Wisdon'p, tln eigntand Modgrn \7hen we teach our children ro be good, to be gentle, and to be forgiving-all attributes of God; to be generous, to love their neighbor, to regard this presentageas nothing, we instill virtue in their
The human family constitutes the primary and Peace essential element of human society' in the of peace result a direct be will in society family.
St.John ChrYsostom
souls, and reveal the image of God within them' This then is our task: to educateboth ourselvesanc our children in godliness; otherwise what answer will we have before Christ's judgment seat? Let us be greatly concerned for our wives and our children and for ourselvesas well. The good God Himself will bring rhis work to perfection, so that all of us may be counted worthy of the blessings
And thesewordswhich I commandyou todayshall be in your heart' You shall teachthem diligently ro your children,and shalltalk of them when you sit in your house'whenyou walk by theway'when you lie down,andwhenYouriseuP' Deuteronomy6:6-7
He has promised. St.John ChrYsostom
\fhen the intellect forgetsthe purpose ofa religious observance,the outward practice ofvirtue losesits value. For whatever is done indiscriminately and without purpose is not only of no benefit-even though good in itself-but actually does harm'
St.John of Damascus The thing that parents teach their children cannot have anyweight unless they are the 6rst to practice
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not departfrom it' Prouerbs22:6 tWhen you go home from here [church], lay out with your meal a spiritual meal as well' ' ' ' In short, the householdmight becomea church,so that the devil is driven off and the evil spirit, the enemyof our salvation,takesto flighu the grace of the Holy Spiritwould restthereinstead,and all peaceand harmonysurroundthe inhabitants'
them.
St.John ChrYsostom
Lactantius (3rd century)
In a home filled with prayer, God is tasted' prayer is as natural as breathing, and Holy tadition is passed to the next generation less by preaching than by life and examPle, Sister Magdalen
Every Christian family ought to be as it were a little church consecrated to Christ, and wholly influenced and governed by His rule.
And hhe jailerl said,"Sirs,what must I do to be saved?"So [Paul and Silas]said,"Believeon the Lord JesusChrist, and you will be saved,you and your household."Then they spokethe word of the Lord to him and to all who werein his house' And he took them the samehour of the night and washedtheir stripes.And immediatelyhe and all his family were baptized. Now when he had brought them into his house'he set food before them; and he rejoiced,having believedin God with all his household.
St,John Chrysostom
Acts 16:30-34
PRAXIS-
This issueof PRAXIS considersthe important theme of "The Church Ar Home." The phraseologvof this theme is a direct referenceto the biblical phraseused by the Apostle Paul,kat'oikonecclesia, "the chuich hori." (Romans l6:5, "t Colossians4:15)when he was addressingthe early Christian comqnunities.It is a phrasethat reminds us how very early Christian communitiesin the Apostolictimes, for lack of established buildings as Churches,would make their homes placesfor the purposesof worship, teaching, and fellowship.Accordingly, thii theme, "The Church at Home," carries tremendousimplications for family life, having servedas the theme ,o i.r"r.rg,rr"reour Year of the Family beginning in 2005, a vear in which we as an Archdioceseintensified our work upon rhe particular needsof families. It is fitting that two vearslater we continue to seethis theme "The Church at Home" find taneible expressionin publications of our Archdiocese,such as the presentissueof PRIXIS. This is a reminder that o..r r.Jorkin iupporring healthy and vibrant fanilies and householdsis a sacredact of ministry that truly is never complete.In many way, thi family, and thus the home, is the focal point in which our work as a Church is expressedin our daily lives,io, .il ,h., we expressin our prayerunto God ascongregations eventuallyfinds irs expression in rhe relationship,,h"r.o-prise rhar smaller,but crucial institution of the farnil,v. The "Church at Home" is thus a living, fundamental presencethat is as alive and important today as it was in th.edays of the Apostle Paul. Just as early Christians made every possibleefforr to transform their homes into living Churches, so too may we find encouragementand renewed strength in gathering together as a family at home tJ experiencethe fundamental joy of living as membersof our invaluatle Orthodox Ctr"t.tr. In the articles that follow, the many relationshipsthat are integral parts of a genuine -"Church familv life will be exploredas ways in which we experiencerhe at HJme." In addition, activities such as recommended readinq for the family and famih, praver time will also be explored in maintaining the "Church at Home." I am confident that we may all find this issueof PR,4x1Sspiritually edifving as we work daily to maintain, cultivate, and strengthenour "church at Home." It is mv heartfelt praver that as we engagein this sacredwork, rve mav all grow in our lovefor one another,in our love for God, and in our christian actsof serviceand charity to others.
/* &^+ "-),.*-/-t DEMETRIOS
Archbishop ofAmerica
page2
Winter 2008
THE HOME CHURCH Dearly Beloved, Pleasejoin me in expressing to PRAXIS how much I appreciatethis issuet topic, "The Home Church," designedto encourageeducators,clergy and laity together "to look at the traditions and practicesthat help us carry our faith home on a daily basis."\7e have discussedthe topic of the Hor:re Church in the past in the Archdiocese,and we identified a generalmisunderstanding:that "Home Church" in the Holy Bible (New Testament)is not what we now understand by this term. That is, the Home Church was not the church at home, but the place where the Divine Liturgy was locally celebrated,the church where later the congregationgatheredto celebratethe Liturgy. In spite of this, our tradition has alwaysrespectedeveryhome as the placewherethe faith is lived, andwhere our holy tradition that of the One Holy Church of Christ, and subsequently,the "Church of the Creed" is alwayspresent and alive. The Church of Christ not only "subsistsin the One Church" of the Creed, but it is the One Church of the ' Creed, fully subsistingin the so-called"local Church." makes the Church of Christ the Church, the "body of -Mhat Christ," is the Holy Eucharist. It is this Holy Eucharist that enablesthe Church to be the Church, from all eternity to all eternity. It is imperative that we keep living and experiencingwhat we are: the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church of Christ, the Church of the Creed. Regardlessof what others are,we know what we are and to what greattask the Lord is calling us: to the unity of all thosewho believein the Lord. \7e know that this unity is his work, asour salvationis his personalwork, as well (seeGalatians2:16). However, we also accept our responsibiliry to work toward the restorationof the unity of his Church, which existedat the dme of the "united Church," that is, according to Orthodox Church historians,before the time of the fourth and last Crusade,with, asits consequence,the sackof Constantinople by the Latin Crusadersand the establishingof Latin jurisdictions in placesthat were originally establishedas Orthodox. May the topic of the Church at home of PRAXIS be instrumental in our realizing what a heary responsibility we have in acceptingour responsibiliry to re-createthe unity of the Church that Christ has founded as the one and undivided Christian Church.
) fWtt-,-.?-tb ut
b
"-;?
Me*opolitan Maximos of Pinsburgh
Winter 2008
[,t
;;-L?,
A publication of the Greek orthodox Archdioceseof America, pRAXTS magazine is publishedthreetim_es a,year.The-subscription rateis $15 per vear.Checks,p""yrUt.. the Department of Religious Education, shou.ldbe sent to: PRAXIS Crculation 50 Coddard Avenue Brooldine,MA02445 ( 6 1 7 )8 5 0 - 1 2 1 8 SUBMISSION
GUIDELINES
Submissionsshould be .1,000-2,000 words in length and directly discusseducation in the theologyand tradition of rhe orthodox Chiistian churches. Lesson aids or graphic enhancements may accompany the art.iclessubmirted. w'e also encourage the submission ofpho^tographs releva.rt to parish rfe (praxis). please also pro.,ide a" biographical sketch ofthe author not exceedingfifty words. Ma-gazine is seeking submissions of resson plans based on articles from .PRAXIS previous or current issues ofPRlxlS. Submissions shouli use the article as the text/ background of the l essonpl rl : pl ans are w el come for any or s ev eralagegroups . !.r.ro.n l 'l easesend submi ssi onsi n a w ord documenr w i rh a l engrh oi 1.000-2,000-rrl rds ' ro tvrame@goarch.org. Material previously published or under consideration for publication elsewhere will , not be considered without prior consent of the editor. ,v. ,.r"-. the right to edit for usage and sryle; all accepted manuscripts are subjecr to editorial modifiJation. Arricles senr by mail should be accompanied by an electronic version on cD-RoM in Microsoft word for'iTindows or for Macintosh. Articles in Microsoft rword may also be e-mailed as an attachment to wrame@goarch.org.
Addresssubmissions to: Anton C. Vrame,phD, and/or ElizabethBorch.
CREDITS Executive Editor:
Anton C. Vrame,PhD
Managing Editor:
Elizabeth Borch
Design and Layout:
Mar ia D iamantopoulos-Arizi
Copv Ediror:
Aimee CoxEhrs
Front Cor.er
Photographczurtes!of Marilyn Rouuelas
Inside Cover:
St.Sophiaand Daughters
Back Inside Cover:
The H ospita lity of Ab raham Courtesyof Theokgic
Back Cover:
Holl Spirit in theform ofa doue- TaxiarchaeChurch, Vatertown,MA. Photographby ElizabethBorch.
Pr i nr i no.
Atlantic GraphlcSeruices, Inc., Cllnron,MA
The color icon^sappearing in this issue of pRAXTS are available for purchase from the Department of Religious Educarion (800) j66-10gg.
special rhanks to Nikki stournaras, Marilyn Rouvelasand Elizaberh Borch for the photographs on pagesB, 10, 12, 18 and 19. scriprure quotarions taken from The Holy Bibre concaining the old and New Tesramenrs with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical books,Ne# King Jamesversion. The viewsexpressed in this magazinearenor necessarily rhe viewsofih. D.p".tme.rr of ReligiousEducation. o 2007' Deparrmentof ReligiousEducationof the Greek orthodox Archdiocese of America.ISSN 1530-0595. page4
Winter 2008
PRAXIS Volume7, lssue2: The Church
Cnuncn ATHaME
Revtews
Tnelruceruse or Gnnlrc AntonC.Vrame, PhD
Bvznrunum: Tur LosrEuprne
6
AntonC.Vrame, PhD
28
Icor,tsrrrr rne Home MarilynRouvelas
8 TneSncnnmENT oF FnrxrRnooo PhilipMamalakis, PhD
Hrlerun:FrnsrPllcnlmro rxe Holy LRruo
12
AntonC.Vrame, PhD
29 Resouncss ron ORrHoooxCnRrsnnnPnnerurs Melissa Tsongranis
15 A Gnnttopeneut Snnnes,Tencnes euo Mosr luponrnmrY,Lovts NikkiStournaras
Kwe MnunssEH's Fennor Goo: A LtssovPtnx ronAouns Michael Bressem. PhD
18
30
CEteannnNa oun PnraouSeuur's Dnv
We AppnoncH THELmren JounueY
Phyllis Meshel Onest,MDiv
Presbytera Georget Ph oto s
22
24
Upennotr,te ro W$ 2,0 Wuv YounPensuWze Stft ts so Imponrnureuo How You CnuCuntverc Ir's Tnut Porcunet SeraphimDanckoert
34 Winter 2008
page5
PRAXIS Church at Home
The Incenseof byAnton C. Vrame,PhD
ur senseof smeli can tell us a lot about a place. \When we walk inro an Orthodox Christian church, we notice the incense before we notice much more. The fraqrance tells us rhat this is not a gas station or a bookstore, and that we have entereda special place. -We know that something sacred happens here before we have paid artention ro an icon or listened to the hymns. I would suspecrthat most of us have had the experience of walking into a home when something was cooking. Perhapsit was over thc recenr holidays, when the warm aromas of nutmeg, cinnamon and sage filled the air. Maybe on a nornal weeknight, you were greeted by the fragrance of a soup or srew simmering on the stove or the heady scentofbaking bread or chocolatechip cookies. BecauseI enjoy cooking, I once tried to prepare a meal that I remembered from my childhood. It was a simple dish of lamb and rice that in my house was called pilaf . Never having made this before, but having watched many hours of the Food Network, I basicallyknew what I should do. But rvould it be the meal I recalled?After saut6ing, si mmer ing and wair i n g , th e ri m e to open the pot arrived. Voilll The aroma was just as I remembered,and i t fi l l e d m y hom e. lt w a s " rh e i n c e n s e of garlic"l We underestimate the power of preparing and sharing a meal. Gathering at the table for a meal can be a profound acr-nor just a momenr for filling our sromachs. It can involve personal history, as I experienced,such as when we preparea recipe that has been in a family for generations.It can involve our collective civic identity, when most Americans associatecooking a turkey with the Thanksgiving holiday. It can involve connecrions to our religious tradition, when we look at a cookie shapedlike a shepherd'sstaffat Christmastime (the origins of the candy cane are the same)or recognizethe
page6
Winter 2008
connecrions among the roast lamb on the table, the sacrificed paschal lamb of the Old Testament, and the words of St. John the Baptist, who called Jesus the "lamb of God." We Orthodox Christians regularly talk about the kat'oileon ehhlesia,the church at home. In the New Testament, this phrase doesn't refer ro pious family behavior; it means communiries of Christians that gathered in a home for worship, reaching and fellowship. At the time of the New Testament, rhere were no churchesfor Christians to gather in, as we think of our parishes today. Those first Christians mer in one another'shomes. But today, becausewe have church buildings, we have come to understand the phrase ro mean how a family Iives out its faith in the day-ro-day experiencesof home and family: parents, grandparents, extended family, inlaws, children, siblings, and all that comes with itas Zorba the Creek said, "the whole catastrophe!" If we take the phrase kat'oihon eb/e/esia seriously, we have ro consider all of the dimensions of church-fellowship, prayer, sen,ice and teaching-and begin to apply them to family life. We can apply these principles in many ways, but I would like
to apply them to one simpleact of a family: eailng togetner. Fellowship The first act of a family is being togerher as a family. \fhen we hustle and bustle about in our daily rsu1ir.s, it might seem as if a family were merely a group of people living under the same roof. This could jusr aseasilydescribelife in a hotel.But a family sharesa different bond, through marriage, through genetics, through children, through sharingofall sortsofresourcesand experiences.There are plenty of times to connecr as a family,
Church at Home but one stands out, In fact, it shouldn't involve standing at ail, but rather gathering and sitting together at a table to share a meal (and preferablyone that everyonehas helped prepare,but we'll get to that). It's often said that children who sit down to dinner with family once a week-yes, just once a week-do better in school and are less likely to have problems such as smoking or abusing drugs or alcohol. Teenagersare lesslikely to become depressed.The ritual of the family dinner, so often lost as we rush from activity to acrivity, becomesthe time for fellowship. Fellowship also involves hospitality. Greeks and those from other Mediterranean cultures know this idea well and are known for h: philoxenia is the act of welcoming and being open to a stranger.It is also biblical. In the book of Genesis, Abraham welcomes three travelersinto his tent and prepares a meal for them (Gen 18). As a result, the visitors promise that Abraham will become the father of a great nation. \7as it the food? Or was it Abraham'swillingnessand opennessto welcome strangersinto his tent? "Come on in," we sayto a visitor. "Can I fix you something to eat?" is usually next. And even after a polite refusal, the plates and platters appear on the table and the feast begins. Before we realizeit, the strangeris a strangerno longer, but a new friend. Hospitality can also be intentional, if we look around our communities for the new members and invite them for coffee. Hospitality means making sure that friends and neighbors have a place to go to celebratea holiday.
