A church person is a full member of the Orthodox Church, attending church services at least once a month, regularly confessing, receiving communion, observing all church ordinances, fasting, and participating in events related to the life of the Church (religious processions, etc.). Church members are also those who are compelled or voluntarily residing in places remote from Orthodox churches and for this reason are deprived of the opportunity to regularly attend services and take part in the Sacraments, but who adhere to the Orthodox Christian worldview.
What is a church?
What does the church mean? Let's look for the answer to this question together. The Church is celebrated during the Sacrament of Baptism. This rite symbolizes the dedication of the baby to God. But you can understand this word in a different way. Its root is the word Church, the Body of Christ, the unification of all Christians of the same faith. That is, churching is the entry of the baby into the composition of this Body, its joining to the great common Soul - the Church. Such a unity presupposes a common understanding of the foundations of faith, a prayer life, and the rules followed.
Girl in the Church
The church-girl must strive to become a model of chastity, decency, politeness. In this way, she indirectly leads a sermon among the unbelieving people around her. She most often does not use makeup, trying to look tidy. Clothing implies modesty, taste, measure, the absence of any pretentiousness, vulgarity. Well, if she is always dressed so that you can safely enter the temple. Sometimes such a desire arises spontaneously. It is not necessary to dress in all black, formless. But you need to try not to embarrass the appearance of the people present in the church service. Girls usually have more free time than married women, so they often become members of charitable organizations, volunteers.
What brings people together in the Church
The church person is an Orthodox Christian who considers himself to be part of the Church, and her as his life, seeks to live according to the New Testament commandments. He may be a businessman, an athlete, the father of a large family, but he must place faith in Christ at the forefront. Participation in services and ordinances is a necessity for him. He must understand the meaning of what is happening in the temple during the service. Most church people observe the posts established by the Orthodox Church, consider it necessary to read certain literature, know and read morning and evening prayers of the Orthodox Prayer book daily. The believer is surely familiar with the feeling of spiritual unity with other members of the Church. On holidays, it is especially acute. People are united by a desire to share joy and everything that fills the soul.
How to church another person
What does it mean to church a person? If we return to the symbolic meaning of the word "churching", it means introducing a person into the Church. Do not just take his hand and bring him to all the “strong” icons and relics, do not give him a Prayer, but help to truly feel the unity of all believers - the living and the dead. He must see that the Church is a real family. You can not understand the word "church" building for worship. A person who does not communicate with anyone in the temple may actually be a member of the Church, and one who shakes hands with all parishioners and the clergy may be alien to Her. That is, to church means to give an understanding of the basics of Orthodox dogma, to help take the first steps in a new life and to master the basic church rules and rules of conduct in the church. This should be done by a priest or a person with a special spiritual education. If a simple parishioner is taken for the churching of another person, he should consult with the priest. He will competently talk about how to do it right, what literature to read.
Gospel and creations of the Holy Fathers - ABC of the Orthodox Church
A person who is a church member is a Christian who knows the basic gospel commandments and is familiar with the content of the teachings of the Holy Fathers of the Church. A prerequisite is not only to know by heart, but to clearly understand and confirm with whole life the content of the text of the article of the Creed. The beginning of acquaintance with the Church should be the reading and careful study of the New Testament. It is good if a priest or a believer who can carefully study it himself can help. But, unfortunately, now it is almost impossible to find a leader in spiritual life. Therefore, it is necessary to resort to prayer and the help of the Holy Fathers. Then God himself becomes the leader on this important path. You can start a beginner with a book: "Ambitiousness. Favorites for the laity."
Why exactly the Holy Fathers? You need to try to imagine that a person is skiing in an unfamiliar forest. There is an excellent ski track in front of it, and nearby are numerous powdery branches. What will a reasonable person choose ? A good ski track is the path laid by the Holy Fathers. It is as if they are calling us from the other end of the forest and saying: "Son, follow my footsteps, I have safely reached the goal." Each of them went this way and carefully secured the track. The clever, of course, will boldly go down the slope, the fool will begin to look for his own new path and will probably pay for his arrogance by the fact that he will soon get lost.
But in order to correctly understand the patristic works, one also needs an assistant. In a language that is understandable to modern man, their doctrine was presented by Father Superior Nikon (Vorobyov). His book "Letters on Spiritual Life" contains correspondence with his spiritual children, which at the household level outlines how to understand and apply in practice the patristic teaching. A little more complicated, in the magnificent language of the 19th century, this teaching is set forth in the writings of St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov). The works of the Holy Fathers and the gospel commandments for modern man are quite simply and understandably explained by A. I. Osipov, professor of the Moscow Theological Academy . You can get to know his understanding on his personal website. What does a church person mean? This is one who shares the views of the faithful children of the Church on the foundations of Orthodoxy, loves and respects her, believes in the truth of her teachings.
Family and Church
It is much easier for a believer to lead a spiritual life if in his family all members consciously believe in God and feel the need for church fellowship. A churchly family is formed when two believers create a couple. Less often, a believing husband or a believing wife manages to bring her soul mate to the Church.
In every church family, children are certainly brought up in the Orthodox faith. Norma is a common morning and evening prayer by the whole family, reading the biographies of saints at the dinner table and, of course, regular general attendance at divine services, participation in the Sacraments. All this contributes to the affirmation in the faith of each of the family members individually. The church-man understands this and necessarily takes care that all his relatives strive for spiritual life.