Church Leadership
orthodox mission
concord, nc
Reverend Father Thomas M. Fernandez
Parish Priest
B efore converting to the Orthodox Faith, Fr. Thomas served as an assistant pastor at an evangelical church in Greenville, NC. During that time he began to study Church history and Orthodox Theology. In 2002, his convictions led him to resign from his position. He relocated to Wilmington, NC where he re-entered the nursing profession, focussing on rehabilitation medicine. Fr. Thomas, his wife, and 5 children became members of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church where they received Holy Baptism and Chrismation.
He served at the altar, as a chanter, and was on the parish council for 2 terms. Desiring to continue his studies in Orthodox Theology, he enrolled in the St. Stephen's House of Studies - St Balamand University. After completing the program he began traveling to Myrtle Beach, SC to attend St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church where he was welcomed by Fr Gabriel Bullock.
In 2009, after meeting His Grace, Bishop Antoun of thrice blessed memory, he was ordained to the diaconate and enjoyed serving with Fr Gabriel for 5 years. During this time he completed the MA of Applied Orthodox Theology through St. Stephen's House of Studies / Balamand University.
In September of 2020, His Grace, Bishop Nicholas asked Fr. Thomas to assist Fr. Paul in establishing Christ The Good Shepherd Antiochian Orthodox mission where he served as the deacon.
On August 7th, 0f 2021 he was ordained into the priesthood and serves as the parish priest of CTGS.
If you would like to reach out to Fr. Thomas directly he can be reached by email here.
The Right Reverend Bishop Nicholas
Diocese of Miami and the Southeast
H is Grace, Bishop Nicholas holds a Master of Divinity degree, awarded with Highest Distinction, from studies undertaken between September 2002 and May 2005 at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts. His Grace speaks Arabic and English fluently. His second language in Syria was French, which he had used, along with Hebrew, Ancient Greek, New Testament Greek, and Modern Greek, to conduct research on theological subjects.
His Grace was ordained to the Holy Diaconate by His Eminence Metropolitan Philip on April 23, 2004, and to the Holy Priesthood by His Grace Bishop Antoun on January 9, 2005. Upon graduating from Holy Cross Seminary, he was assigned by His Eminence Metropolitan Philip to St. Philip Antiochian Orthodox Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he served from August 2005 to December 2011. He was elevated to the dignity of Archimandrite by His Eminence Metropolitan Philip on February 14, 2010, and was consecrated to the bishopric as the Bishop of Brooklyn on December 11, 2011 at the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in the Patriarchal Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand, Balamand, Lebanon. His Grace has visited Mount Athos several times for contemplation and spiritual rejuvenation.
Today, His Grace leads the Diocese of Miami and the Southeast which includes more than 40 churches and missions in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
You can read his full biography here.
His Eminence Metropolitan Saba
Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.
B His Eminence, the Most Reverend Saba Isper is the Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East and the Holy Synod of Antioch elected His Eminence to lead the Archdiocese during its extraordinary session on Feb. 23, 2023, in Balamand, Lebanon.
His Eminence was ordained on Nov. 29, 1984. He was ordained a priest in 1988 and elevated to the dignity of archimandrite in 1994. He pastored St. Michael the Archangel Church in the Archdiocese of Latakia until 1998. During that time, Metropolitan Saba edited and published the Orthodox Christian magazine Farah geared toward children and families.
In 1998, Metropolitan Saba was elected and consecrated as an auxiliary bishop to His Beatitude Patriarch Ignatius IV of thrice-blessed memory. In 1999, His Beatitude and the Holy Synod of Antioch elected him as metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Bosra, Hauran and Jabal Al-Arab in Syria.
Simultaneously with his pastoral and episcopal duties, from 1995-2006, His Eminence served as instructor of Pastoral Care and Introduction to the Old Testament at the St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology in Balamand.
His Eminence established a publishing house in the Bosra Archdiocese, the Al-Arabiya magazine for adults, and continued issuing Farah for children. An English version has been produced since 2010. Metropolitan Saba authors weekly articles on his Facebook page and has written on various topics in Al-Noor, Patriarchal and Al Arabiya magazines. He has authored a number of books in pastoral life and theology.
Metropolitan Saba has also translated a number of titles from English to Arabic, including works by Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev and Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko.
His Eminence's patron saint is St. Saba (Sabbas) the Sanctified, commemorated on Dec. 5.
