We would be honored to have you join us in worship of the Blessed Trinity. Our mission serves Orthodox Christians of all nationalities and anyone interested in the holy Orthodox faith.

The Time is Now—Getting a life of any kind is hard enough in a world that has us going around in circles—from the stresses of our workplace to the demands of home and then back again tomorrow. Getting a spiritual life can seem like a luxury to be put off for another, quieter time. But the search for a spiritual life begins not is some exotic, unreachable place but right were we are - in the midst of all the 'craziness'. It starts within our busy, stressed-out human heart, not in some other 'more spiritual' place. The time to begin spiritual life is now.

Perhaps you would like to know more about the holy Orthodox Church and what is involved in becoming a part in her spiritual life and worship. Or perhaps you are already Orthodox and would like to know more. Please feel free to contact us at 419-626-2486 or email sttikhonoc@bex.net.

     Welcome to St Tikhon Eastern Orthodox mission in Sandusky, Ohio and to our new website. We are adding information almost weekly so please check back often for service schedules, parish activities and warm invitations to those who wish to learn more about the 'faith given to the Apostles for all'.

DIVINE LITURGY: please contact us to learn the current schedule

Divine Liturgy is as scheduled and celebrated at the Ohio Veterans Home Secrest Auditorium, Strub Road entrance. Celebrant is serving Priest Father Seraphim Wing, Pastor of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Edinboro, PA.

Ohio Veterans Home address: 3416 Columbus Avenue, Sandusky, Ohio 44870. Facility entrances are off of Columbus Avenue, Milan Road (SR 250) and Strub Road. Parking is at the Ohio Veterans Home Secrest-Giffin Care Facility parking lot off of Strub Rd. Enter through the double glass doors; at the reception desk follow the hall to the left to reach the elevator; Secrest Chapel is on the second floor. For more information contact church Council President at 419-626-2486.

While only Orthodox Christians may approach the chalice for Holy Communion, everyone is welcome to partake of the Holy Bread at the conclusion of Liturgy. If you are Orthodox and want to receive Holy Communion, Father will hear confessions before Liturgy. If you have questions or if we can be of service to you in some way, please feel welcome to speak with Father Seraphim..

About seventy percent of the Divine Liturgy service is congregational singing. Traditionally, Orthodox use no instruments and a small choir leads the people in a capella harmony.

We want to thank Father Seraphim and Matushka Stacey, and Ohio Veterans Home Chaplain Paul Birminghan and Social Services Director Jackie Bird for their support in bringing Orthodox Divine Liturgy to our veterans and our friends.

There's a good bit of mystery in the opening verses of this passage (Mark 14:10-42). Jesus sends two of the disciples into the city, and tells them in amazingly specific detail what will hapen there. He says that a man carrying a jar of water will meet them - they don't even have to look for him, or be told what he looks like so that they will recognize him! Then they are to follow him "wherever he goes" and speak to the owner of the house he enters. This owner or householder will show them an upper room that is "furnished and ready" for them. This is the room in which they should prepare for the meal that Jesus and His beloved disciples will share.

The disciples follow the Lord's instructions - they go to the city and find everything "as He had told them," and they make their preparations. But the mysterious quality of it all must have occurred to them. Who is this householder? How and when were these plans made? Most importantly, who but the Lord could have done this? We are entering the period of Great Lent, and many more things will be found to be "as He had told us" - His fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, His Passion and Crucifixion, and ultimately His Resurrection.

When the disciples meet the householder, they pose the question that Jesus, the Teacher, has directed them to ask: "Where is My guest room, where am I to eat the Passover with My disciples?" (14:14) There isn't a moment of hesitation; the guest room is ready and waiting, as Jesus knew it would be.

Yet the householder is never identified. He has an important place in the story of the Last Supper, and he seems to be perfectly willing to fulfill his role without having his actions praised, or his name known. Perhaps he didn't even comprehend the significance of what he was being asked to do for the Lord, but he did it faithfully and obediently.

