Do ya'll have home group meetings?

[christianmomof3]

Do you have informal times when you read the Bible together and study the word and pray together?

[kamikat]

It depends on the church. My church has a Wednesday night bible study. I know some of the larger churches in the area have ladies's groups, senior groups, teen groups, new mother's playgroups, ect. It really depends on the local church.

[choirfiend]

Much of the "home group" stuff has been done in various denominations because that experience is lacking from the average non-liturgical "Sunday worship" experience. In Orthodoxy, Bible study happens during the Liturgy, with the reading of the Epistle and Gospel, the sermon, the fact that something like 90% of the Liturgy is scriptural quotations. Personal interaction happens as we gather together in one Body, one Community/Communion, joined together in the Eucharist, and we spend the entire hour and a half (on average) praying together, rather than listening to a long sermon or having limited interaction (with the focus on the personal experience) of singing today's worship music.

This is no bash--but can help explain what looks like "dead ritual" to someone unfamiliar with it to show the living joy of worship together.

And yes, there are often chances for social interaction, continued bible study, and private/small group prayer through women's and men's groups, young adults groups, retirees groups, sundays schools, college ministries, etc.

[Sacrum Silentium]

Every Tuesday night in the fellowship hall after Vespers. :)

[eoe]

I imagine that you would fine the home gatherings mainly in the smaller parishes where they lack the facilities to have them at the actual temple. Once you have a large facility - why not use it?

Having said that... my own parish has so many things going on that you can literally go to church every day and still miss out on some things.

[Dust and Ashes]

We started out praying Small Compline in each other's homes before we got a borrowed conference room. Now we are going to have our own leased space to pray and meet in.

[ModernDaySpyridon]

It does depend on the congregation. We have something called Theology 101 about a half hour after the DL where we can ask Father questions about his homily, the scripture readings, or anything else about the Church.

[Dust and Ashes]

Oh, we frequently watch catechism videos and have discussions after we pray on Wednesdays and Father comes down once a month, when his schedule allows, and teaches and does a Q&A.

[MariaRegina]

Our priest has given permission for a parishioner to hold a bible study in his home every Friday evening.

Of course, this parishioner graduated from seminary.

[hungrytiger]

Our priest has given permission for a parishioner to hold a bible study in his home every Friday evening.

Of course, this parishioner graduated from seminary.

Is this to imply one needs to have graduated from seminary in order to hold a bible study?

[MariaRegina]

Usually the Bible Studies held in homes are conducted by Deacons or Priests who have graduated from seminary or completed the St. Stephan's Course of Studies.

[christianmomof3]

So, it looks like you call your church leaders priests - is that correct?
And it seems that you also call them Father - is that correct?
Do you have any informal type of Bible studies without a licenced or degreed seminary graduate type person, or do you think that you have to have a qualified leader with you to have any type of group Bible study?

[DonVA]

Our parishes Bible study is Tuesday nights at 6:30 with Father.

I think studying with the priest is important, and keeps us from misinterpreting the scriptures.

[Kristos]

My parish doesn't have home bible studies. We do have weekly theological study at the chruch, lead by the priest and a seminarian. Note I said theological - I guess this could also be termed spiritual, but the point is that it's more than just the Bible - the Bible is an important part, but there is much more available to help one on their Way (Theosis if you will).

[Mary of Bethany]

So, it looks like you call your church leaders priests - is that correct?
And it seems that you also call them Father - is that correct?
Do you have any informal type of Bible studies without a licenced or degreed seminary graduate type person, or do you think that you have to have a qualified leader with you to have any type of group Bible study?

Yes
Yes
Not absolutely, but not just anyone can say they want to lead a Bible Study. Our Priest would carefully choose someone, if he didn't want to do it himself. We believe there is a right understanding of Scripture, taught by the Church. We don't believe that just any interpretation is okay, or that one person's opinion is just as good as the next, which is what you sometimes find in other churches.

Mary

[Sacrum Silentium]

Exactly. Father Mark graduated from seminary in Pennsylvania, and even he doesn't very often give personal insights. We are in the Gospel of Saint Mark right now, and he gives commentaries from Blessed Theophylact. We don't put much trust in our own understanding Biblically, especially in comparison to the Fathers who were great theologians. Besides, with over 30,000 Christian sects in existence today nearly all with their own ideas of the Scriptures, we're not too keen on starting 30,001 -- catch my drift?

