This time I felt I was able to be less overwhelmed by all that was going on and more able to participate in Worship, although I do still stare as people enter the church and kiss all the icons before they make their seats. This may be rude but I watch anyway. (How else am I supposed to learn?)
I realized the other two times I went I had gone on Special Feast days, one was Ascension Thursday and the other was for Pentacost- last night was my first “normal” service, although, to be honest it wasn’t much different from a “high holy day.” Lots of singing, but there was no special procession of a particular icon and no Litya bread.
People hung around after the service for what I guess was confession. I felt uncomfortable hanging around so I scooted out of there. I have read that Orthodox Worship is "Not about you" and I can truly say that they do not follow the protestant module of being "seeker friendly" but I am not giving up. People, however, have made overchores to me, even on this very website (thank you, Ken) and I have been to protestant churches before where I was ignored and, perhaps, I am sensitive about these things becasue I tend to be shy in new stiuations. I think if I want to “socialize” I will have to come on a Sunday morning so that I can join in on the coffee hour after the Divine Liturgy…maybe, soon but, of course, that will be hard since I go to church with my family on Sunday mornings.
I found that going to mid-week services and forcing myself to stay for coffee hour after wards (if they had one) helped me to find a kind soul or two. Most people don't do a lot of chatting after Vespers at my parish either. But, I'm sure you're becoming a familiar face.
ReplyDeleteThanks, deb, for your encouragement . I am being patient about "fitting in"- I have been stalking orthodoxy on the internet for years so now that I am encountering it in rel life ,I will give it time. When I started at the Protestant church it took a while till I felt accepted. After all I have only been to three services!
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