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Visit the Church

[/cmsmasters_text][/cmsmasters_column][/cmsmasters_row][cmsmasters_row data_padding_bottom=”0″ data_padding_top=”0″ data_color=”default” data_bot_style=”default” data_top_style=”default” data_width=”boxed”][cmsmasters_column data_width=”1/1″][cmsmasters_heading type=”h3″ font_weight=”bold” font_style=”normal” icon=”cmsmasters-icon-cab” text_align=”left” margin_top=”50″ margin_bottom=”20″ divider=”true” divider_type=”long” divider_height=”1″ divider_style=”solid” animation_delay=”0″]Driving Directions[/cmsmasters_heading][/cmsmasters_column][/cmsmasters_row][cmsmasters_row data_width=”boxed” data_top_style=”default” data_bot_style=”default” data_color=”default” data_padding_top=”0″ data_padding_bottom=”0″][cmsmasters_column data_width=”1/3″][cmsmasters_text animation_delay=”0″]

Our address is:

14092 Annunciation Hill
St. James, MO 65559

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If you prefer good old-fashioned step-by-step directions, here they are from I-44.

• Take exit 189 for Rolla (Hwy V, Hypoint Ind. Park)
• At the stop light, turn north onto Hwy V.
• Go 2.5 miles, then turn left at CR 2080
• Go about 1/2 mile and you will see the sign for Annunciation on your right.
• Turn right onto Annunciation Hill. The church parking lot is the first drive on the right.

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If you prefer to use voice guidance, we recommend using the Google Maps or Apple Maps apps on your smartphone with our address, which will guide you right to the door of the church. (We do not recommend using a GPS unit such as Garmin or TomTom, which will take you to downtown St. James about eight miles away.)

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Visitors Welcome!

Here are a few tips to help make your first visit with us a good one:

• Be sure to sign our guestbook in the entryway with your contact information.
• We have a small book store with many books on the spiritual life available.
• If it’s your first time to an Orthodox service, the service books offered are often more of a hindrance than a help so we recommend just observing for your first visit.
• Please know that Holy Communion is for baptized Orthodox Christians who have made preparations through prayer, fasting, and recent confession.
• Be our guest during Social Hour after the Divine Liturgy on Sundays (and go first in line)!

We love having new people come and look forward to meeting you. May the Lord bless you and your visit!

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What to Expect

Orthodox worship to the newcomer can be quite the surprise, as it is much different than worship in any other kind of church.

• We sing / chant nearly all of our services (mostly in English).
• We stand for most all of the service, but there are benches around the wall for guests, the handicapped, the pregnant, and the elderly.
• We use incense!

If you are planning to attend an Orthodox service for the first time, we recommend coming to a Vespers service (Saturday night and usually a weekday night, but check the calendar). Vespers lasts about 35-45 minutes, it is quieter, there is time to talk afterward, and is overall a gentler introduction to Orthodox worship than the Divine Liturgy or Matins. For more of what to expect, and frequently asked questions:

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Church Etiquette

When coming to an Orthodox Church, we are entering into a holy space, the Kingdom of God. Throughout history, God has revealed the appropriate ways to worship Him and how to behave when in His presence. This behavior is meant to move beyond the walls of the Church, it is meant to infiltrate our very being and the life that we live. Proper behavior in God’s presence is meant to make us holy too.

Here are a few basic guidelines:

• Dress modestly and cleanly
• Turn off mobile phones before coming in
• No food or drink in the church
• Arrive 10-15 minutes early if possible

For more guidelines on appropriate behavior in Church (and how it helps us become holy):

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