The Holy Orthodox Church – a wine press not a rule book

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  Christ in a winepress, Hours of Catherine of Cleves
  
  

  The Householder plants a vineyard: his holy Orthodox Church, where he gives his own Precious Blood in the wine that changes us into more than we are. Around the vineyard he sets a hedge of true Orthodox doctrine; above it, a tower where men set apart to be bishops and priests oversee the making of the wine: the salvation of human souls. Most importantly, he digs his wine press: so that human souls may be living grapes, changed by Orthodox worship – the true worship of the temple – into the new wine of his eternal Kingdom. A vineyard, not a court of law. A wine press, not a rule book." - Fr. Alexander Tefft

  
  

Grandmother was shocked

"Do not be proud of the fact that your grandmother was shocked at something which you are accustomed to seeing or hearing without being shocked…It may be that your grandmother was an extremely lively and vital animal and that you are a paralytic."  -  G.K. Chesterton


When I was a boy in school I heard often about the possibility of searing my conscience.   When I was a kid I thought that was silly, after all, I was free in Christ and could do anythnig I wanted to do.  I was wrong.

Slowing down some

We've decided we are doing too much.  I've gone to working only three days a week.  Athanasia has dropped out of her M.A. program.  (It would have been a second masters and she she was never sure she wanted it to begin with.  It's just that her employer was paying for it and who likes to pass up something like that?) Our pace just wore us down.  Two full time jobs, two M.A. programs, and no childcare which meant juggling crazy schedules and not getting any housework or laundry done.  Even the boys were worn out by it.  Anyway, I think our slowing down was none too soon, as we all got sick last week, and except for Athanasia, we are all still sick.  I'm still in my M.A. program.  And, I still work a little at home on my days off.  I just feell free not to if I have other things I have to do.  It is much better.

This afternoon, we were all feeling a little better so we went for a walk through the redwoods.  I think it might have been a mistake.  When we came home Basil was shooting liquid out both ends, Anselm had a fever, and I had lost my voice again.  But we hadn't been outside since Thursday morning and we were starting to feel a little stir-crazy.  When you are used to living life out of doors being cooped up for three days in a little apartment, with three other sick people, can feel like prison.

The boys are in school.  Basil is doing okay, but I've decided that Anselm Samuel's class is moving waaaay to slowly in math.  They've been on long division since before the Christmas break.  He is starting to get bored with it, and math has always been his favorite subject.    So, in the last couple of weeks I've introduced him to fractions and simple algebra.  He likes it.

I learned that my son Devon is living in the south Korea, I guess, with his girlfriend.  I wrote to him but haven't heard back.  I don't know if I ever will.  If you are reading this and contemplating divorce, keep in mind that you run a great risk that your children will hate you forever, and it doesn't matter who's fault the divorce is.

A couple of weeks ago I helped all the Cub Scouts in Anselm Samuel's den earn their whittling chips.  That was a lot of fun.  Only one boy got cut, and that was because his mother wouldn't let him use a sharp knife.  That was kind of frustrating.  I gave him a knife that was razor sharp and would require almost no effort to use, and she replaced it with a knife that was dull because she was afraid he would cut himself.  And, just as predicted, he was struggling through the wood, forced the knife, and cut open his finger.  Blood went everywhere and he screamed but it wasn't that bad of a cut.  He still managed to complete the tasks and earn the chip.  His mother wasn't happy, but she's the one who didn't follow instructions.

Last Tuesday was our Pack's Blue and Gold Banquet.  We didn't have enough money to have it catered this year so we did a pot-luck.  There were about 20 lasagnas.  It was very funny.  Athanasia recreated, in cake, my telling of the "Legend of the Hairy Toe" at the camp out last October.  Her cake won the "Judges Favorite" trophy.

I've been chanting the Third and Sixth Hours before the DL at church on Sundays.  I missed today because of illness but I really like it.  I was asked to take on the job of Parish Warden but I had to turn it down.  In my parish it seems to be a job requiring 10 to 15 hours per week.  I wish I had the time, mostly, because I really want to be of service to the parish, but, in part, so I have an excuse to buy one of those really cool churchwarden pipes.  (Isn't that cool?  What other ecclesiastical office has a pipe named for it?)  But I had to turn down the job.  Maybe, when I am finished with school...

