Inquirer question

[LiturgyInDMinor]

How does one become an Orthodox Christian when there are no parishes or resources within a reasonable (30miles one way) distance from home???? A friend wants to know actually.
Thanks for any answers.

 

[Michael G]

The ususal answer is to find the nearest Orthodox priest and talk to him. In my part of the country, Pennsylvania and Ohio, there is never that problem as Orthodox priests are all over the place up here.

 

[LiturgyInDMinor]

It's a tad more difficult here in Southern alabama.
There is a mission of the Antiochian Archdiocese of NA here but I can't get a response from the Reverend in charge.

So basically if there isn't an Orthodox priest available near you you're out of luck huh? Or one can take a road trip to find one I guess.

 

[Etsi]

Can't get a response? What do you mean?

 

[LiturgyInDMinor]

Can't get a response? What do you mean?

Via email.
St. Michael Mission is listed on the website of parishes here:

State | Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese

I just sent out another email to him. Perhaps he's busy.

 

[LiturgyInDMinor]

And of course I JUST noticed there's a phone number listed!!!!!!
DOH!

Perhaps a phone call will work. LOL

 

[Etsi]

I was just going to say, there are a lot of people that are really bad about their email (I'm one of them, just ask my priests! It's easier to get hold of me on FB than email LOL!). A phone call is usually the best way to go.

 

[Dorothea]

Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Cathedral
307 19th Street, South
Birmingham, AL 35233
Rev. Fr. Paul C. Costopoulos - Presiding Priest
Phone: (205) 716-3080
Fax: (205) 716-3085
http://www.holytrinity-holycross.org/



Holy Cross/SS Constantine and Helen
3021 University Drive
Huntsville, AL 35816
Rev. Fr. Felix Miles - Serviced By
Phone: (256) 534-4221
Fax: (256)489-4222
http://www.holycross.al.goarch.org/



Annunciation Church
1721 Mt. Meigs Road
Montgomery, AL 36107
Phone: (334) 263-1366
Fax: (334) 263-1365
http://www.agocmal.org



St. Athanasios Chapel
220 East 20th Avenue
Gulf Shores, AL 36542
Phone: (251) 967-2020
Fax: (251) 471-8015
http://www.stathanasios.al.goarch.org/



Annunciation Church
50 South Ann Street
Mobile, AL 36604
Rev. Fr. Bogue Elias Stevens - Presiding Priest
Phone: (251) 438-9888
Fax: (251) 438-9889
http://www.greekchurchmobile.org/

 

[Bessie]

I'm not sure exactly where in Alabama you/ your friend are, but I plugged the zip code 35242 for Birmingham into Orthodoxy in America - Home and it returned several results. I am not sure if this link will work or not, but it might be worth going yourself and entering the relevant zip code etc. Orthodoxy in America

 

[LiturgyInDMinor]

Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Cathedral
307 19th Street, South
Birmingham, AL 35233
Rev. Fr. Paul C. Costopoulos - Presiding Priest
Phone: (205) 716-3080
Fax: (205) 716-3085
http://www.holytrinity-holycross.org/



Holy Cross/SS Constantine and Helen
3021 University Drive
Huntsville, AL 35816
Rev. Fr. Felix Miles - Serviced By
Phone: (256) 534-4221
Fax: (256)489-4222
http://www.holycross.al.goarch.org/



Annunciation Church
1721 Mt. Meigs Road
Montgomery, AL 36107
Phone: (334) 263-1366
Fax: (334) 263-1365
http://www.agocmal.org



St. Athanasios Chapel
220 East 20th Avenue
Gulf Shores, AL 36542
Phone: (251) 967-2020
Fax: (251) 471-8015
http://www.stathanasios.al.goarch.org/



Annunciation Church
50 South Ann Street
Mobile, AL 36604
Rev. Fr. Bogue Elias Stevens - Presiding Priest
Phone: (251) 438-9888
Fax: (251) 438-9889
http://www.greekchurchmobile.org/

Bless your heart sister....those are ALL road trips big time(we're talking over an hour and a half one way to Montgomery from here) from where we live. Dothan is in the far southeast corner of the state.
I'll pass the info along.

 

[LiturgyInDMinor]

I'm not sure exactly where in Alabama you/ your friend are, but I plugged the zip code 35242 for Birmingham into Orthodoxy in America - Home and it returned several results. I am not sure if this link will work or not, but it might be worth going yourself and entering the relevant zip code etc. Orthodoxy in America

Thankyou.

 

[Dorothea]

Bless your heart sister....those are ALL road trips big time(we're talking over an hour and a half one way to Montgomery from here) from where we live. Dothan is in the far southeast corner of the state.
I'll pass the info along.

Sorry, Rev. I didn't know exactly where your friend was located. Just looked up churches in AL. Most of the churches (at least the Greek ones) are usually in a major city. When we lived in Panama City, FL, we traveled to Ft. Walton Beach area (Mary Esther to be exact ) to get to church each Sunday. That was an hour and a half drive one way. But it was the closest, so we went to it and loved it!

