Parish History
The idea to establish our parish was conceived in 2015 by a group of dedicated young families and youth who sought a more intimate, family-friendly experience in a church that was focused on the needs of English-speaking Orthodox faithful who were raised in the Church and others who recently converted.
With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Serapion, the parish began service in August 2015 while leasing space from Bethel Lutheran Church in Buena Park. Initially, the parish was served by a rotation of priests, including Fr. Mena Ghebrial, Fr. Daniel Habib, and Fr. Lazarus Yassa. In March 2016, Fr. Moses Samaan was added on the rotation until he was chosen and assigned to serve the parish permanently.
In the following days, the parish community will come together with God’s grace to find a permanent location and increase the service within and without the parish.
Mission Statement
The mission of this family-oriented parish is to serve English-speaking Copts and converts to Coptic Orthodox Christianity by offering services primarily in English while preserving the beauty of Coptic hymnody. By God’s Hand, we strive for an organized and thriving church that will nurture a sense of fellowship within its congregation and focus on raising its youth with diligence so that future generations may understand and fully appreciate the beauty of the Holy Mysteries and enjoy an intimate relationship with God. Our commitment is:
- To be Christ centered – in every action, service, activity, and event
- To actively live our faith within the church and within the community
- To be committed to creating an environment for spiritual growth in prayer, the Holy Scripture, and the Orthodox faith
- To foster love, acceptance, support for all individuals through service to one another and the community