Those attending the meeting are welcome to remain for the Vespers service that will be offered at 7:00pm. The video below is prepared from the source for inquirer meeting content, "Orthodoxy for the Non-Orthodox," by Fr. John Garvey (of blessed memory).
Orthodox_Christianity.mp4What is this Church that claims to preserve Orthodox Christianity?
The Orthodox Church is not something new conceived by the creative ingenuity of a pastor or worship committee responding to the ever-changing tastes of our society. It is not a new movement owing its existence to a dynamic religious leader or hot trend in outreach and evangelism. It is not a recently contrived worship model that promises to interest a new generation with a faith they will judge as being relevant. The Orthodox Church most definitely is not the product of a new best-selling approach to living the Christian life, promising happiness, success, and accumulated assets as evidence of God blessing one’s life.
If the Orthodox Church
is not all these things, then
what is it?
The Holy Orthodox Church is the continuation of the assembly [ekklesia] founded by our Lord Jesus Christ through the guiding presence of the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, the very Holy Spirit that Jesus promised would lead His followers to all truth. The Orthodox Church is that gathering in Jerusalem on Pentecost which has continued a living tradition to this day. To the surprise of many, this Church did not disappear, only to be reformed and rediscovered exponentially since the 16th century.
If the Orthodox Church
is the ancient Church,
then why isn’t it
more visible or successful
around the world?
Why haven’t I heard about it?
Travel around the world (or the World Wide Web) and you will find Orthodox Christianity to be more prevalent than you thought. In fact, the Church is making dramatic recovery from the oppressive regimes of the former Soviet Union in countries like Romania, Albania, Serbia, Georgia, Russia and the Ukraine. Many of the ancient centers of Orthodox Christianity, however, still remain under the restrictive limitations of nations not friendly to the Church and Her message.
Despite the oppressive situations that the Orthodox Church has found Herself having patiently to endure, the past several decades have shown great renewal among the world-wide Orthodox for mission and evangelism. New missions and parishes are even being planted around North America. Once unknown and assumed only to be another form of Roman Catholicism , the Orthodox Church is now attracting the interest of seekers, both Christian and non-Christian.
If you are not a Christian, but are curious and just want to learn more about the faith, come and see.
If you are hungering for genuine worship, an ancient (sometimes discomforting) offering of adoration and not merely a lecture or emotional pep-rally, come and see.
If you are a Christian who is tired of following this new religious leader or that new contemporary Christian emphasis, come and see the living tradition that has been from the beginning.
If you are an Orthodox Christian and need to unite yourself to a community with which to walk the narrow path, come and see.
We will welcome you in love
and with open arms.