Plan Your First Visit

Yes, absolutely. We are a community made up of both cradle-born Orthodox Christians and those who have converted to the faith. We are very comfortable with newcomers, inquirers, and visitors. Anyone who wishes to discover ancient Coptic Orthodox Christianity is welcome. If you have questions, the parish priest will be happy to answer them. So don’t be afraid to ask questions about what we do and why.

When you enter a church, someone will greet you and direct you to a place to sit. We have books of our Divine Liturgy in English, Coptic, and Arabic to everyone. In addition, we have a large Powerpoint presentation that updates continuously during the Liturgy with the prayers. You may follow the service text, or, if you prefer, simply close your eyes and enter into the Church’s beautiful worship of God.

Following the Sunday Divine Liturgy, you are invited to join us for an Agape (fellowship) meal in the dining hall. This is a good time to get to know our parish members and meet our priest, Fr. George, and Deacon Antony, who will be happy to answer all your questions.

Worship in the Orthodox Church engages both body and soul, with an emphasis on reverence and modesty.

General Modesty: Clothing should be clean, respectful, and simple, drawing focus toward prayer rather than individual display. Avoid shorts, sleeveless shirts, low-cut tops, and tight or revealing clothing.

Men: Modest dress pants or slacks paired with a collared shirt or dress shirt. Hats and caps must be removed before entering the church sanctuary.

Women: Modest dresses, skirts (reaching at or below the knee), or loose dress pants. In Coptic tradition, women customary cover their heads with a veil or scarf during prayer and service (baskets with clean scarves are often available at the entrance if you wish to wear one).

Footwear: Everyone is asked to take off their shoes outside before entering the church. There is a shoe rack next to the door where you can leave your shoes.

Sides of the Church: In traditional Coptic Orthodox practice, seating follows a customary order: men and boys sit on the left side of the nave, while women and girls sit on the right side. In many contemporary Western parishes, families may sit together, but following the parish’s ushers or general seating flow is always welcome.

Finding a Seat: Feel free to sit anywhere in the middle-to-back rows so you can comfortably observe the rhythms of the service. Most parishes provide bilingual liturgy books or digital projector screens (displaying English, Coptic, and Arabic) to help you follow along seamlessly.

The ancient posture of Christian prayer is standing before God, reflecting alertness, reverence, and readiness.

When to Stand: The congregation stands during solemn and essential moments of the liturgy, including:

The Gospel reading

The Consecration prayers (the Anaphora and Institution Narrative)

The distribution of Holy Communion

When the priest offers a blessing or waves incense among the people

The recitation of the Nicene Creed and the Lord’s Prayer

When You May Sit: Divine Liturgy typically lasts 2 to 3 hours. You may sit during the Epistle readings, sermon, or whenever physical fatigue requires it. There is no pressure or embarrassment in taking a seat to rest.

Holy Communion (The Eucharist): In the Orthodox Church, Holy Communion is understood to be the real, consecrated Body and Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. Because the Eucharist signifies complete unity in dogma and canonical life, receiving Communion is reserved strictly for baptized and chrismated members of the Coptic Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches (Eritrean, Ethiopian, Syrian, Armenian, Malankara (Indian Orthodox)) who have prepared through fasting and sacramental confession. Non-Orthodox guests are warmly invited to participate in worship, prayer, and listening, while remaining in their seats during Communion.

The Eulogia / Orban (Blessed Bread): At the end of the service, non-consecrated loaves from the offering (Eulogia or Antidoron / Orban) are blessed and distributed. Everyone—including first-time visitors and non-Orthodox guests—is warmly encouraged to receive a piece of this blessed bread as a token of Christian fellowship and welcome.

The Agape Meal & Fellowship: Following the service, the congregation moves to the church social hall for an "Agape Meal" or coffee hour. Because communicants and faithful fast completely from all food and drink prior to the liturgy, this shared meal is a central part of church community life.

Meet the Clergy and Parishioners: Visitors are always invited to join the meal, introduce themselves, and speak with the parish priests (Abouna) to ask questions or discuss the teachings and faith of the Church.

Children, toddlers, and newborns are warmly welcome at all services, cared for by their parents.

A space for you and your baby: We have a crying room available for nursing and for babies who are crying. Please feel free to use it whenever you need.

We are happy to help: Please reach out to any of the church servants if you need assistance. We are always happy to help you and your family.

If you need special accommodations, please contact us ahead of your visit. One of our church servants will reach out to you to arrange your visit.