What Is the Church?
The Church is a treasury — a storehouse of centuries of accumulated experience and wisdom in man’s attempt to relate to God and to other people. The heritage of the Church stretches back to Moses, David, Jesus, and the Apostles, and comes down to us today. Those of us who cherish this Christian heritage have an obligation to pass it on to future generations.
To be a Christian means to be part of the Church. To ignore the Church or to use it only for occasional ceremonies means that we have greatly misunderstood its purpose.
Ecclesiastical Membership
The fulfillment of our commitment to the Church includes our commitment to live within the canonical standards that the Church has established as normative for the life of every Orthodox Christian. Such standards are not intended as limits upon our freedom, but rather constitute the very basis for the communal life of the Orthodox Church.
This means that we:
Have been baptized in the name of the Holy Trinity
Have been confirmed (chrismated) in the Eastern Orthodox Christian Church
Have had our marriage blessed in the Eastern Orthodox Church by a canonical Orthodox priest
Participate regularly in the Holy Sacraments of Confession, Holy Communion, and Holy Unction, and attend faithfully the Divine Liturgy as well as the other services of the Church
Observe the prescribed fast days in a proper manner, as the tradition of the Church teaches
Church Membership
The Special Regulations and Uniform Parish Regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America define membership as follows:
“Any person, eighteen years of age or older, who was baptized according to the rites of the Church, or who was received into the Church through chrismation, who lives according to the faith and canons of the Church, who has met his or her stewardship obligation (part of which is to meet his or her stewardship financial obligation to the parish), and abides by the regulations herein and the by-laws of the parish — except that a person under twenty-one shall not serve on the parish council when such service is contrary to local law.”
The responsibilities of membership may be divided into three distinct areas of commitment to Christ and to His Church:
Liturgical (worship) fulfillment
Stewardship fulfillment
Canonical fulfillment
To be a “member in good standing,” each person must fulfill all three aspects of this commitment.
Liturgical Commitment
The fulfillment of our liturgical commitment requires regular participation in the services and sacraments of the Church. Without such participation in the Church’s life, one cannot be a Christian in any meaningful sense.
As our Lord said:
“Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you… he who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.”
— John 6:54, 56
It is therefore essential that each person commit to frequent participation in the Holy Eucharist (Communion) and regular participation in the Sacrament of Confession. Questions regarding participation in these sacraments should be referred to Fr. Constantine or to one’s own spiritual father.
Each person should also participate in other services of the Church, including:
Saturday evening Great Vespers
Sunday morning Orthros
Feast-day liturgies
Other regular and occasional services
The Church’s calendar of fasting and feasting
Stewardship
A steward of God is one who realizes that all is God’s and that we are only temporary caretakers of His gifts. Our conscience must guide our financial support of the Church. With the Stewardship Pledge System, we return to God what is His.
“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof.”
Stewardship means responsible care of Christ’s Church through the offering of our time, talent, and treasure for the benefit of humankind. Stewardship is caring for the needs of others.
To be a member in good standing, each person or family is asked to make an annual financial pledge and fulfill it throughout the year. Many use a percentage-giving method, setting aside a portion of income for the Church. If circumstances change, pledges may be amended by contacting the Church office.
Stewardship extends far beyond finances. It includes volunteering and active participation in parish life, such as:
Serving on committees
Helping organize church functions
Singing in the choir
Teaching Sunday School
Cleaning and maintaining the Church
Participating in ministries
Stewardship is engagement in the total life of the Church.
Fasting
Fasting Days
Wednesdays and Fridays
Christmas Lent: November 15 – December 25
January 5 (Eve of Epiphany)
Dormition Fast: August 1–14
August 29 — Beheading of St. John the Baptist
September 14 — Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Non-Fasting Periods
First week of the Triodion
Bright Week (week after Pascha/Easter)
Week following Pentecost (unless part of the Apostles’ Fast)
December 25 through January 4
Exceptions
Fish is permitted on the Feast of the Transfiguration
During Great Lent, fish is permitted on Annunciation (March 25) and Palm Sunday
During the week before Great Lent (Cheesefare Week), dairy products are permitted even on Wednesday and Friday
A complete fast is observed in the morning before receiving Holy Communion.
Fasting decisions should always be made with guidance from one’s spiritual father and, when necessary, consultation with a physician.
Rules for Lenten Fasting
The following outline describes traditional fasting regulations (“the letter of the law”). Each person and family should strive to live the “spirit of the law” with guidance and discernment.
Categories of Food
Category I — Meat and Meat Products
Beef, pork, poultry, gelatin containing animal products, lard, etc.
Category II — Dairy Products
Milk, cheese, butter, eggs, whey, and dairy-derived ingredients.
Category III — Fish
Fish with backbones (tuna, bass, trout, etc.). Shellfish are not included.
Category IV — Olive Oil and Wine
Often extended to all oils and alcoholic beverages.
Foods Permitted Throughout Lent
Shellfish (lobster, shrimp, crab, oysters, clams, mussels, etc.)
Fruits and vegetables
Vegetable-based products and gelatins
Grains (rice, wheat, flour, pasta without eggs)
Great Lent Regulations
Weekdays (Monday–Friday)
Abstinence from Categories I, II, III, and IV
Shellfish, fruits, vegetables, and grains permitted
Meals should be smaller, with no eating between meals
Saturdays and Sundays (except Great Saturday)
Abstinence from Categories I, II, and III
Olive oil and wine permitted
No restriction on quantity or frequency of meals
Feasts of Annunciation (March 25) and Palm Sunday
Abstinence from Categories I and II only
Fish, oil, and wine permitted
No restriction on quantity or frequency of meals
Great Saturday
Strict fast observed
Source: St. Elizabeth the Wonderworker Greek Orthodox Church