St.

Ignatius Orthodox Mission of Mesa, Arizona

We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible; And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Only-begotten, Begotten of the Father before all ages, Light of Light, True God of True God, Begotten, not made, of one essence with the Father, by Whom all things were made: Who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and was made man; And was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried; And the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; And ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father; And He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, Whose kingdom shall have no end. And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, and Giver of Life, Who proceedeth from the Father, Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke by the Prophets; And we believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. We acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins. We look for the Resurrection of the dead, And the Life of the age to come. Amen.

What is the Church?

The Gathering of Gods Holy Ones

St. Ignatius of Antioch Mission

Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of America Phone: 480 892-6224 www.saintig.org

Based upon the writings of Metropolitan Hierotheos S. Vlachos

St. Ignatius of Antioch Mission

Phone: 480 892-6224 www.saintig.org

The Greek word for Church is `Ekklesia' "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church The Church may be seen as an organized eucharistic community The Fullness of Christ both locally and universally. PentecostThe coming of the Holy Spirit The creation of the angels is the emergence of the first Church The creation of Adam and Eve and Paradise we have the Church Before the birth of Christ, we have the Church With the incarnation of Christ, we have the Church Revealed At the Second Coming of Christ we will be able to speak of the perfect manifestation of the Church

The word Church as a particular meaning in the context of the Scriptures. Christ said to the Apostle Peter, who confessed His divinity: "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16,18). The Apostle Paul repeatedly speaks of the Church as the Body of Christ. "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the Church, which is His Body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all" (Eph. 1, 22-23). The Church may be seen as an organized eucharistic community. The Church possesses the whole truth, because the whole revelation of God has been given to it. As the Apostle Paul explains...she is the "Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Tim. 3, 15). She has, as the Bride of Christ, the ability to issue the Grace giving Divine Mysteries to those who are members. This assembly is Gods people, those who are in Christ and confess His Divinity -- the Messiah-God with us. Even in her infancy we understand that there were leaders, writings, teachings, defenses, councils, progress and identity. This organization called the Church is understood to always contain the fullness of Christ both locally and universally. We are told that where 2 or 3 are gathered togetherthere Christ is. This fullness allows the Church, no matter the size, the same status - all who are united with Christ. Often she is called the Body of Christ, the Communion of Saints or the Holy people of God, fully able to act as Christ. Pentecost, as the Holy Spirit came upon this assembly, is often spoken of as the beginning as when the Church began. However, this Great Event can be seen as the point when we entered this great cloud of witnesses, Gods holy gathered ones. The Church is to be found well before Pentecost. It is a teaching of the holy Fathers that with the creation of the angels we have the emergence of the first Church. And it can be seen in the writings of the Fathers of the Church that the angels too are members of the Church. God the Father is the creator of "all things visible and invisible". Indeed, angels are called saints (i.e. St. Michael). The Apostle Paul writing to the Hebrews says: "You have come to Mount Zion to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly" (Heb. 12,22-23). St. Spiridon saw angels worshipping with the Church during the Divine Liturgy. In the creation of man, we are told that Adam and Eve lived and walked with God in Paradise. St. Gregory of Sinai gives us an interpretation of Paradise, which was the second period of the Church. He writes that Paradise was twofold, "tangible and intelligible, namely that in Eden and that of grace". Through Adam's fall, man's communion with God, with himself, and with the whole creation was broken. Thus man and the whole creation fell into darkness, and suffered the affects of this event. All "has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time" (Rom. 8,22). In the Old Testament there were righteous men, like the Judges, Prophets and saints, who were blessed with divine revelation and vision. They knew God. And since the vision of God in the teaching of the Fathers of the Church is identified with deification and man's communion with God, we say that in the Old Testament the small remnant is preserved, the Church exists.

Speaking on this theme, St. Gregory the Theologian, in his homily on the Maccabees, says that the saints in the Old Testament knew Christ, and calls this saying mysterious and ineffable. He says that before the incarnation of Christ no one was perfected without faith in Christ. "For the Word spoke boldly later in His own times, but He was also known before to the pure in mind, as is clear from many held in honor before that". Thus there was a Church in the Old Testament as well, in spite of the fall of man. Members of this Church were the righteous and the Prophets, who had the grace of God. Even today we refer to the Saints of the Old Testament. The development of the Holy Assembly of God becomes revealed more clearly with the incarnation of Christ. The Church now becomes know as the Body of Christ and acquires its Head, Who is Christ. St. Maximos the Confessor says: "the mystery hidden from the ages and from the generations, was now made manifest by the true and perfect incarnation of the son of God, who united our nature to Himself inseparably and unconfused". Both Living and Dying in the Church, we reach the state of Adam in Paradise before the fall, and we ascend still higher, because we attain communion and unity with Christ, united in His Divine-human Body, having become members of His Body. When those of the Church fall asleep in Christ. We join Him as bodiless souls in Paradise. Is it no wonder that the Church continues to pray for the departed in Christ? The Church will continue her development and at the Second Coming of Christ we will be able to speak of the perfect manifestation of the Church. Our bodies are resurrected and restored to our souls, Our perfection and knowledge of God continues as we join Christ in the fullness of His Kingdom gaining a more complete manifestation of the glory of God and continuing our development as the Holy Church of God. Christ is risen from the dead trampling down death by death and upon those in the tombs bestowing life. I would like to know more about the Orthodoxy email address:

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St. Ignatius of Antioch Mission

Phone: 480 892-6224 www.saintig.org

The Greek word for Church is `Ekklesia' and it derives its meaning from the verb meaning to call out call, call together, gather together. Thus Church means a gathering of people, a congregation, an assembly.