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Archbishop Demetrios calls for prayers for the Christians in the Middle East

Posted on by Fr. Peter

demetriosJul 29, 2014

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, or any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes (Rev. 7: 16-17)

To the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of Parish Councils, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Members of Philanthropic Organizations, the Youth and Youth Workers, and the entire Orthodox Christian Family in the United States of America.

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

For decades, the region considered a cradle of civilization and the birthplace of Christianity has become an arena of violence, resulting in the loss of countless lives. While the source of violence has varied in each instance, what is consistent in every case is that the blood of innocent victims has saturated the Middle East. This is especially true of Christians, who have endured unimaginable suffering because of their faith.

The ongoing conflict in the Holy Land has forced Christian communities to live along the margins of society in the very place of Christ’s birth, death and resurrection. The conflict in Syria has led to the destruction of churches, monasteries and orphanages. Christians are kidnapped, ransomed, and killed. Over a year ago, Metropolitan Paul and Archbishop John of Aleppo of the Greek Orthodox and Syriac Orthodox Patriarchates of Antioch were kidnapped and they are still missing. Further east, in the Iraqi city of Mosul, the entire Christian population has been eradicated.

Local Christian communities have consistently responded to this terror with the Gospel’s mandate to love one’s neighbor unconditionally. Where extremists have embraced genocide, Christians have demanded coexistence and have provided refuge for those suffering persecution. They do so, recalling the words of the Book of Revelation, that through love, they shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them. For the Lamb shall be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes (Rev. 7: 16-17).

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As we enter the blessed period of the Dormition of the Most-Holy Mother of God, we must remain steadfast in Christ’s promise to care for those persecuted for righteousness’ sake. We are confident that our Lord will grant to them the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt. 5:10), however, as members of the one Body of Christ (Rom 12: 4-5), we must not forget our calling to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters. Together, we must intensify our prayers, asking for an end to the bloodshed and for the prevalence of God’s peace in the tormented lands of the Middle East. As we chant the Paraklesis Services and pray to the Most-Holy Theotokos for God’s mercy and peace, may we also heed the calling of the Bible to open our mouths for the mute and for the rights of all who are destitute. Open our mouths and defend the rights of those in need(Prov. 31: 8-9).

With Paternal Love in Christ,

✝ Archbishop Demetrios of America

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Sermon: 7th Sunday after Pentecost ~ And their eyes were opened

Posted on by Fr. Peter

twoblindmenScripture is not always easy to follow; the meaning is not always clear at first glance and will require further study and meditation for us to truly grasp what is being said.  As an Orthodox Christian I study Scripture backwards, through the lens of the Church and what the Church has had to say about a particular pericope.  It is not my interpretation rather it is the 2,000 plus year history of biblical scholarship that we are seeking.

In today’s Gospel from St. Matthew there is a similar situation.  On the surface we look at this story as one of healing and reconciliation.  Two blind men come up to Jesus and asked Jesus to have mercy on them.  In other words they were asking to be healed of their handicap.  We do not know anything about these men other than they are blind.  They follow Jesus into a house and Jesus asks them if they believe that He can do what they are asking of Him.  They answered that they did believe, why would they say no at this point, and He touches their eyes and tells them that according to their faith they have been healed.  Scripture then tells us that their eyes were opened.

In the next scene of the story a “dumb demoniac” was brought to Him.  Again, we know nothing about this man except that he was possessed by some sort of evil spirit that needed to be cast out.  Jesus cast the demon out and all those around Him marveled at what He had done.  “Never had anything like this been done in Israel” the crowd said.  But the Pharisees were not far off and not wanting to miss a beat they claim that Jesus cast out this demon by demons.  In other words they tried to down play what had just happened.  They doubted and their eyes were closed!  The end of this particular story has Jesus traveling around the area preaching, teaching, and healing.

Faith is a very useful thing for us to have and it is quiet easy to lose it if we are not careful.  The blind men in the story are being used in a symbolic way for all of those who came to Jesus with the eyes of their faith closed and needed them to be opened, but we have to want our eyes opened in order for us to see.  We have to want to know the truth in order for us to see it and that is the point of the Gospel today.

