September 7, 2016
With great joy, we announce the beginning of classes at the St. Basil Catechetical School on Thursday, September 15.
What on earth is a catechetical school?!
A catechetical school is simply a Christian school that educates people in the Christian Faith. In the Early Church, the Catechetical School of Alexandria, which some believe was founded by the Holy Apostle Mark himself, was the oldest and most illustrious of these schools. Its teachers, which included luminaries like Pantaenus, Athenagoras, Didymus the Blind, and Origen, were sought out by students from all over the world. One of the most notable students of the Catechetical School of Alexandria is our own patron saint, the Holy Gregory the Theologian, who visited Alexandria and benefited from the advanced theological teaching provided by the school. In this, we see one of the beautiful connections between St. Gregory and the Coptic Church.
Our parish is pleased to offer the St. Basil Catechetical School as a ministry to educate and help people delve deeper into the fundamentals of the Orthodox Christian Faith. All of our courses will be taught in a sincere, yet accessible, manner.
Will I have to study and take exams?
Generally speaking, no. We encourage people to take notes for their own benefit, but even this is not required. There may be recommended reading that you can pursue on your own if you wish to delve deeper in any given subject.
August 29, 2016
As a Coptic Orthodox parish, what is our mission? How do we relate to the world around us? All too often, local parishes like ours become cultural centers in which meetings and services target a tiny cultural minority.
At St. Gregory, however, we have a different goal. In order to fulfill our mission and participate in Christ’s work for the salvation of the world, we must first discover and be awakened to our connection with the world.
To help in this process, we will have a special meeting discussing mission and outreach to non-Orthodox brothers and sisters on Tuesday, September 6 from 7:00-8:00 p.m. featuring two special guest speakers who recently converted to Orthodoxy in the Coptic Church. They will share their experience with us so that we might better understand what it’s like for the numerous people we hope to reach with our mission.
For servants, this meeting is mandatory, and for all others, it is highly recommended.
August 16, 2016
On Wednesday, August 17, our parish will be blessed by the visit of Fr. Gregory Bishay for the Vigil of the Holy Theotokos. Fr. Gregory will pray the Raising of Incense from 7:00-8:30 p.m. and offer a meditation on the Holy Theotokos.
You don’t want to miss the visit of this wonderful, loving, and sincere father!
August 9, 2016
With great joy and enthusiasm, the parish announces its first-ever Vigil for the Holy Theotokos during the second week of the Fast of the Holy Theotokos, which precedes the Feast of the Assumption of the Body of the Holy Theotokos into Heaven on Monday, August 22.
Every night from August 15-21, the parish will pray the Evening Raising of Incense and the Veneration to the Most Holy Theotokos from 7:00-9:00 p.m., including a homily on aspects of her life.
God willing, on the morning of August 22, we will celebrate the Divine Liturgy for the Feast from 6:00-8:00 a.m.
Wishing you a blessed Fast, Feast, and many happy returns.
August 6, 2016
Please join us for a guided discussion on some recent hot-button issues regarding chauvinism and feminism with regard to the Orthodox Church.
The purpose of this discussion is to shed light on some “controversial” issues the Church is facing in this post-modern era. This discussion is meant for BOTH the ladies AND the gentlemen and will, God willing, answer some of your questions regarding the differences between men’s and women’s roles in the church, the importance of partaking and not partaking in Communion for men and women, why the Church has traditionally segregated the sexes during services, and much more.
Fr. Moses will be joining us. Bring your friends, some thoughtful questions and an eagerness to learn. You will come out of this discussion much more enlightened.
This event will take place this Thursday night, 8/11/16, at 7:30pm. Please contact Michael Salama for location details.
August 2, 2016
With great joy, we announce the beginning of a weekly Divine Liturgy every Tuesday from 5:00-7:00 a.m. The early time was deliberately chosen to enable parishioners to receive the blessing of this midweek Divine Liturgy before work or school.
If you would like to assist in the set-up service, please contact Daniel William.
