Preparing for Confession

By Metropolitan Jonah, Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of All America and Canada for the Orthodox Church in America. Excerpted from Metropolitan Jonah’s address, “Do Not Resent, Do Not React, Keep Inner Stillness”

Repentance, conversion, the transformation of our mind and our life, is the core of the Christian life. Repentance does not mean to beat ourselves up for our sins, or to dwell in a state of guilt and morose self condemnation. Rather, it means to confront our sins, and reject and renounce them, and confess them, trying not to do them again. …
The process of purifying our self is hard and painful, at first; but becomes the source of great joy. The more we confess, honestly and nakedly, the more we open ourselves to God’s grace, and the lighter we feel. Truly the angels in  heaven (and the priest standing before you bearing witness to the confession)  rejoice immensely when a person truly repents and confesses their sins, no  matter how dark and heinous. There is no sin so grievous that it cannot be forgiven. NOTHING! …
Preparing for confession is an important process. It means to take stock of our life, and to recognize where we have fallen, and that we need to repent. The following should help to prepare for confession, but it is not a laundry list. Rather, it should help to spur our memory, so that we can bring things to consciousness that we have forgotten. It is more of an examination of conscience.

The Passions
- Gluttony
- Lust
- Avarice
- Anger
- Envy
- Despondency & Vainglory
- Pride
The Commandments
 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself

Loving God
Do I love God?
Do I really believe in God, or just go through the motions?
Do I pray, and when I do, do I connect, or is it just mechanical?
Do I rush through prayers, Scripture readings, and spiritual literature?
Do I seek the will of God in all things?
Do I rebel against what I know to be God’s will, and the Christian life?
Do I try to be obedient, and constantly surrender my life to God?
Do I go to church, go to confession and communion regularly, keep the fasts?
Do I try to be conscious of God’s Presence, or not?
Do I try to sanctify my life? Or do I give in to temptation easily? Thoughtlessly?

Loving Our Neighbor
How do I treat the people around me?
Do I allow myself to judge, criticize, gossip about or condemn my neighbor?
Do I put people down? Do I look for their faults?
Do I condescend and talk down to others?
Do I treat others with kindness, gentleness, patience? Or am I mean, rough and nasty?
Do I try to control others, manipulate others?
Do I regard others with love and compassion?
Do I bear anger or resentments against others? Hatred, bitterness, scorn?
Do I use and objectify others for my own pleasure or advantage? For sex, for profit, or for anything else which de-personalizes him/her?
Do I envy and bear jealousy towards my neighbor? Do I take pleasure in his misfortunes?
Do I act thoughtlessly, oblivious to the feelings or conscience of the other?
Do I lead my neighbor into temptation intentionally?Do I mock him or make fun of him?
Do I honor the commitments I have made? Marriage vows? Monastic vows?
Do I honor my parents? Am I faithful in my relationships?
Do I have stability in my commitments?
Am I conscious of how my words and actions affect others?
Have I stolen anything, abused or hurt anyone?
Have I committed adultery?
Have I injured or killed someone?
Do I covet other people’s things? Do I lust after possessions or money? Does my life revolve around making money and buying things?

Loving Our Selves
How am I self-centered, egotistical, self-referenced?
Do I take care of myself, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually? Am I obsessed about my self, my image, my appearance, my desires and agenda?
Do I indulge in laziness? Do I get despondent, depressed, despairing?
Do I beat myself up, indulge in self-hatred or self-pity?
Do I injure myself? Do I have low self-esteem, or think myself worthless?
Do I blame other people for my reactions? Do I feel myself a victim?
Do I take responsibility for my own reactions and behaviors?
Do I engage in addictive behaviors, abusing alcohol, food, drugs, sex, pornography, masturbation? How do I try to console myself when I’m feeling down?
Do I have anger and resentment, rage, and other strong emotions and passions suppressed within me? Do I act out on them? How do they affect my behavior?
Can I control them or do I abuse other people?
Am I conscious of how my words affect people?
How am I a hypocrite? Can I face my own hypocrisy? Am I lying to and deluding myself?
Do I have a realistic idea of myself? Am I honest with myself and others? What kind of façade do I put up?
Have I done things that I don’t want to or am too ashamed to admit? Abuse of others or animals, incest, homosexual acts, perverse actions?
Have I abused drugs, sex or other things that I don’t want to acknowledge? Am I afraid that I am those things—an alcoholic, drug addict, gay, child abuser? Am I afraid to confess them? Can I forgive myself for these things? What do I feel guilty about? Does guilt control my life?