"Where is My guest room?" is a question, many Bible commentators suggest, that the Lord also asks us. Great Lent will offer us a chance to consider whether we have a place in our hearts "furnished and ready" for Him, or whether we'll need to scramble around to clean up the place, and push other things out of the way to make room for Him to enter. Another question follows, too. Will we look for praise and attention because we have prepared a place, or can we be satisfied to be like the householder, simply making ready for Him out of love and obedience with no expectation of reward?

Jesus says in Revelation 3:20, "I stand at the door and knock." If the room is ready, we can invite Him in, and begin to live in the Kingdom with Him today.

( from OCA.org)

Romans 15: 1-7.

But the term "bear with" means more than what we often take it to mean, a kind of polite putting up with others. Paul shows us an expanded meaning by quoting Psalm 69:9 as applying to Jesus Christ: "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." The "me" is Christ, who bore insults, or reproaches, that humanity was too weak to bear. He carried the burdens of humanity's failures and weaknesses.

Matthew 9:27-35, and the whole 9th chapter, shows how Christ bore with human weaknesses and failings. In the early verses of Chapter 9, the Pharisees have made the insulting accusation that He is a blasphemer, and have questioned His practice of eating with tax collectors and sinners. In their weak understanding, they rush to accuse with hostile questions rather than acknowledge miraculous healings.

Jesus continues His work despite the insults. He heals a woman with a debilitating hemorrhage, then raises the dead daughter of a ruler of the synagogue. Though the crowds have seen previous miracles, they show their weak faith by laughing at Him when He says that the girl is "not dead but sleeping." But the girl's father, like the woman with a hemorrhage, has shown real faith and it is that, not the crowd's weakness and derisive laughter, which draws Jesus' attention and effort.

Verses, 27-35, tell the story of two blind men who ask Jesus to heal them. This time, He asks them directly about their faith: "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" When they answer that they do believe, He touches their eyes, heals them, and says, "According to your faith be it done to you."

But human weakness is evident again. The two men gladly accept the healing, but are not strong enough to obey Christ's "stern" charge that they not tell anyone. Instead they go and "spread His fame throughout all that district." Then, when He encounters and restores a demon-possessed person who cannot speak, the Pharisees react with another insult: "He casts out demons by the prince of demons."

In Chapter 9's final verses, Jesus tells why He bears with His people despite all their insults and weaknesses. He knows they are "harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." He also knows there is work to do—the work of salvation—and tells His disciples to pray that God the Father will send "laborers into His harvest."

The ancient Orthodox Christian Church reminds us, its faithful, that it's that time in its yearly liturgical and sacramental cycle to prepare to look deeply into oneself to assess one's spiritual condition and how it governs his/her life and influences the lives of others.

Great Lent was and is a spiritual journey in preparation for the Resurrection of Christ (Pascha). Its main intent being to humbly and sincerely search one's soul in order to see oneself as he/she truly is. By honestly recognizing one's sins. Through prayer, worship, reading of Scripture, almsgiving and especially forgiveness and love, change the direction of our lives. In this way we begin to gain control over the things that have controlled us or badly influenced us that need to be 'turned around' (repentenance).

There is a powerful prayer of the ancient church attributed to a 4th century monk, St. Ephraim the Syrian, found in Lenten worship services:

Prayer of St Ephraim

O Lord and Master of my life, take from me the spirit of sloth, despair, lust for power and idle talk. But give to me, Thy servant, a spirit of chastity, humilty, patience and love. Yea, O Lord and King, grant me to see my own faults and not to judge my brother. For blessed art Thou unto ages of ages. Amen

The early Apostles journeyed through the lands surrounding the Mediterranean Sea preaching the 'Good News'. It was here that the church Fathers lived and taught the Gospel of Christ and established the First Christian Communities. The Orthodox Church was formed on the first Pentecost, and still today follows the teachings of the early fathers in an unbroken chain.

