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Holy Wisdom Orthodox Mission
1355 North 4th Street • Grand Junction, CO 81501 (On the corner of North 4th Street & Kennedy Avenue) holywisdomorthodox@gmail.com • 970-778-4160 A mission parish of the Orthodox Church in America  ,
and the
Diocese of the West
Father Luke Uhl, Interim Rector |
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The 1st-Century Christian Church for 21st-Century America!
Welcome! Come worship with us according to the ancient Apostolic Orthodox Christian tradition!
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The Orthodox Christian Faith |
Orthodox Worship |
Personal Prayer |
Welcome! Come and See! |
Bulletins & Calendars |
Our Hierarchs & Parish Clergy |
Parish Photos |
Stewardship & PayPal |
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What time are our weekend worship services?
The
Divine Liturgy
is the culmination of a cycle of worship services that include
Vespers
and the
Hours.
Our weekend schedule is:
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What is our worship service like?
Our order of worship (“liturgy”) is the same as that followed by the Apostles and first-century Christians. We participate in seven, principal “Sacraments” including Baptism and Holy Communion. Read more... |
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We are an American Orthodox Church: the “Orthodox Church in America.”
The OCA is the continuation of the historic 18th-century missionary effort that first brought Orthodox Christianity to America. The Mission of the Orthodox Church in America, the local autocephalous Orthodox Church, is to be faithful in fulfilling the commandment of Christ to “Go into all the world and make disciples of all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all [things that He has] commanded” so that all people may be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth:
Many other Orthodox churches in the United States are affiliated with national Churches in foreign countries and indicate that relationship in their title. For example, a “Greek” Orthodox parish is under the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Istanbul, Turkey. Likewise, a “Russian” Orthodox parish is under the Patriarchate of Moscow in Russia.
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Commonly-asked questions about Orthodox Christianity: I’ve never heard of the Orthodox Church; what is it?Over two millenia Orthodox Christian beliefs and tradition have remained consistent from the New Testament Apostolic era through the present day. Read more... Is the Orthodox Church very large?Orthodox Christians comprise approximately 3.8% of the world population, and about 0.5% of the US population.
In
comparison, Roman Catholics comprise 17.4% of the world
population, and 20.8% of the US population.
What is the history of Orthodoxy in America?The Orthodox Christian presence in North America began in 1794 when eight missionaries arrived in Kodiak, Alaska. They had traveled 7,300 miles in 293 days by foot, horse, boat, and ship from Valaamo Monastery. Valaam is located in Karelia, the northwestern-most region of Russia adjacent to Finland. As they preached from Alaska south into northern California, many Native Americans were led by God to the Orthodox Christian faith. In 1840 a diocese was established in Sitka and, after the 1867 purchase of Alaska by the United States, the see was transferred in 1872 from Sitka to San Francisco. From San Francisco dedicated and saintly bishops oversaw both continuing mission activities as well as the establishment of new parishes to serve immigrant communities throughout North America. The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) today is the continuation of this evangelical missionary history and tradition. This is expressed by our retired diocesan hierarch, Archbishop Benjamin of San Francisco and the West, in a video that can be accessed here. Guided by the Holy Spirit, our Holy Wisdom Mission continues this evangelical and missionary tradition. Canonized North American saints from the 19th and 20th centuries include:
Immigrants from Eastern European and Mediterranean nations arrived in the 19th and 20th centuries and established Orthodox churches for themselves and their families, often bringing clergy from the “old country.”
All
parishes and their clergy were under the jurisdiction of the San
Francisco diocese until the 1920s when some formed into separate,
“ethnic,” jurisdictions. All Orthodox in America have remained in
full communion, and an
Assembly of Bishops
has been established to facilitate the restoration of a common
canonical administrative structure.
What do Orthodox Christians believe?We believe in one God, the Holy Trinity of three Hypostases (Persons):
We believe that Jesus Christ is God. He is the Word, the Son of the Father, Who became man, Who died on the Cross, and Who is resurrected on the third day for our salvation. We believe in one, holy, catholic, and Apostolic Church:
Click here to read the full text of the Nicene Creed, provided both in its original Koiné (common) Greek (as it was written at the First and Second Ecumenical Councils in AD 325 and 381, respectively), as well as in English as we recite it today.
Orthodox
Christianity is the exact faith taught by Christ, preached by the
Apostles, and maintained faithfully, unaltered, and unadulterated
for the past 2,000 years.
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Additional questions about our Parish: Why is our parish named “Holy Wisdom”?Whereas all Orthodox churches are built to glorify God, most are named to memorialize a great event in the life of our Lord or to commemorate a Great Saint. Very few, however, are named after our Savior Jesus Christ and, when they are, the name chosen is an attribute of Christ. The name of our parish, “Holy Wisdom,” is taken from 1 Corinthians 1:24, 30. Read more... What is our church parish like?If you are an Orthodox Christian looking for a parish, we are a lovely community to join. If you are interested in the Orthodox faith, you are most welcome to visit us. Should you wish to become an Orthodox Christian our priest and parish will gladly teach you. Most of us are converts from Roman Catholic and Protestant backgrounds, a few of us were born into the Orthodox Church, and some are individuals exploring the Orthodox Faith. All our services are in English. We do follow the ancient Christian traditions in life and worship, and our community is very welcoming. 12 things I wish I’d known...Also read, “Church Etiquette: The Ultimate Guide”... |
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The Orthodox Christian Church today continues the unchanged faith and life of the New Testament Church.
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