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In the midst of the ensuing decade, an odd transformation transpired. He met and married an Orthodox woman who had grown up in the Church. After three years attending his home church together (where he was assisting in worship leadership and musical presentations), he decided that fair was fair and began attending Orthodox Liturgy. Sensing that passive spectatorship was of little value, Holton joined the choir as a "floater" bass/tenor, surprising a grateful Kathy Trapp (memory eternal) who wasn't used to people ''volunteering'' for such things!
Consistent exposure to the subtle but unmistakable ultimately unavoidable presence of Christ in the mysteries led to the eventual outpouring of hunger for the Eucharist in early 2002. Holton was made a catechumen in February and was received through Chrismation on Holy Saturday, 2002. He took the name Theophilus (a reasonable translation of "Jeffrey" into Greek). His patron, Blessed Feofil of the Kiev Lavra, is considered dear both for his common heritage in the northern Ukraine as well as a name day coincident with Holton's birthday.
A series of academic fits and starts led to an eventual bestowal of a Master of Arts in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary in September, 2004. His culminating thesis was entitled [http://www.jeffholton.com/papers/HOLTON%20Orthodox-Protestant%20Dialogue.pdf ''Orthodox-Protestant Dialogue: An Analysis of a Subset of East-West Historical and Contemporary Interactions and a Justification for Orthodox Participation Therein,''] a paper written for and with Dr. Veli-Matti Kärkkäinnen. He continues to be driven by a strong, deep desire to see Christians of various identifications maintain positive dialogue with one another towards the eventual inclusion of all into the One, Holy, Apostolic Church.
