Our Vision

At Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church, our vision is to glorify God in all things and to live the fullness of the Orthodox Christian faith—whole, apostolic, and life-giving.

We are a worshipping community, rooted in Holy Tradition and guided by the Holy Spirit, striving to live in harmony with God’s truth and love. Through beautiful liturgy, vibrant spiritual life, thoughtful teaching, and compassionate service, we offer our whole selves to Christ.

In every part of our life—our hearts in worship, our souls in daily living, our minds in understanding, and our strength in service—we seek to love God fully and share His love with the world.

To explore the full version of our parish vision, based on the themes and language of Fr. Thomas Hopko’s "The Parish Community: Our Life in Christ", please read below.

The Vision of Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church

WHO ARE WE?

We are a community of Orthodox Christians with a single, God-given reason for being: to be the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church of Christ.

Every aspect of our parish life—our organization, ministries, activities, teaching, and worship—is to be inspired and empowered by God’s Holy Spirit. Everything we do must be:

• Determined by God
• Inspired by God
• Submitted to God

All for His glory and the good of His people.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE “CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC”?

(Note: "Catholic" here means complete and whole—not Roman Catholic.)

To be catholic means our parish is full and whole, lacking nothing in its sacramental and mystical life. In everything we do, the fullness of Christ must dwell. We offer our lives to Him, and He sanctifies us by the Holy Spirit so that we may become what God created us to be.

We are apostolic because we are founded on the apostles of Christ, rooted in apostolic doctrine and Holy Tradition. This means we are a missionary people—sent by Christ and empowered by the Spirit to bring God’s unity, holiness, and fullness to all people in all things.

OUR HEART: LITURGICAL WORSHIP AND SACRAMENTAL SERVICE

Our parish exists first and foremost to worship God—to praise, bless, and glorify Him.

Our central purpose is to:

• Baptize in the name of the Holy Trinity
• Lead people to die and rise with Christ
• Seal them with the Holy Spirit
• Preach the Gospel
• Call people to repentance
• Share Christ’s Body and Blood in the Eucharist
• Live the Kingdom of God here and now until His return

OUR SOUL: SPIRITUAL LIFE AND PASTORAL CARE

We strive to love God with all our souls—through our thoughts, words, and actions in everyday life.

We embrace Christian stewardship as the foundation of this love, remembering that everything we have is a gift from God. We respond by offering our time, talents, and resources to Christ and His Church.

At every Divine Liturgy we hear:

“Let us commend ourselves and each other and all our life unto Christ our God.”
And we respond:
“To Thee, O Lord.”

This is the heartbeat of our spiritual life and of our identity as a parish.

OUR MIND: EDUCATION AND ENLIGHTENMENT

We are called to be a learning Church—deepening our understanding of the faith handed down by the apostles.

The richness of Orthodox Christianity is often misunderstood, even among our own people. Our parish must offer organized and engaging teaching for:

• Children and adults
• Newcomers and longtime members
• The broader community

Education is essential to who we are.

OUR STRENGTH: MISSION AND PHILANTHROPY

To love God with all our strength means living out that love in action.

We are called to:

• Serve one another in the parish and in our families
• Love even those who oppose us
• Engage in evangelism and philanthropy

These acts must be free of discrimination and open to all—regardless of religion, background, or lifestyle. Our mission must be intentional, consistent, and compassionate—within and beyond our parish walls.

Source and Inspiration

This vision is based on “The Parish Community: Our Life in Christ” by Fr. Thomas Hopko, written for the Orthodox Church in America’s 13th All-American Council (Orlando, FL, 2002).

The original article presents themes for prayer, reflection, and parish discussion:

• Heart: Liturgical Worship and Sacramental Service
• Soul: Spiritual Life and Pastoral Care
• Mind: Education and Enlightenment
• Strength: Mission and Philanthropy

Fr. Thomas reminds us that the parish is where God “preserves their marriages in peace and harmony, raises the infants, guides the young, supports the aged, encourages the faint-hearted, reunites the separated” (from the Anaphora prayers of St. Basil).