Probably the most important duty that we each have as worshippers attending church services is to do all that is in our power to see that a proper decorum and atmosphere is maintained, so that all of the congregation is able to pray sincerely, peacefully and meaningfully. These are some gentle reminders about church etiquette.

Upon entering the Church, at all times, but especially during services an individual should remember that he or she is in the House of God. We must behave with piety and reverence, for the Lord is here invisibly present with us. Reverence and good manners are required so as not to disturb those who are already engaged in prayer, but, even more importantly, as an expression of sincere faith and awareness of the presence of the Lord. During the Liturgy communicate with God only, through your prayers, hymns, and thanksgiving. He is waiting to hear from you. Irrelevant conversations should not take place, either in the Narthex or in any part of the Church, during the services. The coffee hour is provided for to say "Hi" and catch up with friends and family members. Please remember to turn off your cellular phones and pagers, and to refrain from chewing gum, mints, or candy.

According to actual church service procedures, each and every member of the congregation is required to be seated in the pews at the beginning of the service. It is only by leniency that anyone is allowed to enter the Church once the services have begun. Thus it behooves us not to take undue advantage of this leniency. If you arrive after the Liturgy has started, try to enter the Church quietly and observe what is happening. Follow the guidance of the Parish Council Ushers.

When entering an Orthodox Church, it is customary for worshipers to respectfully venerate the icons on stands located in the narthex. The most common form of veneration is to light a candle, as an offering to accompany our prayers, bow slightly while making the sign of the cross and kiss the icon's feet or hands, never the face (and please remember to blot off that lipstick first) before entering the Nave of the Church.

When entering the Narthex, we need to refrain from all conversations in order to concentrate on the Service, and in case of an emergency, to follow directions.

There are several parts of the service during which no one should be moving about. Wherever a person happens to be at these moments, we ask that he or she should stop, stand reverently, or find the closest seat until the proper time to proceed. These parts of the service are:

One basic rule to follow is that, whenever the Priest is facing the people or outside of the altar, either with the censer or giving the blessing, everyone should stand wherever they are.

Please remember that the Parish Council members, or in some cases ushers, are required to keep order during services. Parishioners should follow their instructions at all times.

When entering the House of God, we should do so formally and with respect and devotion. There are those that feel that God will accept us regardless of our attire. Yes, God does accept us as we are, but what are we doing to prepare ourselves for Him? When we offer something to God, it should always be our best. Remember the time when people put on their "Sunday Best" to go to church? This is not all that common today; in fact, all too often the dress in our Orthodox Churches has become too casual. In all the areas of our lives, we should offer Christ our best; and the same is true of the way we dress. We should offer Christ our "Sunday best," not our everyday or common wear. And we should dress modestly, not in a flashy way that would bring attention to ourselves - and certainly not in a provocative or alluring way. Our dress should always be modest and becoming to a Christian - especially in church.

Please always follow the instructions of the Ushers, who receive their instructions from the priest, so that everyone approaches in an orderly fashion.

When receiving communion, quietly move up the center aisle toward the Priest. Do not come forward with hands in pockets. Refrain from chatting with anyone else in line or in the pews. This should instead be a time of prayer - spiritual preparation at home should have already taken place.

To receive the Holy Communion, please come and stand in front of the Priest (not sideways). When the Priest calls you forward, you should be prepared, with the "fear of God, faith and love," not with hands in pockets.

Please remove all lipstick or lip balm before approaching for communion. For those with infants, please hold your child in your right arm, and repeat your or the child's Baptismal name to the priest.

The Acolytes (Altar Boys) will hold the corner of the red cloth held by the priest and set it under your chin, so that no Holy Communion may fall on the floor. Keep your head up (never stoop or kneel when receiving Holy Communion), open your mouth, and allow the Priest to put the spoon into your mouth. After taking communion use the red cloth to dry your lips and then release the cloth.

Visitors please note: Holy Communion is reserved for Orthodox Christians. Visitors are welcome to receive the Antidoron (Blessed Bread), which is distributed at the end of the Divine Liturgy.

Leaving church before dismissal deprives us of a blessing. Worship has a beginning "Blessed is the Kingdom." and an end "Let us depart in peace." To leave immediately after Communion is to treat the church like a restaurant where we come and go as we please. The coffee Fellowship Hour will not begin until the distribution of the antidoron.

When receiving Andithoron from the Priest, we should kiss his hand as we receive it. We should then keep it cupped in our hands until we have eaten it. We put both our hands together in the form of a cross and cup them so that we can catch the crumbs. If you see a crumb or piece that has fallen to the floor, you should pick it up, kiss it, and either eat it or place it somewhere people do not step.

We never throw Andithoron into a trash can; after all, it is not trash, its blessed bread. If there is leftover Andithoron, it is to be given to the faithful and the crumbs are placed where they may be eaten by the birds.

Please watch children as they eat their Andithoron so they do not leave it on the pew or other inappropriate places.

The tradition of kissing the priest's hand is a liturgical act through which we show respect for the priesthood in general and the sacramental life of the Church. The proper way to greet a bishop or priests is to ask his blessing and kiss his right hand, thus showing reverence because they are the ones who bless and sanctify you, and who offer the Holy Gifts on your behalf in the Divine Liturgy.

The Toddler Room is located in the rooms above the hall and is available for the convenience of parents if the infants or toddlers become restless, or cry during the Divine Liturgy. Let us keep in mind that the toddler room also has a live video link to the Liturgy and is also the Church, and conversation, if possible, should be kept to a minimum in order to maintain proper atmosphere conducive to prayer and worship for the parents. Snacks for children should be done outside the church. At the very most, a bottle may be brought for very small children and babies. Children who are going to receive Holy Communion should learn to fast Sunday mornings by the age of seven.

We should respect all church property, including places like the parking lot, the fellowship hall, restrooms, classrooms, the Narthex (just outside the sanctuary doors) and particularly the Nave. This is God's house and we should treat it even better than our own. Please encourage our children to walk, not run throughout the Church and attached buildings. We are fortunate to have a gymnasium for the purpose of recreational activities, however a parent should always be present to oversee their child(ren's) activities, and keep accidents to a minimum. Saint Sophia belongs to all of us, not simply the parish council, and we should all be responsible for her protection and preservation.