October 2026

Greetings to all!

Here we are, already beginning the month of October with over three-quarters of the year behind us. As we reflect on our journey, we recall that the history of the Orthodox Christian Church begins in the Acts of the Holy Apostles with the Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Scripture tells us: "When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:1-4).

As Orthodox Christians, we are all called to understand the true, deep essence of our faith. Receiving the Holy Spirit helps us embrace the authentic teachings of the Church, acting as our helper and guiding us into all truth. As Christ says: "If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you" (John 14:15-17). While the Church provides every teaching necessary to grasp the essence of the faith, it is up to us to actively implement it in our daily lives.

When we enter the church, we are there to worship Christ and draw closer to Him. We should leave all earthly cares behind and truly focus on the prayers being offered. Even at home, we need to clear our minds before starting our prayers or reading the daily Gospel and Epistle, always striving to remember Christ throughout the day.

Orthodox Christianity is not just a Sunday obligation; it is a way of life. In this day and age, Christianity comes in many different shapes and sizes. It is often viewed as an obstacle or an intrusion to how "I" personally want to live. Consequently, some try to make Christianity easier to accept by watering down the truth. As Orthodox Christians, however, we know that a strict life in Christ is necessary for the salvation of our souls.

Many people are looking for the Truth of the Gospel, and we must always be open to sharing the Gospel with others. We should be sure that we are fulfilling what Christ has commanded us to do, and that is to go out and tell of the good news of the Gospel. We should try during the rest of the year to share that good news with someone and invite them to the church. May the good Lord help us in the building up of His church.

Fr.  Mikel

What is the proper Orthodox Church Dress Code?

1) Men should not wear hats, bandanas, shorts, sleeveless shirts, or casual footwear like flipflops.

2) Women should not wear miniskirts, spandex-tight clothing, low-cut or revealing tops (unless covered with a sweater or other garment), or casual footwear like flipflops.

3) Children should be given a little more flexibility but should still wear “church clothes” so that they know they are somewhere that is special and holy.

4) Everyone should refrain from clothing that is immodest, ostentatious, a fashion-statement, or otherwise distracting from the prayerful and sacred space of the Lord’s House. Clothing or bodily adornments with images, symbols, or writing should not be worn or at least covered up, so that the holy icons and Word of God do not have to compete with the logo of our favorite sport team, the name of a music band, or the slogan of our political party.