Prayer requests post here!

[~Anastasia~]

Lord have mercy.

 

[ArmyMatt]

if you could pray for the soul of Monk Cornelius, departed this life.

memory eternal!

 

[~Anastasia~]

May his memory be eternal.

 

[Anhelyna]

Eternal Memory !

 

[nutroll]

I am asking for prayers for myself and my family (the Deacon Matthew, my wife Elizabeth, and my children Ioan, Theodore, and Maria). This Sunday after liturgy we will begin our drive to Seattle, WA for a pastoral conference for my diocese (Western American Diocese of ROCOR). At the Hierarchical Liturgy on Tuesday November 13, I will be ordained to the priesthood. It will be exactly seven years to the day that I was ordained to the Diaconate. I am unworthy, anxious, woefully unprepared, and in need of all the prayers I can get. In addition, if you would like to give me names of Orthodox Christians to be commemorated at proskomede as I serve my first liturgies, I would be happy to do so.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Lord have mercy!

 

[~Anastasia~]

Lord have mercy

And axios!

I have grown to really appreciate your posts here.

As for commemoration - (I'm assuming you mean the commemoration for living Orthodox? I'm not very versed in types of prayers by priests) - I could give you everyone but I won't be greedy. Myself and my goddaughter? Anastasia and Sarah. Thank you so much.

 

[nutroll]

Living or departed.

 

[ArmyMatt]

just heard of the falling asleep of the Archpriest Joseph Martin, so if you could please add him to your departed list, and if everyone else could say a prayer for him as well. Fr Joseph was a priest for over 50 years.

memory eternal!

 

[Anhelyna]

WOW !

Lord have mercy on His servant Fr Deacon Matthew in these last few days before his Ordination to the priesthood

 

[~Anastasia~]

Living or departed.

In that case, may I add Magdalene (my godmother) and Haralambos (recently departed very kindly man who suffered a lot).

Thank you.

 

[~Anastasia~]

just heard of the falling asleep of the Archpriest Joseph Martin, so if you could please add him to your departed list, and if everyone else could say a prayer for him as well. Fr Joseph was a priest for over 50 years.

memory eternal!

May his memory be eternal.

 

[AMM]

My girlfriend told me last night that she's planning on converting to Orthodoxy, she just wants to take her time in her next steps and not be rushed, since she struggles to believe a lot of the stories of the Church. (She likes the moral teachings, the community aspect, the idea of prayer and having God guide you, etc., but miracles are hard for her (and me, tbh) to believe). In any case, thanks for all your prayers! Glory to God!

 

[ArmyMatt]

glory to God!

 

[~Anastasia~]

My girlfriend told me last night that she's planning on converting to Orthodoxy, she just wants to take her time in her next steps and not be rushed, since she struggles to believe a lot of the stories of the Church. (She likes the moral teachings, the community aspect, the idea of prayer and having God guide you, etc., but miracles are hard for her (and me, tbh) to believe). In any case, thanks for all your prayers! Glory to God!

Glory to God!

Prayers. And I understand the sentiment. In fact a few things were maybe even little stumbling blocks for me. But some (very few) I think properly fall within the realm of "pious belief" and so needn't be a problem. Others ... one day it kind of clicked that we accept many miraculous things from Scripture - the fact that God became man and that a man rose from the dead are the epitome of the miraculous after all! - so if we accept that (and if we don't, why think we have faith at all?) ... then why do the other things seem strange, or "too hard" for God?

Prayers for your girlfriend. And of course there is never any rush or pressure. I've watched many folks come to Orthodoxy just as they should and in the way and time God leads them. Those are the ones that settle deeply and I believe will last - not the ones who burn out and move on in a continuation of a constant search six months later.

 

[Shawn P]

I would like to request prayers for a couple of things. First and foremost for my decision to convert to Orthodox Christianity. I am 42 and have been a life-long Baptist. My grandfather and father were Baptist ministers. My grandfather passed away some years back and my dad is now retired.

I have always loved studying my own Church's theology as well as other denominations and branches of Christianity. I have studied a lot about other religions such as Islam, Buddhism and even cults. This was never done out of a desire to join them, but to better understand them. I thought it a worthy thing to better understand others who love Jesus. And I wanted to be able to better converse with those who don't know Jesus, so I could share my faith with them.

