More Town Halls, and Dickens Too

Dear Guido,
Thank you for your optimism.
Father Paul and I have made it a tradition to watch Dickens' A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott as Scrooge at least once a holiday season. Dickens' wrote one of the best popular stories and icons on the power of true repentance that is out there.
However, I don't know if the OCA can find that true spirit of repentance without some strong help from some "spirits" too, such as possibly merging with the Antiochians. I don't know if just a retirement of a metropolitan will be enough.
Getting visited by three spirits in one night was a rather dramatic way in which Marley was able to capture Scrooge's attention. I think the "spirits" within our current OCA's situation is weaving their own magic. Merging may be the best way out of the OCA's dark past and a way toward the contructive 'redemption and reclamation' that Scrooge experienced.
Time will tell.
Patty Schellbach

#1 Patty Schellbach on 2008-06-20 17:24

Splendid post. I particularly like the wisdom quoted from an 'apocryphal gospel' in the signature.

If we don't laugh a little, we'll be crying and doing nothing useful. Keep up these insightful posts from these writers from all over the OCA, Mark.

I agree with Patty that it needs something dramatic to get the attention of our current hierarchs. But what? The call for the whole synod's resignation has gone out already. Perhaps, to turn from Dickens to Shakespeare, we need to enact some sort of play at the AAC, in which to 'catch the conscience of the king'........

#2 Valentine on 2008-06-20 18:33

Excellent reflection! It seems though that the structures (hierarchal, even liturgical) within many churches, including especially the Orthodox Churches, are set up in such a way to induce almost everyone towards the opposite direction, i.e. towards self-serving action of one sort or another. Servant leadership, whether at the episcopal level or at the lay level or in between, needs to be more deliberately cultivated with an emphasis on humility.

Unfortunately, the erudite nature of the reflection is more likely to turn a lot of laity off. In such a temptation, one must resolve to parse through the essay slowly and take it to heart.

(By the way, the style of writing and the use of certain esoteric terms, such as eisegesis, leads me to wonder if I know the writer, but I will refrain from identifying him …. or her.)

#3 Terry C. Peet on 2008-06-20 21:49

It's all moot and baloney! If this is the best they can come up with to try and restore confidence, it's a shame. How stupid do the SOB and MC think the people are? Dog and pony shows so in the history of the OCA, they can say they addressed the issues of the laos. WHERE ARE THE RESIGNATIONS? WHY ISN'T + HERMAN GONE? WHY HASEN"T RSK & + THEODOSIUS BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURTS AND LOCKED-UP FOR FRAUD & THEFT? WAS IS RSK STILL SERVING IN VENICE, FLORIDA AFTER BEING DEPOSED?

(Editor's note: RSK does not serve in Venice FL, as a priest. He serves as the parish outreach coordinator, performing all the tasks of a priest sans liturgical ones. Supporters point to the fact that such efforts have increased membership in the parish in the past two years: critics point out it is inappropriate for a defrocked priest to stand in the altar in the high place during Liturgy, as does a Bishop. In the end this is a decision of Archbishop Dmitri to allow what he wants in his diocese.)

#4 Anonymous on 2008-06-21 06:35

He does what? Where does he commune? Is he dressed in civilian clothes?

(editor's note: according to a recent witness, he wears a cassock while in the Church.)

#4.1 Anonymous on 2008-06-21 09:25

What's wrong with wearing a cassock ? NOTHING

#4.1.1 Anonymous on 2008-06-23 10:36

If you look at the website for Holy Spirit Church in Venice, FL, you can see photos of Rodion Kondratick wearing a cassock. As he is no longer a priest, why is he wearing a cassock? It's not some sort of costume for laymen to try out.

Lord have mercy on me! Lord have mercy on His faithful flock in America and guide us!

#4.1.2 Also Anonymous (Link) on 2008-06-24 17:37

Dear Anonymous,

Wearing a cassock is proper and quite appropriate to anyone tonsured as a Reader; it is also proper and required for even a novice monastic...and theologically, most monastics in our tradition are laity. So kindly do your homework.

And how 'bout digging up the courage to sign your name? If you're gonna whine about petty stuff, at least have the guts to own it.

Fr. Philip

#4.1.2.1 Igumen Philip (Speranza) on 2008-06-25 04:22

RSK doesn't stand in the altar, but uis a great help in the community. People in Fla. don't believe Herman's and his minions garbage.

#4.2 Anonymous on 2008-06-22 10:15

Dear Mark,
Just a slight correction. The additional Town Hall Meetings were NOT in response to criticism. The preliminary listings were just that, "preliminary". As you can see locations and times have been changed several times even to the last day. Certainly if time permitted there would be many more Town Hall Meetings. Planning and staffing the meetings as well as host locations were in the planning stages, as you may know, from the beginning.
Thanks and Blessings,
+ NIKON

(Editor's note: Thank you for your clarification, Your Grace. There is nothing wrong with responding to criticism, however. No one expects Church bodies to be perfect; they do, however, expect to be listened to when they have a concern. Isn't that the point of the Town Halls?

That being said OCANews.org will stand by its reporting. In the original press release announcing the Town Halls the word "preliminary" does not appear; nor does it appear in the press release of the Synod's acceptance of the Town Halls weeks later... Indeed, Your Grace would seem to infer that no more would be held when you stated in the first announcement that: "Time does not permit holding these Town meetings in every deanery and region, and our faithful are encouraged to attend the closest meeting in their area," said His Grace, Bishop Nikon of Boston, New England, and the Albanian Archdiocese, Preconciliar Commission chair. "You won't want to miss this opportunity to voice your opinion."
If Your Grace knew that others might be arranged, why would you, or another member of the PCC, or the Synod, or Syosset, at least mention that possibility? To the contrary, you seemed to be suggesting this was it, so get on board....

The bottom line is that more are going to be held, and that is a good thing, for which we both can rejoice, however we may continue to differ in our understanding of how we got there. )

#5 Bishop Nikon on 2008-06-21 07:42

Tried to reply to the first post (Patty S.) but got message Replies to this post have been disabled

Any, merging with Antiochians would be wonderful in my opinion.
Karen

#6 Karen Jermyn on 2008-06-23 05:50

Merging with the Antiochians should have happened in 1971. Now, 38 years later, we still hear + Philip say he wants this, but in typical Byzantine fashion, no action! Lots of talk and no action - this pretty much sums up Orthodoxy and the Town Meetings!

#6.1 Anonymous on 2008-06-23 10:23

More Town Halls, and Dickens Too

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Friday, June 20. 2008

More Town Halls, and Dickens Too

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