PARISH VOICES

One of the things I love most about the Orthodox Liturgy is how full it is. We don't just sit and watch something happen, we step into it with our whole selves. Every sense is invited to participate: we see the icons and the saints standing with us, we hear the hymns and the Gospel proclaimed, we smell the incense rising like our prayers, we touch the sign of the Cross and the hand of our neighbor, and we taste the Body and Blood of Christ. Orthodoxy doesn't treat God as an i

When you go to bed with a contented mind, recall the blessings and generous providence of God; be filled with holy thoughts and great joy. Then, while your body sleeps, your soul will keep watch; the closing of your eyes will bring you a true vision of God; your silence will be pregnant with sanctity, and in your sleep you will continue to glorify the God of all with the full strength of your soul. —St. Anthony the Great

Our series looking back twenty years enters its third month. Last month I shared the February 2006 issue of The Messenger, the one with "Welcome Home!" splashed across the cover and a photo collage of parishioners scraping, hauling and trimming to get our new Shoreline building into shape. By March 2006, the parish has been in the building for a month. The cover photo of the March issue features Fr. Tom with his arm around his dear friend Fr. Evan Armatas, both of them in

The decision to follow Christ is filled with much joy and wonder. It is a decision that takes us on a journey through the rest of our life. This journey is filled with high points, low points and all areas in-between. The Bible and the Church provide us with plenty of wisdom and guidance in which to follow His path. Fear not, for the Lord is with you and gives you all you need. His light, given to you at Baptism, shines within you. Our relationship with God is much like marri

As we stand at the threshold of Great Lent, we are invited into a story that feels strangely familiar. It's about a set of twins hanging out having a conversation in their mom's womb. The sister said to the brother, "I believe there is life after birth." Her brother protested vehemently, "No, no. This is all there is. This is a dark, warm and cozy place, and we have nothing else to do but to cling to the cord that feeds us." The sister insisted, "There must be something more.

Saturday, Feb 28, 2026 — Thank you all who planned, cooked, served, donated desserts, or danced! You helped make our 2026 Holy Apostles Crab Feed a tremendous success. Kandili is beautiful and intuitive. It includes daily Epistle and Gospel readings, Saints and Feasts, and fasting guidelines along with key morning and evening prayers. It’s also lighting fast, to help you avoid the temptation of impatience!

"Fake it till you make it." It's a popular self-help phrase that encourages us to act like the person we want to become. Pretend you're confident, calm, or capable until eventually you actually feel that way. But at its core, it's about performing a version of ourselves we don't authentically possess: hiding real feelings, presenting a polished exterior, and pushing down our struggles as if everything is fine.

In a culture focused on pronouns, what if we focus instead on prepositions? I think as a follower of Jesus, I need to shift my prepositions; maybe you will feel the same way. If you are like me, then without realizing it, there are a lot of things that you want from other people. In fact, many of us build our identities and self-worth on what we can get from others. We often want others to make us feel good. This could be through praising us, being nice to us, doing what we w

Last month I shared the January 2006 issue of The Messenger, Holy Apostles' then-monthly newsletter. Just in case your eyes filled in what your brain expected to see, that's 2006, not 2026. The big building project our Holy Apostles' parish was focused on back then was moving in to our new Shoreline building. In January, our heroes were still packing. This month, they're in! The February 2006 issue opens with a photo collage of parishioners doing the unglamorous work of m

The words "Come and dine" jumped out at me recently. Jesus wants everyone to experience time spent with Him. Sharing food together is one of the most common ways we spend time with family and friends. It is a time to share our lives, the good, the bad, and everything in between. Why not spend time with Jesus? It seems so easy — and yet spending time with Him can sometimes be elusive. As I go through my days, time seems to slip away. There is so much to keep me busy and dis