recognize that we are at one end of a food chain, involving farmers, farm hands, processors,machinerl', marketing, and more, including the money earned, all to bring our food to the table! A loaf of bread is hardly a simple loaf any longer.
Teaching, Preaching, Witnessing
All three of these acts take place at the table. \fhen gathered at the table, there should not be a race to seewho can finish the meal first. This is a time for sharing the news and events of the day, the wisdom of the day. This is a time for parents and children to ask one another, "what's going on . . . ?" "how come. . . ?" and "what do you think about . . . ?" The table is a time for families to share storiesand wisdom. tWeteach and bear witness to the importance of our family and friends through our preparation and presentation of a meal. How would you react to a holiday dinner if your host said, "Just take what you want from the refrigerator and heat it in the microwave" or just threw the food on the table?This doesn't say "today is special" or "you are important to mel" Imagine our reaction to a table laid with a tablecloth, a few decorations,and a beautifully preparedmeal. It's the difference between going through the local fast food drive-through and dining at a fancy restaurant. Both acts u'ill lead to a full stomach, but the latter teachesabout the importance of famiiy and the significance of a holiday. It bears witness to our value and love for one another. At the table, we renew our ties as family members and become one. The word "religion" comes from a Latin root Prayer meaning "to bind together," and gathering as a family to share A meal begins with a prayer. The act of bowing our heads, a meal can be a religious experience.Religious life is filled with thanking God for the gift of food in an era when so many are many practices, but we often limit our senseof the "religious" hungrn blessingthe food and then blessingourselveswith the to the pious behaviors we associatewith going to church. As sign of the cross requires that we stop and refect for even the authors Craig D1'k51raand Dorothy Basspoint out, "'W'henwe briefestof moments about the sourceof "everygood thing." A seesome of our ordinary activitiesas Christian practices,we prayer need not be elaborateor long, but it should acknorvledge come to perceivehow our daily lives are all tangled up with the God as the sourceof life. things God is doing in the world."* The actions of our families around the daily routine and Service activity of eating have meaning and make a difference in the Every family member can get involved with the preparations quality of our lives. Small actions can have great results,not in for a meal, thus serving one another. There are foods to be themselvesusually, but through the cumulative effect of their prepared,slicing, chopping, stirring, kneading, pouring and repetition. Recognizing the "religious" in the ordinary incense many other actions.While adultswill most likely be "in charge" of sarlic makes all the difference, or "supervising," any children old enough to hold a spoon and stir can help. There is a table to be set before a meal and cleared after a meal. There may be leftovers to place in containers for Anton C. Vrame, PbD, is Director of theDepartment0f future meals or snacks. There may be a dishwasher to fill or ReligiousEducation. empty. If not, there will be dishes ro wash, dry and put away. Each one of these simple acts before and after a meal is an * Craig Dykstra and Dorothy Bass,"Time of Yearning, Practices act of service. They teach that a meal involves many acrions, of Faith," tn Practicing Our Faith, edited by D. Bass(San Francisco requires many hands. If we extend this line of thought, we Jossey-Bass, 1997), p. 8.
Winter 2008
Page7
PRAXISChurch at Home
rc0n$ I
in thn
Hom '
.l
t'
.
, -:.= :
-
;-t
by Marilyn Rouvelas
y English-French-Lutheranbackground did not prepare me for the size of my husband's large Greek family. There were so many relatives:his mother's family of five siblings in Seattle and his father's family of ten siblings in Greece-plus all of their children and grandchildren. Linle did I know that there was even more to the "extended family." Vhen I started visiting their homes, there were countlessicons. The icons represented the "spiritual relatives,"so his family was almosr rwice as big as I originally thought! Most of the icons hanging on the walls were of each member's patron saint. These saints constitute what I call spiritual relatives,who are like aunts and uncles to whom the family turns in times of joy and crisis.Some of the families had only a few icons; others had them in each room of their home and even on the glove comparrmenrs of their cars. Little did I know when we married forty years ago what an
page8
Winter 2008
essentialpart icons play in the Orthodox home: they integrate the theology and attributes of the Church into family life.
TheTheology ofIcons According to the theology of the Orthodox Church, we are made in the image of God (Gen 1:26), and our goal in life is to recoverthat image, becoming more like Godthrough tbeosis (theo meaning "God" and sis meaning "process"). However, our sins blur the image, and the task is difficult. In his divine understanding of our struggle,God sent Christ to show us how to recover that image. Christ is our role model, and we are to live as he lived. The saints are individuals who have come closer to becoming Christ-like. They, too, are models. Icons depict Christ, the saints and important Church events, and we have them near us to remind us of our role models. \When we venerate icons (make our cross and kiss them), we honor
,
=,
Church at Home
the people and events that help show us the way to theosis. Orthodoxy offers a clear path to being a better person and to recoveringthe image of God rvithin us.
Attributes into theHome Church Integrating Icons are also a tangible wav to integrate the church attributes of rvorship, witness, service,educarion and fellowship into the home. Through theseattributes, both in the church communiry and in the home, we are guided toward theosisand salvation. (For more information on applying these attributes to the "family as church," seethe Center for Family Care'stWeb site, wwv'.familyaschurch.org.)Icons are spiritual aids that facilitate the integration of what we do on Sundaysin the house of God with daily life in our own homes. Iconsand Worship(Leitourgia) One of the distinguishing characteristicsof the Orthodox Church is the presenceof icons,especiallyChrist in the dome, the Mother of God above the altar, and rhe ikonostasion(icon stand) separatingthe sanctuarv from the nave of the church. Icons likewise characterizerhe Orthodox home, reminding us of the presenceof God and the saints and the importance of continuing to worship God in the home, not just at church. Icons are found throughout the house, especiallyin bedrooms, where a patron saint often hangs near each person'sbed. Many families also create a home ikonostasion,setting up their own worship centers as places to expressdevotion and reverence for God and the saints. I have seenall different sizesof home ikonostasia: a rented room in Tinos, Greece had three icons and a votive candle; a waitress'sroom aboard a riverboat in Russia was filled with about 6fty small paper icons and an electric light; a friend's house displayed many expensive anrique,hand-paintedicons bathed in light from an oil lamp. The size doesnt matter. The point is to have a place for the family or an individual to pray. Families may fill their sacred spaceswith not only icons, but also other meaningful items: a cross,candle, censer,Bible, prayer book, marriage crowns and holy items from special church services,such as basil, a palm cross, a flower from the Holy Friday service or a red Easter 'bb'
Iconsand Witnes (Marryria) The Church offers a witness of the presenceof Christ in the world. \7e encounter the largesticon of Christ in the dome of a church: he dominates the structure and, more significantl,v, our lives. The icons of Christ in the home remind us each day to be like Christ, revealingmore of the image of God in us and exemplifying his virtues of love, charity, compassion,patience, humiliry and reverence.The icons of our patron saints remind us that mortals, too, can make progressin this difficult journey.
In our living witness,we becomeliving icons. Icons in the home also provide a chance to witness the Orthodox faith to non-Orthodox visitors, who are often curious. Tiy to display as many icons as possible in common areaswhere they can be seen.Briefly explain about icons' why they depict the spiritual world (not the real one) and the story of the saint or event. It is a wonderful opportuniry to let others know about our faith. Iconsand Seruice(Diakonia) The Church teachesus to reachout and servethose in need the way Christ and the saintsdid, and it sponsorsmany wonderful outreachprograms. Likewise, a family should include serviceto the broader world as part of its time together.Consider letting icons and the saints they representinspire your philanthropy. For example, if a family member has a severevision problem, you may follow the path of St. Paraskevi,the Patron saint of eyes,who was well known for her work with the blind. Your family might consider volunteering to read for the blind or to drive a blind person to doctor appointments.If your patron saint is Irene, think about becoming involved in an organization that focuseson world peace' St. Gregory the Theologian, one of the patrons of education, could inspire volunteer tutoring in a local school. Your family might consider adopting a child in honor of St. Basil. At your home ikonostasion,pray together to the patron saint for those you are helping. Remember also to call on Christ and your patron saintsin times of family illness. 'W'hen we are ill at home or in the hospital, blessedicons and their saints provide us comfort and hope' They remind us of the servicethe saints have given and continue to give. Icons and Ed.ucation(Paideia) For centuries, people who were unable to read learned from drawings and pictures. In the Orthodox Church, icons also servedthat function by revealing significant events in the life of the Church and the lives of its most holy people. At church, readingsfrom the Bible, homilies, adult education Programs and Sunday school make up the core education Programs about the faith. The family also needsto be a place where each member grows in spiritual knowledgeand understanding.Icons in the home offer significant educational opportunities. The icons themselvesreveala wealth of information. For example, the Anastasi (Resurrection)icon shows the complete Christian message:Christ is pulling Adam and Eve out of the broken gates of Hades (representingredemption), angels carry away the cross (crucifixion), the Old Testament prophets and John the Baptist foretell the coming of the Messiah, and the Holy Apostles on the right representthe new order of Christ. One icon of St. Mary Magdalene shows her holding a myrrh bottle and a red Easter egg. Not only was Mary Magdalene one of
Winter 2008
Page9
PRAXIS:=
Church at Home
printed icons are not in the classicmedia of egg temperaand gold leaf, thev still educateus about the holv men and women who inspire us to be berrerpeople. Iconsa rtrJ I;i'//otus lt ip ( Koinonia)
the u'omen rvho anointed Christ'sbod,vafter the Crucifixion, but she also trar.eledto Rome to explain to the emperor that Christ died for us so that we r.vould have nerv life. Her gift was a red egg, symbolizing Cl-rrist'sblood and new life. Thus began the rradition of gii.ing red eggsat Pascha.The icon for EmpressTheodorashorvsher holding an icon and affordsthe opportuniw to explain the period of iconoclasm,and how Theodorarestoredicons to the Church in 843, and finailv our commemoration eachvear on rhe first Sundayof Lenr, rvhich is celebratedas the Sundayof Orrhodoxr'. You might want to saveiconsvou receiveat church,suchas the oneson many Sundal'bulletins.Make a "spiritual familv" photo album or file, and bring out the appropriareicon on a specialChurch day For example,you could pur rhe icon of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross ar your home ihonostasion on September14. You can also accessicons and a weakh of information from your home computer. Although these
page l0
Winter 2007
Jusr asthe Church is a placeof fellowship in Chrisr, 1.ourfamilv should also be a placeof friendship,sharing,love and respecr. When I became a member of the Advisory Committee for the Creek Orthodox Archdiocese Center for Family Care, we adopted the Hospitaliw of Abraham icon (which showsthree angelseating ar a table), by RussianiconographerSt. Andrei Rublev, as the appropriate icon ro represenrthe familrr The familv eating togerher has iconic, nostalgicstatus. Consider Norman Rockwell's"Thanksgiving Dinner" painting, which shows a family at a table smiling as the morher and father presentthe turkey On a more spiritual level, rhe three angels in the Hospitaliw of Abraham representthe Trinin' of the Father,Son and Holy Spirit, the perfect model of fellowship. Here in this simple icon is another model to follow: not only a familv eating-ideallv and in serene ha1rnsn1.-[ut also a familv with perfect love and communion among all its members.Other Orthodox iconsalsoreveaipositivefellowship and relarionshipsfor us to follon: the Lord'sSupper,Pentecost, the Three Hierarchs (St. Basil, St. Gregorv the Great and St. John Chrvsostom), Saints Constantine and Helen, and St. Sophia and her three daughters,Faith, Hope and Love. These iconic relationshipsinspire us to develop deep, long-lasting relarionships,especiallvrvithin our Familr'.Theserelationships humilitv and surviveif there is 1ove,compassion,forgiveness, respect.In other words, if we love each other as Christ loved, rve u'ill have familr' and fellowship in the home. One way of building rhat feilowship is to worship and prav together, at mealtimeand at the home ikonostasion,where a candlecan be lit, the Bible read and icons veneraredin fellowship together. Icons in the home are not simplv rvall decorations or exotic art objects.Thev are one of the most cherishedHoly Traditions becausethey are visual reminders of the theology of the Orthodox Church and the artributes that the family can also practicein the home: worship, witness,service,education and fellowship.Such a home sustainsfamily bonds, love and spiritual growth.
