Worship in the Orthodox Church

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

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WORSHIP IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH
By Reverend Father Thomas Fitzerald

O Come, let us Worship and bow down before our King and God. O Come, let us Worship and bow down before Christ, our King, and God. O Come, let us Worship and bow down to Christ Himself, our King and God.

This invitation marks the beginning of each day for the Orthodox Church. It comes from the office of Vespers (Esperinos), and it expresses the attitude which is at the heart of Orthodoxy. The Worship of God - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, - is fundamental to the life and spirit of the Orthodox Church.

Since Worship is so important to Orthodoxy, the best introduction to the Orthodox Church is for the non-Orthodox to attend the Divine Liturgy or the celebration of the major Sacraments (Mysteries). At first, the visitor may be overwhelmed by the music and the ceremonies, but it is in Worship that the distinctive flavor, rich traditions, and living faith of Orthodoxy are truly experienced.

Dimensions of Worship

Worship is an experience that involved the entire Church. When each of us comes together for Worship, we do so as members of the Church which transcends the boundaries of society, of time and of space. Although we gather at a particular moment and at a particular place, our actions reach beyond the parish, into the very Kingdom of God. We worship in the company of both the living and the departed faithful.

There are two dimensions to Orthodox Christian Worship which are reflected throughout the many Services of the Church. First, Worship is a manifestation of God's presence and action in the midst of His people. It is God who gathers his scattered people together, and it is He Who reveals Himself as we enter into His presence. The Worship of the Orthodox Church very vividly expresses the Truth that God dwells among His people and that we are created to share in His life.

Second, Worship is our corporate response of thanksgiving to the presence of God and a remembrance of his saving actions -- especially the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Orthodox Christian Worship is centered upon God. He has acted in history, and He continues to act through the Holy Spirit. We are mindful of His actions and we respond to His love with praise and thanksgiving. In so doing we come closer to God.

Expressions of Worship

Worship in the Orthodox Church is expressed in four principal ways:

The Eucharist, which is the most important worship experience of Orthodoxy. Eucharist means thanksgiving and is known in the Orthodox Church as the Divine Liturgy. The Sacraments (Mysteries or Mysteria), which affirm God's presence and action in the important events of our Christian lives. All the major Sacraments are closely related to the Eucharist. These are: Baptism, Chrismation, Confession, Marriage, Holy Orders, and Anointing of the sick.  Special Services and Blessings, which also affirm God's presence in all the events, needs and tasks of our life.

The Daily Offices, which are the services of public prayer which occur throughout the day. The most important are Orthros (Matins), which is the morning prayer of the Church, and Esperinos (Vespers), which is the evening prayer of the Church.

Characteristics

Although Orthodox Services can very often elaborate, solemn, and lengthy, they express a deep and pervasive sense of joy. This mood is an expression of our belief in the Resurrection of Christ and the Deification (Theosis) of Humanity, which are dominant themes of Orthodox Worship. In order to enhance this feeling and to encourage full participation, Divine Services are always sung or chanted.

Worship is not simply expressed in words. In addition to prayers, hymns, and Scripture readings, there are a number of ceremonies, gestures, and processions.  The Church makes rich use of non-verbal symbols to express God's presence and our relationship to Him. Orthodox Christian Worship involves the whole person; one's intellect, feelings, and senses.

Services in the Orthodox Church follow a prescribed order. There is a framework and design to our Worship. This is valuable in order to preserve dimension and maintain a continuity with the past. The content of the Services is also set. There are unchanging elements; and there are parts which change according to the feast, season, or particular circumstance. The regulating of the Services by the whole Church emphasizes the fact that Worship is an expression of the entire church, and not the composition on a particular priest and congregation.

An important secondary purpose of Worship is the teaching of the Faith. There is a very close relationship between Worship and the teachings of the Church. Faith is expressed in Worship, and Worship serves to strengthen and communicate Faith.  As a consequence, the prayers, hymns, and liturgical gestures of Orthodoxy are important mediums of teaching. The regulating of the Services also serves to preserve the True Faith and to guard it against error (heresy).

The celebration of the Divine Liturgy and the Sacraments (Mysteries) is always led by an ordained clergyman in the local parish, this will generally be a priest who acts in the name of the bishop, and who is sometimes assisted by a deacon. When the bishop is present, he presides at the Service. The vestments of the clergy express their special calling to the ministry as well as their particular office.

