OUR MISSION

Holy Apostles is an Orthodox Christian community committed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the city of Bowling Green, Kentucky and the surrounding area through promoting spiritual growth, providing opportunities for parishioners to bond as family, practicing serving those in need.

OUR PRIEST

Father Terry & his wife, Khouria Amy

Father Terence (Terry) Johnston was assigned to serve as Pastor of Holy Apostles on July 1, 2022. Father Terry was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of ROCOR, of thrice blessed memory, and has previously served parishes in Mississippi, Louisiana, and Tennessee. Most recently, he served for three years as Associate Pastor of our mother parish, St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Church in Louisville, KY, before being assigned to Holy Apostles by His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph. A native Southerner, former Nashville session musician, and veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Father Terry enjoys deep dives into Southern history, music and culture, volunteering with various charities and animal rescues, and continuing to enjoy and play a variety of different music genres, including Country, classic Rock ‘n Roll, Delta Blues, and American Roots music. Father Terry is passionate about making Orthodoxy more accessible to all who seek the fullness of the Christian faith – particularly those living in rural areas – and he is grateful to the Antiochian Archdiocese for making this one of their primary missions. He and his wife, Khouria Amy reside in Cottontown, TN with their dogs and chinchilla.

OUR METROPOLITAN

His Eminence, the Most Reverend Saba Esper, is the Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America 2023. The Archdiocese of Bosra-Hauran, Jabal al Arab and Golan since 1999-2023 Holds a Civil Engineering degree from Tishreen University 1984 Holds a degree in Theology from Saint John the Damascus Institute in Balamand University in 1990 Became an instructor in Saint John the Damascus Institute and became a priest in 1988 Became the priest of St. Michael Church in Lattakia in 1999 Established Farah Magazine and was an active author and translator Promoted to be an archbishop and was assigned to be Patriarchal representative in 1999. سيادة المتروبوليت سابا إسبر متروبوليت نيويورك وسائر أمريكا الشمالية 2023 متروبوليت بُصرى حوران وجبل العرب والجولان منذ العام 1999-2023* تخرّج من جامعة اللاذقيّة حاملاً إجازة في الهندسة المدنيّة العام 1984* تخرّج من معهد القدّيس يوحنّا الدمشقيّ اللاهوتيّ في جامعة البلمند* العام 1990حاملاً إجازة في اللاهوت شَغلَ منصب أستاذ في المعهد المذكور ورُسم شماساً في العام 1988* عيّن كاهنًا في العام 1990 على كنيسة القدّيس ميخائيل في اللاذقيّة* أسّسَ في مدينة اللاذقيّة مكتبة الفرح وكان ناشطًا في الترجمة والتأليف* رقّي إلى رتبة أسقف في العام 1998 وعيّن وكيلاً بطريركيًّا* انتخبه المجمع الأنطاكيّ المقدّس في العام 1999 متروبوليتاً على أبرشيّة بُصرى حَوران وجَبل العرب* أنشأ مجلّة العربيّة التي تصدر عن الأبرشيّة* له مقالات ودراسات لاهوتيّة وكتابيّة في مجلّة النور والعربيّة والنشرة البطريركيّة* يكتب اسبوعياً على صفحته في فيسبوك مقالات تتناول أمورا لاهوتية ورعائية وكَنسّية*

OUR PATRIARCH

His Beatitude Patriarch John X

The Biography of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East. His Beatitude Patriarch JOHN X was born in 1955 in the city of Lattakia, Syria. He lived and studied in the city schools, and graduated from the University of Teshreen with a Bachelor in Civil Engineering. During his studies, he played an important role with the youth leading and teaching them Byzantine Music. As a young believer in the Church, his work was fruitful since it led to the establishment of a Byzantine Music School and many spiritual youth programs. By the blessing of God, his work led to a great spiritual revival among his generation. In 1978, he graduated from the St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology, University of Balamand, with a Bachelor in Theology. In 1983 he earned with High Honor his doctoral degree in Liturgics from the University of Thessaloniki, Greece. The tile of his Thesis published in Greek is: “The Service of Holy Baptism: An Historical, Theological, and Liturgical Study.” In 1981, and simultaneously with his doctoral studies, His Eminence successfully earned a Diploma in Byzantine Music issued by the Conservatory of Byzantine Music in Thessaloniki, Greece. His Eminence Metropolitan John Mansour of Lattakia ordained John Yazigi a deacon in 1979 and a priest in 1983, to serve in the Archdiocese of Lattakia. Since 1981, he taught the courses on Liturgics at the St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology at Balamand. During the periods of 1988-1991 and 2001-2005 he served as the Dean of the Institute of Theology. In addition, he was appointed Abbot of St. George Al Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery, Syria, in the period of 1993- 2005 where His Eminence founded a monastic community and a school of ecclesiastic studies. His Eminence also became the Abbot of the Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery, Lebanon, in the years 2001-2005. Presently, Patriarch John is the spiritual father of the Convent of our Lady of Blemmana in Tartous, Syria. In 1995, the Holy Synod of Antioch elected him as the Bishop of Pyrgou, an area called in Arabic Wadi An-Nasara or Al-Hosn. He served the parishes there till 2008, when was elected Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe. In addition to his pastoral care in these parishes, His Eminence was involved in many worldwide activities at the ecumenical, Christian and especially Orthodox Christian spheres. Metropolitan John participated in many international conferences, namely in Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Cyprus, United States of America, Russia, and the United Kingdom. His Beatitude is the author of several books on Theology, education, music, and liturgy. He published a series on liturgical studies. He edited the liturgical books of the Orthodox Church in Arabic, and more specifically the liturgical books of the Archbishops, priests, deacons. In addition, he translated and wrote many articles, and gave many lectures in different universities, parishes and institutes.

“In Grace we grow. In service we transcend. In Love, the structure is strengthened.”

—His Beatitude Patriarch John X