Phone: (517) 351-4627
E-mail: standreworthodoxchurch@gmail.com
Note: Please be aware that this email is monitored by both Fr. Dn. Andrew and Fr. Basil to help us respond promptly.
Address: St. Andrew Orthodox Church, 1216 Greencrest Avenue, East Lansing, MI, 48823
Parking: Parking is across the street (Greencrest Ave) from the church. The parking lot is owned by the church but also used by the adjacent H&H Mobil service station.
Entrance: After you cross Greencrest Ave, enter the church along the left side (between the rectory and the church). Then proceed up the steps to the narthex and enter the nave for liturgy. Restrooms are downstairs to the right along with a coat rack.
Handicap Accessible Entrance: There is an elevator which provides access directly to the nave, to the basement, and directly to the outside. It is accessed from outside the church adjacent to the side entrance under a portico.
Notes for 1st Time Visitors to an Orthodox Church:
On a Saturday evening Vespers, when you enter, feel free to walk up the stairs and come into the nave. Vespers is a shorter, quieter prayer services that tends to have a lighter attendance and serves as an excellent opportunity to have conversations with Fr. Basil. Vespers is typically about a half-hour long and afterwards Fr. Basil will meet with people, offering consultations and having introductory conversations with visitors and inquirers and hearing the confessions of the Orthodox faithful. If you suspect that you'd like to have a longer conversation with Father, it's is very often much easier on a Saturday evening then at coffee hour on Sunday after Liturgy.
On a Sunday morning Liturgy, when you enter you'll likely hear the chanting and singing of the liturgy, or it may be quiet depending on when you arrive. Don't worry if it has already started when you arrive. Please come in.
As you come up the steps you'll enter the narthex. Feel free to reach out to an usher if you would like a little guidance. After the liturgy has begun, ushers will generally open the doors of the nave to welcome you, but if they are not there at that particular moment or don't see you, feel free to open the doors to enter.
Sit wherever you like. There are liturgical books on the backs of the pews that are relatively helpful, but you may find you need to skip around in them a bit. Feel free to ask an usher or parishioner for help. You'll also notice that people will be standing a lot, crossing themselves, bowing, moving to the front of the nave to light candles, venerate icons, and pray. These acts may be done together by everyone at the same time, or only by one and not coordinated. Don't feel any pressure to "get it right," there isn't such pressure and it is all about the healing and conversion of our hearts. You may prefer to simply sit and observe. As you visit more and more, you'll start to pick up the rhythm and routine of the Divine Liturgy. If specific questions arise, feel free to ask at coffee hour or email standreworthodoxchurch@gmail.com and one of our clergy will offer some thoughts.
It is important to note that all Orthodox Christians regularly participating in confession may receive the Holy Eucharist or Communion, but one must be Orthodox to receive out of reverence for the Holy Mysteries and obedience to Holy Tradition. During Communion a parishioner may offer you blessed bread (called antidoron) which all are welcome to receive, but do not feel obligated to receive if you would rather not. No one will be offended if you politely decline.
At the end of the service there will be announcements and then everyone is welcome to proceed to the front to greet our priest and receive some bread. This is a good way for the priest to meet you briefly. But if you would feel more comfortable, you may simply exit the nave. We invite you to join us for coffee hour in the basement before you go. This is a good chance to meet someone and talk with clergy a little.