Fellowship Groups

WE ARE ALL CONNECTED, ONE TO ANOTHER. IT IS THE FELLOWSHIP OF MANKIND. AT ST. NICHOLAS, WE ALL BELONG. THERE IS A GROUP FOR EVERY AGE AND EVERY STAGE OF LIFE. CHECK THE EVENT CALENDAR TO VIEW THE WEEKLY CHURCH BULLETIN.

Forerunners

We are the generation that links the past to the future. We are the pathway between what was and what can be. We call ourselves the forerunners, for we are now the first generation and we are going ahead to pave the way in this new initiative at St. Nicholas. We’re connecting…

Men of St. Nicholas

We are a vibrant, Christ-centered, life-changing men’s group that is vital to St. Nicholas, an d it is our missio n to provide the men of St. Nicholas an opportunity to meet, study, and work together. ​ Our annual programming is focused on three areas: Study – short 4-6 week…

SOYO

​ SOYO is an organization for teenagers. Its aim is to help us grow stronger in our faith and develop life long relationships with other teens in the parish, in sister churches, and throughout the diocese. SOYO’s motto is, Living the Orthodox Faith in Christ through Worship,…

Women of St. Nicholas

All women 18 and older are called upon to form the Sisterhood of St. Nicholas. We’re girlfriends to each other, willing to work side by side to serve our parish in the spirit of Christ. We go on retreats together, have a book club, invite one another to our homes, teach each…

Young Adults

Grand Rapids Orthodox Christian Young Adults is a Pan-Orthodox group welcoming all young adults to come together for fellowship, fun, food, and philanthropy. Through monthly events, we strive to grow closer in Christian community. We meet about once a month, and upcoming events…

Altar Servers

The priest is not alone at the altar when he guides his parishioners in the worship of the Triune God-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Divine Liturgy is an hour-and-a-half long service Sunday morning at 10am,. centered around Holy Communion, the Eucharist. At St. Nicholas,…

Chanters

The sacred chant of the Orthodox Church is the Byzantine Chant. It is sung in eight tones changing weekly. Both men and women chant in the church, a cappella, during daily matins and vespers and at special services. They are assembled at the chanter’s stand not far from the…

Choir

The music of the Orthodox Church is rooted in the Old Testament account by Isaiah of choirs of angels singing, “Holy, Holy, Holy” and “Alleluia” and “Amen.” In Orthodox worship, it is believed Heaven and Earth are united as we join our voices together in prayer and song. There…

Epistle Readers

Epistle readers are laypeople in the Orthodox Church. Both men and women, boys and girls can read the epistle. Volunteers go through training to learn the proper responses and practice their readings.

Liturgical Ministries

In the Orthodox Church, there can be no Sunday Service, no Divine Liturgy, without the Priest and the People. The resplendent Divine Liturgy exists for one reason: so that we may worship the King of Kings together with the Angels and the Saints to be in communion with Him. It is…

Liturgical Preparation

Before Divine Liturgy begins, preparations are made. Holy bread used in the sacred service is baked by trained members of the church. There is a special recipe and a special seal placed upon the bread. During the liturgy, the priest cuts the bread in a specific way and says…

Sacristy

In the Orthodox Church, the altar always faces east. Only those altar servers who have reason to be in the altar area are allowed in that most sacred of places, where the body and blood of Jesus Christ is sanctified during the Divine Liturgy. To the north of the altar is a…

Ushering

A mission of St. Nicholas Church is to share the richness of our faith that is Orthodoxy. Many people seeking the sacramental New Testament Church find their way to our door. Ushers are the first to meet them and greet them and set them on a course of exploration of the…

Adult Sunday Class

Our Orthodox Education does not end once a student graduates from high school. It continues with classes for adults. Both Orthodox and Non-Orthodox are always welcome at our Adult Sunday Class. Courses run from 8:50 – 10:00am on Sunday mornings, from September to May, in…

Bible Study/Family Night

ife is so hectic, going in so many directions, it’s difficult for families and our church family to find time to dine together and spend precious moments talking with one another. Wednesday is Family night at church, designed to gather us all around the table for food and…

Bookstore

“You will not be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read” – Charlie Jones. Our bookstore makes available inspirational and educational resources such as books, icons, music, cards, and gifts that introduce people to…

Church School

From an early age, Orthodox children are schooled in the ways to worship in our church. They are taught how to bless themselves; how to light candles and venerate Holy Icons that are the windows to Heaven; how to pray and fast, and receive Holy Communion. When they’re old enough…

Library

In the age of the computer, it was feared libraries would become extinct. But at St. Nicholas, our library is expanding. We’re building up our inventory and making books available to check out by parishioners. Members are also encouraged to donate their books when done reading…

Orthodox Education

ORTHODOX EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING THE FAITH OF OUR FATHERS In the Orthodox Church, our journey to understanding our faith begins before we learn to read or write. As children, we are taught the unchanging faith handed down to us by Jesus Christ Himself and his…

Retreats

Getting away…mind, body, and soul…in a different surrounding, apart from everyday distractions…that’s the goal of our retreats. We don’t drop out of life and remove ourselves from the living. But we draw inward and quiet ourselves so we can hear the Voice of God. Retreats to the…

Evangelism

Visitor Orientation When visitors come to an Orthodox Church, they’re curious. Maybe they read up on us in a class; perhaps a friend of theirs is Orthodox and talked about us; or they could have spotted our dome and wondered what’s inside. What’s inside is a totally different…

Outreach

As the name implies, the goal of the Outreach Ministry is to reach out and invite our surrounding community to learn about the fullness of the Christian Faith as experienced in the Orthodox Church. Sometimes, visitors walk in through our doors at St. Nicholas and make a…

Works of Mercy

The most oft repeated prayer in the Orthodox Church is “Lord Have Mercy.” We continuously seek mercy from God. At St. Nicholas Church, we are also reaching out to show mercy to those in need in our community and around the world. The Gift of St. Nicholas St. Nicholas annually…

Homebound Visitation

At different times in our lives, we can find ourselves sick or recuperating from an illness or we can be experiencing the difficulty of aging and be unable to come to church. That’s when the parishioners come to our shut-ins. We Christmas carol to them, take them meals, send…

Keep It Kleen

Cleanliness is next to Godliness, as the saying goes. Members of this St. Nicholas ministry organize, tidy and straighten the common areas, particularly the main church, the kitchen, and the Cultural Center.

Parish Connection

God made us in love to love. Our relationship with Him and with each other is built on this incredible gift of love! Parish Connection is an organization that provides opportunities to minister the love of Christ to our St. Nicholas Church family through intentional & meaningful…

St. Elizabeth Health Ministry

Nurses and doctors at St. Nicholas provide counseling, referrals, and advocacy for our members. This ministry realizes a connection between spirituality and health. Blood pressure checks are conducted regularly; CPR certification is offered; End of Life information is shared.

Parish Council

The St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Parish Council, working in concert with our Parish Priest, is the administrative arm of the church. Made up of nine elected members who serve three year terms, the Council is responsible for the temporal and physical maintenance of the…

Tech Team

We envision a thriving church community where technology seamlessly enhances spiritual experiences. We lead, manage, and maintain all aspects of information technology and audio-visual services, empowering our congregation to connect, worship, and grow in their faith with…

Brian Lafranboise