 

[buzuxi02]

you will have to get into contact with your nearest bishop. Its easy to find their numbers and get into contact with the emergence of the internet. i know a catechumen in China who is awaiting for her SF to come and baptise her. So even in the remotest parts it can happen, hard but can be done

 

[LiturgyInDMinor]

Thanks for the info all...I've told my friend.

 

[E.C.]

Maybe going to the Florida panhandle would work if Dothan is that far south in Alabama.

 

[rusmeister]

Dothan is in the far southeast corner of the state.

That's where my grandmother lived her last years and died...
Prayers for Leah are appreciated... (OT, I know...)

 

[LiturgyInDMinor]

That's where my grandmother lived her last years and died...
Prayers for Leah are appreciated... (OT, I know...)

Many prayers for Leah are granted.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

Here are the OCA parishes in Alabama. I don't know how close they are to Dothan.

ALABAMA

Anniston
St Luke Orthodox Mission Station

[SIZE=-1]216 E 8th St[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]Anniston, AL 36207[/SIZE]
(256) 235-3893
[SIZE=-1][/SIZE]
Priest Basil Henry, Priest-in-charge
Saturday Great Vespers 4:00PM (call for details)
Sunday Divine Liturgy 10:00AM Divine Liturgy
Daily Prayer Service at 6:00AM M-F
Thursday Catechism Classes, call for details.

Birmingham
St. Symeon The New Theologian Church
3101 Clairmont Ave. (8th Ave. South) http://www.dosoca.org/files/Directions/birmingham.pdf
(205) 930-9681
Archpriest Alexander Fecanin
Deacon Ephraim Rivers
Saturday Vespers: 6:00pm
Divine Liturgy 10:00am
Vespers Eves of Feasts 6:30pm
http://dosoca.org/files/Directions/birmingham.pdf
Montgomery
Montgomery Alabama Mission Station
Serviced by deanery clergy

Moundville/Tuscaloosa
St. Gregory the Theologian
16357 Highway 69 South
Moundville, AL
(205) 343-0085
Priest Demetrius Edwards
Saturday Vespers 6:00pm
Divine Liturgy 10:00am

 

[Joshua G.]

I don't know what the roads are like in that part of Alabama. 30 miles can be an easy short drive or a long one, treacherous to one's car's shock absorbers. However, I will just add that MANY people in the US make such a drive. They may not be able to afford it every week (although many can... it jsut means you eat out a bit less... I don't know your friend's situation).

Again, I don't knwo your friend's situation, so I am not judging, but I wouldn't think that 30 miles would be a deal breaker IF your friend became convinced of the truth. It sounds like he is still in the seeking stage.

So, for now, this might just mean a slow process of discovery and meeting with a priest to talk, ask questions etc. What I mean is that while the process of seeking to coming to a decision about the Orthodox Faith and if you feel called to it would take the guy who lives next to an Orthodox Church, let's say, 6 months (going to liturgy most weeks and talking with the priest pretty much whenever he/she wanted), it might take your friend a few years. Going to his own current Church and making it out to the Orthodox Parish when he can get the bucks (and time?) together to make the drive a few times in the year.

If in the end, he decides the trouble isn't worth it, then I would hope that means he isn't convinced of the Truth of the OC as the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church in which case, I would agree.. it's not worth the 30 min.

Rest assured, there are many Orthodox who only go once every other, couple, few or even several weeks. This isn't ideal, but their priest helps them set up a rule of prayer to get them through the dryspells. Also, chances are, if it's a mission, there is someone that lives near Dothan that goes to the parish whom he could carpool with.

In the end, you don't know until you try.

God bless!

Josh

 

[LiturgyInDMinor]

I don't know what the roads are like in that part of Alabama. 30 miles can be an easy short drive or a long one, treacherous to one's car's shock absorbers. However, I will just add that MANY people in the US make such a drive. They may not be able to afford it every week (although many can... it jsut means you eat out a bit less... I don't know your friend's situation).

Again, I don't knwo your friend's situation, so I am not judging, but I wouldn't think that 30 miles would be a deal breaker IF your friend became convinced of the truth. It sounds like he is still in the seeking stage.

So, for now, this might just mean a slow process of discovery and meeting with a priest to talk, ask questions etc. What I mean is that while the process of seeking to coming to a decision about the Orthodox Faith and if you feel called to it would take the guy who lives next to an Orthodox Church, let's say, 6 months (going to liturgy most weeks and talking with the priest pretty much whenever he/she wanted), it might take your friend a few years. Going to his own current Church and making it out to the Orthodox Parish when he can get the bucks (and time?) together to make the drive a few times in the year.

If in the end, he decides the trouble isn't worth it, then I would hope that means he isn't convinced of the Truth of the OC as the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church in which case, I would agree.. it's not worth the 30 min.

Rest assured, there are many Orthodox who only go once every other, couple, few or even several weeks. This isn't ideal, but their priest helps them set up a rule of prayer to get them through the dryspells. Also, chances are, if it's a mission, there is someone that lives near Dothan that goes to the parish whom he could carpool with.

In the end, you don't know until you try.

God bless!

Josh

Yeah that's what I told him and his wife....to take it SLOW and to let go and let God take the lead.