St Maximus Orthodox Church

Leon Hiro Plant★★★★★4 months ago

Beautiful and humble Orthodox Church. I felt very welcomed. This is a very traditional church so there are very few seats - expect to stand for the entire liturgy. If your goal to come to church is to find a community, you must reevaluate yourself. Despite this being a great, tight-knit community, that’s very welcoming, that comes after seeking God. Thank you to everyone at St Maximus for welcoming me and my friends while we were in town

Zion★★★★★6 months ago

I attended the liturgy on their blessing of water day and it was reverent. Every body was dressed modestly including the head veils in keeping with the Orthodox tradition. They were all very welcoming and respectful. Sister Tiffany thank you for your hospitality! I felt like I was in my Oriental Orthodox Church. The church is small,but the devotion and faith I witnessed were immense. I will definitely visit again.May the love,peace and blessing of our Good Shepherd Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be with you!

Adam★★★★★7 months ago

It's a great small house church! And very close to the UNT campus. The priest is very nice and you meet a new person there pretty much after every liturgy. I became Orthodox here, and made a lot of life long friends

Seraphim9100★★★★★9 months ago

The priest here is very excellent, and the church is ALWAYS packed for Sunday service. Be aware, however, that the priest is not able to greet visitors before service do to the preparation required before liturgy. However, you should always seek him out for a talk during coffee hour! (It's always quite busy so forgive him if he's distracted) The congregation is very welcoming and kind. You can talk to anybody and they'll have a conversation! Remember to come into service just a bit early to listen to the hours and find a place to stand! I highly recommend to anyone who is seeking out Orthodoxy.

Jesse James Brannan★★☆☆☆a year ago

My family visited this church, and we weren't welcomed by anyone at all (I have emailed them, and they have answered). Only one man said hello to us. We felt lost and confused. The people and priests ignored us from after and before liturgy and coffee hour. We did not feel welcomed at all. Other than that, the Divine Liturgy was good and comforting. Next time when you are expecting visitors, welcome us. Disappointing.

Jessica Johnson★★★★★a year ago

I first started attending St Maximus around December of 2023 or January 2024, I’m still attending and everyone at this church have always been treating me like family here. Everyone pitches in to help you, doesn’t matter who you are. my glasses kept breaking and I didn’t have any money to get new ones, I used most of my money on transportation like Uber because I don’t have a car, and I lost my lens on the table and couldn’t see to find them, and two people saw me scurrying around, silently freaking out, looking for my lens that popped out, and they both asked me if I needed help getting new glasses and needed to also find out my eye prescription in order for me to get new glasses. We exchanged numbers, and then one of them ended up paying for everything, bought me glasses, took me to the eye doctor and payed for it, and gave me a ride there. And we talked and got to know each other, and I didn’t expect at all for this person to do any of this, and was worried about being a burden on another person, but he willingly did it and that’s what the Bible teaches us how to be, the Orthodox Religion hard core believes this as well, that we should carry each others burdens. I saw a homeless person walk into St Maximus, and someone brought them a pair of brand new shoes they bought them and put them on their feet. Everyone eats together like a family when service is over, and every time I think of coffee hour I think of Christ eating and dining with His Disciples, breaking bread to share with them. Homeless people / People who are also that are not Orthodox, come to the church, and people offer to food them. It’s a very welcoming and selfless church. I’m so glad I have a good community that is there for me I don’t know where I’d be without this community and without church. I’m so glad God led me here. People see it as an honor here to serve, because we try to be humbled servants of God. I read the negative reviews, and just wanted to say the reason why people don’t come up welcoming during service is because the people are busy worshipping, but when people do welcome you it’s genuine, not a “Oh lets convert you” or “Oh let’s try to get you to keep coming to our church” type of thing. Orthodoxy is more like a “decide for yourself whether to stay and listen or to go,” and a “Let Christ speak to you, see it for yourself” kind of thing. And the verse that someone commented saying: “Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”” What I think Christ meant by that is that to not give things to expect something back, to not choose a specific group of people just because you know they have money to pay you back, but to give freely to others. Basically don’t take advantage of someone. And these worldly things are frivolous anyways. He is Not saying to not invite those people at all though, although the wording seems that way, but it matters where your heart is at. But He says when you do have a feast, invite the poor and you will be blessed. Christ would not tell us “Stop feeding people at coffee hour”, “stop having coffee hour giving food to just any one, only give to the poor not to the other people.” why would He? He’s a loving God who gives to all. A selfless God. What lesson would we learn out of that anyways? Only the devil tells us things like that (lessons that have no reasoning with punishment, pride, and confusion comes from the devil, Lessons that come from God always have a reason and it’s pure). It’s not wrong to feed people like our brothers and sisters, our family, and rich people, it’s just wrong if you are simply just thinking about yourself. ☦️

