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Service
Aikoti is back back back, back again gain gain gain.... I missed this forum so much!... I've been on a spiritual downstreak for months and I'm finally picking myself back up and glad to be back! Pray for me please!
Anyways... so on to the topic
So I was having a conversation with one of my sunday school teachers about the awareness of the CoC in the U.S. We were talking about how Copts are viewed as a "cult" by many Americans and even on CNN recently where they did a segment about Coptic persecution we were referred to as a "sect". We then proceeded to talk about service, and how a church is known through service to their communities. Many Coptic churches pertain to their congregations and neglect the communities around them. We came to the conclusion that since our parents generation was the first generation to mass migrate to the U.S., considering that todays youth is the first generation to be mass born in the U.S. The problem is that in Egypt service is dangerous due to the persecution and ridicule of Copts in Egypt, resulting in the generation before us that mass migrated here has little to no experience with service outside the congregation, and since that generation is currently in control of most of our churches, service to our communities is lacking, resulting in the relatively unknown status of the Coptic church here in the U.S.
We figured that is is today's youth that will have to be the initiators of this service, for the sake of spreading awareness of the CoC.
I just wanted to get you guys' thoughts/comments/concerns/ideas.
Pray for me,
Chris
Anyways... so on to the topic
So I was having a conversation with one of my sunday school teachers about the awareness of the CoC in the U.S. We were talking about how Copts are viewed as a "cult" by many Americans and even on CNN recently where they did a segment about Coptic persecution we were referred to as a "sect". We then proceeded to talk about service, and how a church is known through service to their communities. Many Coptic churches pertain to their congregations and neglect the communities around them. We came to the conclusion that since our parents generation was the first generation to mass migrate to the U.S., considering that todays youth is the first generation to be mass born in the U.S. The problem is that in Egypt service is dangerous due to the persecution and ridicule of Copts in Egypt, resulting in the generation before us that mass migrated here has little to no experience with service outside the congregation, and since that generation is currently in control of most of our churches, service to our communities is lacking, resulting in the relatively unknown status of the Coptic church here in the U.S.
We figured that is is today's youth that will have to be the initiators of this service, for the sake of spreading awareness of the CoC.
I just wanted to get you guys' thoughts/comments/concerns/ideas.
Pray for me,
Chris
Comments
http://evangelismcopticorthodox.org/
and then have a look at the community around you. are there lots of drug addicts? are there old people getting isolated and lonely? have a look at 1 or 2 needs and then ask a church servant what can be done to help here.
a good start may be having a prayer meeting to pray for the surrounding area, eg you could meet for 30mins before asheya (evening praise) to pray.
then you can see who comes and ask these people to help you find ideas about how the church can help.
it's really great to 'see' you again, may God give you peace and strength and may you find guidance and help in your service in the church
:)