Am I being faithful to myself, to God, to others? Does my life have integrity?
CREDIT: An excerpt from “Do Not Resent, Do Not React, Keep Inner Stillness,”
posted at http://www.facebook.com/notes/st-maria-of-paris-orthodox-church/donot-resent-do-not-react-keep-inner-stillness/226638570696822

TOWN HALL MEETING – this sunday

Immediately after the second service, starting at noon, the vestry will host a Town Hall Meeting for anyone interested in learning more about our sense of where God is leading All Saints in its jurisdictional relationships with Rwanda and ACNA. We are also eager to hear your thoughts, hopes, and concerns about our future place in the Anglican world.

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICES – Tomorrow!

Please join us at one of two services on Ash Wednesday (Feb 22), a rich abbreviated service at 12:00 noon and a full Eucharist at 7:00 p.m.  The imposition of ashes will be offered at both services. Childcare will be provided for infants and toddlers.

A Red-Letter Day

This past Sunday was a red-letter day in the history of our church family: our official move-in day at the All Saints Annex!

It was so much fun to see so many people at our two Open Houses after each service. After many, many hours spent preparing the space, those of us who have been patiently (and sometimes impatiently!) waiting for this day were thrilled to see the space finally put to use for some of the many things we’ve been imagining: fellowship for our church family, conversations and friendships, good food, children having fun–what a joy! We hope and trust that Sunday was just the tip of the iceberg, and we know God has plans for this space beyond what we can imagine.

There are already lots of exciting things happening in the Annex: Children’s Church classes, youth groups, Essentials class, and Newcomers’ Luncheons already call it home. Staff have moved into their offices, and we’re excitedly settling in; what a gift it is for our pastoral staff to have space for a private conversation!

If you missed the Open House, don’t worry; there are lots of ways to get in on the excitement as we’re still very much in the process of settling in.

• Come visit us! Check to see which direction Thomas Kortus’s desk is facing this week (it’s anyone’s guess!) or what new projects grace the lower elementary students’ bulletin board. Check out the work still in progress on our kitchen (it’s going to be great!) or sit down for a cup of coffee with a staff member in a comfortable new chair. Check out Barbara Barnes’s artwork in the youth room or preschoolers’ artwork in the yellow classroom.
• Volunteer your time and skills! One thing is for sure: we need your help to do the good work God has planned for his people in the Annex. Spend a Sunday assisting in a Children’s Church class or working with the youth on a special project. Help clean up or set up for fellowship events by joining the hospitality team. Help design, decorate, and put the finishing touches on our walls.
• Donate! We still need furniture, youth equipment, and many other things to make the Annex feel like home. Contact any staff member if you have gifts you’d like to share.
• Give! Moving into the Annex represents a significant financial stretch for our church family. Help us meet our financial obligation to make this new home possible.
• Pray! Most importantly, please pray for the staff working in the Annex, for the ministries making their homes there, and for the people God will reach within these walls. Give thanks for the many volunteers who have worked so hard to get the Annex ready.

I know I speak for the whole staff when I say thank you for what so many of you have already done to help make this move possible. Thank you to our volunteers, thank you for your donations and gifts, thank you for coming out to celebrate our Open House. Welcome to the All Saints Annex! Please don’t be a stranger!

(Photographs courtesy of Sonya Ewing Photography–thanks, Sonya!)

An Invitation into the Observance of a Holy Lent at All Saints

Lent is the season of preparation – forty days plus six Sundays – leading up to Easter. Lent calls us to self-examination, penitence, humility, and renewal. It is a time to concentrate on fundamental spiritual values and priorities, not a time for self-punishment.

Throughout Lent, our worship services take on a simpler tone. The songs are more subdued; the liturgy is more penitential; the word “Alleluia” is not used. This Lenten way of worship encourages reflection and simplicity.

