St. Alban's Orthodox Ministries
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St. Alban's Orthodox Ministries
Orthodox worship is different!
Some of these differences are apparent, if perplexing,
from the first moment you walk in a church.
Others become noticeable only over time.
Here is some information that may help you feel more at
home in Orthodox worship.
Things I wish I'd known before my first visit to an Orthodox church.
In an Orthodox church there is only one Eucharistic
service (Divine Liturgy) per Sunday, and it is preceded
by an hour-long service of Matins (or Orthros) and several
short preparatory services before that. There is no break
between these services--one begins as soon as the previous
ends, and posted starting times are just educated guesses.
Altogether, the priest will be at the altar on Sunday morning
for over three hours, "standing in the flame," as one
Orthodox priest put it.
We also handle the Eucharist with more gravity than many
denominations do, further explaining why we guard it
from common access. We believe it is truly the Body and
Blood of Christ. We ourselves do not receive communion
unless we are making regular confession of our sins to
a priest and are at peace with other communicants. We
fast from all food and drink--yes, even a morning cup
of coffee--from midnight the night before communion.
Orthodox throughout the world hold unanimously to
the fundamental Christian doctrines taught by the Apostles
and handed down by their successors, the bishops, throughout
the centuries. They also hold to the moral standards of the
Apostles; abortion, and sex outside heterosexual marriage,
remain sins in Orthodox eyes.
Orthodoxy seems startlingly different at first, but as the weeks go by
it gets to be less so. It will begin to feel more and more
like home, and will gradually draw you into your true home,
the Kingdom of God. I hope that your first visit to an
Orthodox church will be enjoyable, and that it won't be
your last.
St. Alban's Outreach Ministries
Protecting children against life on the street is an imperative. Hundreds of thousands of young people from all classes and races leave home every year, some pushed out, others fleeing physical abuse or a family ravaged by drugs and alcohol, or by poverty. For many youngsters, leaving home is an act of survival. But since they seldom have the experience they need to get along in the adult world, they end up living in parks, subways, abandoned buildings, or cars; doing what ever they can to make money -prostitution, stealing, dealing drugs; abusing drugs or alcohol to escape the pain they feel. For this reason we are committed the ministry of the Gospel to those most in need of God's Divine mercy.
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