In Part 1 and Part 2 I (Andrea) discussed the first two of four main threads that have led me (and Randy by extension) to discover and explore the Eastern Orthodox Church.
In choosing where to attend church once we moved to Oregon we found one we thought was perfect. No, we didn't really think it was "without issue" or "without problems." We just thought it fit the bill of:
- On the conservative end, theologically and socially.
- We would not be required to be re-bapatized.
- We could both commune.
- It was not too far to drive.
Other things that seemed like positives included a good balance of contemporary and traditional music in the worship service, established children's programming (i.e. nursery and preschool Sunday School available so we could be free of the girls during both adult Sunday School and the worship service), established community groups/Bible studies we could join (especially important for Randy to make friends in this part of the world).
In researching the theology of the Evangelical Free church we found it very appealing that they espoused "Unity in essentials," allowed for "diversity in nonessentials," and "charity in all." For our Protestant minds, frustrated by the division in the church, this was quite refreshing. God, however, had other ideas.
Our year their was what it needed to be. The people were welcoming and helpful. But there weren't actually any Bible studies that had room for us and no one wanted to start one. Also, I firmly believed that our baptisms as infants were valid and could almost explain why. Although the church recognized our baptisms as valid, they only practice Believer's Baptism. I was nervous thinking about our girls as they grew and wondered if it was ideal to be at a place where they would be the minority (baptized as infants). On the one hand, they'd certainly learn something by having to answer others' questions. But my gut said that church is for like-minded people and plenty of questions would come from those outside the church; especially as teens, it would be much more important to be supported than to have to explain (ad naseum?) why, "No, I'm (still) not going to be getting baptized in the river this summer."
And the worship service of 30 minutes of music and a 40 minute sermon seemed...passive and missing something. Given the proliferation of contemporary worship services I knew my girls would have plenty of opportunity to try that out when they were on their own, but that if they didn't have any history with liturgy it might be harder for them to "get into it" down the road. I have so appreciated my background and the freedom my parents gave me to explore and make my faith my own. I hope I can do that for my girls as well.
Furthermore, to best teach children, they need to be in the service. Some they will learn by hearing. Lots they will learn by seeing and doing. The typical contemporary worship setup is not conducive to that. Sure, they love singing! But a young child cannot be expected to sit and listen to a lecture. Don't get me wrong--the people who cared for our girls during that year were amazing and showered them with love and good teaching. We don't regret that. I just realized how important for me the other scenario is. Liturgy has so many things going on it is much more conducive to short attention spans.
I admit that until this point (and even now) I never fully appreciated the Lutheran liturgy. I wanted to but was never taught what all the parts were for, what they meant. I knew they could be powerfully meaningful. I knew the hymns touched my soul in a way most contemporary songs never could (though there are a few modern hymns that do--Stuart Townsend, anyone?!) But, as they say, you rarely appreciate something until its gone, right?
Yet, I also didn't buy that "Man cannot choose God. He is dead in his sins. Dead men can't do anything." "God selects those he wants to save," says the Calvinist. "God selects everyone for salvation but man can choose to refuse it," says the Lutheran.
So here was my quandary: I was getting restless and yearning for something more liturgical, yet not Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopal, or Roman Catholic. What does that leave?!
As you have read in the first two posts, we were already being led towards it. Everything just had to fall into place...
***Let me go on record as saying in no way do I feel negatively about my parents' roll in my faith/upbringing--they did so many things right and the best they knew how! As I said already I am so thankful for the foundation they gave me. I would not be who I am today without them and how they lived out their faith in front of us kids.***
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