Sacramental Life in the Orthodox Church

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Participating in the sacramental life of the Church is essential for every Orthodox Christian. It is important to understand, however, that these sacraments are available to, and shared with, only those who are Orthodox and committed to practicing their faith. If you are baptized and/or officially confirmed in the Orthodox Church, you are urged to strengthen your faith through frequent reception of the sacraments. At the same time, if you have not been baptized in the Orthodox Church, or have not officially joined the Church through the sacrament of confirmation

offered in the formal ceremony of reception, we respectfully ask that you refrain from receiving the sacraments, although you are invited to attend the worship of the Church.

 

For those of you among us who are not Orthodox, but who nonetheless feel attracted by, and called to, our ancient traditions of faith and worship, and who might wish to live in a Christian faith sustained and nourished in the Orthodox sacramental life, we assure you of a heartfelt welcome. We consider our faith a priceless treasure and would be pleased to share it with you through the life and fellowship of our parish.

 

We invite you to participate in our worship service. Fr. Demetre is available offering instruction on the history, teaching, worship and traditions of the Orthodox Church. If you are nearing a commitment to becoming Orthodox, are merely contemplating the possibility, or are married to an Orthodox spouse and wish to learn more about our Church, then a study speaks to your special needs. If interested, please feel free to approach Fr. Demetre for further details.

 

Our knowledge of the faith is oftentimes woefully inadequate.  For those who wish to acquire a deeper understanding of our faith and its Orthodox traditions, we offer classes of adult religious study.  The classes offer an opportunity for Bible study, fellowship, and the discussion of our ancient faith in the context of modern living.  Class schedules are published in the Sunday church service bulletins and are also available in the church office and our online newsletter.

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An Orthodox Christian steward is an active participant in the life of the Church.  Effective stewardship ministry is not a single event or project. Rather, it is going out to our people wherever they are in their walk with Christ, listening to their concerns, helping them to realize their importance as branches of the True Vine and encouraging them to offer their gifts in His service. At the Annunciation, we use various resources to support our efforts, but unless we meet with our people personally, sincerely listen to their ideas and concerns, and share a vision for the future of the parish, our efforts will not reach their full potential.

The parish encourages all who accept the Orthodox faith to become practicing stewards. Each year the steward is expected to carefully review his or her personal circumstances and make a commitment of time, talent, and treasure to support the parish and her ministries.