Marilyn Rouaelas is a member of tbeAduisory Committeefor the Greek Orthodox ArchdioceseCenterfor Famif Care in Garrison, IVew York. Sbe is the outhlr of "Fami[t Worship: Creating and Using a Place in your Home," (afolio of brochuresauailablefom wtuw.famifaschurch.org) and A Guide to Greek taditions and Customs in America (auailablefom tuwu.greebtraditions. org).
ftblePrryrGui communion for establishing T\aily prayeris essential This guide life in Chrisi. a leading lJ*iit'cod "r,d of Orthodoxprayersand meditations providesa collection Fordaily use.It can be usedfor both personaland family prayertime F001
$15.00each ($12.50for orders of 20 or more)
l i
m r ' r - ".
/ '. , t r
, , *. .
@@@@@@@@@@@
ilEI
sil
Foli Farnily\I/orsh information on how to 'Trhis helpful folio eives detailed pi".. in your home.Connect of worship rt., rnd I .r.r,. tool ro make worship ihis your family to rhe Church by using a part of your daily family life.
F002
Pleasecall the Department of Religious Education at 800-566-1088 to place orders.
$5.00each
PRAXIS Church at Home
2
rhe S bv Philip Mamalakis,PhD
here'snothing quite like fatherhood. A few years ago I was on an eight-hour road trip with my daughter Kassiani, who was three yearsold at the tirne. \7hile we were driving along the interstate,a large white eighteen-wheelerslowly passedus. As the huge railer of the semi crawled by, it blocked our whole left-side view. :1Daddy,"Kassiani spoke up inquisitively, "are we moving forward or backward?" I smiled and askedher which direction it felt like we were going. She thought for a moment, and then said, "Backward." Then .lfold her to look out the right side of our car at the trees and the mountains. Then she smiled and said with confidence. "Forward." "You're rightl" I said. Parenting is all about helping our children figure out whether they're going forward or backward, and fathers have a distinct role to play in this process. ren will learn about right and wrong, about love and be-
in the home. fgtd,tndabouthow to live from their experiences their oarents model these virtues. interact with them and them are the avenueswhere this learning takes place.Through the daily struggles of cleaning their rooms, doing homework, listening to their parents and living with siblings in harmony, children d' icguire the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Cal 5:22-2) and learn parience, = 1:: peaceraaking, kindhess, forgiveness, mercy and self-control. While are preached and taught in our churches, they are learned E--!1=these-r{1tues in the horne. Parenting is about rearing our children on this d ,,,_:bt..q,rit holiness so that as adults they continue clearly on rhat path in paqh of ;-: of the disuactions, temptations and struggles that come along
6*y, A"a we know that this doesn'thappenwith a big lecturewhen y?e eighteenyearsold and headingoffto college,but in the hundreds interactions we have with our children every day in the church of the ne.'Tathers make a unique contribution in the way they protecr, proand are presenrfor their children.
inales, with deeper Voices,commanding a more intimidating presence.Fathers
=: F.
Church at Home
tend to discipline with less negoriarion and with more rules-based strategies. Fathers serve to protect a home from dangers outside the home and from dangers within the home. Child abuseis twice as prevalent in single-parentfamilies as it is in two-parent households.lAccording ro Universiry of Virginia assistantprofessor of sociology W. Bradford Wilcox, "Chil-
face of any outside pressures.Although mothers are also called to do rhis, when a father stepsin and confirms or reinforces w h a r a mother sa)' s.i r communi caresa surety and strength that protects children as they learn to resist temptations and make good decisions. It is for this reason rhar the mariral union standsat the centerof the church dren who grow up with their farhersin a of the home, and parents are called to married household are significantly less operateas one. Children are ro come our likely to be sexuallyabused,to end up in of the marital union, not in berweenir. prison, or to becomepregnanras a teenYet as Chrisdan fathers we do more ager, and communities that have lots of than physically protect our children. \We fathers at home are markedly safer than are called to protecr them from rhe dancommunities where fathers are absenr gers of sin. We do this by educating our from the home."r Fatherlesschildren are children in living out God's commandat dramatically greaterrisk of suicide.s ments and by connecting the church of tiThen fathers embrace their voca- the home closelywith the parish. Teachtion and support morhersin settinglim- ing our children about God's commandits and boundaries with children, they ments and His love, as we model this in nurture a senseof safety for children in our own lives, servesto protect children the home. Fathersserveto protecr moth- for their whole lives. ers from rude and disrespecrful treatment from their children. Children will Father Love Provides often challenge their mother and come \7e are all familiar with the 1950s model to the realization that they do not have of the family, with mom staying at home to listen to her. When dad is presentand and dad being the provider. Although wo rki ng in c onc er t w i th m o m , h e p ro - there are clear limitations to that idealtecrs rhe children from taking control of ized image of a "normal family," what is the household and hurting themselves true is that fathers play a unique role in in the process.Thlough appropriare love providing for the family. Single-parent and limits, or discipline, fathers servero families are almost six times more likelv communicate love and keep order and, to be poor as married-couplefamilies. In 2003, 4.8 percent of married-couple from that, peacein the home. Fathers prorect children from the families with children were living in povpotential damaging influences of the erry comparedto 28.3 percenrof singleworld around us by monitoring and con- parent families with children,"l Poverry trolling the rypes of things children are puts children at greaterrisk for a number exposed to outside of the home. \X/ith of chaliengesin life, including poor eduthe unique authoriry that fathers possess cation and healthcare.
for our children'sspiritual needsby pra,ving Jbr our children and with our children. We provide for our children by worshiping with them on Sundays.Ve provide for our children by connecting the church of the home closely to the local parish through good stewardship of our time, talents, and treasure.lWe provide for our children by teaching them what it means to be a Christian, why we follow God's commandments, and how to navigate the challengesin rheir lives. Christian fatherhood provides by instructing children on all the things that God has provided us for our spiritual journey, including prayer, readir-rg scripture, almsgiving, repentance, fast, ing, pilgrimage and the communion of the saints. Fathersprovide for rheir children by taking time in the home to teach them about life and the way to live life as a Christian. As Christian fathers, we need to resistthe notion that raisinschil, dren is women's work.
And you,fathers,do not provoke your children to wrath, but brtng them up in the training and admonition of the Lord. (Eph 6:a) Father Love is Present
\7e live out our vocation as Christian fathers within the strugglesof our children's lives. This neans that to be a Christian father is to be present and actively involved in our children'slives. Ve need to be in their schools,in their activities and in their hearts, listening ro rheir srruggles, their pains, their hopes and rheir Yet as Christian fathers our role is desires.Our involvemenr in our chilwhen they work in tandem with mothers, they serveto reinforce guidelines for greater than providing financiallv for dren's lives communicates to rhem that what children wear, what movies they the physical needs of the home. \7e are they are valuable and loved. As an image also called to provide spiritually for the of God rhe Farher,w e c om m unicar et o see,what friends they spend time with, and what activities fill their lives. These home. Our call is ro meet the oersonal them that they are valued and loved by iimits protect children from damaging a n d s p iri rual needs of our home and God. It is only when we are interested influences when they are young so rhar children, which we do by living as the and i nvoi ved. communicar ingour car e when they are older, they are capable of church of the home. by taking care, thar \^e can exerciseour \7e are called to provide, as fathers, authoriw. standing firm about whar is right in the
Winter 2008
Page 13
Church at Home A father's presencemodels male authoriry to children. A Christian father is called to model Christlike love for his children, teaching them that God's authority is not self-serving,but one of love .a
|
and sa crih ce (l Cor I l: 1) .
life, the greatestinfuence he will have on the world will be as a father in how he shapesthe souls of his children. Embracing Christian fatherhood means accepttheir authoriry such that children see ing God's invitation to changethe world, that there is united parental authoriry by loving and serving his family daily. children is to love their mother. Fathers model the true nature of male authoriry by making time to work together with mothers, supporting and reinforcing
^ - ,- - .LL-l r r
vvLr
{:-:1.,
r 4 r r r [/.
And whoever wants to be first must be slaveof all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served,but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 104445)
By our presence,we not only model authority, but we also model what it means to be a man. Our sonslearn from us how to be men, and our daughters learn from us what to look for in a man. In addition, our daughterslearn from us how men should treat them. A Christian father models Christian masculinity for his children. He respectswomen by reFrom high school, I remember hang- spectinghis wife and his daughtersand by ing out after school at a friend's house serving his family. \7e need to teach our watching television.The living room was c h i l d re n that a l eal C hri sti an man i s not a me s s ,but we did n o t s e e ml o n o ti c e . domineering or controlling but obedient His father came home from work and to God, as Christ was obedient (John was visibly annoyed by the nvo teenagers 15:10).This nurturesin our children the staring at the television in the midst of notion that real strength comes from bea mess. He started barking orders as he ing a slave to righteousness,rather than walked through the living room into the to our own desires(Rom 6:15-19). kitchen, where he grabbed something to eat before heading back out. My friend didn't move. O nlv when a F a rh e re mb ra c e sh i s Christian vocation of being present in his children's lives can he properly protect and provide for them. The Christian father's authoriry needs to find its place' within the hearts of children. This req u i res r hat f at her st a k e rh e ti me to g e r to know their children, spend time with them, love and care for them. 'When this happens,children naturally are drawn toward fathers.As fathers we need to resist the temptation to start barking orders before checking in with our children. Some of us need to resist the temptation to check out of our family lives because we are focused more on professional activities. A father's authority needs to come out of his caring relationship with his wife and children. M ale aut hor ir y i s n o t i n o p p o s i ri o n to, but in concert with, female authority. The best way for a father to love his
page 14
Winter 2008
Our presencein our children's lives is essentialfor teaching them that God is presentand involved in their lives.Fathers need to resist the temptation of being self-absorbed.A father's presencein the home communicates the importance of the church of the home. 'Vhen children experiencethemselvesastheir father'stop prioriry (after mom), they learn that they are God's top prioriry. 'Wihen children experiencetheir father living as priest of the church of the home, they learn that the home is the place where Cod is present and real.This teacheschildren that to truly live means to live out Godt commandments and his love. In a world that seeksto relegate God to a building on Sunday mornings, the Christian father is present on the front lines of living and teaching the reality of Godt presencein everyaspectofour lives. In a world that values wealth and fame, the Christian father is called to remember that no matter what other accomplishments he has in his careeror his
Dr. Philip Mamalabis is Assistant Professor of Pastoral Care at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theologt.He and bis wife Georgia are exPecting their seuenth child.
1. Federal Interagency Forum on Child and F a m i l y S r a r i s r i c s''A , m e r i c asC h i l d r e n : Ke y National Indicators of tWell-Being" (Washington, DC: GPO, 1997). 2. University of Virginia, "Fathers Protect Kids and Communities from Abuse and Crime" (pressrelease, June 15, 2006), www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease. php?id=75. 3. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,National Center for Health Statistics, "Survey on Child Health" (Washington, DC: GPO, 1993). 4. U.S. Census Bureau, "Evaluation of Poverry Estimates" (Washington, DC: GPO, 2006), www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverry/ publications.html.
churchat Home ,...=_,ffi
for 'Resources ,::., OrthodoxChristianParents by MelissaTsongranis
i' l" r.:r,
We are teaching our children so that they deuelop not merely into indiuiduals well-adjustedfor earthly life in society,but into eterndlPersons. -Sister Masdalen
ake a moment and think back to the day when your first child was born. All the powerful feelings of joy and love that fooded your heart were likely overwhelming. Ifyou are like most parents,another emotion creot in-fear. Parentshave a most tremendous task before th.-l They are responsiblefor nurturing a completely dependent infant into adulthood. In an effort to do this, parentsread books, watch programs, look online, and talk with other parents to learn the "best" way ro do this. Often in this attempt, one thing is forgotten. This one thingis most critical in the life of their child: spiritual development. Parentsprepare their children to grow and develop for "earthly life." But how much time do they spend helping their children develop into "eternal persons"?Children have been entrusted to us by God. Therefore, the greatestcall for parents is to raise them up to God. This can seemlike a daunting task, as many of us are stiil struggling with our own spiritual formation. -ilhere do parents find turn to resourcesto help them in this effort? Ir is unlikely you will find a primer for Orthodox Christian parenring on display at your local bookstore, but there are some wonderful books and other resourcesto assistyou in this mosr important of tasks.
