Fr. John Peck from St. George Orthodox Church in Prescott Arizona has another great post on his parish website on the topic of When to call the parish priest. Some folks are confused about when to call or not so Fr. John has some practical advice.
Many are confused about when they should call the parish priest in the many events of life. Calling the priest is necessary to maintain the bond of love in our community and to bring the Grace of God into our lives through the Holy Sacraments. The priest should be aware of the spiritual and physical needs of all our families in order to be the pastor. The priest should not be seen as “too busy”! He is here to shepherd us and his first priority is the people of the parish.
This could open up a really interesting conversation about the ministry of the baptized, the priesthood of the believer, over-reliance on the priest and clericalism.
I don't think American Orthodoxy is ready for those conversations. But it could happen.
Oooh… I forgot: we could also discuss clergy burnout.