Friday, March 13, 2015

Reflections During Lent

Hello my dear friends.  Today I thought I would share with you something a little bit different since we are in lent.  It's a season that is near and dear to my heart.  So, I'm going to share a history story that takes place in my wonderful parish in Tacoma, Washington.
 
 Holy Trinity today
The little photo above is a picture of Holy Trinity Church that is located in Wilkeson, Washington. (Do you see the blue onion dome?  It reminds me of the churches in Russia.)   Wilkeson was a coal mining town and sits in the western foothills under the backdrop of beautiful Mount Rainier.   Back in it's day it used to be quite the town due to coal mining.  But, like many things, all that changed.

Holy Trinity was consecrated back in 1902 by Bishop Tikhon*, who was head of the Russian Orthodox Church in America.  It originally ministered to a variety of parishioners including Uniates (Byzantine rite Catholics), Greeks and Slavs.  As the years went by and the membership declined, there was not a full time priest for this parish.  All that changed when Fr. John Pierce was assigned as the parish priest in 1985.  At that time, I don't think there had been a full time priest for over 60 years at Holy Trinity!   Fr. John was a newly ordained priest.  With his help, hard work and dedication, Holy Trinity was revitalized from a handful of parishioners to a vibrant, growing church.

Holy Trinity now is on the Washington State Register of Historic Places.  It has been conserved throughout all these years to retain it's original character.  And, it is under the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church of America.

 
Above is a photo of the interior of Holy Trinity.  It's a very small church.

Below is a photo of the original flooring of Holy Trinity:


After Fr. John arrived in 1985, he was able to breath new life into this parish and as a result, his ministry helped establish another parish in Tacoma, Washington. This new parish was named Holy Resurrection.  Holy Resurrection grew so fast that Holy Trinity church is now used for special holy days only.
   
The church bells outside after a beautiful, wintry snowfall.......
 http://orthodoxtacoma.com/images/op_2_HRT_Campus/02-Church-Interior.JPG
 This is the interior of Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church in America located in Tacoma, WA.

I came to Holy Resurrection as a convert to the orthodox faith.  My family and I had attended services at a liturgical church for years.  We loved the formal church service and it was a great place to raise our children.  But, after many years, our church started to change and we did too.

Every year our local Greek Orthodox church held a Greek Festival. It was a fun event to attend every year; listen to Greek music, eat delicious Greek food and buy all kinds of goodies.  One year it caught my attention that they offered "inquirer's classes" for those interested in the Orthodox faith.  My husband had been raised Coptic Orthodox.  So, I started going to the classes. It was so enjoyable and I learned a lot.

When it came time to think about joining a church, I had an acquaintance who attended Holy Resurrection.  I didn't know her well but I knew a little about her church since I had donated some funds to their building fund years earlier.  My husband and I first attended services at Holy Resurrection in May of 2004 and we were hooked so to speak.  We had found our new church.

Throughout those years, I grew in my faith journey. Holy Resurrection was so unique in that everyone was the same; whether you were rich, poor, young, old, any background, any ethnicity, everyone was treated equal.  And the parish consisted of both cradle orthodox and converts like me.  We did everything together as a parish.

One winter, a member of the parish was working on a thesis for his masters.  He came across a story concerning a priest who had ministered at Holy Trinity during the early 1900's.  His name was Father Andreades.  There was a story of him riding horseback from Wilkeson to Tacoma and taking a boat over to Gig Harbor to give communion to a sick parishioner from Croatia.  There was large group of Croations who had immigrated to Gig Harbor (it was known as a fishing village back then). After all those many, many years, Fr. Andreades grave was discovered in a tiny graveyard in Gig Harbor.  Our church held a memorial service for him like 100 years after he had served.  It was so touching that Holy Trinity's lifeline was still alive and progressing.

This is a photo of the Narrows Bridge connecting Tacoma with Gig Harbor.  This bridge(s) did not exist when Fr. Andreades headed off to Gig Harbor.  They had a ferry service back then.

