Diocese of Charleston, Oakland, and the Mid-Atlantic
Charleston Chancery, 4407 Kanawha Ave. SE, Charleston, WV, 25304-1734
724-787-9832 (phone); 304-346-0146 (fax, marked "ATTN Bishop THOMAS")
Welcome to the Diocese of Charleston, Oakland, and the Mid-Atlantic, part of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese in America. The Diocese of Charleston is led by His Grace Bishop THOMAS and includes more than 30 churches and missions in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Click here for a directory of all the parishes in the Diocese of Charleston.
Click here for an informational PDF for our Diocese, and click here for the make-up and deans of our deaneries.
Click here to learn more about Bishop THOMAS.
Click here to see Bishop THOMAS's schedule.
To contact Bishop THOMAS electronically, email bpthomasjoseph@gmail.com.
Holy Spirit Church of Huntington Celebrates Pentecost with Bishop THOMAS
Left to right: Sdn. Joseph Peck - Parish Council Chairman; Bishop THOMAS, Fr. John Dixon.The Great Feast of Pentecost was a momentous weekend for The Holy Spirit Antiochian Orthodox Church in Huntington, WV. Pentecost is the church's feast, and they just completed construction of their new social hall and Sunday School annex. To celebrate, a banquet and hafli was conducted on Saturday, June 6. The following morning, Bishop THOMAS conducted hierarchical Divine Liturgy. Included was the installation of Abraham Saad to Subdeacon and the elevation of pastor Fr. John Dixon to Archpriest.
First Episcopal Visit of St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church + Lewistown, MD
On Sunday, April 26th (St. Thomas Sunday & Low Sunday), the faithful of St. John the Baptist Church in Lewistown, Maryland received His Grace, Bishop THOMAS, for their first episcopal visit and for the blessing of their space. Approximately 40 people were in attendance for the occasion at the historic chapel where the former Charismatic Episcopal Church congregation had been worshipping since Christmas 2005. Bishop THOMAS’s visitation followed closely the recent Chrismation of the new faithful on April 10th at Ss. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church in Potomac, Maryland, and their first Divine Liturgy on Palm Sunday. During the episcopal visitation, James K. Hamrick, the congregation’s former pastor was also ordained a subdeacon by Bishop THOMAS. Fr. Peter Jacobsen from New York is currently serving St. John the Baptist Church as the interim priest and pastor.
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Paschal Greetings from Bishop THOMAS
PASCHAL GREETING 2009
Beloved in Christ,
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
In anticipation of the blessed occasion of Holy Pascha, I greet you with love in the Name of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ! As we celebrate this glorious Feast of Feasts, let us remember the uplifting words of St. Gregory of Nyssa:
It is a saying in Wisdom that evils are forgotten on the day of joy (cf. Ecclus. 11, 25). This day makes us forget the first sentence brought against us; or rather it eliminates its very existence and not just its memory…. At that time death reigned because of sin; now thanks to Life it is justice which has taken over the power. At that time one man opened the gate of death; now through one man the gate of life is opened in its place. At that time we fell from life through death; now death is abolished by life. At that time we were hidden under the fig tree by shame; now by glory we approach the tree of life. At that time through disobedience we were expelled from paradise; now through faith we are admitted into paradise. Once again the fruit of life is offered to us to be enjoyed by us freely. Once again the fount of paradise with its four rivers of the Gospels irrigates the whole face of the Church, so that the furrows of our souls are inebriated which the sower of the word has ploughed with doctrine, and the seeds of virtue raised by the victors over the vanquished. Since then the battle line of the enemy has collapsed, and the one who once held sway over the force of devils has been vanquished and disappeared, annihilated, let us say that God is a great Lord and a great King over the entire earth. He has crowed the year with his kindness (cf. Ps. 64.12) and has assembled us in the spiritual choir, in Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom is glory rendered for ever and ever. Amen. (The Paschal Mystery, trans. by Thomas Halton, 97.)
May you and your family enjoy a wonderful Paschal season in the Light of Christ’s Holy Resurrection.
Yours in Christ,
Rt. Rev. Bishop THOMAS
Diocese of Charleston News Archive