Since Worship in Orthodoxy is an expression of the entire Church the active participation and involvement of the congregation is required. There are no "private" or "said" Services in the Orthodox Church and none may take place without congregation (lay Orthodox Christians). This strong sense of community is expressed in the prayers and exhortations which are in the plural tense. The congregation (the faithful Orthodox Christians) is expected to participate actively in the Services in ways such as: singing hymns; concluding the prayers with "amen"; responding to the petitions; making the sign of the Cross; bowing; and, especially, by receiving Holy Communion at the Divine Liturgy. Standing is the preferred posture of prayer in the Orthodox Church. The congregation kneels only at particularly solemn moments, such as the Invocation (Epiklesis) of the Holy Spirit during the Divine Liturgy.

The Litany is an important part of Orthodox Services. A litany is a dialogue between the priest or deacon and the congregation, which consists of a number of prayer-petitions, followed by the response "Kyrie eleison" ("Lord, have mercy") or "Paraschou Kyrie" ("Grant this, O Lord.") Litanies occur frequently throughout the Services and often serve to distinguish particular sections.

Orthodox Worship has always been celebrated in the language of the people. There is no official or universal liturgical language. Often, two or more languages are used in the Services to accommodate the needs of the congregation. Throughout the world, Services are celebrated in more than twenty languages which included such diverse ones as Greek, Slavonic, Arabic, Albanian, Rumanians, Russian, English, and Luganda. (Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America)

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chrysostomoas

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

On Generous Giving...

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

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ON GENEROUS GIVING...
Jesus Gives His life for the Sheep

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (St. John 10:10).

We are already nine days in the New Year and we are blessed with new opportunities to express our gratitude to our Creator and to our Holy Orthodox Church.

We have spoken many times about what stewardship is and I feel the need to once again explain its significance and necessity to our local church. Father Anthony Coniaris provides his reflection: "Christian Stewardship is about becoming good caretakers of all that God has given us. God has given each of us special and unique gifts. And through Holy Scripture, He teaches us all that we have is a loan. He lends everything to us and reminds us that one day He will ask us to give a detailed accounting of what we have done with the gifts He has given us. His Eminence Archbishop Anastasios of Albania has noted that "we find ourselves by offering ourselves."

Have we learned the blessedness of generously giving to others of all we have?  

He continues: "One day, a person complained to his priest that the Church and Christianity is one continual "give, give, give". To which the priest replied, "Thank you very much for the finest definition of Christianity I have ever heard. You're right, Christianity is all about a constant "give, give, give". God giving His Only-Begotten Son to the world to show His unconditional love. His Son Jesus giving His life on the Cross to forgive our sins and destroy death. Then our Lord's disciples giving all they had to make sure God's Good News of love was preached to all people everywhere.

They not only gave their homes and businesses but even gave up their very lives as Martyrs in gratitude to God! It is by offering our blessings back to God that He will be able to continue His forgiving, healing, liberating, empowering, transforming, loving ministry through the Church. For God, Infinite though He is, has chosen to work through us, through our gifts, to continue His saving work in the world today.

Your generous offering of treasure allows our faith community to grow physically and spiritually.

As important as your financial contributions, your commitment of time and talent not only supports the parish but helps you grow spiritually as well. As has been said, "To serve is a joy and a privilege, and in serving we grow spiritually. It is not enough for our love of Christ to remain hidden only within our hearts. It must be expressed outwardly as well. Please seek out ways to offer yourself to our holy church through our various Parish Ministries.

Thank you for your generous stewardship, your love offering to our beloved Saint Andrew parish.

With genuine love in Christ,

+Father George

The "Little" or "Domestic" Church According to St. John Chrysostomos

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

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THE "LITTLE" OR "DOMESTIC" CHURCH ACCORDING TO SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOMOS

In recent contemporary Church history, there have been a considerable examination and inquiry on the family as the home church. Saint John considered the baptized Christian families to be what he named "mikra" or "little" churches. The Christian family is for the Holy Father a community "koinonia" of persons in love and in unity like the Holy Trinity.