What we believe about the Scriptures today were believed centuries ago. This is why we won't have any parishioner lead a study who simply isn't educated.

[Tsarina]

My hubby and I created the habbit to sit down everyday, light candles and incence by our icon wall and start of with a Prayer before study and praying for the people we know.

Then we follow up with commerating the Saints of the day and read the Proluge along with the Hymn of Praise. After that, we read a chapter each day from the Old Testament (we're on the book of Maccabes right now).. and then we read a chapter from the Gospels.

Following the readings, we do a prayer after study and again comemorate the Saints of the day.

[Sacrum Silentium]

My hubby and I created the habbit to sit down everyday, light candles and incence by our icon wall and start of with a Prayer before study and praying for the people we know.

Then we follow up with commerating the Saints of the day and read the Proluge along with the Hymn of Praise. After that, we read a chapter each day from the Old Testament (we're on the book of Maccabes right now).. and then we read a chapter from the Gospels.

Following the readings, we do a prayer after study and again comemorate the Saints of the day.
That's awesome. :)

[eoe]

So, it looks like you call your church leaders priests - is that correct?

Not exactly. Priests are presbyters - it is specific ordained status. The leaders of a specific church are the parish council. They set the salary for the priest - hence - they are the leaders. They make the decisions to build stuff or move etc. Parish council members can be male or female. Other requirements for qho can be on the council would be set up by them.

And it seems that you also call them Father - is that correct?
Yup. Just like Paul was Timothy's spiritual Father, the priest is our Spiritual Father.
Do you have any informal type of Bible studies without a licenced or degreed seminary graduate type person, or do you think that you have to have a qualified leader with you to have any type of group Bible study?

There are no concrete rules about this. If a group wanted to meet in someone's home to study the scriptures - they can do that. There is nothing at all that prevents it.
What is ideal though is to have the study led by a knowledgeable person - even better someone that has been to seminary.

Here is one thing to understand - we do not sit about and say "Gee I think this means x so that is what I am going to believe because it makes me feel good and happy".
We do not invent doctrine or theology. The worst insult you can give to an Orthodox person is to call them an innovator. We do not want anything new or trendy. We keep the faith as it is and we do not mess with it. So.... the idea of sitting aound a table with lay people imagining various meanings behind a scripture is completely foreign. We would simply ask a priest or bishop what it meant and then discuss that and not add to it.

Once you have the whole truth, any alteration, subtraction or addition reduces that truth to something less than the truth.

Make sense?

[NyssaTheHobbit]

Usually the Bible Studies held in homes are conducted by Deacons or Priests who have graduated from seminary or completed the St. Stephan's Course of Studies.

That explains why I was just told we don't have Bible studies because we don't have our own priest.

[choirfiend]

That's right--because we are looking for the CORRECT interpretation of those Scriptures that are fitting for teaching, learning, and reproofing--not Jo-Bob's personal interpretation.

[christianmomof3]

Here is one thing to understand - we do not sit about and say "Gee I think this means x so that is what I am going to believe because it makes me feel good and happy".
We do not invent doctrine or theology. The worst insult you can give to an Orthodox person is to call them an innovator. We do not want anything new or trendy. We keep the faith as it is and we do not mess with it. So.... the idea of sitting aound a table with lay people imagining various meanings behind a scripture is completely foreign. We would simply ask a priest or bishop what it meant and then discuss that and not add to it.

Hmm, several other people alluded to interpreting scriptures as well. But, I did not mention that in my question.
I do not think there is a need to interpret scripture when studying the Bible. That has already been done.
What about just getting together to read the Bible together and pray together and enjoy the Lord together?
Do ya'll ever do that?
Do you think you need a priest or seminarian with you to just read the Bible, pray and enjoy the Lord together?

When we have home group meetings, we sing hymns together and enjoy the Lord and pray and sometimes read the Bible and pray over the verses in it or we read ministry books together along with the Bible. But we don't sit around "imagining various meanings behind scripture."

[choirfiend]

We have an adult bible study at my church. The leader has a blessing from Father to lead it. They did graduate from seminary--but it wasnt an Orthodox seminary. As long as what is being taught is the teaching of the Church, anyone can teach or have a bible study.

And, you may want to check out the Orthodox Study Bible with great footnotes that offer the Church's teachings on many of the verses.

