Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Sydney
CONTACT

WHO WE ARE

ABOUT OUR CHURCH

Who We Are

WE ARE ABOVE ALL A CHURCH FAMILY

St Luke’s is a sacred space where families can grow, be sanctified in a loving community, & share in the beauty of Orthodox Christian faith without any ethnic or cultural boundaries. We empower everyday people to love God, others & themselves.

We are an Orthodox Church in Southern Sydney that is multicultural & welcoming of people from all walks of life. Our mission is to transform lives through an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ as revealed in Scripture & as lived by the Coptic Orthodox faith.

SERVICE TIMES

Sundays Divine Liturgy @ 8:45-10:30 AM
Followed by great food, coffee & fellowship
St Luke’s Kidz Program @ 11:00 AM
Confession by Appointment

LOCATION

76 Port Hacking Rd, Sylvania NSW

Original Christianity?

Orthodox | means “right worship”:

Orthodoxy is the original Church. It is the Church that was begun by the Apostles of Jesus Christ, and worships in continuity with the earliest Church. The term “Coptic” is derived from the Greek “Aigyptos” meaning “Egyptian.“ So Coptic Orthodoxy is simply the Orthodox Christianity that was founded by St Mark in Egypt in 43 AD, in the same way that there is Greek Orthodoxy or Russian Orthodoxy.

Orthodoxy is original Christianity | Ancient Faith in a Modern World:

Orthodoxy is original Christianity. Orthodoxy is not a denomination of Christianity, in that it was not a “new” or “off-shoot” Church such as the numerous Protestant Churches. Rather it is pre-denominational in that it existed before the splits of Christianity.

What is Orthodox Christianity?

The Orthodox Church worships God in continuity with the earliest Church, and as such is the oldest Church. It is a Church of balance: between the mystical and the real; between spirituality and theology; between worship and service of humanity. Everything is in balance, otherwise known as “right worship” (Orthodox).

It is not a denomination, but rather pre-denominational. It is not a religion but rather a life with God in Christ. The Church is most clearly defined as the “One Holy, Catholic, & Apostolic Church“:

One | the unity of different ethnic expressions (i.e. Coptic, Russian, Armenian, Greek, Australian) as one Church

Holy | the Church is called to transform those of us who are imperfect and yet seek perfection

Catholic | literally meaning “universal” and so open to all races, from all walks of life without any ethnic boundaries

Apostolic | the Church maintains its direct continuity to the original Church that was founded by Jesus Christ

OUR CLERGY

Fr. Daniel Fanous

Priest

Fr. Daniel loves the African proverb: ``When the mouth moves in prayer, the feet must move too!`` He has degrees in Engineering, Medicine, and Theology, as well as having authored a number of books. Having spent most of his working career as a medical doctor, his passion is people and teaching. He is married to his beautiful wife, Sherry, and has three incredibly loud and yet gorgeous children. Beyond the cassock, he is just an ordinary guy seeking to help and be helped in sharing the love of God for all.

Fr. Samuel Fanous

PRIEST

For Fr. Samuel, Orthodoxy is a treasure that has remained hidden for many people, and it is his hope that this treasure can be revealed to people in all walks of life. Fr Samuel has worked previously as a lawyer and a doctor, as well as a degree in Theology. But his greatest challenge currently is raising three strong-minded little girls! His dream is that the Church in general, and St Luke’s in particular, is one large family all working together in unity to know and experience God.