Saint Mary Magdalene Orthodox Church

Are you an Orthodox Christian student at the University of California, Merced? Or, are you interested in the historic Christian Faith and Church? We are seeking to form a student group on campus that brings together not only Orthodox students, but also those interested in the ancient Christian Church -- its teachings and life.

OCF is the official college campus ministry of the Orthodox Church. It is a cooperative effort from all Orthodox jurisdictions to spread the word of Christ to the campus. OCF chapters are comprised of students within a college or university who meet for fellowship, worship, spiritual growth, and mission.

Welcome!

Welcome to the website of Saint Mary Magdalene Orthodox Christian Church!
Thank you for visiting us.  Our purpose here is to build bridges of understanding: not only between you and this our local church community, but also between folks and the Orthodox Christian Faith.

Mosaic icon of Jesus Christ as "Lord of All" (Pantocrator) from the ancient Cathedral of Holy Wisdom in Constantinople

What is Christianity? This is a question that seems to get only more difficult to answer as time goes by: so many differing groups and denominations continually pop up with their own particular answers! If a person started now, with little or no knowledge of the Christian Faith, and started surveying all the various groups and churches out there, the task would be overwhelming. We believe that the best way to discover true Christianity today is to go back to its roots in the ancient Church, starting with the days of the Apostles and moving forward.

Of course, what you find in the early Church may surprise you! Ancient Christians centered their life in Christ in community: the Church as the Body of Christ. In some ways Acts 2:42 says it best: the first Christians devoted themselves to

• "The Apostles' Teaching"
• "The Fellowship"
• "The 'Breaking of Bread'"
• "The Prayers"

Where to begin

To begin, you may want to check out our “About Us” section; here, we briefly introduce you to our church community. We’ve also written an article to prepare folks for a first visit to an Orthodox church service, called “What to Expect.” In addition, we have included two entries — one about Orthodoxy and the other about our church community — about the basic FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) of our life and faith.

There are many other sections to this website, some more developed and relevant to you than others. See "Schedule of Services" and "Directions & Basic Info" for when and where to find us gathered in worship. Our Calendar (the link is just above the green banner at the top of all pages) will give you detailed information about the various events and services of our church. Surf around as you will.