- Oct 15, 2008
- 19,375
- 7,273
- Country
- United States
- Faith
- Eastern Orthodox
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-Others
Hi Everybody,
Four or five months ago if you'd have told me that my priest and I'd be reconciled, I'd be Orthodox, and I'd be a Reader, I'd have thought you're nuts. Well, God's grace overflows and here I am.
Father told me he wants me reading again and I'm already on the schedule to read.
In addition, it's pretty much official now that we DO NOT have a deacon anymore. Our deacon refuses to talk to Father, won't tell him why he and his wife and kids bailed on our parish, and he disappeared. A lot of parishioners are deeply disturbed and hurt by this. I know a lot more now today after talking to some important folks than I knew previously. This whole thing with our deacon coming into our parish as a stranger, instantly becoming a Reader, pushing his way into everything, wife taking over, then fast-tracked into the diaconate, and pushing folks like me around then----POOF! He's gone, it has really given everyone motion sickness.
A fellow parishioner with whom I'm close friends thinks this was all of the devil. This guy that was our deacon has been in and out of a bunch of denominations trying his best to control the flocks, take over, and usually has been kicked-out. This time he made it super far into the ranks, but disappeared? Several of us think this was Satan's wiles. My wife, friends, and I have felt this stuff was really unhealthy.
Father is healing, doing so much better, and has an ear-to-ear smile, lots of joy on his face. He is energized, happier, and back to his former self. It's like King Theoden after having Grima Wormtongue kicked out of Rohan and the power of Sauramon no longer an influence. We all see a difference.
Frankly, I've never seen anything like this before and I've been in Catholicism, Anglicanism, and Orthodoxy, and close to several Protestants. Never seen a crazy development like this.
Please pray that Father can continue to recover from his wounds (he is out of the hospital and celebrating our Divine Liturgies on Sunday but can only be there 3 hours. No confessions, no home visits, no counseling, no meetings, no middle of the week liturgies). He is going to have a couple more surgeries in the next couple months. He's not finished, but he IS finally healing. He is spiritually in GREAT spirits. He has tried so hard to be especially kind to me and further OUR healing. I appreciate it a lot.
Please pray for our parish. It's in dramamine motion sickness mode, but healing and getting better! Keep us in your prayers.
Please pray for me that I can be a good Orthodox Christian and a good Reader again!
I truly hope I can please the Lord.
Four or five months ago if you'd have told me that my priest and I'd be reconciled, I'd be Orthodox, and I'd be a Reader, I'd have thought you're nuts. Well, God's grace overflows and here I am.
Father told me he wants me reading again and I'm already on the schedule to read.
In addition, it's pretty much official now that we DO NOT have a deacon anymore. Our deacon refuses to talk to Father, won't tell him why he and his wife and kids bailed on our parish, and he disappeared. A lot of parishioners are deeply disturbed and hurt by this. I know a lot more now today after talking to some important folks than I knew previously. This whole thing with our deacon coming into our parish as a stranger, instantly becoming a Reader, pushing his way into everything, wife taking over, then fast-tracked into the diaconate, and pushing folks like me around then----POOF! He's gone, it has really given everyone motion sickness.
A fellow parishioner with whom I'm close friends thinks this was all of the devil. This guy that was our deacon has been in and out of a bunch of denominations trying his best to control the flocks, take over, and usually has been kicked-out. This time he made it super far into the ranks, but disappeared? Several of us think this was Satan's wiles. My wife, friends, and I have felt this stuff was really unhealthy.
Father is healing, doing so much better, and has an ear-to-ear smile, lots of joy on his face. He is energized, happier, and back to his former self. It's like King Theoden after having Grima Wormtongue kicked out of Rohan and the power of Sauramon no longer an influence. We all see a difference.
Frankly, I've never seen anything like this before and I've been in Catholicism, Anglicanism, and Orthodoxy, and close to several Protestants. Never seen a crazy development like this.
Please pray that Father can continue to recover from his wounds (he is out of the hospital and celebrating our Divine Liturgies on Sunday but can only be there 3 hours. No confessions, no home visits, no counseling, no meetings, no middle of the week liturgies). He is going to have a couple more surgeries in the next couple months. He's not finished, but he IS finally healing. He is spiritually in GREAT spirits. He has tried so hard to be especially kind to me and further OUR healing. I appreciate it a lot.
Please pray for our parish. It's in dramamine motion sickness mode, but healing and getting better! Keep us in your prayers.
Please pray for me that I can be a good Orthodox Christian and a good Reader again!
I truly hope I can please the Lord.
