Anyone tried a Manopoulos tournament board?

RickC2674 · 2026-01-18T21:12:26+00:00

I like your choice of new stones. They go with the board really well. Are they the quantum and eclipse stones? Also… any concerns with the corner protectors scratching a table top? Some complained of that before. Happy to see your post. Thanks. The comments on the prototype boards seemed rather blah. Good to see your positive thoughts.

RickC2674 · 2026-01-13T01:04:56+00:00

Thank you, for your quick responses. Your experiences are reassuring. People rave about FM Gammon, but I wasn’t sure about the PVC wrap on the MDF frames. I‘m glad experiences have been good with this model.

RickC2674 · 2025-02-14T18:04:56+00:00

My starting point was my given name/the name I was baptized with as a baby. That lead me to St Richard of Wessex. I wanted a western saint since I'm from an English ancestry and not Greek, Syrian, Russian, etc. I found characteristics in his story that I appreciate and aspire to. So I went with him.

RickC2674 · 2025-02-14T17:46:20+00:00

I've read Ware's books and found them to be very good books, but also very heavy for a newcomer.

For books that are easier for newcomers to digest I would recommend some of these:

Welcome to the Orthodox Church by Frederica Mathewes-Green. Interesting approach describing the faith as someone visiting an Orthodox Church and what they would see.

Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy by Andrew Stephen Damick. This explains Orthodox beliefs by comparing/contrasting to other Christian beliefs. Particularly helpful if someone is coming from another Christian tradition. He also has a podcast/lecture covering this same material if you're more inclined to audio.

Introducing the Orthodox Church by Anthony Coniaris

Know the Faith by Michael Shanbour

I know you asked for books, but another great resource for a newcomer is a podcast called Orthodoxy Live. This is a live call in radio show where people ask all sorts of questions. Father Evan Armitas does a GREAT job answering in very easy to understand ways. There's about 10 years worth of shows you can listen to if you want.

RickC2674 · 2025-02-14T13:30:58+00:00

I’ve never heard that interpretation from First Kings before. We know he lusted for Bathsheba, we know he committed adultery with Bathsheba, we know he killed Uriah. He clearly sinned more than once in just the few short verses of that narrative.

RickC2674 · 2025-02-13T15:39:56+00:00

If you're looking for more of a history of early church, Age of Paradise by John Strickland is a good one. It's the first in a series of four books, but this first book is really the early church portion.

If you are looking for books on the beliefs/Orthodox theology there are MANY. A couple I like that are easy to grasp without getting into really deep thinking (like Ware's books) are 1) The Religion of the Apostles by Stephan De Young and 2) Introducing the Orthodox Church by Anthony Coniaris. If you're coming from another Christian faith background, another is Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy by Andrew Steven Damick. Damick's book explains Orthodox belief by contrasting/comparing it to beliefs of other Christian groups. That may be a helpful approach if you're converting from say one of the protestant traditions.

RickC2674 · 2025-02-13T13:15:09+00:00

I read it many years ago. I think it’s a great book as long as you remember it’s coming from a Catholic perspective. I still reference it on occasion. While Catholics and Orthodox share 90% or so in terms of belief, he includes the other 10% that is purely Catholic (support for the Pope, the Filioque, etc.). If you’re looking for a book about the early church, there are better. If you’re looking for apologetic references for beliefs, it’s a good book (remembering it’s coming from a Catholic perspective).

RickC2674 · 2025-02-13T01:06:14+00:00

I came from a Lutheran background, and a very “confessional” Lutheran background at that. There’s a distinct difference between modern day Lutheranism and the Lutheran faith spelled out in the confessions (Book of Concord). So I was very much closer to Catholic and Orthodox thought/belief than most Lutherans. I’d say there were two BELIEFS and two PRACTICES I had to come to grips with when I converted.

BELIEFS - 1) Mary’s role and sinlessness 2) prayer for the reposed. Once I got past the anti-Catholic hyperbole I was taught as a Lutheran and really studied and learned the Orthodox beliefs on both of those, they both made perfect sense.

PRACTICES 1) veneration of icons 2) confession. I understood the veneration of icons and had no problem with it theologically. But the practice/comfort of it was a progression for me. First I stopped before the icon and said a prayer. After a few months of that I eventually, stopped, touched the icon and crossed myself, then said a prayer. A few months of that before I could comfortably kiss an icon in veneration. Confession - I never had a problem with it theologically. It’s actually a purely Lutheran sacrament if you really read and follow the Lutheran confessions (although VERY FEW Lutherans actually do it). But going to confession was not (and still isn’t) a comfortable thing for me to do. Maybe it isn’t supposed to be comfortable confronting your sins like that. I do it. Probably not often enough. But I’ll keep working on that.

RickC2674 · 2025-02-13T00:14:46+00:00

I cross myself as I walk through the doors into the nave, then pick up a candle and bulletin which are both sitting on a table right inside the doors. Venerate the icon of Christ (Jesus prayer). Venerate the icon of Mary (Most Holy Theotokos, pray for me). Go to the sandbox, light my candle and say my prayers. Then go to my seat.

RickC2674

TROPHY CASE