(This picture was taken from my home in Gig Harbor)

*Bishop Tikhon returned to Russian and became the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1917.  He was against the Bolsheviks and the harm they were inflicting on the Tsar and the church.  He granted autonomy to what became the Orthodox Church in America and to other Russian churches that had been established outside of Russia due to the revolution.  One of these churches is the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia or ROCOR.  ROCOR was not in communion with Moscow for over 70 years.  In 2007 the canonical link was restored between these churches. Metropolitan Tikhon died in 1924 and was canonized in 1981.  It's amazing to think that this is the same priest who consecrated Holy Trinity over 100 years ago. 

As I said, those were great years.  I moved to California in 2010 and had to leave my church.  I thought I would continue on my journey but I could not find another Holy Resurrection.  I have tried and tried but to no avail.  I still have my faith but right now my church going is in limbo.  But, I do have these wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.

As my son told me, "Mom, maybe you just had a few years of total bliss and now you will go on to something else".  It's hard for me to let go and move on and change.  So, this lenten season is a bit different for me.  I know the Lord has not forgotten me and that there is a church out there somewhere, sometime, that I can once again be a part of.  Until then, I can reflect and enjoy the many years of wonderful memories I had at Holy Resurrection.

I hope you have enjoyed this little bit of history.  I hope I have not offended anyone writing about "church" since this was not my intent.  I love history and this is a little snapshot of that.

Have a great weekend!  It's suppose to be in the high 80's/90 degrees here the next few days!  That's a bit too warm for March.

Take care and I look forward to hearing from you when you have the time.


blessings,
Pat


I'm linking up at Planet Penny's Happy Friday
and....Handmade Monday
and...The Art of Home Making Mondays.....

39 comments:

  1. I am always amazed at the journeys God takes us.I searched for 30 years to find the church He had prepared for me. He brought me back to the fellowship I had left 30 years before. Try not to deprive yourself of the fellowship of other Christians at this time. There is something exciting waiting for you. He never forsakes us and wants us to meet together for worship.Praying you will find the path He has laid for you.
    I did not find anything insulting in what you said about any church. God has a specific purpose for each church and will place His children as He sees fit within each body.
    God bless and keep you,
    In Christ

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    1. Thank you Regena for your kind words. Your comment was the first comment I received on this blog post. And, it warmed my heart to read your kind words. Many thanks for stopping by my blog today and for your prayers.

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  2. Hi Pat, oh my goodness, that little church in Wilkeson is just a few miles from where I live! It is so nice to know the history! It is such a darling little church and it is so wonderful that it was preserved and still being used. I am sorry that you have not found a church family since moving to California. That happened to me, moving from New England. The little Catholic church in my town just didn't feel welcoming to me, and so I have been churchless. It doesn't mean that I am not just as spiritual, and maybe more so, because I have a personal and private relationship with God. I do hope you find another church family, but if not, you have wonderful memories. If you ever come back this way, you will have to look me up! Hugs xo Karen

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    1. Thank you so much, Karen. It is such a small world isn't it? I thank you for your positive remarks and to know that there are other people like me in regard to church. It would be great to meet you one day when I visit my home state. I so appreciate your taking the time to comment. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  3. It was lovely to read about your beautiful church and I'm sorry that you haven't found anywhere to worship near to your new home. Why should it be offensive to write about it? It's part of what you are, and people who are drawn to read your blog will do so because they like what they see of you. For a long time I chose not to go to church and always felt that the garden was my place to speak to God if I needed to, but over the years we have lived in our village we have become involved in the community which has included the church - indeed, without our church my blog wouldn't exist as it started out as a monthly contribution to the church newsletter! It never fails to amaze me how things work out xx

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    1. Your words are so encouraging and I know things will work out in God's time. I was hesitant to write this blog as I didn't want it to come across in the wrong way. And, I so appreciate your kind words and for taking the time to comment. It truly means a lot to me.