The Christian family, for Saint John, is like the Church as a communion of baptized persons living in unity under the Headship of our Lord Jesus Christ that has visible and invisible dimensions. Two types of activities make homes as churches, he writes, prayer and the centrality of the Holy Scripture. Saint John taught, "Let the household be a church consisting of men and women..." "For where two", He writes, "are gathered in My Name, there am I in the midst of them" (St. Matthew 18:20). Where Christ, our Lord is in the midst, there is a great multitude. The Christian family is Christ-centered and the entire life of the family revolves around Him and His Divine Commandments. Where Christ is, there needs must Angels be..." He advocates praying frequently according to hours and to let the children participate as much as possible. Along with prayer studying and meditating about the Divine revelation in the Holy Scripture is the key to keeping the Evil One at bay.

According to Saint John Chrysostom, a parent is not one who brings children into the world, but one who expends the energy and love to raise them. Not "child-making" but "childrearing" is the mark of a parent. "For a person does not become a father or mother simply because the parents helped to bring about the birth of a child, but by raising the child correctly."

The development of the child's character takes place through Christian parents. The child's spiritual development must be the parents' main concern. Raise an athlete of Christ and teach him or her like a person living in the world to be pious and moral from an early age.

Unfortunately, a humanistic approach to life rules the world today, whose goal is human prosperity. Many teach that we need to become good people and that this will bring peace and happiness. However, this is, essentially, nothing, if we do not become grace-filled people, vessels of Divine Grace, "we have done nothing."

Why am I bringing to you, the Christian parents, the teachings of the Great Holy Father, Saint John Chrysostom? The reason is that the Holy Father who is filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit and inspired by Him shares God's wisdom with us. He makes known to us how to view life and understand the ultimate and deeper goals and purposes of the Christian family living in a secular world. Just as our Lord is the Head of the Church so is the father of the Christian household the head of his family. He, the Christian father, rules with justice and mercy. And as the father is the head than the mother is the body of the family, sacred and full of love. The children become like the heavenly host obedient, and willing to unconditionally serve their parents. Therefore, the Christian home, e kat' oikon ecclesia (the domestic church), becomes a reality, a holy dwelling.

It is my personal appeal to all of you to live up to your Christian vow to bring up the children in the Holy Church of God. The children can only develop spiritually by participating in the Divine Liturgy, in the reception of Holy Communion, in prayer, and by being in the presence of God Who is always in our midst when we are assembled together in His Name.

I will like to see all of our children in church services and in our Church School on Sundays.

With agape in our Merciful Lord,
+Father George

New Year's Resolutions -- We, as Orthodox Chrsitians, Resolve...

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

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NEW YEAR'S "RESOLUTIONS" WE, AS ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS RESOLVE...

The majority of people have made a number of New Year's resolutions throughout their lives. Yet, practically every resolution is broken a short time after being made--less than 20 percent are successful in attaining success in even one of their resolutions.

One cannot help but ask, "What is the harm in wanting to change negative aspects of my life?" There is nothing wrong with aspiring to improve oneself. As Orthodox Christian believers we should make every effort to change. The Greek word for repentance is "metanoia" which means change. A change of heart, of mind, of life, of attitude, of practice, a total change so as to conform to the Commandments and teachings of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The desire to overcome the passions, evil thoughts (logismoi), injustices, anger, hatred, abuse, weaknesses, spiritual complacency, and temptations that the Evil One casts against us.

Change is difficult. Why is it so hard for Christians to change their destructive habits and attain success in their resolutions? Because change is difficult!  

Our Savior explained, "for wide is the gate, and broad (easy) is the way, that leads to destruction, and there are many be who go in by it : because strait (difficult) is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it" (Saint Matthew 7:13-14). Again, change is difficult. That is why so many avoid trying to change their attitude and behavior.

At some point, everyone has had to address a bad habit. Most understand how difficult it can be to overcome such habits. Often, the individual will not even recognize the habit until someone, a friend or relative, brings it to his attention--and removing these subtleties from one's routine is b.  However, as Orthodox Christians, whatever we encounter in our lives we don't face it alone. We recall the Divine words of our Lord Who reminds us constantly that "without Me, you can do nothing." Therefore we turn to Him for everything and we seek His inspiration, wisdom, and Divine guidance. We resolve all our personal and family problems together with Him through prayer. A prayer that is based on faith, patience, trust, humility, and conviction.

Resolutions can come in many forms and resolutions can be goals we want to accomplish over a short period of time (short-term goals) or goals we want to accomplish over a year or many years (long-term goals).