Thingsto Flead In a uerytreal sensewe cnn speakof the "priesthoodof parentl" Their task is almost saoamental,for they bring God into the lfe of their infants and ffir their infant's life to God. -Sophie
Koulomzin
For your ministry of parenthood, here are a few wonderful books that can provide guidance for educating your children in our precious Orthodox faith. But don't forget the grearest
book for guiding our parenting and our lives-the Bible. Tirrn to scripture often for God's instructions on living the faith. Cltil.rlren in the Clturtlt Tbdcy: Au Orthodox Perspectiueby SisterMagdalen (St.Vladimir's SeminaryPress,1997) This book speaksdirectly to the parentt heart and will inspire you in your charge of raising chiidren in the light of Christ. Sister Magdalen uses sinple and beautiful language to tackle such topics as marriage, family, prayer in the home, parenting by example, leisure time and parenting teenagers. \W4-rat is unique about this book is that she discussesparenting from the conception of the child, encouragingparents to pray fbr their unborn child and prepare their home spiritually for the arrival of their little one. C**uerssriats u'ith Cltildren: Conununicating Our Fcit/t by Sister Magdalen (Patriarchal StavropegicMonastery of St. John the Baptist,2001) AIso by SisterMagdalen, this book is quite different in its format but equally edifying. The author recounts conversations shehas had with children about the faith and comments on the theological and developmental aspectsof these conversations. This book offers a look into the spirituai deveiopment of children and how their minds processinformarion at various ages.It will provide much guidance as you have conversations with your own children. Mithing God Redl in tlte Crthodox Christia* Home by Anthony Coniaris (Light and Life Publishing,1977) A classicfor the Orthodox family, this book gives parents practical suggestionsfor making the Church come alive in their home. As always,Fr. Coniaris writes in a comprehensibleand
Wi nter 2008
P age15
PRAXISChurch at Home vivid sryie that makes theological ideastangible ro the faithful. You can find activities and information about the feastsof the church, the sacramentsand many other topics of importance for raisingyour children in the Church.
Experienceshelp us learn about life and the world around us. The following Web sites offer articles, activities, and a host of resourcesto help families experiencetheir Orthodox Faith in their homes and in their evervdaylife.
Our Churclt arcd Out" Children by Sophie Koulomzin (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press,2004)
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Center for Family Care (www. familyaschurch.org)
Although u'ritten for Orthodox Christian educarors,this book provides a wealth of knowledge for parents, who are the greatesteducatorsof their children. This book is foundational for understanding child development and how it affects their spiritualformation. Koulomzin stresses the necessiryof church school and the home working together to impart the faith to all of our children.
The Center for Family Care strives to create and offer a variety of learning tools to instill an Orthodox Christian ethos inside of the home while inspiring a greaterparticipation in the life of the Church. The goal of the site is to be a clearinghouse of information on raising the family in the Orthodox Church. The \Web site contains resources such as the Thble Top Prayer Guide, Family Worship Folio, Family Gospel Lessons(which help families prepare for the upcoming Sunday Liturgy by engaging in activities related to the Gospel reading), and the Parish Family Night curriculum (for churches to use with their parish family). The Web site also offers articles,activities,book recommendations and other information to assistfamilies as they grow in the faith.
Walbing iu Woncler: Nut'turing Orthodox Christian Vit'tues in Your Children b1' Elizabeth \White (Conciliar Press,2004) This tiny book is packed full of ways ro educate our very youngest Orthodox through hands-on experiences.Full of concrete ideas,this book helps parenrs expiore their faith with their children as they explore their world. Each chapter ends with fun activitiesyou can do together with your child.
Experiences for All A personi spiritua/ growth beginswitb euerydayexperiences in the earlyyears of life. Spiritual deuelopmentis determined by what a child absorbsf"om his immediate surroundings, and how well the Holy Spirit is allowed t0 enter his lfe on a daily basis. -Elizabeth\X4rite
Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese Gospel Program (www. antiochian.o rgl nodel 1 448) Have you ever wondered how to adapt a Gospel lesson so that it is appropriate for your children of differing ages? This program doesjust that. Each week parents can download a sheer with the upcoming Gospel lesson written for five different developmental leveis, with appropriate discussion quesrionsfor each.The program helps preparechildren for the liturgy by introducing them to rhe Gospel lesson. Pairing it with the prayers and activities from the Fami/1tGospelLcsson by the Greek C)rrhodox Archdiocese Centcr fbr Family Care createsan enjoyable and edifying experiencefor all. O rt h odox Fam ily Life (www.theologic.com/oflweb/) Although this journal is no longer in circulation, it still offers insight from its archives,which contain practical advice for the Orthodox Christian family. Authors include dedicated parents, teachers, clergy, psychologists and theologians who broach a variery of topics pertinent to Orthodox family living. Articles addressissuesof imparting the faith but also topics of generai concern such as discipline, communication and schooling. Phyllis Meshel Onest (wrvw.phyllisonest.com) Phyllis Meshei Onest is the Director of ReligiousEducation for the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Pittsburgh. She earneda Masters of Divinity from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theologyin 1977. Her'Web site is an excellentresourcefor information about raising children in the faith. It contains
page | 5
Winter 2008
Church at Home articles, activities, projects, and other resourcesto use in the home. O rth *dox Christi an 5etll o rk (www.receive.org) and .\n cient Faith Radio (www.ancientfaithradio.com) Orthodox Christian Nerwork (OCN) srrives ro share
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of ,4*rerica Online Chapel (www.onlinechapel.goarch.org) The Online Chapel brings together awealth of information that can promote family prayer life. From prayersand liturgical rexts ro daily Scripture readings and saints' biographies, this
page can heip families develop their prayer lives in the home Orthodoxy through a variery of modern media. Ancient and deepen their participation in liturgical services.Families Faith Radio provides online audio programming to further may wish to check out the Learn to Chant section of the the Orthodox Christian Faith. Together they have a wealth of Online Chapel and spend some time learning as a family. The programs for everyonein the family, from scripture readingsto Archdiocese \Web site has a plethora of information that can discussionswith noted theologians.Theseministries broadcast assistfamilies and individuals with spiritual development. both liturgical and contemporary Orthodox Christian music. Of interest to parents is Get Wisdom,an Onhodox Bible study Sirsll Bao* oJ'Prct'ersfor P*rertt-t (tegubov Studios) for teens by OCN, and Readingsfiom Under the Grapeuine,an The book includes a selectionof the most essentialprayers Orthodox children's srory time by Ancient Faith Radio. Tune of parents for their children, including prayers for married in to thesewonderful programs as a family. couples,single parents,widows, expecting mothers, the general health and well-being of a child, a child's study and a child with special needs, as well as prayers of thanksgiving after a Turnlngtc God loss of a child. This book also In the upbringing of children, a knowledge of child ps1,chology, child's recovery and after the featuresseveralbeautiful color icons. 0r euen a fne intuition about one'sown children, will not /ead to eternal being unlesswe also "inuite" diuine grace by prayer. We Ale*tltist to tlte *fctltet' af God "Nurture?' of Chib{ren," mustPrqr in the morning, in the euening,at aryt moment w/ten compiled by Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes (St, Paisius we need God'swlll, and learn to discern tlte inspiration of God. By Serbian Orthodox Monastery, 2002) tbepractice of prayer we ac/tieueour highestaim: to be saued,and This wonderful prayer service uses beautiful language to to help our children reach eternal life. very specificallyfor the different attributes that we want -Sister Magdalen pray our children to develop. 'We hear supplications such as "Raise As parents, we must remember that the single greatest my children to be merciful, that they may obtain mercy. Raise my children to be pure in heart, that they may see God." resourcewe have in raising our children is God. \(/e musr rurn to Him regularly in humble prayer and ask for His guidance Parentscan pray this servicein their home. in all that we do with our children. Let our children see us praying. Let us pray with them. Let us encourage them to develop their personal prayer iives. Below are some resources to assistyou in your prayer life. Frn*iiy
Worchip F*fia
(Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
America Center for Family Care) This folio givesdetailed information on how to creareand use a place of worship in your home. Connect your family to the Church by using this tool to make worship a part of your daily family life. Thble Tbp Frcyer Gttide (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Center for Family Care) This guide provides a collection of Orthodox prayers and meditations for daily use. It can be used for both personal and family prayer time. Stand it on your kitchen table or in another place where your family regularly gathers.
Thesearejust a few of the resourcesavailableto assistOrthodox parents.\7e encourageyou to shareyour joys and struggleswith othâ‚Źr parents in your Orthodox community. Connecting with others who share a similar goal can support and strengthen you and your family. Also remember that as parents,we do not need to have ail the answers;we just need to take our child by the hand and look for the answerstogether.Your parish priest or spiritual father can be a nurturing guide for your family; consult him whenever questions arise.\7e pray that the Lord guides you in all you do with the children He has put in your
Melixa Tiongranis is the Resource Coordinatorfor the Greeb OrthodoxArchdiocese CenterforFamily Care.Her backgroundis in child deuelopment with an emphasis in specialneedpopulations andfamily education.Forfurther questilnt 0r reslurces, shecan be reachedat mtsongranis arcb.org. @go
Winter 2008
page 17
Church at Home
A Grandparent Sharcs,Teaches and, Mostlmportantly, ICW by Nikki Srournaras our purpose is to awaken in the child a consciousness of thepresenceof God. -Sophie Koulomzin, Our Church and Our Children
n March 15, I995-the ides of March-I had my first radiation treatment for breast cancer. I will never forget that day becauseit was also the day that my first grandchild was born. I left the radiation trearmenr center and went over to the hospitai where my daughter-in-law was giving birth to our first grandchild. \X/hen my son put his little baby boy in my arms, I was overwheimed with a senseof love for this baby. In a flash and in a most incredible way, I came to a realization of Cod's unconditional love for me. This awarenesswas healing, and it transcended any fear that i had about life or death. Just as God inspires us, our spiritual job as grandparents is to inspire in the children love for Christ and the Virsin Mary, the Panagia.Our modeling is to love our grandchildien unconditionally. Today, twelve years after that first radiation treatment, I have six grandchildren: five grandsons and one granddaughter. I have been askedto share*irh ou. Orthodox community ways in which I as a grandmother spiritually nurture my grandchildren. There are three components that help us deveiop faith: personal prayer,communal prayer,and the natural fellowship that exists in families (including our church family). An Orthodox household should reflect this naturally in the home. Grandparenrs are in an ideal situation to reinforce a healthy spiritual climate. For example,when my grandchildren gather around my kitchen table, it's a time ro share family siories. Each meal can begin with Papou leading the Lordt prayer and then making the sign of the cross. papou sharesstories about past generationsand his village in Greece,about how different life is there. Papou also sharesthe story of how he met Nana in Greece.Around the table is a great opportunity to find out about the children5 liyss-x5 g."rrdp"..rrtr, *. often hear more than parents do. After dinner, I ask them to
pick out a book for story hour, either a biography of a saint or a Bible story. Most imporrantly, I ask them ro connect the theme of the story to our lives today. Bedtime is the best time to share the faith with our grandchildren. \(/e have a ritual in which one of the older grandsons leads us in evening prayer before the Hodegetria (Directress,so-calledbecauseshe points to Christ sitting in her lap) icon of the Panagia.The grandchildren who live far away have the same opportunities when we visit them. I use My Orthodox Prayer Book, which has an abbreviated version of the small compline. Before we begin to pray, I ask the chiidren if rhey know of anyone special who needs prayers. I affirm their prayer requesrs and tell them God listens to the prayers of children. If it is Saturday evening, we read the Gospel passageand discuss it in preparation for Sunday,s Iiturgy. \7e read the Gospel lesson before an icon of Christ, and I remind the children that it is Christ speaking to us. Also, we light a vorive and explain that Jesusis the light of the world and His word is a "lamp ro my feet and a light to
Church at Home
--,iffin
remember those family storiesand namesthey sharedat the kitchen table and at prayer time. Then add the names to rhe list of those who are living and those who have passed away for the priest. As he celebratesthe proskomide,he will offer these names up to God. \7e have now connected our family story with the bread. Our sroriesare offered up in rhe prosphoron, the offering we give to Christ. As he sanctifies the bread, he also sanctifies us through it as we receive him
my path" (Psalm 119:105). Sometimeswe allow the children to hold the candle.I explain that in the liturgy we commune rwice with Christ, once in the word and again through the Eucharist. Another activiry to prepare for Sunday liturgy is to make the prosphoron (alar bread for Holy Communion). I explain that in the center of the seal are the letters ICXC NIKA, which mean "JesusChrist conquers" in Greek. During the part of the liturgy called the prosbomide(preparation of the gifts), the priest cuts one seal in the shape of a cube to be offered as the "Lamb," which becomes Christ's Body. (You
in Holy Communion. Another regular event and family custom that my grandchildren do not forget is Forgiveness Sunday. Forgiveness Sunday in the Orthodox Church is the inaugural serviceof Great Lent. The Gospel reading for rhis CheesefareSunday is Matthew 6:14-21, opening with the precept of forgiveness:"If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if you do not forgive men their trespasses,neither will your Father forgive First the grandparents ask forgivenessfrom your rrespasses." the grandchild, and then the grandchild asksfor forgiveness from the grandparents.I feel my mission as a nana is to inspire in my grandchildren Christ's love and forgiveness. As a grandparent I have helped by offering a spaceand a framework for my cherubs (as I like to call my grandchildren) to pray. It's never too late to start. But I would suggest to parents to do their best to incorporate pruyer into their children's life from a very tender age, a short family rule of prayer,and a story hour that might incorporate some lives of the saints.