Papers papers papers

I'm trying to decide on paper topics.  I'm juggling 5 and am not sure which two to go with.  Maybe you can tell me in what you'd like to know about and that might help me decide.   Here are the topics I'm considering:

1)  The Synod of Whitby: Why did it happen and what did it accomplish?
2)  The relationship between the Imperial Army and the Church as suggested by the Yassi Adda nautical excavation and the possible connection between that relationship and the schism of the non-Chalcedonian churches
3) A comparison of the Byzantine theory of Symphony and the experience of Anselm of Canturbury's resistance of the king's will
4) The role of evangelistic marriages, wherein Christian princesses [i.e., Ethelburga] were married to pagan kings, in the conversion of Europe
5) The roots and decline of western European Arianism

Patton Speaks Today

Satan Hates People

Saturday Soundtrack: Freaked out by an "older woman"

More than 30 years ago, when I was 9 or 10 years old, there was a girl a couple of years older than me who sang this this to me.  She just walked up to me in front of God, the 4th grade, and everybody, and sang this song, which totally embarrassed me and overwhelmed me.  I mean, what little 4th grade boy is ready to hear words like this from a 6th grade girl?   I could have died!  Especially since I had the world's biggest crush on her and could barely stand to be in her presence.  Later, I figured out that she must have known about my crush on her, and was just teasing me.

Since then I've come to like the song.  Actually, I don't think I ever didn't like the song.  It's by a Floridian named Roland Kent Lavoie, better known as Lobo, and was his biggest hit (#2 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart) in 1972.  I don't think of the song very often, but, for whatever reason, I found my self humming the tune while walking from the train station to my office yesterday.

A Missionary Tale

"Stafeev described in detail how he introduced these two Ahtna to Orthodoxy: "I baptized them at my home. After the baptism I took them to the chapel, showed them icons with images of major feasts, and explained to them the meaning of baptism, the Nativity and other feasts. I also spoke about and showed them the icon depicting martyr Nestor. The old man liked icons so much that he did not want to leave the chapel for a long time. He especially enjoyed looking at the images of the Savior and Kazan Mother of God. After this I treated them with tea and cakes (prianiki). Then the Mednovtsy passionately thanked me for everything, first for the baptism, then for my talk in the chapel and finally for the tea and cakes. Yet, these two savages somehow had already learned quite enough earlier, specifically how to make the sign of the cross and even knew how to recite the prayer 'Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit." We may assume that they had received this rudimentary knowledge of Orthodoxy from their Dena'ina neighbors." (Read the whole thing here.)

By Birthday List

My birthday is comming up in a few days and my wife asked me to give her a list of things I might like for a birthday present.

Here it is, Sweetie.

1.  A sling for my shotgun
2.  An orange blaze fedora, available at Cabellas (Note:  I do not like camo pattern.  The whole point of the hat is to be seen!)
3.  A plain Zippo lighter (Key word: Plain)
4.  Any of Eikona's CDs.
5.  A tin of Captain Black: White Label
6. A bottle of Royall Lyme cologne
7. An 8" clay pipe
8. A wood handled shower brush
9. A map of Narnia
10. A bottle of Taylor of Bond Street No. 74 Cologne
11.  Some of Bernard Kliban's cat posters for our bedroom
12. Hardcover boxed set Lord of The Rings (I think the boys would enjoy hearing them.)
13. A bottle of Glenmorangie
14. A butter churn
15. A couple of pair of Boy Scout socks (I always have trouble finding the pair I have now.)
16. Several bottle's of St. Peter's Cream Stout

Any one of the above items would be much appreciated.  But don't feel like you have to get me anything.

What is Holy Tradition?

"The Church of Christ determined the truths of the faith, according to the long course of Tradition, through the teachings and canons of the holy Oecumenical Councils, decrees and the Symbol of Faith [The Creed], and with confessions [of Faith] by holy and wonderworking hierarchs such as were made at the many local synods which have been held continuously since the days of old. At these synods the authenticity and genuineness of the holy Orthodox Faith was firmly established, primarily therein where it was attacked by the existing heresies of the time. From the totality of such synods appears the irrevocable and inalterable content of Holy Tradition. This is understood when you examine closely the essence of the following conditions: 
- Do not sanction conceptions that contain inconsistencies amongst themselves or contradictions with the apostolic Tradition and Holy Scripture. (A teaching is to be considered worthy of “Tradition” when it stems from the Saviour or the Holy Apostles and is directly under the influence of the Holy Spirit.) 
- The Tradition is that which has been safeguarded from the Apostolic Church and has an uninterrupted continuity until today. 
- The Tradition is that which is confessed and practiced by the entire universal Orthodox Church. 
- The Tradition is that which is in harmony with the greatest portion of the fathers and ecclesiastical writers. 
When a tradition does not fulfil these stipulations, it cannot be considered true and holy, and consequently cannot be considered admissible or fit to be observed." 