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  4. Beautiful churches. I'm not religious but I do love churches (and other places of worship) - the architecture, the music and the sense of peace. I hope you find what you are looking for soon. Have a great weekend. x

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    1. Thank you so much for your nice comment. I appreciate your taking the time to visit and post your comment. It means a lot to me :)

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  5. The church looks lovely. I'm sure you'll find a church that you like and that you feel like you fit in to. It sounds like you liked the formality and structure of liturgical services, but if you try something new, you might surprise yourself. I grew up Lutheran and always went to the services that were structured and liturgical. I thought there was NO WAY I would ever like a contemporary service. . .. it was just too weird! But now I love contemporary services. I surprised even myself. :) Keep your chin up. Your perfect-for-you church will be found.

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    1. It was so nice of you to take the time to write to me. And, I will try and take your advice. I need to be a little more open to change and in the meantime, I won't give up searching. Your comment made me very happy. Thanks again.

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  6. Hi there Pat, finding the right place in a new place can be difficult, especially with the beautiful memories of a special time. The Queen Cat sends greetings ~ she is a Maine Coon mix, distant cousins, perhaps???

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    1. Many thanks for your kind comment. And, yes, Lilly is a Maine Coon. When I rescued her she was listed as "medium" size but you can see that she is "extra large". But, she is a bundle of joy to our lives. Have a wonderful weekend.

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  7. I do hope you find a church where you feel at home, that 'family feeling' is so important. Sending you good wishes, and thank you for joining in with Happy Friday once again x

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    1. That is so nice of you Penny. And, I do look forward to your Happy Friday link party. I already have a new post waiting for this coming Friday!

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  8. Pat, thanks so much for introducing yourself through your comment on my last post. I am so excited that you did...wondering what wonderful adventures God may have for us. I don't know how much of my blog you have read, but since last May I have been exploring the Orthodox church while attending services at St. Nicholas in Portland, OR. I am full of stories that I have not typed in my blog, but if you want to know some of them you can email me at graciesaylor@aol.com :-) I've added your blog to my blog roll and am your newest follower. I am looking forward to reading more of your blog and getting to know you better. May God grant you many years!

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    1. Hello Gracie, it's so nice to meet you. I am going to sign up for your blog and see what I have missed. I would love to chat with you about Orthodoxy. Thank you too for signing up to follow my blog. You really made my day :)

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  9. What a lovely post. I find it so interesting finding out more about the bloggers who's blogs I read. Well done you for keeping on your faith journey, thankfully there is so much in nature to remind us to be so thankful xx

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    1. I so agree with you Jenny. Each day is a blessing. Have a wonderful day.

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  10. I loved reading your post, too! We had our own "little church" that meant so much to us and when we moved, it took us a long time (and some heartache) to find a new home. God so often surprises us! In our case, we spent several years in two different churches and really tried to fit it and it just never felt right and finally, two years ago, we dropped into the church at the end of our street that has ended up being a lovely home. It worked out for the best because there was a major problem at the church at the end of the street a few years before we tried it and if we had been there during the trouble, we probably wouldn't have stayed. Instead, we arrived after a minister who has brought so many gifts of healing and it's become a wonderful community. I have faith that when the time is right, you will end up where you need to be. In the meantime, you have your online community and the wonderful memories of that lovely church! Thank you for sharing!
    I came via Ginny at the Yarn Along.

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    1. I couldn't have said it any better - your comment is what happened to me. But, I'm still on my journey and today I did visit the "church at the end of our street". I will wait and see what happens. In the meantime, I feel truly blessed to have my family, friends and my dear blog friends, too. Many thanks.

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  11. Very interesting post, particularly as I'm not a 'church person' myself! It sounds lovely to have somewhere where you can meet friends and feel part of something bigger. Good luck in your search for a new church!

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  12. Thank you Clare for your encouraging words. And, thank you for taking the time to visit and comment. Have a great day.

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  13. A wonderful post and interesting to read so much about other faiths, thank you

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    1. Thank you Carolee for stopping by and your kind comment.

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  14. What a fascinating read, thanks for sharing.

