Easton, December 21, 2014
A group of Eastern Orthodox Christians led by Father Boniface Black, pastor of the St. Andrew Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church in Lewes, Del., participated in the first Divine Liturgy worship service on the Eastern Shore on Dec. 3. St. Mark’s United Methodist Church in Easton hosted the event.
“The archdiocese, and the individuals who compose this congregation are deeply indebted and appreciative of the kindness of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church for the use of their facilities for meetings and the first Divine Liturgy on the Eastern Shore,” Black said. “The Eastern Shore Orthodox mission began this past August with the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Thomas, of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese.”
The Easton mission church is the seventh mission that Black has started during his 36 years as an orthodox priest under the auspices of the Antiochian Archdiocese.
“The term Eastern Orthodoxy describes a large group of sister churches that originated from the work of Jesus Christ and his apostles in eastern Mediterranean lands and the ancient Patriarchates of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem. The missionary work of these first believers led to the spread of Eastern Orthodoxy from the Holy Land to every continent,” Black said. “At first, Orthodox services in the U.S. tended to reflect the language and origin of immigrants and their homelands.”
Currently, there are more churches that are Orthodox are using English for their entire worship. The new congregation in Easton is one of these.
The congregation in Easton has grown to more than 40 people in three months. It is composed of residents of Easton, Oxford, Queen Anne, Chestertown, Preston and Hurlock.
For more information, visit www.easternshoreorthodoxy.org or email east ernshoreorthodoxy@gmail.com.