I only seriously started studying Orthodoxy recently. I love history and art in general, so I was drawn to the history of the Church; the ties to real, historic, Apostolic Christianity; and those beautiful Icons. But none of those things would have changed my protestant affiliation, as I simply thought them things I could appreciate from "that other denomination."

The more I learned, the more I loved about Orthodoxy. It's become an obsession. Then, the turning point was watching videos of the Divine Liturgy. I found myself moved and fighting the urge to cry. I can't even explain it and feel sort of silly saying it. I've felt the presence of God before, but this was some kind of an experience and I just feel that I NEED to be in the Orthodox Church. Most of my theological objections and concerns have been melted away. It's funny how that can happen once you learn why others do those things they do.

Not long ago, a drunk driver hit and destroyed my car. It's been months and he's in jail with no insurance and I have no way to replace it quickly. I work 3 days a week from a home office on the computer via a VPN. The 2 days I have to go to my place of business, I am able to catch a ride with a co-worker. My finances are being strained as my parents are both in bad health and I'm constantly supporting them monetarily and every other way. Just pray that God will make a way for me to get through these times and get better transportation. I am so badly wanting to visit an Orthodox Church in person, but I have no way. I know I will eventually, but just pray that God makes a way for me!

Last of all, I anticipate problems and family issues due to my decision. I do not know how to tell my Baptist-minister father without it hurting his feelings. I anticipate arguments and blowback. I apologize for such a long-winded rant. Thank you all for listening and for the prayers!

God Bless you all.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Lord have mercy!

 

[~Anastasia~]

Hello and welcome to CF.

Prayers for you.

You should probably start another thread. It would be ok to copy this one into a new thread in TAW. I just say that because this is a prayer request thread and you might not get as much discussion as could be good. (And "spamming" many multiple posts is against the rules, but just two copies of one post and for good reason is ok. )

I'll be working on a more detailed response, but if you want to post your own thread, I'll reply to this there.

I would like to request prayers for a couple of things. First and foremost for my decision to convert to Orthodox Christianity. I am 42 and have been a life-long Baptist. My grandfather and father were Baptist ministers. My grandfather passed away some years back and my dad is now retired.

I have always loved studying my own Church's theology as well as other denominations and branches of Christianity. I have studied a lot about other religions such as Islam, Buddhism and even cults. This was never done out of a desire to join them, but to better understand them. I thought it a worthy thing to better understand others who love Jesus. And I wanted to be able to better converse with those who don't know Jesus, so I could share my faith with them.

I only seriously started studying Orthodoxy recently. I love history and art in general, so I was drawn to the history of the Church; the ties to real, historic, Apostolic Christianity; and those beautiful Icons. But none of those things would have changed my protestant affiliation, as I simply thought them things I could appreciate from "that other denomination."

The more I learned, the more I loved about Orthodoxy. It's become an obsession. Then, the turning point was watching videos of the Divine Liturgy. I found myself moved and fighting the urge to cry. I can't even explain it and feel sort of silly saying it. I've felt the presence of God before, but this was some kind of an experience and I just feel that I NEED to be in the Orthodox Church. Most of my theological objections and concerns have been melted away. It's funny how that can happen once you learn why others do those things they do.

Not long ago, a drunk driver hit and destroyed my car. It's been months and he's in jail with no insurance and I have no way to replace it quickly. I work 3 days a week from a home office on the computer via a VPN. The 2 days I have to go to my place of business, I am able to catch a ride with a co-worker. My finances are being strained as my parents are both in bad health and I'm constantly supporting them monetarily and every other way. Just pray that God will make a way for me to get through these times and get better transportation. I am so badly wanting to visit an Orthodox Church in person, but I have no way. I know I will eventually, but just pray that God makes a way for me!

Last of all, I anticipate problems and family issues due to my decision. I do not know how to tell my Baptist-minister father without it hurting his feelings. I anticipate arguments and blowback. I apologize for such a long-winded rant. Thank you all for listening and for the prayers!

God Bless you all.

 

[Shawn P]

I will make a new/copy post as you advised. Thank you very much!

 

[Andrei D]

Please add Constantin to your prayers tonight. He was the president of our Parochial Council and my daughter's godfather. He went to sleep in the Lord this morning. He was beloved by all who knew him and he was a spring of love and joy for our community. May the Lord forgive him, memory eternal.