St. Anthony Church
Publish Date: 2025-08-03
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St. Anthony Church

General Information

  • Phone:
  • (775) 825-5365
  • Fax:
  • (775)825-2442
  • Street Address:

  • 4795 Lakeside Drive

  • Reno, NV 89509
  • Mailing Address:

  • 4795 Lakeside Drive

  • Reno, NV 89509


Contact Information



Services Schedule

Saturday Vespers, 6pm

Sunday Morning Orthros, 8:45am

Sunday Divine Liturgy, 10am

Wednesday Evening Prayer & Healing (Paraklesis), 6pm

Office Hours are M - F from 10a - 3p


Past Bulletins


Good Morning and Welcome!

Whether you are visiting the Orthodox Church for the first time or are visiting from another Orthodox parish, we’d like to welcome you to Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Church. For more information about the Orthodox Church go to THIS LINK

We hope that your worship experience with us brings you closer to our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ. If this is your first time with us, please take the time to sign a guest card at the entrance and accept our invitation to join us for coffee and fellowship in the Large Hall after the Service.

Please keep in mind that only those who have been Baptized or Chrismated into our Orthodox Faith and who’ve properly prepared themselves through fasting and Holy Confession (as needed) may participate in the Sacrament of Holy Communion. If you are in need of spiritual direction or would like to know how to become an Orthodox Christian, please talk to Fr. Stephen after the Service.

Do you know Someone Who is Sick, Hospitalized, or In Need of Prayer?  Please contact the church office. 

 

 

 

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Serving Today

Deacon: Danilo Simich

Chanters: Eneko Zuniga, Stephenie Nash, Ava Zimmerman, Kara & Jacob Warren, Amaia Zimmerman, Halie Zimmerman, Shasta Florez

Acolytes: Marco Cloninger, Anthony Florez, Athanasios Karcher, Joseph Karcher, Vince Marko, John Nash, Cody Wilson, Isaac Zimmerman

Epistle Reader: Mary Paraskevopoulos

Narthex Greeters: Jim Phillips, Maxwell Vohland

Prosphora: Beck Marco

Streaming: Dave & Jeri Ross

Please contact the church office if you would like to provide fresh flowers, or be added to our prosphora baking schedule.

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Hymns of the Day

Resurrectional Apolytikion in the Grave Mode

By means of Your Cross, O Lord, You abolished death. * To the robber You opened Paradise. * The lamentation of the myrrhbearing women You transformed, * and You gave Your Apostles the order to proclaim to all * that You had risen, O Christ our God, * and granted the world Your great mercy.
Κατέλυσας τῷ Σταυρῷ σου τὸν θάνατον, ἠνέῳξας τῷ Λῃστῇ τὸν Παράδεισον, τῶν Μυροφόρων τὸν θρῆνον μετέβαλες, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς Ἀποστόλοις κηρύττειν ἐπέταξας, ὅτι ἀνέστης Χριστὲ ὁ Θεός, παρέχων τῷ κόσμῳ τὸ μέγα ἔλεος.

Apolytikion for the Church in the First Mode

Emulating the ways of Elias the zealot, * and following the straight paths of the Baptist O Father Anthony, * you made of the wilderness a city; * and did support the world by your prayers. * Wherefore intercede with Christ our God * that our souls be saved.

Τὸν ζηλωτὴν Ἠλίαν τοῖς τρόποις μιμούμενος, τῷ Βαπτιστῇ εὐθείαις ταῖς τρίβοις ἑπόμενος, Πάτερ Ἀντώνιε, τῆς ἐρήμου γέγονας οἰκιστής, καὶ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐστήριξας εὐχαῖς σου· διὸ πρέσβευε Χριστῷ τῶ Θεῷ, σωθῆναι τὰς ψυχὰς ἡμῶν.

Seasonal Kontakion in the Grave Mode

You were transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our God, * and Your disciples beheld as much as they could of Your glory, * so that when they would see You crucified * they would understand that You suffered willingly, * and would proclaim to the world * that you are truly the brightness of the Father.
Επί τού όρους μετεμορφώθης, καί ως εχώρουν οι Μαθηταί σου τήν δόξαν σου, Χριστέ ο Θεός εθεάσαντο, ίνα όταν σε ίδωσι σταυρούμενον, τό μέν πάθος νοήσωσιν εκούσιον, τώ δέ κόσμω κηρύξωσιν, ότι σύ υπάρχεις αληθώς, τού Πατρός τό απαύγασμα.
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Saints and Feasts

