Categories: other-churches
Date: 20 October 2008 10:57:56
I have not been to my parish for three weeks. With my anxiety flaring, and me putting pressure on myself at work and study, I have felt so drained at most weekends that I have slept through most of the morning [unusual for me as I usually am up by 06:30 all days] or could not face social interaction. I miss my parish; and I do miss the people dearly.
Yesterday I visited Ss Peter and Paul, the English-language parish of The Assyrian Church of the East out here. I know one of the deacons there, and I had something to give him from a mutual friend, so I pushed aside my anxiety and went. It has been a while since my last visit, but this experience was just as joyful. The Liturgy and the hymnody, and the music, of the Church of the East is, to me, simply divine. Like I find in my parish, with the Orthodox Liturgy, my spirit, my soul, is stirred. Though I must say I do prefer the music of the Church of the East, it is easier on my ears.
After the Mass, I talked to the choir director, complementing him profusely, and a friend-of-a-friend who was there also. Father [whom I had met to and talked to on a previous visit] and my deacon friend soon came out and I talked to them. Another parishioner, a very wise parishioner, came up to me and we discussed all manner of things. I had intended to make a reasonably quick "get-a-way", as I had some work to do on my assignment, as well as my anxiety causing me to want to flee, but I am so glad I was engaged in conversation, as it was a truly blessed set of discussions. We went for an hour or more. And most of this with a person I had just met. Being an Anglo, I am always cautious of making sweeping generalisatons and how they may be taken by others, but this again proved to me what a welcoming and gregarious group the Assyrians are.
Please remember Ss Peter and Paul in your prayers, and particularly so as they seek to build a church on some land they have recently purchased.
I shall get more chances to experience the Church of the East's worship, and perhaps that of the Chaldean Church, when I visit and stay with my best friend in the US this December.
After spending longer at the library than I had intended, I decided to attend Evensong at Christ Church St Laurence before I headed home. Evensong is one of my favourite services, and last night's service was a wonderful way to experience the end of the day and the beginning of a new week. The choir, as always, was in superb form, and the organ boomed and resounded throughout. I made my way out as Evensong concluded, and headed home.
A joyous and blessed day. I do look forward to, however, returning to my parish this weekend.