ST JAMES ORTHODOX CHURCH

Glory To Jesus Christ! Glory Forever

St James Orthodox Church is a mission parish of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). We are an English-language church consisting primarily of Americans, but also Greeks, Russians, Ukrainians, Romanians and other people groups, many of whom are converts to the Faith. We encourage visitors to "come and see" the Gospel of Jesus Christ as it is manifested in the ancient Orthodox Faith.

We are under the omiphor of His Beatitude, Metropolitan TIKHON (Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of all America and Canada) and the arch-pastoral guidance of His Eminence, Archbishop ALEXANDER (Archbishop of Dallas and the Diocese of the South). The OCA is an autocephalous jurisdiction in communion with all of the other autocephalous Orthodox Churches.

“How do I become Orthodox?”

Many, many people are finding their way to the Orthodox Church and are encountering— for the first time— the Holy Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Christian Faith. Many walk into our church building for the first time and are so immediately moved by what they see in our worship and fellowship (in combination to what they have encountered in books or online from Orthodox resources) that they ask, “What do I have to do to become Orthodox?” This is a beautiful thing, and may God bless everyone who does this!

It seems good to offer a brief summary of what to expect if you are experiencing a growing desire to become Orthodox:

INQUIRERS: When you first come and begin visiting an Orthodox church regularly you are referred to as an “INQUIRER into the Orthodox Faith. Regularity in worship is important at this stage of your spiritual journey, and it distinguishes you from casual visitors and spiritual tourists. Do you come to services as often as you can? Are you beginning to be integrated and are you integrating yourself into the life of the church family? Typically the Priest will want to try to meet with you one-on-one (or if you are a couple, together), just to get to know you a little bit and unserstand what is drawing you to the Orthodox Church.

CATECHUMENS: A “Catechumen” is a person who has decided to commit himself or herself to pursuing the Orthodox Christian Faith and the life of an Orthodox Christian. Typically, once a person has been “inquiring” into the faith and coming to services regularly for about three to four months (along with any classes being offered to Inquirers and Catechumens), it is time to discuss this stage with the Priest. Only with the Priest’s blessing will anyone be enrolled into the Catechumenate. Catechumens are regularly enrolled throughout the Church year through prayers specifically offered to make these seekers “Catechumens”. The term catechumen means someone who “echoes back” what he or she is being taught within the life of the Church: in worship and through specific instruction. A catechumen listens more than he speaks, and best learns with humility and a willingness to be taught. He is not coming to the Church to teach the Church, but to be shaped by Christ in the Church.

The Catechumenate period tends to last about one year (give or take) at the discretion of the Priest and any catechist teachers who may be working with the catechumen.

RECEPTION: Once a Catechumen has demonstrated that he is willing to commit to the life of an Orthodox Christian and has embodied a commitment to the Orthodox Faith, that he is desirous to offer himself in service to others as a Christian offering, and that he follows the pattern of Christian worship establish by the Orthodox Church and the necessary humility it takes to be led and taught and counseled by the Priest (among other good things), it is typically time to be received into the Church. This will happen at the discretion of the Priest by way of Baptism (for those not previously properly and canonically baptized: in water, ideally thrice submerged, in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and Chrismation (an anointing with sacramental oil, performed for all coming into the Orthodox Church). Any exceptions to this pattern of reception are determined by the Bishop.

To become Orthodox is to CONVERT. We are radically changing whatever our previous patterns of worship, theology, prayer and self-sacrifice were in order to conform them to the “fullness of the Faith” that we see in the Orthodox Church. This is a true transformation in Jesus Christ. So “conversion” is really the best word to describe what it means to approach the changes necessary to those who come to the Church with a good will, desiring nothing less or more than Christ.

LIVING LIFE AS AN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN: It is a relatively long process, as you see, to fully enter into the Church and to become a communing and worshipping Orthodox Christian. Nothing worth doing— especially something so immensely important as to become an Orthodox Christian— should be simple, easy or instantaneous. You need time to make the needed changes. Christ desires to work in you throughout your whole life, and it is best to build a proper spiritual foundation slowly and surely. The Church is not going anywhere, so to speak, and so we take the needed time to grow and change, repent and rejoice, worship and learn. It takes time to grow as a Christian. It takes the repeated cycles of the Church Year, the Fasts and Feasts of the Church, encounters with the Grace of God in the sacraments (especially Confession and the Eucharist). God works through His creation, desiring to use it for our salvation. And life is a gift meant to be used in repentance and for the sake of drawing closer to God in worship and devotion.

If your greatest desire is to truly, fully encounter Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of the world and of your life, then please: come and visit St James Orthodox Church! We invite you.