Grandparents' Prayer O Gracious Lord, you have blessedus with these beautiful grandchildren. Your words become a lamp unto our feet. Let the little children come to me for theirs is the kinedom of heaven.
might ask your parish priest if he would do this on the solea and allow all the children to watch.) He also removes other piecesand placesthem next to the Lamb on the diskos(paten). To the left of the Lamb is the portion of the Theotokos. On Help us to be ambassadorsof your words and the right side of the Lamb are three rows of three triangles deedsso that in everything we do and say we in memory of John the Baptist, the prophets, apostles, will model your love and forgivenessto these hierarchs, nine orders of angels, martyrs, monastic saints, children who have been entrusted to us. tWe healers, and saints commemorated on that particular day. pray this in the name of the Father, Son and Finally a piece of bread is placed on the diskos in memory Holy Spirit. of the saint whose liturgy is being celebrated.The priest also put piecesof bread on the diskos for the bishop of rhe given O Blessed Theotokos, we ask you to help church, for the civil authorities of the country and for all us to guide our path as we try to bring our of the faithful, both the living and the dead, including the grandchildren closerto your Son. Holy Mary, names of people for whom prayers have been requestedby mother of God. Theotokos,intercedefor us. parishioners.A good way for the children to connect their evening prayers to Sunday'sliturgy is to prepare a list of the Nihhi Stournaras is Administratiue Assistant t0 the Deans names of people both living and dead prayed to give to rhe of Hellenic Collegeand HolT Cross Greeh Orthodox School of priest when you deliver the prosphoron. Ask the children to
Theologt.
Winter 2008
I Pagelg
CsnnREN's BlgIE Rneosn - ENGLTSH EoruroN This Children's Bible Reader handsomely brings to life the central stories of the Old Testament and the New Testament and makes them accessibleto children.
Translatedfrom the GreekBible Society'sacclaimedwork, this English edition with its easy-tounderstandtext and excellenticonographicillustrations will certainly illumine the hearts and minds of our children and strengthentheir faith as they read theseinspiring storiesfrom our sacredscriptures. 812l
Pleasecall the Department of ReligiousEducation at 800-566-1088 to place orders
$19.95
Tnn BIgrn FoRYouNc PsoPLE "The gible for Young People" is now available for children. Age's pre-k to l4l Translated from the original Greek by Fr. Spencer Kezios, this beautifully illustrated Bible contains stories for young readers from both the Old and the New Testaments. The stories, theologically Orthodo5 are written in a fascinating style that will keep the interest of the very youngr to whom they can be read, or for those up to age L4. A great addition to any Orthodox parish or children's home library! Hard cover. 162 pages.
811r Pleasecall the Department of Religious Education at 800-566-1088 to place orders.
$17.50
Patron Day our Saint's bv PhvllisMeshelOnest,MDiv
name of a child is important becauseit goeswith him or her throughout life. tadirionally, Christian I parents choose names to expresscontinuity with I their family, "recycling" the names of parents, J'!7e all laughed during the grandparents or other relatives. scene in My Big Fat Greek Wedding when Mr. Portokalis introduces his family to his daughter's furure inlaws-"This i s mybr ot her . . . and h i s s o n N i c k . . . a n d h i s s o n N i ck. . . and his son Nick . . . and his daughter Nikki"-because those of us with a strong family custom of naming children after grandparentshave experiencedit. f-t-lhe
Named in Christ Christians have long chosen the names of saints to proclaim their link with their spiritual family, the Church. The name may be of a saint commemorated on or near to the day of the child's birth or of one to whom the family has a special devotion. Likewise, an adult received into the Orthodox Church may choose a saint to whom he or she has a strong attachment. In days past, this was often a costly witness for believersliving in a non-Christian sociery becausetheir very names (Nicholas or George, Elias or Barbara) labeled them as Christians. Each day of the year, the Church honors a number of saints. The day the Church honors onet saint is onet "name day," an occasion to honor the memory of the saint whose name we bear and to give thanks for his or her daily intercession on our behalf. Individuals whose names are nor found on the calendar of saints celebrateon All Saints Day, the Sunday after Pentecost. 'We are to pray to and have a special devotion to our patron saint, to read about and study his or her life and ro
page22
Winter 2008
find direction for our own lives. Our patron saint becomes a true hero or heroine for us to emulate. \7e don't need to imitate that saint exactly and for every detail-for example, by becoming a monk-but our patron saint can teach us a great deal about being a faithful Christian, Celebrating Name Days Orthodox Christians practice a number of popular customs on their name days. The most important way is attending the Divine Liturgy. If this is not possible, then they attend on the closest Sunday. The celebrantswould want to prepare to receivethe Eucharist. The personsnamed after the saint could offer artoklasia, the five loaves of sweet bread, for their good health and that of their families. The bread would be shared with the other worshippers. On a Sunday celebration, they could provide cake or sweetsduring fellowship hour. Tiaditionally, Orthodox Christians celebrate their name days by inviting family and friends to their home. Because this day focuses on the saint, his or her icon is prominently displayed.\Thoever comesto visit wishesthe celebranta "happy name day'' and "many years" (chroniapolla in Greek). Favors or token gifts can be part of the day, but with a significant difference: the person celebrating the name day is the giver of gifts rather than the recipient. Giving is the best sign of gratitude for Christians. I remember one such day from my time as a student at Holy Cross School of Theology. It was the feast of St. Maximos the Confessor (January 21), which Metropolitan Maximos, who was then Fr. Max, celebratedas his name day. During dogmatics class, a student, Fr. Steven Callos, wished him a happy name day, and half-jokingly asked Fr. Max if he was going to treat us for his name day, To our surprise, he said yes, That evening we traveled to his brother's
l.romefor cofreeand sweets! In the farmilyrnuch can be done to initiate children into this custom of celebratinga name da1..I)uring their earlv years, childrer.rrvill simplv delighr in being the center of atter-rtion. Bringing out the sirint'sicon, placing it in :r central location ar-rdadornir-rg it rvith flou.ers can teachthe child about devotion to the saint. Soon, horvever,children begin to ask questions about death ar-rdheaven.Having a relationshipwith thosewho have died in Christ (the saints)can help ro conquer a child'snatural f-earof death.Later',sn66Lllxsingchildren to give gifrs or favors o n rheir r r . r r ned. r r , c l n b e ,rn o th e r \\' e .rp o ni rr the pi rrenfs arsenalagair-rst possessiveness and materialism-cravings rl.rat afrecteven'child. In the l-rome,icons of rl-repatron saintsof family members shor-rldbe part of the frrmilv icon corner or ir.rthe bedroomsof the ir-rdividualfamily rnembers.On rhe name da1',theseicons could be displavedin a specialplace surror,rndedbr. candles and florr'ers.lhe fhmilv could artend the l)ivirre Liturgl. or arrrnge for a specielsen,icepreceding a festivegathering in the home. Ther. could read or retell the life of the saint at mealtir.rre, read or sing tl-reffopdrion of the patron saint, and sen,e special trears. Inr.entir,efilmilies hal'e planned skits, made r.nini-pilgrimages to local churchesnamed for thc saint (follorvedbv a trip to the childt firr.oriterestaurant),or created banners ar.rdother home decorationsabout the parron. The child can help preparerhe liturgical or parrv foods, make or pick out favorsto give to friends or relatives,or orheru'isehelp nirh the d:r1"spreparations.Chr-rrchtradirion offersa positive reasonfor our children to be "someor-re specialfor the dar-," and children leact far.orablr'. The Church is or-reBody in Christ: one household of all the baptizedliving or deadrvith Chlist asits head.Maintaining and celebratingour associationlvith a saint fi-om Christian histoly helps us to see the Church nor .1sarn impersonal institution, but as it is meant to be: one fanily under rhe lordship of Christ. Saintsrvho died before the Great Schism in 1054 belong to ail Christians.Let this be rhe year thar vour family begins or renewsthe celebrarionof patron saints. To learn more about saints,visit the foilorving Web sites: . God is V/onderful in His SaintsOrthodox Resources (urnr'. abbamoses. corn) Greek Orthodox Archdioceseof America Online ' Chapel (x,rl.r,r'. goarch.org/en/Chapel) Prologue of Ohrirl dailv readings,hosted by the ' SerbianOrthodox Church Dioceseof \Tesrern America (nr.wr,'.u,'estsrbdio. org/prolog/rnr'.html) (srrri-.theologic.com/ Orthodox Famil, Lifa arcb.i:'es ' ofln eb/alchir.e. htm) :
- "Common Names & Name Days" (www. ntdts.htm) theologic.com/oflweb/feasts/sai - "Orthodox Saintsof the British Isles"(rwrr"r theol ogi c.com/ofl rveb/i nhome/br it st s. ht m ) - "SaintsCalled Upon fol SpecialPurposes"(um.rv. htm) theoIogic.corn/oflweb/inhome/prav2sts.
Phyllis Meshel Onest, MDia, has srrued ffieen let1rs ds the Director Religiotts Education for rhe Metropolis of Pittsburgh, Her workfot'the metropolisis on herWeb site (www.phyl/isonest. com). ['hyllis is inuircd b), Orthodox parishes throughout the coutttr)tto lead teacherrrainittg setnindts,to speakon lrtltodox famill, life dnd to ffir aduh educationpresentutilns.Shewas one of tlte frst wlnieil to graduatef^om Hof CrossGreek Orthodox School of Theology(1977) dnd is the frst full-time director of the Metropolis of Pittsburgh Ofice of Religious Educdtion as of Janttary 2008.
Saints Orthodox Vols. L-4 George Poulos In calendar order, the lives of nearly Sfi) saints of 'the Orthodox Church, simply and briefly told for the general reader. E95-VoL I - From Jan I to Mar 31 896- Vol. 2 - From Apr 1 to June 30 E97. VoL 3 ' FromJuly 1 to Sep 30 E9& Vol. 4 - From Oct f to Dec 31 19.95 each / E99-Set of 4 Vols. $72.00 Pleasecall the DepartmentofReligiousEducationat 800-566-1088 to placeorders,
Wi nte r 2008
page23
PRA)il
*Fe* E :sfug*Eetr#R#Fâ‚Ź
G*asffR**E fu#seg#se A L".ron Pl^tt fo,Youttrr by PresbyteraGeorget Photos
he manner in which we take a trip makes a big difference in how much we derive from our adventure and how much we enjoy ourselves' \7e would not go to the beach without sunblock; the outcome could be very painful. Just the same, we would not go skiing without the proper attire; we would freeze from the cold. The journey through Great Lent is the same in many ways. To experience everything the season has to ofFer' we pr"p".. fo, th. journey. If you would like to take the -.rr, challenge,this is your first steP. Letis consider the following scenario:How far would you go to see,hear and speak to Christ? Considering everything i., yorr life at this moment' do you feel ready to face Christ? Beiore Great Lent begins, we have five weeks of preparation' In the first week, defending on the liturgical cycle' we will hear of Zacchaeusin the Gospel lesson' Zacchaeuswas a tax collector-not a sterling character by any means' He lied and stole from his neighbors in the name of his occupation' His
most of all, the desire,then try this project! E.:-r.:: =JGtt= t:i ' :' * l = :' t= + l :' ' : 1 sheetofpaPer I pen 20 pony beadsin a color You hate 20 ponY beadsin a color You love 2 plastic sandwich bags (or other small containers) 8 inches of plastic, hemp, thin jewelry wire or thin chain (if wire or chain is Jewelry clasp and fittings used) 1.
strong curiosity to seeand hear Christ drove him up a sycamore tre.. 11was his genuine desireto hear the truth that savedhim' to descend from the tree Jesusimmediaiely asked Zacchaeus *.rrt home with him. The tax collector was so moved by "rrd Christ that he repented and gave back all he had stolen from
On the front side of the sheet of paper' list all of your spiritual weaknessesand deficiencies'This is a private matter, nor to be shared with your friends or family'
up to twlT:lLqs$ his neighbors,
nsider helping at home, g yorl. family, love, forgiveness, mercy' ssion,work, school, church, etc'
ilChrist curiosity, courage and,
p4e24
Winter 2008
3.
Take the 8-inch cord or chain you have selected' Make sure it is sturdy, becauseyou will be wearing
it and slipping beads on and off for the entire period of the Triodion, Great Lent and Holy \7eek. Form a slipknot at one end. At the other end, place a clasp or another slipknot. Make sure that you can easily add and remove beads.
4 . This is not a contest to seewho has the cutest bracelet. Remember this during irs consrrucrion. Add l0 of the beadsyou dislike to the bracelet first; these beads representyour sins and spiritual weaknessesand will make you aware of what you have to change. Place the remaining 10 beads in a plastic sandwich bag or other container.
Lord and Master of my life! Take awayfrom me the spirit ofsloth, faintheartedness, lust of power and idle talk, But grant rather the spirit of purity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant. Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to seemy own sins and not to judge my brother, for blessedart Thou unto agesofages. Amen.
5. Now add your 10 of your favorite color beads. These
9. Every evening of the Lenten seasonbefore you retire
beadsrepresentyour virtues. Put the remaining beads int o r he ot he r b a g o r c o n ta i n e r.
and say your evening prayers, you have a job to do. Recite St. Ephraim's Prayer,and then review your list ofstrengths and weaknesses. For each ofyour "bad" points that you have corrected, releasethe clasp or knot, remove a negativebead and add a positive bead. For any "good" points you have slipped up on, remove a positive bead and add a negativebead.
6. Tie or fasten the braceler ahd place it on your righr wrist. Every time you mafie the sign of the cross during, tie bracelet will rerhiad you of what you are working toward. ::: It Now that you have constructed the bracelet, rvhat is ycur goal?
==,=
8 . Recite St. Ephraim's Prayer:
That is where the challengelies. On your iconostasisat home, place the sheetof paper, the chart on page27 andthe bagswith the extra beads. If you do not already have an icon area somewhereat home , take an icon of Christ, the Virgin Mary holding Christ or your patron saint (e.g., St. Demetrios, Sr. George) and keep it close to your bed or an area in which you feel comfortable praying. Place a little electric light or candle there to illuminate your icon.
