www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization How many new missions do we plan to plant

I'm not familiar with the situation in Australia but it is precisely when the economy is down that most good religious advances, at least visible advances, are done. It doesn't take much of any outlay of money to start a mission. It takes free time, commitment, and focus but very little money. It seems to me this is a perfect time to start new missions.

CDL

Agreed.

And to build on that point...

For us to plant a new church, there has to be a group of people who are already Eastern Christian or who are potentially open to that. Much is said about how the Eastern Church is "organic" and how it grows where there is already a community. It doesn't try to create a community where none was there already (with the exception being monasteries).

So, we could try to start some new monasteries...

Or, for the rest of us, we could try to identify where there might be fertile ground (so to speak) to plant a new church, and to start doing brief readers services mixed in with some kind of outreach activity.

For example... I've often thought that one could start missionizing in a college town by hosting a lecture series on Byzantine Christianity at the local cool coffeehouse / bookstore that has a meeting room. For 60 minutes or less in that room, there would be some slides of the beauty of Eastern Christendom, and some lecture on various topics, and then some questions and answers, and then a brief service. If it is in the evening, a little chant from Vespers would be appropriate (Trisagion Prayers, a Psalm or two, and then "Oh Gladsome Light"? ). Include with that a little incense, a few bells, some partial prostrations and icons, etc. Then, when the service is done, serve some traditional baked goods and have informal conversation. Get 'em on all senses. Do this once a week for 10 weeks during each semester, and at the end of every lecture include a low key but genuine invitation to come to Vespers and Divine Liturgy. Over time (several years), you just might get some converts / reverts.

Just my two cents' worth of imagination this morning. :-)

-- John

For what it is worth you might want to check out the links below. They all lead to Byzantine Catholic Churches or missions in North Carolina.

In Christ:
Einar

http://saintscyrilandmethodius.org/

http://saintvando.org/

http://saintnicholasraleigh.org/

http://www.saintbasilcharlotte.org/

http://saintnicholasraleigh.org/saint_michaels_mission_in_pinehurst_nc

Hi John,
I think you are right on point. Often we need to be the change that has to happen (to borrow a phrase from Mohandas Gandhi). Colleges are a great place to do exactly what you are talking about. Even one or two people can make a big difference in mission planting if they are willing to go about it and what you are talking about does not cost alot of money - still, if a church near you would be willing to pitch in a few bucks, or better yet, a few people to help you out - i think you have identified a way for a community to get off the ground. But, alas, as the Lord said to Isaiah in Isaiah Ch. 6 "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" (hint?)
Blessings and best wishes.

In Nashville, TN, we have not only a location (graciously supplied by Bishop Choby -- the Roman Catholic Bishop), but also a great priest who is willing to become bi-ritual (in fact, he has the legal faculties - it is just that every time an arrangement to train him gets set up, it falls through). In the meantime we've started doing reader's services as we can. We fly in a priest sporadically as we can find one who is available. At the last Divine Liturgy, we got over 30 people, and barely did any advertising due to the short notice. All we need is to get our very willing priest trained . . .

Justin

Sean,

Actually, St Ignatios, its founding 30 years ago a testament to Archpriest Daniel (Munn), of blessed memory, is a parish of the Eparchy of Newton, not a mission.

Many years,

Neil

The last three posts are very thought-provoking and inspiring. I'm travelling today, so I can't write much now, but I will think on all of this and respond soon.

Most definitely!

Readers services are also a good idea. I am scheduled to do one next week. Does anyone happen to have a Reader-led Daily Vespers written out already?

I have Daily and Great Vespers pdf, but in the "usual" UGCC English translations.

Getting back to the "college connection", this can be very fruitful. I have taught a class for a number of years at our local Catholic college on the Eastern Catholic Churches, and am preparing to conduct more regular services there as well. I have had nothing but positive experiences and encouragement from both the students and faculty.

The Metropolitan Cantor Institute has the Vesper reader services Here [metropolitancantorinstitute.org].

Yes, I just wanted something I could simply print-and-go. There are a lot of replacements to be made following that document, which I have largely done, but now have no musical notation for people to follow.

No one mentioned St. Basil's Byzantine (Ruthenian) Catholic Mission in State College, PA headed by Father Bob Oravetz.

The message of Metropolitan Stefan Soroka, given in October 2008 to the 50th anniversary Sobor of the UGCC Metropolia of Philadelphia, provides a lot of food for thought.

See this link, especially the story Vladyka Stefan relates on page nine of the document.

http://www.ukrarcheparchy.us/way/THEWAY081231SOBOR.pdf

Interesting... Thank you for posting that.