Being Recieved into Orthodoxy

[Matushka Anna]

Dear Orthodox Learner,

Don't rely on the internet. Go to an Orthodox parish, attend the services, and talk to the priest. Ask him directly and he will ask his bishop about how best to receive you. Then you're dealing with certainty.

My husband calls parish life the "rock tumbler," because it's like the rock tumblers that you put semi-precious stones in. Then you add grit. The rocks roll around and bump against each other and in the process become gems fit for the Master's service. But in the mean time, you bump around and get abbraised. It's spiritually beneficial. It sounds like in your previous parish you were loved. This is a good thing. Come to church, help out, be useful, stay for coffee. Orthodoxy isn't just learned; it also must be lived.

Hang in there!

In Christ,
Matushka Ann Lardas

[Daniel]

Slava Isusu Christu!

I was wondering, if I could appon request be recieved into Holy Orthodoxy by the 3 Mysteries of Initiation (Baptism,Chrismation, Eucharist).
I dont want to be (Re-Chrismated) to be accepted into Orthodoxy. Is this possiable in any main stream Orthodox Jurisdictions such as the Antiochian or the Greek Orthodox Churches?

In Christ

I have been personally told by the OCA that heterodox converts are not baptized, and that the bishops strictly forbid what they call 'corrective baptism' (whatever that may be).

[priestmark]

Dear Orthodox Learner,

Don't rely on the internet. Go to an Orthodox parish, attend the services, and talk to the priest. Ask him directly and he will ask his bishop about how best to receive you. Then you're dealing with certainty.

You mentioned that you already have a spiritual father (sometimes people here use these terms quite loosely as I discovered when someone once mentioned that I was their spiritual father). You need to trust him or find another, rather than coming into the marketplace to see what others have to offer.

my Spiritual Father is ROCOR.
[...]
so it will either be The Antiochian Orthodox or Greek Orthodox Church.

Must be a new-style ROCOR!

Where are you located? With that information people may be able to give you some positive options that are closer to you. The alternative is to travel further to church, not to settle for a non-traditional parish close by. I travelled to church for 10 years. It is an effort, but sometimes it has to be done. Your local priest (local = wherever you commune) should be your spiritual father for the very reasons Matushka points out.

Pay attention to the obvious things people are not saying - that can be communication too. For example a certain ROCOR hieromonk who blesses his 'lay affiliates' (aka "arm's length" relationship) to commune at their local Antiochian parish, is not to be found in any clergy directory (by hierarchical direction).

My husband calls parish life the "rock tumbler," because it's like the rock tumblers that you put semi-precious stones in. Then you add grit. The rocks roll around and bump against each other and in the process become gems fit for the Master's service. But in the mean time, you bump around and get abbraised. It's spiritually beneficial. It sounds like in your previous parish you were loved. This is a good thing. Come to church, help out, be useful, stay for coffee. Orthodoxy isn't just learned; it also must be lived.

Matushka is a writer. With that skill she just summed up everything I was trying to say on another thread about "arm's length" relationships with distant spiritual fathers. Orthodoxy must be lived.

o. Mark
old style ROCA

[PFC Nektarios]

Thinking about it he is not my "Spiritual Father" Per say, but a Spiritual Director who gives me advice, since we both live in different states.

I was told it was OK to go to the Antiochian or Greek Parish, because
there is no other Churches besides an OCA Parish, A Coptic Monophysite Parish, a Greek and the Antiochian Parish, whos priest is
a Traditionalist Priest just in a Main Stream Orthodox Jurisdiction. This
Priest would fit perfectly in ROCOR, thats how traditional.

So I was told I could go to the Antiochian or Greek parish, and the Greek parish is a little bit further and it looks to me more Modernized, with pews and things like that. Its not a New ROCOR, its just my options are limitted.
I would go to a Jerusalem Patriarchate Parish but they dont have many of
them yet in the USA.

In Christ

[PFC Nektarios]

This priest is listed on the ROCOR Clergy Directory also. Just to fill you in.

[Joe Zollars]

the JP does have parishes in the USA.

Nicholas Zollars

[PFC Nektarios]

I found that out, I have a Greek Orthodox Jerusalem Patriarchate Parish
20 Miles from me its great, I love my location there are Orthodox Churches every where.

In Christ