Orthodixie

Patriarchate of Constantinople calls Synaxis to focus on the state of the Church in the Middle East

An announcement issued by the Office of the Chief Secretary of the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Sacred and Holy Synod, dated August 31, 2011, announced the convocation of a Synaxis of the Heads of the Ancient Patriarchates and the Autocephalous Church of Cyprus at the Ecumenical Patriarchate September 1-2, 2011.

The text of the announcement reads as follows.

“At the invitation of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who is also presiding over deliberations, the Synaxis of Heads of the Ancient Patriarchates and the Autocephalous Church of Cyprus is convening at the Phanar from September 1-2, 2011. The Synaxis will be personally attended by Their Beatitudes, Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, and Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus, who are arriving today in Istanbul. Patriarch Igantius of Antioch, who ultimately was unable to participate, although he was the first among all invited Patriarchs to accept the invitation to attend the Synaxis, will be represented by His Grace Bishop Isaac of Apameia.

“Their Beatitudes the Patriarchs, the Archbishop of Cyprus and his hierarchal entourage, as well as the representative of the Patriarch of Antioch will concelebrate with His All-Holiness and the Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne during the Divine Liturgy to be held on Thursday, September 1, 2011, on the occasion of the feast of the Indiction. They will also sign the relevant Act prepared for the beginning of the new ecclesiastical year.

“The sessions of the Synaxis will begin on the evening of September 1 at the venerable Patriarchal Church of the Phanar and will focus on the state of the most holy Orthodox Churches in the Middle East at this time, as well as on Orthodox affairs in general, including the matter of the way toward the Holy and Great Synod of the most holy Orthodox Church.”

News item stolen from the OCA.

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Guiding, Guarding and Discipline for Parents, Grandparents & Godparents in the Orthodox Tradition

Retreat Master:

Fr. John Peck

September 10, 2011

Fr. John A. Peck is the priest in charge of St. George Orthodox Church in Prescott, AZ. Fr. John founded the Incarnation Broadcast Network, the first 24 hour Orthodox Christian internet radio broadcast in the world. He is the creator and webmaster of the popular websites “Preachers Institute”, “Journeys to Orthodoxy”, and “Good Guys Wear Black”.

Fr. John has written several workbooks and manuals for instruction: Called To Serve, Student and Leader’s Manuals, Divine Liturgy: A Student Study Text, the Bible Drill/Bible Divas Field Manuals, and S.W.A.T. (Spiritual Warfare And Training). He has written articles for Orthodoxytoday.org, the American Orthodox Institute, The Handmaiden magazine, the Interior Strength blog, the St. Katherine College website, and others.

Fr. John & Presvytera Deborah are the parents of three grown children.

For registration form click: HERE.

The following comment from “Bill” was in reference to this story.

1) Texas is a big place, with different geography, different climates and different economies. (TMatt, try the Davis Mountains, sometime.) San Antonio is pretty much in the middle of the state. There’s a sign on I-10 heading west from San Antonio which says, El Paso – 535 miles. Big state.

2) Religion is in the air, the water and the soil. It is assumed. There are crosses everywhere. There are major denominations and conventions and lots of minor ones. One of the fastest growing is the Cowboy Church. Amy P is correct about the Polish, Czech and Irish Catholics. The Catholic Church in our town was built by Polish shingle makers in 1857. There are several nearby communities settled by German Free Thinkers which forbade churches. There are churches there now; the Free Thinkers must have either changed their minds or moved.

3) Politics is not as important as it is in DC, NY or LA. There’s a rancher’s saying that it doesn’t matter who is in power in Washington or Austin as long as it rains. (It hasn’t rained much this year.)

4) Texans can differ on politics and politicians, but don’t mess with Texas.

5) Texans don’t care much about the Ivy League. UT, A&M; and Tech are a different story.

6) There is a big military presence in Texas. You will see bumper stickers that say “Army Mom,” “My Son is a Marine,” etc. You will see Blue Star decals on windows, and occasionally Gold Star flags. You will see Purple Heart and disabled military license plates. Regardless of your position on our military involvement, the kids here did not start the wars; they just bear the burden.

7) There are a lot of highly educated, interesting people in Texas from many walks of life and from all over the country and the world. Don’t assume the guy in the old jeans and boots is a hick.

8) Even if he is a hick, don’t sell him short. Country people are wise, intelligent, practical and gracious. They know how to do a lot of useful things, such as care for animals, deliver calves, raise crops, operate heavy machinery, fix broken machinery, put in a full day of hard labor, raise children, care for the sick and help others. It doesn’t matter whether they’re Mexican or Anglo, or increasingly, a mix. They’re good people. If you find yourself in a small Texas town around a holiday, say Thanksgiving, and you ask around if there will be a restaurant open on Thanksgiving (Dia de Gracia), I can all but guarantee you’ll get several invitations to dinner, all sincere.

9) If you don’t like guns, keep it to yourself. Same thing goes for Willy Nelson.

10) Music is big, and it’s not all in Austin. Austin does have great live music, though.

11) If you get stung by a scorpion, you’ll know it right away. No big deal, put some ammonia on it. Some people say peroxide, some people say vinegar. Some people say take a drink of whiskey. Probably doesn’t matter. Rub spit on it; it’ll stop stinging presently. But remember, of all the cures that don’t work, whiskey is the best.

12) Welcome to Texas. Can I get you a Shiner Bock?

Why not click on over to Get Religion to see what it’s all about: HERE.

LONDON: US scientists claim that when aliens arrive, they will destroy Earthlings because we harm our environment so much.

Three scientists from NASA and Pennsylvania State University have warned that aliens would declare a war with us after they see how we kill other species and harm our planet by giving off greenhouse gases.

“Extraterrestrial intelligence (ETI) could attack and kill us, enslave us, or potentially even eat us,” the report said.

“ETI could attack us out of selfishness or out of a more altruistic desire to protect the galaxy from us. We might be a threat to the galaxy just as we are a threat to our home planet,” it stated.

However, there is also a possibility that aliens “could help humanity by solving hunger and disease,” the Daily Star quoted NASA boffins at Pennsylvania State University, as saying.

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PS – As reported on Twitter, the family and I recently saw “Cowboys and Camel Crickets“.

This episode of the Orthodixie Podcast is the second in a two-part series.

After Part One, I’m Not Gay; I Was Drawn This Way, I received a number of emails, some from so-called homosexuals, thanking me. A couple emails were from parents. I’d mentioned that the topic of “sexuality” – especially use of the word gay – is on the minds of our young people. This, unless you are deaf or disinterested, is a fact.

Why?

Because our young people are bombarded with this topic online, on the tube, in the classroom and, please forgive my honesty, many parents have shirked their responsibility in being, well, PARENTS!

But, I’ll come back to that …

I am tempted to say: Parents, please do not let your young’uns listen to the following podcast. But, believe me, they hear worse sitting in their school desk.

So, even though I’ll mention Sesame Street’s Bert & Ernie, you have been warned.

Here goes …

A female Camp Staffer asked me:

When young kids ask about their sexuality, what are we supposed to say?

What fell out of my mouth was this:

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.