Visiting an Orthodox Church for the First Time: A Guide to All Saints of North America, Sun City, AZ

Walking into an Orthodox church for the first time feels different from walking into almost any other building in America. The moment you cross the threshold at All Saints of North America Orthodox Church (ASONA) in Sun City, Arizona, you step out of the ordinary rhythm of the week and into something that has shaped Christian worship for nearly two thousand years. You don’t need an invitation, a particular background, or any prior knowledge to come. You simply need to show up — and, based on what visitors consistently say afterward, you’ll find people ready to make that easy.

What You’ll Encounter

Open the doors and your senses wake up before your mind catches up. Candlelight flickers across gold-toned icons. Incense drifts through the nave, carrying the scent of prayer itself. The choir sings almost the entire service, and reviewers regularly single out how beautiful that chanting sounds in person — you won’t sit through a spoken, sermon-centered format the way you might elsewhere. Instead, you’ll watch the priest and deacons move through ancient prayers, bow before the altar, and cense the icons and the congregation.

You’ll see people cross themselves, bow, and light candles at different points in the service — some standing quietly, others venerating an icon near the entrance. Nobody expects you to mimic every gesture. You can simply stand, watch, and let the atmosphere settle over you.

What Makes ASONA a Strong Place to Start

People who’ve actually walked through ASONA’s doors keep coming back to the same points, and they line up well with what the parish itself emphasizes:

• You’ll feel like family, fast. Reviewers describe an immediate sense of belonging from their very first visit — not a polite welcome that fades, but a lasting one. Multiple families mention feeling embraced from day one, across every generation from toddlers to grandparents.
• You’ll understand every word. The parish conducts its entire Divine Liturgy in English, so you never have to guess at a foreign language while you’re already absorbing something new.
• The priest teaches, and he teaches well. Archpriest John A. Peck leads the team of parish clergy, and visitors consistently praise how knowledgeable they are and how genuinely willing they are to stay to answer questions, before and after the service.
• Kids belong in the room, not out of it. Reviewers highlight how fully children take part in worship alongside adults — nobody routes them to a separate space, and families say that inclusion is a real reason they stayed.
• The atmosphere stays warm, not petty. People note a supportive, drama-free environment — a community that welcomes converts and lifelong Orthodox Christians alike without gossip or judgment.
• You’ll worship in a genuinely beautiful space. A wood-carver in Greece hand-carved the parish’s icon screen and royal doors, so the visual centerpiece of the church carries real craftsmanship, not a mass-produced substitute.
• You’ll get real face time afterward. The parish holds a coffee hour after every Divine Liturgy, and parishioners actively look for newcomers to welcome — not to pressure you, but to answer questions and make introductions.
• Parking and logistics stay simple. Free on-site parking sits right at the church, located at 18700 N. 107th Ave., Unit 5, in Sun City. Divine Liturgy begins at 9:00 a.m. every Sunday.

To Start with

• Relax, and enjoy your visit. Dress comfortably and modestly. No special protective equipment is required. No one is judging you.

• You will not be asked do anything that will make you uncomfortable or embarrass you.

• You will not be asked to give money – visitors are not expected to contribute anything to the financial support of our parish or our programs. That is the privilege of members.

• Our children worship with us. If you have young children, they are welcome here, too. If you need to step to the back of the Church with your child for any reason, you are not disturbing us. We expect children to be raised in the Church and to accomplish that, they have to be IN THE CHURCH. Remember, “if the babies ain’t cryin’, the church is dyin’.”

• All of our facilities are handicap accessible. If you need any assistance at all, please let us know.

If you are an Orthodox Christian, and you have prepared yourself to receive Holy Communion according to your Spiritual Father’s direction, be sure to introduce yourself to our priest before the service.

An Honest Note

A few reviewers mention that the customs and rhythms of Orthodox worship take some getting used to — that’s true, and ASONA doesn’t pretend otherwise. Standing for long stretches, the choreography of bowing and crossing yourself, the pace of an unfamiliar service: none of it clicks instantly. What reviewers add, though, is that the clergy and congregation actively close that gap. Nobody leaves you to figure it out alone.

The Peace experienced during Orthodox worship

Most first-time visitors describe the same thing: a kind of settling. The chant slows your breathing. The incense and candlelight pull your attention away from your phone and your to-do list and onto something larger than the room. You stop trying to follow every word and start simply being present — and that shift, more than anything, produces the peace people talk about after their first Liturgy. It’s the same peace behind one reviewer’s description of the parish as something close to heaven brought down to earth.

The Joy

The joy shows up differently — not as excitement or hype, but as a quiet gladness that builds as the service moves toward Communion. You’ll hear the congregation sing responses together, watch children venerate icons unprompted, and feel a current of genuine devotion running through people who clearly aren’t performing for anyone.

The Mystery

And then there’s the mystery. Orthodox worship never tries to explain itself fully or make itself instantly graspable, and ASONA doesn’t apologize for that. You’re not expected to understand everything on your first visit — or your tenth. Instead, you’re invited to stand inside something ancient and let it work on you slowly, the way it has worked on Christians for centuries. Many visitors say that unresolved mystery, paired with a congregation that feels like family, is exactly what draws them back.

A Few Practical Tips

Arrive 15 to 20 minutes early if you can — it gives you time to park, find a seat, and get your bearings before the service begins. Dress comfortably and modestly; you won’t find a strict code, but slacks and a collared shirt or a modest dress work well. Expect to stand for much of the service, though chairs remain available if you need one — just ask a deacon or choir member. And if Communion time comes and you’re not Orthodox, don’t feel singled out for staying in place; you’re welcome to approach the priest afterward for a blessing instead.

Stay for coffee hour. That’s where the parish really opens up, and where your questions get real answers from people who were once first-time visitors themselves.