Glory to Jesus Christ!  Glory forever!

We are so happy that you have found your way to our website and, Lord willing, our parish.  People who are new to the community or are considering whether to visit often have questions.  While you can always reach out to our priest, Fr. Anthony (father.anthony@yahoo.com. 484-232-9423), we are offering this page as an opportunity to learn more about us and how we operate.  

Who is your bishop?  
We are a parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.  The Archdiocese is divided into dioceses.  We are in the Diocese of Miami and the Southeast, which is under the direction of His Grace Bishop Nicholas.  Our Metropolitan is His Eminence Saba.  The Archdiocese is an active member of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America. We are in communion with all of the Eastern Orthodox Churches, including the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Moscow Patriarchate.

How long have y'all been in Anderson?  
We have been in Anderson since the late 90's.  We moved into our present location in N. Fant Street about twenty years ago.

Where is your schedule of services?  
We make weekly bulletins available at the entrance of the nave/sanctuary.  It has the upcoming services, the movable parts for the Sunday Divine Liturgy, and a Good Word (usually from our Metropolitan, His Eminence Saba).  However, the best way to keep track of our schedule of services and classes is to follow our Google Calendar.  You can find the schedule here, by using the "Schedule" tab above, or by subscribing to it.  

Where can I park?
While we have our own lot right next to the building, it fills up quickly at our larger services.  Everyone is welcome to park in the lot right next to ours (especially outside of business hours).  There is plenty of room!

How is the parish with children?
While we love everyone, our children have a special place in our hearts and in the life of our parish and we love finding ways to help them and support their parents.  Much of our growth over the last couple of years has been families with young children and we would love to have even more.  We make a special effort to encourage the participation of our younglings in the services.  For example, we have non-flickering electronic candles for them to hold during the Great Entrance and the reading of the Epistle and Gospel, and special carpets available for them to sit on during these times.  Our older children are encouraged to participate along with the adults, with the possibility of singing in the choir, serving in the altar, or helping with the younglings.

Some of our children are not yet ready to stay in the Divine Liturgy the whole time.  In order to help prepare them for this, we have a class for them in our northern overflow room.  It has a window into the nave and the audio of the service piped in.  Our teachers and their helpers bring the children out for the Little Entrance through the Great Entrance, for the Presentation of the Eucharist ("With the fear of God, and with faith and love, draw near."), and then for the dismissal.  Our older children have a combined class upstairs after the Divine Liturgy.

We also have a homeschool and family support group/co-op on Fridays from 10AM until 2PM.  We start with morning prayers and then everyone goes into their routine.  The children who currently take part range in age from newborn to fifteen years old.  While this has not yet grown into a true "co-op," that possibility exists and we have plenty of room for more families to join us (we aren't even using the upstairs for this, yet).

How do I give my tithe/financial gift to the parish?  
While visitors are welcome to give offerings, they should feel no obligation - we are just happy to have you!  While we are a tithing parish, we do not take a collection during our services.  Instead, there are two wooden boxes, one in the narthex/vestibule and another at the entrance to the nave/sanctuary.  You can also give online.

I notice that you offer a (free!) lunch after the Divine Liturgy every Sunday.  How is that organized?  
Yes, we do - please join us!  As one of their ministries, our Ladies' Auxiliary has organized teams of 4+ people that take turns preparing lunch and cleaning up afterward.  They do such an amazing job and we are blessed by their witness of hospitality!  If you would like to join one of the teams, please contact Fr. Anthony (father.anthony@yahoo.com, 484-232-9423).

I heard that your priest puts his homilies and classes on a podcast.  I see some episodes on the website, but are there more? 
Fr. Anthony puts his homilies, classes, and other content on his podcast, OrthoAnalytika.  It is available here and on all the major podcasting platforms.  There are several hundred episodes there (including several on things like UFO's, aliens, and ghosts).  He also has an introductory series on his YouTube channel.  If you ever have trouble accessing these things, please ask and we'll be happy to help!

What kind of music do y'all sing?  I hear some things I recognize, but other things are new to me.  
We use a mix of Antiochian/Byzantine and  Obikhod/Common melodies (common to the OCA and the UOC-USA).  We do have a choir and chantors that lead our music, but the parish has a tradition and culture of congregational singing.  We make as much of the music available as we can so that people who want to can sing along.  Our service books include music for the fixed parts and we post the full texts and music for each week's services to the website (using Google Drive - see the tabs, above).  You can also find them here.  We put tablets out along with the service books.  You are welcome to use your own device, but we do recommend turning off your notifications in order to avoid temptations!  Again, if you ever have trouble accessing these things, please ask and we'll be happy to help!

When can I come to Confession or talk to the priest?  Do I need to take Confession every time I am preparing for Communion?  
Our bishops encourage members to receive Communion every Sunday they are able to prepare for it and to go to confession at least once a month.  In this parish, there is no need to go to Confession every time you are preparing for Communion.  The usual time for Confession is after Great Vespers on Saturday evening or after service/class on Wednesday.  There is limited time for Confession during Orthros - Fr. Anthony stands to the north (left) side at the nave/sanctuary in front of the lectern with the Gospel when he is able to hear Confessions.  If you would like a longer Confession or conversation with Fr. Anthony, reach out to him and he will schedule a time for y'all to meet.  

How is the parish administrated? 
In Orthodox ecclesiology, the priest presides over the parish, including all of its liturgical, pastoral, educational, and administrative works.  In this parish, he has a subdeacon, a tonsured reader and a tonsured reader/choir director to assist with the services; a lay teacher to lead our support group; lay catechists to teach our children and youth and help with adult classes; ladies and men to lead our women's and men's groups; and a parish board to help with general administration.  The parish board is comprised of the priest, a lay president, a treasurer, a secretary, and two members-at-large.  We meet once a year as a parish to assess the activities of the previous year and to prepare for the next.  If you would like to be involved in any of these (or other) ministries, please see Fr. Anthony.