Join Us on Zoom
Sundays OCTOBER 6,13,20,27; Nov 3,10
6:30-8 PM Eastern Standard Time
5:30-7 pm Central Standard Time
4:30-6 pm Mountain Standard Time
3:30-5 pm Pacific Standard Time
Meeting ID: 839 3053 0963
OUR MISSION
MAY THE LORD CAUSE YOU TO INCREASE AND ABOUND IN LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER AND FOR ALL PEOPLE” – 1 Thessalonians 3:12
The Agape Circle Initiative exists to provide resources and opportunities for Orthodox Christians to experience Christ-centered fellowship and growth in love for God and for all other people, following our Lord Jesus Christ.
Connect with others through Christ and with Christ through others
What?
An Agape Circle is a small group of 2 or more Orthodox Christians (or catechumens) who meet in person (or on Zoom) weekly for a number of weeks (2 to 6 weeks, depending on the Series).
We welcome your participation in the “diaLogos” of Agape Circle, a structured group discussion that reflects the diversity-in-unity of Orthodox ecclesiology which further reflects our understanding of God, the Holy Trinity, and of humanity as created in God’s image and called to grow in His likeness.
Who & When?
If you are an Orthodox Christian or a catechumen or if you are exploring Orthodoxy, you are welcome to join us at any Agape Circle Zoom meeting. The 2024 Fall series will meet on October 6, 13, 20, 27; Nov 3, 10.
Sunday Meeting Time:
6:30 – 8 pm EST
3:30-5 pm PST
4:30-6 pm MST
5:30-7 pm CST
Come to one meeting or come to all the meetings in a Series. Come at the start and stay 90 mins to the end or come for a portion of a meeting.
Come give your full attention and see what emerges through God’s grace.
How to register?
To register for an upcoming Series, RSVP to us at agapecircles@gmail.com (or call or text Tel. 315-941-1116). Or, just come!
Here is the Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83930530963
Meeting ID: 839 3053 0963
Each Series is offered to inspire love for God, meaningful dialogue, and service to others in need because every human being is loved by Christ and worthy of Christ’s love through us.
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!”
– Psalm 133:1
“We have known and believed the love that God has for us. GOD IS LOVE, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”
– 1 Jn 4:16
Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there in the midst of them.”
– (Mt 18:20)
JOIN with others on the path of Christ
Do you want to get to know other Orthodox Christians as spiritual brothers and sisters in Christ?
The superficiality of so much of our contemporary culture creates shallow human contacts and widespread loneliness. Many people want more intimate connection and more meaningful conversation with other people who are on the path of Christ. Agape Circle helps make this happen.
Come and see for yourself.
Attend an AC Zoom series and develop your listening and communication skills while opening your heart to others who seek to grow in Christ.
You will also gradually learn how to lead an Agape Circle meeting. Eventually, if you feel called to facilitate a face-to-face Agape Circle series in your area with your priest’s blessing, you can invite others to meet with you in person weekly during any Series you choose.
Agape Circle is one simple way we can create more Christ-centered fellowship in our lives
Cultivate inner peace
Jesus Christ, the Lord of all and the Prince of peace, invites us to come to Him for rest.
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
He also said, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me” (John 14:1).
And:
“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him” (John 14:23).
Again, He says, “My peace I give to you…. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).
In Agape Circle we help each other confront our troubles and fears with faith in God. We open to one another and to the Holy Spirit of peace.
Help others grow in christ
Support one another in walking the way of Agape
The Orthodox Way — the way of Jesus Christ — is the way of agape love. His is a blessed path, full of beauty, goodness, and truth. It is also a hard and sacrificial road, but He is with us all the way.
The Lord said: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow Me.”
God made us free, like Him. In our freedom, we can choose to love, and we can choose not to love.
To love in this world is a Cross. It means to give one’s heart and suffer.
There is also suffering — ultimately, much more suffering — in refusing love.
In Agape Circle, we remember Christ’s challenge to choose love, take up our Cross and follow Him.
Upcoming Series
Fall Series
The Fall Series consists of 6 weekly Sunday meetings on Zoom from early October through mid-November, a couple weeks before American Thanksgiving
In 2024: Oct. 6, 13, 20, 27; Nov 3, 10
In 2025: Oct. 4, 11, 18, 25; Nov 1, 8
Mid-Winter Series
The Christmas-to-Theophany “Dodecameron” Series consists of 2 Sunday Zoom meetings during the Twelve Day (“Dodecameron”) Period:
Dec 29, 2024 and Jan 5, 2025
Dec 28, 2025 and Jan 4, 2026
Late-Winter Pre-Lenten Series
The PreLenten Series consists of 5 weekly Sunday Zoom meetings from Zacchaeus Sunday (roughly in late January) to Forgiveness Sunday (roughly in mid March).
In 2025: Feb 2, 9, 16, 23; March 2
In 2026: Jan 25, Feb 1, 8, 15, 22
Spring Post-Paschal Series
The 2025 Spring Post-Paschal Series meets on Zoom for 6 Sundays beginning after Pascha on Thomas Sunday.
In 2025: April 27, May 4, 11, 18, 25, June 1, 8, 15
In 2026: April 19, 26, May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, June 7
August Series
The August Series consists of 3 Sunday meetings on Zoom during the month of August. In 2025: Aug TBD
Also, come join us in person on
Agape Circle Day!
Saturday, Aug xth 10:30 am – 3:30 pm
Church of St. John the Russian Ipswich, MA
RSVP: AgapeCircles@gmail.com or Tel. 315-941-1116
The Agape Circle Initiative
WHAT IS THE AGAPE CIRCLE INITIATIVE?
The Agape Circle Initiative aspires to become an incorporated 501c3 nonprofit organization. The Initiative produces online content, training workshops, retreats, parish presentations, podcast interviews, youtube channel interviews, social media and other media outreach. Through these activities, the Agape Circle Initiative for Orthodox Christians seeks to foster spiritual fellowship and personal spiritual growth in love for God and others, in keeping with the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ as expressed, for example, in 1 John 4:7: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”
(315) 941-1116
agapecircles@gmail.com
Christ’s New Commandment of Agape
“A new commandment I give to you,
that you love one another,
even as I have loved you,
that you also love one another.“
– The Lord Jesus Christ (John 13:35)
“Christ has risen from the dead
trampling down death by death
and upon those in the tombs
bestowing Life”
“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is
Contact Us
(315) 941-1116
agapecircles@gmail.com
Links
Our Locations (soon)
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