www.byzcath.org Forums Mysteries: The Life of Worship Old-Ritualists Forum Interview with Old Believer in Minnesota

Erskine is the center of a Minnesota community of Russian Old Believers estimated at between 50 and 100 families. The Old Believers began moving to Erskine around 1998 in order to escape a farming crisis and suburban sprawl which threatened their community near Woodburn, Oregon. This is an interview with one of those Old Believers.

Erskine Interview [oldbelievers.wetpaint.com]

Great article

Ultimately, I'm sorry to say, this is a sad interview. It demonstrates that with no ordained Priest (and, ultimately, Bishop), people, especially those who must move, begin to lose their knowledge of the Faith and forget, bit by bit, how to practice the Faith correctly. My advice is probably unwelcome, but I would strongly suggest that the leadership in Erskine should get in touch with Archbishop Sofrony and obtain an ordained Priest from him.

Father Serge

Now now Fr Serge, as we all know there are plenty of Orthodox Churches with bishops and priests that struggle to remember how to practice the faith correctly as well .

Lets just say that living an Orthodox life is a struggle that we all fail at ultimately, but some of us have the advantage of failing less dramatically at it than others.

I am painfully well aware of that. But since it is that difficult with a normal complement of clergy, it is even more difficult without a normal complement of clergy!

Father Serge