St. Matthew's Orthodox Church

St. Matthew's Orthodox Church is a warm, welcoming community in Howard County, Maryland, dedicated to worshiping God through the Divine Liturgy, embracing Holy Traditions, and engaging all senses to experience His presence. We invite all to join our diverse parish in faith, fellowship, and spiritual growth.

We host an annual Autumn Multi-Cultural Festival and are always looking for volunteers (you don't have to be Christian!) to bond with our fellow humans and share in the joyous experiences of thanksgiving and communal love.

The Orthodox Church of St. Matthew is a parish of The Orthodox Church in America, Archdiocese of Washington, DC. Our parish is one of the few Orthodox Churches in Howard County, Maryland and enjoys a wide variety of ethnic representations. We are a warm and welcoming parish and look forward to meeting you!

For those who may not be familiar with The Orthodox Church, the best introduction is to attend Divine Liturgy. The Divine Liturgy is the work of the people, where we join together to express our thanks to God and receive Holy Communion. While worshiping, we use all of our senses to fully experience the presence of God. When we enter the Sanctuary, we enjoy the scent of incense. We see the beautiful icons around us. We taste the bread and wine. We hear the priest's voice and the rich choir singing hymns. We touch the candles as we light them and use our hands to make the sign of the cross. We feel in our hearts that God is with us.

In the Orthodox Church, there are many Holy Traditions that are a vital part of our worship. Holy Traditions are vital and are experienced at all Orthodox Churches. Some traditions are cultural or have been built over time. At The Orthodox Church of St. Matthew, we also have customs that give our parish its own "personality."

While you are worshiping at St. Matthew's, you will find that:

• Services are held in English.
• There are areas to light candles when you enter the building and in front of the Altar. Please refrain from lighting candles in front of the Altar during the Epistle and Gospel readings, during the Little and Great Entrance, and during the Sermon.
• The faithful, who are physically able, stand during worship.
• Holy Communion is a sacrament offered to baptized Orthodox Christians, in good standing with their church. It is not necessary for Orthodox visitors to contact Father Constantine before receiving Holy Communion.
• During the school year, we have Sunday School for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. If you are visiting, your children are welcome and encouraged to attend Sunday School in the classrooms off of the church hall. Sunday School classes begin after Divine Liturgy.
• Please see Father Constantine to discuss becoming an Orthodox Christian or becoming a member of St. Matthew.