Invitation to Worship: An Evangelical’s Invitation to an Orthodox Service

By Ida Williams
Commentary by Sister Cecelia

Throughout my years of employment at New Skete, I have encouraged visitors to experience worship service with the monks and nuns.  This invitation is regardless of religious affiliation.  Whether it is dogs, cheesecake, employment, or just curiosity that brings you to New Skete, experiencing the one true purpose of the monastery is worth adding to your “bucket list.”

Note that this invitation is not to experience worship as one would experience theater. This is not a show! Joining the monks and nuns for worship is spiritually immersive.  Be prepared to be heartened.

Shortly after starting my employment here, I attended a worship service.  If I was going to be marketing communications director, I’d better know all I could.  The service was very different from what I was used to.   To be honest, I thought this is heavy.  Where is the drum solo? Where is the pastor sharing personal testimony and telling his kids, seated in the front pew, to pipe down?  For that matter, where are the pews, the pulpit, and the audiovisual team?  Don’t take me wrong—worship service at my church is not theater, either.  It is real life, real prayer, and collectively glorifying our Lord.  And I love it! And I know He does too.

In a conversation with Brother Stavros, he said that God is a sensual being.  Worship at New Skete is a sensory experience.

I attended another worship service.

The churches at New Skete are visually stunning.  The exteriors with their gold onion domes immediately let me know this place is holy.  Inside, the icons are a feast for my eyes.  I do not know all the saints who are depicted in the Holy Wisdom Temple, but occasionally I have Googled one that has caught my attention.  There are two icons on the ceiling.  My eyes are drawn upward.  The window shutters in Holy Wisdom are of particular interest to me.  They are interior shutters with round openings.  I am not sure why they were designed this way, but I like the way the sunlight filters through.

The monks and nuns wear choir robes.  They are solid black without adornment.  The priests wear vestments with intricate embroidery and large, ornate crosses around their necks. 

I like to sit quietly in the Transfiguration Temple gazing at the icons on the walls.  Each one tells the story of what He did for me, for us.  The iconostasis (the wall between the nave and the sanctuary) includes icons of John the Baptist, the Theotokos (Mother Mary), and Mary Magdalene.  The doors of the iconostasis are intricately carved in polished wood.

Often there are fresh flowers in the narthex as you enter the church.  The aroma during worship is distinctive.  Incense was new to me.  Small puffs of smoke emitted a wonderful smell as Brother Stavros swung the censer, walking among those in attendance.  I can’t help but wonder if this smell is pleasing to God.  I think about early sacrifices.  The aroma lingers after I leave the church.

My first impression of the chairs was “Wow, they are hard.”  Carved from zebrawood and ash, the backs are very straight, and they have no give.  The arms of the chairs feel cool to the touch and strong.  Solid and heavy.  Built for stability. The marble floor is cool and seems to share its temperature with the air on warm days.

Monastic chants and long periods of silence.  These two things seem almost contradictory at first.  Hearing the monastic choir sing is one of my favorite things.  Some days when I arrive at work early, I will stand outside the church and just listen.  Make a joyful noise to the Lord!  Maybe this is why they sing, or maybe it is the almost reflective quality that hearing prayers in melodious voices adds to worship.  At first, I found the long periods of silence to be disturbing.  I have been known to chatter.  My thoughts wander. Did someone fall asleep and forget to watch the clock?  Long periods of silence take practice for an extrovert like me.  I have been practicing, and I have learned that during these times I am not praying—but I am listening.

Just listen.

Commentary by Sister Cecelia

The incarnation of Christ becoming human reminds us that all of creation, including human beings, are good.  Therefore, Orthodox worship incorporates all five of our human senses: smell, touch, hearing, seeing, and tasting.

Finely crafted gold chalices for the altar show our desire to give as much respect to our Lord as we are able. These things are created for an atmosphere that encourages prayer, and an attempt to give respect and praise to God. For our liturgical use, many fine fabrics are used for the celebrant’s apparel and for decorating the various stands used for holding the books at the services. While the beautiful vestments historically were initially made because the hierarchy came from relatives of the wealthy and royalty, the technique has continued out of reverence for the awe we hold for the Eucharistic event.

And, of course, icons. Visitors are frequently absorbed in contemplation when caught up in the beauty around them, the skill and dedication of the artisans’ work, all to the glory of God.

In Holy Wisdom church, the larger-than-life portrayal of the saints on the upper walls processing towards the Christ of the Deisis symbolize all of us on our journey toward Christ.  In the main large dome, the Theotokos is depicted as the praying Mother of God with uplifted arms symbolically praying for the whole body of Christ. The Christ child is calmly looking out towards us.  In the dome above the altar area is a large golden cross with the symbols of the four evangelists depicted as if in a Pantocrator icon.

We recognize, encourage, and make room for beauty and encounter with the Creator.  We welcome you to join our community in worship.