August 03

8th Sunday of Matthew


August 03

Isaacius, Dalmatus, & Faustus, Ascetics of the Dalmation Monastery

Of these, Saint Isaacius is celebrated also on May 30. He became a monk at an early age and was a worker of every virtue; a zealot for the Orthodox Faith, he was also deemed worthy of the gift of prophecy. The Saint dwelt in a small hut near Constantinople. When Valens the Arian marched against the Goths, who were at the Danube River, this righteous one went out himself to meet the Emperor and, taking in hand the reins of the Emperor's horse, said to him with boldness that God had incited the barbarians to come against him, since he himself had incited many to speak against God in blasphemy, and had driven God's true worshippers out of the divine houses of prayer. Furthermore, he told him, if he ceased fighting against God by means of heresy and returned the good shepherds (that is, the Orthodox bishops) to the flock of Christ, he would easily gain the victory over his enemies. However, if he did not desist from these things, nor have God as his ally, at the very outset of the battle both he and his army would certainly be destroyed. "Learn from experience," he said, "that it is hard to kick against the pricks. Thou shalt not return, and this expedition will be destroyed." But the Emperor became angry and had the righteous one locked in prison that he might punish him and put him to death on his return after he conquered the barbarians. But he was utterly defeated and was burned alive in a certain village in the year 378 (Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Eccl. Hist., ch. 4: 31-32). When his surviving soldiers returned from the war, wishing to tempt the Saint, they came to him and said, "Prepare to make thy defense before the Emperor, who is coming to fulfil what he spoke against thee." But the Saint answered, "It has already been seven days that I smelled the stink of his bones, which were burned in the fire." Thus the righteous one was released from prison. All marveled because of his prophecy, and he became even more wondrous by means of the zeal he displayed in behalf of Orthodoxy in 381, when the Second Ecumenical Council was convoked. After this, a monastery was built in Constantinople for him, and he piously shepherded those struggling with him in asceticism. Having served as an example of the monastic life for them, he reposed in peace about the end of the fourth century, leaving Dalmatus as his successor.

As for Saint Dalmatus, he was at first a soldier in the second division of the soldiers known as the Scholarii. Later, however, he forsook all things and taking his son Faustus, went to the above-mentioned monastery of Saint Isaacius, where he donned the monastic habit. Through his virtue he became venerable in the sight of all. He was present at the Third Ecumenical Council that was convoked in Ephesus in 431, and there displayed his zeal for Orthodoxy against Nestorius. The Council elected him Archimandrite of the monasteries in Constantinopie. Having lived for more than eighty years, he reposed in the Lord.


August 03

Salome the Holy Myrrhbearer


August 03

Theoctistus the Wonderworker


August 04

9th Monday after Pentecost


August 04

Seven Holy Youths of Ephesus

The Seven Youths hid themselves in a certain cave near Ephesus in the year 250, to escape the persecution of Decius. By divine grace, a sleep came upon them and they slept for 184 years, until the reign of Saint Theodosius the Younger, when the doctrine of the resurrection was being assailed by heretics. They then awoke, that is, were resurrected, confirming in the sight of all the bodily resurrection; and again after a short time, by divine command, they reposed in the Lord in the year 434.


August 05

9th Tuesday after Pentecost


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Gospel and Epistle Readings

Matins Gospel Reading

Eighth Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:11-18

At that time, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus has lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him." Saying this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?" Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, "Rabboni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Do not touch Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God." Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and she told them that He had said these things to her.

