Orthodox both like and different from others

January 16, 2008

Kerygma wrote:

In my case, I've found it difficult to break through the barrier I feel separating me from those with the right bloodline, so to speak. When I first became interested in the Orthodox Church, I actually had a man come up to me, ask my name and then say, "You not Russian. You not Serbian. What the hell you come to MY church?" Yeah... well... what do you say to such fear and ignorance? How do you convey that it is Christ's Body and not 'his' church? How to you share that you have struggled against family and friends to become Orthodox and then had your face slapped by such a greeting?

And sadly, this was not one isolated incident. I had another person, an usher in a Greek church, when hearing my name say, "Oh, you would be much happier in the Antiochian Church on the other side of town." Wow! Thanks for making me feel so welcome. I think I'll tuck my tail between my legs and crawl out of here.

Maybe you should have asked if Christ\'s true Church was just for Russians or Serbs. To the Greek fellow, I would have asked what they did at the Antiochian Church that was so different than what was done at the Greek church. I can\'t believe such ignorance. We have a catechumen in our Greek parish who is black. I hope that our congregation has acted as they usually do and welcomed him. I\'ll usually go out of my way to talk to someone at Liturgy who I\'ve never seen before, even if it\'s just to say hello. After all, what the heck are we doing if we think that Orthodoxy is just an ethnic club that has great food festivals?

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