[quote author=Andrew link=topic=12846.msg151572#msg151572 date=1328639916] We have asked much of you already, father, but I have one more request: Could you consider uploading your Sunday homilies for our edification? Thank you :)
I have been thinking a little about these podcasts, and perhaps I should say a little about how I see them as part of the ministry I have been called and ordained into.
I have been a member of the Coptic Orthodox Church for 17 years now. During that time I have served my local priest and congregation in various grades of the diaconate. I developed and maintained the British Orthodox Church website for many years, have written articles for the Glastonbury Review (the British Orthodox Church journal), I have republished and published many books of interest to Coptic Orthodox folk, and have participated in other activities as my bishop has instructed.
In 2009 I was ordained to the priesthood of the Coptic Orthodox Church and my ministry as a missionary priest, rather than a missionary layman, was instituted. I have prayed earnestly to understand what God requires of me, and now, in 2012, it seems to me that His will is that I serve in four areas of ministry.
i. As priest in my own local mission community seeking to draw in folk as God wills and providing spiritual and pastoral care to the very mixed little congregation which is presently gathered.
ii. To serve as a missionary priest in the Orthodox London mission which I have been blessed to organise with the support of my bishop and brother priests, taking part in mid-week prayer and study meetings, and in monthly liturgies, and arranging other activities which will help to establish a community of mission minded Orthodox Christians.
iii. To serve on various national organisations as I am instructed and invited by various bishops, such as serving as Secretary of the Council of Oriental Orthodox Churches in the UK, and as Co-Secretary of the Catholic-Oriental Orthodox Regional Forum.
iv. To serve the wider community, and my local responsibilities, through the production of podcast series, booklets and books, and even videos, on those spiritual and theological matters that are especially of importance to youth, students and graduates.
All of these are the normal activities of a busy priest, and many of them are ministries which others have asked me to participate in, or which I have been instructed to participate in. I am absolutely at the service of our Lord in all these things as He wills.
But as a missionary priest I receive no income at all for any of these ministries. I have to work at secular employment to be able to care for my family. It is therefore difficult to fit all of these necessary and important ministries into the little spare time I have. This is the reason why I have asked for people or groups to consider sponsoring a podcast. It is because these ministries depend entirely on the support of other Orthodox Christians. I have uploaded quite a few podcasts all in one go, but I have had to not work very much at all to be able to do so, and now I must return my attention to my secular work.
If you believe that these ministries should be supported and funded then please consider what you can do. It is just a matter of fact that without support, even just a small regular amount, then these ministries will not be able to take place, or to the extent that they could. If 400 people gave up a Big Mac once a month then all of these ministries would be funded. If 100 people gave up a Big Mac once a week then all of these ministries would be funded.
And so, back to sponsoring a podcast. It takes at least 3 hours to prayerfully research, write, and produce a 30+ minute podcast. This requires about £50 of support. Two podcasts a week needs £100 of support. But there are other ministries, such as the Orthodox London mission, which are also important and require support.
This is the service of the Lord, of our Lord. It is service in His Vineyard. Therefore I am not ashamed to say here that this service of the Lord needs support, and I will say that if you are unable to support these ministries for a range of good reasons, then do you know someone else who could?
These ministries will not take place without the support of Orthodox folk. If you believe that they are valuable, and useful, and worth supporting then do please consider how you can.
I wish I can give you all the money I have, Father. But I can't even afford the classes I'm taking this semester.
I have two questions (for when I start working): would these donations be considered as tithes? Or no, because I'm getting something in return (sermons)? And where do we submit our donations? I remember you gave a website a while back, but I lost it.
[quote author=Father Peter link=topic=12846.msg151569#msg151569 date=1328638261] I have posted a new podcast called, Introducing Orthodox Christology, I hope that it is easy enough for most people to follow and benefit from.
I can only continue to produce and publish these podcasts if I can find some financial support, since I am a missionary priest and do not have a large congregation to support me. When I am doing these things I cannot work at the secular job I have to do.
