I began this series chronicling my experience planning the Ludwell Orthodox Fellowship’s inaugural conference with “Armed & ready at the gate,” explaining the impetus for the event and some of the hurdles of the early stages. I then followed up with “A dark horse in these dark times,” taking a look at the spiritual warfare that heated up over the summer.
However, my aim with this series isn’t to make it so much about me. I don’t want to “play my tiny fiddle,” as my parish priest is apt to say when admonishing himself against the human habit of complaint. Similarly, I also don’t want to “walk around wearing a plaintive, victim status on my sleeve,” like my friend Daithi Dubh expressed in the comment section of the last essay, “but I don’t want to be naive either!”
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
— 2 Corinthians 12:9
These are indeed times of great tribulation and the trials of both Southerners and Christians (but especially Southern Christians) are only going to get more intense. I firmly believe that all evidence points to that as being a bold-faced fact. Just as the Apostle Paul had a thorn in the flesh, we too have our hardships and persecutors, so how we deal with them is of paramount import.
Thus, my intent is not meant to engender learned helplessness; rather, it’s meant to inspire courage for enduring undeterred, and faith for surrendering to the help of the Lord. My hope is that my story and the ultimate success of the conference will fuel the long race of standing strong and doing good works, despite the risks and traps of the times.
Early September 2023
I thought I’d be dragging myself across the finish line come conference day. In addition to the “hater fatigue” that had been wearing me down, Hurricane Lee was stirring up travel troubles for some registrants. The regime media was floating a return of masking, lockdowns, and other assorted covid craziness, which surely would’ve put a dystopian damper on the impending event.
“Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”
— Philippians 2:16
And I was half-expecting the Fordhamites, a “conservative” from the Orthosphere, or maybe even someone from my old parish to craft an “October surprise” against the conference in early September … you know, something wild like CGI of the Fellowship founders burning a cross, deep-fake footage of me drowning puppies, or some other sophomoric agitprop that some folks willfully gobble up.
But by God’s grace, I simply didn’t have the time to get bogged down with the possibility of looming conspiracies because there were too many loose ends to tie up, such as: Correspond with the caterer, the community center, the AV volunteers, out-of-towners, my parish priest and fellow parishioners, and last-minute registrants (due to our subsequent waiting list). Update the website and share on social media all new and unfolding info. Figure out additional seating and tables for Sunday’s sure-to-be-packed coffee hour at St. Thomas, and overflow parking for both Saturday night’s Vigil and the next day’s Divine Liturgy, and communicate needs (like food and canopies) to the parish as a whole since Lee was bringing the rain and the conference many a hungry visitor. The final-stretch sprint was on, but so was the teamwork!
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:58
A few days leading up to the big day, I was also having insomnia — something I rarely experience, thank the Good Lord. (My husband jokes that if there was an Olympic competition for sleeping, I’d easily win the gold!) Regardless of getting only three hours of sleep the night before the event, the show must go on. And boy did it!
Saturday, September 16
The conference went off without a hitch due to the excitement, generosity, bravery, and labor of those in attendance, as well as my St. Thomas peeps. It was utterly sublime! People flew in from as far away as the UK and California, and drove from as great a distance as Texas, Kentucky, and Minnesota. Attendees rented hotel rooms, Airbnb homes, and cars, and patronized local restaurants.
In fact, even the event speakers all trekked to Tobaccoville on their own dime and were comped not a single penny for their gas, food, or accommodations. To behold such sincere charity, sacrifice, and support of cause was awesome in the truest sense of the word!
“Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”
— 2 Corinthians 4:9
It’s vital to point out that despite the slander and hate levied against the Fellowship and its evangelist mission, folks were not scared away. I think this is a testament not only to the sick state of the world making warriors of people who would otherwise not be resistors to the madness, but also to the strengthened resolve and increasing fearlessness of people of faith. What a time to be alive!
“O Heavenly King” to start the conference on the right foot:
Fellowship co-founder, editorial director, and conference speaker Dr. Clark Carlton welcomes attendees to the inaugural event:
A collage featuring the other speakers and our emcee, a room full of rebels to the world, a good friend, a good flag, and our good and faithful spiritual ancestor and namesake Col. Philip Ludwell III:
See the speakers and their presentation titles below, and access all the videos of speeches here.
