Morning Travels and Other Thoughts

E.C.

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Jan 12, 2007
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Christ is Risen!
Christos is auferstanden!
Etc etc etc.

So I made it home after a very long road trip in time for Good Friday. 4,748 (or so) miles were had. Also was in town to witness a good person in the parish to be ordained to the priesthood, visited our fearless leader Archbishop BENJAMIN and also made long overdue visits to relatives.

Now, my unit in Hawaii shall eventually relocate back home and I visited the parish that is located near the base we will be relocating to. The people there were quite welcoming and I was offered several rides and places to stay when we arrive to the area next year(ish).

Unfortunately, the visit was not all smooth. Due to problems between the rector and my parents, my parents have been forced to "move" to a new parish home. I also found out some things this "priest" said about me and my family in years past. None of which were pleasant. All of which were venomous in nature. Without going into detail if certain opinions passed as pastoral advice had been followed I would not be Orthodox. I would not be in the Navy either. As a result my family will not return to that unhealthy community. I will not return so long as that man is there (yes, I know there is a certain respect that should be shown for clergy, but when that clergy fails to act as such I cease recognizing the office). No, I will not attempt to contact him because he takes the "you're either with me or against me" approach so extreme that any attempt at talking to him about these problems will result in loud one-way conversations without me being the one talking.

So, in this post I ask a few things. I ask for prayers for safe travel. I ask for prayers for my father and stepmother as they add an additional hour of fighting Seattle traffic to their commute to attend a healthier parish home (pm for names). I ask that someone pray for Fr. John (common enough name I can get away with it!) so that he may cease bringing that parish down an unhealthy cult-like road because I will not be able to pray for him for many years after the damage he's done to my parents.
And if you want to know the name of the parish so you may avoid it, pm me. I will not publicly name it here.

Thank you.
and yes, pictures of Hawaii will appear after I get there!
 
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Gxg (G²)

Pilgrim/Monastic on the Road to God (Psalm 84:1-7)
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Christ is Risen!
Christos is auferstanden!
Etc etc etc.

So I made it home after a very long road trip in time for Good Friday. 4,748 (or so) miles were had. Also was in town to witness a good person in the parish to be ordained to the priesthood, visited our fearless leader Archbishop BENJAMIN and also made long overdue visits to relatives.

Now, my unit in Hawaii shall eventually relocate back home and I visited the parish that is located near the base we will be relocating to. The people there were quite welcoming and I was offered several rides and places to stay when we arrive to the area next year(ish).

Unfortunately, the visit was not all smooth. Due to problems between the rector and my parents, my parents have been forced to "move" to a new parish home. I also found out some things this "priest" said about me and my family in years past. None of which were pleasant. All of which were venomous in nature. Without going into detail if certain opinions passed as pastoral advice had been followed I would not be Orthodox. I would not be in the Navy either. As a result my family will not return to that unhealthy community. I will not return so long as that man is there (yes, I know there is a certain respect that should be shown for clergy, but when that clergy fails to act as such I cease recognizing the office). No, I will not attempt to contact him because he takes the "you're either with me or against me" approach so extreme that any attempt at talking to him about these problems will result in loud one-way conversations without me being the one talking.

So, in this post I ask a few things. I ask for prayers for safe travel. I ask for prayers for my father and stepmother as they add an additional hour of fighting Seattle traffic to their commute to attend a healthier parish home (pm for names). I ask that someone pray for Fr. John (common enough name I can get away with it!) so that he may cease bringing that parish down an unhealthy cult-like road because I will not be able to pray for him for many years after the damage he's done to my parents.
And if you want to know the name of the parish so you may avoid it, pm me. I will not publicly name it here.

Thank you.
and yes, pictures of Hawaii will appear after I get there!
Lord Have Mercy +

Lifting you up and sorry to hear about the experience you had, as unhealthy people can create unhealthy environments tainting a lot of the good things you would have enjoyed if you weren't aware of the behavior. Had that happen me in another church I decided to leave and I do not regret it whatsoever when finding out a lot of what had been going down. That said, again, praying for you and your family to find a healthy parish and that your journey to one would be insightful/full of encouragement from beginning to end.
 
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