So if anyone is wealthy, please consider sponsoring a podcast, or if you have a rich uncle consider asking him to sponsor one. I am more than willing to prayerfully produce podcasts on some of the topics which have been suggested but I do need some support to be able to release me to be able to do so.
Fr. I really REALLY urge you to use iTunes. I do not understand why you are shying away from publishing your material (books & podcasts) on iTunes. You have a problem with YouTube, but iTunes is different. I think YouTube, most people generate revenue from material published through GoogleAds on the Youtube videos, but fair enough, I admit youTube is not the most user-friendly site i've seen - but please consider iTunes.
Also, I purchased your book (in hardcopy) ages ago. Is it possible to change it for a soft copy?
I can send you a pdf copy of Orthodox Christology if you've already bought the paperback book.
I suppose that I do not want to make my podcasts only available to those who will provide some financial support. I want them to be available to everyone. And there is a paypal form on the podcast site, and on my orthodoxmedway.org site but out of 516 people who have downloaded podcasts only 1 has made a donation.
So if I posted the podcasts on iTunes surely that would mean that only 1 person would have downloaded anything, which is not what I want.
I do need financial support since the British Orthodox Church as a missionary diocese receives no support and the growth of these ministries depends on people's support. But I would rather that donations for these podcasts were voluntary and many people benefited, rather than that it cost and only a handful benefited.
Yes. I purchased a paper book copy. I received it ages ago. Material I receive through PDF that I can read through my iPhone/iPad laptop will be better used than a paper copy.
iTunes can be as you wish: you can upload podcasts freely, or make them payable.
I find that the more I listen to Father Peter; The more I am not just enjoying what he has to say; But HOW he says it. That British accent makes me want to have a cup of tea left and right....while working on my spirituality.
Comments
We have asked much of you already, father, but I have one more request: Could you consider uploading your Sunday homilies for our edification? Thank you :)
Is homily a better word than sermon?
None is better than the other. The study of preaching is called Homiletics.
I have been a member of the Coptic Orthodox Church for 17 years now. During that time I have served my local priest and congregation in various grades of the diaconate. I developed and maintained the British Orthodox Church website for many years, have written articles for the Glastonbury Review (the British Orthodox Church journal), I have republished and published many books of interest to Coptic Orthodox folk, and have participated in other activities as my bishop has instructed.
In 2009 I was ordained to the priesthood of the Coptic Orthodox Church and my ministry as a missionary priest, rather than a missionary layman, was instituted. I have prayed earnestly to understand what God requires of me, and now, in 2012, it seems to me that His will is that I serve in four areas of ministry.
i. As priest in my own local mission community seeking to draw in folk as God wills and providing spiritual and pastoral care to the very mixed little congregation which is presently gathered.
ii. To serve as a missionary priest in the Orthodox London mission which I have been blessed to organise with the support of my bishop and brother priests, taking part in mid-week prayer and study meetings, and in monthly liturgies, and arranging other activities which will help to establish a community of mission minded Orthodox Christians.
iii. To serve on various national organisations as I am instructed and invited by various bishops, such as serving as Secretary of the Council of Oriental Orthodox Churches in the UK, and as Co-Secretary of the Catholic-Oriental Orthodox Regional Forum.
iv. To serve the wider community, and my local responsibilities, through the production of podcast series, booklets and books, and even videos, on those spiritual and theological matters that are especially of importance to youth, students and graduates.
All of these are the normal activities of a busy priest, and many of them are ministries which others have asked me to participate in, or which I have been instructed to participate in. I am absolutely at the service of our Lord in all these things as He wills.
But as a missionary priest I receive no income at all for any of these ministries. I have to work at secular employment to be able to care for my family. It is therefore difficult to fit all of these necessary and important ministries into the little spare time I have. This is the reason why I have asked for people or groups to consider sponsoring a podcast. It is because these ministries depend entirely on the support of other Orthodox Christians. I have uploaded quite a few podcasts all in one go, but I have had to not work very much at all to be able to do so, and now I must return my attention to my secular work.