Speakers spoke. Sound and video volunteers worked together to capture the presentations. People listened intently. Folks prayed, chatted, and hugged. “Online friends” met in real life. Longtime friends cherished the day. Attendees sold their books. A bishop laughed with laity. A protodeacon waxed philosophical with young academics. A priest joked with old friends. A monk served BBQ (both Lexington and Eastern Carolina styles, of course). Locals and visitors alike helped set up and break down. The young lady (who was tapped by the community center to remain onsite, help me find things, and answer my many annoying questions) politely assisted. Her name? Dixie! And we all took advantage of this unique bonding opportunity while opening our minds and hearts in order to explore just why the Southland is ripe for Orthodoxy.
About midway through the event, an attendee approached me, told me that he was former ATF, and warned that there was a fed van “watching and listening” to us from the parking lot. Speechless for a moment due both to the claim and my sleep-deprived state, I finally replied, “Um, okay. Hopefully, they’re learning about Jesus.”
Who knows if what that gentleman said was legit. But I figured that we have nothing to hide since we are a missionary organization after all. Maybe those men in black wanted to go Waco on us. Or maybe they heard the Good News and found out that the Orthodox Church is the hospital for their ailing souls. One can only hope it was the latter.
After pulling together to get the space cleaned up, everyone headed to Vigil at nearby St. Thomas, which was beautified down to the wire by parish helping hands. It was a lovely and reverent service, prepping us spiritually for the next day’s Divine Liturgy.
Sunday, September 17
115 people were present at my humble country parish, which averages around 70 on Sundays. My husband and I sang in the choir led by the incredibly talented Reader Daniel Kowalcheck, while our three teenage sons served in the altar, assisting St. Thomas archpriests Fathers Mark Tyson and Onouphy Keith, and Deacon Daniel Brown, as well as visiting clergy:
• Father John Whiteford — St. Jonah Orthodox Church (Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia) in Spring, Texas, and my boys’ father confessor!
• Protodeacon Patrick Mitchell — St. John the Baptist Cathedral (ROCOR) in Washington, DC
• Father John Filipowicz — St. Demetrios of Thessaloniki Monastery and St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church (ROCOR), both in Northern Virginia
• Abbot Mark Kerr — Monteagle Monastery (Serbian Orthodox Church) in Monteagle, Tennessee
• Father Boniface Carroll — St. George Cathedral (Antiochian Archdiocese of British Isles and Ireland) in London, England
A multitude of local and visiting Orthodox Christians received the Holy Gifts “for the remission of sins and unto life everlasting,” while inquirers were able to witness the Eucharist as a mystical sacrament. “O come, taste, and see that the Lord is good.” What a blessed participatory experience for us all!
Following Divine Liturgy, a Panikhida memorial service for a St. Thomas friend, and then post-liturgical prayers was coffee hour, also known as the “Liturgy after the Liturgy.” From what I’ve heard, this is a distinctly American tradition.
But in the South we do it up big, since food and hospitality are definitely an integral part of our culture and faithful ethos: breaking bread with family and neighbors, sharing scrumptious dishes baked with care (often from time-honored family recipes), and slowing down to laugh and love. Coffee hour is “where the Church, renewed as Christ’s body through the Eucharist, practices self-care before going out to work in the world.”
Prior to the beginning of services that day, St. Thomas founder and retired archpriest Father Onouphry Keith wrote in his sermonette Signal group, “I normally don’t send anything out on Sunday, but because so many of us attended the conference yesterday, I know that God gave me a verse from Psalms this morning.” Then he shared Psalm 126:4 and added, “Sometimes He is so clear it surprises me.”
Serendipitously, Monday’s Scripture reading included Job 37:17: “How thy garments are warm, when He quieteth the earth by the south wind.” In his sermonette, Father Onouphry noted, “The word ‘south’ is mentioned for the second time in as many days. It is clear to me that He approves of what was discussed in the conference the day before yesterday. I think we have a green light to continue exploring what the South provided spiritually … [and] pray for guidance in developing the path back to what ‘love’ had developed in the South.” I wholeheartedly agree.
“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.”
— 1 Corinthians 9:24
In “That Hideous Strength,” C.S. Lewis wrote, “Those who are enjoying something, or suffering something, together, are companions.” And that is how I feel about my home parish, the Ludwell Orthodox Fellowship, Southern Orthodoxy, and the Holy Orthodox Church. We are most certainly a remnant in the cross hairs of the depraved and dying world, but it’s nothing a little fellowship and a lot of liturgies and prayers can’t handle.
We, the Church, are all in this race together and the inaugural conference was one heckuva good run. As spiritual athletes, everything is iron-sharpening training, but especially acts and works that are unpopular precisely because they’re God-honoring. Yet, the more we fearlessly labor, the more we must rely upon Him. And Lord willing, one glorious day, we’ll cross the true finish line and hear: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”
