Under construction

It was a wonderful thing for me to experience, little by little, the construction of a new Orthodox church in my city a few years back.

For many years, during the pan-Orthodox season of Sarakostí, my family and I would visit Saint George's Antiochian Orthodox Christian church for mid-week service and the free supper afterwards. The service was on the main floor of their tiny Protestant missionary meeting hall, and the supper was served in the equally tiny church basement, where the tables were fitted so snuggly that the experience of being enveloped by an almost suffocating love followed us wherever we went. It was wonderful!

Finally, though, the congregation finally took the risky step of faith to build a new and authentic Orthodox temple on some land on the east edge of town. I used to drive past the building site on a regular basis to see how the construction was progressing.

Then, the temple was "finished" being built. At least it had the shell completed, the windows put in, and the most essential interior parts in place, the iconostasis, the baptismal font. The congregation "took possession" and worship of the Lord began. The walls and pillars and ceiling were pure white, no icons anywhere except on the iconostasis and a few other places, small icons hanging in their frames. I used to bring people to Saint George's and tell them, "We are privileged to see a baby Orthodox church, just fresh and new in its white garments. Soon, the icons will begin to be painted on the walls and ceiling. But now, we see what a new-born temple looks like. Before long, generations of pious Christians will fill these white walls with images of the Lord and His saints. Remember how it all began."

That was some years ago. When you enter the temple now, it is beautiful to see how the walls have filled up with icons of the resurrection, the baptism of Christ, and the platytera "wider than the heavens" icon of Mary with Jesus in her lap. It is no longer a baby Orthodox church; it's growing up. There will be more years to fill the still empty walls here and there, but now the church just feels "new", not "newborn." I wish I had photos to share in this post of the church under construction, but I don't. So, I have used some images found on the internet of a new church under construction in Serbia.

This post is not really about a church under construction. It is about a soul under construction, an Orthodox soul. Rarely are we in a position to view the workings of God on the soul of a person being drawn to Christ and mentored by Him, but the internet window of blogging allows us sometimes to view a soul under construction. (Actually all of us are souls under construction, and our blogs reveal this!)

I invite you, brethren, to visit the blog of a new brother whom I have met through the internet, and you will read there things that will make you give glory to God, "who alone does marvels." Christ our God is drawing together His flock from all corners of the earth, so let us praise Him. Christ is risen! Christ is in our midst!