On March 7 and 8, the Holy Orthodox Church—through the laying on of hands—will receive another vessel of divine grace: a priest of the Most High God. Ordination is a profound expression of our Lord’s love, because through this He will raise up another vessel of the grace of God—meaning that His grace will be further multiplied and disseminated throughout the world. On this momentous day, our beloved brother in Christ, Basil, will be “clothed” in the grace of the Holy Priesthood, becoming a ... [Read more]

This year Presvytera and I are gardening more. We have planted a lot of perennial flowers and some vegetables—peas, kale, potatoes, zucchini, cucumbers and tomatoes—and we have young fruit trees that are starting to produce fruit this year. So gardening is on my mind. Water is on my mind too. Each new plant and every garden bed needs water, and it must be watered frequently and reliably, either with an irrigation system and a timer, or with consistent hand watering. If we go out of town, the ... [Read more]

Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2) How often we have heard that the Church is a hospital. What does this mean? Commonly we understand this to mean that the Church is a place of healing, where one can be restored to health. This is true. The Church has a great storehouse of medicines and treatments for our spiritual, physical, and psychological maladies. Through Confession, the Eucharist, Holy Unction and Holy Water, a life of prayer, through fasting and ... [Read more]

“Remember, Lord, this country and all those in public service whom you have allowed to govern on earth. Grant them profound and lasting peace. Speak to their hearts good things concerning your Church and all your people, that through the faithful conduct of their duties we may live peaceful and serene lives in all piety and holiness.” - From the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great Another presidential election has come to pass. A new president-elect prepares for office amidst a sea of turmoil—a ... [Read more]

Adapted from a homily given on June 7, 2024. As children of the West, we are in constant need of true Orthodox teachings on the love of God. We have been born into a culture in which God’s love is conditional: Only if you believe the right beliefs, only if you do the right and virtuous things, will you receive the love of God. If you don’t, then God’s love withdraws and you will be subject to His wrath. We need the Orthodox teachings! Recently I read the transcript from a talk given by Fr. ... [Read more]

On February 25, with incredible joy and resolve, our parish voted unanimously to purchase the 5.9-acre property at 10050 NE Walker Road in Hillsboro, which, God willing, will become the permanent home of St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church! It is a blessing from our loving Lord to have received this property at a lower price, so that we can now continue the work on preparing the site while remaining at our current location for the near future. Glory to God! Your prayers are needed! ... [Read more]

“Αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐνηνθρώπισεν, ἵνα ἡμεῖς θεοποιηθῶμεν” “He became man, that we might be made god.” This is perhaps the most quoted sentence from any of the Church Fathers. It was written by St. Athanasius the Great, Patriarch of Alexandria, in the 4th Century, in his theological treatise, On the Incarnation. This month we commemorate St. Athanasius and his successor, St. Cyril of Alexandria, on January 18. St. Athanasius was born in Egypt during the height of Christian persecution within the ... [Read more]

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High. - Psalm 91:1 Dear Beloved in Christ, This month, as we approach the most “Orthodox” of American holidays, Thanksgiving, we do well to remember the centrality of giving thanks within the spiritual life. Thanking God expresses a right relationship between God and man. Holy Scripture offers numerous reminders of the importance of giving thanks. Here are a few. (These can be cut out and memorized, to be used ... [Read more]

This year, our Sunday School theme is “Walking with the Saints.” It’s wonderful that our children are learning about the saints and growing in their relationship with them—especially since many of the children in our parish are the first “cradle Orthodox” in their family tree, being raised by parents who are converts to the Faith. When a person journeys into the Orthodox Faith, the presence and importance of saints can be overwhelming. There are so many! And keeping track of names and lives ... [Read more]

Dear Beloved in Christ, This month, we begin a new era at St. John, as we invite our new Director of Youth and Family Ministries into our parish community. Ioan Gheorghiu (“ee-oh-AHN”) will arrive on July 1. Just look at the providence of God: Our beloved Saint John Maximovich of San Francisco has been our intercessor throughout this process of finding a new youth director. And now Ioan arrives on the eve of St. John’s feast day and he bears his name. His first service will be the Great ... [Read more]