New Here?
Is it your first time at an Orthodox Church?
What To Expect
To find our current schedule, please visit the “Parish Life” page. If you are visiting us for the Holy Liturgy, it begins at 8:30am on Sunday. You may sit anywhere you like. Following the Liturgy at 11:45am, children have Sunday School and there is also coffee and light refreshments for all.
What You Need To Know
Yes, our Liturgy is long! That is intentional – every prayer that is said is critical to the liturgical service. The center of our life as a church family is the Eucharist and every prayer is vital in preparing us to receive the Body and Blood of Christ.
You may also notice that we stand for the majority of the Liturgy. If the amount of standing is too challenging, you are welcome to take a seat at any time.
Throughout the liturgy, we also make the sign of the cross many times. We sign ourselves whenever we mention the Holy Trinity, venerate an icon, and many other occasions.
You will hear music throughout the liturgy. Traditionally, cymbals and the triangle are used as instruments. The hymns of the church are filled with meaning, not just lyrically but also musically as well. Every season of the church has its own tunes and hymns.
At certain points in the liturgy you will see incense being used. In the Orthodox Church, incense represents prayers and repentance that ascend into heaven. Each time the priest passes by with the censor, your prayers and those of everyone in the church are rising before the throne of God- “Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” Revelation 5:8.
The entire liturgy is focused on the Holy Eucharist (Communion). In the Orthodox Church, we believe the Eucharist is the actual Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. Communion is for those who are baptized in the Orthodox Church. This is not a way to exclude people, but rather the Eucharist is the Church’s treasure and it is reserved for those who have united themselves with the Church.
(Adapted from a list created by Frederica Mathewes-Green & modified by Fr. Anthony Messeh)
Where Can I Park?
If you are joining us on Sunday, here are the areas you can park!
Free Parking Options
Area 8 Street Parking (Hanover St. & Hamburg St.)
- Pick up a City-issued parking pass near the church entrance.
- Display the pass on your dashboard.
7-Eleven Parking Lot
- Pick up a church-issued parking decal near the church entrance.
- Display the decal on your dashboard.
Martini Lutheran Church Parking Lot
- Pick up a church-issued parking decal near the church entrance.
- Display the decal on your dashboard.
Important: A parking pass or decal must be clearly displayed on your dashboard when parking in any designated church parking area.
Game Day Parking
- 7-Eleven: All vehicles must leave by 11:30 AM.
- Martini Lutheran Church: Limited spaces are available; all vehicles must leave by 11:00 AM.
Reminder: If you plan to go somewhere after church, please move your vehicle to street parking before leaving the church property.
Welcome to our home. We look forward to having you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Sunday service time is from 8:30 to 11 am…yep 2.5 hours! If that seems like a lot please take a deep breath and keep reading. We encourage people coming for the first time to come at 9:30 am especially if the thought of coming for a 2.5 hour service seems daunting. Our service has many parts to it and coming at 9:30 will give you plenty of time to take in an Orthodox service.
We appreciate that everyone and each culture has a different way of dressing so without getting into too much detail, we ask that you would choose a conservative outfit when joining us on Sunday.
You are welcome to sit anywhere in the sanctuary when joining us for Sunday liturgy or any service for that matter.
While we are glad that you have come to worship with us, communion is reserved for those who have been baptized in the Coptic Orthodox Church or one of the Oriental Orthodox Churches.
Yes! Anyone who would like to get baptized can pursue baptism regardless of age, gender (male or female), or culture. While everyone’s’ road to baptism is a little different there are a few general steps that most people take. 1) Take time to get familiar with the church by attending the services. 2) Meet and set up a time to speak with Fr. David. 3) Take the Orthodox Foundations course to better understand the Orthodox faith and way of worship. 4) Discuss with Fr. David what the best next step would be for you!
Within Orthodoxy there are two main families of Orthodox churches, the Oriental (that’s us) and Eastern. While these two branches are closely related, they are not in full communion with each other at the present time.
There are 6 Churches in communion with each other the comprise the Oriental Orthodox Churches. They are the Coptic (Egyptian), Syrian, Armenian, Ethiopian, Eritrean and (Indian) Malankara.
The course is comprised of 12 session that meets virtually on a weekly basis to cover the basics of the Orthodox Faith. Key topics include the history of the church, the ecumenical councils, trinitarian theology, Christology, salvation in the Orthodox understanding, sacraments, comparative theology, and orthopraxy (or how live an Orthodox life). The class is offered seasonally based on need.