Here's our chance!

[lsg03]

For those of you that don't know me I'm Shea (pronounced shay). I'm fairly new to CF. My husbandand I are not Orthodox yet...but we're working on it! :clap:

So here goes...my husband, my daughter, and I will be moving in with my parents over Thanksgiving holidays while we build a house (about 6 months). While we are happy they are taking us in, we are also anxious. My parents are devout Baptist people. Only my mom knows that we are going to an Eastern Orthodox church. She hasn't said a thing or asked any questions. My dad is probably the most close minded person I've ever encountered. I have a sister who lives right beside them with her two daughters 19 and 11. Newly divorced she's become quite cynical and judgmental of others. Full of rage and anger. We really need you guys to remember us if you will, in your prayers. This is an opportunity for us to show them what Orthodoxy is really about.

Thanks Everyone, :hug:
Shea

[DonVA]

Good luck, Shea! You never know, they might enjoy attending a Divine Liturgy along with you and your husband.

[Prawnik]

Good luck, roll steady, meaning do not let the emotions of the moment distract you from the bigger picture.

[Orthocat]

aye, my father is a devout Baptist as well. He doesn't understand much about Orthodoxy - just says stuff about "them kathlics" :doh:


Just stay the course, and stand firm.

Prayers for you :crosseo:

[lsg03]

DonVA,
That would be nice, but we travel 2 hours to church and since we're having to save money we'll be going every other Sunday. I figure my mom might be the one to show interest at some point, but my dad....being anti-catholic....not so sure

Prawnik,
That is my biggest struggle....emotions(running you life). Prayer is changing that though...slowly but surely.

Orthocat,
My dad is the same way. Thinks they're the anti-Christ.

[lsg03]

Another question...does anyone know of any good books on Orthodoxy that might be good to give a Protestant?
Not so sure if The Way by Clark Carlton would fly too well.....;)

[Orthocat]

Hey Isg03,

I see you're over in Elvisland. I'm up in Nashvegas.
Cool.

[lsg03]

Hey Isg03,

I see you're over in Elvisland. I'm up in Nashvegas.
Cool.
Yep! I live probably maybe a mile from his house.
Nashvegas huh?

[lsg03]

Whoops didn't mean to put probably and maybe together....my bad

[Xpycoctomos]

Another question...does anyone know of any good books on Orthodoxy that might be good to give a Protestant?
Not so sure if The Way by Clark Carlton would fly too well.....;)
Common Ground by Jordan Bajis (kind of scholarly... not the most entertaining.. but easy to follow and puts the early Church into perspective for the typical (whatever that means) protestant.

Any Friend of God's is a Friend of Mine (forget the author...). This is actually a Catholic book written for Catholics on good defenses for Cathoic practices when talking to Sola-Scriptura Protestants. Almost ALL of it applies to Orthodox as well except perhaps for purgaotry (and I can't remember if there is anything about the Pope in thre). It's not a very long book but gives a lot of great verses and just common sense reasoning to use when protestants question your using holy objects (icons, holy water, etc...) the sacraments, praying to saints, praying for the dead and so on. It's a great book. It's a bit "in your face" at times as it is not meant FOR the protestant but for the Catholic trying to defend his or her faith so you might want to read it first and decide who you migh tgive it to based on their personalities and sensitivities. It's a great book and played a good part in allowing me to defend my eventual decision to become Orthodox.

Hope that made sense! God bless you!

John

[ClementofRome]

Frederica Mathews-Green's Facing East would be a good book for your Mom. Fr. John Gilquist's Becoming Orthodox or Matthew Gallatin's Thirsting for God might be a good one for Dad.

Praying for you ALL (I am not in a similar situation, but my deceased father-in-law was exactly the father that you mention).

[Dust and Ashes]

I pray for you guys multiple times every day and have no doubts that your lives will bear a better witness before your parents than any book we could recommend. Just live your faith and grow and love them and when the time comes, one of the books that has been recommended will be fine.

Keep on keeping on. Look at what God has accomplished already with our little mission and take comfort in the fact that He has everything well in hand.

[GabrielWithoutWings]

Hey Isg03,

I see you're over in Elvisland. I'm up in Nashvegas.
Cool.

Lucky dog...

I'm stuck down here in Lawrenceburg.

:cry:

^_^

[Tsarina]

Welcome Shea! :hug:

Will be remembering you guys in my prayers. :crosseo:

God Bless you! See you around.

[Asinner]

Another question...does anyone know of any good books on Orthodoxy that might be good to give a Protestant?
Not so sure if The Way by Clark Carlton would fly too well.....;)

Close to 9 months after we converted to Orthodoxy, we (me, husband, and 5 children) moved in with my husband's parents who are non-denom. My advice is to not say anything unless they ask, and whatever you do, don't give them any books. Casually leave the books laying around in the open . . . ;)

Love,
Christina

[Orthocat]

Lucky dog...

I'm stuck down here in Lawrenceburg.

:cry:

^_^


Hey, Lawrenceburg!!!
That's over...uhm...

ok, I have no idea where that is.

