Orthodox Christian Outreach

The Orthodox faith embodies history predating Christ's ministry; the One True Chruch founded by Him from the beginning of time, and based in Judaism (The Old Testament and Commandments), and continues today as Christ promised and established through His death and resurrection; His Apostles taking and establishing the Church throughout the world, helped and guided by the Holy Spirit.

By the cross as well as the sign of the cross, the Lord Jesus Christ is ever with us, living and life-giving, and ever acts by means of various powers for our salvation, through faith in Him, our God and Savior. Glory for this to our Lord, who is ever present with us! "I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Amen. (St Matthew 28:20).

Be aware, that all possible sins and passions are ready to break into the soul, and strive to do so at every moment. But fight against them valiantly and vigilantly unto your last breath, looking upon them as dreams of your imagination, as illusions of the spirits of evil.

Be so sure of the Lord's nearness to you that you may feel when praying to God that you touch Him not only with your thought and heat, but also with your mouth and tongue. "The word is nigh thee, even in they mouth, and in thy heart" (Romans 10:8). That is God.

Let the following conviction be inherent in your heart: all we men are (brethren), and God the most merciful, almighty, inexhaustible source of all things, and is everything to us all. But in all of us the Devil also can and does act, the enemy of mankind, whose wickedness, worked in men, must be conquered by good, patience, meekness, indulgence.

Do not confound man - that image of God - with the wickedness that is in him, because the wickedness is only accidental, his misfortunes, sickness, an illusion of the Devil; but his being - the image of God - still remains in him. 

[With acknowledgements to "My Life In Christ" extracts from the Diary of The Most Reverend John Iliytch Sergieff. Tanslated by E. E. Goulaeff.]

What is the Church?

Living as we do in a society where emphasis is placed on programs and structures, we often understand the Church as an organism in the narrow sence. We pay less attention to the fact that she is a new totality, a new generation, a peculiar gathering of people, in which emmence potentialities are offered to all. The world in which we live inflicts upon us a secular understanding of the Church. Thus the fact that the Church, although in the world, is NOT of the world, frequently escapes our attention. In fact, the Church is the transcendence of the world.

When we consider the New Testament more carefully and throughly we find ourselves in the presence of a new, glowing life. There is nothing in the world which offers any real parallel to this remarkable and unique life....ecclesiastical communion is the abolition of any worldly human communion, and is the creation of a new relationship.

Christ himself said: "I am come to send fire on the earth...Suppose ye that I come to give peace on earth?" Households shall be divided. (Luke 12:49-53). AND, He said to them: "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."

 [With acknowledgements to "Eccleslesial Being" Contributions to Theological Dialogue, by Constantine B. Scouteris.]

Come, walk with Christ!.... for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.