An ever growing number of persons from various backgrounds are becoming interested in the Orthodox Church. They are discovering the ancient faith and rich traditions of the Orthodox faith. They have been attracted by her mystical vision of God and His Kingdom, by the beauty of her worship, by the purity of her Christian faith, and by her continuity with the past. These are some of the treasures of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

The Orthodox Church throughout the ages has maintained a continuity of faith and love with the apostolic community which was founded by Christ and sustained by the Holy Spirt. We welcome you to join us as we continue our walk with Jesus.

The Orthodox Church celebrates the Synaxis of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel and the rest of the archangels on Nov 21. The Synaxis means thegathering of believers to celebrate a feast or to remember a saint.

The Scriptures do not mention exactly when the angels were created; but Holy Tradition tells us that they were created out of nothing before the material world and humans were created.

We find angels are mentioned in the Bible more than 300 times and in each case, they are said to be sent by God to perform a service. The word angelos, which is Greek, means ‘who is sent’ or ‘messenger.’ This name was given to them by God, as written in Hebrews 1:14: ‘Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation.’

Angels are present around us at all times whether we are aware of them or not. They are nearer than you think for God has given ‘his angels charge of you, to guard you in all your ways.’  (Ps 91:11) They are given to us to help us in our earthly struggles and, at the time of our death, an angel will be there to comfort us, and give us peace in that critical hour.

Just as angels protected Daniel in the lions den, so too is your guardian angel protecting you today. (Daniel 6:22)

We have added a new topic on our side bar 'My First Visit'. This is a short preview of what to expect on your first visit to an Orthodox Church. It may also serve as a refresher for those who will be visiting St Tikhon's for the first time.

We hope you find the article informative and enjoyable reading. If you have been thinking about stopping by, please consider this your special invitation to join us for worship and a cup or coffee, or feel welcome to contact us with any questions you might have.

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Ephesians 1:11). Faith is the very foundation of our lives as Orthodox Christians. Without faith, God cannot fully reveal Himself to us through Jesus Christ. Faith enables us to know God. It is the key to our salvation. Faith is essential for eternal life.

- A Living Faith -  Trust and belief are not just mental exercises. Faith must actively affect our lives. 'Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in me; or else believe me for the sake of the words themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do ...' (John 14:11-12).

- A Trusting Faith - Faith involves trust in God. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain...By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, took heed and constructed an ark...By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son...By faith Moses left Egypt...By faith he kept the Passover...By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as if on dry land...What more shall I say?...(Hebrews 11:4,7,17,27-30,32).

- A Believing Faith - Christian faith involves more than trust. If God is to reveal Himself to us, we must first believe in Him. Without faith it is impossible to please Him. 'For whoever would draw near to God must believe that He Exists and that He rewards those who seek Him' (Hebrews 11:6).

MODEL OF FAITH

Jesus exalted the faith of

* the centurion whose servant was healed: 'Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.' (Matthew 8:10).

* the hemorrhaging woman who was also healed: 'Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well. ‘(Matthew 9:21).

* the Canaanite woman who begged Jesus to cast a demon out of her daughter; 'O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire'. (Matthew 15:28).

If you are wondering about the Orthodox faith or just want to know more, www.fatheralexander.org is a very easy to navigate and understand website. At the homepage, click English Publications. We hope you find Father Alexander Mileat's work interesting and informative. Please feel welcome to contact us if you would like more information or have a question.

As we are a mission parish, Priests serving at St Tikhon's also serve other Orthodox parishes. Parish Pastor, Rev Father Ilia Marzev, is Dean of St. Sergius Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Parma, Ohio. Father Peter Selenoi is semi-retired and also serves at the Cathedral. Father Seraphim Wing is Pastor of St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Edinboro, PA. Please feel welcome to contact them as each is available at any time for questions or emergencies :

Rev. Father Ilia Marzev, St. Sergius Russian Orthodox Cathedral, 6520 Broadview Rd, Parma, Ohio, 44134. Church telephone 216-524-3633. Email : dean@stsergius.org.

Father Seraphim Wing, 159 Sanford Place, Erie, PA 16511. Email: o.seraphim@neo.rr.com

For parish information or questions contact:

Council President (Starosta) Daniel at 419-626-2486. Email: sttikhonoc@bex.net