-Elder Cleopas of Romania

Words

The Book of Common Prayer (1559) funeral service began with these words:

"Man that is born of woman hath but a short time to live and is full of misery."

I can not help but think our divorce rate would be lower if more marriages in this day began with the same words.

Chicken & Apple Pot

        I've seen many bloggers blog though cook books but it isn't something I've ever attempted.  But this last Christmas I received a cook book, Casseroles: Comforting and Warming Recipe Ideas as a Christmas present from my boss.  So, I thought, "Okay! Let's blog it!"  

        Tonight we made Chicken & Apple Pot.  It isn't the first recipe in the book, but the thirteenth (on page 36).  The reason we chose it for tonight is that we had most of the ingredients on hand.  The boys and I walked over to the market to buy the needed celery, a yellow bell pepper, and chicken stock.  

        Though U.S. law does not allow for the copyrighting of recipes, I won't reproduce the whole thing here.  I'll just say that apples, onion, and chicken were the main ingredients.  It was very sweet (raw brown sugar, apple juice and honey) and very soupy.  Not like what I think of as a casserole at all. I mean, it didn't include any Campbell's cream of mushroom soup!  There was no cheese in it at all!    

        The boys hated it.  Basil would only eat the chicken.  Anselm ate the chicken and a few of the apple slices, but made it clear that he would rather have eaten something else.  Athanasia and I agreed it was good and that we'll make it again, but I felt bad about all the liquid going to waste.  Next time I'll present the casserole on a bed of rice, which will absorb all the liquid and become very very yummy.  

Make again: Yes

Serve to company: Probably not

Difficuly level:  If you can skin chicken and core apples this is an easy dish to make. 

9 Ways Your Parish Can Serve and Become A More Integrated Part of the Local Community

It is very easy for an Orthodox parish to be invisible in a community, especially if the parish is set back in a quiet residential district, or is a commuter parish.  Our services are not exactly seeker friendly (even educated Christians from other churches have difficulty following what's going on in our services), nor should they be.  And for most of us, our one big community outreach event each year is a fundraiser where we invite the non-Orthodox to buy ethnic food and help pay our bills.  I'm not criticizing parish festivals.  I went to two last year and had a lot of fun.  I'm just saying that I don't think they are the best way to serve the communities where our parishes are located.  So, here is a list of things I think we can do that, I think, are completely selfless, serve the people who live around us, build the reputation of the Church, and provide a way for people to become acquainted with us.

1.  Host a Cub Scout, Boy Scout, or American Heritage Girl unit.  About all they need from the parish is a room big enough for 100 people to meet once a month.  The kids in your parish will probably be part of the unit, the non-church families will become aquainted with the parish, and begin to view it as an important part of their lives.  They might even begin to follow Jesus because of their exposure to you.

2.  Host a flu-shot clinic in the parish hall.  Because of the proximity of flu season to "The Holiday Season" have schedules of Nativity services available.

3.  Are there homless people in the neighborhood?  Send a deacon around on Sunday morning to invite them to coffee hour.  Thy probably won't come to a service but I bet they'll come to the parish hall for a free cup of coffee and some food.  And, eventually, they might start comming to services.

4.  Let the county government know the parish hall is available for use as a polling place.  Again, have information about the parish available.  Maybe even have someone from the clergy available to answer any questions.

5. Most of our parishes have pretty nice kitchens that are only used once a week.  Maybe, and I don't know the health laws so this might not fly, ask local under-employed chefs if they would be interested in using our kitchens for cooking classes.

6. Make our space available for kids to go after school and do homework. (There might be liability issues with this, though, so I'd talk to a lawyer before doing this one.) Maybe, parishoners could volunteer to be tutors.

