About
What is the OCF at UMBC?
The Orthodox Christian Fellowship at UMBC is a dynamic community of students, faculty, and staff of different backgrounds, who share a common desire to come together for worship, fellowship and service.
Our mission will be two fold: to be a place for spiritual progress, devotion, and service and to bear witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the campus.
This mission will be fulfilled through regular meetings of worship, discussion, Bible studies, retreats, and the creation of opportunities to share the Gospel with the campus community.
What is the Orthodox Church?
The people of God gathered in His name who share a common faith and hope based on the love of God, affirm the truth of their faith, belief and experience of God, and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world.
The Orthodox Church is evangelical, but not Protestant; Orthodox, but not Jewish; is Catholic, but not Roman; it isn't a denomination or non-denominational, but the very Church Christ founded. It has believed, taught, preserved, defended, and died for the Faith of the Apostles since Pentecost 2000 years ago.
Orthodox Christianity is about nothing else but Jesus Christ Himself, and the healing of our souls and bodies, and the reconciliation of humanity and God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit that comes through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Orthodox Christian Fellowship at UMBC is a dynamic community of students, faculty, and staff of different backgrounds, who share a common desire to come together for worship, fellowship and service.
Our mission will be two fold: to be a place for spiritual progress, devotion, and service and to bear witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the campus.
This mission will be fulfilled through regular meetings of worship, discussion, Bible studies, retreats, and the creation of opportunities to share the Gospel with the campus community.
What is the Orthodox Church?
The people of God gathered in His name who share a common faith and hope based on the love of God, affirm the truth of their faith, belief and experience of God, and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world.
The Orthodox Church is evangelical, but not Protestant; Orthodox, but not Jewish; is Catholic, but not Roman; it isn't a denomination or non-denominational, but the very Church Christ founded. It has believed, taught, preserved, defended, and died for the Faith of the Apostles since Pentecost 2000 years ago.
Orthodox Christianity is about nothing else but Jesus Christ Himself, and the healing of our souls and bodies, and the reconciliation of humanity and God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit that comes through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Spiritual Advisor
The Very Reverend Father Gregory Mathewes-Green
Archpriest, Holy Cross Antiochian Orthodox Church
[email protected]
Fr. Gregory lives in Baltimore, MD with his wife Frederica Mathewes-Green, where together they founded Holy Cross, our sponsoring parish. The following is from the Holy Cross website:
Holy Cross Antiochian Orthodox Church is a parish of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. Our worship services are sung almost entirely in English with strong congregational participation, along with a fine choir and trained chanters.
Our dedication to the Orthodox formation of our young people is demonstrated by the several components of our Youth Group ministry. We believe that our young people, struggling to live wholesome Christian lives in an anti-Christian culture, require and deserve such a support system.
With the addition of a new deacon to our community in 2003, not only is our liturgical life enhanced, but we are also increasing our Outreach Ministries into the wider community. Already we support the local Crisis Pregnancy Center and other area social programs, such as the local food pantry.
Holy Cross is a parish strongly committed to the belief that the Holy Orthodox Church is the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles. We are equally committed to the implications of that belief: that the Orthodox Faith requires a unity of faith and a unity of life, nourished through worship in the Divine Services, strengthened through prayer, fasting, and alms-giving, sustained by the intercessions of the Holy Saints, and lived every day of the week in the homes, schools, and workplaces of our people.
The Very Reverend Father Gregory Mathewes-Green
Archpriest, Holy Cross Antiochian Orthodox Church
[email protected]
Fr. Gregory lives in Baltimore, MD with his wife Frederica Mathewes-Green, where together they founded Holy Cross, our sponsoring parish. The following is from the Holy Cross website:
Holy Cross Antiochian Orthodox Church is a parish of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. Our worship services are sung almost entirely in English with strong congregational participation, along with a fine choir and trained chanters.
Our dedication to the Orthodox formation of our young people is demonstrated by the several components of our Youth Group ministry. We believe that our young people, struggling to live wholesome Christian lives in an anti-Christian culture, require and deserve such a support system.
With the addition of a new deacon to our community in 2003, not only is our liturgical life enhanced, but we are also increasing our Outreach Ministries into the wider community. Already we support the local Crisis Pregnancy Center and other area social programs, such as the local food pantry.
Holy Cross is a parish strongly committed to the belief that the Holy Orthodox Church is the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles. We are equally committed to the implications of that belief: that the Orthodox Faith requires a unity of faith and a unity of life, nourished through worship in the Divine Services, strengthened through prayer, fasting, and alms-giving, sustained by the intercessions of the Holy Saints, and lived every day of the week in the homes, schools, and workplaces of our people.