Services and upcoming events

Welcome to the Orthodox Church of the Holy Cross

Here are some features of our liturgical life that we hope will help you understand what the Orthodox Church offers in its worship and spiritual life, and how you can participate more comfortably.

1) JESUS – REVEALED IN THE SCRIPTURES AND IN THE BREAKING OF THE BREAD: In entering our church you passed under the iconographic description of the encounter Jesus had after His resurrection with his disciples on the “Way to Emmaus” (Luke 24:13-35). Everything we have to offer you is summarized in this encounter: It is all about Jesus, revealed in the Scriptures, in the breaking of the bread, and how this experience is shared with one another “on the way,” the path of life.

Click here to read the full list of features

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Our October Calender

CROSSROADS – our weekly bulletin

Notes from the Sermon on Sunday, November 30, 2025: “Way, Walk, Come and See.”

Scriptures:

Epistle: Ephesians 4:1-6
Gospel Readings: John 1:35-51
Luke 13:10-17

St. Serapion of Egypt who lived in the 300s once travelled on a pilgrimage to Rome. He had been told about a celebrated recluse, a woman who lived in one small room, never going out. When he finally met her, he asked: “Why are you sitting here?” To this she replied: “I am not sitting. I am on a journey.”

Metropolitan Kallistos Ware opens his book, “The Orthodox Way,” with this story, noting that one of the earliest descriptions of Christianity in the New Testament was as, “The Way” (Acts 19:23; 24:22). This implied not just an organization or a method to be studied, but a faith experienced and lived out.

1) A WALK AND CALLING: In today’s Epistle to the Ephesians, St. Paul wrote, “I beseech you to walk in a way worthy of the calling with which you were called” (4:1). The words “walk” and “calling” have particular significance for us as we think of Christianity as “the Way.”

First, though as we learned from the story of St. Serapion and the recluse in Rome, one’s spiritual life is not determined by being physically isolated or even by being unable to walk in a literal way. Many of our own parishioners as they have declined in health have been unable to come to church, yet they have maintained rich and consistent spiritual lives. They continue to be on a spiritual journey, even though they have been unable to leave their homes, for the most part.

But in the Gospel story read today from St. Luke about the healing of the woman “who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up” (13:11), we hear how Christ removes the obstacles that prevents “each person” from being able to stand upright and move in the way that is appropriate for them at each particular moment in their life.

2) COME AND SEE: Today, November 30, is the feast of St. Andrew, the first-called Apostle. We heard in the Gospel of St. John how Jesus answered his question, “Rabbi, where are You staying?” with the response, “Come and see.” Each of us, in trying in our walk to find our path on the “Way” must respond to this invitation, this call of Christ – we can’t just read and hear about it from someone else.

3) CONCLUSION: SHARING WHAT WE’VE COME TO KNOW: But there is also a sense in which what has been received is meant to be shared with others. In the story from the Gospel of St. John, Andrew tells his brother, Simon Peter, what he has experienced in meeting Jesus. Soon after Christ calls Phillip to follow him and Philip will do so, and then tell his friend Nathaniel about Jesus. When Nathaniel has his reservations about Jesus, Philip replies: “Come and see."

We no doubt have had the experience during the recent Thanksgiving celebrations of sharing among our families and friends the best things that we have come to know or have in common: our histories, stories, moments, foods, music, etc.

The invitation from us others especially during this season of Advent to “Come and See” represents the continuity that we as Christians have with the Apostle Andrew and all those who have shared with others what they have come to know of Jesus along the “Way” – their journey and experience of being called by Him.

In the final words of today’s Kontakion for the Apostle Andrew:

As Andrew once called to his brother,

he now cries out to us://

“Come, for we have found the One Whom the world desires!”

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SERVICE SCHEDULE:

– Friday, December 5 – Vesperal Liturgy for St. Nicholas- – – Saturday, December 6– Great Vespers – 5 PM

– Sunday,–December 7 – Divine Liturgy – 10:00

The Liturgical and Educational Opportunities of the New Liturgical Year

Setting A Foundation: The Creed

This year our Catechetical Program is focused on the Creed and the mage that we’ll be keeping in mind is the establishment of a “life-giving” foundation, thinking about the Trinity Church in Vincentown, shown above.

For more information about our parish and activities and to receive preparatory materials about the Orthodox Faith and our parish, contact Fr. John at:

holycrossmedford@gmail.com

SERVICE SCHEDULE:

– Friday, December 5 – Vesperal Liturgy for St. Nicholas- – – Saturday, December 6– Great Vespers – 5 PM - Sunday, –Decembe7 – Divine Liturgy – 10:00

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A Review of the Retreat with Dr. Peter Bouteneff held on Saturday, November 9, 2024

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BELOW is the final entry for our Daily Paschal Reader:

You can find complete archived copies of our past Lenten and Paschal readers by clicking here.

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SEE OUR:

50TH ANNIVERSARY VIDEO:

50TH ANNIVERSARY SLIDESHOW:

50TH ANNIVERSARY SERMON COLLECTION

NOTES AND SERMONS ON ATTENDING THE 2023 R.S. THOMAS FESTIVAL IN WALES

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Donate Now

The life of our parish ministry depends on the stewardship of parishioners as well as the generous contributions of those benefactors who support our parish and have been blessed by our ministry. To make donating easier we have created a safe method of online donation through a secure portal.

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