St. Ignatius, a disciple of St. John the Apostle speaks of the Eucharist as the medicine of immortality, and the antidote that prevents us from dying. Our Lord Jesus Christ again shows us that His Holy Body and Precious Blood are what grants eternal life and prevention of death. As an Orthodox Church, we holdfast and believe that through the Holy Spirit, the bread and wine are transformed into the true Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”

In the Book of Acts, we see the account of the selection of St. Stephen, “a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit”. St. Stephen selected along with six others based upon his reputation and that he was a man full of faith. Likewise, we too should strive to emulate Christ. The Diaconate is one of the pillars of the Coptic Orthodox Church, with its beautiful hymns and rites.

St. Habib Girges – A Pioneer of Education

St. Habib Girges, a renowned educator and pioneer of the Sunday School movement in the

20th century famously said “Education is the first need for the community after bread”. As an Archdeacon, St. Habib Girges developed many resources and materials to bring the Church of Alexandria into a new era of education leading to a deeper relationship with God. It is through the efforts of St. Habib Girges that Sunday School in Egypt and in the lands of immigration has been transformed to foster a deeper, more profound relationship with God, through education.

A church without youth is a church without a future

His Holiness Pope Shenouda of Thrice-Blessed memory often

stressed the importance of youth in the church when he would say “A church without youth is a church without a future. And youth without the church is youth without a future”. Pope Shenouda in his abundant wisdom demonstrated the powerful place the church has in the hearts of the youth. The church is more than a place but a home that welcomes the youth. The youth meeting at St. Thomas provides various speakers and discussions that pertain to aspects of our current time and how these topics can be dealt with through a spiritual way, being guided by the Holy Spirit.

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom”

Our Lord Jesus Christ taught us that in everything we do, we do for Him. He set for us the true example of love when He washed the disciple’s feet and served them. As part of the community, St. Thomas the Hermit Coptic Orthodox Church strives to be an active member in serving the homeless, the needy, the sick, and the less fortunate. We have many service opportunities such as service trips, feeding the homeless, and visiting the sick. We are reminded that in each of these opportunities we are visiting and serving Christ Himself.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”

Our Lord gives His disciples a mission in what is called the Great Commission. This mission is to preach the gospel to all nations so that we may all be united and become “one flock under One Shepherd”. Our church has been rooted in this mission from the very beginning. We offer dedicated Spanish services and welcome all newcomers and Spanish speakers to enjoy the beauty of orthodoxy no matter their culture or language.

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