About-Us

About Christ the King Orthodox Church

We are a Western Rite Orthodox Church within the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and its group of Western Rite clergy. Articles about our Faith, taken from our newsletter, will assist you in understanding the Western Rite Orthodox Church. The ROCOR Western Rite communities website is here: https://www.rocor-wr.org/

Our building, built in 1874, is listed as one of the historic churches of Bucks County, and has faithfully proclaimed the Gospel for over 130 years. If you are seeking a church home, we invite you to become a part of our growing parish family! Please visit all the pages of our web site to learn more about the Parish and its activities. You and your family are welcome to join us in worship as well as at any social events.

OUR GOVERNMENT... is characterized by oversight by pastoral bishops and "a government by consensus" under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

WORSHIP...Worship is the highest priority of the Church. We believe our worship must be directed toward God rather than a time for receiving. Through the ancient Liturgy there is provided a context for "worship in spirit and in truth."

FELLOWSHIP...our next priority flows out of worship: giving God's love to each other. As we find acceptance, affirmation and healing with God, we have a basis to relate honestly to one another. .

TEACHING...we believe and practice the Scriptural admonition of Ephesians 4:12..."to equip the saints for the work of ministry and to build up the body of Christ." We provide a variety of opportunities for believers to grow in the knowledge God's Word and His love.

MINISTRY...we believe that all Christians are called to minister under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The Spiritual Gifts of the Spirit have been poured out upon all believers to aid in the work of evangelism, healing, deliverance and all other areas of Kingdom ministry.

Other aspects of our worship:

Incense...is a sign of the presence of the holy, and its use indicates that a person or thing is being designated as holy, separated and consecrated unto God. The rising smoke symbolizes our prayers ascending to heaven. Frankincense was one of the gifts of the Wise Men to Jesus Christ.

Bowing...is a physical act of reverence. We bow to honor the Cross, the Name of Jesus, the Holy Trinity, the altar, a minister of God, and the Eucharistic Presence.

Genuflecting...is a bending of the knee as an act of reverence to the Blessed Sacrament present on the altar. The red Sanctuary Lamp burning next to the High Altar indicates the Eucharistic Presence of the Lord.

The Sign of the Cross...we bless ourselves with the sign of our Redemption, identifying us with the Crucified Christ. This is done in various parts of the Divine Liturgy as well as before and after prayer and reception of the Eucharist.

Holy Water...blessed by a priest, it is a reminder of our Baptism by which we have been saved and incorporated into the Body of Christ, the Church.

Icons...are often called “windows to heaven,” because they offer us a glimpse of what awaits us in eternity with Christ.

The word icon is derived from eikon, the Greek word meaning “image.” An icon can be defined as an image created for religious veneration that provides a space for the mystical encounter between the person before it and God. Icons usually represent Christ, the Virgin Mary, the saints, and angels. Since the sixth century, they have been considered to be a means to assist the worshiper in making his prayers heard by the holy figure represented in the icon. It is important to note that veneration of an icon is NOT the same thing as worship. To venerate a Saint represented in an icon is to honor that Saint, in recognition of qualities of holiness, excellence, wisdom, etc.

Interested in learning more?

Send e-mail to CTKAlive@outlook.com with questions or comments about this web site.

Last modified: 8/12/2021