Coptic Orthodox Church Launches City of London Ministry

The Coptic Orthodox Church is set to launch a new outreach initiative in the City of London, it has been announced.

The leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK, Bishop Angaelos, announced the launch of The St. Paul Ministry, offering contemporary monthly services which maintain traditional Coptic spirituality.

The services will be held in the beautiful and historic St. Mary-le-Bow, an Anglican church in the City of London.

Although the services will be carried out in English, rather than the usual Coptic Egyptian, they will still follow the Coptic liturgical patterns, and use traditional Coptic hymns.

After services, worshippers will be invited to take part in a fellowship meal and a contemporary Bible study and discussion.

The new initiative will begin on Sunday 4th March at 10am.

It has been spearheaded by Bishop Angaelos, the dynamic leader of British Copts, who has recently been instrumental in building close links with the Anglican church.

Bishop Angaelos said: “While this is a new and exciting ministry for the Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, it follows the ethos that has been at its core for centuries, introducing people to our Lord Jesus Christ through the lived perspective of the Church in a real and relevant way.

“The words of Acts 2:42 have always been especially pertinent to me, and it is exciting to see them presented in a fresh 21st Century expression.”

Now it is hoped that many will be able to encounter Christianity through the services which are rich in symbolism. For many churched and un-churched people, the ‘exotic’ nature of Coptic Orthodoxy can present a barrier to engagement with it. But now organisers think that the St Paul Ministry will help to open it up.

In a statement the Copts said:

“The St Paul Ministry is founded on a novel and fresh approach to fellowship, with the aim of encountering Christ through the life and practice of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Christian Church of Egypt.

“This Ministry aims to make the ancient apostolic Faith practical, reachable and tangible within a Western context. Our goal is to enable the enrichment of lives through the fellowship of the Church, the manifest Body of Christ.

“Our goal is to enable the enrichment of lives through the fellowship of the Church, the manifest Body of Christ.”

The initiative was inspired by the description of the early Christian church, in Acts 2:42.