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Saint
Barbara Greek Orthodox Church |
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The Orthodox Church in the United States is no longer considered to be an immigrant Church. She has been recognized as one of the four major faiths in America. The membership of the Orthodox Church in this country includes persons from a wide variety of ethnic and cultural family backgrounds. The overwhelming majority has been born in the United States. Among these five million Orthodox, there is a large number of persons who were raised in other religious traditions and who have chosen to become members of the Orthodox Church. This reality was clearly recognized by His Eminence Archbishop lakovos, former archbishop of North and South America, when he told the Twentieth Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese that "Orthodoxy is not exclusively the religion of the Hellenes, but the religion of all those who, as a result of mixed marriages, or contract or study of Orthodoxy, have come to know and relate to it; and, therefore, Orthodoxy has already found its place and mission in the Western Hemisphere." If you are seriously interested in becoming a member of the Orthodox Church, you should meet with your local Orthodox priest and become acquainted with his parish. He will be happy to offer you advice and guidance, as well as to introduce you to members of the parish. This is truly an exciting period in the development of Orthodox parishes in the United States. While most are associated with a particular cultural heritage, many are coming to fully recognize the responsibility of Orthodoxy to the wider society. When you embrace the Orthodox Church, you also join a particular local parish. It is meant to be a spiritual family. Therefore, you should thoughtfully examine the concerns and priorities of the parish. Try to discover whether you will feel comfortable, whether the parish can provide you with the opportunity to grow closer to God and to be of responsible service to others. In many parishes, the priest offers classes or individual conferences on the Orthodox Faith for those who wish to become members of the Orthodox Church. The length and scope of these instructions will be determined by your previous knowledge of the Christian Faith, as well as by your particular needs and concerns. After the period of instruction, there is a Service of Reception into the Church. If you are converting from a non-Christian religion, you will make a profession of Faith, be baptized and chrismated. If you are being received from a Church which has a similarity of beliefs with Orthodoxy and you have been properly baptized and confirmed, you will participate in a brief Service of Anointing (Chrismation) which signifies reconciliation with the Orthodox Church. The reception of Holy Communion is always seen as the consummation of union with the Church. In summary there are four steps that one takes in order prepare him/herself for becoming an Orthodox Christian. They are as follows: Visit on Sunday Services. One of the best ways to introduce yourself to this beautiful tradition is to share in it. We conduct services every Sunday with Orthros beginning at 9:00 am and Divine Liturgy beginning at 10:00 am. Enroll in a basic Catechism class. This is a free course offered by our community that will teach you about the Orthodox Christian Church which was founded in 33 A.D. Make an appointment to speak with a Priest. When making decisions like this, it is always wise to speak with someone who can offer guidance and provide you with answers for the inevitable questions that will arise. We invite you to schedule a visitation with Fr. James Adams in preparation for your introduction into the Orthodox faith. Research the Faith. There are several resources available that will explain the history and tradition behind the Orthodox faith. We have several articles posted on this website and there are many links to Orthodox education online on our links of interest page.
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