Quite a sight. Having lived in the South most of my life and in these Southern Mountains for the past 12 years — I’ve never seen anything quite like the artistry left behind by Tropical Storm Ivan. Many businesses, particularly around the Biltmore area (near Asheville), are still closed due to flood damage from last week’s storm, Frances. Frances pales in comparison to the work done by Ivan. The county where I live has been without power for over 30... Read more

By Dr. Peter C. Bouteneff Americans are approaching an important election this fall. All presidential elections are important, but few have been this close or this polarized. Those of us who seek to live and act in a way that is consistent with the life and theology of the Orthodox Church do well to reflect upon how we will act on November 2. Some Orthodox I know believe that the only way an Orthodox Christian could possibly vote is Republican/Conservative.... Read more

Greetings from rain drenched, flood ridden, limbs a fallin’ … power’s out … Western North Carolina. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Radio says we might be without power for days. We’ll see … Will update when able. Prayers coveted. Read more

This is another one to file under the Etc Column (i.e., not about Orthodoxy) … Red stick, frayed paper, floating down the river. America’s birthday, day after. The spent rocket launcher passes by the pier as he drifts into memories. Remembering the days of his youth, many ill spent, he realizes that when he was younger he never saw the beauty. He saw dirty water, red mud, mosquitoes, water moccasins, mom and dad. It wasn’t all bad, it just wasn’t... Read more

I’m reluctant to post the following link for several reasons: 1) I’ve never liked Dan Rather as a newsman. I find his speech patterns choppy and affected. 2) I’m not so sure, politics being what it is and all, that the Bush campaign didn’t plant — or at least encourage — the “forged” documents. 3) I have a general distrust of the mainstream media. 4) I don’t want this Blog to become polemical, political, agenda laden, in this election (i.e.,... Read more

“No one is so good and full of pity as God, but even He does not forgive those who do not repent.” Mark the Hermit “We’re not Orthodox in order to escape the gaping jaws of hell. We’re Orthodox in thanksgiving for what God has done for us in the Incarnation.” Archimandrite Damian, Abbot – Ascension Monastery “To come to the pleasure you have not … you must go by a way in which you enjoy not.” St John of... Read more

People concern themselves with Christian upbringing but leave it incomplete. They neglect the most essential and most difficult side of the Christian life, and dwell on what is easiest, the visible and external. This imperfect or misdirected upbringing produces people who observe with the utmost correctness all the formal and outward rules for devout conduct, but who pay little or no attention to the inward movements of the heart and to true improvement of the inner spiritual life. They are... Read more

I tried to say something similar to this in my remarks on Sunday. A caveat to the following article: The author seems to use the words Arab and Muslim interchangeably. However, there are many faithful Arab Christians who, needless to say, do not support the actions of their radical Muslim brethren. By Nonie Darwish FrontPageMagazine.com September 14, 2004 Several Arabs were among the terrorists who recently murdered over 350 people in a Russian school. I’m not surprised. But how many... Read more

Last weekend we have collected US $ 4,678.00 for the victims of the terrorists’ attack in Beslan. US $1,290.00 came from the mail campaign and US $3,388.00 came from the parishioners during Saturday/Sunday services, Sept. 11/12, 2004. We will continue our collection for one more week. In XC, Fr. Victor Potapov Checks can be made out to ” St. John R.O. Church” with the memo: “For Beslan” and sent to: St. John R.O. Church, 4001 17th St. NW Washington, DC... Read more

Here follows the front page of my parish newsletter, October 2001: Dear Members & Friends, Glory to Jesus Christ! Words cannot express the sadness, shock, horror, outrage, and numbness brought about by the awful events of September 11, 2001. Trusting that you have been thoroughly saturated with information concerning the terrorist attacks, I will not belabor the point. I must say, however, that I believe the battle now being waged is more spiritual than physical as, indeed, all battles essentially... Read more