I was involved in a recent discussion about higher education and the point behind it all.  Is the object of higher education simply to impart knowledge on people or is the idea to get people to think critically about issues?  Some believe that college students should just be taught facts, from a certain perspective mind you, and nothing else.  They should be able to recite back, chapter and verse, facts and figures and dates, while others believe that knowing certain things is important but know how to analyze situations and circumstances is much better.  Know how to think critically about an issue, and be able to see it from all sides, it truly what an educated person is able to do.  The same is true with Scripture.

I often and involved in online discussions about what our church thinks and teaches about certain issues and more often than not, if I am dealing with the non-Orthodox, they will come back with a quote from scripture.  Being able to quote Scripture is fine, in fact Scripture tells us that Devil can quote Scripture, but do we really know what it means?  Do we know the context that the particular verse comes from; do we understand the history of the people and of the time that it was written in and too?  If we do not, then we have no business quoting Scripture!  Blind quotes are just that, blind!

How many of us are more influenced by what the talking heads on television think about an issue rather than what the Church thinks about an issue.  How many of us form an opinion based upon the latest poll rather than what our Church has to say, and has had to say in some cases, for more than 2,000 years.  The first place we should turn for answers to life’s questions not CNN or Fox News but to the Church!

But sometimes we want to be blind and not want to see because being able to see requires us to change and change is frightening.  Nothing more is said of the blind men after they were healed except that they went out and told everyone what had happened, after Jesus had told them not too by the way.  Their life was changed when their eyes were opened and they could see things differently they had before both in a literal and a figurative way.  This is what faith calls us too, faith calls us to see things different, not through eyes that are close, blinded by what is popular, but through eyes of faith that see things as they were intended to be seen.  We can no longer go through life grasping for answers because the answers are right in front of us.

Years ago it was all the rage to wear the bracelet that said WWJD, What Would Jesus Do.  This is a fine question to ask in all situation but, and I hate to clue you in on this, none of us are Jesus, so the question should be, What Does Jesus Want Us to Do?  In order to answer that question we have to know what it is that He wants us to do and how we are to do it and will not find that answer on CNN or Fox News, we find that answer in Scripture.

So who do we want to be, the blind men who approached Jesus in extreme faith and humility and asked that their eyes, physical and spiritual, be opened, or do we want to be like the Pharisees who simply made fun of what was happening and were more concerned about the rules then they were about people?  This is the question we are being asked today.

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The Restorative Power Of Vacations

Posted on by Fr. Peter

vacation

In the computing world, when it seems all hope is lost, one simply hits the ctrl, alt, delete keys and the computer resets and all is back to normal.  Sure, you might lose whatever you were just working on, but work can now continue.  Vacation works the same way – they reset our lives.

I have just returned from a two week family vacation in Florida, I know, who goes to Florida in July?  My family gathered in Cocoa Beach for a family reunion.  We restarted this tradition a few years ago and now the family gathers every two years in a different place to meet and have some fun together.  Mostly we sit around and share stories of the past, and, now that we are getting older, what trips to the various medical specialists we have made in the past two years.  We share pictures of the past, we remember those who are no longer with us, and we rejoice at new members of the family.  It was a wonderful time.

I have never really been one to take a vacation.  Maybe it’s because I just cannot seem to sit still –  I feel I always need to be doing something – but a vacation for me was going somewhere and doing some kind of ministry.  This time was different.  I spent several days just doing nothing; well, swimming in the pool at the hotel or in the ocean, sitting on a lounge chair reading, or taking a long nap.  For me these were the ctrl, alt, delete buttons of my life and it was necessary for me to hit those keys and reset things.

In the past, when I have taken time off, I tried to find a place where there were things to do like visiting historical sites and what not.  Those times are great and I did do some of that on this trip, but I also decided that I needed time to just do nothing, to rest, relax, and reset my life and my spirit so I could continue with my work.  Not easy to do in these days of instant communication.

One of the interesting things I did, and it was not done intentionally, was to limit my time spent online and on the phone.  My phone is an appendage; it is always with me, and I constantly check it.  But on vacation I left my phone in my room, or if it was with me it was just sitting there.  I also limited my time online to an hour in the morning to check up on Facebook and the various blogs that I read.  I continued to post quotes and Scripture passages on social media, but most of those post automatically anyway.  I found this very refreshing and necessary.