Close to Bucksnort??? :D

[Orthocat]

Close to 9 months after we converted to Orthodoxy, we (me, husband, and 5 children) moved in with my husband's parents who are non-denom. My advice is to not say anything unless they ask, and whatever you do, don't give them any books. Casually leave the books laying around in the open . . . ;)

Love,
Christina


Exactly!!
Every get-together with family certain books just happen to be lying around...
Orthodox New Testament (hardbacks) by Holy Apostles Convent are always on the coffee table...

I remember one time I was teaching the kids the Lord's Prayer in Greek. My charismatic brother-in-law thought we were speaking in tongues...

[lsg03]

Frederica Mathews-Green's Facing East would be a good book for your Mom. Fr. John Gilquist's Becoming Orthodox or Matthew Gallatin's Thirsting for God might be a good one for Dad.

Praying for you ALL (I am not in a similar situation, but my deceased father-in-law was exactly the father that you mention).
Thank you Clement!

forgivensinner001,
We really appreciate you praying for us and I know good things are coming. I'm not so afraid of their actions as I am my own.

[lsg03]

Close to 9 months after we converted to Orthodoxy, we (me, husband, and 5 children) moved in with my husband's parents who are non-denom. My advice is to not say anything unless they ask, and whatever you do, don't give them any books. Casually leave the books laying around in the open . . . ;)

Love,
Christina
Christina,

That's exactly why I asked...I wanted to have one or two lying around. Just in case someoen was curious :thumbsup:

Clement,
Thanks for the suggested reading!

[Paisley]

I remember one time I was teaching the kids the Lord's Prayer in Greek. My charismatic brother-in-law thought we were speaking in tongues...


^_^

[lsg03]

WOW....a journalist from our local newspaper was going to do an article on our little Orthodox mission here in Tupelo. Getting the front page of the Faith &Religion section of the Daily Journal is a bgi deal for us! It came out today and it was great! The funny thing is, I suspected my parents (the devout Baptists) to freak when they looked at the back page on the newspaper to see a pic of my husband venerating the cross. Turns out my husband's side is more freaked out than mine are and they're nominal Baptists. They tried to get him to marry into a Mormon family...I figure they had to be pretty open minded. Well it seems they have changed their mind on being so open....since today.
Thanksgiving is going to be very interesting this year ;)

[Oblio]

This ?

I just received via an elist:

11/17/2006 9:12:58 PM
Daily Journal






BY CHARITY GORDON


Daily Journal


TUPELO - Brad Thomas, like most area Orthodox Christians, converted from Protestantism.


The Tupelo resident grew up in a Baptist church, and his faith was important to him. But he says the spirituality there was not deep enough. So he became involved in a charismatic church.


"But there's a church on every corner," he said. "There's no unity. I got cold to that."


Thomas says he knew Christianity was truth, but he was at a loss as to what denomination could answer his deepest questions. So he searched. On one Web site, www.christianforums.com, he found a link to a site about Orthodox Christianity.


"The site said, Proclaiming the truth since 33 A.D.,'" he said. "That caught my attention."


To learn more about Orthodox Christianity, Thomas visited St. John Orthodox Church in Memphis.


He says during his first visit to St. John, he spoke with the pastor, the Very Rev. John Troy Mashburn. The pastor said to Thomas, "Take your time; investigate; read up on it," he said. "Make sure this is what you want. If you leave here, there's nowhere else you can go to find more truth."


Thomas took that advice and says he found home. He says the spirituality of the Orthodox Church "is so far beyond anything else I ever experienced."


Unlike in some churches, Thomas says Orthodox spirituality is not based on emotions - on how stirring the sermon is or how moving the music. Worship is for God, not the worshiper. And worship in this church is directed by the precepts God handed down from the Old Testament.


"We have a service that has been laid out from the beginning," he said. "It's how God told his people to worship in Leviticus. Jesus didn't come to destroy the law but to fulfill it."


Thomas says the early Christians were Jewish, and they kept their Judaic worship practices.


"They just put Jesus in the center of it," he said.



Appeared originally in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, 11/18/2006 6:00:00 AM, section C , page 6

[lsg03]

This ?

I just received via an elist:

11/17/2006 9:12:58 PM
Daily Journal






BY CHARITY GORDON


Daily Journal


TUPELO - Brad Thomas, like most area Orthodox Christians, converted from Protestantism.


The Tupelo resident grew up in a Baptist church, and his faith was important to him. But he says the spirituality there was not deep enough. So he became involved in a charismatic church.


"But there's a church on every corner," he said. "There's no unity. I got cold to that."


Thomas says he knew Christianity was truth, but he was at a loss as to what denomination could answer his deepest questions. So he searched. On one Web site, www.christianforums.com, he found a link to a site about Orthodox Christianity.


"The site said, Proclaiming the truth since 33 A.D.,'" he said. "That caught my attention."


To learn more about Orthodox Christianity, Thomas visited St. John Orthodox Church in Memphis.


He says during his first visit to St. John, he spoke with the pastor, the Very Rev. John Troy Mashburn. The pastor said to Thomas, "Take your time; investigate; read up on it," he said. "Make sure this is what you want. If you leave here, there's nowhere else you can go to find more truth."


