About Us

What is the OCF at UMBC?

The Orthodox Christian Fellowship at UMBC is a dynamic community of students, faculty and staff of different backgrounds, who share a common desire to come together for worship, fellowship and service.

Our mission will be two fold: to be place for spiritual progress, devotion and service and to bear witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the campus.

This mission will be fulfilled through regular meetings of worship, discussion, Bible studies, retreats, and creating opportunities to share the Gospel with the campus community.

What is the Orthodox Church?

The people of God gathered in His name who share a common faith and hope based on the love of God, affirm the truth of their faith, belief and experience of God, and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world.

The Orthodox Church is evangelical, but not Protestant; Orthodox, but not Jewish; is Catholic, but not Roman; it isn't a denomination or non-denominational, but the very Church Christ founded. It has believed, taught, preserved, defended, and died for the Faith of the Apostles since Pentecost 2000 years ago.

Orthodox Christianity is about nothing else but Jesus Christ Himself, and the healing of our souls and bodies, and the reconciliation of humanity and God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit that comes through the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Spiritual Advisor
The Very Reverend Father Gregory Mathewes-Green
Archpriest, Holy Cross Antiochian Orthodox Church
info@holycrossonline.org

Fr. Gregory lives in Baltimore, MD with his wife Frederica Mathewes-Green, where together they founded Holy Cross, our sponsoring parish. The following is from the Holy Cross website, http://holycrossonline.org:

Holy Cross Antiochian Orthodox Church is a parish of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.  Our worship services are sung almost entirely in English with strong congregational participation, along with a fine choir and trained chanters. 

Our dedication to the Orthodox formation of our young people is demonstrated by the several components of our Youth Group ministry.  We believe that our young people, struggling to live wholesome Christian lives in an anti-Christian culture, require and deserve such a support system. 

With the addition of a new deacon to our community in 2003, not only is our liturgical life enhanced, but we are also increasing our Outreach Ministries into the wider community. Already we support the local Crisis Pregnancy Center and other area social programs, such as the local food pantry.

Holy Cross is a parish strongly commited to the belief that the Holy Orthodox Church is the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles. We are equally committed to the implications of that belief: that the Orthodox Faith requires a unity of faith and a unity of life, nourished through worship in the Divine Services, strengthened through prayer, fasting, and alms-giving, sustained by the intercessions of the Holy Saints, and lived every day of the week in the homes, schools, and workplaces of our people.

Staff Worker:
OCF Staff Worker Greg Coogan
100 Hilltop Circle 
Baltimore MD 21250
e-mail:umbcocf@gmail.com

Greg Coogan is the Chaplain for the Orthodox Christian Fellowship. An alumnus of UMBC, Greg now works full time at the Social Security Administration and part time at UMBC as the Chaplain for OCF.  He is enjoying being back at his Alma Mater serving the campus community.  Originally from upstate New York, Greg has been living in Maryland most of his life and thinks it not too bad of a state!
Greg loves to cook, travel, go to the beach, hang out with friends, play Civilization, and talk with people about all sorts of topics. You can contact him at umbcocf@gmail.com with any questions. His office is at the Interfaith Center on campus, in the temporary buildings between Chesapeake and Susquehanna dorms.
Greg's patron saint is the holy Apostle Andrew, the first called.



The 2011-2012 Academic Year OCF officers are as follows:



President Maria Stavrakis

Maria is a freshman Mechanical Engineering major at UMBC.  Nineteen years old, she is the oldest of four children and enjoys drawing.




Vice President Michael Maryon

Michael Maryon, a UMBC junior, was born and raised in Maryland.  He seeks to major in mathematics and enjoys hiking, reading, hunting, and running.  His patron saint is St. Michael the Archangel as he is his namesake.



Treasurer Peter Dillon

Peter Dillon is a freshmen in his second semester at UMBC.  His major is Mechanical Engineering and he enjoys Humans vs. Zombies, Starcraft, and Calculus.  The Apostle Peter is his patron saint.



Secretary Michael Ishak

Michael is a Biology major on the Pre-Med track and a freshmen in his second semester at UMBC.  He enjoys playing sports, singing, and laughing!  His patron saint is the Archangel Michael.


< TOP >