Our Ministries-St. Mary Orthodox Church-Falls Church, VA

"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." -James 2:22

Chanting
St. Mary features a program in Byzantine chanting, adhering to its goal of presenting and preserving important traditions of Orthodox liturgical music. The program includes lessons in chanting in which participants learn how to read Byzantine “neume” notation; chant monophonically and accompany beautiful melodies with the characteristic background drone—ison; and understand the relationship between musical phrasing and the meaning of the text. Byzantine chanting can be heard in some of the services, such as at Matins, Vespers and during Holy Week. For more information, please contact Anna at caraveli@cox.net.

Choir
The St. Mary choir prays the hymns of the Church in a variety of traditional Orthodox musical settings, in English. Rehearsals generally are held on the first and third Saturday mornings of each month, plus an hour before each liturgy. Anyone who wishes to sing in the choir loft is asked to attend rehearsals first, but we invite everyone to sing with us from the pews! Contact our choir director, Eleni, at elenibw@yahoo.com or 703-425-0834 to learn more.  We also offer Chanting lessons to help enrich our many services.

Church School
St. Mary has a strong tradition of educating our flock!  Our littlest flock is no exception!  From September through May, we offer Church School for grades K-12 following Divine Liturgy.  Classes are divided by grade groups and team led by two very dedicated teachers in each classroom. Father David and our Church School Superintendent, Dr. Jonathan Jacobson, help guide the teachers and parents to build a strong foundation for our youth in the Orthodox Faith and Biblical knowledge.  Newcomers are encouraged for their child to attend!

F.A.C.E.T.S
Our parish participates in servicing those in need through Fairfax-Falls Church Community Partnership to Prevent and End Homelessness or FACETS. We keep a collection basket inside our Narthex where non-perishable goods can be put into.  Each month, a dedicated servant in Christ will take the donated items in the basket to the FACETS center for distribution.  Any contribution from a small can of soup to entire bag of groceries helps!

Greeters
Greeters welcome visitors and parishioners each Sunday morning before Divine Liturgy. Aside from giving each person a weekly bulletin and warm smile, greeters ensure worshippers enter the sanctuary at appropriate times during the service. They will assist newcomers with any questions they may have and provide visitors' contact information to Fr. David. Sign up for this ministry in the fellowship hall.

M.O.O.P.S
Mother of Orthodox Preschoolers (MOOPS) is a Pan-Orthodox playgroup providing a fun environment for mothers with infants through preschool-age children servicing the Washington D.C.-metro community. This Orthodox ministry is a great opportunity for moms to: interact with other mothers with young children; to meet and befriend mothers in other parishes; and allow children to play with others who share the same faith. We usually meet at St. Mary Orthodox Church at least once a month on a Friday morning. If you are interested in joining our group, please contact Kami at orthodoxmothersdc@gmail.com for more information.

Our Daily Bread
Every fall, St. Mary parishioners “adopt” 15 families in Fairfax County by shopping for a week's worth of groceries and personal-care products, then delivering them to the families’ homes on our church’s assigned day. Even in Northern Virginia, there are many people struggling to keep themselves and their children fed. Through Our Daily Bread, an interfaith ministry based in Fairfax County which provides supplemental groceries for up to three months, we have an opportunity to reach out and help.

Peer Depression Ministry Group
GOD LOVES US! Thus the motto of our Depression Peer Discussion Group. Why this direct reference to God? Because we believe that depression is a sickness of both the soul and the mind. Whether or not you suffer from severe clinical depression or you just have the "blues" frequently, this group will almost certainly help to some extent. It's not professional; it consists of your fellow parishioners helping each other. We meet once per week on Monday evenings from 7:30-9:00 pm. Of course, we operate on the basis of strict confidentiality.  For further information contact John at 703-644-0425 or 703-622-0366.

St. Julianna's Ladies Guild
St. Julianna Ladies Guild is the women's organization of St. Mary Orthodox Church. Our purpose includes, but is not limited to: supporting OCMC missions, maintaining and purchasing liturgical vestments and linens, assisting the parish counsel and Father David with maintenance and enhancement of the parish facility, hosting guests and parishioners at St. Mary's and supporting ARFORA, the national women's organization of our Episcopate. Please join this important ministry of our parish and meet some interesting, energetic and committed women.

Young in Faith
A fellowship group for anyone who is young (self-defined!), new to Orthodoxy, or exploring Orthodoxy, and anyone else who would like to learn about the Orthodox faith together.  We meet once a month on Sunday evenings at a parishioner's home for a potluck dinner and informal discussion with Father David and other guest speakers.

Women's Bible Study
All women of the parish are invited to our monthly Bible study, led by Stacy Gullette, at the Woglom home in Fairfax. This is a wonderful way to get to know your sisters-in-Christ while learning more about the Orthodox faith. Meetings are at 7:30 p.m., often on Tuesdays, and include time for discussion, prayer requests, and fellowship. Contact Eleni at elenibw@yahoo.com or 703-425-0834 for directions and the date of our next meeting!

Y.A.K.- Young Adult Kollective
Young Adult Kollective is a pan-Orthodox group that is working on building a sense of community amongst the young adult members of Orthodox parishes in the DC metro area and helping them discover their place in the Church through social events and service projects.