Eighth Orthros Gospel
Κατὰ Ἰωάννην 20:11-18

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, Μαρία εἱστήκει πρὸς τὸ μνημεῖον κλαίουσα ἔξω· ὡς οὖν ἔκλαιε, παρέκυψεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον, καὶ θεωρεῖ δύο ἀγγέλους ἐν λευκοῖς καθεζομένους, ἕνα πρὸς τῇ κεφαλῇ, καὶ ἕνα πρὸς τοῖς ποσίν, ὅπου ἔκειτο τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῇ ἐκεῖνοι· Γύναι, τί κλαίεις; λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ὅτι ᾖραν τὸν Κύριόν μου, καὶ οὐκ οἶδα ποῦ ἔθηκαν αὐτόν· καὶ ταῦτα εἰποῦσα ἐστράφη εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ θεωρεῖ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἑστῶτα, καὶ οὐκ ᾒδει ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἐστι. Λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Γύναι, τί κλαίεις; τίνα ζητεῖς; ἐκείνη δοκοῦσα ὅτι ὁ κηπουρὸς ἐστι, λέγει αὐτῷ· Κύριε, εἰ σὺ ἐβάστασας αὐτόν, εἰπέ μοι ποῦ αὐτὸν ἔθηκας, κᾀγὼ αὐτὸν ἀρῶ· λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Μαρία· στραφεῖσα ἐκείνη λέγει αὐτῷ· Ῥαββουνί· ὃ λέγεται Διδάσκαλε· λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Μή μου ἃπτου· οὔπω γὰρ ἀναβέβηκα πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου, πορεύου δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφούς μου, καὶ εἰπὲ αὐτοῖς· Ἀναβαίνω πρὸς τὸν πατέρα μου καὶ πατέρα ὑμῶν, καὶ Θεόν μου καὶ Θεὸν ὑμῶν· ἔρχεται Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ ἀπαγγέλλουσα τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὅτι ἑώρακε τὸν Κύριον· καὶ ταῦτα εἶπεν αὐτῇ.


Epistle Reading

Prokeimenon. Grave Mode. Psalm 28.11,1.
The Lord will give strength to his people.
Verse: Bring to the Lord, O sons of God, bring to the Lord honor and glory.

The reading is from St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians 1:10-17.

Brethren, I appeal to you by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. For it has been reported to me by Chloe's people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. What I mean is that each one of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispos and Gaius; lest any one should say that you were baptized in my name. (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any one else.) For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Προκείμενον. Grave Mode. ΨΑΛΜΟΙ 28.11,1.
Κύριος ἰσχὺν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ δώσει.
Στίχ. Ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ υἱοὶ Θεοῦ, ἐνέγκατε τῷ Κυρίῳ δόξαν καὶ τιμήν.

τὸ Ἀνάγνωσμα Πρὸς Κορινθίους α' 1:10-17.

Ἀδελφοί, παρακαλῶ δὲ ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα τὸ αὐτὸ λέγητε πάντες, καὶ μὴ ᾖ ἐν ὑμῖν σχίσματα, ἦτε δὲ κατηρτισμένοι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ νοῒ καὶ ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ γνώμῃ. Ἐδηλώθη γάρ μοι περὶ ὑμῶν, ἀδελφοί μου, ὑπὸ τῶν Χλόης, ὅτι ἔριδες ἐν ὑμῖν εἰσιν. Λέγω δὲ τοῦτο, ὅτι ἕκαστος ὑμῶν λέγει, Ἐγὼ μέν εἰμι Παύλου, Ἐγὼ δὲ Ἀπολλώ, Ἐγὼ δὲ Κηφᾶ, Ἐγὼ δὲ Χριστοῦ. Μεμέρισται ὁ Χριστός; Μὴ Παῦλος ἐσταυρώθη ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, ἢ εἰς τὸ ὄνομα Παύλου ἐβαπτίσθητε; Εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ ὅτι οὐδένα ὑμῶν ἐβάπτισα, εἰ μὴ Κρίσπον καὶ Γάϊον· ἵνα μή τις εἴπῃ ὅτι εἰς τὸ ἐμὸν ὄνομα ἐβάπτισα. Ἐβάπτισα δὲ καὶ τὸν Στεφανᾶ οἶκον· λοιπὸν οὐκ οἶδα εἴ τινα ἄλλον ἐβάπτισα. Οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλέν με Χριστὸς βαπτίζειν, ἀλλʼ εὐαγγελίζεσθαι· οὐκ ἐν σοφίᾳ λόγου, ἵνα μὴ κενωθῇ ὁ σταυρὸς τοῦ Χριστοῦ.


Gospel Reading

8th Sunday of Matthew
The Reading is from Matthew 14:14-22

At that time, Jesus saw a great throng; and he had compassion on them, and healed their sick. When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a lonely place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Jesus said, "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." They said to him, "We have only five loaves here and two fish." And he said, "Bring them here to me." Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass; and taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke and gave the loaves to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.