7.  There is also my plan for evangelism. (It might or might not be God's plan, also, I've yet to try it myself.)

8.  Does your parish have a parking lot?  FARMERS MARKET!  This is especially handy in urban areas where there might not be good crocery stores.  Added benefit: The parish can have a booth, too!  Sell baklava and pierog every week not just once a year!

9.  Does your parish have bells?  Offer a bell ringing class to the people in your neighborhood.  I bet every kid within 6 blocks comes to learn how to ring them. What an opportunity!  Not only does this give the parish and the surrounding people a chance to get to know each other, but it can help diffuse the conflict that sometimes surrounds our ringing of the bells.

Money by Religion in America

1. I was surprised to see Orthodox Christiansare so rich.  It hasn't been my experience in the parishes I attend. Must be the other jursidictions.

2. Not surprised by the Jews' wealth.

3. At first I was surprised by the Hindu wealth, but when I thought about it I realized every Hindu I know is a software devolper, car dealer, gold merchant, or real estate investor.  I think their wealth in this country is a function of our immigration policies.

4. Not surprised by Evangelical Christians lack of wealth.  Despite the visibility of a few dozen rich mega-churches and their leaders the vast majority of the Evangelical churches are tiny (fewer then 50 attendees) and poor.

5.  I am shocked by the Mormon numbers.  I had always thought of them as rich.

Larger picture is here.

Enchanted April

Back in 1992 I saw a film that can only be described as beautiful.  I just saw it again tonight.  The story of four unalike, except that they are unhappy, English women who do not know each other yet decide to rent and share a seaside Italian castle for a month is, as improbable as it seems, almost completely uncontrived. 


I should be ashamed of myself if I ruined the movie for you by relating the story here but there are some things about the movie I love.  Perhaps the most lovely is how providence uses an intended evil to prevent another evil, and thereby sets straight the paths for several people.  


A smaller thing about the movie, but utterly delightful is the character of the oldest of the four women.  She delivers many overstuffed but perfectly fitting lines.  Once, when one of the younger women remarks on seeing a dead writer this old woman says, "I hope you're not in the habit of seeing dead people, no matter how distinguished. It's not in the best of taste."  On another occasion, when one of the women is talking about sleeping arrangements when her husband and another guest are going to arrive, she says, "In my day husbands were take very seriously. They were seen as the surest defense against sin."  I'm not sure that last line is a very healthy view for women to take of men, but it is, certainly, a reputation husbands should attempt to earn, don't you think?


Though a romance, this movie does not lose sight of the suffering in this world.  Other movies from about this same time, I have in mind Belle Epoque and Much Ado About Nothing, attempt to capture a similar feeling of rural Mediterranean happiness but fail. The former fails by glorifying evil, suggesting it has no undesireable consequenes.  The later film though cinimatically and musically beautiful, almost completey ignores the presence of evil in the world, suggesting it is overcome by a few songs and an arial shot of a vinyard.  The suffering of war, the lonliness of widowhood, the destructiveness of adultery, the undermining of marriage by insidious demands of carreer and class are all acknowledged in Enchanted April.  But the joy in the film is not overcome by these evils.   If you have an opportunity to see this very good film, I think you better had.   

Thy Nativity O Christ

 

Love.

Tonight I read this story to Anselm.  He didn't understand it.  Someday, I hope, he shall.

A Christmas Present for a Lady
by
Myra Kelly

    It was the week before Christmas, and the First Reader Class, in a lower East Side school, had, almost to a man, decided on the gifts to be lavished on "Teacher." She was quite unprepared for any such observance on the part of her small adherents, for her first study of the roll book had shown her that its numerous Jacobs, Isidores, and Rachels belonged to a class to which Christmas Day was much as other days. And so she went serenely on her way, all unconscious of the swift and strict relation between her manner and her chances. She was, for instance, the only person in the room who did not know that her criticism of Isidore Belchatosky's hands and face cost her a tall "three for ten cents" candlestick and a plump box of candy.

The Christmas Tree

This afternoon, after a mostly unrewarding day trying to talk to car dealers, we drove up into the Santa Cruz Range, and into the cloud cover that has blanketed our valley all day.  We were racing the sun, trying to get up "The Hill" before sunset.  We barely made it, and were very excited.  We drove through fog and rain, through dense forest, on winding single lane roads.  We sang Christmas carolson the way.  I was feeling grouchy, though.  It was difficult for me, even on this happy occasion, to be pleasant.  I could blame lack of sleep, a slight feever, sore lungs, and worry about work, but  none of those were the real problem.  The real problem was "the passions".  Only later, when we got home, and I began to be thankful, and to pray for my family did my grouchiness go away.  I still have a headache, a slight fever, and sore lungs but those don't have to make me a grouch.  Jesus was full of love, as ever he was, when the nails were pushing through his feet and hands.