I am a big fan of social media and use it for ministry.  I also use it to stay in touch with family and friends, but sometimes it can get out of control and needs to be reined in.  There is far too much hate out there and I do not need that in my life, and yes, sometimes I participated in it, but that has to change and this vacation has taught me that.  I will continue to use social media for ministry and communication but I am going to scale back my conversations that will divide people and cause harm as much as I can.  I will continue to preach the truth regardless, but the tone needs to be modified.

Our lives have become very complex and our days are filled with work or carting the children from one activity to the next and our minds can become cluttered.  Sometimes we do not have time to take time away, even if it is just a weekend, to reset all of those thoughts and give our minds, and our bodies, a chance to heal and to get some balance back in our lives.  Spiritually speaking this is important as well.

During Jesus’ ministry on earth, Scripture records many times that He withdrew from those following Him so He could go somewhere alone and pray.  Prior to the start of His ministry, He withdrew to the desert. He went on retreat if you will, for a time of prayer and reflection.  Of course He was tempted by the Devil during this time, and I don’t recommend that!  We all need that time of quiet thought and reflection in our lives and we need to take the time for rest.

If it has been a long time since your last vacation consider taking one, even if it is just a few days, to sit in your own back yard and do nothing.  Read that book you have wanted to read, or just soak up some sun.  It will transform your life.

This essay originally appeared in the The Quaboag Current and The Tantasqua Town Common

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Yvonne

Posted on by Fr. Peter

YvonneI was ordained to the priesthood 10 years and in that time many people have moved in and out of my life.  Some stayed around for a while and others came in and moved out.  Yvonne was one of the ones who came in and stayed.

For the last few years, here at St. Michael, we have been running a meal for people in the community.  All sorts of people come to the meal and we have really established a great community spirit.  Yvonne used to come to the meal and she would sit opposite the kitchen, she always had a kind word to say and her simile would light up a room even under the darkest of times.

Yvonne had cancer and when I first met her she was undergoing treatment but that did not dampen her spirit.  She still came to the community meal, still sitting in her seat outside the kitchen and she still had that wonderful smile.  She had an amazing strength that could have only come from her faith.  “God is on my side,” she would tell me.  And although she was the one who needed the prayer she would always say that she was praying for me.

I drew tremendous strength from Yvonne.

Most priests will say that they have gone through a desert experience in their ministry and sometimes it seems like we will never make it through and out the other side.  Yvonne gave me that strength, that little shot in the arm, it get through the dark periods of ministry and she gave me the strength to get through it.

I am not a person who has many friends.  It takes me a long time to warm up to someone do for me to call someone friend take a long time.  Yvonne was my friend and she died last night.  She lost her battle with cancer but her strength will go on.  Community meal will not be the same with that empty chair across from the kitchen but when I look out I will see that beautiful face smiling back at me and will know that my friend is still with me.

Rest easy my friend your struggle is over.

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The Work of a Leader Begins at Liturgy

Posted on by Fr. Peter

By Andrew Estocin

matthew

“Let no man’s place, or dignity, or riches, puff him up; and let no man’s low condition or poverty abase him. For the chief points are faith towards God, hope towards Christ, the enjoyment of those good things for which we look, and love towards God and our neighbor.” (St. Ignatius of Antioch)

Discussions about leadership appear everywhere in American Orthodoxy. Today, there are countless paid professionals, webinars, and conferences that all claim to improve Orthodox Christian leadership. Despite these efforts and countless dollars spent, Orthodoxy in America is experiencing a leadership crisis. At the start of the twenty-first century, the idea of leadership in the Orthodox Church is marked more by secular success than fidelity to the Gospel. The Church in America is more bureaucratic than ever before, and sadly enough, we often confuse worldly accomplishments with Orthodox Christian leadership. American Orthodoxy’s answer to the question “What is an Orthodox Christian Leader?” would baffle the earliest disciples, not to mention the countless saints who have shaped Orthodoxy through the centuries.

No Orthodox community is immune to these leadership problems. Local parishes experience leadership problems when they elect council members who seldom participate in the liturgical life of the Church. Dioceses experience leadership problems when they mistake political influence for Gospel leadership. Archdioceses and national organizations experience leadership problems when they honor leaders based solely on their office, social status, or material wealth. How many times have Orthodox Christians encountered a parish council member who seldom attends Church or a leader being celebrated whose choices conflict with Orthodox Christian Tradition? It is no surprise that people begin to wonder if the Church actually lives what it teaches.

