Welcome
The Church’s doors are open to everyone. Anyone may come and pray with us, celebrate with us, and participate in our parish family’s events and activities.
First-time visitors are welcome to come for any of the services listed on the church calendar and are invited to contact Fr. Christopher if they have any questions before or after services.
Current Service Times & Location
The following services will be held at
WK United Mennonite Church.
15 George St, Waterloo
Saturday August 15th:
Liturgy 9:00 am
Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos
Vigil (Vespers & Orthros) 6:00 pm
Sunday August 16th:
Ask Abouna with Fr Christopher 10:00 am
Divine Liturgy 12:00 pm
Followed by Hospitality & Fellowship
Tuesday August 18th:
Akathist 6:00 pm
Saturday August 22nd:
Vigil (Vespers & Orthros) 6:00 pm
Followed by Ask Abouna
Sunday August 23rd:
Ask Abouna with Fr Christopher 10:00 am
Divine Liturgy 12:00 pm
Followed by Hospitality & Fellowship
12th Saturday After Pentecost
No fast
Saints
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Afterfeast of the Dormition of the Mother of God
The Church continues to honor the passage of the Most Holy Theotokos from death to life. Just as Christ once dwelt in the virginal womb of His Mother, now He takes Her “to dwell in His courts.”
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Martyr Agathonicus of Nicomedia, and those with him, who suffered under Maximian
The Martyrs Agathonicus, Zoticus, Theoprepius, Acindynus, Severian, Zeno and others accepted death for Christ during the reign of the emperor Maximian (284-305). The Martyr Agathonicus was descended from the illustrious lineage of the Hypasians, and he lived at Nicomedia. Well versed in Holy…
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Hieromartyr Athanasios, Venerable Anthousa, and others
Saint Anthousa lived during the reign of Emperor Valerian (253-259)1 and was from Seleukeίa in Syria. She was the daughter of wealthy pagan parents, Antoninos and Martyria (Maria). Desiring to see her teacher Bishop Athanasios at Tarsus in Cilicia, she persuaded her mother to let her go there with…
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Virgin Martyr Eulalia of Barcelona and the Martyr Felix
The Martyr Eulalia lived in Spain, near the city of Barcionum (now Barcelona), and she was raised by her parents in piety and the Christian Faith. Already at fourteen years of age, the maiden spent a solitary life in her parental home with others of her own age, occupied in prayer, the reading of…
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Icon of the Mother of God of Georgia
In 1622, the Persian Shah Abbas I, after the devastating invasion of Orthodox Georgia, took part of the Robe of the Lord, and some especially revered icons. Three years later, when the Russian clerk Stephen Lazarev was in Persia to do some trading, a certain person from the Shah's retinue offered…
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Saint Bogolep, disciple of Saint Paisius of Uglich
Saint Bogolep lived during the XV and XVI centuries and was a disciple of Saint Paisios of Uglich (June 6). The Yaroslavl Paterikon (1912) credits Saint Bogolep with finding the wonderworking Icon of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos in 1482, which is mentioned in the Life of Saint Paisios.…
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Venerable Isaac I of Optina
Saint Isaac (Antimonov) fell asleep in the Lord on August 22, 1894. The Moscow Patriarchate authorized local veneration of the Optina Elders on June 13,1996, glorifying them for universal veneration on August 7, 2000.
Readings
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ST. PAUL'S FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS 1:26-31; 2:1-5
Brethren, consider your call, not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth; but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong, God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness and sanctification and redemption; therefore, as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord." When I came to you, brethren, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in much fear and trembling; and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. -
MATTHEW 20:29-34
At that time, as Jesus went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. And behold, two blind men sitting by the roadside, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David!" The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent; but they cried out the more, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!" And Jesus stopped and called them, saying, "What do you want me to do for you?" They said to him, "Lord, let our eyes be opened." And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they received their sight and followed him.
The Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church (often called The Eastern Orthodox Church) is the earliest Christian Church, the Church founded by the Lord Jesus Christ and described in the pages of the New Testament. Her history can be traced in unbroken continuity all the way back to Christ and His Twelve Apostles. For twenty centuries, she has continued in her undiminished and unaltered faith and practice. Today her apostolic doctrine, worship and structure remain intact.
Read the "Discover Orthodox Christianity" section on the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese webpage, and the Nicene Creed, to learn more about Orthodoxy.
Address & Services
Please see our announcements for information about upcoming service times and locations.
What To Expect
Visitors will notice that the congregation actively participates in services by crossing themselves, standing, bowing, kneeling, reciting traditional prayers together, and singing. Don’t be intimidated – no one expects you to know what these acts and symbols mean or when you should do them. There are spiral-bound service books in the hallway (the narthex) leading into the main part of the church (the nave) that will guide you through the service.
Regular Services
Sunday
Orthros 9 a.m.
Divine Liturgy 11 a.m.
Saturday
Vespers 6 p.m.
Get In Touch
Send us a message or reach out to us directly.
Contact
Father Christopher Rigden-Briscall, Pastor
Phone: 519-807-2986
"This, then, is the aim of the Liturgy: that we should return to the world with the doors of our perceptions cleansed. We should return to the world after the Liturgy, seeing Christ in every human person, especially in those who suffer. In the words of Father Alexander Schmemann, the Christian is the one who wherever he or she looks, everywhere sees Christ and rejoices in Him. We are to go out, then, from the Liturgy and see Christ everywhere."