Gabrielle Griffiths★★★★★a year ago

I cannot recommend St Maximus enough. My husband and I, along with our 3 children, started attending last summer. We are converts from non-denominationalism and we have felt nothing but love and support from the parish and Father Justin. At first, attending an Orthodox service can feel very overwhelming and confusing, it’s also not typical for folks to welcome you the second you step in the door because everyone is in the church, worshipping the Lord. Introductions and long conversations happen at coffee hour! They have visitors all the time and much of the parish is made up of converts and inquirers. Don’t be afraid to ask for direction or to introduce yourself first. We’ve found a home here and hope many more will follow. St Maximus is a place your babies can make some noise, you can stand back and observe without judgement, they’re so welcoming and caring.

Matthew Westbrook★★★★★a year ago

Small house church, but big heart for God. Probably the most loving church I've ever been to, the people are kind and compassionate, it's a place you can be yourself with all of your flaws and not be judged or condemned. Orthodoxy is very old and historical its a place where you can come and learn ancient Christianitys original doctrine and theology and not feel pressure or condemnation.....I highly recommend this Church.

alana green★★★★★a year ago

please don't let the negative reviews bring fear to you the church is so lovely they are so kind and really helped me and my boyfriend out! they really aren't judgmental either me and my bf are a interracial couple with tattoos and piercings and dyed hair and they brought the love of God to us in such a beautiful way i really do recommend

D. Witt★★★★★7 years ago

Nice, prayerful church. Lots of congregational singing of scripture, and the people are nice. The priest seems good. Lots of weekday services and right by UNT. If you aren’t Eastern Orthodox, you won’t be allowed to receive communion, because they have very particular beliefs about the state you should be in to take communion properly. You may do pretty much everything else with them, though. There are no pews. Everyone stands through their services, except the old and sick, but if you need to sit down at some point there will probably be seats open along the sides of the room - but don’t take one before all the sick and old arrive! If you aren’t familiar with Eastern Orthodox services, ask someone to point you to their liturgy booklets so you’ll know when to sing (there’s a lot of call-and-response type stuff between the congregation, the priest, and the choir) and what to sing (no slides with lyrics or scriptures. No hymnals. The booklets have everything. Use one unless you have everything memorized.)

Connor S★★★★★a year ago

I had a really lovely experience visiting this church. Wonderful liturgy, diverse and devout people, and an intimate but reverent atmosphere.

C W★★★★★3 years ago

Excellent parish with an excellent priest. Warm and welcoming laity…mainly converts. Church leans toward the monastic so ladies, wear skirts below the knee. Head coverings welcome but not required. Call or email priest before communing so he can verify your home parish, etc.

Sahiv Enderby★☆☆☆☆a year ago

Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

james brannan★☆☆☆☆a year ago

Me and my family was interested to try the church, so we were first time visitors, no one welcome us, we were confused were to go and what to do, they have no chairs so we had to stand up for 2 hours, and we left no one noticed us leaving, I don't recommend this church, I been to different ones and they are alot of friendly people and they welcome you

Moist Nuggeteer★★★★★a year ago

The negative reviews are baffling to me, they’re portraying the perfect opposite of my experience. Everyone here is very welcoming.

Brian Ash★★★★★7 years ago

Beautiful group of genuinely kind people. I'm not Orthodox, but have attended with a friend a few times and the community is always welcoming. Definitely worth a visit.

Brigid★★★★★7 years ago

Wonderful church and beautiful congregation! Thanks be to God. Great clergy as well! You will not be disappointed. Come and see.

Gloria Osarollor★★★★★2 years ago

Good people of God love their neighbors as themselves without being judgemental. Good bless you, Father Justin and all the other priests..

Mijinn Yukagi★★★★★4 years ago

For the worship and pray!!! Paint of the saint??? Yes!!! Singing is the more of the beautiful! Very small and more of the cozy! Pray is good!

Jeremy Conrad★★★★★8 years ago

St. Maximus the Confessor Orthodox Church is an excellent example of the True Faith. Beautiful Liturgy and beautiful people. Extremely traditional.