milovany Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 This thread has been such a blessing to read! It has put into words many of the things that I have been feeling, but have been unable to articulate. I am very active at my church. I lead a Bible Study for moms, I am the coordinator for our MOPS group. I work in the nursery. Even with all of that, I feel isolated and dead in the church, and know that many ( Many!) others feel the same way. I do have a relationship with God, but the joy has been sucked out of it. I am going to read up on some of the books and articles that have been posted. Thanks! The Exploring Orthodox Christianity social group here at WTM is pretty active. I extend a warm invitation to come visit us, if you'd like. Many of us have felt the exact same way you are describing (self included). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avila Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I am just going to put this out there because we don't have an active social group on WTM like the ever-gracious Orthodox ladies do. But if anyone wants to discuss, with no pressure, the Roman Catholic Church and its theology, please feel free to PM or email me. I am only an amateur, but I would be happy to help, if I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twilight Woods Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 So if you believe in God....what's next? I have been at a crossroads for awhile but Im not sure where I am going and I want to go there and lead my children there as well-BUT I want much more for my DD's. I want them to grow and learn and ask questions....I went to a Lutheran school, was not practiced at home and don't remember much. I tried a church this year but it was to much like attending a concert even though the Pastor was a great speaker. My DD came home one day and said she was "saved" she was ministered too by a neighbor. When I questioned her about it she didn't have a fill grasp of it other than if she wasn't saved she was going to hell. :glare: I dunno. Confused would be the best word to describe me right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molly Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Do you have a full understanding of the bible? If you do, I would say go for the ancient church history (I presuming you are talking about biblical times?) If not, something that we are using as a family to increase not only the children's understanding of the bible but also ours is Balancing the Sword by Allen. B. Wolfe. This is just purely studying the bible, it just is asking questions relevant to the particular chapter you are reading. It is amazing and really enhancing our current knowledge of the bible. You can do it on your own, or do it with the family. Honestly this has been the best study we have ever come across because it is not filled with people's opinions, but is relying on the word of God to speak for itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 I only read the first 3 pages, so I am sorry if this has been mentioned. ON thing that I love about the historical churches is that they communicate with one and another, and work on things together. I believe it was 1996, when a group last sat down and set the reading for the next x amount of years (what we are still reading from). So I went to my Episcopalian church on Sunday and was really struck by the reading that day. I posted about them on facebook. I had a friend respond and ask if I was Catholic as they had the same reading that day, and then a Lutheran friend say they had the same reading too. I thought that was really great, across the country, 3 big faiths are reading the same passages and praying on them every Sunday. The other thing I like about the Episcopal church compared to some churches that I have been to, we have whole passages read to us. Not 10 different sentences from 8 different books and 3 different versions of the bible. Best of luck. Nicole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaSheep Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 So if you believe in God....what's next? I have been at a crossroads for awhile but Im not sure where I am going and I want to go there and lead my children there as well-BUT I want much more for my DD's. I want them to grow and learn and ask questions....I went to a Lutheran school, was not practiced at home and don't remember much. I tried a church this year but it was to much like attending a concert even though the Pastor was a great speaker. My DD came home one day and said she was "saved" she was ministered too by a neighbor. When I questioned her about it she didn't have a fill grasp of it other than if she wasn't saved she was going to hell. :glare: I dunno. Confused would be the best word to describe me right now. Maybe the next step is to explore what do you believe ABOUT God, and why? Ask God to guide you and help you recognize truth when you find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momsquared Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 I converted to Roman Catholicism.:D Me too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Dup. Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 I converted to Roman Catholicism.:D Same here. :D The Catholic faith is beautiful, I will never be able to uncover even a glimmer of the beautiful mysteries of the Catholic faith *swoon*...needless to say, I'm very happy now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Same here. :D The Catholic faith is beautiful, I will never be able to uncover even a glimmer of the beautiful mysteries of the Catholic faith *swoon*...needless to say, I'm very happy now. That's how I feel about Orthodoxy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twilight Woods Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Do you have a full understanding of the bible? If you do, I would say go for the ancient church history (I presuming you are talking about biblical times?) If not, something that we are using as a family to increase not only the children's understanding of the bible but also ours is Balancing the Sword by Allen. B. Wolfe. This is just purely studying the bible, it just is asking questions relevant to the particular chapter you are reading. It is amazing and really enhancing our current knowledge of the bible. You can do it on your own, or do it with the family. Honestly this has been the best study we have ever come across because it is not filled with people's opinions, but is relying on the word of God to speak for itself. Thank you. Your initial question is a good one, and one I am sure you are asking not only of the Board but in your heart and even of God. "God, what's next?" is a perfectly good prayer...and prayer is how we commune with God. Ask the question, begin the dialogue. Start to pray. If you need to borrow some words, as is often the case when you are just getting started in a relationship, you can start with the Lord's Prayer. And here is another wonderful prayer, one many people say every morning (the first one on this page): http://www.orthodoxprayer.org/Morning%20Prayers.html. If you are interested in visiting an Orthodox Church, which services will *not* be like a concert (smile), please feel free to send me a PM. Kind regards, Patty Joanna That is a beautiful prayer. I did send you a PM. Maybe the next step is to explore what do you believe ABOUT God, and why? Ask God to guide you and help you recognize truth when you find it. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twilight Woods Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Got it! I've responded AND I am sending you another one. :0) I hope that is OK. