Community: Joined and Knit Together in Love

This is a guest post from Pat Lynch, Southwest Regional Student Leader on this year's Student Advisory Board. He currently resides, works, and attends school in Pasadena, CA. You can contact him on Facebook or email him at sabsouthwest@ocf.net.

This last December marks my third year attending College Conference West, and I would have to say it was my best OCF experience yet. As an OCF student leader and co-facilitator of this year's College Conference West, I was intentionally more active than in previous years, trying to reach out and ensure this year’s attendees felt welcomed, but also observing the general atmosphere of the gathering.

From the first hour, one could feel the joy and excitement of what this conference had in store—meeting new faces, old friends reunited—but perhaps that is to be expected when everyone first gathers into the mess hall for registration. And yet, it seemed that this feeling never faded. You could see it in everyone’s faces on the last day, a radiant joy and love for one another! No, the anticipation that comes with arriving at College Conference did not wither. Rather, it developed into the warmth and fervor of a new-found community. We became brothers and sisters, mentors and confidants, comrades and close friends. We were joined and knit together, belonging to one another.

In the days following the conference I’ve asked myself the question of whether or not the unity cultivated in Orthodox Christian Fellowship’s various ministries is anything special or unique. We certainly don’t have the market cornered on fostering faith-centered community (though in this day and age when our technology and limited social interaction is leading us further into isolation, it certainly is becoming a rarity). Even amongst the various religious and social groups of people still coming together in community, I believe that, yes, there is something special and unique about the unity found in the OCF community.

That uniqueness comes from what we gather around—what defines us when we come together. It is this: that we are a Eucharistic community. We come together and are united in the body and blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. St. Paul wrote to the Ephesians in admonishment, saying that

“...we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every joint with which it is supplied, when each part is working properly, makes bodily growth and upbuilds itself in love.” – Ephesians 4:15-16

As Orthodox Christians, we understand that this unification is brought forth by more than just our outward attempt to follow St. Paul’s words, that it is ultimately “joined and knit together” mystically through the sacramental life of the Church, especially the Holy Eucharist itself. This is our unique quality, that we are mystically united to Christ and one another through the Holy Spirit. This is not only our understanding of true Christian community, it is our understanding of salvation itself: to be in total communion with God and one another.

And this is truly what I witnessed at College Conference this year. We really did experience the mystical unity that manifests itself when we gather as the Body of Christ. It was a glorious and uncontainable joy, a taste of His Kingdom that is to come.

In my concluding thoughts, it is my hope that Orthodox Christian Fellowship continues to grow this community everywhere. We have something so precious, so beautiful, and there is a hungry and lonely world out there that is so desperately looking for what we have. We must first make this unity a reality amongst ourselves—and then we must share it with others. I look forward to the day when people come into the Church not because they read history and theology books about Orthodoxy, but because they saw a true community, knit and joined together in love, the Body of Christ.

Through Our Diversity, Strength

This is a guest post from Andrew Boyd, the Director of the Department of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministries for the OCA. Andrew graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2008, where he was an active OCF member, and graduated from St. Vladimir's Seminary in 2012. Andrew is also a former member of our Student Advisory Board.

I think many people are attracted to Orthodoxy because of its outward, monolithic appearance. When you compare it to modern Protestantism, with its kaleidoscope of different denominations and theologies, our Church does indeed look impressively uniform. I can walk into any Orthodox Church and within a minute or two, know what’s going on—regardless of the language. I can rest assured that those I am in communion with share my beliefs about the trinity, Christ, and what He came to do for us. We have a shared history of saints, stories, and customs. Tapping into Orthodoxy is like having an instantaneous social network of strangers that have the same formative experiences of God and religion.

Photo from College Conference East 2013

What OCF taught me, however, was the beauty of the diversity of our Church. So often we tell the story of the Orthodox from the point of view of “sameness” (i.e. we all share one belief, one faith, one inherited Tradition), which is certainly true, but there is amazing diversity within our Church that is often overlooked. Local traditions, cultural practices, smaller histories do not get swallowed by a monolithic Church, but find new meaning in the light of Christ.

