Organizations

Christian education is an important aspect of the ministry of St. Ignatius. Church school is held on Sunday morning at 8:45 a.m. in various classrooms in the Fellowship Hall. The church school year parallels the academic year and runs roughly from September – May.

Teen SOYO at Saint Ignatius focuses on providing opportunities for teens to get involved in the life of the Church and develop friendships with their peers. The purpose of Teen SOYO is to integrate each young person fully into the life of the Church.

The Young Adults Fellowship group meets monthly for informal, fun meals and fellowship. The group aims to help our young people (18-35ish) develop meaningful relationships with one another as they navigate the often isolating terrain of modern adulthood.

We are the women of St. Ignatius coming together for fellowship and working together to serve others through works of charity.

Our Mission Statement:
To develop among women a spirit of Christian leadership, awareness, and commitment as taught in the Holy Orthodox Christian Faith. To foster among women a genuine expression of love and service through works of charity

The Antiochian Men at St. Ignatius exist for the purpose of building up godly and responsible men who will serve their families as spiritual sons, husbands and fathers. Our purpose is to give the men of St. Ignatius a supportive forum to learn from mature models of faith.

An informal group of men & women age 65+ who bring their own lunch and enjoy one another’s company, prayer requests, celebrate birthdays and offer support.

Ministries

Acolytes

Serving within the sanctuary (the altar) during the divine services is a valuable means of formation for boys and young men (ages 5-18), allowing them to become more fully immersed in the liturgical life of the Church. At the same time, this service within the sanctuary is an important duty which must be undertaken with reverence and attentiveness.

Adult Altar Servers

Adult Altar Servers help the clergy of St Ignatius with church services. They participate in services in processions, act as assistants to the clergy, hold communion napkins (Kalima), and oversee youth acolytes. Servers help to keep the altar area clean, the lamps, wicks, and other altar supplies current and clean.  All Orthodox men in good standing over 18 years of age can inquire about this ministry.

Choir

If you wish to be part of the choir at St. Ignatius, it is imperative that you are willing to prepare and rehearse. Talent and prior experience are secondary. Anyone who is willing to work hard is capable of learning to pray beautifully.

Festal Decorating

  • Responsible for decorating the church 10 times a year
  • We make some of the arrangements ourselves, others are purchased from a florist
  • You do NOT have to know how to arrange flowers to join!

Prosphora

Mark and Margie Naftel oversee the training of how to bake Prosphora. We oversee a calendar with all the Divine Liturgies that will be celebrated and work with families who want to provide Prosphora, so that everyone who wants to take part in this ministry is able to do so.

Sacred Cleaning

Sacred cleaning is a weekly ministry to beautify St. Ignatius.

Young Myrrh Bearers

This is for young girls in the church ages 5-16 and their job is to change the liturgical cloths in the temple at the appropriate time.

Benevolence Committee

The Benevolence Committee of St. Ignatius Orthodox Church was established by Father Philip Begley in 2018 to facilitate planned giving to worthy causes in our
community and Orthodox outreach throughout the world. The committee makes recommendations annually to the Parish Council for approval and funding.

Meal Train Organization

There are two sides to our meal train organization. The first is for those in need. The second is for those who can assist in their time of need. We are here to help coordinate the two.

Meals on Wheels

St. Ignatius works with Meals on Wheels every 4th Monday of every month to cook and deliver nutritious meals to those in need in the Franklin area.
Our mission is to love and feed with a friendly smile, cook nourishing food, and work together to further our call to provide for those in need.

Prison Ministry

OCPM forms intimate relationships with people in prison over months, years, and even decades to see them grow spiritually in the long term.

St. Tabitha Stitchers

St. Tabitha Stitchers is a group of knitters and/or crocheters who provide prayer shawls for those in our parish needing comfort, encouragement, and healing. Each garment is made with love and prayer and is a tangible expression of our compassion and hope for the recipient.

The Order of St. Ignatius

Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch is an organization of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of North America with the objective of financially supporting the departments, programs and charitable works of the Antiochian Archdiocese, Patriarchate of Antioch and the Orthodox Christian faith. The Order assists the Antiochian Archdiocese in its continued effort to reach out to all in need and bring to them the message of the Gospel.

Audio/Visual Team

The Audio/Video Team at St. Ignatius is responsible for streaming our services, maintaining quality audio during services, and creating other online material as needed, such as YouTube content.

Bereavement Team

The Bereavement Ministry Team will be available to assist you with funeral preparations, to answer questions and to provide support for you and your family during this difficult time. If you would like assistance from this ministry, please do not hesitate to contact the Bereavement Ministry Team via Kh. Terry Rogers @ office@sioctn.org.

Family Night

Family Night is a weekly event that warmly welcomes individuals and families. Whether you’re a long-standing member of our church community. new, visiting, or just inquiring, Family Night is a perfect opportunity to deepen your faith, build connections, and have fun.

Garden of Holy Innocents

As Orthodox Christians, we believe that life begins at conception. Thus it is imperative that all humans, including those who die before birth, have the dignity of a name and a place of remembrance. Our Garden of Holy Innocents is within the St Ignatius Cemetery and provides a place of remembrance for those precious babes who die before birth, at birth or soon after birth.

Ushers

The Usher Ministry’s primary mission is to create a warm and hospitable environment for both visitors and parishioners. Their diligent efforts ensure that everything runs smoothly, allowing everyone to worship without disruptions.

Wedding Committee

The Wedding Committee helps to coordinate and plan weddings that will take place at Saint Ignatius Church.

Coffee Hour

Coffee Hour is a time of parish fellowship and community building after the Divine Liturgy. Volunteers help to coordinate schedules and set up and clean up the hall.

Special Events Committee

The Special Events Committee assists with the planning of Archdiocesan, Diocesan, and other special parish events.

Welcome Committee

The Welcome Committee began in 2023 as our parish was expanding in size and the goal was to greet all visitors with friendly faces and a place to get information on the parish and to help new members get plugged into organizations and groups at St. Ignatius and encourage everyone to wear their name tags to help facilitate new connections.