St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church

St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church is a parish of the Orthodox Church in America in the Archdiocese of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania. Over the years St.

John the Baptist Orthodox Church is a parish of the Orthodox Church in America in the Archdiocese of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, http://www.ocadwpa.org. John's has become a diverse parish open to all backgrounds. Our services are all in English, and we keep a rich liturgical schedule. Join us on Saturday nights or Sunday mornings and discover the glory of Orthodox Christianity!

12/24/2025

Please remove the Meta business app from the face book page. We never requested it. We never wanted it.

12/24/2025

Facebook. We are not a business. Please remove all business-related programs from the face book profile. You are gumming things up.

12/21/2024

Services for the Feast of the Nativity of Christ. Dec. 24: 7:00 PM Matins. Dec 25: 10:00 AM Divine Liturgy. Dec. 26: 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy.

06/22/2024

Feast of the Nativity of St John the Baptist.
Matins 8:30 AM followed by Liturgy.
St. John's Back Lick, Pa.

04/05/2024

The Limits of Human Reason and the Knowledge of God

There is the seen, and there is the unseen, the material and the immaterial. That which is material can be scientifically examined and experienced, the immaterial can only be seen and experienced spiritually. These are two worlds that are only seemingly at odds with one another. If you attempt to examine that which is of a spiritual nature using a science that is by its very nature meant to explore the material realm, you will fail.

The things that are of God are far beyond the capabilities of our finite mind to comprehend. The divine can only be known through the nous, that place in the heart that is our true center. It, unlike the brain, is capable of knowledge that is beyond human comprehension, coming as it does from noetic knowledge.

When we try to apply words to the noetic form, we fail. We can no more explain God than we can explain quantum physics, since both are unseen. God is outside the realm of human intellectual understanding. The Eastern Church approaches things of God as holy mysteries, since God can only be known in His divine energies, not in His essence. If a scientist can believe in quantum physics, the unseen, why can he not believe in God Whom he has not seen? If we can believe in the concept of infinity, something that goes on and on without end, why can we not believe in God?

The science of the soul is noetic and can be examined and experienced only through the activation of the nous. The nous in Orthodox Christian theology is the "eye of the heart or soul", the mind of the heart. God created us with the nous because the human intellect is not capable of knowing Him without it. The intellect alone can not know God, for human reasoning is limited to the things that are of a material nature. God is unknowable without His divine revelation, and only the nous can perceive this knowledge. God's essence remains inaccessible without noetic knowledge. Science has its place, but only the heart can know God.

Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

04/04/2024

The Mystery of Holy Confession

Following His glorious Resurrection, as He appeared to His Disciples, Our Lord Jesus Christ gave the command that: "Whosoever's sins you remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosoever sins you retain, they are retained." John 20:23 From that moment in history, the Church has seen Confession (or repentance) as one of the holy mysteries (or sacraments) of the Church, through which the penitent receives the divine forgiveness of Christ for any sins that are confessed.

The Lord Jesus Christ bestowed His authority upon the Church to forgive sins, and the priest or the bishop, as His representative on earth through his ordination, prays to God for the salvation of the penitent who repents of his sins, and God forgives through the priest. The Mystery of Holy Confession is holy because it connects God and His children, with the priest acting as the Bridge.

To make a good confession it is necessary to prepare oneself carefully, asking God to grant grace sufficient to make a thorough examination of the conscience. Sometimes we get so bogged down with regret, we fail to move on and grasp the moment. The wonderful thing about confession is the ability we are given, by our loving God, to receive absolution and move into the present moment. The past is forgiven, and the future is filled with hope. We must not occupy ourselves with the past, nor occupy ourselves with the future. All that is important is the present.

Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

The following can be of real value, as you prepare to stand before the Gospel Book, with the priest as the witness, and make your confession before Christ Himself.

A BRIEF FORM OF CONFESSION

When indicated by the priest to do so, the penitent may say the following:

I confess to the Lord my God before you, reverend father, all my sins which I have committed up to the present day and hour, in deed, word, and thought. Every day and every hour I sin through ingratitude to God for His great and numberless blessings to me and His most gracious providence and care for me, a sinner. I have sinned through:

The penitent then mentions those sins from the following list he is guilty of:

anger
concealing sins in confession
disobedience
disrespect
insubordination
drunkenness
gluttony or overeating
evil speech
foul speech
saying unseemly things
gossip
grumbling
idle talk
lying
greed
inattention
carelessness
laziness
negligence or carelessness
love of money
love of sensual pleasure
sexual sins
impure thoughts
missing church services
sleeping in church
neglect of prayer
attachment to things
love of glory or honor
pride
self-love
self-will
vainglory or false values
envy
jealousy
remembering wrongs
reproaching others
judging others
condemnation of others
resentment
scorn
slander
theft

The penitent then mentions any other sins which he is guilty of, and concludes:

I repent of all my sins, and I beg forgiveness of our almighty God.
I also ask forgiveness for all those sins I have not confessed because of their multitude and my forgetfulness.