St. Benedict of Nursia was fond of saying, “Pruned, it grows.” He could not be more correct. Orthodox Christians in America need to prune the tree of leadership so that it can return to health and grow in vibrant ways. This means removing some branches so as to allow others to flourish. The American needs to return to a liturgical model of leadership. As a community, we can do this by making it a priority to reflect the liturgical life and teachings of the Church in all aspects of our lives. Simply put, we need fewer secular leaders and more liturgical leaders so that the Church can live its vocation as Christ intended.

What is a liturgical leader? Here are a few ways to recognize one:

Liturgical Leaders Attend Church Services. The Church always works, and Orthodox Christians are always working. However, the Church is more than meetings, committees, and social events. It is foremost about Jesus Christ and the gift of liturgy. This is the most important work of the Church. No matter how busy he or she is, an Orthodox leader makes time to attend liturgy weekly and to be shaped by the liturgical life of the Church. Liturgical leaders are attentive and allow themselves to be shaped by the Church’s teaching. They make it a priority to live the liturgy in their daily lives with humility, mercy, and without apology. Liturgical leaders conform to the Church and do not ask the Church to conform to them. Blessed Theophylact reminds us that “Merely to hear the word of God saves no one and is instead a condemnation. After hearing, one must do.”

Liturgical Leaders Are Moral Leaders. St. Dorotheos of Gaza writes that “By the keeping of the Commandments the soul is purified and the mind too is enlightened, and they start functioning as was intended.” Orthodox Christianity calls those who embrace it to live differently and to embrace a moral worldview. Liturgical leaders recognize this clearly. They understand right and do not make excuses for wrong. They live chastely and do not compromise their faith for accolades. They honor every human person as created in the image and likeness of God, and they believe that the Church’s moral teachings are neither a form of bigotry nor a straight-jacket that restricts our lives. They are instead a roadmap to human happiness. Liturgical leaders know that they must lead themselves before taking the responsibility of leading others in the Church.

Liturgical Leaders Serve the Weakest Among Us. “A healthy parish serves the needs of the community — a dying parish expects the community to serve its needs.” These words from Fr. Bohdan Hladio point to the heart of liturgical leadership. Liturgical leadership is servant leadership. The mission of the church is not inward-focusing nostalgia but outward-focusing evangelism. A liturgical leader helps the Church serve the community, especially those who are weak and vulnerable. He also gives to the Church without honor or recognition, instead seeking the good of his neighbor and the stranger above all else. A liturgical leader understands that the true wealth of the Church is not in its buildings, monuments, or bank account, but in the lives it transforms and the mercy it shows.

Wealth, social status, and political power are not what makes an Orthodox Christian leader. They are in many ways the opposite of what Christ looks for in those He calls to lead. He demonstrated as much when He called the twelve Apostles. Much like the Apostles, every Orthodox Christian –however ordinary- can be transformed by Christ to witness to the Good News and change the lives of those around us. No Orthodox Christian is ever worthy to be a leader, but every Orthodox Christian can become a liturgical leader who lives the Church’s teachings with joy, compassion, and courage. The first step is to have the humility to allow Christ -The Master Gardener – to prune our lives as He sees fit. This way we may truly grow to be the people God intended us to be.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta says it best: “God doesn’t ask that we succeed in everything, but that we are faithful.”

Pictured Above: Caravaggio, The Calling of St. Matthew

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Summer Challenge: Springfield Armory

Posted on by Fr. Peter

Armory Sign

From the Brochure:

From its position at the crest of a hill overlooking the Connecticut River, Springfield Armory exerted a profound influence over the City of Springfield and the nation. It carried out the manufacturing, storage, repair, testing and development functions assigned by the United States Army. In doing so it stimulated technological innovation, encouraged improved manufacturing processes, and fostered increased use of laborsaving machines. All of this had an impact on American industry.

So the Local Summer Challenge continues with a visit to the Springfield Armory in Springfield Massachusetts.

Located in the heart of the City of Springfield this National Park Service Historic Site is a gem that needs to be discovered by more people.  This place has more to offer than just looking at the various weapons that the armory produced during its years of operation, the technology used to produce those weapons is just as amazing.  The site sites on 55 acres and some of the historic buildings remain although most are not available for tour however the landscape as well as the wrought iron fence and original guard house still remain.

