text: Lisa, the Eucharist in the Orthodox liturgy is not a sacrifice but the eternal cup that all of us share now and in the future. The focus of the liturgy is the world to come--you can see it in the very layout and iconography of the Eastern churches. We also do not believe in transubstantiation, though we believe Christ is truly present. But we prefer to leave the "how" as a mystery. It's amazing that the Roman Church accepts our communion and our liturgy as valid. It's only because they have to because, heck, we were the Church too for 1000 years. But really, the Lutherans are no farther apart than we are. This stuff is 90% political.