on emotions.'
having emotions is ok, but 'guard your heart' (proverbs 4:23; verse 22 in the septuagint).
in the septuagint version of this verse it says 'keep your heart with all watchfulness, for from these words are the issues of life'.
so weeping for yr sins is good, but choosing which church to go to based on one that 'feels comfortable' is not.
hope that helps.
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dzheremi
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« Reply #8 on: September 16, 2012, 07:06:58 PM » |
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Yeah. Just to echo what the others have said, an important feature of Orthodoxy is its sobriety. Little but powerful everyday actions are what sustain us and help us to grow, more so than emotionally-stirring moments (though there is certainly a time for that, I suppose, and such will vary anyway depending on the person and how they affected by the hymns, incense, icons, etc). Granted, when I finally got to attend my first Coptic liturgy, I certainly felt like jumping for joy (if only because I had waited about two years before I could attend one), but I still took my time in deciding whether or not it was a spiritually healthy place for me to be (began attending in August 2011 already looking toward possible conversion, but did not 'take the plunge' until May of 2012...and Mabsoota will tell you that is not even a very long time, but the point is there was a period of discernment, and I was able to go through one Great Fast, one Holy Week, etc. before I decided, so that by the time I got to that point, I was sure that the newness and butterflies had worn off). All that said, I am so, so very happy for you! May God continue to guide you and those who are with you. |
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CatherineBrigid
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« Reply #9 on: September 16, 2012, 07:09:08 PM » |
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As a practicing "third order" Benedictine, I thoroughly "get" the day-to-day consistency of the walk of faith, regardless of emotion. It is the consistent daily-ness of it that keeps us on target on the days when things, quite simply, word deleted as not meeting current policy for profanity Please look at Board News Topic- New policy regarding blasphemy, obscenity, and profanity on the Forum Thanks Thomas Convert Issues Forum moderator |
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« Last Edit: September 16, 2012, 09:40:28 PM by Thomas »
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* * * http://www.SNMOC.org(St. Nicholas of Myra WR parish) May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rain fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his han |
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kevlev
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« Reply #10 on: September 16, 2012, 07:58:10 PM » |
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Congratulations, CatherineBrigid! May your enthusiasm blossom into an eternal bond.
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From my youth have many passions warred against me, but do Thou Thyself defend and save me, O Saviour.
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CatherineBrigid
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« Reply #11 on: September 16, 2012, 07:59:49 PM » |
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aw, thank you!
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* * * http://www.SNMOC.org(St. Nicholas of Myra WR parish) May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rain fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his han |
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arnI
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« Reply #12 on: September 16, 2012, 08:50:23 PM » |
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May your journey be blessed.
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Grant me to see my own errors and not to judge my brother
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Palex
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« Reply #13 on: September 16, 2012, 09:04:08 PM » |
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I'm very happy for you, CatherineBrigid.
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Your eyes saw me when I was unformed,
And all men shall be written in Your book;
They shall be formed day by day,
When as yet there were none among them.
--Psalm 138 (139):16
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CatherineBrigid
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« Reply #14 on: September 16, 2012, 09:28:08 PM » |
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Probably the thing that stands out to me the most....if I can manage to put it into words at all.. was this OVERWHELMING sense of God's holiness... and a sense of absolute timelessness......
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* * * http://www.SNMOC.org(St. Nicholas of Myra WR parish) May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind always be at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rain fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his han |
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