Dear Editor:

I enjoy reading the “Faith and Values” section in the Saturday edition of the
Charlotte Observer. There is always interesting information and news concerning
our local communities of faith. I especially enjoy the weekly feature article.
It always provides me with “food for thought” as I go about my weekly business.
However, it seems that the editor or journalist seems to always omit any mention
of the Orthodox Church!  A good example was last weeks article on “Cremation.”
The journalist mentioned the Roman Catholics, Protestants, Mormons, and Muslims,
but nothing about the Orthodox belief and teaching about cremation. Did anyone
bother to ask a local Orthodox priest or at least research the teachings of
the Orthodox Church on its position on cremation?  This is just one example
of the many instances of omitting the Orthodox Church in your articles. After
reading the paper it seems as if the Orthodox Church is non-existent in our
community!

There are seven Orthodox Church’s in Charlotte yet we seem to always be omitted
or sidelined in your articles. While we are a minority in the Southern United
States this does not mean that we do not exist. In fact in many cities in our
country there are numerous Orthodox Churches. Even in Charlotte, many Orthodox
Christians attend our parishes, worship in our Churches, and work in our city.
Their children attend school and play local sports. Many of our parents teach
in our public schools and universities, yet we seem to be forgotten among the
“other” denominations in this area. It is about time that the Charlotte Observer
provide a balanced view of our faith community by  including the Orthodox Church
in your reporting.

Regards,
Fr. William Mills
Priest at the Nativity of the Holy Virgin Orthodox Church (Charlotte, NC)