Christopher Matthew
#0

CHRIST IS RISEN!


 


These are just some of my own ideas and I have not practised all of them. Those which have been practiced have been to varying success.


 


First of all, at least here in the UK where many small communion, schismatic, and 'cultic' forms of Christianity exist in every town, village, and city, one has to be very careful not to allow the Orthodox church to be assumed into the same assumed category by the public.


Cold calling does not work.


 


 


Okay, now some things I have done:


1) Childrens' craft events.
This year for Christmas we had a childrens' "make your own lantern and party" day. It was a hit, of course, where there are children, there are parents. Also in the Christmas period (practically speaking), mothers may wish to have some time with their husbands away from the children....just a little rest, honestly Tongue


2) Cultural events
Naturally this requires exploring the natural talents inherant in the congregation. It does not have to be related to the church in any way. We did a 'magic of the musicals' evening, staged in the nave of the hall with songs sung by semi-professional singers. Coupled with a raffle and dinner, it brought people into the church who would never consider crossing the threshold otherwise. It is all about breaking pre-conceptions.


3) Advertisement in local paper
Tried this round Christmas and Easter. No apparent success.
Parish website is a far better platform for getting the word out (and up to date).
Use social media such as Twitter and Facebook....even if you have no intention to use it yourself, it is a good way of reaching out to the millions that do. Grant members of the parish access to admin rights. Never leave it all to one person! 


4) Public processions.
These certainly get the church recognised, but I am uncertain how the faith is passed on to the general person on the street who sees a group of men in glittery dresses holding random objects and singing strange melodies. Even still, the counter-cultural presence of the church is a great witness to it.


 


 


One must always be careful never to compromise the faith, and though it may be tempting to take dramatic action to increase numbers, it is always important to remember the special things which set the Orthodox church apart from the thousands of other "options" in the 'religious marketplace'. The timelessness of worship, faith, and practice; the embrace of the community to receive the sinner and to heal the sin; the personal interest of the priest (god-parents/greater church community) with the spiritual development of the convert.


 


I hope, though perhaps in vain, that something of the above is useful.


 


 


~Chris


 


 

Like (2)
Loading...
2
Seraphima Shagoury
#1

Hi Chris. Thru recieving some letters about the UK environment which she lives in, from my half-sister (who is Anglican-Rite Catholic) I clearly see your point. Also, as a sales and marketing person in the "secular world" I understand your need for successful contact points with the public. Muslim presence is not helpful right now in the UK througout all this, I am sure. Yet the populace has not successfully formed a Christian mindset as the Orthodox have -- relying on Eastern Chrisian History-- to have an answer back to Islam that is truly Christian, and truly solid. In summation, perhaps no one feels the old-fashioned compunction to "be saved" as in Protestant sects, and so, the situation is truly bewildering, is it not?  Now for how to give Orthodoxy greater exposure. The problem with clerical garb in processions -- I understand. So before we revisit it, a thought comes to mind. Here in America, Protestants are fond of making calendars with nature photos and a quote from the Old Testament Psalms to go along with it. there is plenty of natural beauty in the UK. Why not investigate these same quotes along with a small icon of King David or one of the OT righteous in the corner of the photo of "nature" paired with the Psalm? This is akin to re-teaching the Bible to those who are ignorant. Childrens' picture-stories, if you will. If not executed by an iconographer -- lets say, even elevated to the level of "cartoonish" but the point is, to give the public a kind of beauty to grasp that will stay with them until they investigate the deeper, soul-saving graces of Orthodox Christianity. I know it is hard, in the face of evils and Wiccans and New Age and right wing and left wing Christian offshoots that we are not even in communion with, but as the centuries have proved, beauty is so much akin to God's Love that these simple methods of conveying "love" rather than "conversion" is what will stay with a person over the course of time when they are exposed to it. 

Like (2)
Loading...
2