8th Sunday of Matthew
Κατὰ Ματθαῖον 14:14-22

Τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ, ἐξελθὼν ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶδε πολὺν ὄχλον, καὶ ἐσπλαγχνίσθη ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐθεράπευσε τοὺς ἀρρώστους αὐτῶν. ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες· ἔρημός ἐστιν ὁ τόπος καὶ ἡ ὥρα ἤδη παρῆλθεν· ἀπόλυσον τοὺς ὄχλους, ἵνα ἀπελθόντες εἰς τὰς κώμας ἀγοράσωσιν ἑαυτοῖς βρώματα. ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν ἀπελθεῖν· δότε αὐτοῖς ὑμεῖς φαγεῖν. οἱ δὲ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· οὐκ ἔχομεν ὧδε εἰ μὴ πέντε ἄρτους καὶ δύο ἰχθύας. ὁ δὲ εἶπε· φέρετέ μοι αὐτοὺς ὧδε. καὶ κελεύσας τοὺς ὄχλους ἀνακλιθῆναι ἐπὶ τοὺς χόρτους, λαβὼν τοὺς πέντε ἄρτους καὶ τοὺς δύο ἰχθύας, ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εὐλόγησε, καὶ κλάσας ἔδωκε τοῖς μαθηταῖς τοὺς ἄρτους, οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ τοῖς ὄχλοις. καὶ ἔφαγον πάντες καὶ ἐχορτάσθησαν, καὶ ἦραν τὸ περισσεῦον τῶν κλασμάτων δώδεκα κοφίνους πλήρεις. οἱ δὲ ἐσθίοντες ἦσαν ἄνδρες ὡσεὶ πεντακισχίλιοι χωρὶς γυναικῶν καὶ παιδίων. Καὶ εὐθέως ἠνάγκασεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἐμβῆναι εἰς τὸ πλοῖον καὶ προάγειν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ πέραν, ἕως οὗ ἀπολύσῃ τοὺς ὄχλους.


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News and Information

Parish News and Updates

Ordination of Alex Karcher to the Holy Diaconate This Sunday, August 3rd during Divine Liturgy, Reception to follow.  We are coordinating a Parish gift for Alex in honor of this special occasion.  If you would like to contribute, you can click here to make your offering by credit card via our online donation portal.  Alternatively, you can provide your offering by check to the church office. Please include “Alex's Ordination Gift Donation” in the memo field.

 

Join Us in Preparing for Ordination Weekend Help Needed! FRI, AUG 1st 2:30p-5:30p Table & Chair Set Up, Church & Hall Clean Up (plan to stay for Paraklesis at 6pm); and SAT, AUG 2nd 10a-1p Decorating, Silverware Rolling, Set Up, etc.  All ages welcome - many hands make light work!! 

Festival Food Prep Opportunities We need your help to prepare for the Festival in September!  Stay after Liturgy today to help finish rolling Domades - no experience needed, all ages can help!  Look for our Pastry Baking dates coming soon!  

Summer Family Day at North Valleys Splash Park, Sat Aug 9, 11:30a-2p Mustang Pavilion Admission: $5/person (under 2 and 62+ free) Bring your own swimsuits, towels, and food. Questions? Contact Andrea Jervinis [email protected]

Upgraded Family Zone in the Large Hall with TV streaming Divine Liturgy, allowing our younger parishioners to participate comfortably in a space better suited to their energy levels.  Please help us keep the area clean by putting toys away and removing trash from the area when you leave!  Thanks for your cooperation!
 
Greek Festival : is coming in September! DATES: SEPTEMBER 5th & 6th (Friday & Saturday). We will have VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES as we prepare over the next several weeks & please plan to be with us on Festival Weekend! Sign up sheets are in the Large HallAdvance Ticket sales coming soon. You can become a Festival Donor to help offset the expenses of hosting our Festival. Ad Book due date for submissions is July 31 Don't miss this opportunity to include your ad, message, or remembrance to our Greek Festival advertising book. Prices Range from $100 to $250 (Front and Back Covers are sold out). 
 
 
Coming up: 
August 23 Parish Council Planning Workshop/Retreat ALL-DAY
September 5-6 GREEK FESTIVAL proudly featuring the MINOAN DANCERS (a Ministry of the Nativity of Christ Greek Orthodox Church of Novato, CA) and the HELIOS BAND of Northern California, playing traditional Rembetika, Laika, Nissiotika, Demotika and Modern Greek music. More details to follow!
October 10-11 Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick will visit our parish and offer a series of talks.

Join our Live Stream Ministry This is a wonderful way to help provide service to the parish and provide a vital connection to those who are not able to join us in person on Sundays.  No experience necessary, we will provide training.  High school age and above are welcome.  The commitment is just 1-2 services a month.  Please talk to Dave Ross or contact the church office for more information.