Thomas took that advice and says he found home. He says the spirituality of the Orthodox Church "is so far beyond anything else I ever experienced."


Unlike in some churches, Thomas says Orthodox spirituality is not based on emotions - on how stirring the sermon is or how moving the music. Worship is for God, not the worshiper. And worship in this church is directed by the precepts God handed down from the Old Testament.


"We have a service that has been laid out from the beginning," he said. "It's how God told his people to worship in Leviticus. Jesus didn't come to destroy the law but to fulfill it."


Thomas says the early Christians were Jewish, and they kept their Judaic worship practices.


"They just put Jesus in the center of it," he said.



Appeared originally in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, 11/18/2006 6:00:00 AM, section C , page 6
Yeah, that's part of it. There was a really big article on the front page and a sub-artcle, if you will, which was basically Brad's interview with Ms. Gordon. My husband's picture was feature on the back page.
His family is wigging out.

[Dust and Ashes]

Wigged out Guntharps and Johnsons. Somebody throw some popcorn in the microwave and I'll grab a case of beer!

[lsg03]

Wigged out Guntharps and Johnsons. Somebody throw some popcorn in the microwave and I'll grab a case of beer!

Right! The Johnsons including Jason's mom, are going to be the most interesting. Planning on keeping mouth shut even if I have to have my tongue surgically re-attached untill they ask me something and I thought about handing out that little sheet...if your religion is***** it was founded in**** by*****. Then tellign them kindly to research church history(not Baptist history) to prove their right and we're wrong....OK...I need to go to bed...I think I may getting a little cheeky....;)

[Jacob4707]

I second Jordan Bajis COMMON GROUND over Clark Carlton, and even over Gillquist and Gallatin.

You could leave a copy of BEING AS COMMUNION by John Zizioulas lying around. (just kidding!!)

Ware's THE ORTHODOX CHURCH might also be one for them to find while cleaning your room.

[lsg03]

I second Jordan Bajis COMMON GROUND over Clark Carlton, and even over Gillquist and Gallatin.

You could leave a copy of BEING AS COMMUNION by John Zizioulas lying around. (just kidding!!)

Ware's THE ORTHODOX CHURCH might also be one for them to find while cleaning your room.
Writing that down now as we speak! Thanks for the input!

[Dust and Ashes]

Right! The Johnsons including Jason's mom, are going to be the most interesting. Planning on keeping mouth shut even if I have to have my tongue surgically re-attached untill they ask me something and I thought about handing out that little sheet...if your religion is***** it was founded in**** by*****. Then tellign them kindly to research church history(not Baptist history) to prove their right and we're wrong....OK...I need to go to bed...I think I may getting a little cheeky....;)

Baptist? Wait, I thought they were Democrats...

[lsg03]

Baptist? Wait, I thought they were Democrats...

^_^

[Dust and Ashes]

One thing you could try that might help ease the tension when those situations arise is to do something really freaky on the sofa the first time they leave you home alone. Then, whenever some situation arises and they say something and tensions are high, you and hubby can just look at each other and smile and let the issue roll of your back.

Hey, it was just an idea. :sorry:

[Oblio]

Maybe someone can smugle a mp3 recorder to the Thanksgiving dinner and post it here afterwards :idea:

[Dust and Ashes]

If we didn't already have plans with my mom's family, I'd definitely go to offer some moral support. I just hope they don't invite some "Catholic expert" to do deprogramming or something.

I still can't believe they are freaking out like this. Heck they don't even go to church themselves. I wonder how much, if any, influence my dad's girlfriend is having in the situation. She fancies herself an expert on the Bible and is pretty hostile to Orthodoxy.

[lsg03]

If we didn't already have plans with my mom's family, I'd definitely go to offer some moral support. I just hope they don't invite some "Catholic expert" to do deprogramming or something.

I still can't believe they are freaking out like this. Heck they don't even go to church themselves. I wonder how much, if any, influence my dad's girlfriend is having in the situation. She fancies herself an expert on the Bible and is pretty hostile to Orthodoxy.
You don't say! Your dad's gf does take on the role of "Master Interpreter" . They're good folks but they'll believe anything she tells them before we can get a chance to talk to them. Jason did tell her to talk to him before she jumped to any conclusions.


About the couch idea....it's really tempting! LOL!

[Xpycoctomos]

lsg03 and forgivensinner:

I'm having a hardtime understanding your posts... are you to married? Forgive my denseness but sounds as if you two are talking about the same people?

John

[Dust and Ashes]

lsg03 is married to my cousin. His mother is my father's sister's daughter if that makes sense so his grandmother is my aunt. My dad and his girlfriend live in the same town as lsg03's inlaws and frequently visit. My dad's gf loves to tell everyone what the Bible says and means and fancies herself an expert on it.

[Xpycoctomos]

Ahhh! Now it makes sense.. Thanks a lot Brad :)

[lsg03]

lsg03 and forgivensinner:

I'm having a hardtime understanding your posts... are you to married? Forgive my denseness but sounds as if you two are talking about the same people?

John
Thank you for the good laugh, John! ^_^