Welcome
The Church’s doors are open to everyone. Anyone may come and pray with us, celebrate with us, and participate in our parish family’s events and activities.
First-time visitors are welcome to come for any of the services listed on the church calendar and are invited to contact Fr. Christopher if they have any questions before or after services.
Current Service Times & Location
The following services will be held at
WK United Mennonite Church.
15 George St, Waterloo
Saturday September 26th:
Vigil (Vespers & Orthros) 6:00 pm
YAM: “Vespers & a Movie”
Sunday September 27th:
Catechism 10:00 am
Church School 11:30 am
Divine Liturgy 12:00 pm
Followed by a Potluck of Hospitality & Fellowship
Readers Akathist 6:00 pm
Thursday October 1st:
WOCH- Waterloo Orthodox Christian Homeschoolers 10am
Saturday October 3rd:
Readers Vespers 5:00 pm ***note new time
Catechism 10:00 am
Church School 11:30 am
Divine Liturgy 12:00 pm followed by
Followed by Potluck Hospitality & Fellowship
Sunday Of The 7th Ecumenical Council
No fast
Saints
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Commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council
Today the Church remembers the 350 holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council under the holy Patriarch Tarasius (February 25). The Synod of 787, the second to meet at Nicea, refuted the Iconoclast heresy during the reign of Empress Irene and her son Constantine VI. The Council decreed that the…
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Venerable Philotheus, Patriarch of Constantinople
Saint Philotheus was a native of Thessalonica, and received the monastic tonsure at an early age. After living for a time at Mt Sinai, he went to Mt Athos and became the igumen of the Great Lavra. In 1347 he became Metropolitan of Heraclea, Thrace. Later, he served as Patriarch of Constantinople…
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Apostle Philip of the Seventy, One of the Seven Deacons
Holy Apostle Philip of the Seventy, one of the 7 Deacons is not to be confused with Saint Philip one of the Twelve Apostles (November 14). This Philip was born in Palestine, was married and had children. After the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Twelve Apostles made Philip a deacon in the Church…
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Saint Theophanes the Confessor and Hymnographer, Bishop of Nicea
Saint Theophanes, Confessor and Hymnographer, Bishop of Nicea was the younger brother of the Saint Theodore the Branded (December 27). The brothers received an excellent education and were particularly involved in philosophy. Striving towards the knowledge of God, they settled in the Lavra of Saint…
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Venerable Theophanes the Faster of the Kiev Near Caves
The epithet "Faster," by which the Venerable Theophanes is known, indicates that he drew closer to the Lord by means of his strict fasting. The relics of Saint Theophanes lie in the Near Caves of Saint Anthony. He lived during the XII century, but the details of his Life are not described in the…
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Venerable Leonid of Optina
Leo Nagolkin, the future Saint Leonid, was born in Karachev in the Orlov Province in 1768. As a young man he worked for a merchant, making long and frequent trips on his employer’s business. He met all sorts of people, and this experience helped him later in life when visitors of diverse…
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Synaxis of the Venerable Fathers of Optina
Today the Church honors the memory of the Holy Elders of Optina Monastery: Leonid (October 11, 1841) Makarios (September 7, 1860) Moses (June 16, 1862) Anthony (August 7, 1865) Hilarion (September 18, 1873) Ambrose (October 10, 1891) Anatole I (January 25, 1894) Isaac I (August…
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Virgin Martyrs Zenaΐda and Philonίlla, of Tarsus in Cilicia
The Martyrs Zenaida (Zenais) and Philonilla lived in Tarsus in Cilicia during the first century, and were related to the holy Apostle Paul. They were pious Christian women, and both of them shared a love of learning. By whatever means were available to them at that time, they acquired medical…
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Commemoration of the Miracle of the Icon of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Beret
Commemoration of the Miracle of the Icon of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Beret: At the fourth session of the Seventh Ecumenical Council (in 787), Saint Peter, Bishop of Nicomedia, in defending the necessity of icon veneration, presented an account of Saint Athanasius about a miracle which occurred in…
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Venerable Ethelburga
Saint Ethelburga (Aethelburh) was born into the royal family of East Anglia in the seventh century. She was the sister of Saint Erconwald (May 13), who founded the monastery of Barking (Berecingum) in Essex. Saint Ethelburga became the first abbess of this monastery. Saint Bede (May 27) says…
Readings
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ST. PAUL'S LETTER TO TITUS 3:8-15
Titus, my son, the saying is sure. I desire you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to apply themselves to good deeds; these are excellent and profitable to men. But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels over the law, for they are unprofitable and futile. As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned. When I send Artemas or Tychicos to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there. Do your best to speed Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way; see that they lack nothing. And let our people learn to apply themselves to good deeds, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not to be unfruitful. All who are with me send greeting to you. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. -
LUKE 8:5-15
The Lord said this parable: "A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold." And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but for others they are in parables, so that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience." As he said these things, he cried out "He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
The Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church (often called The Eastern Orthodox Church) is the earliest Christian Church, the Church founded by the Lord Jesus Christ and described in the pages of the New Testament. Her history can be traced in unbroken continuity all the way back to Christ and His Twelve Apostles. For twenty centuries, she has continued in her undiminished and unaltered faith and practice. Today her apostolic doctrine, worship and structure remain intact.
Read the "Discover Orthodox Christianity" section on the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese webpage, and the Nicene Creed, to learn more about Orthodoxy.
Address & Services
Please see our announcements for information about upcoming service times and locations.
What To Expect
Visitors will notice that the congregation actively participates in services by crossing themselves, standing, bowing, kneeling, reciting traditional prayers together, and singing. Don’t be intimidated – no one expects you to know what these acts and symbols mean or when you should do them. There are spiral-bound service books in the hallway (the narthex) leading into the main part of the church (the nave) that will guide you through the service.
Regular Services
Sunday
Orthros 9 a.m.
Divine Liturgy 11 a.m.
Saturday
Vespers 6 p.m.
Get In Touch
Send us a message or reach out to us directly.
Contact
Father Christopher Rigden-Briscall, Pastor
Phone: 519-807-2986
"This, then, is the aim of the Liturgy: that we should return to the world with the doors of our perceptions cleansed. We should return to the world after the Liturgy, seeing Christ in every human person, especially in those who suffer. In the words of Father Alexander Schmemann, the Christian is the one who wherever he or she looks, everywhere sees Christ and rejoices in Him. We are to go out, then, from the Liturgy and see Christ everywhere."