Jacob Martinez was welcomed into the Orthodox Church through the Sacrament of Holy Chrismation on Sunday, March 24. His sponsor is Androulla Malhi. Here, we further illumine Jacob’s journey to Orthodoxy and invite our readers to get to know him better!  
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What brought you to Orthodoxy and the Resurrection parish?
A few years ago, my good friend told me that he was becoming Orthodox. I had no idea what that meant and of course had lots of questions. After the initial shock and confusion, I spent a lot of time researching the faith, reading books and online articles. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that I wouldn’t be able to truly understand Orthodoxy without actually visiting a parish. So I made my way to Resurrection, which just happened to be the closest parish to my home. I was overwhelmed by the Divine Liturgy at first, but I kept showing up on Sundays to learn and understand more and more. Over time, I began to feel as though Christ was leading me to the Church and Resurrection began to feel like home.

Who/what inspired you to get involved in the parish?  
I heard about the food pantry ministry at the end of liturgy one day and decided to go help the following Saturday. Once I saw the hard work that everyone put in and the amount of people that were able to get the food they needed, I couldn’t help but want to continue to serve alongside everyone when I had the chance.

Which of our ministries do you enjoy participating in?
I enjoy helping with the food pantry, the young adults ministry, and attending Bible study when I’m able. I also recently joined the men’s basketball team, which has been a lot of fun.

Do you have a favorite Saint?
I’ve recently been inspired by the lives of some of the early martyrs, especially those of St. Stephen, St. Ignatius of Antioch, and St. Polycarp. Their devotion to Christ and love for others in the face of immense persecution is truly amazing and sobering.

What’s your favorite bible verse?
There are so many wonderful verses that mean a lot to me, but if I had to pick one, maybe I’d go with John 11:35: “Jesus wept.” I’ve always been fascinated by an author’s ability to say a lot with few words. St. John expresses one of the most profound and comforting truths in just two words. God grieved and experienced sorrow just like we do and He also loves us more than we can fathom.

On a Personal Note
I’m from San Leandro and have lived there my whole life. I mostly work from home where I live with my friend and his dog. In my free time I enjoy playing and making music with my guitars. I also like to play and watch basketball and spend time with my girlfriend, friends, and family. People might be surprised to learn that I am related to the Noble family of Barnes & Noble fame. Unfortunately, I don’t get free books.

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Meet more of our newly illumined members!

The Kim Family: https://www.resurrectiongoc.com/blog-posts-all/meet-the-newly-illumined---the-kim-family

Sarah Coker: Resurrection Greek Orthodox Church (resurrectiongoc.com)

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