What to Expect When You Visit

Holy Trinity Orthodox Church has a long tradition of welcoming visitors and those interested in our faith, and would like to welcome YOU! Orthodox liturgical services engage the whole person through all of the senses – sight, sound, smell, taste, touch – and may seem foreign to someone who has not been to an Orthodox service. We would like to direct you to a series of well-produced videos below to help orientate you for a visit. But first, here are a few things we would like to note:

All services are in English. While the story of our parish begins with ethnic Orthodox people who immigrated from places like Russia and Eastern Europe, we are an American Orthodox Church. Many of us converted from other Christian denominations (including our current priest) so you will feel right at home.
Children are welcome. In the Orthodox Church families worship together. The Divine Liturgy is meant to be celebrated by people of all ages and therefore we do not have children's services celebrated in parallel. We want you to know that we love children, so don't feel self-conscious about every peep your little one makes. We offer church school for kids of all ages during the school year immediately following Divine Liturgy.
Holy Communion. Holy Communion is reserved for Orthodox Christians. The Orthodox Church believes that Holy Communion is the true body and blood of Our Lord, God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. For this reason, Orthodox Christians prepare for participation through fasting and prayer. If you have questions or would like to learn more about Holy Communion let us know.
Sights, Sounds, Smells, and Bells. Orthodox Christians participate in worship with the entire body and its senses. You will see us honoring the saints through the veneration of icons, blessing ourselves with the sign of the cross, making bows, moving around, using incense and singing hymns. Feel free to join in with us, or not. We understand this may all be unusual for you. Some of the videos below will go into more detail about how we worship.
Enjoy! We are happy you are here! More than anything, we want you to relax and enjoy the unique beauty of Orthodox Divine Services. If you have questions at any time during services don't be shy about reaching out to a member of our community.