Categories: orthodox-life
Date: 29 August 2004 11:19:51
I think it was Adrian Plass who said that there came a time every Sunday, when every single Anglican parishioner's legs started shaking, their hands got sweaty and clammy, and they were filled with a sense of dread. Yes -- the Peace. A time in which you are either completely ignored while friends chat about their plans for afternoon tea or you are accosted by an all-too-eager greeter who insists of sharing the peace with a bear hug.
The situation at my Orthodox church is somewhat different. A different formula is used ( Christ is in our midst / He is and ever shall be ) and the rubric in the Prayer Book states explicitly that you exchange the 'Kiss of Peace' as a handshake with your immediate neighbours. People have been well-behaved as far as I have observed, and you only get about 5 handshakes before the priest continues with the service -- rather than having a peace which takes 15 minutes.
Unordered wrote a comment in my blog saying she knew someone who was investigating Orthodoxy and found the community life within the church quite amazing. I was asked if I had found similar?
I may just have been lucky but I have. Not only within the parish, but with other Orthodox churches in Sydney as well. From the moment I first popped my head in, to my first Orthodox Retreat, to the daily goings-on in the parish, I do sense a real community -- and a group of people who are eagerly desiring to "spur one another on to love and good deeds". It is a blessing indeed!
Unfortunately, I can't help you with a prayer for dishes! ;-)