Many Christians mark the season of Lent by giving up something. Busyness plagues us all in our culture: giving up television, or taking one day a week to “fast” from email, can be a powerful Lenten discipline. Others choose a traditional fast from specific foods or drink. Others change and curtail spending habits.

But relinquishment is only the first half of a true Lent. Letting go of one thing creates capacity to take hold of another – so fasting paves the way for more prayer, or more generous giving to the poor, or more enjoyment of simple opportunities for “soul rest.” During Lent some people rededicate themselves to more consistent daily Bible reading or disciplined prayer. Others take a course of spiritual study. This year at All Saints, we are offering a special Lenten Discipleship Group,beginning Monday, February 20 at 7 p.m.  The class will read and discuss Christopher Jamison’s book Finding Sanctuary, exploring together lessons and practices from classical monasticism.

Special services punctuate Lent. We begin with Ash Wednesday, February 22: an abbreviated 12:00 noon service and a full Eucharist at 7:00 p.m. (Childcare offered at both.) On March 18 we will observe the Stations of the Cross in a Prayer Service in the late afternoon. Lent reaches a climax with Holy Week services – Palm Sunday (April 1), April 5 Maundy Thursday footwashing and Eucharist (7:00 p.m.) and the April 6 Good Friday service (7:00 p.m.)

Lent is also an especially appropriate time for a service of personal confession. Confession to a priest is not required, but for many, making a confession to a priest can be a powerful time of spiritual reconciliation and healing. Please contact Rector Steve Breedlove or Associate Rector Thomas Kortus if you would like to meet for a service of personal confession and reconciliation.

Finally, during Lent we will be preaching through the Letters to the Seven Churches in Revelation. Throughout the season, the Sunday Sermon Notes insert will include questions for further study and prayer. Use them personally, with your 242 group or with friends or family members.

We pray that God will use this 2012 Lenten season to draw us into greater intimacy with himself and to form us into a truer likeness of his Son.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

FYI

Please be aware that we have a new phone number at the church 919-908-9187 and that we need to include Suite A with our new office address: 4300 Garrett Road, Suite A, Durham, NC 27707

 

THANK YOU!

What can Monks teach us about living the Gospel?

The Lenten discipleship group, which begins Monday, February 20 at 7:00 PM, will read and discuss Christopher Jamison’s book “Finding Sanctuary”. This book grew out of an “experiment” sponsored by the BBC and Worth Abbey in England in 2005. The BBC wanted to see whether monastic spirituality has anything to offer contemporary English people, and Worth Abbey (Jamison is the Abbot—the leader—of the monastery) agreed to host 5 men for 40 days to see what might happen. The experience proved to be life-changing for all of them—the men and the Abbey.

Come join us and see what the monastic tradition can teach us about how to live the Gospel grounded more and more deeply in God. For more information or to register, please contact Paul Marvin (919-477-6974, pmarvin@nc.rr.com).

Listen to the ASC Annual Meeting and read the Annual report

If you missed the Annual Meeting a few weeks ago click here to listen to the Annual Meeting and to download the Annual Ministry Report. God is at work in and through All Saints Church!

 

 

 

Join the Lenten Discipleship Group, Monday nights, 7-9 pm

What is Lectio Divina?

 

Good question.  Here is how a medieval monk named Guigo describes this

four-fold way of praying the Scriptures:

 

“Reading seeks for the sweetness of a blessed life, meditation perceives it,

prayer asks for it, contemplation tastes it. Reading, as it were, puts food

whole into the mouth, meditation chews it and breaks it up, prayer extracts

its flavor, contemplation is the sweetness itself which gladdens and

refreshes. Reading works on the outside, meditation on the pith: prayer asks

for what we long for, contemplation gives us delight in the sweetness which

we have found.”

 

Interested?  Join the Lenten Discipleship Group, Monday nights, 7-9 PM,

February 20-March 2.  For more information or to register, please contact

Paul Marvin (477-6974, pmarvin@nc.rr.com).

