Dear Friends,

Are you yearning for an authentic spiritual experience?

Are you searching for a community to call home?

Are you looking for meaning in your life?

We welcome you to All Saints!

Why “All Saints,” instead of St. John’s or St. Mary’s?

Because each and every saint has a special story and a unique context in which they lived out their life in Christ;We love them all so much we couldn’t pick just one!

THE ANCIENT FAITH

We have a long history in Hartford, CT (founded in 1914), but beyond our early days in Hartford, we are part of an even longer history as part of the ancient Christian faith. As Orthodox Christians, we have been handed down the faith presented by Jesus Christ to His apostles and successively passed on to generations for more than 2,000 years.

We are sharing and living that same ancient Faith today…in a modern context!

The word “Orthodox,” from “Ortho,” meaning “right /true” and “doxia,” meaning “teaching and/or worship.” So, to be “Orthodox” means to offer “correct teaching” and “true worship.”  You will find both in our community.

TEACHING

The “correct teaching,” we preach, teach, and follow isn’t just our opinion.

We follow and hold fast to:

1)       The Holy Scriptures, inspired by God,

2)    The writings of the saints who, throughout the ages, have been well-pleasing to God and have shown themselves martyrs (literally: witnesses) to our Lord, Jesus Christ

3)     The decisions of the councils of the ancient Church, which, through the active guidance of the Holy Spirit, settled disputes among the earliest Christians and helped define and clarify what the Orthodox Church has always believed about God the Father, His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

WORSHIP

 Based on what we are taught by Scripture, the life of the Church throughout the ages, and a real and meaningful knowledge of God through experience and relationship, we also offer to God “true worship,” in praise.

 No rock concerts, pop songs, or light shows here. Don’t get me wrong: those are fun… but worship and entertainment are not the same thing.  

Here you’ll find something more than gimmicks. You'll have the chance to commune with God and experience His presence in a way you’ve only imagined.  Instead of being entertained, we are nourished. Nourished by the services of the Church, filled with biblical references and ancient hymns passed down from the earliest Christians. Most of our hymns were around before the first explorers landed in America, many are older than the English language, and some were written near the time of the New Testament.

At the same time, our worship is not a history lesson. The ancient hymns provide the foundation on which we build on even today. We often sing hymns that were written this year, spurred by the canonization of saints who labored here in America, in places like Wilkes-Barre, PA and Brooklyn, NY.

Think about it…who else recognizes a saint from Brooklyn who lived and worked here in a century we can actually remember?

We offer prayers that were written this year for various needs, because our Church isn’t a museum, but the Body of Christ, which is alive and active here in Hartford. As members of the Body of Christ, we gather every Sunday to receive our Lord’s Body and Blood in Holy Communion, becoming temples of His Spirit and inheritors of life ever-lasting.

A MODERN CONTEXT

Although immigrants from Russia and OTHER Slavic countries originally founded our parish, this isn’t “the Russian Church.” This is Christ’s Church, and we welcome EVERYONE, just as our Lord does. He commanded us to “Go and baptize all nations,” so you’re welcome at All Saints!

If you come and visit you’ll find people of all ages, races, nationalities as well as different religious, economic, and social backgrounds. You’ll probably meet a lot of different people…but you’ll also meet a lot who know exactly where you’re coming from. You see, at All Saints…We’re not a bunch of cliques…  we’re a community….a family.

We want you to be a part of our family! 

A LOCAL COMMUNITY

Our parishioners come from all over Connecticut, and some even come from out of state, to join us each week as we strive to glorify Christ and share His Good News.  

One of the ways we show our love for Jesus Christ is how we treat our neighbors. We’ve been serving Christ in Hartford for over 100 years, and we are committed to this city and this region. Our members have developed a special ministry to the poor and needy. We’re also reaching out to those who may have a roof over their heads but are poor in spirit and needing God’s mercy and love.

In short, at All Saints, we’re seeking to live a life in Christ, as taught to us by His Holy Apostles and all the Saints. We’re aren’t just trying to be “All Saints,” but rather are trying, through God’s help, to All beSaints.

But don’t just take my word for it…Come join us!

With Love in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,

The Clergy and Faithful of All Saints