ST. ISAAC THE SYRIAN
We are a missional, pre-denominational, local church, using the ancient expression of Faith in Jesus Christ to solve the problems we face in the modern world. We believe in God as Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We believe Christ is fully God and fully Man. We believe Jesus to be the only way to eternal salvation, that He lived a sinless life, offered Himself upon the Cross for our redemption, conquered death and hell, and literally and bodily rose from the dead and ascended to the right hand of God the Father Almighty. We believe the Faith that was given once and for all to the Saints, existing in every age under great resistance, preserved in the Succession of Faithful Witnesses, and that we await Christ's literal return to rule and reign forever. We believe in a literal, 7-day creation of the world by God. We believe in the Bible as God's Holy Word, inspired by the Holy Spirit and preserved within His Church. We see Baptism in the Name of the Holy Trinity, the Laying on of Hands, the Lord's Supper, Confession of Sins, Ordination (Male Deacons, Presbyters or Overseers), Marriage between One Man and One Woman, and Anointing with Oil for Healing as sacred institutions that God uses for our holiness and sanctification. We believe that the Holy Spirit gives all Christians spiritual gifts to use for ministry within the Church. And, we look forward to the Resurrection of the Dead and life eternal with Jesus Christ Our Lord in His New Kingdom!
The Church exists locally, within the communion of the faithful and the order of the clergy under one bishop, and is only expressed in synod with other bishops based upon this local reality. Our goal is to avoid the unpastoral and idolatrous idea that our "validity" somehow originates in the recognition of foreign synods, entangled with secular power, and often administering for the good of clergy, rather than simple ministry to the faithful. Our official canonical status is that of a Western Rite Vicariate in the Orthodox Archdiocese of America. We sit in synod with the Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church in the Philippines, the Anglican Vicariate of the Orthodox Archdiocese of Manila, the Missionary Diocese of East and Southeast Asia (Singapore) of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in East Asia, and the Vicariate's Missionary Diocese of Bangkok. We are also founding signatories of the World Federation of Orthodox and Apostolic Churches. In this, we remember that our communion is first with Christ, and then through Him, by the power of the Holy Spirit, with all other right believing Christians around the world.
Whether you help through monetary donations, volunteering your time, or spreading our mission through word-of-mouth, thank you. We couldn't accomplish our goals without the help of brothers and sisters like you! We are extremely excited about continuing our mission with you and serving Christ together!
Are you passionate about serving Jesus? Let us know! We are always looking for partners in the ministry to help us make our vision a reality. We'll help you find a way to volunteer that best suits you. We're excited to have you join the team!
Our founding Bishop and Chief Missioner, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Boyd, holds an M.A. in Orthodox Theology from Balamand University, a Ph.D. in Leadership and Management from Louisiana Baptist University, a Ph.D. in Psychology at the same institution, and is currently working on a Ph.D. in Greek and Eastern Orthodox Theology at the Pavel Florensky School of Orthodox Theology at Euclid University. He is married to his wife of 21 years, faithfully pastoring for the last 20 years, planting over eight different church ministries, and raising their eight children in the Christian Faith.
Our Head of Chaplaincy, Pastoral Formation and Inner-City Outreach, the Rt. Rev. Jamil Willis, is the Bishop of Greater Chicago and Northern Indiana. He has raised a dynamic and devoted family of 6, being married to his lovely wife of 24 years, and serving officially as a missionary and pastor for the last 17 years. He is currently working toward becoming a licensed psychotherapist and counselor, and has an active inner-city and faith based addiction recovery ministry. His passion is to grow loving, healthy, biblically-grounded communities that can act as a hospital to the hurt and suffering people in marginalized communities who desperately need the Church to come to them.
Our Chancellor, the Rt. Rev. Cbp. Philip Clayton, is the Chorbishop of Raleigh and the Carolinas. He completed his theology studies in a combination of Evangelical, Holiness and Eastern Orthodox institutions, working in emergency medicine, training and administration as a tent-maker for the last 9 years, founding and pastoring St. Augustine of Canterbury Western Orthodox Church near Raleigh, North Carolina. He is married to his wife of 13 years, and is raising their four children in the radical embrace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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