Quick Relationship Status Demographic Poll

A suggestion I have for the portal is offer “widowed” in relationship status option. We are the forgotten population in the church. Especially widowed parents 💔

I was born in Lewiston-Auburn in the State of Maine. My Father's family were some of the first Baptists to arrive in the New World in the 15th century. His parents had ceased going to church and could only be described as “cultural Christians”. My father found Christ with the Church of the Brethren, an Anabaptist sect similar to the Mennonites.

My mother is of French-Canadian descent so naturally she was born Catholic. In the 80’s her parents fell away from Catholicism to become Baptists. They were dissatisfied with the conduct of every church they attended and ultimately stopped going. They held to a belief that all Christians are part of a vague “invisible church”.

When my family moved to the State Georgia I was only four years old. It wasn't until I was about eight that we found a nondenominational church. I still had memories of the Church of the Brethren from my very early days. We'd often go back to Maine and visit them. This gave me a comparison to what I was experiencing with the nondenominational church.

At nine years of age I was accepted into the non-denominational church. From very early on I developed opinions against their practices, particularly in comparison to Anabaptist practice and culture. I admired the old hymns rather than the rock band with smoke machines and the traditional and simple lifestyle rather than the embrace of everything modern. The Brethren also had a deep fellowship with each other that I longed for over what I perceived as superficial niceties elsewhere.

About at the time I turned twelve I decided that I was going to find a different denomination. However, with so many it was difficult to separate what was true. Particularly with how different the theology of each sect can be. My father graciously bought me a handbook of all denominations in the United States. I read through this handbook and supplemented that with online research to get a better idea of what each denomination looked like. Somehow I came to the conclusion that Orthodoxy was the way.

I immediately desired to see what an Orthodox Liturgy was like. My only option was to ask my father to bring me, since I was too young to drive. He was willing though at this time my mothers parents were living with us. My grandmother overheard this conversation and immediately shut it down. I remember she said “they are worse than the Catholics!”. Though my father probably would have brought me anyway, I didn't want to stir conflict and left it at that.

I'm time I acquired my drivers license and upon my father's prompting remembered that I could now go to any church I desired. I had forgotten about the Orthodox Church and so my first few Sundays were spent at a traditional Lutheran Church. I was unimpressed, most particularly with how no one bothered to pay any notice to me and talk with me. I soon left and started attending a Mennonite church down in Montezuma Georgia. I was warmly welcomed into their homes and I am still most thankful for their hospitality towards me.

It was on a trip to Maine that I met some family of mine that had returned back to their Catholic roots. All they did was mention that they were merely Catholic but it somehow begged my consideration. I had completely ignored Apostolic Christianity and had no good reason to have done so. It was Catholic apologists online that convinced me I could no longer stay Protestant. It was particularly about Sola Scriptura, I just couldn't reconcile the history of the Church with the Protestant Reformation.

I was then confronted with the difficult task of whether to become Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, or Oriental Orthodox. I immediately discounted the Oriental Orthodox as they were more obscure and I counted them to be largely if not entirely the same as the Eastern Orthodox although in separate Communion. I found myself incapable of parsing Catholic and Orthodox theology. Who was I to decide on matters of contested theology and who said what? I am no theologian and for that reason I went to the closest church, which happened to be Catholic

My experience with the Catholics lasted for about four months. I tried to buy into Catholic thought and approach the Catholic faith as a Catholic would, that is to immerse myself in it. My first issue was that in my four months nobody spoke a word to me, not even the Priest. I also came to realize that the Catholic Church despite it's authoritarian structure and outward unity was very internally divided, particularly in matters of practice and lifestyle. This is the opposite of Orthodoxy as I came to find out. We Orthodox may seem very diverse and divided yet in practice, lifestyle, and Communion we are firmly one body. I ultimately came to disagree with the dogmas of Papal infallibility and supremacy and started attending an Orthodox parish.

From the very first day I fell in love with Orthodoxy. The Orthodox were very warm and welcoming to me. I must have received at least ten antidoron in one day from parishioners eager to welcome me after Communion. The trapeza meal after Liturgy is almost sacred, it is a very powerful experience of fellowship that connected me to the Orthodox Church. Obviously the true connection is through the Holy Mysteries, though we do not often live in a village where everyone knows everyone in these times.

Since then I was received into the Orthodox Church by the Russians and now attend a Greek Parish in Middle Georgia, where I serve as an Acolyte. I have attended a good few parishes and have always been delighted in knowing that Orthodoxy is Orthodoxy no matter where you may be. I think it is also important to note that Orthodoxy transcends ethnicity and culture. The presence of “cultural parishes” exists as a reflection of the people who attend that parish. This is particularly evident when examining the languages the Liturgy is served in. This was something that initially made me skeptical of Orthodox unity, but was quickly dispelled after visiting Orthodox parishes.

I will now note that this Journey to Orthodoxy post is over 1000 words. My apologies for any typos, I was pretty tired when I wrote this.