FAQs

Can I attend worship at Transfiguration or even join if I’m not Greek?

You don’t have to be Greek to belong to the Greek Orthodox Church any more that you would need to Scottish to be Presbyterian, German to be Lutheran, or Roman to be a Roman Catholic. The Orthodox Church is the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, and as such seeks to share the Gospel with everyone and opens her doors to all. You are welcome!

Will I be able to understand what you’re saying in worship? Isn’t it all in Greek?

No, our worship is not in Greek. While we use a little bit of Greek here and there, our worship is almost entirely in English. This is important since English is by, by far, the dominant language of our nation and is the language that we and our children speak. What unites us here at Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church? Our Orthodox Faith, our love for Jesus Christ and each other, and our common tongue — the English language.

Am I able to join your Church? What do I need to do if I’d like to become Orthodox?

Yes! Many of our members have come to us from other Christian experiences, or from none at all. Those wishing to join go through a process of learning what the Orthodox believe, and how we worship and live. As time goes on this gradually becomes for formal, finally leading to formal entrance into the Church, usually through Baptism of Chrismation. To learn more about this and to begin participating, please speak with our parish priest.

I’m an Orthodox Christian and I want to participate in the Sacrament of Confession, but it has either been a long time since I’ve done this or I have never done it at all. What’s involved, and how can I prepare.

First, it’s good that you have made a decision to do this! And it probably won’t be as difficult as you might think. Confession is meant to be an important and regular part of our spiritual lives as Orthodox Christians. Here is some information on how you can best prepare for your confession, but it is also good to talk about it with our parish priest. This can help settle any nerves you may have about Confession. It’s important to remember that Confession off a Mystery (Sacrament) of the Church and is absolutely confidential. The priest will not repeat your confession to anyone — not to the Bishop or his wife, or anyone else! It is a sacred trust between you, your priest, and the Lord Jesus Christ that must never be violated. We hope to will prepare to make a Confession soon and begin to experience the joy and healing that our Lord offers to us through this Holy Mystery.

I’d like to meet and talk about my spiritual journey and the Orthodox Christian Faith. How can I do this?

Please send a message to our parish priest and he will be happy to arrange a time to talk with you.