Entering the Jordan

The longest season of the year in Russia has passed its midpoint; despite unseasonably warm temperatures throughout much of the country, apparently there were no problems in experiencing the extreme-sports-like celebration of the Baptism of Christ (January 19^th according to the Orthodox calendar). This year I join the crowds that jump into various bodies of blessed ice-water, “entering into the Jordan,” as they call it here. 

I must admit that deep, spiritual meaning behind this event is still a bit foggy to me - I've learned in the last few days, that many in the Orthodox church consider this tradition a bit suspect, too - the Metropolitan Tikhon* of Novosibirsk said he didn't see it as necessary; one local Orthodox priest who went to the river to bless the water did go in, but when he came out he said - "it's very cold. I don't recommend it." 

Here I am "in the Jordan".....
OK, that's not really me. Thankfully, no one was around to take my picture.

What, after more than a decade in Russia, is pushing me to participate in this rather unusual practice? Was it that I hope to improve my prayer life as I asked the Lord to help me survive? Was it sermon research (since this week's text is the story from 2 Kings 5 about Naaman's healing from leprosy after washing in the Jordan?) Was I trying, in my own way, to imitate President Medvedev, who took a swim in the river Jordan yesterday? 

No, actually it was none of these things. Instead, it was jumping out a window. That's right. I've started jumping out a window regularly in the past few months. It has part of my weekly trip to the banya (the Russian version of a sauna) ever since winter started – there's a window from the shower room that gives you direct access to a snowbank, and I've found that going out into the snow after sitting in the heat makes the banya even better than before. While there was no banya on the 19th (there was, thankfully, a heated tent for changing your cloths - they even distributed hot tea inside), going "to the Jordan" was simply stepping it up to the next level.

Local news reported that many thousands of Novosiberians went into the water
at one of the 7 official sites around the city.
(Changing tents in the background - I must say that the  whole experience
 would have been much less pleasant without them).

The "prorub" or "ice-hole"...at one of the few moments
when no one was waiting to get into the water.

The reason I write about these rather insignificant and personal experiences is that, for me, they are symbolic of what I want 2012 to be. The last few months have been a time of moderation: the situation in the congregation is stable; the ecumenical situation in Novosibirsk has also been generally positive; the church structure in which I am working (ELCUSFE) shows positive signs, and even the situation in the country as a whole has improved, insofar as people have started to come together to make their voices heard and to push for change.

I realize that it would be easy to be content in each of these areas – in some ways, it is already better than one could reasonably expect. Yet, thanks to the snowbank outside of the banya, I've been reminded not to start the year ready to settle for “good enough.” Instead, I'm going to try to start it by taking it to the next level, even if that means diving in to the shocking cold. 

*Tikhon had been an Archbishop until a few days ago. Patriarch Kirill is making significant changes in church structures including, in this case, elevating the status of the church and its leaders in Novosibirsk.