[choirfiend]

Oh, sure. there's plenty of social interaction--or there can be, if people want to start the groups for it.

[Akathist]

Our parish is very very small. We have "Adult Education" after Vespers most Saturday evenings this is focused on teaching the basics of the Church for the most part and is geared to inquirers but many of the rest of us go as we still have much to learn even after converting.

There is a group of women who have started to meet on Thursday evenings. They say an akathist (which is a group prayer) together and talk about certain books they all pick to read together. I can't attend as I work every Thursday evening but I understand that the Priest stays home and watches the kids so his wife can attend and I don't think the Deacon comes so there is therefore no one officially trained in theology in attendence. They meet at the Church as it is more conveniently located then anyone's home but it could be held in a home otherwise.

The local Orthodox student group at a nearby university has their official meetings at the university but a small group of them have started to meet in homes once a week for a meal and group prayer (they do the Small Compline typically.) Again, this is on a night I have to work.

I am having my houseblessing later this month and am having a two couples join the Priest for dinner. We will say group prayers about the blessing and protection of my home that night.

Keep in mind that bible quotes are found through out our prayers so praying is in itself a form of bible study. However, you will find a great deal of Orthodox read the bible verses assigned in our calenders on nearly a weekly basis. The Holy Bible is greatly respected in our services and in our homes!

[irishseventysix]

Every other Saturday, or so, a few of the men (9, to be exact) in my parish get together to have a "family group" time. We're connected by either blood relation or through the godfather/godson relationship. I'm in our group and so is MDS. We get together and talk about lots of things, like how we're doing spiritually, things we're learning, what's going on in life, etc. We have listened to Fr. Hopko's sermon series on love. And more than once, we've prayed the Small Compline service together.

It's good to get a blessing from the priest, at least. But yeah, we're totally free to meet with each other. MDS and a few other people in my parish and I were all good friends before we came into Orthodoxy. And we've carried our friendship through our Orthodox experiences.

[icxn]

... What about just getting together to read the Bible together and pray together and enjoy the Lord together?
Do ya'll ever do that?

When we have home group meetings, we sing hymns together and enjoy the Lord and pray and sometimes read the Bible and pray over the verses in it or we read ministry books together along with the Bible.
That is exactly what our services are about. I think you need to visit an Orthodox service, preferably a Vespers or Matins service. Lots of chanting and reading of scripture in there.

[Dust and Ashes]

That is exactly what our services are about. I think you need to visit an Orthodox service, preferably a Vespers or Matins service. Lots of chanting and reading of scripture in there.

I was just going to say that. We meet and pray Small Compline with no clergy and often pray Vespers with a visiting subdeacon.

[Sacrum Silentium]

Absolutely.

And let's not forget that after Divine Liturgy ever Sunday there's coffee hour. And that's not just at parish discretion, that's universal. ;)

[Tsarina]

That's awesome. :)

It definatley is. A good rule of prayer for each day can totally help you spiritually. :angel:

[Sacrum Silentium]

Without a doubt. Father Mark explained it to me that daily prayers for the Orthodox are askesis, spiritual exercise. It trains us in our sinful state to pray even when we don't want to, and given time, when we begin to see the results, it becomes a want and a need.

I've noticed in sinful self how my prayer isn't always very noetic. One second it's 'have mercy', the next it's 'deer jerky' or something. :D But when you really discipline yourself through continuous prayer and constantly setting your nous on God, it becomes fruitful and profitable -- though no prayer truly goes unheard.

I love how we're sometimes given the grace to feel the peace in knowing our prayers have been heard. And it seems that the more we pray, the more open we are to that.

Now I'm just rambling, but, keep praying! :D

[Tsarina]

Without a doubt. Father Mark explained it to me that daily prayers for the Orthodox are askesis, spiritual exercise. It trains us in our sinful state to pray even when we don't want to, and given time, when we begin to see the results, it becomes a want and a need.

I've noticed in sinful self how my prayer isn't always very noetic. One second it's 'have mercy', the next it's 'deer jerky' or something. :D But when you really discipline yourself through continuous prayer and constantly setting your nous on God, it becomes fruitful and profitable -- though no prayer truly goes unheard.

I love how we're sometimes given the grace to feel the peace in knowing our prayers have been heard. And it seems that the more we pray, the more open we are to that.

Now I'm just rambling, but, keep praying! :D

Amen to that!

:clap: