As Father Gary said at the end of the Liturgy, "This isn't the first step towards being received into the Orthodox Church, but it is an important step." Today, along with Halle James who I met last night after Saturday night Vespers, I became a Catechumen in the Holy Orthodox Church. This whole journey started years ago when I was exploring my Catholic roots, looking for something "deeper" than my affiliation with Evangelicalism. I discovered Catholicsim on the internet (Shout out to Fr Roderick Vonhogen of the old Daily Breakfast podcast) which led me to other Catholic podcasts. On my particular one, I believe it was called "Techno Priest" (I can't be sure; it was back in 2008), that priest interviewed Fr. Peter Preble, who at the time had the Shepherd of Souls podcast, which was my first encounter with an Eastern Orthodox Podcast. That reminded me that, at one time, I would visit an Eastern Orthodox Liturgy at the Base Chapel when I was in the Air Force back in 1980 (Chaplain Pelesh was the Orthodox Chaplain then and a really great guy, down to earth!) I had forgotten all about Orthodoxy and, at the time, I really didn't understand it. I just saw it as a weird Catholic offshoot.
All this led me to Ancient Faith Radio and that changed my life.
Ancient Faith Home | Ancient Faith Ministries
After a while of listening (and learning) I got the nerve to visit an Orthodox Parish. I was going to go to a Greek Parish, which was closest to me but a phone call to the Priest let me know that most of the liturgy was in Greek. That didn't help me at all so I ventured to the OCA parish which I now attend and to which I hope to be united in communion as soon as God wills.
My wife came to the parish (It was her first time) so she could witness me becoming a catechumen. I knew she would like some of it (She remarked how the choir was beautiful (Shout out to Chris, our choir director! ☺) But I knew that the kissing of the Icons and all that bowing would be foreign to her (as it was to me when I first attended) But she was very happy for me and I am glad she was there. She could sense I was nervous and in her own way told me to calm down ("Jim, you're stressing me out!") God bless my wife!
Here is a video of the ceremony (for lack of a better word) which Shana, whom I just met, filmed it. (Quick note on how God cares about the little things in our life. Shana (not sure if I'm spelling her name right) told me normally she stands on the other side of the Nave but, someone else was in that spot so she was forced to be where she was which proved better because, she would not have been able to get me in the picture if she stood where she normally did.)
After the service Fr. Gary welcomed me and Halle James as Catechumens and sang "Many Years" for us. Fr. Gary marks special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries with the singing of "Many Years" at the end of the Liturgy. Here is a video of that which concludes with me venerating the Cross.
I will be checking in from time to time, to let you know how my journey is going. Please keep me in your prayers.
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