I don’t usually blog about bad things that happen in the church community but this warrants a little something because the end of the story, or at lest part of the end, has a happy outcome.
For the past week we have dealing with some controversy here and it has not been pleasant going through it. On Friday night we had a parish council meeting to discuss rumors and lies that have been circulating through the parish. At the end of the meeting I spoke briefly about sin and lying and how bad it is for the soul and that those involved should come to confession. Yes we in the Orthodox Church still have confession you should try it sometime it is great.
Yesterday was confession day at the church, we have confession one Saturday a month. Usually I sit alone in the church for an hour and no one comes by but yesterday low and behold a person who has not been to confession with me in the time I have been here came it was great! It is so nice to be able to help someone.
Today I spoke about pride. Today in the Orthodox Church it is the Sunday of the Judgement and the Gospel was about the separation of the sheep and the goats. I spoke about pride being the first of the deadly sins and it is first because it leads to all of the others. Low and be hold someone came to me after church and asked about confession. Not wanting to loose an opportunity I grabbed the book and we went to confession. Again another GREAT ending.
Now I have one of the oldest parishioners in the church in the hospital and it does not look good. Please pray for Michael and his family.
It is said that there is reason for everything! Be Happy.
They’ll be celebrating in heaven for one lost sheep, found. We are praying for Mike and his family.