Frequent
communion, church attendance, participating in the choir, assisting the priest in the altar or with special projects, and participating in Sunday school (asa student, assistantor teacher)earn you a "good" bead. tVhen you skip a day or a week of entry, add a "bad" bead for each ofthe skipped days. If you add something "bad" to the list that you have not previously done, add a bead to the bracelet.Do l i kew i sefor the " good" poi nts.
1 0 .Now count the beads ofeach color on your bracelet.
Winter 2008
] Rage25
PRAXI}Record the number on the chart on the foilowing page. Use the shadedareafor "bad" and the unshaded area for "good." Fold your chart and list and pur rhem back under the icon. 11. Your goal is to come as closeas possibleto removing all of your negarive (sin) beads and increasing your positive (virtue) beads. During this time, you will develop a stronger sense of prayer and motivation. 'i7hen you reflect on your sheet for the iast time, you will seeyour development.
Presbytera GeorgetPhotos is a natiue Ch;;;gr-Sb, o)d p, "f Dean Photos,thepresbyterof St.SophiaGreekOrthodoxChurch of Polk County Florida, residein Winter Hauen. Presbytera is presidentof tbeMe*opolisofAtlanta Sisterhood of Presulteres and theMetropolisRepresentatiue t0 theNational Sisterhood.
Sophianossurvived T the wildfires. Irlow how will he feed his flock? I
72A survivor hisvillageof Andritsina, of the wildfiresthat devastated year-oldSophianos wasso gratefulfor a donationof animalfeedthat he OrthodoxChristian triedto offeroneof histen sheepto International (IOCC). Charities In the wakeof the recentwildfiresin Greece,IOCCis providingemergency supplies of of animalfeedto hundreds Greece smallPeloponnese farmerslikeSophianos. and Sophianos facea long roadof recovery ahead.HelpIOCC continueto speedreliefto peoplelikeSophianos.
DonationHotline(877)802-IOCC ta622); or donateonlinewww.iocc.org IOCC. P.O.Box630225. Baltimore,MD 21263-4725
page26
Winter 2007
HolvPascha
PalmSunday (6th Sundayof Lent)
St. Mary of Egypt (5th Sundayof Lent)
St. JohnClimacus (St. John of the Ladder) (4th Sundayof Lent)
Venerationof the Holy Cross (3rd Sundayof Lent)
St. GregoryPalamas (2ndSundayof Lent)
Sundayof Orthodoxy ('1stSundayof Lent)
ForgivenessSunday
ProdigalSon
Publican& Pharisee
Zacchaeus
I i,: :. rI :I: I: :'I l
: :: :::::I:II:: al
l :l i :l l:
:.:a:., l:lalr,r:
.l:::a.a,
:.4:a':,: Holv [rlQnaay t:11:tt':t.
::,,)::.::
rr::::r::11f1:,rt:,1
'::::::11:1',1:P.t,, Sundav
Takeoff your bracelet!
rt, :t trl
::i:l ,r:li,,ill,tl r,:tr,:lllt:l'ir,i::
: i ' I: :::i II ::I III :: :IIII: IIII:
:t,,:::tttr:],t:::t:rt:r,r::rit:i
l,:l:l:lt,
'llll:l:rll,:rll::rl::: :rI:::: : ,:I::'i:r::
:trrt:.:r,it::::.:l::::,_:.
::,.,,a.: :::..t'., ::.,:,:aaa'
,i:4.-fiaLaaaa:
trat::t:i .t.:, :rtl
tttt:ttt.r.
;]]:&
LJnlv
Tuesdav
Wednesdav
:::lll,l:ll:r:lmry
i::.,t:tt:taa::,::it:t:r'ti,l
iiri'::::rr:iri:::l:lr::::lfbly Thursdav
:t.:a.
'.:::l::u"t :.,.{i!:*
llilll:lil
ri:tr::iti
ll:llll:lllill:l
':|:|:.:'. rit:rlti:
i::]tli:al ,,1,,:1.1t
l
l ,,:'Satu4day of .. ,',Lazarus
lhird Saturday olfhe Sou/s
Second Saturdav ' rf th" S;/"
First Saturday of ,the Souls
PRAXIS---
Byrantium: TheLostE-pire Reviewed by Anton C. Vrame, PhD
theological confict was filled with violence and marryrdom, and that it was not just a debate in an academicivory tower. ,.Enr,y TL- .l^;-,.1 of the World," shows the extent of Byzantine culture, from Iceland to Russia, through a cultural imperialism that exported Byzantine eleganceand sophistication. Byzantium was also victim of the envious; the program shows the damage done to Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade and the Latin occupation (1204-1260).
magine trying to condenseelevencenturiesof history into lessthan four hours ofvideo presentationand still capture the essenceof a civilization! This is the Herculean task of Byzantium: The Lost Empire, which occasionallyairs on The Learning Channel and is now availableon DVD. We see the key moments in Byzantine history from the perspectiveof archeologistJohn Romer, the serieshost, The seriesis divided into four fifry-minute television programs, each covering one period of Byzantine history. The first program, "Building the Dream," presents the early centuriesfrom Constantine to Justinian. This installment reminds the Greek Orthodox viewer that Byzantium was more than a religious world (although heavily religious); it was also a government, a political entiry a culture and most importantly a civilization. The program also reminds us that Byzantium saw itself as a continuation of the Roman Empire (although Romer doesn't make that point as explicitly as I would have liked) and of the Hellenistic world before Rome, and that it became the center of the Mediterranean world, extending throughout Europe and into Asia. The second program, "Heaven on Earth," covers the importance of art in Byzantium, from the building of the Hagia Sophia by Justinian to the iconoclastic controversy in the eighth century. Romer reminds the viewer how important "the pictures" were to the faithful, wonderfully describing the removal of the icon of Christ from the Bronze (Chalke) Gate of the palace and the ensuing riot. Romer explains that this
page28
Winter 2008
Piecesthat were looted are still on display in the Tieasury of San Marco in Venice, Itaiy and throughout Europe. The fourth program, "Forever and Ever," covers the fall of the empire to the Ottoman Turks in 1453. For me this was the most moving of the programs, especially when Romer walks through the Monastery of Christ the Savior in the Fields (now called the Kariye Djami) in Constantinople and the streetsand buildings of Mistra, the last outpost and fowering of Byzantine civilization in Greece. Romer reads portions of the correspondenceof Mehmet II and Constantine XI from the days before the fall of the ciry. He makes the connection between the outpouring of Byzantine thinkers, especially Plethon and Bessarion,to the early Renaissance. For those looking for timelines, this is not the DVD to watch. There is just too much history to cover in such a short program. For details,you will haveto turn to the many excellent histories, such as John Julian Norwicht three-volume set. The video takes a few historical liberties. For example, Romer continually saysthe Byzantinescalled the city Constantinople, rather than explaining that this was actually the name of the city until the creation of modern Turkey in 1922. But for those looking for a romantic vision, an exciting and moving view of Byzantine history, this is a fine treatment. The breathtaking architecture and artistic pieces,from icons to artifacts, and the landscapeof the Byzantine world will not disappoint.
Dr. Anton C. Vrameis theDirectorof ReligiousEducationof tbe ofAmerica. GreeleOrthodoxArchdiocese * Publisher:The LearningChannel,Discovery (2 DVD set) Communications,200T
Helena: First Pilgrim to the Holy Land Reviewedby Anton C. Vrame, PhD
life of Christ in order to fulfill her promise to Christ to visir these places at some point in her life. But Helen is aiready in her seventiesand the going is slow until she begins to read the scriptures and trace the steps of Jesushimself. \With this, she begins to uncover the locations of the Annunciation in Nazareth, the Nativiry in Bethlehem, the Mount of Olives and the teaching of the Lord's Prayer,and ultimately the most important finds: Golgotha (the place of the Crucifixion), the Cross itseli and the Holy Sepulcher of the Lord. In each place she begins constructing churches that are still placesof pilgrimage today. The reteliing of the finding of the Cross includes much of the same information as the tradition of the Orthodox Church tells us, specificallythe miracles to identi$' the True Cross of Christ, but it excludesthe story of the basil. This omissionpoints to a problem that an Orthodox viewer will have with this video. Aithough the story of St. Helena is certainly one that belongs to both F,astand West, to the story of a united Christian Church, this video is very western. Indeed, the video is very Roman Catholic in its orientation. Most of the arrwork is western; the background music is Latin. At the holy placesin Jerusalem,the processionsand the church t's amazing what you can find online. tWhen I searched servicesshown are almost exclusively Latin rites; only a few for a video about Byzantium, the online store suggested times will you see an Orthodox or Eastern Christian church this title: a one-hour video on the life of St. Helen, the service. mother of St. Constantine the Great. "Whv not?" I Vith all this in mind, the visual qualiry of the video is thought to myself. quite good. The narration by Ben Kingsley is beautiful, as are The video is part documentary, pafi film, and part the re-enactedparts of the storr'.Helent life and her impact on travelogue. It covers the life of Helena, based on what is Chrisrianity cannot be underestimated, and the video brings known about Roman patrician women in generai of the time this story to life. and what has come down to us through the centuries. The The video includes a bonus program: "King of Kings: A early part of the video is as much about Constanrine as it is Musical Celebration of the Life and Land of Jesus."Eighteen about Helen. \7e learn about the persecution of Christians songsand hymns are sung beautifully in the background while and see them hiding in Cappadocia. We learn about Helen's a moment in the life of Jesusis acted our and occasionally conversion to Christianiry of which we know only a little, but narrated whiie artistic pieces are shown. For example, while we seeConstantine'sdramatic vision of'the Cross ("by this sign the Gospel hymn "\7ade in the Water" is sung, we seeimages conquer") and his victory at the Milvian Bridge in 311. This of the baptism of Christ, apostlesfishing,and running water to event united the fractured Roman Empire under his solitary remind us of the \Walk Jordan. To the music of "You'll Never rule and then led to the issuanceof the Edict of Toleration and A.lone" (from the Broadway musical "Carousel"), rhe imagery the Edict of Milan, which iegalizedChristianity. depictsJesuscalming the waters.The "Halleiujah Chorus" from The video shows Helen's impact on the early Church in Handel's Messiahplays over scenesabout the Resurrection.The Rome, with the building of the original St. Petert Basilicaon music is nice, but the visualsleavea lot to be desired. the Vatican Hill, land her family owned, and the Church of St. John Lateran. The church of St. John still stands,but the video shows the present-daySt. Peter'sbecauserhe original basilica Dn Anton C. Vrameis theDirectorof Religious Educationof the was demolished to make room for the Dresenredifice. GreekOrthodoxArchdiocese of America. Vith the move of rhe capiral ciry to the New Rome, Constantinople, we then begin ro rrace Helen's footsteps in * Publisher:Readers DisestVideo andTelevision,2003 Jerusalem.Here she struggles ro locare the holy sites of the
Winter 2008
Page29
PRAXIS-
iryl{nllnsschb hnrofGo ALesson Planfor Adults bv Michael Bressem.PhD
here is an interesting paradox in the Bible. On one hand, many referencesin scripture tell us to fear God: for example,from the Psalms,"Servethe Lord with fear, and rejoicewith trembling" (2:11);"Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no wanr to those who fear Him" (34:9); and "The Lord takes pleasurein thosewho fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy" (147:11).On the other hand, St, Johni first epistle instrucrs: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, becausefear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love" (4:18). How do can we reconcile the fact Moses taught rhat we should both love and fear God (Deut 6:5, 73), with St. John's statement that if we fear then we are not being perfectly loving? It is not possibleSt. John was wrong, as a1l scripture is inspired by God (2 Tim 3:16). Besides,St. Paul agreedwith St. John (seeRom 8:15; 2 Tim 1:7).Nor can we resolvethe inconsistencyby arguing that the new covenant, our saivation in Christ, makes the fear of God no longer necessary,for there are plenty of New Testament versesadmonishing us to fear God (e.g.,PhrI2J2; lPet2:17; Rev 14:7).However,there is a third option: that "fear" has two connorarions in scripture.