Desiring the Kingdom Part 2

In our last post, we looked at Jamie Smith’s presentation of the important role that liturgies, both secular and sacred, play in our lives. We spent a large portion of our time on an imaginary trip to the mall where we explored the liturgy of the market. We also attempted to grasp Smith’s anthropological description of mankind as human-as-lover that is central in his work. In this second part, we will walk through chapter 2 where Smith gives us a deeper explanation of the impact that our daily, embodied practices have on our lives. Also, we will examine chapter 3 where Smith explains the most significant liturgies in our cultural setting, which are the liturgy of the market, the liturgy of the military-entertainment complex, and the liturgy of the university.

Before we discuss liturgies, however, we must begin with practices. Humans are creatures who function in the world primarily at the level of love or desire. As such loving beings, we are creatures of habit. The habits that now make up our lives are actually the products of the thick and thin practices at work in our lives. Thin practices, according to Smith, are the mundane routines that pervade our daily existence, such as how we brush our teeth or how and when we choose to exercise. We do not often think about our thin practices, we just do them. This truth extends beyond our daily routine to other aspects of our lives. For example, the ethos of our work environment is presented in a set of thin practices. The things that we do to comply with the employee manual are designed to make us into “good” employees. Practices like the employee manual are shaping us at the unconscious level because a set of thin practices often coalesce into a more coherent set of rituals that are really formative, even if we are not aware of them.

On the other hand, we also have thick practices in our lives. These are meaningful actions we undertake in order to be transformed in their image. Practices like these carry within them a vision of the good life, and over time we begin to shape ourselves to fit this vision. Many of our thick practices come together to constitute a liturgy, and these liturgies become all encompassing and essential to our lives. Not all these liturgies are religious in a certain sense, but they do demand our ultimate allegiance or loyalty. Most of us actually lead compartmentalized lives where competing liturgies fight for our ultimate love. Smith points out that these competing liturgies form when our thin practices actually come together and form a liturgy that begins to influence us without our knowledge.

The solution to all this malformation and loyalty to the wrong kingdom is to realize that the church’s liturgy is the natural inoculation against the secular liturgies of our age. The church’s liturgy, however, has three very strong opponents in the current cultural landscape of the West. The market, the nation, and the university all want our love, our worship, and they have all gone to great lengths to ensure their dominance. Many churches, however, have not realized the significance of their worship practices as a counter-formation against the liturgies of the world.

In chapter 3, Smith discusses the three most significant liturgies in our cultural context. We have already discussed the liturgy of the mall in our first post, so there is no need to address that liturgy again. However, living in a post 9/11 world means that we have all been influenced by another strong liturgical force. A renewed form of nationalism has seen American military interest wed to the protection of global capitalism. Smith posits that the liturgy of nationalism helps cultivate a belief that violence and sacrifice are necessary goods. Surprisingly, Smith sees this liturgy at work in both blatant displays of military power, flag rituals and the ceremonies of our sporting events. He even sees this liturgy at work in the elementary classroom via the pledge of allegiance. Smith points out that the pledge functions as a creed, that is, it is a narrative that seeks to shape our lives and mold us into a certain type of people. This begs the question, are we teaching our families the creed? Are we shaping our household to be loyal servants of King Jesus, or do we really love another kingdom?

Smith identifies another competing liturgy at work in the American university system. This liturgy is somewhat different as it is not focused on the self-preservation of an institution. Rather, the liturgy of the university serves as an incubator for the market’s liturgy. It is in the university where we receive not only the information critical for our career paths, but also the formation necessary to be the type of people the market needs. The frantic pace and rigorous requirements prepare us for a life of service in corporate America. In higher education, we get our first taste of what it means to work without any hope of a Sabbath. This rigor makes us ready to participate in the liturgy of the extended work weak that places our families on the altar of sacrifice. Smith has given us three examples of alternative liturgies at work all around us. In our next post, Brian will walk us through Smith’s solution, which is a robust and energized Christian liturgy.

1. Now that we have seen the three major liturgies of our culture, can you look back and see how each of these have been at work in your formation as a person?

2. Which of these cultural liturgies do you identify as being the most influential? Do you find the emerging union of the nationalistic and market driven liturgies as problematic?

The Rev. Donnie McDaniel is a recent graduate of Southeastern Seminary and a recently ordained Deacon, but primarily he is a husband to Shannon and a father to Mackenna, Katie, and T.J. He serves in the Deacon rotation at All Saints and helps out in other areas as needed.