Forgive and absolve me, reverend father, and bless me to receive the Holy Communion of the precious, holy, and life-creating Mysteries of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto the remission of sins and life everlasting.

04/03/2024

Resentment
We Must Put Aside Resentment

The decision to forgive another person a wrong done to us begins when we decide to let go of resentment and thoughts of revenge. To forgive someone does not mean that we forget what they did to us, for this may be impossible. The memory of the hurt might always remain with you, but when you decide to forgive the person who wronged you, the grip of resentment is put aside. When we forgive someone it is even possible to find yourself filled with compassion and empathy for the person, for the act of forgiveness opens the heart to God's grace.

When we forgive someone, we are not denying their responsibility for hurting or offending us, nor are we justifying their act. We can forgive them without approving or excusing their transgression against us. The act of forgiving another opens our heart to the peace that brings closure to hurt and pain, and opens us up to the love and peace that comes from living a life without resentment.

If we find ourselves struggling to forgive, it is a good reminder to recall those hurtful things we've done to others, and remember when we've been forgiven. It is especially good to recall how God has forgiven us, and call upon Him to give us the grace needed to put aside our resentment, and truly forgive the other person. Being quick to forgive, and putting aside all thoughts of revenge will open our hearts to a joyful and peaceful life.

Finally, if we pray for those who've offended us, we open the door to all kinds of possibilities. When we ask God to help the person who has been unkind and hurtful, our own hearts receive healing, for when we've forgiven others, grace abounds.

“Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate when people say unkind things about you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God wants you to do, and he will bless you for it.” (1 Peter 3:9)

Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Photo: The reserved Holy Mysteries, in preparation for the Liturgy of the Presanctified. Gifts.

04/01/2024

The Easy Road and the Hard Road
Which Road Are You Traveling?

There are two types of Christians. There are those who can say with the Apostle Paul, "I have been crucified with Christ: it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me (Galatians 2:20)". And then there are those Christians who believe Christ was crucified so that we do not have to crucify ourselves. The first type are part of a Christianity of sacrifice, and the second are given over to the ego.

The Christian who believes he must be crucified with Christ will constantly call upon the Lord for help, but will be ever willing to take up his own cross and follow Christ. He does not expect to have an easy road, nor is he easy on himself. This type of Christian is ever looking at his own sins, his own fallen nature, and seeing how far he has fallen short of the glory of God.

The second type of Christian expects the road to be easy, sees himself as more spiritual than most, and is constantly looking to see the error in his neighbor and offer correction. He rarely calls upon the Lord for help, for he expects an easy road and only prays for help when facing an unpleasant situation. He does not take up his cross since he sees no value in suffering. This second type of Christian fails to notice that refusing to judge another brings down God's mercy on himself.

The Lord tells both types of Christians, "If a man comes to me and does not bear his cross, he cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26)". Only the first type of Christian notices those words, and heeds them.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

03/08/2024

When We Correct Ourselves
An Amendment is Made to a Small Part of the Church

Whenever we hear of problems in the Church it is our natural inclination to want to read all about it and root out all the details. Yet if we really want to benefit our soul, we should take the advice of the Elder Paisios of Mt. Athos. His advice: "If you wish to be calm do not read rebellious books or pamphlets that mention Church matters, since you are not responsible for such serious affairs. You have a need for books that will assist you in your repentance. If you want to help the Church, correct yourself and an immediate amendment is made to a small part of the Church. Naturally, if everyone did this, then the Church would be put in order."

As long as we struggle against the passions and sins of this world, there will be problems in the Church. Just as nations and all human institutions suffer because of the passions of people, so does the Church. Although divinely instituted by Christ Himself, the Church is made up of sinful men and women who bring in the baggage of their sinful nature. This very place of healing, like all hospitals, houses both the healthy and the sick. If we desire to become numbered among the healthy, we must remain aloof from the din of Church politics, and leave the governance of the Body to the hierarchs.

When we witness the fallen side of human nature within the walls of the Church, we must not respond like news reporters seeking out all the details. Nor should we think knowing the inner workings of the Church will make a difference. Better that we concentrate on the nurturing of our own soul and remaining above the fray. Let those who have been called to service in the Church, the bishops, do their job. If we trust God and pray for our bishops, the Holy Spirit will guide them in their role as our shepherds, the Church will stay the course, and the "gates of hell shall not prevail against her (Matthew 16:18)".

Love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Photo: We're beginning a four day young men's retreat.

01/04/2024

Services for Theophany.
Friday Jan. 5 @ 6:00 PM Matins
Sat. Jan. 6 @ 9:00 AM Divine Liturgy and blessing of water.
Sun. Jan 7 @ 10:00 AM Reader's service

Address

785 Blaire Road
Blairsville, PA
15717

Telephone

+17248403331

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