Moving Closer

The day of Renee's baptism is getting closer. We do not have a date yet but we do have a place and a plan. We currently attend a small mission in Folsom (Holy Trinity) which meets in an Episcopal Church so we don't have our own facilities. I spoke with Fr. Theodore last afternoon and we began the planning proccess. Fr. Chris at St. Anna Greek Orthodox church was very gracious to offer his parish facilities for Renee's baptism and our Chrismation (confirmation). Father Theodore and I agreed that we want these events to be evanglistic tools if you will. My desire is to invite friends and family (many who are not christians) to witness the events. Our hope is that people will hear the gospel, see the beginning of Renee's new life in the church and our public confession in the faith and be moved by it. I have been volunteering my services to the parish, I am currently constructing a blog and eventually a website. It is my desire to help the young people in the two local mission parishes to network with people in the larger christian community of Sacramento. One unique challenge is educating recent immigrants from the Holy Land and Arab nations on how to access the church that is available to them in this country. I have noticed that folk religion sometimes taints their orthodoxy. It is not my place to shepherd them and after seeing Fr. Theordore and Fr. Nectarios at work I have no worries at all. They are very, very good at articulating the faith and lovingly guiding people away from fable and to the truth. I ran into Fr. Theodores wife and kids and the library yesterday and she shared that her husband was so happy to see my evangelistic zeal. I feel a real calling to what I am doing. I love it and I love being in a parish that is dynamic and active in sharing the gospel.

I will post the dates of our baptism and chrismations when I have them. Pray for us please and pray for our mission as we bring the light of Christ into the darkness.