Our Mission

The goals of our parish are to equip the members of the parish for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:12) and that together we should grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

Because of the desire of our parish community to appeal to the diverse and native population primarily concentrated in the Columbia-Laurel area, we are dedicated to the worship, witness, and teaching of the Holy Orthodox Christian Faith in the native vernacular, English.

The Community of St. Matthew is a parish of the Orthodox Church in America, the Diocese of Washington and New York. Our bishop is His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, Archbishop of Washington and New York, and Metropolitan of All America, Canada and Mexico.

Parish History

St. Matthew parish held its first Divine Liturgy on the Sunday after Pascha on April 24, 1988 in the Main Chapel at Fort Meade, MD. It was founded with the blessings of Metropolitan Theodosius as a mission parish serving Laurel and Columbia, MD and the surrounding regions. The original congregation had 38 adults and 12 children and was led by Fr. Gregory Pelesh, an Air Force Chaplain (and Colonel) assigned to Fort Meade, MD. Fr. Raymond Velencia joined the parish as its permanent priest on January 1, 1989 after graduating from Holy Cross Seminary, Boston, MA.

In September 1989, the parish moved its worship services from Calvary Chapel, at Fort Meade to the Locust Park Neighborhood Center in Long Reach Village, Columbia, MD. In June 1990, the community moved its meeting place to Amherst House in the Kings Contrivance Village Center of Columbia. At that location the church school grew quickly and the parishioners founded many ministries in the service of Jesus Christ. After a course of study, in Nov. 1993, Nick Theodorakis was tonsured and became our first Subdeacon. Jeff Miller and later Duane Johnson left with their families to attend St. Tikhon's and St. Vladimir's Seminary, respectively. During the six years at Amherst House, Fr. Ray conducted Lenten retreats. Also during this time, Fr. Ray together with his wife, Debbie, led several Orthodox Marriage Encounter Weekends in the Baltimore-Washington area.

At Pascha, in the spring of 1994, a vision of building housing for physically disabled adults was received and communicated by Maria Turley. After much discussion, the parish agreed to support the idea and sponsor what was to become St. Matthew House. Fr. Ray and Maria along with several other parishioners volunteered time over a period of years to work toward that end. Parishioners Kristine Patico Koumentakos and Janice Theodorakis were engaged as consultants to the grant writing and development of the project. Community support was solicited and garnered along with a grant from HUD as well as foundation, corporate, and personal donations. A partnership with Community Residences of Arlington, VA was formed to assist in the building and operation of St. Matthew House.

As a result of steady and sustained annual growth, on June 1, 1996, the community moved its meeting place to larger worship and church school facilities at Slayton House in the Wilde Lake Village Center in Columbia. In September 1997, Duane Johnson following his graduation from St. Vladimir's Seminary, returned to St. Matthew parish as associate priest. The following year, the book God's Child Andrew by Sandy Johnson was published by St. Vladimir's Seminary Press. In 1999, St. Matthew House, located at the Kings Contrivance Village Center, became a reality and was dedicated by Metropolitan Theodosius on April 25, 1999. In September 1999, the parish decided to pursue the development of a permanent place of worship to be located at the Kings Contrivance Village Center adjacent to St. Matthew House. In fall of '99, Marty Kraus and his family left to attend St. Vladimir's Seminary. By the year 2000 St. Matthew had grown to over 85 families and had about 75 children enrolled in its church school.

In 2000, the King's Contrivance Interfaith Campus, KCIC, was formed between St. Matthew Orthodox Church and Cornerstone Community Church of God. KCIC's purpose was to acquire and develop land for separate church buildings next to St. Matthew House. The land had been set aside for church building use by the Rouse Company's Howard Research & Development Division, the Columbia development group. Over several years, Fr. Ray, Anastasia Borichevsky, Mark Bailey and Fr. Duane with hard work from many parish members obtained title to the land, developed and refined architectural plans, participated in a multitude of meetings dealing with the details and revisions of plans needed to be submitted for county approval as well as securing a construction loan of $2.4 million dollars through Howard Bank.

In 2005 and 2006, Sub-Deacon Patrick Tweedell and Deacon Nick Denysenko and their families joined the parish. Church construction began before Christmas 2005 and the first liturgy in the new building was held on the First Sunday of Great Lent, February 25, 2007. By that time, the parish community had grown to over 120 families. During 2006 and 2007, the iconographers of the parish adorned the dome, iconostasis, altar area, vestry and office space with holy icons enriching the spaces for worship and the ministry of the Lord.

Over the 20 year history of the parish, many ministries evolved that strengthened our relationship with our Lord and each other. During the school year, parents and individuals rotate as teachers in the church school held in 7 classrooms that ring the Fellowship Hall. The church school offers Orthodox Christian instruction to over 60 children Pre-K through 12. Monthly bible study and book discussion groups and annual Diocesan and parish retreats and seminars foster adult education. The Youth Group participates in service activities and outings. The Helping Hands Ministry provides meals for those in need within the parish, at Howard County's only homeless shelter and at St. Matthew House. The parish Iconographers meet to share and develop their skills. The Prayer Chain provides hospital visits and prayers for those in need. The Women's Fellowship fosters community among the parish women, supports charities and sponsors an annual Lenten retreat. The parish library offers over 560 titles including audio and video tapes and has a circulation that ranges from 15 to 40 items per week. In July 2008, a group of 12 persons including high school and college youth along a few adults will participated in a mission to "Project Mexico" to construct family housing near Tijuana. During Great Lent, Fr. Ray and Fr. Duane have presented a series of talks after Pre-Sanctified Liturgy. The topic for 2008 was "The Old Testament God of Love". Parishioners also participate in the annual March for Life held in Washington, DC, and provide volunteer support to the International Orthodox Christian Charities located in Baltimore, MD.

The parish community is blessed with a diverse representation of ethnic backgrounds including Greek, Russian, Ukrainian, Romanian, Slovakian, Georgian, Arab, Egyptian, Ethiopian, Scandinavian, English, Irish, New Zealand, Chinese, Korean, and German. At annual events such as our patronal feast day in November, the Agape Breakfast at Pascha and summer parish picnic the parish members delight in the many ethnic specialties prepared by its members and described in the parish cookbook produced in the fall of 1999. Plans are currently underway for our first Fall Festival in October 2008 to feature ethnic dishes and baked goods from Russia, Romania, Greece, Lebanon and Mexico, invited music and dance groups and sales of crafts, hand painted icons and specialty items.

We look forward eagerly to continuing to work out our salvation in reverence and awe for our Lord who has led and blessed us beyond words in the twenty years we have been together as a family of God at St. Matthew here in Central Maryland.