You’re Invited

This Sunday, we will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of the consecration of the Church to which I belong. There is quite a story behind that consecration that involves the Order behind the nationwide Brother Juniper’s sandwich shops converting en masse to Orthodoxy. Within the local Orthodox community, we are sometimes referred to as the “Converts Church” for that reason. We still get a lot of people wanting to convert, and we welcome all who want to visit.

We will have Vespers tomorrow night at 1700 (5 pm) and they will be online. Our Vicar Bishop, Bishop Clement, will be there at the start and will be leading the Matins and Liturgy on Sunday. Matins will start at 0800 (roughly) and around 0900 Bishop Clement will tonsure a new Reader and two Acolytes to help serve the Altar. The two young men who are becoming Acolytes are excellent choices I think, though the Reader is a little sketchy. That Reader is me.

Now, I note above that times are rough. We tend to operate on Orthodox Time, which means things could start a little early (cough rarely cough) or late. What matters is that the needed things will get done — at some point. Right?

Since most of my readership is not local to Indianapolis, there are two ways to view the services if you are interested. The first is through our website where you will see up at the top a link for livestream at Facebook. Feel free to look around, as there is a lot of interesting things there including some information and tributes to my late Godfather Father Stevan Bauman. For those who don’t do the book of faces, we also now have a YouTube channel where there may be a livestream during the service and the complete service will be posted sometime after the service.

Now, for my non-Orthodox readers, I will be putting on a cassock after being tonsured but that does NOT mean I am a Priest or anywhere close to becoming one. It is a step that can lead someone towards the Deaconate and/or the Priesthood, but it is a very small and early step. It is, however, a chance to grow and learn. I am also glad that the cassock I have been given is not new, but is a hand-me-down. Someone before me wore it in learning and service, and that tradition now comes to me. Given that while things are going to be new to me, I am stepping into an even larger tradition of service that has been in place for a couple of millenia, I find that most appropriate.

So, I hope you will tune in and enjoy the service. I will note that we don’t look like many newer Orthodox Churches; but, that’s because the structure was finished in 1904 as a (Mayflower) congregationalist church. Gorgeous woodwork and I find it beautiful. Hope we can continue to avoid major repairs as you literally can’t get wood of that quality and sizes anymore.

Along with classwork and normal activities of life, this week has seen services everyday but today. It’s why I haven’t been posting much. My journey continues, and I hope you will tune in to this step. May God Bless and Keep you all, now and in the days ahead.