When we got to the farm there was no one there.  But that was okay. They operate on the honor system.  Near the trees were some saw and a box in which to put money.  Athanasia picked out a white fir, I felled it, and tied it to the roof.  Anselm and Basil asked for a small tree for their bedroom.  We gave our assent and brought home the two trees, together with many scrap boughs with which to deck the halls.  The boys were soaked from running around in the dripping trees.  I was damp from the fog.  Driving down "The Hill" after dark with foggy windows from all the water in our clothes was not exaclty relaxing.

At one point we caught a glimpse of Silicon Valley through two peaks.  It isn't something we see at night very often.  The lights were beautiful.  Basil, at first, didn't believe me when I said that we lived down there.

When we got home we trimmed the tree and decorated it.  Isn't it interesting that I remember where we got every ornament?  The the largest single source was my parents.  I carried them out of their last home when my mother died.  Then there are the ornaments Athanasia and I bought after we were married.  And the ornamnets Athanasia and the boys made.  And finally, a few that were given to us as gifts.

We had mulled cider after the tree was put up.  And Athanasia and the boys worked on some Christmas presents they are making.  Then, I read to them.  Since my wife has, lately, been knitting mittens,  I read "The Mitten Tree".  And I read tonight's portion of "The Advent Story Book".  And at last I read to them a story from "The Animals' Merry Christmas".  They are all asleep in bed now.  I shall join them.  Good night.  Blessed Advent.

Make and Age

Last year I made this fruit cake.  It was an amazing experience.  The alcohol vapors kept exploding, blowing the oven door open and rattling the windows.  I over cooked it but it was super good.  It is adapted from a recipe that was adapted from the Joy of Cooking.

INGREDIENTS

-4 cups all-purpose flour

-2 tablespoons cinnamon

-1 tablespoon nutmeg

-1/4 teaspoon ground clove

-1 teaspoon mace

-1 1/2 teaspoon salt

-7 pounds dried fruit (I used 1lb mission figs, 2lbs dates, 1lb raisns, 1lb currants, 1lb appricots, and 1lb cranberries)

-1 pound brown sugar

-1 pound butter plus one half stick

-15 eggs

-1/2 cup red wine

-a 750ml bottle of Evan Williams bourbon

This recipe makes about TWELVE POUNDS OF FRUIT CAKE!!!  I baked it in disposable aluminum loaf pans: a small one that holds about 1 pound, and a large one (almost full bread loaf size) that holds about 2 pounds.  

TOOLS

-Pastry brush or paper towel for buttering pans

Electric mixer

-Loaf pans

-Mixing bowls

-Big paper bag

-Scissors (they are really good for cutting up the fruit quickly)

INSTRUCTIONS

-Preheat oven to 300F

-Put one cup of flower in the paper bag

-Cut up the fruit, remove pits, and put the fruit in the paper bag

-Close the bag and shake until the fruit is coverd with flower (You'll be sorry later if you skip this step.)

-Put one pound of butter on the stove (use low heat) to melt.

-While butter is slowly melting, sift remaining flower and all the spices into LARGE mixing bowl

-Mix brown sugar into the melted butter

-Mix the flour/spices, eggs, and wine into the LARGE mixing bowl and mix with the electric mixer until completely smooth

- Dump the fruit from the bag into the LARGE mixing bowl annd mix mix mix

- melt the 1/2 stick of butter and use it to grease the loaf pans

- Plan on baking for two hours.  Every 10 to 15 mintues you haveto splash the loaves with bourbon. DO NOT LET THE TOPS OF THE CAKES DRY OUT!!!

When you take them out of the oven pour more bourbon on the cakes.  When they are cool enough to dump out of the pans wrap in plastic foodwrap andaluminu, foil.  Every day for a week add more bourbon.  Not a lot, just enough to keep the loaves very moist butnot soggy. If you run out of bourbon GO BUY MORE!!!

A Date Which Shall Live in Infamy

If you were wondering why the flags were at half staff today, this is why.