What To Expect At Services
We warmly welcome all who seek after the fullness of God. It is such a blessing to have so many visitors and we are truly grateful each time someone new joins us at our Church.
If Orthodox Christianity is new to you, you’re not alone. It was new to many of our members too! That’s why we’ve created this resource to help you navigate your first visit (God Willing of many).
Getting To The Church
From I-95
Take I-95 to Georgia exit 109, route 21 north. Take 21 north for 6 and a half miles, to Fort Howard Road. Turn right onto Fort Howard Road, and proceed 2.2 miles, to 1625, which is on the right side.
What to Expect When You Visit
On a typical Sunday morning, you’ll find around 70 people and growing gathered for liturgical worship.
Our primary service, the Divine Liturgy, is the heart of Orthodox Christian life. It is a sung service, offered entirely to God, not designed for entertainment but for worship of Christ in its purest form. The entire service is sung in English, using traditional Slavic and Greek melodies and ancient chant. There are no organ or musical instruments used.
The words you will hear come entirely from Scripture and early Christian texts. You won’t hear contemporary music here, only the timeless prayers and praises of the Church that have been handed down through the centuries.Â
Participating In The Liturgical Services
Incense, Vestments, Icons, and Candles
These things are not just decorations but a greater reflection of the heavenly worship spoken of in the Book of Revelation. When we worship, we believe we are in the…
A Warm Welcome
Our Orthodox worship is intended to be focused and prayerful, so please don’t feel offended, if you are not greeted right away. Fr. Stephen does a good job of mentioning…
Children Are Always Welcome
“Let everything take second place to our care of our children, our bringing them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” – St. John Chrysostom We absolutely love…
Praying – Standing, Sitting, and Kneeling
You’ll notice many of the faithful (who are physically able) stand throughout the services. This is the way we traditionally pray. Please don’t hesitate to sit whenever you need to.…
Communion
In the Orthodox Church, we believe Communion isn’t something symbolic but the full Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For us it a sign of full…
Worship In Body and Spirit
When you visit, you’ll probably notice alot of people in the church making the sign of the Cross, bowing, and sometimes even prostrating (fully bowing down to their head). These…
How can I join this church?
We never rush anyone into joining the Orthodox Church. In fact, many people visit our church for months, even years before deciding if Orthodoxy is the right faith for them, and while you shouldn’t hesitate because this is God’s Kingdom we are talking about here, its perfectly fine to want to wait. However, if after visiting for a few services, you feel ready to become a member, simply talk to Fr. Stephen and on your first visit, fill out the welcome form.
When you do decide, and we pray that you do, you will first become a catechumen (a fancy Greek word for “a learner”) and then spend time getting to learn the services, praying at the services, becoming part of the community, and learning the Orthodox Faith. All catechumens, at some point, will either be Baptized or Chrismated (if you came from a background such as Catholic or a traditional Trinitarian Church that baptizes) and receive Holy Communion. At that point, you are full member of the Orthodox Church and we are so happy to welcome you home.
Speak with Father Directly