Bible Study Meets on Thursdays, in person AND via zoom. We continue reading through the New Testament Book of Acts. Drop ins are welcome! Connection link: https://zoom.us/j/92579391202?pwd=TkpKQVpadExCLzdxRFNtU2d5S2JJQT09

Reading the Epistle at Divine Liturgy is a very important way to participate in our Sunday service. Won't you consider being an Epistle Reader? If you would like to participate please talk to Larry Fitterer and tell him your interested in reading. There will be some brief training involved to get you oriented. Need help contacting Larry? Call the church office & we'll help.

For Our Visitors We are are happy to welcome you to join us for worship and experience the beauty of the Orthodox Holy Tradition. For more info on the Church go to THIS LINK   

Pastoral Visits & Holy Communion For setting dates, sacraments, memorial services, personal counseling, confessions, sick calls and personal visitations that may include receiving Holy Communion, please call the church office (775-825-5365) or email [email protected]. You can also speak with Father Stephen or e-mail at [email protected].    

GOA Center for Family Care is a wonderful ministry of our Archdiocese. We encourage you to sign up HERE for updates & receive resources from GOA Center for Family Care in your inbox.  

We are Live Streaming Sunday services on Facebook AND YouTube http://www.facebook.com/saintanthonychurchreno/  https://www.youtube.com/@saintanthonyreno 

Online Giving Portal for Stewardship & Donation Offerings The Online Giving Portal allows you to make stewardship and donation offerings online via credit or debit card.  You can access the portal by clicking here: Home | Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Church Reno  This functionality is secured for your protection and gives you the opportunity to make a one-time contribution or set up a recurring offering. 

Prayer Ministry “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16 If you need prayer for yourself, a family member, or anyone else in your circle of friends and acquaintances, you can have your prayer requests included in a weekly prayer request list. Also, this new Prayer Ministry is looking for “prayer warriors” who are willing to pray for others in need. Praying for one another is a critical part of living an Orthodox Christian life, and the Prayer Ministry can help you systematically pray for others who need prayer. If you have a prayer request, or would like to become part of this new, important, and exciting ministry, please contact Barbara Cummings via email at [email protected] or contact the church office and we'll help you get in touch. 

Vigil Lights offered for Health & Well Being:  Veneta for healing by Lagios Family. Texas Flood victims, by Lagios Family. Nancy. 

Vigil Lights offered in Loving Memory:   Charles Joannou by Woods family. Steve Spreiter, Flood victims by Lagios Family. Mapoleon by Chris & Rene Rores. Thomas Joannou by Woods Family. 

Online Resources: If you wish to use the Internet as a resource for Orthodoxy, a search engine is only going to give you a list of hits that will be, at best, confusing once you start working your way through all of them. Best to start out with the home pages of the canonical jurisdictions and take note of the pages to which they’ve linked. Here are some recommended links from St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in Bellingham, Washington https://www.saintsophias.org/faith-resources.html

The Fountain of Light A collection of works by Bishop Emilianos of Meloa, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia.

Trisagion Films Videos on Orthodox Worship and Praxis  Here you can discover they cover aspects of Orthodox worship and practice, pilgrimages, the lives of the saints, iconography and the sacred arts, and recordings of homilies, interviews, and special events.  

The End Times and the Book of Revelation https://orthodoxsaskatoon.com/2021/05/12/the-end-times-and-the-book-of-revelation/

Follow Us Facebook Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Church Reno Instagram stanthonygoareno

Participate in Worship + Join a Ministry + Volunteer for a specific activity + Lend your talent

 

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Orthodoxy & the Internet

The Internet provides an unprecedented amount of information on virtually any topic, all at the click of a mouse. Fly-fishing, cat videos, comic book collecting, the history of woodcarving, how to knit sweaters for your dog – it’s all out there. Some of it is even useful. Not only that, it so happens that there are a huge number of websites out there devoted entirely to Orthodox Christianity. Sounds like a wonderful thing, doesn’t it? Well, maybe not. The Internet has the potential to be the biggest stumbling block over which an inquirer might trip.

Orthodox Christianity is very different to those who have been raised in the Protestant and/or Evangelical world. An Orthodox church has an iconostasis, candles and icons covering virtually every space on the walls, and the smell of incense permeates everything. As a liturgical environment, it is like nothing most people have experienced before, and it all adds up to a very tangible awareness of the presence of God. Often times a inquirer, trying to figure it all out goes home and does a Google search  on “Orthodox Christianity” and browses through the hits.

