The people at St. Sophia’s tend to be laid-back and practical. Parishioners will most likely give you space to explore and take things at your own pace, and they’ll be happy to answer any questions you have. We almost always have something to eat or drink when we get together, and that’s also a good time to chat.The services are formal and traditional. The focus is on worshipping God through our acquired tradition. We sing a lot. Our children are with us as part of the worshipping family. We engage all of the physical senses such as sight, sound, smell, taste, hearing, and movement. We have liturgical books available for those who want to follow along in them. St. Sophia’s is a place where we meet God. We invite you to come do the same.
What do other people usually wear?
You’ll see everything from jeans to suits, with most falling somewhere in between. We each give our best to the Lord according to our abilities. One common question is if women wear a headcovering. A couple of our regular parishioners wear a headcovering. If you want to or are accustomed to wearing a headcovering, you are welcome to do so.
What language are your services in?
Most of our services are bilingual, being in both English and Ukrainian. Wednesday Vespers are offered in English. Our Sunday readings and homily are in English, as well as other sections like litanies, priest’s parts, etc.
Father Pavlo holds a traditionally eastern view as he says the Liturgy will reflect the parishioners’ vernacular. If a large group of Chinese show up at the door tomorrow, Father says Liturgy will be in Mandarin next week. Some of the languages spoken in the parish include French, Russian, German, Spanish, Ukrainian, Serbian, and English.
Do I have to be Ukrainian to attend?
Not any more than you have to be Roman to attend a Roman Catholic church!
Our parishioners include every race and a multitude of cultures. The Church is universal and the Good News is for everyone.
How long is your service?
A normal Sunday Liturgy is about an hour and twenty minutes.
A weekday liturgy might be five to ten minutes less while Sundays during the Great Fast/Lent might be ten minutes more. Other services like Vespers vary, but 30-45 minutes is a rough guide.
You should also take into account that we’ll probably try to get you something to eat or drink before you leave, especially if it is Sunday. If you’re budgeting time because you need to be at work or something important, don’t hesitate to ask us about a particular service in advance.
I’m Roman Catholic. What do I need to know?
Welcome! We always love to see part of the family! What you need to know is that we’re Catholic. What you might want to know depends on your interests. If your questions aren’t answered here, then phone, fax, email, or come and visit so we can answer them for you!
I’m not Catholic. What do I need to know?
Welcome! You might be visiting for understanding with no intention of conversion, or maybe you’re visiting family and attending with them, or perhaps you’re wondering if Christianity has something to offer you… Whatever the reason, we welcome you to our parish.
If you have a Jewish background, you might recognize some of our liturgical worship. If you have a Buddhist or other East Asian background, you might appreciate our spirituality. If you have a Protestant background, you might want to learn more about our history. If you have a Muslim background, you will probably identify with our culture and our liturgical cycle. If you have a secular background, you might respect our theological consistency. Whatever your background, we are sure to share points of commonality and respect.
For your visit, our advice is to sit 1/3-2/3 of the way back for a good view. Please introduce yourself after church and feel free to ask questions. Should you decide that you want to learn more, talk to Father Pavlo, Father Frank, or Father Deacon John about your background and interests and they’ll work with you at your pace, whether that means recommending books or getting together one-on-one.
How can I learn more?
The facts available to us in the Information Age can become so all-encompassing that reading in books and browsing online keeps some people from taking the next step in forming a relationship. We have a generation of people who know all about Christ, but who don’t know Christ. We are restless because all of our time with media has not answered those core questions that underlie our searching: 
“Who am I? What can I know? What ought I to do? What may I hope?”
You won’t find the answers to those questions on our website, but you will find them in our church. We warmly invite you to call, email, or stop by to speak or worship with us so that we can introduce you to our true treasure: Jesus Christ.
We invite you to come to Liturgy then attend the coffee hour. As the apostle Philip said to Nathanael: “Come and see!” The pierogies taste and smell a whole lot better in person, too. We look forward to getting to know you!