The Boy Who Didn't Want To Go To Church

This past Sunday at St. George Orthodox Church in Houston, TX I had a very "thoughtful" encounter with a little boy about 10 years old as Divine Liturgy was starting. 

I'm walking down the hallway towards my office and I notice a little boy sitting in a chair - more like laying down in a chair, he was comfortable to say the least - playing on a handheld video game.  He was all by himself, just enjoying his game.  As Youth Director, I obviously felt obligated to correct his error of not being inside the Church during Liturgy with his family. 

And boy, was he not happy that I stopped to talk with him.  I went over to him and held out my hand to greet him good morning.  It was apparently too much for him to pause his ever-important game and reach up and shake my hand.  The coversation with "Little Billy" as we shall call him - a safe name to use at St. George so no parents call me yelling - went down like this:

Paul:  "Are you waiting for your parents to park the car?"

Little Billy:  "Nope."

Paul:  "Where are your parents then?"

Little Billy:  "I don't care."

That response didn't really answer my question, but OK!

Paul:  "Why aren't you in Church? Ya need to get into Church and sit with your family."

Little Billy:  "I don't want to go Church."

Paul:  "Listen, its important for you to be in Church; that's the reason why you're here.  Not to just sit here and play with your videogame."

Little Billy:  "I don't care."

Paul:  "Are you planning on taking Communion today?"

Little Billy:  "Ya, what time is Communion?"

Apparently there are some people who have it timed down when Communion starts at St. George (or any other Orthodox Church), which is impressive considering I pretty much attend every Sunday Liturgy and definitely don't know what time Communion starts!

Paul:  "I don't know what time it starts, but if you are taking Communion you definitely need to be inside the Church!"

Little Billy:  "Oh, then I'm not taking Communion."

Paul:  "Come on...stand up, let's go!"

I walked him back into the Church to sit with his parents as I went back to my office to print what I needed for Sunday School.  Not 10 minutes passed and I'm walking towards the Church from my office and who do I see??

Little Billy sitting in that same chair with his video game!

- A Day in the Life of the Youth Director