Visit Holy Myrrhbearers

We welcome all visitors!
Many in our parish are converts themselves.

Please attend one of our weekly services, or check our calendar for Festal services. You may also contact Fr. Peter at ‭(440) 623-9637.‬

COME AND SEE!

Vespers 5:00pm Saturday
Divine Liturgy 9:30am Sunday

What do I do when I enter the Church?

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When you enter Holy Myrrhbearers Orthodox Church, you will find beeswax candles lit, incense burning and a large open space. Seating is limited as it is traditional to stand for the service. There is also bowing and prostrating at various points, so the open space allows for such movements. However, please feel free to find seating along the walls, if needed.

What is "Vespers?"

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“And there was evening, and there was morning, one day” (Genesis 1.5)

In much of the Ancient World, the evening was considered to be the beginning of the day. This is why Vespers - the evening service of the Church - functions as a bridge for us, leading us into the worship and work of the coming day. Great Vespers, served on Saturday evenings, exists then to transition us into the Lord’s Day, preparing us for the divine and saving work of the Liturgy.

Compared to Divine Liturgy, Vespers is the shorter and simpler service. Vespers services usually last around 40 minutes, and they consist of the reading of psalms and the singing of hymns. The hymnography of the Vespers service is specifically instructional, with the Church intending these hymns to educate us on the lives of the Saints and the theological teachings of the Faith.

What is "Liturgy?"

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“It is time for the Lord to act…” (Psalm 118.126)

Liturgy is a word that translates literally as work. Therefore, Divine Liturgy is Divine work. It is the primary work of the Church, and so it is our main worship service. It is the service by which we gather as One Body of Christ, and it is the service where we receive that Body and Blood of Christ through the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist.
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Divine Liturgies are generally 90 minutes in length. The first half of Liturgy consists of psalms and hymns, readings from Holy Scripture, and the sermon. Following the sermon, the Liturgy transitions into specific prayers and actions that work to prepare the Faithful for Holy Eucharist. This section of the service involves a series of thanksgiving prayers called the Anaphora (meaning “elevation”), and it ends with the invocation of the Holy Spirit upon the Gifts of bread and wine, transforming them mystically into the very Body and Blood of Christ.
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The service then proceeds with the distribution of Holy Communion. In the Orthodox Church, Eucharist is reserved for those Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves through frequent prayer and consistent Confession. If you are joining us and are not an Orthodox Christian, please do partake of the blessed bread and wine that is provided during this portion of the service.
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Following Holy Communion, the service concludes with the Dismissal, wherein the service is ended, announcements are made, and all are then welcomed to the Parish Hall for food and fellowship.

Are your Services in English?

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All of our services are performed in English, emulating the intentionally local character of the Orthodox Church in America. We very occasionally perform litany responses and hymns in other languages, in order to acknowledge and preserve the diverse background of our Faith.

What to wear?

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There are no requirements for how to dress when you come and visit us. However, with the church building being our place of worship, we Orthodox Christians approach the space with reverence and care. Thus, we enter the church space dressed modestly. This means, typically, that we refrain from wearing shorts or short skirts to church. Men, generally, are in dress shoes and khaki pants/jeans, and women typically attend in dress shoes and pants/dresses/skirts. But please do not worry when you visit us. Come as you are, we are excited to have you with us!

Where do my kids go?

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The worship space at Holy Myrrhbearers is very open. There are pews on the perimeter walls, but most folks will stand on the assortment of rugs in the center of the worship space. Know that your children are welcome in all areas of the nave, with you. The parish does have a “cry room” for changing diapers and for allowing your child to step out if they need to decompress/stretch their little legs. This room is directly behind the worship space, with a large window so that you are still able to easily view the service.

Community

Worry Ends When Faith Begins. The Magnificent Story of a Life-Changing Journey to God.

Gospel Centrality

Worry Ends When Faith Begins. The Magnificent Story of a Life-Changing Journey to God.

Serving

Worry Ends When Faith Begins. The Magnificent Story of a Life-Changing Journey to God.

What we care about

Our Vision

We want to be a community that is most excited about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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Loving Christ and loving each other leads us to reach out in love to those around us.

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We believe that the church is going to have a strategic influence in our culture

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We are committed to passing down our mission, vision and values to the next generation

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