Quarters #1
Quarters #1

As the Armory was a Federal Army installation it was commanded by an Army officer.  One of the most striking buildings on the grounds in Quarters #1 the house of the Commanding Officer built in 1847.  This building served as the home of the commanding officer and his family until the Army closed in 1967.  Also located on the grounds is a duplex that was built to house junior officers that served at the Armory.  Not sure of the condition of the inside of these buildings but the outside could use a bit of paint and maintenance.

I started with a short video presentation, about 18 minutes that describes the history of the Armory and how it got started.  But for me, the most fascinating part, was the discussion of the technology and mechanism that was developed right here in Springfield.  Moving from handmade weapons to a system of machines powered by water is well worth the trip.

After the video one can take a self-guided tour of the Armory and see the machines that were used as well as displays of various weapons that were developed right there in Springfield.

Not much of the original Armory physical plant is available for touring, most of the property is now used by Springfield Technical College, but the square is available for walking and there are several spots with signs that describe the area available.

The staff is very knowledgeable and helpful with questions you might have, and I did hear that there are Ranger guided tours of the Armory although I did not take one.

If you find yourself in Western Massachusetts do take the time to stop by the Springfield Armory National Historic Site and take the tour.  You will not be disappointed.

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Healing of the Spirit

Posted on by Fr. Peter

healsick“If anyone among you is sick?  Let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him.” James 5:14

There seems to be a fear amongst Orthodox for the Anointing of the sick.  Perhaps this is a throwback to the days when this Sacrament was, mistakenly, called “last rites.”  Because of this fear many of us will not call the priest when we are sick but rather I get the call to let me know that so and so was in hospital but is now home.  I think do for some they think I am the grim reaper coming to them rather than the one that brings the healing power of the Church.  The Sacraments of the Church are there for us and for our salvation but we have to use them when we need them.

The Church teaches that humanity is combination of body and soul and that the anointing by the priest aids in the healing process.  There have been a number of studies recently that show a correlation between prayer and health especially when one is sick.  Now this is nothing new to the Church for we have always known this, but medical science seems to be catching on.

On the other hand some believe that all we need is the anointing by the priest and we can throw off medical science as some sort of voodoo, but the way I look it is God gave the doctors the skills they have to heal and we need to use that.  So call the doctor, but also call the priest!

When the priest comes to anoint you, and by the way, it can be done in church as well, there are some prayers that are said and then the Holy Oil, blessed on Great and Holy Wednesday, is applied.  Olive oil not only is an ancient form of medicine, but it is a symbol of the Holy Spirit so the Sacrament really works on the healing of the body as well as the spirit.

Combined with the anointing, actually taking place prior to the anointing is confession.  I think people are as afraid of confession as they are with the anointing.  In his letter, St. James speaks of forgiveness of sins as well as healing of the body.  Again, there is a relationship between the health of the body and the health of the soul, if one is out of whack, that is a technical medical term by the way, and then the other one will suffer.

Confession of sin is an important part of our spiritual walk and it is something that should be done more than one time a year.  If you had the need to take some kind of medication would you only take it once a year?  I don’t think so.  Confession is medicine for the soul and is an important part of our spiritual, and therefore, physical wellbeing.  Confession of our sins before God with the priest as witness, frees our souls from the burdens that we carry and help to keep our spiritual life on track.

Another aspect of this is regular spiritual direction.  I have not really talked about this in the past but another tradition of the Church is that of the spiritual father.  I don’t just mean this in the good times, but all the time.  Regular spiritual direction, like confession, keeps us on track with our spiritual life.  The tradition of the Church is that before we make any big, life changing, decisions we should speak with our spiritual father.  If we have a medical reason why we cannot fast or we need to adjust our fasting, we should speak with our spiritual father about this.  Questions of faith should be brought to our spiritual father.  Just as we seek the counsel of a physician for matters relating to physical health, we need to consult with our spiritual doctor for matters of the spirit and the soul.  Regular meeting with our spiritual father keeps us on track with our spiritual life.

You know as well as I that if we are sick it is hard to pray, sometimes it is hard to do anything, so that is why we call for the elders of the Church so they can pray for you.  Each week in our bulletin I list names of people who have asked for our prayers.  Many of those on our list are suffering from cancer in one form or another and we should be holding them in prayer each day.  I also list clergy from our Archdiocese as well members of the Church to pray for.  Prayer works.

