Any KC area Orthodox here?

[marciadietrich]

Was wondering if anyone here is in the Kansas City area, preferably the Kansas side. I was thinking of visiting Holy Trinity Church in Overland Park sometime. Would be nice to be able to meet someone who can keep me from doing anything stupid while I'm there. Or if there is another church where you attend, just it seemed Holy Trinity might be the closest to where I'd be coming from (Tonganoxie).

 

[Rilian]

Hi Marcia. I actually visited Holy Trinity a few times back in the early 90's when it was still up on Strawberry Hill. The congregation then was a mix of converts, some Russian emigres, and some KU students who drove over from Lawrence. It was definitely very visitor friendly. All the services were, and I assume still are in English. Here is a good article about visiting an Orthodox church for the first time.

I actually met a guy at my church from Wichita who lived in Johnson County for a while, and he said the new sanctuary is beautiful. Fr. John Platko has been the priest there for a long time, sadly I think I heard somewhere that Fr. John may have cancer. I'm not sure if they have an interim priest there or not right now.

I know there's a couple of Serbian churches up in KCK and a Greek church on Wornall (I think that's where it was), but I'm not sure what the congregations are like. They might be a little more ethnically oriented. Holy Trinity would probably be your best bet.

 

[marciadietrich]

Thank you Rilian for the information on visiting and on Holy Trinity. They have a really nice website which I was looking around too. They mention there is a new associate pastor joining the parish, so some help there for Fr. John.

My (Catholic) priest is from the Strawberry Hill area, he's Croatian in terms of ethnicity.

Been thinking I should try getting out sometime because I would like to visit an Orthodox churc, just I may have to also go to my church Saturday evening, not sure if the service at Holy Trinity will count for my Sunday obligation. Will check with my priest, he probably will tell me to go for it and not worry about missing.

 

[Rilian]

I looked on the web site and it says Fr. John was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year and he was undergoing chemo as of late January. I imagine that is why Fr. Timothy has been called to the parish. Hopefully Fr. John will regain his strength soon and be able to return.

I also saw that it said

"We welcome all visitors to our Divine Liturgy. While Holy Communion may only be received by prepared Orthodox Christians, our non-Orthodox guests are welcome to join us in venerating the Cross and receiving blessed bread at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. Please join us in the fellowship of our social hour following Liturgy."

Which is the custom at my parish as well. Also keep in mind that because it is Lent there are additional services if finding the time to go is a problem. Generally in nearly all Orthodox parishes during Lent there will be presanctified liturgies on Wednesdays and Fridays, and some will have Akathists on Friday nights as well. That's in addition to the normal schedule of vespers on Saturday nights and orthros/liturgy on Sunday mornings.

 

[Orthosdoxa]

Hi Marcia! Welcome to TAW.

 

[Fotina]

Welcome to TAW, Marcia.

Here's another church in KC area.

St. Basil the Great Antiochian Orthodox presently holding services at:

East Antioch Elementary School
7342 Lowell Ave Overland Park, KS 66204


http://www.stbasilthegreatorthodoxchurch.com/

 

[Matrona]

Been thinking I should try getting out sometime because I would like to visit an Orthodox churc, just I may have to also go to my church Saturday evening, not sure if the service at Holy Trinity will count for my Sunday obligation. Will check with my priest, he probably will tell me to go for it and not worry about missing.

If you can't make it to Sunday Liturgy, that's ok. Some of the services they might have in addition to regular Divine Liturgy are Vespers, Hours, Matins, Presanctified, and Akathist (Salutations to the Theotokos). Vespers is usually on Wednesdays and Saturdays (but Wednesday Vespers are usually replaced during Great Lent by Presanctified), Hours and Matins usually lead into liturgy on Sundays, Presanctified usually replaces Wednesday Vespers during Great Lent, and on Fridays during Lent there is usually an Akathist or another Presanctified. Confused yet?

If you come in before liturgy and it seems a service is already in progress, don't worry or feel embarrassed, just find a place to stand and watch--most parishes have a service (Matins or Hours) that leads into liturgy.

Also, since it's Great Lent, you will probably see prostrations. You don't have to do that if you don't want to--but if you do, it's just a matter of getting on your hands and knees and touching your forehead to the floor. Most of the time, you get right back up, but there are some services where we get down and stay down for a minute or two (Presanctified). Just listen for what everybody else is doing.

 

[Rilian]

Welcome to TAW, Marcia.

Here's another church in KC area.

St. Basil the Great Antiochian Orthodox presently holding services at:

East Antioch Elementary School
7342 Lowell Ave Overland Park, KS 66204


http://www.stbasilthegreatorthodoxchurch.com/

Ha! that's too funny. The school they're meeting in is about a half mile from my great aunt's house and close to where one of my grandparents stores used to be. I didn't even realize there was an Aniochian mission in KC, let alone Overland Park. Makes sense since there's an Antioch Rd., Antioch Park and Antioch Elementary School. Looks like they're ready to break ground on a building after two years. Man, I wish land here was as cheap as it is there...

Marcia, if you wanted to visit there as well it might be an interesting contrast. Missions tend to be a little more informal, mine is anyway. We have some different traditions than the OCA as well which is mostly slavic. My parish, and it looks like the one there, has a core group of Syrian and Lebanese parishioners. We also have a general pan-Orthodox representation plus a large group of converts (like myself). I would bet they do too.

