Why isn't there an "American" Orthodox Church

[Protomartyr Alban]

It is uncanonical to have jurisdictions of the Church to share territories. Areas outside of traditionally Orthodox countries are a mess because multiple jurisdictions have a presence. The US should be under Moscow, since they are closest and first went there - and Moscow has recognised the OCA, so it would make sense that the OCA (terrible as I think it generally is) would be the only jurisdiction in the US.

Likewise, all of Rome's former territories fall to the next in line, the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

This needs to be sorted in an Ecumenical Council, but unfortunately so many are so fixated on their ethnicity or nation that they've let it corrupt their ecclesiology to the point that bishops uncanonically share territories.

I don't believe every place needs autocephaly or autonomy, especially when so young.

 

[All4Christ]

and the parish in Harrisburg is very active and vibrant.

Same with the Mechanicsburg one

 

[All4Christ]

So I missed the part where the location you are looking for was discussed, but based on the other posts talking about Christ the Savior in Harrisburg, I can give you an overview of good options.

Christ the Savior in Harrisburg and Holy Apostles in Mechanicsburg are both very vibrant churches. We do many services together - and Holy Apostles actually was a church plant from Christ the Savior. Now it is a very active parish which I love St John Chrysostoms Antiochian is another great Church in York. Any one of those churches would fit what you are looking for. Central PA is pretty awesome in that there are many pan-Orthodox events and gatherings to go past the jurisdiction of the parish. If you are closer to another city than Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg or York, I may know of some options there as well.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Same with the Mechanicsburg one

yes, can't forget that one

 

[All4Christ]

yes, can't forget that one

My personal favorite of course though I highly recommend them all. We are blessed in this area. Six Orthodox churches in a 40 minute radius, many of which have a high ratio of both converts and people with an American ethnic background.

 

[RobNJ]

So I missed the part where the location you are looking for was discussed, but based on the other posts talking about Christ the Savior in Harrisburg, I can give you an overview of good options.

Christ the Savior in Harrisburg and Holy Apostles in Mechanicsburg are both very vibrant churches. We do many services together - and Holy Apostles actually was a church plant from Christ the Savior. Now it is a very active parish which I love St John Chrysostoms Antiochian is another great Church in York. Any one of those churches would fit what you are looking for. Central PA is pretty awesome in that there are many pan-Orthodox events and gatherings to go past the jurisdiction of the parish. If you are closer to another city than Harrisburg, Mechanicsburg or York, I may know of some options there as well.

And, Fr. Stephan, of Christ The Saviour, in Harrisburg, is the son of Fr. David, formerly of Christ The Saviour, in Paramus, NJ.

 

[All4Christ]

You will find that the Orthodox Churches in this area have very close relationships to each other and to the community.

 

[ArmyMatt]

And, Fr. Stephan, of Christ The Saviour, in Harrisburg, is the son of Fr. David, formerly of Christ The Saviour, in Paramus, NJ.

and the grandson of Fr John Nehrebecki, the nephew of Fr Alexander Atty both of blessed memory.

 

[Lukaris]

There are also variables in languages in expressing the Liturgy in some parishes. For ex. in ours on some weeks major portions ( Trisagion, Cherubic, Anaphora etc.) might be in Arabic with small doses of Greek & Slavonic included. Other weeks almost all is in English.

 

[RobNJ]

and the grandson of Fr John Nehrebecki, the nephew of Fr Alexander Atty both of blessed memory.

And, Brother-In-Law, of the Dean at the OCA Cathedral, in Philly, whose name escapes me.

 

[ArmyMatt]

And, Brother-In-Law, of the Dean at the OCA Cathedral, in Philly, whose name escapes me.

Fr Victor Gorodenchuk

 

[James4Christ 777]

Well, I attend a GOARCH (Greek Orthodox) parish, and to be quite honest the Greeks are a minority at this point. The vast majority of us are converts, and the Divine Liturgy is mostly in English. So, my thought is that eventually most parishes regardless of ethnic name will likely end up this way. As for uniting in America? I have no idea.

Intreasting in my GOARCH parish, the Greeks are being replaced more by converts , very diverse, a few Slavs, a really good amount of Arabs, a Danish couple, and a growing number of American Converts, the Iords prayer is said in multiple languages, the Liturgy is mostly in English(Greek on certain days, if a lot of Greeks or the Bishop show up).Btw I observed that Orthodoxy seems to attract a lot from our millitary, must be the sacrifice and obedience in Orthodoxy. Also lots of Lutheran converts too.