The anointing of the sick is available for all anytime you feel you need it.  If you are having surgery, if you are facing some sort of illness, any illness, call the priest and we will come and pray for you and anoint you.  You should also go to confession and take communion prior to any surgery, the Sacraments of the church are not some magical hokus pokus but indwelling’s of the Holy Spirit that will give us the strength we need to get through what we are to face.

“If anyone among you is sick?  Let him call for the elders of the Church, and let them pray over him.”

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The Confederate Flag at Washington and Lee

Posted on by Fr. Peter

WashingtonLeeUniversity

For the past few months, students at Washington and Lee University have been petitioning the University Administration to remove the Confederate Flags that are hung next to a statue of Robert E. Lee and also in Lee Chapel on the grounds of the University.  (After the Civil War, Robert E Lee became President of the University and after his tenure the name of the University was changed from Washington University to Washington and Lee.)

I fully understand the reason behind the petition to remove the flags but at the same time I feel that the flags should remain right where they are.  Institutions of Higher Education are supposed to be places where the leaders and thinkers of tomorrow are taught how to debate difficult issues and I do not think there is a more difficult and complex issue than slavery to be discussed.  Ignorance of our history can lead us down the same path.  We cannot gloss over or whitewash the history of our country, good or bad.

I recently engaged in a discussion about the founding of our nation and whether or not America was founded as a Christian Nation.  I hold to the premise that America was found on Judeo-Christian principles but that America was founded a place for people of all religions.  For that I was called a revisionist and chastised by fellow Christians for that thinking.  Well sometimes history needs to be revised as more information comes to light and sometimes that revision flies in the face of what we were taught and what we believe.

As I mentioned, universities need to be places were all sides of issues are debates and discussed not simply passed on information.  We have lost the ability to debate in this country and that is a shame.  The founding fathers debated the issues of Independence from Great Britain and some agreed and some did not, but they debated the issues with passion and listened to all sides of the issues.

I am not an African American nor do I come from a family that owned slaves but I believe that those flags need to stay right where they are as a constant reminder of what we, as a people, have gone through and what we still go through as a nation.  We cannot be blind to the past, no matter how upsetting it may be for if we turn a blind eye to the past we will be ignorant of the future.

Race relations in America have been, and probably always will be, very complex and history can teach us a lot about where we need to go in the future.  In order to chart a course forward was sometimes have to look back to see where we have come from.  The flag is a symbol of a dark period of our history but it is our history and we can never forget it.

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Summer Challenge: Seminary Ridge Museum

Posted on by Fr. Peter

SRMlogoI have been vacationing in Florida the past few days for a family reunion but the Summer Challenge Continues.  If you would like some background on the Summer Challenge, see this post.  Although the challenge was for local sites I could not pass up the opportunity to see the new Seminary Ridge Museum at Gettysburg and it was worth the trip.

The Seminary Ridge Museum is located in the original building of the Lutheran Theological Seminary located on Seminary Ridge overlooking the Gettysburg battlefield.  This was the location where General John Buford watched the first day’s battle from the cupola located on the roof of the building.

The Museum tells the story of the pivotal first days battle and the roll that the seminary had in that event.  The Seminary quickly became a field hospital where the Union wounded were treated and housed for most of that summer.  The top floor of the building tells the story of the first day of the battle with a variety of displays in the various rooms located on the 4th floor.

The third floor explains field medicine in the 1800’s and what had to be done to keep the wounded alive.  If a soldier had a wound to his head or a limb he had a better chance of survival than a wound to the torso.  Amputations were large in number and infection control was the name of the game.  Several of the rooms are set up to display soldiers recovering from their wounds but the most striking room is the operating room.  This is not for the faint of heart.

The second floor tells the story of the religion in the area and moral and religious debates that were taking place during that time period.  There were many ethical debates about the war that was supposed to be over quickly and would rage on for several more years.  These debates are not always spoken about but there has been some new research in this area of the war and this is a particular area of interest for me.

The highlight of the tour for me was the trip up the stairs to the cupola to get the same view that General Buford had.  Of course the area has changed in the last 150 years but if you set your mind to it you can see what he saw and why this was an important vantage point for him.  Standing there, looking out over the battlefield, gives one an entirely different perspective on that first day of the battle.

If you find yourself in Gettysburg do take the time for the tour.

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