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HISTORY of
Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church
1122 Appleton Rd., Simi Valley CA 93065
Ventura County, California USA
INTRODUCTION:
By the late Arch-deacon Antonious Rostom (Mr. Magdi Rostom).
In 1980 AD the church started with only eight (8) families. The late Fr. Antonious Henein dedicated his efforts and began holding services once a month on Saturdays in a Russian Orthodox Church in Oxnard. Almost all the priests visited and took turns serving in our beloved church.
By the grace of God and the blessed support of many, the small congregation purchased a house on 7th street in Oxnard and added an additional room to enlarge the place and be used as a church in 1983 AD. Mr. Michael and Mr. Ibrahim Shehata were mainly the two servants sent by Fr. Antonious Henein-of blessed memory, to serve the small group for several years.
His Grace Bishop Tadros of Port-Said -Egypt, visited and blessed the congregation in 1988 AD. In 1988 AD His Grace Bishop Bishoy of Damietta, of blessed memory, and H. G. Bishop Benyameen Bishop of Menoufyia, under the instructions and blessings of H. H. Pope Shenouda III send Rev. Father Angelos Doss to serve the new church in Ventura County, where we found out many families living in that county, so we rented a church in Newbury Park for 6 consecutive months. The result was many families came to pray and attended on a regular basis and were added to the regular and permanent congregation list of 45 families of Archangel Michael Church.
+ Father Angelos Doss served us for less than 2 years as he had to go back to New Jersey, as his family lived there since their immigration.
The late Rev. Father Antonious Younan took over and we began praying once more on Saturdays at the previous church which we rented in Oxnard.
+These areas were served by our church; Simi Valley, Moorpark, Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Newbury Park, Oxnard, Agoura Hills, West Hills and Ventura.
On the historical visit of H.H. Pope Shenouda III to Los Angeles in 1989 AD, His Holiness met with our congregation in St. George in Bellflower on February-11th1989AD, to discuss the availability of permanent service for pastoral care in these areas, and to encourage us His Holiness was very generous and donated us $20,000 and decreed that the church will be named “Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church”. His Holiness also said that the church has to be in an area suitable for all these cities. The meeting was concluded after two full hours listening to the wisdom and clarity of mind of H.H. Pope Shenouda III With his holiness charisma and sweet words H.Holiness called the church ‘Ventura El-Ammoura.’ i.e. Ventura the sweet.
We continued praying, hoping to find either a place to purchase or land to build a church. At last, we found a property and purchased it for $375,000, with $100,000 available in our bank account. The Oxnard house needed to be sold to secure the funds, as there were three other interested parties:
A) A group interested in building.
B) Another church.
C) A large corporation.
We had to act quickly and deposit the $100,000. By God's grace, everything fell into place—the Oxnard house was sold, the funds were deposited, and the property became ours. All glory and blessings to God.
The church was located in Moorpark, in a cul-de-sac at 110 Fremont St.
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ORTHODOXY
The term 'Orthodox' is of Greek origin. 'Ortho' means straight, and 'doxa' mean glorification. So, 'Orthodox' is straight praise/ teachings, followed by established traditions and beliefs, conforming to established 'doctrine'.
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