Welcome!
We are a Western Rite Orthodox church located in Silver Spring, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, DC. As a congregation of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, we are part of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and all the East (“…the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” Acts 11:26). While we share the faith of all Orthodox Christians around the world, as a Western Rite congregation we are blessed by our bishops to use the ancient forms of Western worship. Most of us are converts from many different backgrounds who have come to Orthodoxy in search of authentic Christianity and a place where we may grow in knowledge and love of God. In the Orthodox Church we have found the “pearl of great price” and we rejoice to share what we have discovered. We hope that you will explore our web site and join us in worship.
Sermons by Fr. Nicholas Alford
Easter Sunday: Pascha
Today, with great joy, we gather to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. Our Lenten fasting has ended and we celebrate the resurrection of Christ, even as the earth pours out its beauty in the flowers of spring. But what does it really mean to celebrate the resurrection today? What meaning can this feast have for us in this world we … More...
The Lives of the Saints
St. Dunstan of Canterbury
(Feast Day ~ May 19) So often we find, in the Orthodox approach to life, that issues are "both/and" instead of "either/or". We learn from Holy Scripture that Christians are to be both in the world and in heaven; in the Liturgy, we express both sorrow for our sins ("Lord, have mercy upon us") and joy at God’s gifts to us ("Glory be to God on … More...
Latest News
May Newsletter
Many thanks to all who contributed to the beauty of our Holy Week and Easter services - those who served at the altar, who sang in the choir, who read lessons, who arranged flowers, who cooked... all worked together to make our offerings in celebration of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. We continue our … More...
The Good News of Orthodoxy
From a Sermon by the Venerable St. Bede
The Resurrection of our Lord and Savior has consecrated the vigil of this most sacred night for us, dearly beloved, as we have heard from the Gospel reading. Rightly do we celebrate this night with watching and hymns, out of love for Him who, out of love for us, willed to spend it in the sleep of death and to be raised from … More...