What is the Orthodox Christian Church?  We are:

·         The Body of Christ not just a body of Christians

·         Orthodox but not Jewish

·         Catholic but not Latin

·         Evangelical but not Protestant

·         A continuous Pentecost but not Pentecostal

·         Not denominational but pre-denominational

·         The Orthodox Christian Church has believed, taught, preserved, defended, and died for the faith of Jesus Christ and the Apostles since the day of Pentecost over 2,000 years ago. 

There are many different Western Christian confessions and Orthodoxy overlaps with them on various points.  However, the differences are significant and some of the big ones are the following.  First, we understand salvation as being healed from a life-threatening wound, not getting a reprieve from a death sentence.   The Church is a hospital, not a courtroom.  Through Christ our sins have been forgiven, death has been trampled down, and new life has been given to us, making us sons of God and co-heirs with Christ.  Orthodox Christians believe salvation involves our complete deification, which is partaking of the Divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), and the Transfiguration of the cosmos.  Second, becoming a Christian is not about making an intellectual agreement to a specific set of principles.  It is about entering into a living relationship with Jesus Christ, through his Body on earth – the Orthodox Church.  We must take up our Cross and follow Christ (Matthew 10:38), especially by living out the Beatitudes and the rest of the Sermon on the Mount.  Third, there is more to reality than what we can see. The unseen world is real, it has an impact on us and we can impact it.  We connect with the unseen world through symbols, icons, and ritual (the sacraments of the Church).

If you are seeking the New Testament Church, we invite you to worship with us at Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, 369 Green Avenue, East Meadow.   The parish, founded in 1924, is the first Orthodox Christian parish in the Nassau/Suffolk area and centrally located in mid-island East Meadow.  We are open to all people seeking a community rooted in the oldest Christian Church with an emphasis on sacraments, prayer, Holy Scripture, and theology.  Holy Trinity is a diverse community of Orthodox Christians who come from all walks of life and ethnicities, gathering in the oneness of Faith to worship God in the fullness of the Church’s liturgical life and fellowship.  The parish also has a strong commitment to serving others through various charities. 

 All services are conducted in English.  The Divine Liturgy (Eucharist) is celebrated every Sunday and feast day at 9:30 AM.  Please be aware that only Orthodox Christians are allowed to partake of the Eucharist and other sacraments because of the ancient canons, but others are welcome to receive a blessing.  Coffee hour follows the Divine Liturgy every Sunday.  Vespers (evening prayer) are served every Saturday and on the eve of feast days at 6 PM.  Services are also streamed on https://www.facebook.com/htocem.  The full liturgical schedule can be found on the parish website’s calendar at www.htocem.org.  For more information, contact us at 516-483-3649 or [email protected].

For a deeper study of Orthodoxy, please click on the following link to “The Orthodox Faith”, an online multi-volume survey about the Church’s doctrine, worship, history, and spirituality:  https://www.oca.org/orthodoxy/the-orthodox-faith