For Baptisms:

In the Sacrament of Baptism, a person is incorporated into the crucified, resurrected, and glorified Christ and is reborn to participate in the divine life. Please schedule your child’s baptism with Fr Alex using the form below.  The baptism service lasts approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

Please read this article on The Sacrament of Baptism

And these are the things you should bring to the Baptism:

• 1 large non-white towel to wrap child before baptism
• 1 large white towel to wrap child after baptism
• 1 small white towel
• Baptismal cross (often a gift by the sponsor)
• White Baptismal garment
• A candle to hold during service and to bring to Liturgy on the Sunday following the Baptism at Communion

Please fill out the form below and click send.

For Catechumens:

Adults wishing to enter the communion of the Church go through three stages that can be compared to getting married. At the inquirer stage, one enters into a “dating” relationship with the Church. When one’s inquiries satisfies one that the Orthodox Church is who she claims to be – the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church, the body of Christ, the fullness of him who is all in all – one is welcome to become a catechumen. Becoming a catechumen is like getting engaged. At this stage, one learns not only about Orthodoxy but how to be Orthodox, how to live according to the Orthodox way. One is gently guided in the ascetic and moral disciplines of the Church. When one feels ready to die to the world in order to live for Christ in his holy Church, one is ready to be married to Christ by becoming a member of his bride, the Church, through Holy Baptism and/or Chrismation. Please contact Fr Alex by filling out the form below and please tell a bit about yourself in the message section at the bottom of the form.

Fr. Thomas Hopko writes, “Jesus taught the uniqueness of human marriage as the most perfect natural expression of God’s love for men, and of his own love for the Church.” Marriage in the Church is a sacrament, a mystery through which we participate in the life of God. Human love alone cannot sustain a life-long commitment of sacrificial love between two naturally self-centered people. This problem is only overcome in Jesus Christ, who on the Cross proved His love for His bride, the Church. In a Christian marriage, within His Church, “the Holy Spirit is given so that what is begun on earth does not ‘part in death’ but is fulfilled and continues most perfectly in the Kingdom of God.” (Hopko)
Sadly, we have become very “unorthodox” in our approach to marriage, prying the sacrament away from its true context in Church life. Affected by the extreme individualism of our day, we think of our wedding as a private affair that we can personally customize, and sometimes even treat the ceremony as a show for our family and friends. This approach tragically divorces marriage from its holy setting. On a basic level, someone who uses the Church for their own gains is guilty of taking advantage of the parish, the choir, and the priest, and more. More seriously, they deprive themselves of life in the body of Christ – the only Eternal sustenance for their marriage. In order to protect people from abusing the sacrament, thereby condemning themselves, St. Philip cannot allow the Church to be used to marry people not committed to the Church. Marriage in the Church is reserved for those Orthodox who embrace it as the beautiful and joyous reflection of the mystery of Christ and the Church.

Guidelines for getting married at St. Philip are as follows:
• Based on the conditions above, the priest will determine whether a couple is eligible for marriage in the Orthodox Church, before a date can be set.
• A minimum of six months to one year’s notice is required to set a wedding date.
• Premarital counseling with the priest is strictly required.
• At least one of the persons getting married must be an Orthodox Christian and a member of St. Philip’s in good standing. The other party, if not Orthodox, must be a Christian. (Please speak to the priest about specific norms for “mixed marriages.”)
• At least one of the sponsors must be a committed Orthodox Christian.
• The wedding date must be cleared with the Church. The best time is Sunday afternoon. If the wedding needs to be on a Saturday, it must start no later than 3:00 p.m. Understanding that the liturgical day begins at the Vesper Hour (sunset), weddings are not permitted at the following times:
– every Wednesday and Friday
– the eve of every Sunday and Great Feast
– eves/days of the Feast of the Elevation of the Cross (Sept. 14) and the Beheading of John the Forerunner (Aug. 29)
– during Great Lent, including Cheesefare Week and Bright Week; i.e., Meatfare Sunday-Thomas Sunday
– during the Nativity Fast (Nov. 15-Dec. 25)
– during the Dormition Fast (Aug. 1-15)
• Only Orthodox hymns prescribed by the rubrics of the Church, no flash photography and no clapping are permitted. All other music is forbidden. All liturgical celebrations are parish celebrations, and so the St. Philip choir and chanters generally lead the musical responses.
• In the case of candidates who have been divorced, the process of reconciliation with the Church is done through the parish priest. All necessary information is submitted to the Metropolitan in writing for his final approval.
• The Removal of Crowns takes place at the end of the Divine Liturgy the next Sunday that the couple attends (usually following the honeymoon).

You will find a Marriage Form below.  Please fill it out and click send.  You may also read the following articles regarding Marriage in the Orthodox Church.

• The Orthodox Wedding Ceremony
• The Mystery and Meaning of Love and Marriage – by Archbishop Lazar Puhalo
• Marriage as a Spiritual Path – by Dr. Stephen Muse

Blessings on the First Day
This is a beautiful service traditionally performed by the priest either in the hospital or home on the day in which the child is born. It includes prayers for the recovery of the mother and the protection of the child. If you would like Father Alex to visit for Blessings on the First Day, speak to the church office approximately three weeks before your estimated due date, then call again on the day of the birth.

Blessing and Naming on the Eighth Day
The eigth day after birth is the occasion for the solemn naming of a child, just as our Lord received His name “Jesus” on the eighth day (cf. Luke 2:21). The “prayers on the eighth day” are traditionally performed by the priest in the home. On this day, special prayers are offered for the naming of the child. Father Alex would like to pray these prayers of blessings for your child. Please make arrangements when Father Alex visits for the First Day Blessing or by calling the church office as soon as possible after the birth.