On Unity: Living in Spiritual Unity

This year's OCF theme is unity, centered around Psalm 132:1 (OSB),

"Behold, what is so good or so pleasant as for brothers to dwell together in unity."

This week is part five of a six-part series centered around Orthodox perspectives on unity. The series will consist of reflections from student leaders and College Conference workshop speakers, leading up to College Conference at the end of December.

This is a guest post from Kiana Murray. Kianna is a freshman at Oregon State University in the Honors College. She is the Northwest Student Leader on the Student Advisory Board.

"Teach me thy way, O Lord, that I may walk in thy truth; unite my heart to fear thy name."
- Psalm 86:11

On Unity: Moving Beyond Spiritual Tribalism

This year's OCF theme is unity, centered around Psalm 132:1 (OSB),

"Behold, what is so good or so pleasant as for brothers to dwell together in unity."

This week is part four of a six part series centered around Orthodox perspectives on unity. The series will consist of reflections from student leaders and College Conference workshop speakers, leading up to College Conference at the end of December.

It’s hard to believe that the reality game show Survivor has been around since 1997 and appeared in 60 countries! Regardless of country, the goal is the same—be the sole survivor. In the early stages the tribe is all important in helping people survive to the next round, but in reality, even the tribe is just a means to an end—something to be used. Everything in the show serves the ultimate goal of one person “surviving.”

How totally different is our Orthodox Christian faith? St. Seraphim of Sarov (d. 1833) taught, “Acquire a peaceful spirit, and around you thousands will be saved.” In Christianity, unlike the TV show Survivor, the goal is not just our own survival, using others so that we win. In working out “our own salvation in fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12) we participate in bringing our fellow brothers and sisters back to God.

On Unity: Members of One Body

This year's OCF theme is unity, centered around Psalm 132:1 (OSB),

"Behold, what is so good or so pleasant as for brothers to dwell together in unity."

This week is part three of a six part series centered around Orthodox perspectives on unity. The series will consist of reflections from student leaders and College Conference workshop speakers, leading up to College Conference at the end of December.

This is a guest post from Thano Prokos, Great Lakes Regional Student Leader on the 2013-2014 Student Advisory Board. Thano is a junior at DePaul University, majoring in Secondary Education. This is his first year serving OCF on the SAB.

"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way." - 1 Corinthians 12:17-31

I’ll be the first to admit that I often feel beaten over the head with the message of unity. After two years attending a school in Chicago that prides itself on diversity and social justice, I've reached a certain level of cognitive dissonance when processing the message of unity.

On Unity: Finding Unity in Christ

This year's OCF theme is unity, centered around Psalm 132:1 (OSB),

"Behold, what is so good or so pleasant as for brothers to dwell together in unity."

This week is part two of a six part series centered around Orthodox perspectives on unity. The series will consist of reflections from student leaders and College Conference workshop speakers, leading up to College Conference at the end of December.

This is a guest post from Fr. Brendan Pelphrey, parish priest at Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Price, Utah and a workshop speaker at this year's College Conference West. Fr. Brendan is an expert on Orthodox Christian apologetics and missionary work. He has published four books and about a hundred articles, book chapters, reviews, and monographs on Christian theology, prayer, mission, world religions, and medieval studies.

There are different kinds of unity. People can tolerate one another, and so appear unified. Better, they can become friends. But far beyond these is the unity which is ours in Christ. It is the communion (koinonia) of the Holy Spirit, in the Body of Christ. It makes us truly one and transcends friendship, human love, even time and space and leads into eternity.

The Apostle Paul teaches that Christ fills all things, and in Him all things hold together (Ephesians 1:22, Colossians 1:17). Thus, communion with Christ leads to communion with all that exists. We discover this communion when, in the words of the ascetics, the mind “descends into the heart.” Here, in stillness, we draw close to God. Only then, we begin to understand our real purpose in life as God’s children, and we discover the awesome beauty and worth of everything that God has made.

On Unity: Communion & Culture

This year's OCF theme is unity, centered around Psalm 132:1 (OSB),

"Behold, what is so good or so pleasant as for brothers to dwell together in unity."

This week is the beginning of a six part series centered around Orthodox perspectives on unity. The series will consist of reflections from student leaders and College Conference workshop speakers, leading up to College Conference at the end of December.