St. Matthew Orthodox Christian Church
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese
Torrance, CA

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Welcome!

Welcome to St. Matthew Orthodox Christian Church in Torrance, California.

We are an Eastern Orthodox Christian Church of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.

We are a warm and diverse community of serious Christians who seek to worship God faithfully and witness the Gospel through love for our neighbor. 

ALL ARE WELCOME!

If you are joining us for the first time we ask of you to:

1) Dress modestly,

2) Come without expectation and allow yourself to just be present in the worship, and

3) If you are able to, join us for a meal after the service (On Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings).

 

If you are visiting from another Orthodox Church it is helpful to let us know ahead of time, especially to let us know if you plan to approach the Chalice for Holy Communion

 

You can see our schedule of services and activities here: https://saint-matthew.net/schedule

Joining the Orthodox Christian Church

1) The first step in joining the Orthodox Christian Church is to attend services.

Services are offered daily and are open to all. The Holy Eucharist (Holy Communion) is reserved for Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves to receive Holy Communion.

2) When visiting, be sure to introduce yourself to our Priest, Father John.

When meeting Father John you can arrange with him a time to meet and talk one-on-one to share about your journey and ask any questions you may have about the Church and the process of becoming an Orthodox Christian.

3) Get involved!

You are encouraged to try to attend services as much as you are able to. It was the regular life of the first Christians to gather daily. Along with services, try to make it to the various opportunities to learn about the faith, Wednesday night Family Nights (6:30pm), Friday morning Bible Studies (7am), and Saturday after Catechism Classes (3:30pm).

The Holy Apostle & Evangelist Matthew
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St. Matthew was the son of Alpheus. From the Hebrew his name means the Gift of Jehovah. He was also known as Levi the Publican, a tax collector for the government of Rome in the Judean town of Capernaum.

St. Matthew wrote the first book of the New Testament, the Gospel According to Saint Matthew. Here he wrote of the coming of Our Lord, the birth of Jesus Christ, the years of His preaching, the story of the Sermon on the Mount and the Passion and Resurrection. It is known that St. Matthew wrote the Gospel in the last quarter of the first century.

St. Irenaeus and St. Clement of Alexandria tell us that after Our Lords Ascension, St. Matthew preached the Gospel in Judea for fifteen years. Tradition says he also preached in Persia and Ethiopia and stories of his martyrdom exist.

Troparion for St. Matthew
O Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, intercede with our merciful God to grant our soul forgiveness of sins.

You did hear the divine voice and received the light of faith, abandoning the office of publican. You proclaimed the Good News of the ineffable Kenosis of Christ, O Apostle Matthew and now you intercede that they who praise you be granted forgiveness of offenses and great mercy.

Commemorated on November 16

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Today's Commemorations
Forefeast of the Dormition of our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary, The Holy Prophet Michaias (Micah), Holy Hieromartyr Marcellus, Bishop of Apameia, Holy New Martyr Symeon of Trapezoundos (1653)
Today's Scripture Readings
ST. PAUL'S SECOND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS 4:13-18
Brethren, since we have the same spirit of faith as he had who wrote, "I believed, and so I spoke, " we too believe, and so we speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
MATTHEW 24:27-33, 42-51
The Lord said to his disciples, "As the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of man. Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken; then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed, ' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.
Today's Thought

“Thy love draws me to Thee, O Savior, O praise of my life. Thy grace makes it sweet for me to follow Thee with my mind." -- St Ephraim the Syrian