St. John wrote of a fear that "involves torment" (also translated' punishment") which is something we naturaliy want to avoid. Fortunately,we know there is "now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus"(Rom 8:1). Still, reverential fear should remain in us. Solomon stated, "Fear God and keep his commandmenrs, for this is mant all" (Eccl 12:13). We need to keep Godt rules not out of fearfor Godt wrath, but because we can seriouslyinjure ourselvesif we fall to sin (Prov 12:21), St. John also said that if we love God, then we will keep his commandments (1 John 5:3). Reverentialfear is tied to proper submission to God's loving authoriry. Having reverential fear is important because attitude influences behavior. Many people run from God becauserhey fear his judgment. They take solacein, or distract themselves with, the pleasuresof the world, and they delude themselves into thinking they can avoid God's watchful eye and reproving hand. At the other end of the spectrum are those who believe that disobeying the law is not that serious because God is loving, merciful and forgiving-therefore, no harm will befall them. The first group is too frightened of God to approach him; the second group has ceasedto fully respectGod, and so they approach him far too casually. Our Lord addressedthis issuewhen he declared,
.r$oidance and Reyerence There is the fear you have when seean angry bear run toward you. and there is the fear you havewhen you mounr a powerful horse. The first type of fear is for your life; your best response is to run away so that you are not mauled to death by the bear-this is auoidancefear. The second type of fear is one of respect for how powerful the horse is; your best responseis to approach the animal cautiously-this is reuerential fear. The first beastintends to harm you; the seconddoes not. However, you can bring harm on yourself, by falling from the swiftly moving staliion, if you do not obey the rules for responsibly ridins a horse.
page30
Winter 2008
But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for rwo copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:5-7) In this passage,Christ saysthat we should borh be afraid
and not be afraid of God. This paradox is resolved only by balancing our awe for God's power and authoriry wirh our trust in God's loving care for us. To err by giving too much weighr to one over the other is to lose a proper attirude toward God, which will likely iead to inappropriate behavior-whether it is being carelessin heedingdiscipline (Heb 12:5-13) or being irreverent in worship (12:28-29). King Manasseh A wondrous biblical example of someone who grew from an avoidance fear to a reverenrial fear of God is King Manasseh. He was born around 699 BC to King Hezekiah and Hephzibah (2 Kgs 20:21;2 Chr 32:33). It is imporranr ro nore rhat Manassehwas only born becauseGod had extendedHezekiah's life through the prophet Isaiah (2 Kgs 20:7-12). God granted fifteen more yearsof life to the king, and becausewe know that Manassehtook the throne when he was cwelve(2 Kgs 2l:I;2 Chr 33:1), we know that Manassehwas born three yearsafter the Lord extended Hezekiah'slife. In this way God honored the covenanthe made with King David (2 Sam 7:12-13). So Manassehowed his existenceand his reign to the Lord in a very dramatic way. This played heavily into Manasseh'scharacter and why he was so afraid. ManassehseducedJudah into evil greaterthan the nations that the Lord destroyed before Israel was brought to the land (2 Kgs 21:9, 11; 2 Chr 33:2,9). Why was Manassehso evil? Scripture doesn't directly give an answer,but we can speculate three reasonsfrom the narrative. First, Manassehwas spoiled. Hezekiah, meaning "Jehovah strengthens,"was indeed made strong by God with greatweaith (2 Chr 32:27-29), Manasseh had everything he wanted and no diversion to occupy him (that is, no wars, Assyriahaving been temporarily defeated).So he rurned to the foolishnessof the young rather than learn the proper reverential fear of God; Manasseh sought the sensual pleasuresand the enticing, srrangepowers that foreign reiigions offered. Second, Manasseh turned to evil becauseKing Hezekiah died before Manasseh became a reenager. While young Manasseh was entering manhood, he lacked his father's guidance toward a reverential fear of God, In fact, Hezekiah may have influenced his son toward improper fear, becauseir was something to which King Hezekiah was himself susceptible
then he could overpower God or at least break the spell of the prophecy. King Manassehpracticed astrologyin trying to discern the time when Isaiah'sprophecy would be fulfilled (2 Kgs 21:4,6; 2 Chr 33:3). Manassehalso made an idol himself and put it in the temple, thinking the sacredbuilding would give this idol greaterpower to overcome the Lord's terrible judgment (2 Kgs 2l :4-5,7; 2 C hr 33:4-5,7). Manassehevenwent so f ar as r o sacrificehis sons, hoping their fesh would appeasethe gods of the idols and saveManasseh'sown skin (2 Chr 21:6). Manasseh had an avoidance fear of God becausehe had iittle doubt that unlesshe could somehow stop Isaiahsprophecy, then it would come true. He knew the things the Lord had done through Isaiah during Hezekiah's lirnq-N42nxsseh owed his life and reign to these miracles. So terrified was Manasseh of Isaiah's prophecy that, tradition holds, he sawedthe prophet in rwo. Thuly King Manassehdid what was evil in the eyesof the Lord (2 K gs 21:2, 5, 16;2 C hr 33:2,6). The t hr ee possible explanations do not excuseManassehfrom his sins, but they do allow us to understand the power of avoidancefear: it can lead desperatemen into doing despicableacts. Yet the story doesn't end here: King Manassehwas blessedwith a fifty-fiveyear reign (2 Kgs 21:1;2 Chr 33:1), the longestreign of any king in scripture.\Xrhy did God allow such an evil king to reign so long? Perhapsit was becauseKing Manassehdid eventually learn how to reverentiallyfear God. The Lord brought judgment on King Manasseh because he angered God like no other (2 Kgs 2l:15; 2 Chr 33:6). Manassehwas bound and taken to Babylon (2 Chr 33:I\). Imagine the dread Manasseh felt as the feared prophecy was starting to happen. Manasseh, whose name means "making to forget," made his people forget about the true God (2 Chr
33:9), but he could not forget God himself. So in his anguish and affiiction he finally sought the Lord, and he "humbled himself greatly before the God of his farhers" (2 Chr 33:12). The Lord heard Manasseh'sprayer and brought him back to Jerusalem(2 Chr 33rI3). This was an amazingdisplayof Godt mercy toward the most wicked king in all Jewish history. Then Manassehconfessedthat he now knew the Lord is God. This does not mean Manassehwas being introduced to God for the first time, but that Manasseh realizedall his mediums, wizards, witches and idols all put together were not stronger than the God of Israel. It is this God who is entitled to reverentialfear. (2 Kgs19:6;2Chr32:7). No one can avoid him, Third, and most importantly, a little before or after the King Manassehrepented and tried to live up to the good birth of Manasseh,Isaiah deiivereda terrible prophecy to King Hezekiah: some of Hezekiaht descendantswere ro be eunuchs deeds of his father: he too built a wall, cast out all idols, and (2 Chr 33:14-17). in the palaceof the king of Babylon (2 Kgs 20:18). Manasseh commanded Judah to serve the Lord Manasseh even showed his reverence for God by giving a peace undoubtedly knew about Isaiah'sprophecy and so was afraid thank repairing and offering after the altar of the Lord, This for his own life. He pondered why God would do rhis to him and what he could do about it, 'W4rathe did was rry everyrhing offering revealedhis sinceriry becausethe ceremony is one in (rather than he couid to keep the prophecy from being fulfilled, exceptrurn which he would have had to pardcipate himself just having it performed by a priest). Note that Scripture does to the Lord. Young Manasseh reasoned that if he could get enough foreign gods, wizards, witches, and mediums rogerher, not record when Manasseh repented during his reign. For all we know, Manassehmight have reigned only a few yearsin evil
Winter 2008
Page3 |
PRT{JKIS____ and spent mosr of his reign doing good deedsour of reverence for God. \7hat we do know for sure is that his reign ended well even though it began poorlv-such cannor be said for most of the "good" kings of Judah (e.g., Solomon, Asa, Jehoshaphat
9.
The martyrs of our faith seeminglvhad more reverenrial fear of God than avoidancefear of man. \X/har mieht .h-,, 1" ..,^k--^ ,^l l i -^ themselves .l ---.-r,,-. that * L^ . helped I Lrr!/ rr4yu ."lling them -,",, endure persecution?
and Josiah). 10. Can you give an exampieof when you felt borh iove The apocrvpha records Kirg Manasseh's prayer of and fear at the sametime?How is your examplesimilar contrition. It is a praver that speaksofreverential fear: "O Lord or dissimilarto what God desiresof us? Almighn', the God of our fathers . . . rhar hast closed the abyss and sealed it with thy feaful and glorious name; whom all rhings reuereand tremble before the face of thy power, because the magnificence of thy glory is unendurable and irresistible Micbael Bressem, PhD, ts a clinical psychologist wlto ltas also [i.e.,unavoidable]"(Prayerof Manasseh1-5, emphasisadded). earned an MA in theologt. He is nn ntiue member at S/'lints It is a prayer that also speaksof God's great love: "Thou art Constantine and He/en Greek Orthodox Cathedrul of the Prtclfic the Lord most high, compassionate,long-suffering,and most in Hono/u/tt, Hatuaii. merciful . . . and in the multirude of thy kindness rhou hast decreedfor sinners repentanceunro salvation" (7). May we all learn this iessonfrom King Manassehto approachGod lvirh a balanceofreverence and love.
Discussion Questions 1. Franklin D. Roosevelronce famously intoned, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Is this true? \Wtry or why not?
2. Sometimespeoplewill point to someoneand say,"He (or she) is a God-fearingman (or woman)." How can you tell whether someoneis "God-fearing"?
3 . Why would a loving God want his children to fear him?
DArLyPRAyâ‚ŹRs FOR
4 . Many people like to watch horror or suspensemovies to feel frightened. 'X/hat is the difference benveen experiencing cinematic fear and being reverentially afraid of God?
OMHODOX CHRISTIANS This small volume provides Orthodox Christians with a set of prayers(taken from the Synekdemos)to guide them throughout the day, along with prayers for Holy Communion.
5 . Supposeyour friend told you, "I've done a 1ot of bad things in life, so I'm afraid God doesn'tlove me." How would you respond to your friend? How might the s r or yof K ing Ma n a s s e hh e l p v o u r fri e n d ?
6. Tell a story from your own life about when you have
In Englishand Greek. (E781)
been so afraid something bad would happen to you that you cried out to God? \Xtrat did God teach 1'ou through those circumstances?
Contents: - The Symbol of Faith - Morning Prayers - Prayersat Mealtime - Prayersbefore Sleep - The Six Psalms
7. The percentageof Americans who attend Church is gradually decreasing in America. This ma,v indicate people are becoming less God-fearing.\fhat can be done about this?
8. Proverbsstates,"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (9:10). How does fearing God help you becomerviser?
page32
Winter 2007
$e.95
- Small Compline - Service of Preparation for Holy Communion -Thanksgiving follor.ving Hoiy Communion
Pleasecall the Departmentof ReligiousEducationat I
l
800-566-1088 to placeorders. I
RstorcrNc rN ONE LoRD,
]rsusCrtnrsr
Tne CANA
Hr c n Sc uool Cunntc u L u M
Gnaoe9, Uxrr I The Departmentof ReligiousEducationis pleasedto offer Grade9, Unit I of the CANA Curriculum,the Departmentof ReligiousEducationlHighSchool curriculum.This publicationis the first in the seriesthat, when completed,will includethree units each for grades9 through 12.Each unit will containa full set of lessonplans,easy-to-followdirections,and ordericall (800)566-1088and request extensivesupportingmaterials.To Item# 9 0 l, $ 1 7 . 9 5 .
PRAXI
e
N â‚Ź
lVhy Your Parish }Veb Site IsSoImportan {D
& How You Can ivate Cult ltsTrue Potential by SeraphimDanckaert
e
{rJ
few years ago, when I was working as a reporter at a small daily paper, my editor askedme ro wrire a srory about a local church. She handed me a pressrelease,which explained that this church was putting together a public event for the community, and told me ro rype something up. I immediately jumped on my compurer and looked for the church's \web site. Nothing. \fell, next to nothing. Therewas an old pagewith only the most basicinformation: \we're a church; we're located here; and you can come and visit us at these times. Needless to say, such sites don't impress me. From what I could tell, there wasn'r much behind the basic headline: "Local church to hold food festival." In fact, if this had been a story about any other kind of church, the reporter in me would have probably let things peter out with the pressrelease.I would have edited it down, loaded it into the system and ler the copy editors slap ir on page B17 below the fold. But this wasn't just any church. It was an onhodox christian church. And I, as an orthodox Chrisrian, knew that this pressreleasecould be spiced up in a number ofways: An engaginglead, a vignette about a colorful parishioner,maybe even a story from someone who ended up joining the parish after last year's festival. so, defying my impression from the \feb, I picked up the phone and made some calls. Although this particular srory had a happy ending, many similar ones do not. The lessonis clear: An averageInternet surfer, potentid visitor or local resident certainly isnt going to go the extra mile to uncover your communiryt vitaliry if they are unimpressedwirh what they find on your parish \il/eb site. And that's more than an oPportuniry for evangelismlost. In todayt online culture, a poor \feb site could even affect your parisht ministry to existing parishioners. According to the Barna ResearchGroup, Americans ofall agesuse the Interner asaway to explore their own faith and different faith traditions in a private, nonthreatening environment. Soon, that sort of Internet-based religious activiry will be the normal course of action for any interested person-seeker or parishioner. In fact, a recenr reporr from the Pew Internet & American Life Project indicates that only 15 percent of Americans are currently "off the network," meaning they are completely without Internet-based accessto news, information and interaction. Even more significantly, 51 percent are regularly engagedin various forms of what has been dubbed "web 2.0," a new culture of sorts, in which participants regularly use various forms of online media and technology to consume, createand shareinformation in the world
ol cyberspace. That means that your parish's online presence is more important to its ministry and religious education efforts than ever before. And the old patterns of static Web sites, without regularly updated conrenr or rhe opportuniry for user participarion, aren'rgoing to hold peoplet arrenrion. Although all of this may sound like bad news, ir's acrually an amazing opportuniry for ministry and religious education. Socialtrends like Web 2.0 areso powerful and pervasivebecause ofthe technological advancesthar have allowed averagepeople to produce a variery of attractive and interactive Web sites without much difficulry. In other words, the hard work has already been completed. All that we as Orthodox Christians have ro do is rap inro exisringresources. Here, then, is a brief overview of severalpracricalways rhar your parish can begin to turn your'i7eb site into a full-fedged ministry.
in particular the use ofpictures, attractive ads and theological articles from other sources. Keep h Simple tVeb resource:www.goarch.org/rss t . Orthodox example:www'annunciationorthodox.org
\X/eb2.0 is supposed to be easy,and thatt why one of its fundamental building blocks is something called "RSS." RSS standsfor "Really Simple Syndication," And that it is.
