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The Orthodox Church embodies Christianity in its fullest sense, having preserved the faith “handed once to the saints” (Jude 3), passed on in Holy Tradition to the Apostles by Jesus Christ, and then handed down from one generation to the next, without addition or subtraction. The word Orthodox literally means “True Belief,” and this name was established among the early Christian Church as a sign that it was the true and historic Church of Christ. One of the best ways to learn and develop a better understanding of the Orthodox Church is to come visit and experience life in an Orthodox Church firsthand! You will find that our parish is a welcoming community of people who come from diverse backgrounds, so there’s no need to feel out of place. 

In the Orthodox Church, there are a lot of customs and traditions that are important parts of our worship. Some are cultural; some are pious customs. Some are essential; some are not. 

As is common in Orthodox Churches, there are 2 consecutive services happening every Sunday morning: Orthros (or Matins) and Divine Liturgy. At The Church of the Redeemer, Orthros starts at 9AM and the Divine Liturgy starts immediatly after that (approximately around 10AM) when the priest announces "Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

Orthros: Orthros is a beautiful service in the Orthrodox Church that entails a variety of psalms, hymns, and scripture readings specific to each Sunday conducted in byzantine style chant.

Divine Liturgy: In the Divine Liturgy we continue our worship, hear the Holy Gospel, and receive the Eucharist, the body and blood of Christ.

The Orthodox believe that Holy Communion (Eucharist) is truly the Body and Blood of Christ. Receiving communion is an assertion of faith in the Orthodox Church doctrine. As a result, Holy Communion is reserved for Orthodox Christians who are baptized and chrismated believers. In addition to their faith in the teachings of The Church, those who partake in Holy Communion prepare themselves by fasting from midnight, confessing their sins and being at peace with other communicants. Non-Orthodox visitors are welcome to receive the Blessed Bread which is distributed at the end of the Divine Liturgy when getting a blessing from the priest. 

Relax! God put the wiggle in children; don’t feel you must suppress it in God’s house. All are welcome.

• Sit toward the front where it is easier for your little ones to see and hear what is going on in the Altar. They are tired of seeing the back of other’s heads.
• Quietly explain the parts of the Divine Liturgy, actions of the priest, deacon, altar servers, choir etc.
• Sing the hymns, pray, make the sign of the Cross. Children learn liturgical behaviors by copying you.
• If you have to step out of the Church during the Divine Liturgy, feel free to do so, but please come back. Or better yet, bring them to the crying room and talk to them about what they see.