CrossRoad June 2010

After our last chapel service and breakfast together, we had our closing activities and said goodbye as participants left campus and traveled home. God bless, CrossRoaders! We'll miss you!

Today we travelled to a beach on the North Shore of Massachusetts for some fun in the sun. The weather was warm, the sea was cool, and the smiles were big! We returned to campus for Vespers and then took part in the Re-entry session and closing night activities.

Our Sunday morning began with Orthros and Divine Liturgy. Following brunch, Dr. Rossi delivered the second part of his reflection on vocation and relationships. Then CrossRoaders visited two different nursing homes where they talked with the residents, played piano for them, and put on a small dance. During the evening, the students attended two sessions: "Vocation, Suffering, and Loss" and "Vocation and Missions." Finally, CrossRoaders shared their thoughts on finishing Stage 3 of the program (Vocation and Christ in the Face of the Neighbor).

In the morning, we went on a Breakfast Search (unable to be photographed) in Cambridge.  In small groups with CrossRoad staff, we invited homeless people to have breakfast and share their personal journey with us. Since we had risen so early for this, after lunch we rested during Be Still Time. Then the staff treated CrossRoaders to ice cream from J.P. Licks before leaving for vespers and dinner at St. Mary's Antiochian Orthodox Church. In the evening Dr. Albert Rossi, professor at St. Vladimir's Seminary, spoke to us about vocation and relationships.

Today marked the fourth and final day of classes. After classes and discussion groups, we visited the historic Faneuil Hall for lunch and shopping. Next we traveled to Holy Resurrection Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Allston, where Fr. Patrick Tishel gave a talk to students, led us in Vespers, and joined us for dinner. Participants then returned to campus for CR Learners and an introduction to Stage 3, "Vocation and Christ in the Face of the Neighbor."

CrossRoaders began their day with a special Divine Liturgy to celebrate the Nativity of St. John the Forerunner. Afterwards they began their third day of classes and discussion groups. In the afternoon, we visited St. Sava Serbian Church in Cambridge and returned to campus for vespers. The night's activities included games in the gymnasium and a talk on Vocation & Monasticism.

After today’s classes, CrossRoaders had the opportunity to test their knowledge of the faith in “Apologia.” In this activity, each staff person took the role of a member of a different religion, allowing the students to dialogue about their faith. Then we visited St. Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Church, where we had the blessing to venerate their sacred relics. The closing activites were “Night with Christ” and “Night with the Saints.”

This morning the CrossRoaders began their classes with Fr. Harry Pappas and Fr. Radu Bordeianu. After each class they broke off into small discussion groups to share their thoughts. In the afternoon, we had the opportunity to take a duck boat tour around Boston. Afterwards, St. George Albanian Orthodox Church hosted us for discussion, dinner and a small evening service. Upon returning to campus, participants were challenged by a presentation on Orthodoxy and Pop Culture.

Today we visited two beautiful churches in Roslindale, MA, to learn about Orthodoxy and the Arts. At Holy Epiphany Russian Orthodox Church, CrossRoaders studied icons and Byzantine chant. Then we walked a few blocks to St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church, where we talked with the parish priest Fr. Vasilios Bebes and had the opportunity to venerate the relics of St. Nektarios of Aegina. In the evening, students had a session on Vocation and Worship,then finished off the night by sharing their reflections on stage one of CrossRoad: "Wrestling with Vocation."

The first full day of CrossRoad began with the celebration of Divine Liturgy in the Holy Cross Chapel. Then we headed to Beverly, MA, for a ropes course to practice teamwork and trust. The day ended with reflections on the sanctification of time.

Thirty CrossRoaders are here to take the challenge! They come from as near as Massachusettes and as far as Hawaii, and in the next ten days they will grow together in Christ. The first day was full of activities for everyone to get to know each other and begin reflecting on vocation.