 

[ManM]

Was wondering if anyone here is in the Kansas City area, preferably the Kansas side. I was thinking of visiting Holy Trinity Church in Overland Park sometime. Would be nice to be able to meet someone who can keep me from doing anything stupid while I'm there. Or if there is another church where you attend, just it seemed Holy Trinity might be the closest to where I'd be coming from (Tonganoxie).

Wow, small world. I was at that very Church a week ago. I'm back in Florida now, but I'll make a phone call and see if I can hook you up.

 

[Photini]

Was wondering if anyone here is in the Kansas City area, preferably the Kansas side. I was thinking of visiting Holy Trinity Church in Overland Park sometime. Would be nice to be able to meet someone who can keep me from doing anything stupid while I'm there. Or if there is another church where you attend, just it seemed Holy Trinity might be the closest to where I'd be coming from (Tonganoxie).

Hi Marcia. I have a sister in Kansas City. She goes to St Mary of Egypt Orthodox Church there in KC. If you're interested in visiting that church (it's in English and I love the priest there, Fr. Paisius) let me know. I'll call her so she could be expecting you.

 

[Photini]

I know there's a couple of Serbian churches up in KCK and a Greek church on Wornall (I think that's where it was), but I'm not sure what the congregations are like. They might be a little more ethnically oriented. Holy Trinity would probably be your best bet.

The church my sister attends is in the Serbian diocese. But you wouldn't know it if you visited. THe entire Liturgy is in English. There are a lot of converts that go there.

 

[Rilian]

The church my sister attends is in the Serbian diocese. But you wouldn't know it if you visited. THe entire Liturgy is in English. There are a lot of converts that go there.

Interesting web site if it's the church on Troost. Definitely doesn't look very Serbian. I can't really picture what's around there, but that wasn't an area of town that I went to a whole lot.

The church I was thinking of is St. George's. Definitely very Serbian, they have Povitica sales and the whole bit.

 

[Xpycoctomos]

Been thinking I should try getting out sometime because I would like to visit an Orthodox churc, just I may have to also go to my church Saturday evening, not sure if the service at Holy Trinity will count for my Sunday obligation. Will check with my priest, he probably will tell me to go for it and not worry about missing.

I don't think it does. That's what my Catholic friends have told me when I invited them to Liturgy. They just went saturday night like you suggested.

 

[Photini]

Interesting web site if it's the church on Troost. Definitely doesn't look very Serbian. I can't really picture what's around there, but that wasn't an area of town that I went to a whole lot.

The church I was thinking of is St. George's. Definitely very Serbian, they have Povitica sales and the whole bit.

Yes, it's the one on Troost. not exactly the best neighborhood...but that was kind of the point of putting the church there. It started out as an outreach. There is an Orthodox bookstore on the floor level, and they also serve soup I believe.

 

[marciadietrich]

Thanks for the suggestions all. I may go with Holy Trinity first and then the others.

Another question is what is the normal dress for women. Would I be way off for wearing something like a decent polo type shirt, khaki slacks and sort of casual shoes? Or is this more like a traditional Mass setting? Head covering?

Marcia

 

[Photini]

If it's a Greek church, I wouldn't worry about a head covering. But it would definitely be more appropriate to wear a skirt.

 

[marciadietrich]

If it's a Greek church, I wouldn't worry about a head covering. But it would definitely be more appropriate to wear a skirt.

Thanks ... guess I will have to make it the once every two years that I wear a skirt or dress occasion.

 

[Matrona]

Thanks for the suggestions all. I may go with Holy Trinity first and then the others.

Another question is what is the normal dress for women. Would I be way off for wearing something like a decent polo type shirt, khaki slacks and sort of casual shoes? Or is this more like a traditional Mass setting? Head covering?

To be on the safe side, it'd probably be best to wear a long skirt or dress (past knee is good, although ankle length is best for a service involving prostrations), and carry a folded scarf in your purse; that's what I do when visiting an unfamiliar parish.

I don't mean to suggest that there's a good chance someone would make an inappropriate comment about the way you dress--although it does happen, we're sinners--but finding yourself dressed more casually than others could make you feel uncomfortable.

FTR, for the first year I attended an Orthodox parish, I didn't any dresses or skirts at all, no nice clothes at all, because I couldn't afford them and my parents weren't about to facilitate my church attendance--I had to wear jeans and t-shirts to church, and no one chastised me. They were just happy that I wanted to come. These days I am blessed to have three church outfits! All have full-length skirts!

 

[Photini]

Thanks ... guess I will have to make it the once every two years that I wear a skirt or dress occasion.

Like Matrona said though, don't worry about it too much. It is highly unlikely that anyone will care what you are wearing. But most likely, everyone else will be wearing a skirt of some sort.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

Like Matrona said though, don't worry about it too much. It is highly unlikely that anyone will care what you are wearing. But most likely, everyone else will be wearing a skirt of some sort.

We have a mixture of pants & skirts on the women in our parish (OCA). Same with head coverings. I think as long as you're dressed modestly, you'll be fine.