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophiaH Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 An update on me: This thread by GretaLynne was so timely and helped in starting my family on a new path, and this thread by JenniferB revived our initial searching. We have since become catechumens in the Orthodox Church and are being chrismated next Sunday! Thank God for PJ and Milovany and all the wonderful ladies on the EO board! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 An update on me: This thread by GretaLynne was so timely and helped in starting my family on a new path, and this thread by JenniferB revived our initial searching. We have since become catechumens in the Orthodox Church and are being chrismated next Sunday! Thank God for PJ and Milovany and all the wonderful ladies on the EO board! How wonderful, may God grant you and your family many years! Come over to the social group and tell us more ~ would love to hear your story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 Can anyone recommend where one should start to learn about EO? I was raised Lutheran, and have been wandering for a while. I studied the History of Christianity for a while in college. (toyed with minoring and took a lot of classes.) Anyways, color me intrigued. :D I'm sure it's been mentioned already in this thread, but DS is begging me to play legos,so I don't have time to read the whole thing. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milovany Posted October 15, 2011 Share Posted October 15, 2011 (edited) Can anyone recommend where one should start to learn about EO? I was raised Lutheran, and have been wandering for a while. I studied the History of Christianity for a while in college. (toyed with minoring and took a lot of classes.) Anyways, color me intrigued. :D I'm sure it's been mentioned already in this thread, but DS is begging me to play legos,so I don't have time to read the whole thing. Thanks! A couple of my favorites: The Orthodox Church by Kallistos (Timothy) Ware Common Ground by Jordan Bajis Facing East by Frederica Mathews-Green Each has its own focus. The first gives the history and doctrine of the church, the second introduces Eastern Christianity to Americans and the third is a personal tome of the author's first year as an Orthodox Christian. Visiting is one of the best ways to learn about the church. Come and see, as we like to say. :001_smile: And feel free to PM me as well if interested in private conversation. Edited October 15, 2011 by milovaný Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Once Again Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 "Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up" has really helped me in understanding the early church. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 "Will the Real Heretics Please Stand Up" has really helped me in understanding the early church. That book is extremely off on it's "facts". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I absolutely hate it when scripture is taken out of the original context! I believe that God makes 'excellent lemonade' from the lemons that sin brings into our lives. I actually had a 'spiritual evangelical person' say to me "It was God's will that you lost your baby" (3rd trimester still birth)... I had another 'Christian' say that it was God's will that I was 'abused' when I was a child... sheesh did these people actually listen to what they were saying???? I believe that God has a plan for our lives-- I also believe that we have FREE WILL--and that we are all sinners. I believe that God knows the choices that we will make--and that our 'sin' grieves Him--but that because of Jesus and the Gospel we have the CHOICE of salvation. I am disheartened by the contemporary evangelical 'formula' for Christianity-- go to Church every Sunday, pray xxx many minutes every morning, read xxx of the Bible every day, do xxx many Bible studies... do all of the above and God will 'bless' you for it and nothing too 'bad' will happen-- this just does not mesh with the Bible (just read about what happened to Peter and Paul when they obeyed God and went out into the world!). I consider myself evangelical because I believe that God has asked us to join Him in HIS Great Commission... it is all about God-- not about us and how 'good' we are (because we aren't.) I believe that my relationship with God is between Him and me-- but I also believe that Christians are called to 'Live Out Loud'... (this does not mean shove the Gospel down the throats of others--but rather letting God love others THROUGH us). My church friends and family just don't understand why I believe this way... :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 A couple of my favorites: The Orthodox Church by Kallistos (Timothy) Ware Common Ground by Jordan Bajis Facing East by Frederica Mathews-Green Each has its own focus. The first gives the history and doctrine of the church, the second introduces Eastern Christianity to Americans and the third is a personal tome of the author's first year as an Orthodox Christian. Visiting is one of the best ways to learn about the church. Come and see, as we like to say. :001_smile: And feel free to PM me as well if interested in private conversation. Thank you! I remember being intrigued in college, but it never went further than that. I would love to find a new church! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unscripted Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I converted to Roman Catholicism.:D Ditto! I became very sour in the UMC in the late 90's... Attended a mass with a boy I was dating at the time- took a year to investigate on my own, and then began RCIA and converted a year later. My parents disowned me over the conversion (yes, really)... But I am so grateful for my conversion now. I have definitely found my home in the RCC. I have truly grown in ways that I would have never even been exposed to had I remained methodist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathmom Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Anyone who is becoming dissatisfied with evangelical life may want to read this incredible book, How to Go From Being a Good Evangelical to a Committed Catholic in 95 Difficult Steps: http://www.amazon.com/Evangelical-Committed-Catholic-Ninety-Five-Difficult/dp/1610970330/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318779975&sr=8-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WIS0320 Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 I converted to Roman Catholicism.:D I did too, in 2009! It was a huge shock to my family, for sure. My sister entered the Church this past Easter. My mother is still stunned that both her children are Catholic but she seems to be at peace with it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I.Dup. Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 OK, I just read the first post when I initially answered a couple pages ago, now I came back and read the entire thread. WOW, what an amazing thread!!! I didn't realize it was an old thread! :tongue_smilie:I actually got chills when I read the OP's update. How amazing! I just love seeing the Holy Spirit calling us all out into deeper communion with Him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twilight Woods Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 resent :) Dear Karen, I got a notice that you sent aPM but my box was full. There is room now, so please re-send, if you wish. Kind regards, Patty Joanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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