FAQs
You'll find a warm, welcoming community when you visit St. Mary and St. John Coptic Orthodox Church. Our doors are always open to those looking for a spiritual home, those who have questions about Christianity or the Orthodox faith, those who just need a supportive community to belong to, or anyone else who wants to attend with us. Our doors are open!
On Sunday mornings, the Divine Liturgy is approximately two and a half hours long. The Sunday Service start at 9:30 am.
When you have participated in an Orthodox service, we know that you will feel genuinely worshipped by the living God. While following the texts and meditating on the words of the prayers and the story of Salvation in (English, Arabic and Coptic languages), time passes quickly.
The general rule for men and women is to dress appropriately, modestly and respectfully.
All children are welcome and encouraged to attend our services. Each parent is responsible for taking care of their child. Though the children might not grasp the service's depth, seeing the icons, smelling incensed, hearing the chants, etc., is an important part of the child’s spiritual formation. If your baby or child gets fussy, talkative, or has a meltdown, step out into the cry room or anywhere outside the nave until he or she is ready to return quietly.
On Sundays, we provide Sunday school in small groups for children from the age of 3 through to 17 immediately following the service. In addition, there is a Bible Study in the church hall.
Orthodox priests may only serve the Holy Communion to baptized members in good standing of the canonical Orthodox Church, who regularly confess, and who participate in the Church fasts, especially before partaking of the Holy Communion.
These traditions are ancient and have been part of the Holy Church for the 2,000 years of Her history. The Orthodox Church understands the Holy Communion as a mystery of the real presence of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Communion, not simply as a memorial or merely in a spiritual sense, as many other non-Orthodox Christians do. Rather than trying to accommodate often varying “interpretations” or revisions of this and other doctrines of the ancient faith, we ask that you respect the ancient apostolic tradition and join us in receiving the (blessed bread), at the end of the Divine Liturgy.
65–75% of the traditional Coptic Liturgy involves congregational singing. Coptic Christians do not use musical instruments, except cymbals and triangles, which are used to keep musical time. A choir of chanters leads the congregation in harmonious chant, usually in Coptic or English. Our hymns are solemn, prayerful and intended to lead the faithful to worship the living God.
New visitors will find many new things to experience in a Coptic Orthodox Church service. Feel free to go at your own pace, ask any questions, and know you are most welcome to “come and see.”