Vacation Church Camp – 2018

https://www.psicologialaboral.net/2024/08/07/32ygdji5k It is that time of the year, the time when church camps and vacation bible schools sprout all over this nation (and some other nations). I can remember taking a trip to the coast with the teens in Perú. Mornings were devoted to the retreat while afternoons were to go to the seaside, relax, and enjoy ourselves. The photograph above comes from our church camp this year. It is one of the priests of the cathedral surrounded by a bunch of our youngest.

Yesterday was the time of the week when an instructed Liturgy was celebrated. What is an instructed Liturgy? It is when the celebration is geared to the young children. There were frequent pauses when the priest stopped to explain to the children what was happening. The stops were very short and were often show and tell. That is, the priest would show them the Book of the Gospels, or the paten, or the chalice, and tell them what was going on. Sometimes, he would briefly explain the words of a prayer. It was all geared to the little ones, so the explanations were deliberately simple to the point of being simplistic. But, it was a good start that began to plant the seeds of understanding in their minds. It was also fun for us. I was the acolyte while the priest pictured above was the celebrant.

My favorite moment came during Communion. There is a custom in the Greek Church of asking someone their name as they come up, even if the priest knows their name. By custom, you are supposed to respond with your baptismal name. In many cases, your baptismal name is your legal name, but not always. And that is what led to my favorite moment. People who come from other cultures sometimes adopt use names that are easier to spell or easier to pronounce than the actual baptismal name. If you have been named for your grandmother, Evradiki, you may end up deciding on Grace as your use name. Even in English, we do this. I bet you know at least one William who is called Bill, or one Thomas who is called Tom, or you may know a Bubba whose legal name is completely different or a friend who uses their middle name because they dislike their first name. In fact, they may use this name as though it were their legal name. Only when a fully legalized document needs to be produced does their true legal name come out. The same is true with the Greeks.

https://sugandhmalhotra.com/2024/08/07/t0f565u3 When the little tykes came forward for communion, the priest asked them their name. On several of their little faces, a small look of panic flashed across. Normally on any Sunday that they come up for communion, they come with their parents. Often, it is their parents that give the priest their child’s baptismal name before the little tyke can remember it. But, there was no parent present and they realized that they needed to remember the name that momma or daddy gave on the Sundays when they came forward for communion. On one or two of their faces, you could see that they were trying to remember their names! I had a very serious struggle to keep from giggling. That would not have helped their sense of self-esteem.

Can I Buy Generic Xanax Online The priest pictured above is very good with little children. He would fold his over six-foot frame down until his face was level with theirs, and then he would ask them to whisper it to him. In every case but one it worked. The child relaxed and the name popped out. Tragedy averted! I was fortunate enough to be standing next to him during this time, helping as an acolyte, so I had the great opportunity to observe and be delighted. Our children went back to their camp and I returned to my other tasks with a happy memory to take with me.