Please feel free to pray and worship with us.
On most Sundays, please join us for coffee hour after Divine Liturgy. You are
also welcome to come to our Saturday evening Vespers and to our
occasional midweek services. Please see our
service schedule for exact
times. If you wish to learn more about Orthodoxy you may consider
attending the
weekly studies classes.
Orthodox worship is liturgical worship (ask the person at
the candle desk for service book).
Liturgical worship is the traditional form of glorifying God in the Old
Testament, the early Church, and through most of Church history. If you
have not worshiped this way before, the Orthodox service may seem a
unfamiliar at first.
The services are
essentially a prayer that is "sung" from beginning to end.
Although at times it may seem that the only persons verbally praying are
the priest or the choir, all present, including you and the unseen
angels are joining in on this prayer as
well.
Many worshippers stand during the services.
This reminds them that we have not come to be entertained, but to
worship the living Lord Jesus Christ. If your legs are tired,
though, please sit down.
The images you see around you are icons. They remind
us of the humanity of our Lord God Jesus Christ and of the faith of many
Saints and Martyrs
who have followed Him as their
Savior throughout the centuries.
Standing, making the sign of the cross, and venerating icons
are only tools to help our hearts, not legalistic rituals to show how religious we are.
You do not have to cross yourself or venerate icons.
God judges what's in your heart.
If you have any questions about our
Church, its history, and its forms of worship, please don't hesitate to
ask us after service. You may be surprised how many present parishioners
were once "newcomers" themselves!
One note: taking
communion is reserved only for Orthodox Christians - members or visitors.
(If you are a
new Orthodox visitor, it is a good practice and a courtesy to let Fr. John
know beforehand if you wish to take communion. You may do this by calling
ahead.)