Sound familiar? And why not? That’s how we’ve been trained, in this age of the Information Superhighway. When I was a little kid, if a new topic of interest made itself known to me, the first thing I would do was to go to the library and look it up there, but the Internet makes it so that you don’t even have to leave your home. Googling “Orthodox Christianity” gives you lots of interesting-looking web pages right off the bat: the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese home page, the Orthodox Church in America home page, something called “orthodoxinfo.com,” the Orthodox Christian Fellowship site, another page called “Orthodox Ireland,” a document called “Celtic Orthodoxy – the Celtic Orthodox Christian Revival”… hmm. And here’s a site run by something called “The American Orthodox Church” that claims to be the “Voice of American Orthodox Catholic Christianity.”

And here is the problem with the phenomenon of “Internet Orthodoxy.” There is no barrier to entry with respect to posting pages on the World Wide Web; anybody with a computer and accessibility can publish anything they want and make it accessible to anyone using a search engine. (Or, as UC Berkeley computer science professor Robert Wilensky puts it, “We’ve all heard that a million monkeys banging on a million typewriters will eventually reproduce the entire works of Shakespeare. Now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true.”) There is a lot out there that the wide-eyed inquirer can easily encounter, which he or she simply will not have the spiritual maturity to deal with. Many sites are controversial for people within the Church; how in the world is an inquirer who might not even have attended a service yet going to make any sense of it?

Which brings us to another issue – no amount of information and no amount of reading is going to make one Orthodox. Knowledge will not bring one into the Church; the Holy Spirit has to do that. This sounds like a horrible thing to say in our rational day and age, but the books and websites are, plainly, no substitute for prayer, going to services, establishing a relationship with and receiving instruction from a priest. I truly wonder how today’s inquirers would do with the early practice of catechumens knowing nothing of the Mysteries of the Church until after their baptism – and not even being told exactly what was happening to them in their baptism until after it was already done!

The Church at that time held that knowledge wasn’t going to do one a lot of good until he was already part of the family and could put that knowledge in context. Perhaps, in this age of unrestricted, instantly available information, there’s something we can learn from that. In this “do-it-yourself’ world, the truth of the matter is that you cannot teach yourself to be Orthodox, regardless of how good the instructional materials seem to be. I’ve met inquirers who have spent weeks if not months reading about Orthodoxy on the Internet but have never been to a Divine Liturgy. If you want to learn more about the Church, go to church. It’s that easy, and that difficult.

Something else that one is likely to encounter on the Internet: chat rooms, discussion groups, mailing lists, newsgroups, whatever you want to call them; proclaiming to be places where one can discuss Orthodoxy. I spent a lot of time in these early on in my inquiry, and for my part, I found the tone of most of these to be as un-Christian as one could get – petty, contentious, often with the overall message of “my jurisdiction is holier than your jurisdiction,” and frequently becoming dominated by arguments over secular politics. What also would inevitably occur is the appearance of non-Orthodox and sometimes non-Christian posters who weren’t truly interested in honest discussion, but rather just being gadflies. Even in some of the milder of these groups, where, in theory, jurisdictional discussions were off limits, it seemed that folks had a tendency to be on a fairly short fuse, and exchanges could turn into yelling matches rather quickly. I reached a point where I realized that these groups were distracting my catechesis; they were in no way contributing to it. It was so much “godless chatter,” of which St. Paul counseled avoidance (1 Timothy 6:20).

Are there good uses of the Internet for the inquirer and catechumen? Of course. The home pages for the different Orthodox jurisdictions, as well as for most individual parishes, provide a lot of wonderful information, and the outside links they provide are, in general, quite trustworthy. There are excellent resources out there with respect to the Orthodox approach to prayer, liturgical texts, setting up the home icon corner, as well as a wonderful database of the writings of the Church Fathers. Other websites have made the acquisition of previously not-so-easy-to-find liturgical items a fairly simple matter – prayer books, icons, prayer ropes, incense, home censers, candles, recordings of the music of the Church, and so on. At the same time, it is also true that many of the suppliers of these items are themselves of a questionable status; that’s not to say they’re off limits, but the inquirer visiting some of these online establishments must exercise caution and discernment about where they venture on these sites. Perhaps, if a local parish has an ordering relationship with an established supplier, the inquirer is better off going that route – and that way, the parish will benefit. Ask your priest, once you have a relationship with one.

