On the beautiful Friday evening of 23 September 2016, Saint John the Baptist Church in Rochester NY welcomed over forty participants for a talk on “The Church in the Bible” presented by the popular author and speaker, Father Andrew Damick. Presented in two-parts, the special event included a delightful array of tasty treats and refreshments during half-time, and prolonged time for questions and fellowship afterward.

“The presentation was enlightening, inspiring, and challenging, wrapped up in a thoughtful package of profound depth,” said Father Ken James Stavrevsky (parish rector).

Father Andrew is pastor of Saint Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church in Emmaus PA, author of “Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy,” “An Introduction to God,” and the forthcoming “Bearing God” (2017). He is also host of the “Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy” and “Roads from Emmaus” podcasts on Ancient Faith Radio, and is a frequent speaker at lectures and retreats both in parishes and other settings.

“I can’t say when I’ve heard such a comprehensive presentation of the Gospel,” said catechumen Frank LaBarre, “and the implications of Jesus’ resurrection for the church and every single believer. Since his talk I’ve been thinking of little else except of my own participation in the Kingdom of God.”

“With his deep knowledge of Christian history, there is always something new and interesting, and his deep passion for God and evangelism is both humbling and inspiring,” said Dr. Kelly Sophia Kirtland. “His identification of the Old Testament saints as being in Christ even before the revelation of Christ further demonstrated the unity of the faithful through all time,” added Dr. Joseph Dorotheos Kirtland.

Marge Cavalcanti said: “The talk was very thought provoking and provided an opportunity for inward reflection on our calling in the Orthodox Church. I appreciated the great number of biblical references used in support of the points he made.”