I would suggest however the OCA and Antioch are the most convert friendly (as a rule of thumb) in America. Look and see if there are any OCA or Antiochian parishes near you. Good luck in your journey.

As far as overlapping Jurisdictions go, a accident in history that I think will correct itself over time(a long time, nothing is fast in Orthodoxy).

 

[Phronema]

Intreasting in my GOARCH parish, the Greeks are being replaced more by converts , very diverse, a few Slavs, a really good amount of Arabs, a Danish couple, and a growing number of American Converts, the Iords prayer is said in multiple languages, the Liturgy is mostly in English(Greek on certain days, if a lot of Greeks or the Bishop show up).Btw I observed that Orthodoxy seems to attract a lot from our millitary, must be the sacrifice and obedience in Orthodoxy. Also lots of Lutheran converts too.

I would suggest however the OCA and Antioch are the most convert friendly (as a rule of thumb) in America. Look and see if there are any OCA or Antiochian parishes near you. Good luck in your journey.

As far as overlapping Jurisdictions go, a accident in history that I think will correct itself over time(a long time, nothing is fast in Orthodoxy).

You have hit the nail on the head describing our parish here. We do have Slavs, Arabs, and others as well with the Lord's Prayer in English, Greek, Russian, Romanian, Bulgarian, Spanish, Arabic, and German (in that order). Also, when the Bishop is here the Divine Liturgy, or about 90% is in Greek which really is fine for me even though I don't speak it as I've heard it enough times that I know what is being said, or where we are otherwise. Lastly, it's funny you say that about the military as I'm active duty, and our parish is full of military folks, but then that's because I'm in an area where the vast majority of people are active, vets, or retired.

 

[Albion]

The OCA--despite the name--is one of the Russian Orthodox jurisdictions. Of course, a parish is likely to have "several American natives" (to borrow a term from an earlier post), but that is not what the OP was asking about, I am sure.

 

[ArmyMatt]

The OCA--despite the name--is one of the Russian Orthodox jurisdictions. Of course, a parish is likely to have "several American natives" (to borrow a term from an earlier post), but that is not what the OP was asking about, I am sure.

no. the OCA is not a Russian jurisdiction. the OCA is completely independent of Russia, even though her origin was from Russia.

 

[Jude1:3Contendforthefaith]

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[RobNJ]

I consider my Parish "American, in a good way" too! For me, it only means that other than alternating the 3567246743578357644 replies of "Lord have mercy", in English, Greek, and Russian(Slavonic?), the service is in a language in which I'm reasonably fluent (English)

 

[Albion]

no. the OCA is not a Russian jurisdiction. the OCA is completely independent of Russia, even though her origin was from Russia.

Okay. I did not word that very well. It is not connected to the nation we call Russia. However, it was previously the "Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church" and was one of three ethnically Russian jurisdictions in this country (and was the largest of them, along with the "Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia" and the Patriarchal parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the USA).

The main point was this: In the late 20th century, the first of these changed its name to the Orthodox Church in America--OCA--but was still, as it remains today, primarily made up of Americans who are of Russian and other Slavic backgrounds. The name, however, probably seems to suggest something else to most inquirers who are not Orthodox.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Okay. I did not word that very well. It is not connected to the nation we call Russia. However, it was previously the "Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church" and was one of three ethnically Russian jurisdictions in this country (and was the largest of them, along with the "Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia" and the Patriarchal parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the USA).

The main point was this: In the late 20th century, the first of these changed its name to the Orthodox Church in America--OCA--but was still, as it remains today, primarily made up of Americans who are of Russian and other Slavic backgrounds. The name, however, probably seems to suggest something else to most inquirers who are not Orthodox.

well, no. it was granted autocephaly by Russia. it didn't just change its name. many of the bishops and people are converts and not Slavs.

 

[buzuxi02]

well, no. it was granted autocephaly by Russia. it didn't just change its name. many of the bishops and people are converts and not Slavs.

I think Albion just means its ultimate roots go back to the Russia church. More precisely the OCA is the successor to the Russian Mission in Alaska (when Alaska was part of Russia) and spread south into the North American continent.