Personal membership in two churches?

[Joseph A.]

I am blessed to have recently moved into a new community where there are several Orthodox churches of different jurisdictions. I have attended services at each church, and have been regularly attending 2 churches of 2 different jurisdictions (both in communion with one another). I am not yet a member at either, and I have found both to be wonderful places to worship. The parishioners at each church have been very welcoming, and each presents a set of beneficial characteristics that the other doesn't have. Is it possible for me to become a member of both churches?

Joseph

[Paul Cowan]

We are one body in Christ. We are all brothers and sisters. I don't see a problem with visiting other aligned churches, but you will want to find a spiritual father and "settle down" into a routine. It is I am sure difficult for a spiritual father (for me my parish priest) to keep tabs on his spiritual children if they only attend his parish occassionaly.

Paul

[Father David Moser]

If you were to prepare two pots for a plant and every day (or even every week) pull it out of one pot and place it in the other, the plant would not grow well - even if both pots were full of nutrients and well watered and so on. The shock of transplantation would be detrimental to the growth and well being of the plant. Now you aren't a plant and so can handle change a little better, but still it is best for your spiritual welfare to choose one parish as your own and attend there regularly. Visit the other parish occasionally for special events or feasts so that you maintain contact and can be enriched by the expanded circle of friends and fellow believers.

Our parish is "close" to the other parishes in town and there is a comfortable ease in visiting one another. But I do not encourage people to flit from one to the other to the other... but rather each parish has its own family, but we get together for an occasional feast and we visit back and forth when it seems right but we always go back to our "roots" as it were (returning to the plant metaphor).

Fr David Moser

[Effie Ganatsios]

Do you have to register to belong to a church in America?

It is different here, we can attend services at any church we like although for any kind of ceremony - marriage or baptisms - it is usual to have them in your parish.

Your parish is determined by where you live.

Greek παρоικια/paroichia = "district" or "diocese", from Greek παρά = "beside", οικος = "house".

If you wish to have these ceremonies in another church, the priests generally arrange this between themselves.

Sometimes people wish to be married in a small chapel, or in a church that is special to them but is not their parish church.

[Owen Jones]

It doesn't sound like what you are doing is "flitting" from one Church to another. I think taking advantage of different perspectives is good. But I suppose it depends on the person. Not getting involved in Churchy stuff can be a great advantage to one's spiritual life. One could also divide one's tithe between the two.

[Michael Astley]

I think that Father David gives sound advice here.

However, I share Effie's confusion in not understanding this concept of membership, Joseph A. You are baptised and chrismated. Therefore, you are a member of the mystical Body of Christ, the Church. I suppose one can also be a part of the local parish family and refer to this as membership but it sounds as though you're using the word in a more formal, structured sense. POlease forgive me if I have misunderstood.

Pax,
Michael

[Robin Elizabeth]

Another consideration is a practical one.

When you join a particular church you're are expected to support that church. If you belong to two different churches, then you have to be willing and able to support both churches - both financially and with your time. Personally I don't have the time or the funds to do that, but you might.

For myself, I would chose one for an official home and visit the other. No one I know would have a problem with you doing that, as long as both are "canonical".