For my part, I can honestly say that I became Orthodox in spite of the Internet, rather than because of it. At most, an inquirer’s “Ortho-surfing” needs to judiciously supplement, rather than supplant, their attendance at services, prayer, and talking to a priest. If you want to know more about the various historical and doctrinal issues, your local parish has either a good library, a well-stocked book counter, or both, and the priest can suggest which books to read. Books are still no substitute for going to church, but at least it is more likely that a book by a reputable author and publisher will have been carefully vetted in a way that a website probably will not have been.

Unfortunately, the signal-to-noise ratio with respect to what’s out there on the Net is so low, the wheat will sit right next to the chaff and most inquirers – and frankly, most Orthodox laity – won’t be able to tell the difference. If you still want to attempt to use the Internet as a resource, a search engine is only going to give you a list of hits that will be, at best, confusing once you start working your way through all of them. Better to start out with the home pages of the canonical jurisdictions, and take note of the pages to which they’ve linked.

But hey, a Google search is still great for finding out about cat dating and knitting dog sweaters.

Source: Holy Wisdom Orthodox Church, Nevada City CA 

Online Resources: If you wish to use the Internet as a resource for Orthodoxy, a search engine is only going to give you a list of hits that will be, at best, confusing once you start working your way through all of them. Best to start out with the home pages of the canonical jurisdictions and take note of the pages to which they’ve linked. Here are some recommended links from St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in Bellingham, Washington https://www.saintsophias.org/faith-resources.html 

The Fountain of Light A collection of works by Bishop Emilianos of Meloa, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. 

Trisagion Films Videos on Orthodox Worship and Praxis  Here you can discover they cover aspects of Orthodox worship and practice, pilgrimages, the lives of the saints, iconography and the sacred arts, and recordings of homilies, interviews, and special events.   

The End Times and the Book of Revelation https://orthodoxsaskatoon.com/2021/05/12/the-end-times-and-the-book-of-revelation/ 

Follow Us Facebook Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Church Reno Instagram stanthonygoareno

 

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Benevolent Fund Donation Request

Support Our Parish Families in Need – Benevolent Fund Donation Request

Dear Faithful Member of Saint Anthony,

I hope this message finds you well and in good spirits. As we navigate the joys and challenges of our community together, we are reminded of the strength we find in supporting one another. At Saint Anthony, we strive to embody the values of compassion and generosity that are at the heart of our faith.

Today, I am reaching out to ask for your support for our Benevolent Fund, which assists parish families facing hardship. Whether due to unexpected medical expenses, job loss, or other difficult circumstances, several families in our parish need a helping hand. Our Benevolent Fund provides essential support for necessities such as food, housing, and medical assistance, allowing these families to experience the care and love of our parish community during trying times.

We invite you to consider donating to this fund, no matter the size. Every contribution matters and can make a significant difference in the lives of those in need. Your generosity will help us continue to aid families who are struggling, reminding them that they are not alone in their challenges.

If you would like to contribute, click here: Benevolent Funds | Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Church Reno

Of course, you can also donate by mail to the church office or drop off during services.

Thank you for considering this request and for your ongoing support of our parish community. Together, we can spread hope and help create positive outcomes in the lives of our fellow parishioners.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Father Stephen

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Weekly Schedule

Saturday, Aug 2nd Vespers 5p

Sunday, Aug 3rd 8th Sunday of Matthew Orthros 9a, Divine Liturgy 10a, Ordination of Alex Karcher to the Diaconate

Monday, Aug 4th Paraklesis 6p

Wednesday, Aug 6th Transfiguration Orthros 8a, Divine Liturgy 9a

Thursday, Aug 7th Bible Study 11a

Friday, Aug 8th Paraklesis 6p

Saturday, Aug 9th  Family Splash Park event 1130a-2p, Baptisms 12p, Vespers 6p

Sunday, Aug 10th 9th Sunday of Matthew Orthros 9a, Divine Liturgy 10a

Monday, Aug 11th Paraklesis 6p

Wednesday, Aug 13th Paraklesis 6p

Thursday, Aug 14th Bible Study 11a, Vespers 6p

Friday, Aug 15th Dormition Orthros 8a, Divine Liturgy 9a

Saturday, Aug 16th  NO Vespers

Sunday, Aug 17th 10th Sunday of Matthew Orthros 9a, Divine Liturgy 10a

Thursday, Aug 21st Bible Study 11a

Saturday, Aug 23rd Vespers 6p

Sunday, Aug 24th  11th Sunday of Matthew Orthros 9a, Divine Liturgy 10a

Thursday, Aug 28th Bible Study 11a

Saturday, Aug 29th Vespers 6p

Sunday, Aug 31st 12th Sunday of Matthew Orthros 9a, Divine Liturgy 10a

Monday, Sep 1st Ecclesiastical New Year!

