St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church, Beckley, WV

[minasoliman]

A Greek Orthodox friend and I just went last Sunday to this beautiful Church in Beckley, WV. The priest was very kind, and we met all kinds of people from all races. Most of the church congregants are converts from Protestantism, which is an amazing witness. My associate dean is actually the president of the parish council in that church also. I've also met an Indian Orthodox family who commune regularly in that Church due to simply living near there (I was like, "cool...an OO family, well originally...now EO's"), and I myself am planning to regularly commune there as well once I have diocese permissions.

I'm originally from NJ, but since I'm stuck in WV for school, and this is the closest Orthodox Church, I am going to try to frequently pray there once, if not twice a month.

Anyone here go to this Church? Have I actually met or said hi to anyone there that posts here?

One amazing thing about this Church is that the Liturgy was prayed with 99.9% English (I noticed a part of Agios was prayed in Arabic, kinda got excited there due to Arabic background :-D). May God continue to bless this Church to become a true seed of Orthodoxy in what I seem to see as a heavily Protestant WV.

God bless.

Mina

 

[Momzilla]

Mina, that sounds like a wonderful church!

 

[DonVA]

Mina,

If I still lived in WV, I'd be there! Your congregation sounds a LOT like the group I worship with at the Greek church I attend here in Va. Beach.

 

[Shubunkin]

Interesting! Thanks for posting this. May you continue to have a wonderful experience there.

 

[Breaking Babylon]

I live about 45 minutes from Beckley, and I've heard good things about that Church. If I'm back in that area I'd definitely pay her a visit.

Be blessed!

 

[Aristokles]

Mina,

If I still lived in WV, I'd be there! Your congregation sounds a LOT like the group I worship with at the Greek church I attend here in Va. Beach.

Really!?

St Nicholas is my sister's parish! Nice coincidence.

 

[The Prokeimenon!]

Mina,
As OO, what has to happen for you to receive Holy Communion at an EO Church? There is an OO man who sometimes comes to our Parish but does not commune. Our Priest says that our Bishop will allow him to receive Communion if he formally affirms faith in all seven Ecumenical Councils, but otherwise he can't.

Also, do the OO Bishops generally allow their faithful to commune in EO Churches when no OO Church is around?

Rdr Moses

 

[minasoliman]

Dear Moses,

I don't know. I think the Antiochian dioceses are very lenient.

I'm going to have a talk with both bishops (my Coptic bishop back in NJ and the bishop of the diocese here) and see what might be the plan. I'll have to ask the Indian family what they did.

Unfortunately, I'd probably be in that OO man's situation if I was asked to accept the last four councils. The bishop who required this does not understand the nature of the dialogues, imo. If I must, I'll have to drive 90 and probably twice as more to get to the nearest OO Church to partake of the Eucharist. I'm pretty optimistic about the Antiochian Church though.

As for OO bishops allowing their congregants, I think that might also depend. I don't know how my own bishop would react, but it seems to me that the Indian Orthodox bishops here are okay with it. In fact, most, if not all Indian Orthodox seminarians I know study at EO seminaries (actually a requirement before priesthood for some of them).

Mina

 

[The Prokeimenon!]

Dear Moses,

I don't know. I think the Antiochian dioceses are very lenient.

I understand that relations between the Copts and Antiochians are quite warm. I hope that whatever happens, you don't have to go without the holy mysteries for too long.

Rdr Moses

 

[minasoliman]

Thanks Moses.

Hopefully in October, I'll try to partake of the Eucharist, and perhaps even seek spiritual guidance and absolution from my sins from the priest there.

Mina

 

[minasoliman]

Just wanted to give an update. This blessed church has a new website:

http://www.orthodoxbeckley.org/

God bless.

Mina

 

[GabrielWithoutWings]

Mina,
As OO, what has to happen for you to receive Holy Communion at an EO Church? There is an OO man who sometimes comes to our Parish but does not commune. Our Priest says that our Bishop will allow him to receive Communion if he formally affirms faith in all seven Ecumenical Councils, but otherwise he can't.

Also, do the OO Bishops generally allow their faithful to commune in EO Churches when no OO Church is around?

Rdr Moses

I think it's just different depending on the church. I asked Fr Stephen from Saint Ignatius in Franklin, and he said that he can commune copts who approach his altar, though he cannot serve at a Coptic altar.

 

[GabrielWithoutWings]

Just wanted to give an update. This blessed church has a new website:

http://www.orthodoxbeckley.org/

God bless.

Mina

By the way, Mina. If you order from Pizza Hut and see a long-haired fellow named Dave coming to your door, tell him Gabe said hi.

I'd love to see the look on his face.

 

[minasoliman]

Why? There's a guy named Dave in Beckley you know?

Or did I just ruin a joke?

Confuzzled...

 

[GabrielWithoutWings]

Why? There's a guy named Dave in Beckley you know?

Or did I just ruin a joke?

Confuzzled...

Yeah, my friend Dave lives in Beckley and works as a delivery driver for Pizza Hut.

I'm surprised there's an Orthodox church there, being fundamentalist country.

 

[minasoliman]

That part of WV does not seem to be that fundamentalist really, although I am surprised of the large number of churches I see everywhere I drive.

Perhaps, it's deeprooted to conservative Protestant-like Christianity, but this church seems to give herself a good witness to the community.

God bless.

Mina

 

[Adammi]

Beckleyan here
I've always wanted to go to this church sometime, but have never gotton to it. I love driving through downtown just to see it. LOL
I go to the Church of God Family Worhsip Center (the really big white one overlooking everything). I don't agree with them doctrinally, but I enjoy the friendliness of the people who I have grown to be family with.

It's good to see someone else from around here on CF.

 

[minasoliman]

Not really a Beckleyan...more like a Lewisburger who happens to find this the closest and coolest Orthodox Church in the area.

Mina

 

[Adammi]

Not really a Beckleyan...more like a Lewisburger who happens to find this the closest and coolest Orthodox Church in the area.

Mina

You mentioned that you are going to college around here. Where might that be?

 

[minasoliman]

Lewisburg, WV

West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine