I\'m new... to it all!

Welcome. I hope you find everything you need here on the Circle and more. If not, just ask. We would be glad to guide you along. Ana

Thanks

Welcome home! I was a Presbyterian all my life and my husband was a Presbyterian minister for 30 years and had been raised in the Church of Scotland (you can\'t be more CalvanistrOur children are all grown, but we have 2 beautiful grandsons, aged 4 and 3.The beginning of our journey was also prompted by reading the Church Fathers. We have been Orthodox for 4 years and have never been happier in our faith. Don\'t worry about being expected to know about all the traditions and rules of Orthodox life . You are only expected to try your best and challenge yourself to do better. Your priest\'s wife can be a fountain of information. Confession (going still makes me nervous!) and talking with your confessor is so helpful. As for fasting, there are some good church cookbooks you can get from some websites. I have some really good vegan cookbooks that I use all the time. There are also lots of vegan websites. Many years!

I don\'t think there is anyone who doesn\'t have problems trying to figure out what to cook during the fasts - even among the clergy! :-) You may want to join the OC group on fasting and the one on recipes and cooking. Check the internet for Orthodox bookstores, and check them for cook books. Many parishes put cookbooks together as fundraisers. I highly recommend one in particular, but I believe it may be out-of-print now: Taste and See, from St. Ignatius Antiochian Orthodox Cchurch in Tennessee. A more recent one is: When You Fast: Recipes for Lenten Seasons. That one is available at Orthodox Marketplace: http://www.orthodoxmarketplace.com/ Hope this helps a little! ~~ Love in Christ ~~ Dr. Elizabeth, the sinner

WELCOME! :)

Rule number one: Don\'t get hung up on externals. Rule number two: Be patient with yourself.

Thank you all for your welcomes and encouragements! I\'ll have to start collecting cook-books. And, once we\'ve got a handle on the church calendar, I won\'t feel like these fast times \\"sneak up\\" on me :-)

Welcome Erin! You will find as you go along recipes that work for you. I have 3 children 6,6, and 5 and it has been difficult for us. We like vegan pancakes. I found the recipe on the internet but will gladly email it if you like. I don\'t even make regular pancakes anymore. Best of luck, give yourself time, it\'s not a race. Love in Christ, Hope

welcome Erin ! it\'s so nice to hear sisters and brothers finding the Church! may Lord strengthen you and your family to follow His path. about fasting: recent medical researches in Mt Athos have found that cancer and heart disease are rare between the monks due to their diet (continuous fasting)! also think that there are thousands of people who are vegetarians and \\"fast\\" for a life time! there are many deliious vegetarian recipes in the net. you can really discover amazing things.

Welcome Erin! I am a SAHM to a 5 year old. He seems to have caught a bug and is sleeping most of the day. I've gotten so much done around the house. We were chrismated last summer. Planning fasting meals was a challenge for me to. My son doesn't fast from food being so young. At dinner he eats fasting foods but with dairy added. Work your way into fasting. I like to say \"It is a tool, not a rule.\" I bought a couple vegetarian cook books (my fav is Vegetarian Times Fast & Easy). You can borrow some from the library. And of course I bought a couple from orthodox groups. My son doesn't fast from food being so young. At dinner he eats fasting foods but with dairy added. Maybe I should head over to the fasting section and post some favorite links. Hope it goes well.

Hey: I just want to say that fasting is hard sometimes and other times it is not, I have been at it for most of my life. I guess it is like any thing in life. I have found some orthodox cook books, published by orthodox churches. The one I use the most is Food For Paradise. Compiled by the Orthodox church of St. John the Russian,

Hello and blessings. We are converts as well. Could you send me a private note and let me know where you live generally..I mean are you e. coast, West..South..Let us know if there is anything that we can help you with. Fr. John

(just a note... this is an old thread. Someone bumped it upward to ask about fasting recipes) But, isn't it nice to still be welcome?

Welcome to the faith. I run our church bookstore and I am interested in the book you mentioned. What is the full title and author?