About the Community of St. George Cathedral in Worcester
"Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain new comers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels." (Hebrews 13:1-2)
We are a parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America. We have been blessed over the last one hundred years with a growing community that focuses on love, joy and faith.
Since its inception, our parish has grown significantly. It continues to strive to bear more effective witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as expressed in the apostolic tradition and worship of the Orthodox Church. We invite you to also participate in this witness by joining the worship and fellowship of our parish.
Our cathedral community has a lot to offer for people of all ages. Our organizations are extremely active and they strive to spread the Gospel of our Lord and Savior with joy and faithfulness. Please take some time and read and look through our website and let us know if we can do anything to assist you.
Mission Statement
The mission of St. George Orthodox Cathedral is to preserve and proclaim the Gospel of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, and grow in our Christian faith by joyfully serving and uniting all people through love, charity, education and worship.
Vision Statement
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The parishioners of St. George will reach out to people of the Worcester community as well as provide a safe haven (safe place) for the community.
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The parish will develop active teen and young adult ministries that provide increased opportunities for involvement in the parish and in the greater Worcester community.
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The parish will increase membership within the Parish Community as well as understanding of each other.
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The parish will increase participation of its parishioners or members in all aspects of Church life.
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The parish will increase the educational opportunities for its parishioners.
Core Values
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Sharing Christ with all
Reveal Christ to our parish and the community through a Christ-like example of love, acceptance, compassion, and by proclaiming the Word of God.
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Learning and Teaching
Learn the Word of God through the study of Scriptures and through the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the Apostles. We proclaim God's Word by allowing our learning to transform our actions and behaviors towards those with whom we interact.
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Living our faith
Through Orthodox Christian education, we increase our knowledge of the faith sacramentally, liturgically, spiritually, and scripturally as the Body of Christ in order to grow in and live out our faith.
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Fellowship
Cohesive in communal faith with and in Christ through ministries engaged with all ages.
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Love bears all things
Care for all, to be a cheerful, humble giver and serve with our whole being.
We hope our website gives you a good sense of who we are as Orthodox Christians and what we believe about God and His Church.
The Orthodox Church has her origin with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, not with a human teacher, nor group, nor a code of conduct or religious philosophy. Orthodoxy believes that the Church has her origin in the Apostolic Community called into being by Jesus Christ, and enlivened by the Holy Spirit. The Feast of Pentecost, which is celebrated fifty days after Easter, commemorates the "outpouring'' of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and marks the beginning of the mission of the Church to the world.
We are Orthodox because our tradition of prayer and worship is rooted in the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic undivided Church.
The Orthodox Church was founded by Christ through the Apostles and has maintained a living, historical connection with the Apostolic Church through the ordination of its clergy. The bishop that ordains an Orthodox priest today can trace his ordination historically all the way back to the Apostles, and through them to Christ. For this reason we are “apostolic” – rooted in the first Apostles – the disciples of Jesus.
We are also apostolic because we believe our calling is to go out and share our faith with others. For this reason, we welcome you to visit the Orthodox Christian parish in your neighborhood or town.
Although our parishes may carry a designation of Antiochian, Greek, Russian, or some other ethnic identity, this does not imply that you need to be of a certain ethnic origin to join us in worship or to consider becoming an Orthodox Christian.
Experience the Life of our Parish Community in the following ways:
About this Series of Articles
Treasures of Orthodoxy is a series written for the non-Orthodox, especially those who are considering becoming members of the Orthodox Church and who wish to deepen their appreciation of her faith, worship, and traditions. They are authored by Fr. Thomas Fitzgerald, a faculty member of Hellenic College Holy Cross School of Theology. These and many more articles can be found at the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America website.