Welcome

North Carolina community hit hard by Hurricane Florence

Let us all help our brethren hit by Hurricane Florence.

Please read OCA aricle (click here)

Saint Basil Orthodox Church in Castle Hayne, NC, wrote:

“We have established a GoFundMe page with funds earmarked to go directly to parishioners in need of assistance,” Father Peter added.  “Our parish is not in a position to offer such assistance in any meaningful way right now, and most of our parishioners have evacuated at considerable expense, lost wages and uncertainty about what lies ahead.  We will assist not only our own parishioners, but neighbors and ‘the least of these’ who come to us for help.”  Donations also may be sent directly to Saint Basil Church Hurricane Relief Fund, 4601 Blue Clay Road, Castle Hayne, NC 28429.

Prayer in Time of Storms

Prayer in Time of Storms

These prayers may be recited again and again throughout the period of the hurricane or other storms.

 O Lord Who does summon the waters of the sea and again by Thine almighty power art able to hold them back and illumine all that is under the heavens, in repentance we pray Thee, hearken and, out of love for mankind have mercy.

Lord have mercy (3x)

As the eyes of a servant look unto his master, so do our eyes look with faith unto Thee, O our God, until Thou hast compassion on us. Therefore, destroy us not with immeasurable rains and evil winds but mercifully look upon us with good weather, and compassionately have mercy.

Lord have mercy (3x)

Remember not our transgressions, O Master, for it Thou does consider the lawless, no one will be able to stand before Thee. But let Thy compassions quickly go before us, O Lord, for we have become exceedingly poor. Let not bad weather corrupt us, neither let it destroy our homes and towns, we pray Thee, quickly hear us and have mercy.

Lord have mercy (3x)

O Lord let no watery storms drown us, and let it not ravage the earth and destroy us. But as Thou art good, do Thou direct the rushing of the water, and as Thou art mighty, do Thou command that it become a moderate course with healthful air, as Thou art rich in mercies, with broken hearts we pray Thee, hear us and have mercy.

Lord have mercy (3x)

Church school began

Church  school  began on  Sunday  September  16th., 2018.

Class  times:

• 2nd  through  8th grades will meet at 9:30,
• preschool through 1st grades meet immediately after communion.

Returning students need only fill out their name and grade on the sign-up sheet at the candlestand to register. New students please fill out a new student registration form.

52nd Anniversary Celebration

Orthodox Church of the Mother of God 52^nd Anniversary Celebration

The 52th anniversary of the founding of our parish will be celebrated on Sunday November 4th 2018.  After the Liturgy there will be a dinner in our community room, sponsored by the Sisterhood.

Lunchen following Liturgy - $10 Donation - See Tammy Zimmerman for tickets.

  Download reservation form  or use the green dinner sign up sheets on the candle stand.

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About the Patron of our Parish

(the Icon of the Mother of God "the Joy of All the Sorrowful"  is Commemorated on July 23, October 24, and November 19)

About the Patron of our Parish

^{By Helen Creticos Theodoropoulos}

Deep within the heart of the Church, in the place where sorrow and joy meet and where our bitter tears are kissed away by a mother's love, we encounter the Most Holy Mother of God. The Church in its devotion to the Ever-Virgin Mary has always known that she is a mystery and a gift given to us by God. The Theotokos is a mystery that can be experienced and encountered, and yet never explained or described in words of logic and science, and she is a gift that brings radiant joy and comfort in the midst of darkness and need. Through the centuries the Church has expressed its love for her through countless hymns, has praised her in its most exquisite poetry and song, and has portrayed her in its most beautiful and beloved icons. No other saint is the subject of so much devotion, and no other saint has so many miracles attributed him or her.

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Purpose

Purpose

As the local community of the Church of the Mother of God, this parish, exists for the purpose of worshiping God according to the Holy Scriptures and Tradition of the Holy Orthodox Church, to encourage union with God among the members of the parish, to seek out the lost, the searching, and the un-churched and to strive to bring them into union with the Church, to provide religious education to its members and potential members, provide charitable aid, and to defend, promote, and witness to theOrthodox Christian Faith in southern New Jersey.

This website is a tool to help in this purpose. Primarily to publicize our existence in southern New Jersey, and hopefully, encourage people to "come and see".  

The many pages on this website contain information we hope is helpful. 

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Our Church Building

Our Church Building

Our church building, and the services celebrated within it, are from the tradition of the Church, from the vision of St John the Apostle, as well as the Old Testament Temple. The interior of the Orthodox Church buildings are particularly styled to give the experience of the unity of all things in God. They are not constructed to reproduce the upper room of the Last Supper, nor to be simply a meeting hall for people whose life exists solely within the bounds of this earth. The church building itself, is an image of the world.

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