| Our Ministry Our Lord, Jesus Christ, commissioned the Apostles with two great missions to fulfill. First, to go into all the world and carry His message of Love to all people (St. Matthew 16:15), and secondly, to give sustenance to a community of believers, that they might grow in His Love and service (cf. St. John 21: 15, et seq.; St. Luke 22:32). In addition to fulfilling these two roles, of spreading the gospel, and nourishing the faithful, the Church has inherited with the sacred deposit of Faith from the Apostles, a responsibility to tend to the needs of the poor, the outcast, and the suffering (St. Matthew 25:37-40; St. James 1:27, 2:14-17). St. Gabriel's Chapel is bound to this Holy Mission: Spreading the Gospel message to all, instructing and encouraging the faithful in discipleship, and as a community and individuals, acting on Christ's mercy to all in need. St. Gabriel’s Chapel is an extension of The UOCC and AMERICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH as a mission in our community. |
| Fr. Rick crossing the Nile River in Uganda, Africa, headed to Southern Sudan, in May of 2002 |
| A new beginning has emerged -- THOU ART A PRIEST FOREVER (click on Jesus for news) |
OUR APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION IS FROM THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH, UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH AND THE GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH |
Fr. Rick assisting
an Orthopaedic
surgeon on a
medical/surgical
mission trip to
Dan Li, Honduras
in October 2003
an Orthopaedic
surgeon on a
medical/surgical
mission trip to
Dan Li, Honduras
in October 2003
| About our Patron The Holy Archangel Gabriel |
| His name means "mighty one of God" and he is one of the four great Archangels. The other three are Raphael, Uriel, and Michael who is the leader of the bodiless messengers. The names of the three lesser Archangels are traditionally given as Selaphiel, Jegudiel, and Barchiel. Gabriel seems to be especially charged with revelation. It was he who delivered the vision to Daniel the prophet (Daniel 8:16, 9:21) and he described himself as one "who stands in the presence of God" – to hear his counsel and to speak it to whom God wills (Luke 1:19). His greatest revelation for our salvation was his greeting and message to the Most Pure Virgin Mary, announcing her call to be the Mother of God. In the icons of archangels, the wings symbolize the bodiless beings’ absence of earthly attraction and freedom of movement. As servants of God, they are clothed in an adorned tunic called a chiton. This is similar to the sticharion worn by men in holy orders. As having a role in the stewardship of creation, the chiton is adorned with a tippet or long broad band of cloth which derives from the ceremonial dress of Byzantine Royalty. As formal attire, a himation (cloak) is worn over the chiton. The staff held in the right hand is a sign of sovereignty and the rectitude with which archangels bring all to completion. The fillet worn on the head with bands passing behind the ears and the globe with the Greek monogram of Christ both signify the angels’ being guided towards what God commands. |
About Us
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| Yes we are about missions and spreading the Word of God! |
| HOLY FAMILY IS A TRADITIONAL, WESTERN RITE COMMUNITY OF STRICT OBSERVANCE; ITSELF A SACRED MYSTERY OF FAITH CENTERED ON CHRIST PRESENT IN THE SACRED MYSTERY (SACRAMENT) OF THE EUCHARIST. WE FOLLOW THE TRADITIONAL CHURCH CALENDAR AND ARE FAITHFUL TO THE FAITH, ORDER AND WORSHIP OF THE ORTHODOX PRE-SCHISM WEST. THIS ORTHODOX TEMPLE (OUR CHURCHES AND CHAPELS ARE CALLED TEMPLES) IS A POWERHOUSE OF PRAYER WHERE MAN'S TOTAL LIFE IS A LIFE WITHIN THE GRACE OF GOD LIVED THROUGH DETACHMENT FROM THE THINGS OF THE WORLD, CHASTITY ACCORDING TO OUR STATE IN LIFE AND OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S LAW AND THE LAWS OF THE CHURCH. THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST SETS MAN FREE FROM WORRY AND STRESS OVER MATERIAL THINGS AND LIBERATES THE MAN IN THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST. WE ARE A TRADITIONAL, WESTERN RITE ORTHODOX CHURCH. WE ARE ORTHODOX BUT NOT EASTERN. WE ARE CATHOLIC BUT NOT ROMAN. HOLY FAMILYAMERICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IS A MEMBER PARISH OF THE UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CATHOLIC CHURCH. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PARISH IS TO HELP BELIEVERS INTEGRATE FULLY INTO THE LIFE OF THE TRINITY AND HELP OTHERS TO LEARN THE FULLNESS OF GOD'S SAVING TRUTH FOUND ONLY IN HOLY ORTHODOXY. IN OUR TEMPLE WE DO NOT WEAR SHOES AS THIS IS A HOLY PLACE AND OUR WOMAN COVER THEIR HEADS! WE INVITE YOU TO COME AND 'TASTE HOW SWEET IS THE WORD OF THE LORD'. WE INVITE YOU TO COME AND EXPERIENCE THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE LOVE OF GOD AND THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT PRESENT AT HOLY FAMILY AMERICAN ORTHODOX CHURCH. GOD LOVES YOU AND SO DO WE. |
| Copyright 2005 - 2008 St Gabriel's Chapel Webmaster Fr Richard Reed |
| TRADITIONAL ORTHODOXY CAME TO THE WEST DURING THE LIFE OF THE EARLY APOSTLES AND IS ROOTED IN THE ANCIENT TRADITION, YET READY AND ABLE TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF TODAY. THE ORTHODOX CHURCH IS NOT "EASTERN" OR "WESTERN" IT IS CATHOLIC. THERE IS ONLY ONE CHURCH ESTABlISHED BY CHRIST UPON THE APOSTLES AND THAT CHURCH IS ORTHODOX AND CATHOLIC WITH ALL MEMBERS HAVING THE SAME FAITH, ORDER AND WORSHIP. THE SUCCESSION OF APOSTOLIC TRUTH, TOGETHER WITH UNBROKEN TACTILE SUCCESSION FROM THE APOSTLES IDENTIFIES THE ORTHODOX CHURCH AND GUARANTEES THE GRACE FILLED AND SPIRIT FILLED NATURE OF HER SACRED MYSTERIES. |
