Editor's Letter - 11th issue
There must be a book or guide somewhere on publications that hit that impasse: suffering lack of readership or direction or inspiration. Or, maybe I've already read and absorbed that book or guide, or all of them. Efmevi has been dormant for a year. What started as a desired brief break due to personal circumstances developed into a full aversion to this project. It's difficult to pinpoint the moment where the break became an aversion, the pursuit of truth in writing about the church and God to be avoided, and the energy to develop this magazine to deteriorate to nothingness. But like most things in life, it happens gradually and you just drift away.
Given that it's been so long, I won't belabour this letter. And in a departure from previous letters, I will avoid the impulse to make this too personal or too raw. Some people just want to read a good essay and learn something without a sob story, right? I guess that, as a writer, I'm always straddling the fine line between journalling for the world and delivering a message via the written word.
I'll make the personal reason for the dormancy simple. This year was spent in serious experiential crisis — one where I reached a point of complete loss of faith. My life with God continued to weaken with every personal problem and circumstance I faced.
That being said, welcome to a new issue of Efmevi: both the first issue of 2010 and the first issue in a quite a long time. It's been 2 years with Efmevi in existence. We know. Maybe you're all asking: Where were you?
People, although not many, did ask and wonder why they hadn't been receiving the monthly updates via e-mail. But those whom did, asked about it as if they’d really missed its presence in their lives. That did touch me; but unfortunately, it wasn't enough to spur me back into activity. Over the past year, my plans and vision for Efmevi have changed. I had envisioned an outpouring of interest and a steady, rising influx of volunteers and writers. Efmevi is so controversial, it's so needed, it's exactly what the lost and disillusioned are crying out for!, I reasoned. Wasn't this magazine just perfect for all those out there whom have been looking for a fresh new perspective on matters pertaining to the faith and the praxis of the Orthodox Christian?
Where was Efmevi?
We just celebrated the Incarnation of the Spoken Word of God. And it's not too surprising that as much as we are given considerable detail in the Gospels about what happened, the one in John is the most telling: “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt amongst us, and we beheld His glory.” [John 1:14] The Word became flesh—the Word became human. Where were you when that happened? I don't mean chronologically; but rather, on the day of the feast. Were you in church, or were you at home? Were you at church but your mind elsewhere, perhaps trekking through that wilderness of Job, asking the reason behind his and that?
I didn't attend church this year for the Feast of the Incarnation. But a few days later, I was somewhere … finally in a burgeoning field, writing this letter and bringing you this issue.
We look forward to hearing from you this year. What do you want to see in the magazine? And writers, we want to receive your submissions and welcome you onto the team as regular contributors. Drop us an e-mail on editor at efmevi dot net.
Midiane
Editor, Efmevi.
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