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    1. You are most welcome. Thank you for reading Lilly my Cat. Happy Monday!

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  15. I love your picture of The Holy Trinity Church, it looks so sweet and friendly. I'm sure your son is right and you will find your place again. It's lovely to have a community spirit, thank you for sharing your thoughts and history.
    Jan x

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    1. Hi Jan, it's been so nice to receive such positive feedback. I thank you for your kind words.

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  16. It sounds like the church has been a wonderful part of your life, it can definitely be hard when things change, especially if you have to let go of something you love but i'm sure there are more lovely people and experiences around the corner too :) x

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    1. I agree. And I will keep an open mind about new experiences. It so nice of you to take the time and comment. Have a wonderful day.

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  17. Thank you for sharing such a personal and cherished part of your life. I, too, have had times where I just could not find the right church, despite looking. For me, sharing worship with others is so very important - but there has to be enough overlap with my own values that I can relax into it. I agree with others that the right thing will come along, and also that it's good to try some new things and keep an open mind. God does certainly move in mysterious ways!
    I know what you mean about writing about religion publically. I myself feel quite hesitant in writing about my own beliefs online. Things can be open to misinterpretation, as people have so many different starting points. But while I think we need to be sensitive in discussing faith in a public forum, I don't think we need stifle ourselves completely... hard for me to know if I've hit the right balance sometimes! I certainly thought you did in this post.

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    1. Thank you Christine for your wonderful comment. Since I so admire your writing style, I felt my writing skills may be not on target. I was hesitant to write something and it be perceived in the wrong way. But, I feel it was alright since I did receive positive feedback. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to comment. It means a lot to me.

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  18. That was such an interesting read! Never be worried that you might offend by talking about your faith. I could not be happy in an orthodox church, but fortunately the Good Lord did not make us all the same. And aren´t we blessed to be free to worship in whichever way suits us best? For many years I have been a part of the free Evangelical movement, and I even managed to find a church that I could feel comfortable in when I moved to Spain, (Started by English ex-pats, and mainly attended by them). Sadly things have gone wrong there recently and I felt compelled to move away from them, But many others left with me, and we now all attend a newly opened Anglican church, that is trying to be a little more free, and less traditional than the main Anglican one in this area. It is hard to adjust to change, but the Lord puts us where he wants us to be. I pray that you will find a new spiritual home soon. Lent Blessings. Kate xx

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  19. Hi Kate, I agree that we are not all the same and we have many choices. It's interesting to see that others have maybe felt the same as me. I wish you the very best in your new church. We are lucky to have our faith in the Lord. Thanks again for your kind thoughts.

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  20. Oh! It turns out that not only do we have knitting in common, but my family and I lived in Gig Harbor for almost a decade - we moved in July of 2009 - and we have good friends who are parishioners at Holy Resurrection, the Williams and the Ramos families. In fact, we were there for Fr. Irenaeus' ordination and know Fr. John, and another deacon's family there. I wonder if we ever met?!

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  21. Hi Ranee, on my gosh! It's such a small world. I know Fr. Irenaeus and his family and also the Ramos family. I believe Mr. Ramos was ordained a deacon after I left. Maybe we did meet. It really amazes me how I can meet people who have a connection in some way. I so appreciate your taking the time to comment. Many thanks :)

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    1. Yes, he was. He was just made a deacon a few years ago. We came back "home" to have our most recent baby at St. Joe's, and both families brought us meals and games and movies and books, and came to pray with us. They even brought the Paschal feast to us, as I wasn't allowed to leave the hospital even to go to the services.

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  22. And as for not finding a church home, I can relate to that as well. Our church does not have a parish in our new area, so we have been attending the Roman Catholic Church, which is close, but not exactly. It's been hard to be without a "home."

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  23. What a lovely story of your former parish! Maybe I can visit it sometime when I'm out that way : ) I hope you find a way to settle in to an Orthodox Church where you are. Sometimes it just takes a little time to get to know people. Have a Blessed Holy Week & Kali Anastasi!

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