By the grace of God I am a Christian, by my deeds a great sinner, and by my calling a homeless wanderer of humblest origin, roaming from place to place My possessions consist of a knapsack with dry crusts of bread on my back and in my bosom the Holy Bible. That is all. – First sentence of Orthodox Classic “The Way of the Pilgrim”
My name is Michael Cook and I’m an Orthodox Christian. I’m also a Sub-Deacon in the Antiochian Orthodox Church and a lifelong follower of Jesus, who after 46 years of pilgrimage has finally come home to the one, holy, orthodox, catholic and apostolic Church. (It’s good to be home.) To learn more about The Orthodox Church go here.
By God’s grace, I’m the husband of one amazing wife, and the father of five exceptional children! Axios!
I am a ’pilgrim‘; a learner – a student of Church history, a bibliophile (lover of books), an advocate of theology, sacred music, cooking, eating, gardening, and the outdoors. We love campfires complete with long conversations, great food, slightly above average wine – while discussing everything that is true, right, good and funny. In my spare time I serve as Marketing Manager for the Baker Book Division, God’s Word Translation, and Cambridge Bibles at Baker Publishing Group - a third generation family run and leading Christian publishing house in Grand Rapids, MI.
Our family belongs to Holy Cross Antiochian Orthodox Church in Dorr (Grand Rapids), Michigan.
Grand Rapids Press Article about Holy Cross
http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2008/04/antiochian_orthodox_church_pre.html
(We are a mission church of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America) We trace our beginnings to the city of Antioch, the very church founded by Sts. Peter and Paul, where Peter served as its first bishop, where my patron saint Ignatius the God Bearer was his successor, and the place where the followers of Jesus of Nazareth were first called Christians: Acs 11:26.
“The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.” 11:26
“How important is the Orthodox faith for the un-orthodox times in which we live? ”
Find out at these helpful sites:
Mike:
My son, Gregory, has become orthodox. He is a member of Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church in Livonia, Michigan.
Please see the web site for the church garden initiative that he and his fiance, Meghan Visnick, are leading at his church.
http://www.htocgardens.weebly.com
My best,
Don
Dear Don,
Glory to God, for your son’s entrance into Orthodoxy and that he can share it with his fiance. By sharing a common faith, and a passion to serve in that faith, it will give them the foundation for a marriage that will last through the good and the tough times.
Don,
I am United Methodist, but I took a class in seminary on Orthodoxy, taught by an Orthodox priest. I think we Protestants have much to learn from you. Keep up the interesting work.
Thank you for your kind words and for the reminder that we all need to heed: we can, and must listen to the wisdom of those who have traveled before us, because it will inform and guide the path in front of us.
For me, I went ‘back’ in time, so that I could move forward in time. We stand on the shoulders of giants, God grant that we listen to the truth and wisdom of the Church – but more importanly to LIVE it.
Grace and peace to you