This month, we are highlighting resources that call our parishes to carry the Orthodox Faith beyond our walls and make room for those God is drawing toward the Church. From Fr. John Parker’s challenge to take Christ’s command to make disciples seriously to Shawn’s unexpected journey from the streets of San Francisco into a parish community, these stories remind us that evangelism begins when we share what we have received and welcome others with care.
May these resources encourage your parish to look outward, welcome each visitor, strengthen its presence in the local community, and take the next faithful step in helping others encounter Christ and His Church.
Upcoming MEM Community Meetings
Are you interested in Orthodox evangelism? Every three months, the Missions and Evangelism Ministry brings together parishioners who are passionate about helping others encounter the Orthodox Faith in their local communities.
To keep the conversation practical and personal, participants meet in small regional groups organized largely by vicariate, with some neighboring vicariates combined. These meetings offer a place to share ideas, learn from one another, and discuss the opportunities and challenges facing our parishes.
All meetings will take place via Zoom on Tuesdays at 5:30 PM Pacific.
Group 1: Pacific Northwest
Tuesday, August 25
Group 2: Southern and Central California
Tuesday, September 1
Group 3: Southwest
Tuesday, September 8
Group 4: Northern California and Hawaii
Tuesday, September 15
To determine which group your parish belongs to, find your parish on the MEM Community Meetings page. Once you know your group and meeting date, register today and join the conversation.
This Month’s Featured Evangelism Resources
No Mission, No Church
Can a parish truly be called a church if it has no mission?
Fr. John Parker offers a direct challenge to a Church that has received a great gift but can be reluctant to carry it beyond its walls. This reflection asks whether we are willing to seek those who are lost, invite people into the life of the Church, and take seriously Christ’s command to make disciples. Watch the video below.
Evangelism Team Discussion Guides
- The Holy Spirit and Evangelism — Father Richard Ballew presents Orthodox evangelism as cooperation between the Holy Spirit and the Church: revealing who Christ truly is, embodying His righteousness, and inviting people into the Church’s life of worship and prayer.
- Why Do Some Parishes Reach Out and Others Don’t? — Father Barnabas Powell and researcher Alexei Krindatch examine why some Orthodox parishes become outward-looking communities—not through salesmanship, but through deep formation, full worship, shared ministry, deliberate invitation, and visible love for their neighbors.
Explore All Evangelism Team Discussion Guides
Conversion Stories
Shawn grew up in San Francisco’s Sunnydale neighborhood, where violence and life on the streets shaped much of his youth. Then, while homeless and searching for a different path, a video on Instagram led him somewhere he never expected. His story is an honest look at loss, forgiveness, and what it takes to leave an old life behind. Watch Shawn’s story below.
First Impressions
What does a first-time visitor experience when they walk into your parish? Even well-intentioned attempts at hospitality can sometimes leave a guest feeling more like an outsider. This practical video helps us see our parishes through a visitor’s eyes and reminds us that welcoming newcomers is not simply the job of the priest or greeters. It belongs to every parishioner. It is worth watching and discussing as a parish community.
Featured Website
St. Paul Orthodox Church in Tupelo, Mississippi has a simple, inviting website that helps visitors quickly understand what kind of parish they are considering. The beautiful opening photograph brings you directly into the worshiping life of the community, while the simple navigation and prominent service times make it easy to find the information a first-time guest needs. It is a helpful example of how a parish website can be beautiful, clear, and welcoming without being complicated.
Parish Social Media Spotlight
Archangel Gabriel Orthodox Church in Ashland and Phoenix, Oregon uses Facebook as more than an announcement board. Their page shares feast days, prayers, short teaching videos, parish photos, and news from the wider Orthodox Church, giving both parishioners and curious visitors regular opportunities to encounter the faith. With a clear invitation to come and worship, the page is a helpful example of how a parish can use social media to teach, connect, and remain visible beyond Sunday morning.
Upcoming Events
America as a Mission Field: What Is the Gospel? — Session 4
On Tuesday, October 6, Fr. Theodore Dorrance and Fr. Paul Truebenbach will join us for the fourth and final presentation in our America as a Mission Field: What Is the Gospel? series.
Building on three previous conversations with six Orthodox priests, this final session will continue exploring the essential questions at the heart of Orthodox evangelism in America. What is the Gospel we are called to share? What does the Orthodox Church have to offer America? How can our parishes reach those around us and take practical steps to share the faith?
This free online presentation is for clergy and faithful who want to think more deeply and act more intentionally about Orthodox evangelism in America.
Previous presentations:
- America as a Mission Field: What is the Gospel? with Fr Barnabas Powell and Fr John Finley
- America as a Mission Field: What is the Gospel with Fr Martin Ritsi and Fr John Parker
- America as a Mission Field: What is the Gospel with Fr Andrew Jarmus and Fr Christian Siskos
Help Grow Orthodoxy in America
The Missions and Evangelism Ministry exists to help the Orthodox faith grow throughout the Metropolis of San Francisco through mission planting, evangelism education, and practical support for parishes like the ones featured in this newsletter.
To sustain and expand our work, we need to raise $35,000 during 2026.
With additional support, we are ready to move forward on three initiatives:
- A Mission Planning Handbook to help parishes respond to growth and new opportunities
- Parish Evangelism Seminars that bring practical training directly to local communities
- Parish Momentum Events, two-day outreach gatherings that explain the Orthodox faith to inquirers and invite them to visit a nearby parish
Consider becoming a monthly supporter. Whether it is $10, $25, or $50 a month, consistent giving is what allows us to plan, build, and serve with confidence. A gift of $25 a month is $300 a year, and when enough people give together at that level, it changes what this ministry can do.
Every gift is tax-deductible through the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco, a registered 501(c)(3).