Monday, January 16, 2006

St. Louis

Yesterday we drove up to St. Louis (Madison, IL, specifically), to visit a different Orthodox Church. Since we've moved an hour and a half north the church in Memphis is not the closest anymore, so we decided to try and find a parish in St. Louis to find.
Not long after we walked in one of the priests, Fr. Michael, squatted down in front of our kids in his vestments, told Alexis she looked like a princess and gave them some spiritual advice.
Our kids' eyes were big as saucers. "Who is this man in a big gold robe talking to us?"
Micah asked several times during liturgy, "when's this going to end?", and one time he said, "This song is sooo long..." We were sitting next to Lauren, the girl from SEMO, and she kept laughing at our kids' hijinks. At one point I leaned over and said to Amy, "Relax. Our kids are being at least as good as those Orthodox kids." "But those kids are little!"
After liturgy we were standing around meeting folks when the older of the two priests came and got me. We sat in a pew and visited some over our story and our interest in Orthodoxy.
After all that, we went to the Huniaks for lunch.
I can say with some authority that this was definitely our kids' favorite visit to an Orthodox Church, even though the liturgy was 2 hours long. They especially liked the chance to play afterwards.
That's the latest in our journey in, around, and to Orthodoxy.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Looks like you put yourself within driving distance of quite a few parishes. It might be worth it to email each parish and ask the priest a bit about the parish and how receptive it is toward families with young children, converts (seekers) etc.

Finding a parish where your family is comfortable, happy and spiritually nurtured is very important - then, it's the norm to stay put unless you move or a parish is started closer to you.

-Bernie

- - - - - - -

Protect. of The Virgin Mary OCA
43 miles
112 N. Fairdale Ave
Royalton, IL 62983
618-984-2144
holyprotection@yahoo.com
www.holyprotection.us

SS. Constantine & Helen Church GOA
82 miles
405 Huntwood Road
Swansea, IL 62226
618.277.0330

St. Thomas the Apostle Church OCA
90 miles
6501 Nottingham Ave
St. Louis, MO 63109
314.353.9785
st-thomas@st-thomas-the-apostle.org
www.st-thomas-the-apostle.org/

St. Nicholas Church GOA
93 miles
4967 Forest Park Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63108
314.361.6924
stnichol@swbell.net
www.saintnicholas.mo.goarch.org/

Nativity of the Virgin Mary OCA
93 miles
416 Ewing Ave.
Madison, IL 62060
618-451-9995
www.nativityofthevirgin.com

SS. Cyril & Methody Church OCA
95 miles
4770 Maryville Rd
Granite City, IL 62040
618.931.6465
moultonr@mir.wustl.edu

Assumption Church GOA
95 miles
1755 Des Peres Road
Town & Country, MO 63131
314.966.2255
assumption@mindspring.com
www.assumptiongoc.org/

All Saints of North America ANT
102 miles
2550 Schuetz Rd
Maryland Heights, MO 63043
314-966-3753
info@allsaints-stl.org
www.allsaints-stl.org