Ordination of Joel Thomas to the Diaconate

On September 12/25, 2022, the servant of God Joel Thomas was ordained a deacon at the Monastery of Saint John Maximovitch in Cobleskill, NY. Father Deacon Joel was born in Chicago, Illinois, on September 11, 1986. He was baptized at Saint John the Forerunner Orthodox Church in Illinois as a convert in 2016, and recently moved to Cobleskill with his wife and three boys.

May God bless Father Joel to minister in the Vineyard of Christ, for many years!

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Orthodox Awareness

Hero-Worshipping: the Sickness of our Holy Struggle

“Trust ye not in princes, in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation.”
(Psalm 145:3)

We mustn’t have absolute trust in human beings for our salvation, no matter what dignity they have. Human beings are changeable. Today they are saints, tomorrow—deniers. Today—sinners, tomorrow—righteous. We must have absolute trust in God, and in Him we must base our hopes of salvation. “Blessed is he of whom the God of Jacob is his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God” (Psalm 145:5). Read more...

Missions

Saint Matthew the Evangelist, Jonesboro, Arkansas

Jonesboro is a town located near the Eastern border of Arkansas, with a population of approximately 60,000. From a human standpoint, it’s not the most likely candidate for a traditional Orthodox mission, but for an Orthodox Christian who orders his priorities around Christ and His Church, it makes perfect sense. Read more...

Youth

2023 Youth Conference

Please join us for the 2023 youth conference in Chicago, IL! To learn more, visit the home page or visit the conference website.

Ask A Priest

Civil Annulment's Effect on Church Marriage?

Q. This concerns a U.S. marriage. If the marriage is civilly annulled, what is the effect upon the Church marriage? Is it also annulled? Read more...