We, as Orthodox Christians and stewards of our Greek Orthodox parish of Saint Andrew, ought to have certain specific goals for the new year. Personal spiritual resolutions to:

be kinder,
be gentler,
be considerate,
be loving,
be compassionate,
be more forgiving,
be more merciful,
be more prayerful,
be more generous,
be more committed,
be more faithful,
be more giving,
be more positive,
be more useful,
be more humble,
be more active in my church.

And as a parish, we should be:

be a welcoming church,
be a loving community,
be more philanthropic,
be spiritually strong,
be committed to Christ,
be an environment of peace,
be a place of inspiration,
be a community Spirit-filled,
be a God-fearing parish,
be a place of true worship, 
be a place of prayer guided by the Holy Spirit.

"For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of agape and of sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7). The holy Apostle Paul also wrote, "my brethren be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might" (Ephesians 6:10).

I pray that the year 2020 will be a blessed year filled with God's grace and peace for all.

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things! - Saint John Chrysostomos

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With agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George

The Forerunner - January 12 - Sunday After Theopahny

Please click on Icon to view bulletin

January 7 - The Synaxis of Saint John the Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of Christ

\ My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

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ON JANUARY 7TH OUR HOLY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH COMMEMORATES THE SYNAXIS OF SAINT JOHN, THE HOLY GLORIOUS PROPHET, FORERUNNER AND BAPTIST OF THE LORD

On the day following the Holy Feast of Theophany, in accordance with ancient tradition, the Church of Christ convenes her children for the Synaxis of the holy, glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John. The word synaxis means an assembling or an assembly, in this case, a convocation in church, at which God is hymned and praised and the great John, the Forerunner and Baptist is lauded. Truly it is fitting that, immediately after celebrating the Lord's Baptism, we should gather to glorify by a special commemoration the steward of the Divine Mystery, who placed his hand upon the Master's head.

The Synaxis is the gathering of God's people to listen to Saint John preaching repentance for forgiveness of sins. He was the last of the Old Testament Prophets and the only one able to point to Jesus of Whom some had prophesied saying, "Behold, the Lamb of God." Saint John's diakonia began about two years before Jesus began His. The holy icon portraying him is always next to the holy icon of Jesus Christ on the Iconostasion (icon screen) in Orthodox churches. Saint John's finger is portrayed unusually long in Byzantine icons to express that his principal purpose was to reveal Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. The more significant moment of his ministry was Epiphany. Following his beheading in the prison of Machaeros, his venerable head was buried deep in an unclean place, and soon after reburied by a devout Christian woman at the Mount of Olives. His holy body (holy relics) was buried at the location where he had died in Sevaste. The Evangelist Luke was able to take Saint John's hand to Antioch, where a small church was built. Countless Christian faithful came to venerate and to witness to the numerous wonders and healings also. It remained at that site for 800 years until the Emperor translated it to the Queen city of Constantinople. It was reported that on every anniversary of Saint John's feast day, the holy hand would either be open, meaning it would be a fertile and good year or close, predicting a disastrous year and severe famine.

Although observed in all churches throughout the world, the Synaxis of the Baptist is celebrated with particular solemnity in those dedicated to the Saint. Impressive ceremonies were held on this day at the church alongside the Jordan where Christ was baptized; in Sevaste, where Herod beheaded the Forerunner; in Antioch, where the Baptist's right hand was taken by the holy Evangelist Luke; and in Constantinople, whither the sacred hand was transferred from Antioch. The Forerunner's hand arrived in the Imperial City on the eve of Theophany, so that it seemed the Baptist himself had come to bless the water. The Emperor and all the people rejoiced greatly and returned on the day after Theophany for the Synaxis. We also celebrate the Synaxis of the Great Forerunner and Baptist John with spiritual joy and beseech him to pray the Master Christ to assemble us again with the Church Triumphant (The Heavenly Church) in the temple not made by man's hand, "eternal in the heavens" (2 Corinthians Ch. 5), where the voices of those who celebrate God's perpetual self-manifestation are forever heard. There Christ reveals Himself clearly to His Saints, sustaining them by the vision of His countenance. May He be glorified with the Father and the Holy Spirit by the celestial choirs unto the ages. Amen. (Source: The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints)

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THE DIVINE SERVICES FOR JANUARY 7th:

Orthros (Matins) at 9:00 a.m.
Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m.

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!" -- Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George