Using RSS technology, your Web site can automarically gather and republish all kinds of content from other Orthodox sources.By simply subscribingto someof the RSSfeedsavailable from the Archdiocese's\feb site, you'll be able to feature daily scripture readings,news and information from the Archdiocese itself and even news from various SCOBA (Standing Council of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas) agencies. For an example of how this can work, go to the Annunciation Content Orthodox Church's \Website and look under "Orthodox News The first challenge is conrent. Web surfers and parishioners Feeds." wont begin to identifi' your parish Veb site as a place to visit This does more than provide you with an easyway to get regularly-much less a place for real Web 2.0 cornmunitynew content on your site. It actually communicates a powerful until they know that each time they visit your site there will be message:Your local parish is part of something much greater, fresh.updaredcontent. the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Of course, coming up with new marerial on a weeldy (or You can even syndicate audio content on your site using dailv!) basiscan be an aurhorial and design nightmare-if you RSS. Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Akron, OH try to do everything from scratch. But now rhere are several (www.annunciationakron.org) produces a daily podcast called ways to make it easy. "The Orthodox\ford Podcast,"which fearuresan audio version of a daiiy meditation based on the Synaxarion and scripture RepurposeWhat YouAlreacly Haue readingsofthe day. . \feb resource:www.pdfonline.com Orthodox example:www.holytrinirynh.org ' Build Your Bulletin \Webresource:www.bulletin.goarch.org . Pretry much every parish already has a "media ministry." . In fact, the sermon is still the most fundamental Christian Orthodox example:wwwgosaintbasil.org medium for communicating the Gospel. Many parishes also This one is obvious, but I'll include it an1'wa1'. The Department have weeldy bulletins and monthly newslerters.These are all of Internet Ministries of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocesehas excellentsourcesof parish-relatedmedia content that can easily developeda program that allows parishesto "build the various be repurposedon a parish \feb site. parts of your parish bulletin online and then publish your Many successfulparish \feb sitesare already doing this in finished bulletin on your parish website, via email, and as a a variery of ways. The easiestmethod is ro convert your weekly printed booklet." It's free, it looks good and itt another way to bulletin and monthly newsletter into a pdf file and upload it repurposeyour existing content in an appealing manner. on your \7eb site. If you don't already have the means to do so, you can download any number of free programs for this Interactio11 purpose,inciuding thoseat pdfonline.com. Although new, engagingcontent is definitely necessary, itt really Of course, the power of repurposing what you already lVeb not enough. In the age of 2.0, you also need interaction. har.edependson your publications' original qualiry, Make sure Again, this isn't bad news. This is an opportunity to build your your publications were intentionally designed as a means ro online parish presenceinto a means of actually creating a sense communicate the power of the Gospel messageand the ways of community. Here are the three easiestways ro get started. in which your local parish is actively touching people's lives through Codt grace. Blogt For an excellent example of repurposing, as well as good \7eb resources:www.orthodoxcircle.com, ' parish publication designin the first place,go to the \Website of www. blogger.comand www.facebook.com Holy Tiiniry Greek Orthodox Church in Concord, NH. Note Orthodox examole:www.mvocn.net '
Winter 2008
Page35
PRAXI
Blogs, short for "tVeb logs," are truly legion. Basically,a blog is a Web site where the author writes and oosts short refections about what's going on in the world tis or her life. At one "r,d point, there were some 50 million blogs on the \feb. Now, there aren't nearly so many that are regularly updated, but they're still an excellent way for your parish to immediately introduce new content and-more importantly-things like comment features. -When you create a free parish blog, or even a pastor's blog on any of the sites listed above, your newly created site will most likely come with everything needed for visitors to Ieavetheir marks. They can post comments, ask questions and interact with parish staffand each other. This is essential,borh as a meansof growing your site'spopulariry and as a conrext for interactive religious education. Of course,if you use one of thesefree sites,your blog won't actually be on the parish \Web site itself, but you've gor ro srarr somewhere.Check out the \feb site of the Orthodox Christian Nenvork for an example of a blog contained within a larger Orthodox site. Added bonus: The OCN Blog is "a forum for the discussion of all things related to spreading the Gospel through modern media," so you can read more abour topics like this and even ask questionsor post comments. Photos \Web resource:www.flickr.com t . Orthodoxexample:detroit.goarch.org Theret an oid adagein journalism: pictures, pictures, pictures. Uploading pictures to your site or creating an online photo album to which you can create links are tvr'o of the best ways ro increasecommunity interest in your site. tW4lodoesnt want to seepictures of themselvesor their family? That's why I ve included photos under among the suggestions for interaction. Unless you use a service that allows comments, a picture is a static image. However, it communicates a very corporate and inclusive message.In other words, it builds a senseof communiry. Internet Radio \feb resource:www.myocn.net ' Orthodoxexample: www.holytrinitynh.org ' This one is truly groundbreaking. \X/ith the assistanceof the Orthodox Christian Network, an agency of SCOBA, your parish could have its own Internet radio sration, broadcast online 24 hours a day,7 days a week. It would feature a full mix of Orthodox music and nationally syndicated Orthodox 'Ware teaching programs with speakerslike Bishop Kallistos and Fr. Stanley Harakas.You can also customize yout internet radio stations with content from your parish, including audio recordings of your sermons, worship services, catechetical
page36
Winter 2007
eventsand more, Thesecustomizedstationsare more than just professionally produced Orthodox media products. They are also true communiry-based ministries. Take, for example, the station hosted by Holy Triniry Greek Orthodox Church in Concord, NH. According to the parish priest, Fr. Demetrios Tonias, the station is turning into a popular online "meeting place" for parishionersand their families throughout the country. The reason for this successis largely the same as that of a photo album: The station includes voices, greetings, announcements and reflectionsfrom a variety of parishioners, parish leaders,altar boys and Sunday School kids. Thus, when people visit the parish Web site to listen to the radio station, they get fresh content and they are reminded of the faces and voices of the people they hear. \X4ro doesn'twant to hear themselvesor their friends? Conclusion These are all great ways to move into the world of Web 2.0. Of course, your 'Web site can never replace face-to-face contact in your community. But it can certainly supplement that vibrance by giving everyone another "meeting place" to use on a daily basis.Such contact and interaction is essendal to the successof religious education and communiry in this Internet-dominated age. And who knows? If you revitalizeyour parish \Web site, it could make a young journalist'sjob much easiernext time your festival comes to town.
Seraphirn Danchaert is currently a staf memberat tbe Orthodox Cbristian Network, a pan-Orthodox international media ministry and an agency of SCOBA. OCN produces Come Receive the Light, the national Orthodox radio program, and otlter Internetbasedmediaproductsfor localparishes,Seraphim is a graduate of Holy CrossGreek Orthodox School of Theologt. You can reach him at seraphim@m)tocn.netand read his other articles on media and ministry at wLutu.myocn.net.
RECENT RDDITI(INS AT THE DEPARTMENTOF RELIGIOUSEDUCATION
*t Shu{ A6uid*t* Buildi*g {harader $arbara A,[rwi:
=:'I
:,:.1-
Excellentresourcesfor Sundayschool teachers,youth workers and parentsalike, What Do YouStand For?For Teensand What Do YouStandFor?For Kids invite children and teensto exploreand practice Orthodox Christian charactertraits such ashonesty,kindness,empathy,integrity, tolerance,patience, respect,and more. It challengesreadersto think about, discuss,and debate positive traits. It offers group activities for them to explore what they stand for at school, at home, and in their communities. A terrific complementto our middle school and high school curricula.
YES! I would like to subscribeto M"gazine! Pleaseencloseyour checkalongwith the lowerportionof this pageand mail to: PRAXIS Magazine Department of Religious Education 50 Goddard Avenue Brookline, MA 02445, USA
For a single subscription (3 issuesper year),pleasesenda check in U.S. funds payableto: Department of ReligiousEducation SusscRJprroN RATss(USg): \ f rrn rN rHn U. S . : . . . .$ r j. o o Cexeoe e<Mnxrco: . $ r 8.oo INrenNauoNAL: .......$4o.oo Bulk Subscriptions available, call for rates.
This subscription is (pleasecheckone):
!
for me
!
a gift (paidfor by:
Name (on subscription): Address: City:
State/Province:
Country:
TiplPostalcode:
Phonenumber: Faxnumber:
HomeParish Name& City: E- M a i l Ad d r e ss:
READERSURVEY Dear PRAXIS magazine reader, Once you have read this issue, we would welcome your feedback. Thank you! Evaluating the Issue Step 1: Pleasecheck each article you scanned or read. Step 2: Pleaserate each checked article on a l-3 scale: 1. Very useful and interesting 2.
Not useful but interesting
3,
Not interesting
Letters
Rating
tr \fisdom, Ancient and Modern
tr tr tr
Letter from Archbishop Demetrios Letter from Metropolitan Maximos Director'sletter
Feature
tr The Incenseof Garlic (Anton C. Vrame, PhD) tr Icons in the Home (Marilyn Rouvelas) tr The Sacramentof Fatherhood (Philip Mamalakis, PhD) tr Resourcesfor Orthodox Christian Parents(MelissaTsongranis) tr A crandparenr Shares,Teachesand, Most Importantly, Loves (Nikki tr CelebratingOur Patron Saint'sDay (PhvllisMeshelOnesr,MDiv) Stournaras) Reuiews
D
tr
Byzantittm: 7beLost Etnpiir (reviewedby Anton C. Vrame, PhD) Helena: First Pilgrim to the Hollt Land (reviewed by Anton C. Vrame, Ph D)
Articles
tr tr f
CelebratingOur PatronSaintt Day (PhyllisMeshelOnest,MDiv) phD) King Manasseh's Fearof God: A LessonPlanfor Adults (MichaelBressem, Upgradingto'Web2.0 (Seraphim Danckaert)
Couer Please rate this issue's cover on the same 1-3 scale. Background Data (optional) Diocese:
Position (pleasecheckone): Ag.,
f
Clergy
Sex: Male Female
f
Teacher/Superintendent
Regular reader: Yes No
f
YouthVorker
f
Other
Pleasefaxor mail to: Deparrmenr of Religious Educarion Greek Orrhodox Archdiocese of America 50 Coddard Ave., Brookline, MA 02445 Fax: (617) 850-1489
Thankyou!
TheCfulrcfl ot i{ome: Our First Teacher Dear Rea/er. To focus on "the church at home," in many respects,is to focuson the reality that we spend the majority of our Christian lives outsideof our oarishes in "the world"-at home, ai *ork, at school, on vacation-in our daily routines.In fact, most of us spendmore time in our homes than we do in our parishes.This shouldtell us something about the significanceofthe church at home and its impact on our lives and the lives of our children. Second, focusing on "the church at home" is to focus on these words of the Lord: "F'orwhere two or three are gatheredin my name,there am I in the midst of them" (Matt 18;20).Christ promiseshis disciplesthat he will be with them always.The Lord is already presentin a home through the simple reality that a Christian famiiy lives in that home. The words of the Lord also remind us that two people-a husband and wife joined in marriage-createa Christian family. Sometimeswe direct all of our attention of the church at home toward children, turning it into somethingthat parents do to their children, like making them brush their teeth. The church at home beginswith the adults in the home and the importance rhey give to religious growth and development. If and when children are addedto the couplethrough birth or adoption,that family expands from two to three or
page 40
Fall2007
more, and the practicesof the couple begin to incorporate the children. When childrenseetheir oarents-both fathers and motherc-tuki.tg matrers of faith, religion and church seriously, the children will grow up raking them seriouslyaswell. In this issueof PRAXIS, our goal is to show that we experiencethe church at home in various ways every day.To be sure,we find the church at home in pious practices,such as prayer and icon corners.The church at home is experiencedwhen a family observes the lirurgical seasonsand feast days of the Church year,evenin the simple act of noticing which saint is being commemorated and calling a friend or relativewith that name.We observe the fasts and feasts at the table in our homes. Making and offering a ?ros?horoto the church with a list of the namesof family memberswho have died becomesan opportuniry not only to offer a prayer for them but also to sharestoriesabouttheir lives.Although pious observances are important to an Orthodox Christian, the church at home is more than piety. Home and family are the first teachers of Christian living. Everything that happens in the home becomes a school for life; Christian living is not an exception,somehow delegatedto the parish. In the ordinary routines of family life, we learn what it is to
care for one another, to celebrate and mourn together, to ask for and receive forgiveness, make sacrifices for one another, reach out to our neighbor, and more. Our familv is also a place of paradosis or traditio-literally the handing on of memories and ways of life and being. Through the sharing of family stories about grandparents, great grandparents and other relatives, we can see the connections and patterns that shaped our past and can have a profound effect on our future. Family and faith are intertwined realities. Our family lives shape our lives of faith and our lives of faith affect our family life. Focusing on the "church at home" shows the connections and points ofcontact.
,4,furc /,L* Anton C. Vrame,PhD Director
f-
._L
l ' l )t /
(
'r'r
/ _
I
I't
,_lq,*./
rl
npryqLq
Gn-rlrcOnrnooox AttcHotocrsr,u'AMIRICA I rlrrHtt'ttNr,. l(trI(,1,)u\ |,,LLA1l\)N 50 (;( )r)l),\tu)r\\'r . ilR(x)Kl.lNt,.MA {):!ls
PermitNo- V
Leominster,MA
PArD
I
]
I
I
o's. ] I N--,-p'"n, U S. Postage
]
I
i
I