QUESTION:  There are quite a few children in our parish and, to my mind, they squirm and move around too much, making noise and distraction in the church. I keep trying to convince the parish council to either build a glassed-in area, like a cry room, for the children, or else have church-school during the Liturgy to occupy them. The services would be much more smooth and enjoyable that way. I don't think the kids get anything out of the service anyway until they are much older. What can I do to convince people that children should not be at the Liturgy until they are old enough to be still and keep quiet?

REPLY:  I am afraid your words have just fallen on another unsympathetic ear. I could not disagree with you more. I know from many years of practical experience that the Divine Liturgy affects the young children very deeply. What a joy it is to hear a small child who can barely speak yet, trying to sing the words of the Church hymns.

Hearing the children moving about in church, even making a bit of noise is a beautiful thing. I love to see them waiting at the end of the Liturgy to race up and see which one can blow the most candles out, or waiting, not quite patiently, for the antidoron.

Stop and think. The Church is their Father's house. Why should a child not be at home in his or her Father's own house? "Endure little children," the Saviour said, "and do not prevent them from coming to Me." They should only be taken out of the services briefly if they are causing chaos or havoc.

One of the beautiful things about the Orthodox Church and its services is the natural, organic nature of the Liturgy and other Liturgical services. Our services are rich in profound spiritual symbolism, and the order of the services has a timeless grandeur, filled with revelation. We probably have more of what outsiders would call "ritual" than any of the sectarian Christian religions, but there is an open, warm, family spirit to all our services which is completely lacking in those of any others. This natural, warm spontaneity is part of the majesty and spiritual beauty of Orthodox worship.

May I never have to serve the Liturgy without hearing the "squirming" and "moving about" of the children. The noise they make in church is like the ringing of silver and golden bells, or the rustle of the wings of angels. I'm sorry if it disturbs you, but I look forward to it with joy and it makes my heart sing.

QUESTION:  We have ikons in our home, but we keep them in a room where they cannot be seen by any non-Orthodox visitors. We don't want them to be defiled by non-believers who might later make fun of them or think that they are strange.

My sister and brother-in-law criticize us for this and tell us that the ikons should be in the main room of the house.

REPLY:  Your sister and brother-in-law are correct. Having the ikon corner in the main room of your home is very important, even if you have a small chapel elsewhere in the house. First of all, the ikon corner is the centre of the home and the pivot point of family life because Christ is the centre of your home and family. The ikons are a constant reminder to you, and they are also a testimony of your faith.

Non-Orthodox visitors should see this testimony of the Christ-centredness of your family, and it may give you an opportunity to witness Orthodoxy to them if they ask about it. I know it is not the case with you, but some people will not have ikons in the main room of their houses because they are embarrased about their faith, when un-believers visit. This is tragic because our Saviour warned that if we were ashamed of Him in this sinful world, He would deny us on judgment day.

By all means, place your ikons in the main room of your home -- and make the proper use of your ikon corner as a family prayer and Scripture reading centre.

Incidentally, your family Bible should be kept in the ikon corner and treated with the same respect as the Gospel Book in church.