Fr. John has been serving St. Thekla since 2015 when he was assisting our founding priest, Fr. Boniface Black establish this new mission. He and his wife moved to Maryland from Texas in 2010 due to a transfer from his secular employer in Aerospace.
Fr. John was ordained in July of 2005 by His Grace Bishop Basil. He received his master’s degree in Orthodox Theology through the Antiochian House of Studies and St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology. He also holds a Master’s degree in Information Technology from the University of Maryland.
Deacon George came to St. Thekla as a tonsured reader in 2023, while a student in the Antiochian House of Studies pursuing a Master’s Degree in Theology (received Aug, 2024). Initially, he joined the choir along with Ellen, his wife, and was blessed by Father John to teach a series of classes during Great Lent and the Nativity season. He also assists in teaching catechumen classes.
In February 2024, he received the blessing of Metropolitan Saba to be ordained to the Holy Diaconate. His Grace, Bishop Thomas officiated his ordination on March 23, 2024, at Holy Cross Church, Linthicum, MD. Dn. George had also completed liturgical programs offered by Holy Cross, in Brookline Mass and the OCA.
Before coming to St. Thekla, he has served in the Orthodox Church in various capacities, administratively and liturgically, for over thirty-five years. Ellen led a Sunday School Program for twelve years and also has served the Church in different roles. In his lay profession, Dn. George worked in Corrections at the state and county levels. He served as warden and retired in 2018. They have two married sons, five grandchildren, and many God-children.
Dn. George and Shamassy Ellen truly believe that the Holy Spirit led them to the St. Thekla Orthodox Mission to grow in their faith and serve Christ’s flock. The love they received immediately, from the faithful of St. Thekla, was a clear sign they were, without question, where our Lord intended for them.
Andrew grew up in the Orthodox Christian faith, originally from Sts. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in Crossingville Pennsylvania. He was tonsured a Reader in 1984 and joined our mission with his wife Lorelly, in January of 2021. In September of 2021, he was ordained a Subdeacon by His Grace, Bishop Thomas on the same day our mission was bestowed with the name St. Thekla Orthodox Christian Church. Andrew feels Blessed to be part of the Orthodox Church of St. Thekla and the community that makes our parish.
Reader Dylan Thomas was tonsured a Reader during Bishop THOMAS' visit to our mission on September 26, 2021. Reader Dylan is very active witthin St. Thekla's parish. In addition to reading the Epistle he helps with the younger altar servers and leads weekly Readers' Vespers and Paraklesis services.