Wednesday, Sep 3rd Paraklesis 6p

Thursday, Sep 4th Bible Study 11a

Friday, Sep 5th FESTIVAL

Saturday, Sep 6th FESTIVAL, Vespers 6p

Sunday, Sep 7th Sunday Before Holy Cross Orthros 9a, Divine Liturgy 10a

Monday, Sep 8th Nativity of the Theotokos Orthros 8a, Divine Liturgy 9a

Wednesday, Sep 10th Paraklesis 6p

Thursday, Sep 11th Bible Study 11a

Saturday, Sep 13th Vespers 6p

Sunday, Sep 14th Elevation of the Cross Orthros 9a, Divine Liturgy 10a

Wednesday, Sep 17th Paraklesis 6p

Thursday, Sep 18th Bible Study 11a

Saturday, Sep 20th Vespers 6p

Sunday, Sep 21st Sunday after Holy Cross Orthros 9a, Divine Liturgy 10a

Wednesday, Sep 24th Paraklesis 6p

Thursday, Sep 25th Bible Study 11a

Saturday, Sep 27th Vespers 6p

Sunday, Sep 28th 1st Sunday of Luke Orthros 9a, Divine Liturgy 10a

Reminders: 

  • Confession Schedule Fr Stephen is available to hear confessions Saturdays after vespers, or you can call Cody to set up an appointment at another time. 
  • Click here To follow along with Liturgical texts and Music
  • If you cannot attend, please join our live-stream services online at  https://www.facebook.com/saintanthonychurchreno 

 

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In Our Prayers

Prayer Ministry “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” James 5:16

  • Paraklesis on Wednesday Evenings: In this service we offer hymns and prayers to Christ and His Mother. If you need prayer for yourself, a family member, or friend, please list the names (first names only) on paper with the heading "For Paraklesis", leave in the tray in the narthex and we will read the names at each service for 40 days.
  • Divine Liturgy every Sunday: During the Proskomidi, or service of preparation, we remember the names of the living and departed, especially all those belonging to our parish. If you would like to submit a list of names to be remembered at this time, please list the names of the living (first names only), and also the departed (first names only), on paper with the heading "For Divine Liturgy." Give your list of names to Father or leave it in the tray in the narthex and we will commemorate your living and departed at Liturgy for 40 days. 
  • Prayer Team: If you need prayer for yourself, a family member, or anyone else in your circle of friends and acquaintances, you can have your prayer requests included in a weekly prayer request list. This Prayer Ministry is looking for “prayer warriors” who are willing to pray for others in need. If you have a prayer request, or would like to become part of this ministry, please contact Barbara Cummings via phone or text at 775-848-3677, or via email at [email protected] You will receive a weekly prayer list via email (also, there will be a few paper copies of the prayer list available at St. Anthony on Sunday mornings, for those who do not regularly use email). From time to time, you may also receive emails with urgent or otherwise time-sensitive prayer requests, that can’t wait until the next weekly update.



 

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Bulletin Inserts

    Ordination Announcement

    Ordination Announcement

    Ordination of Alexander Karcher to the Diaconate


    Family Splash Park Event

    Family Splash Park Event

    Saturday, August 9


    Children in the Church

    Children in the Church

    “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14


    Prayer Rule of St. Pachomius

    Prayer Rule of St. Pachomius

    This order was given to St. Pachomius of Egypt by an Angel and was the rule he used at each hour of the day and night (ARCHIMANDRITE LAZARUS (MOORE), ST. SERAPHIM OF SAROV: A SPIRITUAL BIOGRAPHY, P. 77). It is a prayer rule that lends itself to memorization, and as such is one that can be done in situations in which it is impractical for one to pray using a prayer book.


    55 Maxims

    55 Maxims

    Fr Thomas Hopko


    Joining the Church

    Joining the Church

    A short booklet that helps gives some basic answers to the questions: Curious about Orthodoxy? Seriously interested in inquiring into the Orthodox Faith? Desire to join our parish? Wish to commune? What does it take to become a member?


    Stewardship

    Stewardship

    What is stewardship at Saint Anthony?


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