- Oct 11, 2019
- 808
- 690
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
- Faith
- Lutheran
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-Others
Hi hi! It's been about a year and a half since I posted last, and I wanted to write a little update.
After discovering Eastern Orthodoxy in late 2024, my husband and I visited the closest parish we could find and settled in rather nicely. Fast forward to now, and we are both catechumens in the process of (hopefully)officially joining the church in late fall as we have finally finished our introductory classes.
There have been many firsts that have been so wonderful to experience—buying our first icon for the prayer corner in our home, fasting during great lent, experiencing holy week and Pascha, etc. Our parish is lovely and filled with so many wonderful people. I adore our Priests and our parish council alike. Coffee hour has become less daunting over time, and I find myself still acquainting myself with new people every week.
Currently we are in the process of filling out forms and choosing our patron saints & sponsors, and I am still actively learning more and more about the church and its history as time goes on. I don't need to read the little booklets in our parish to follow along with Divine Liturgy anymore, and I've memorized most of the hymns sung by our choir.
A friend I made through our classes and I have been talking about visiting the closest cathedral, as well as some of the other Orthodox parishes nearby(as per the recommendations of our Priest). I'm also really excited for this :^)
Thank you to everyone who encouraged me and gave me advice on my last post. I find that for the first time in my life, I finally feel connected with God and a sense of belonging in the church that I have been missing this whole time. The religious doubts and anxiety that often plagued me all throughout my childhood and young adult life has finally gone quiet.
Blessed is the kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. ☦
After discovering Eastern Orthodoxy in late 2024, my husband and I visited the closest parish we could find and settled in rather nicely. Fast forward to now, and we are both catechumens in the process of (hopefully)officially joining the church in late fall as we have finally finished our introductory classes.
There have been many firsts that have been so wonderful to experience—buying our first icon for the prayer corner in our home, fasting during great lent, experiencing holy week and Pascha, etc. Our parish is lovely and filled with so many wonderful people. I adore our Priests and our parish council alike. Coffee hour has become less daunting over time, and I find myself still acquainting myself with new people every week.
Currently we are in the process of filling out forms and choosing our patron saints & sponsors, and I am still actively learning more and more about the church and its history as time goes on. I don't need to read the little booklets in our parish to follow along with Divine Liturgy anymore, and I've memorized most of the hymns sung by our choir.
A friend I made through our classes and I have been talking about visiting the closest cathedral, as well as some of the other Orthodox parishes nearby(as per the recommendations of our Priest). I'm also really excited for this :^)
Thank you to everyone who encouraged me and gave me advice on my last post. I find that for the first time in my life, I finally feel connected with God and a sense of belonging in the church that I have been missing this whole time. The religious doubts and anxiety that often plagued me all throughout my childhood and young adult life has finally gone quiet.
Blessed is the kingdom of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. ☦
