Our Story

The Call to Reimagine the Church in the West

In 2023, His Eminence Metropolitan Serapion approached us and asked us to think about how the church would look in the United States and to offer a vision that helps slow down the tide of people who are leaving the Coptic church here in the West.

A Vision Rooted in Christ

Our thought was to simply offer the living Christ and the ancient faith in a way that resonates with those who have been raised in the West. We adopted the prospect that we are called to seek Christ first, then Know Christ and finally, become partakers of divine nature to Be Christ. We believe that rediscovering who Christ is enough and should transcend all cultures. Hence the name.

Scriptural Foundation

As St. Paul says in Col 2:6 “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.”

Our Vision

Embracing the Universal Church

Starting with the Pentecost, it becomes clear that the church knows no boundaries. The church was never meant to be limited to just be “Western,” “Eastern,” “American,” or “Egyptian”; there is only ONENESS in Him.

Following the example of the Apostles when preaching to the world, we seek to connect in a culturally sensitive and appropriate way in whichever country the Church finds itself, focusing on Christ and the wisdom of the fathers of His Church.

Contextualizing Orthodoxy in America

Here in the United States, the goal is clear: To be VERY ORTHODOX and VERY AMERICAN.

As the church has always done throughout it’s history, we aim to present Christ in a way that recognizes and contextualizes the culture of our time and place.

Our Mission

Supporting Local Parishes

Our mission is to become a resource to local parishes serving the faithful here in America as the Coptic Orthodox church continues to become more impactful and relevant in the lives of those it serves.

Connecting the Western Identity withAncient Faith

By focusing on bringing the life in Christ into the lives of all people who identify as “Western” (whatever their cultural heritage or race), we hope to firmly connect them (or reconnect those who have been severed) into the body of Christ in America in the Holy and rich Tradition of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

We intend to focus on a delivery method that is cultural appropriate, sensitive, and aware. In so doing, we hope to focus on a more ancient, traditional, patristic and biblically based praxis.

Fostering a Welcoming Community

We offer a variety of ministries that support the local parish and hope you find a supportive and welcoming community that honors unique identities and both individual and collective spiritual journeys without judgment or negativity.

We recognize that HE IS THE WAY, and there is no other.

Our Name

The Significance of “I AM”

In the Gospel of John, there's a remarkable moment where Jesus walks on water amid a fierce storm. We find that the disciples were understandably afraid when they saw Jesus approaching.

What happens next is profound.

If we look closely, Jesus approaches and speaks the words "Egō eimi," (Ancient Greek: ἐγώ εἰμι)  which in English translates to"I AM." This phrase carried deep significance in the scriptures. It echoed back to the name God gave Moses when He revealed Himself as "I AM" (Exodus 3:13-15).

This wasn’t just about existence—it spoke of God's eternal presence, His essence as the source of life itself.

Divinity and Relationship

Thus Jesus is declaring His divinity in that moment and then establishes a relationship with all of humanity when he steps into the boat with them.

This contrasts with earlier encounters in scripture, where God's presence often required people to keep their distance.

Here, God in the flesh draws near.

This scene is a powerful reminder that in life’s storms, when everything seems to be falling apart:

  • Jesus comes not only with power but also with tenderness

  • He is both infinite and intimate, offering both authority and companionship

  • He doesn’t just tell us to cast aside fear

  • He joins us in our challenges, bringing strength and peace

The “I AM” Statements in Iconography and Scripture

The use of this phrase in some of the uses found in the Gospel of John and constitute the great “I AM’s” of Christ.

In the icon, we see three letters in the halo. They are omicron, omega and nu (Ο/ο, Ω/ω, and Ν/ν, respectively).

Together they make up the Greek phrase ὁ ὤν (pronounced ho ṓn), which is the nominative masculine singular present participle of the verb εἰμί (eimí, "to be") and can therefore be translated as "he who is/exists."