You don’t need to follow along perfectly. Just show up and stand with us.
That’s the real answer. If you’re visiting for the first time, don’t stress about tracking every word in a service book. The Liturgy isn’t a performance you’re watching or a lecture you’re taking notes on. It’s something we’re doing together, and you can participate just by being present and attentive.
But I know that’s not entirely satisfying if you’re the kind of person who likes to know what’s happening. Most people coming from Baptist or Bible church backgrounds want a bulletin or an order of service. We don’t really do bulletins. The service follows the same pattern every Sunday, and after a few weeks you’ll start recognizing the shape of it without needing a guide.
What You’ll Find in the Pews
Most Antiochian parishes, including ours here in Beaumont, keep service books available. You might see copies of an abridged Divine Liturgy book that has the main prayers and responses in English. Some people bring their own copy of “Come, Let Us Worship” by Fr. Patrick O’Grady, which walks through the whole Liturgy with explanations. It’s a good book if you want to study at home.
Here’s the thing though. Even with a service book in your hands, you’ll have trouble following every single word. The priest says some prayers silently at the altar. The choir sings hymns that change based on the feast day. There are processions and censing and moments when everyone’s crossing themselves and you’re flipping pages trying to figure out where we are.
Let that be okay.
The Liturgy has a rhythm you’ll catch onto. We hear Scripture readings. We pray litanies where the deacon or priest says petitions and we respond “Lord, have mercy.” We sing the Creed together. We say the Our Father. And then those of us who are Orthodox and prepared come forward for Communion. You’ll start recognizing these landmarks after a couple of visits, and that’s honestly more useful than trying to read along word for word your first time.
What Helps More Than Reading
Listen. That sounds too simple, but the Liturgy is meant to be heard and prayed, not read silently like a book. When the deacon says “Let us attend,” he means it. Pay attention. Let the words wash over you even if you don’t catch every phrase.
Watch what others do. When people cross themselves, when they bow, when they stand or sit (we mostly stand, fair warning). You don’t have to copy everything right away, but observing helps you learn the physical grammar of Orthodox worship.
Join in where you can. If we’re saying “Lord, have mercy” and you want to say it too, go ahead. If we’re reciting the Our Father and you know it, pray it with us. Don’t worry about getting the melody right on the hymns. Nobody’s grading you.
The structure itself will start teaching you. The Liturgy has two main parts. First we hear the Word, Old Testament, Epistle, Gospel, sometimes a sermon. Then we celebrate the Eucharist, the bread and wine become Christ’s Body and Blood, and we commune. Everything builds toward that moment. Once you see that basic shape, the rest starts making sense.
For the Planners and Studiers
If you’re someone who really wants to prepare (and I get it, walking into something unfamiliar is hard), read through the Liturgy at home first. The OCA website has the full text. Ancient Faith has resources. You can find Fr. Patrick O’Grady’s guide online or in our bookstore.
But don’t let studying replace showing up. I’ve known inquirers who read everything they could find about Orthodoxy and then felt overwhelmed their first Sunday because the actual experience was so different from reading about it. The Liturgy is something you learn by doing, by standing there Sunday after Sunday until it gets into your bones.
Some Sundays you’ll feel lost. Even people who’ve been Orthodox for years have moments where they’re not sure which hymn we’re singing or why the priest just disappeared behind the iconostasis. That’s normal. We’re not aiming for perfect comprehension. We’re aiming for communion with God and each other.
If you visit St. Michael, someone will probably hand you a service book and show you where we are. Feel free to use it or not. Feel free to ask questions afterward. Fr. Michael or one of the parishioners can explain anything that confused you. We remember what it’s like to be new. Most of us came from Baptist or Bible churches or Catholic parishes around Southeast Texas. We’ve all stood there on a first Sunday morning wondering what on earth was happening.
You’ll figure it out. Not all at once, but gradually, the way you learn anything worth knowing. Come stand with us and let the Liturgy teach you itself.