If you believe that these ministries should be supported and funded then please consider what you can do. It is just a matter of fact that without support, even just a small regular amount, then these ministries will not be able to take place, or to the extent that they could. If 400 people gave up a Big Mac once a month then all of these ministries would be funded. If 100 people gave up a Big Mac once a week then all of these ministries would be funded.
And so, back to sponsoring a podcast. It takes at least 3 hours to prayerfully research, write, and produce a 30+ minute podcast. This requires about £50 of support. Two podcasts a week needs £100 of support. But there are other ministries, such as the Orthodox London mission, which are also important and require support.
This is the service of the Lord, of our Lord. It is service in His Vineyard. Therefore I am not ashamed to say here that this service of the Lord needs support, and I will say that if you are unable to support these ministries for a range of good reasons, then do you know someone else who could?
These ministries will not take place without the support of Orthodox folk. If you believe that they are valuable, and useful, and worth supporting then do please consider how you can.
May God bless you all
I have two questions (for when I start working): would these donations be considered as tithes? Or no, because I'm getting something in return (sermons)? And where do we submit our donations? I remember you gave a website a while back, but I lost it.
Thanks
You concentrate on your studies.
But if anyone else is so moved there are forms on this page..
http://www.orthodoxmedway.org/mission_supporters.php
I have posted a new podcast called, Introducing Orthodox Christology, I hope that it is easy enough for most people to follow and benefit from.
http://orthodoxfaith.podbean.com/2012/02/07/an-introduction-to-orthodox-christology/
I can only continue to produce and publish these podcasts if I can find some financial support, since I am a missionary priest and do not have a large congregation to support me. When I am doing these things I cannot work at the secular job I have to do.
So if anyone is wealthy, please consider sponsoring a podcast, or if you have a rich uncle consider asking him to sponsor one. I am more than willing to prayerfully produce podcasts on some of the topics which have been suggested but I do need some support to be able to release me to be able to do so.
Fr. I really REALLY urge you to use iTunes. I do not understand why you are shying away from publishing your material (books & podcasts) on iTunes. You have a problem with YouTube, but iTunes is different. I think YouTube, most people generate revenue from material published through GoogleAds on the Youtube videos, but fair enough, I admit youTube is not the most user-friendly site i've seen - but please consider iTunes.
Also, I purchased your book (in hardcopy) ages ago. Is it possible to change it for a soft copy?
I suppose that I do not want to make my podcasts only available to those who will provide some financial support. I want them to be available to everyone. And there is a paypal form on the podcast site, and on my orthodoxmedway.org site but out of 516 people who have downloaded podcasts only 1 has made a donation.
So if I posted the podcasts on iTunes surely that would mean that only 1 person would have downloaded anything, which is not what I want.
I do need financial support since the British Orthodox Church as a missionary diocese receives no support and the growth of these ministries depends on people's support. But I would rather that donations for these podcasts were voluntary and many people benefited, rather than that it cost and only a handful benefited.
Yes. I purchased a paper book copy. I received it ages ago. Material I receive through PDF that I can read through my iPhone/iPad laptop will be better used than a paper copy.
iTunes can be as you wish: you can upload podcasts freely, or make them payable.
Teach us to pray.
It will be a study of the Lord's Prayer from the Gospels according to St Matthew and St Luke.
Orthodoxfaith.podbean.com
God bless you
Father Peter
Forgive me Father! *Runs away like a child*
I've not finished that one yet.
Father Peter
oh okay, thank you! :)
Btw, I really enjoyed the one about the start of lent, I'll be using many of the things you said in my Sunday School lesson this Sunday :)
http://britishorthodox.org/3112/london-mission-video-st-georges-in-the-east-father-peter-farrington/