In his 1st Epistle to the Thessalonians, Saint Paul wrote, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (5:16-18). This command, to pray without ceasing, is something Orthodox Christians take very seriously. Our lives are filled with prayer, both public and private. While the typical Sunday service may be the most visible form of our worship, throughout the year at various times we offer numerous other services, such as Vespers in the evenings, Orthros in the morning, the service of Paraclesis, or supplication to our Lady the Mother of God, as well as numerous other sacraments. In addition to these public prayers we offer together as the Church, we also offer many prayers privately throughout the day. In fact, in Orthodoxy we have special prayers for every hour of the day, every day of the week, and every unique calendar day throughout the year! Our goal through these is to transform and sanctify both ourselves and the world, to make present the Kingdom of God upon earth through the Grace of Jesus Christ. To learn more about our prayer life, we encourage you to visit us and speak to a priest. You can also find scheduled services on our church website calendar.