On your first visit(s), you'll be welcomed heartily! If the worship has not already started, someone will greet you and welcome you. If the worship has already started, make sure you stay afterwards and--if it is Sunday--also join us in the activity center next door for "coffee hour" (pot-luck style lunch), so that we get to welcome you. Many of our members came to Orthodoxy from other faith traditions, so our parish is full of people who remember making that first visit and will be delighted to help you find your answers and your way around. Also, in the first room of the church (the narthex) there will be visitor information cards: please fill one out and leave it in the basket.
Our main service is the Divine Liturgy and, most likely, it will be the first Orthodox service you will attend. It takes place on all Sundays as well as on special weekdays which we call feasts (for all services see the calendar on the main page). In our parish the Sunday Divine Liturgy starts at 9:30 AM, although the morning services of the 3rd and 6th hours are already going on with the reading of the psalms and other prayers. As worshipers enter the church you will see them stop to venerate (kiss) several icons in the first room and the second. Kissing or “venerating” icons is the traditional way to show love and respect for the saint(s) pictured. The people may also light candles as a sacrifice well-pleasing to God, for themselves and for their loves ones. Feel free to imitate them as much as you can and are comfortable.
The congregation stands during the service, facing the sanctuary (the altar) with the exception of the ones who are not always able, due to illness and/or weakness. The Divine Liturgy is a long worship offered to God between the clergy and the people. The choir leads the people's responses, but all the faithful are encouraged to sing with them or take in the words silently.
The Divine Liturgy has two main sections. The first section, centering around the proclamation of the Word of God, begins with the singing of Psalms, the Beatitudes, some hymns of the day, and the Thrice Holy Hymn ("Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us"). The clergy process through the sanctuary with the Gospel Book, then the Epistle reading is chanted by a member of the congregation and the Gospel reading by the priest or deacon. Then follow the sermon and prayers for the catechumens, the ones on their way to becoming Orthodox. These prayers bring the first part of the Liturgy to a close.
The second part of the Divine Liturgy focuses on the Eucharist. The clergy make a second procession through the church carrying the gifts of bread and wine. The Nicene Creed is then recited by all and the Eucharistic Prayer begins, the prayer during which the gifts are consecrated. After the prayers of consecration the clergy and the people pray the Lord's Prayer together, first in English and then in all the second languages of those present. When all is ready the people are invited forward to receive Holy Communion.
Only baptized and chrismated Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves may approach the chalice with the Body and Blood of Christ. Everyone who isn't going to communion just stays at their place, but standing, in respect for the presence of the Holy Things among them. Do not approach the chalice if you are not Orthodox and/or are not prepared in other ways.
After some concluding prayers the priest invites everyone to come forward either to kiss the cross he holds or to partake of the blessed bread. This unconsecrated bread, often accompanied with wine on a side table, is called "antidoron" and is not the Eucharist or Communion. Some people may also offer some of this bread to those remaining at their places as a gesture of friendship and welcome. Feel free to come up for these blessings or stand at your place!
At St. Paul's an important third part of the Sunday worship is our fellowship hour which immediately follows the Divine Liturgy. Several members of the congregation bring a dish and/or dessert, and almost everyone stays to eat and chat. Visitors are warmly invited - it's a great chance to get to know us better!
Now, here are some things we Orthodox do or do not do in church, for many reasons. Please be mindful of the reverence we show to God and join us in these practices!
- We do not eat or drink anything except what we receive from the liturgy itself.
- We do not sit during worship unless we have to, due to a weakness, illness, or old age.
- If, due to weakness, we have to sit, we do not cross our legs, since this is terribly rude even in the presence of other people and even more so in front of secular authorities. For example, we wouldn't do such a thing in a court of law, so it is clearly not acceptable in front of the Judge of all.
- We do not put our hands in our pockets, nor cross them behind our backs or in front, but rather we keep them down our sides.
- Every time the Priest says “Let us bow our heads to the Lord,” we all stand and bow our heads toward the sanctuary. If you are not Orthodox, please stand even if you do not bow your head.
- Every time the Priest blesses (such as with “Peace to all”), we Orthodox bow our heads and cross ourselves as a sign of having received the blessing. Although you may do the same and are most welcome to do the same if you wish, you do not have to. Either way, please do stand up in respect for our reverence toward God.
- We take the antidoron at the Divine Liturgy (the blessed bread mentioned above) in the open palm of one hand and we eat the antidoron out of the palm so that we don’t drop crumbs of it on the floor, but rather at the end we suck all the crumbs off this cupped palm.
