www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Russian Orthodox Church is Booming

Thought this would be interesting....what do we have going on in the Cincinnati area??? Considering that Cincinnati is conservative & mostly German, why is the Russian Orthodox Church growing, but we have no parish established. Any thoughts???


http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news/113568323250470.xml&coll=2

ROC meets the spiritual need of Russian immigrants in several large US cities. I don't think we would attract many of these immigrants to our Byzantine Catholic Church. For starters, they don't view us as a credible church. In many conversations with members of this population I've basically been told they view us as a small group who 'can't make up our minds what we want to be."

Sam

Same situation with St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church in New York City [Manhattan]- large influx of Ukrainians and Rusyns from Europe.

It's hard to know what people are going to decide as far as what church to attend goes, when they come from the old country. There are Russians immmigrants who prefer ROCOR to the OCA, because, they perceive it to be more like the Russian church back home. There are also MP parishes still in some larger U.S. cities. Then there are immigrants who want no part of Orthodoxy once they have the freedom to decide for themselves what church to attend (something they apparently felt they could not do back home).

What is certain is that ethnic-oriented churches still vie for those immigrants and focus much of their charities on their home countries as well, (or on where their church has a major presence). Is the Byzantine Catholic Church (Ruthenians) one of those churches? Might depend on who you talk to.

Sam,

You may be correct about some in Orthodoxy thinking we are confused. Nevertheless, what does that have to do with the question of our lack of Evangelization in Cincinnati? Do we have a mission there? Is is supported by the Eparchy? If not why not?

CDL

Before I decided to become a Byzcath, I refrained because I thought that scholasticism was the best way to evaglize the masses. Since then though I think that as Byzcatholics we have alot to offer we just need a vehicle to get the word out there. Remeber we lost lots of people when the Romans forced us to abandon our traditions in this country. We can now begin the task of reconcilliation with those people as well as our Eastern Bretheren. We need to define ourselves not as not being able to choose a side but as uniting the Christian faith once again, but thats just my opinion and I could be wrong.

Dan,
I read the original question to mean 'why aren't we attempting to evangelize the Russian immigrants in Cincinnati, hence my response that they don't see us as a credible church.

On our Ruthenian end, I believe we don't try very hard to evangelize immigrants because we are still lost in our identity crisis- we want to look American and shed the hunky baba image.

We are dropping the Slavonic, etc. to appeal to younger English-speaking Americans. ROC parishes with a large immigrant or first- generation base celebrate Liturgy in their own language. We are stuck in the middle of this too- not confident in ourselves as a church to appeal to both, let alone Hispanics,etc.

As for why we have churches on every block in Cleveland and none in Cincinnati, I have no idea. Basic maintenance of the old rather than forward thinking?

Sam

Yeh, maintenance. Trouble is, as we both know, God receives home those we maintain. Eventually leaving the Church here with no one. Somehow, I don't think that is what our Lord had in mind when He gave His life for us.

But watch the horizon. A cloud about the size of a man's hand is appearing.

Dan L

I did a little looking around and went to the church's web site which states that half the congregation happens to be converts. So, there goes the theory that they're catering to Russian immigrants. Here's a quote from their web page about their history.

"Then, in the late 1980�s, several Orthodox Christians, seeking a more traditional Church petitioned Archbishop Alypy of Chicago to start a parish in Cincinnati."

Take a look at their web page and see what they hope to build. It certainly is impressive.
www.stgeorgeroc.org [stgeorgeroc.org]

Cathy,

All it takes is vision. All we need is vision.

CDL

Wow, if I lived in the Cincinnati area I would join that parish in a heartbeat.

Andrew

Great site- thanks for the link.
It looks like they began in the 1940's and by the 1980's their numbers dwindled and they were closed, only to reopen again with new life several years later!
They are also the only Orthodox church in Cincinnati.
hmmm.
Sam

Yes, Andrew, I'm with you. But more importantly, looking at the group photos they seem like a pretty welcoming group. I truly believe that's key.

Aside from the Byzantines being a little confused over who we are, we tend to be a little unwelcoming. As I've heard others ask new parishioners, "Were you born Byzantine?" I wonder how we're supposed to grow our church and if God meant we're to proclaim the gospel just to those with Slavic heritage. That statement frightens me. But I think that's another topic.

Yes, they may be the only game in town, but again why didn't we know there was a need in Cincinnati for 'traditional church?' How excatly do missions get started? And why aren't the wealthier parishes expected to sponsor one, or at least help sponsor one? Mission work could be the legacy of a church that has the money to keep going, but not the membership. This is especially true in places like Cleveland. I know it's a sad day when you close a church, but it could be made easier through mission churches. Just my humble two cents.

That would be the ideal, but we just haven't had that type of mentality among our leadership. You almost have to beg for a mission. You have to prove you have so many families who are active and attend on a regular basis, you have to prove a substantial parish income, etc. The unbending criteria is frustrating and I believe does more to kill desire than grow a mission.
Sam

Sam and Cathy,

We're working on it. Every generation needs renewal for the Church to survive. We are in desparate need for renewal or we simply don't deserve to exist. There is a cloud on the horizon about the size of a man's hand. Keep watching and praying.

CDL