St. Mary Magdalene Orthodox Mission
1625 Fort Howard Road
Rincon, GA 31326
912-826-5176
Priest-in-Charge: Rev. James Bohlman

DIRECTIONS

Take 1-95 to Georgia exit 109, route 21 north. Take 21 north for 6 1/2 miles, to Fort Howard Road. Turn right onto Fort Howard Road, and proceed 2.2 miles, to 1625, which is on the right side.

HISTORY

St. Mary Magdalene Orthodox Mission is a parish within The Orthodox Church In America.In early 1988, some Orthodox Christian believers petitioned the head of the OCA, Metropolitan Theodosius, to start a new mission in Savannah, GA. These believers began traveling to St Mary of Egypt Church in Atlanta on a monthly basis as well to the Monastery of Resaca, GA, where they eventually met Mother Terri and Fr Peter Smith. In January 1989 an organizational meeting was held by several Orthodox families in Savannah, and out of this meeting St Mary Magdalene was born.

Deanery clergy visited the Mission twice a month. For a while the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the homes of various parishioners until the community was able to gain use of the Seaman House in Savannah, which is situated on Washington Square in the historic section of downtown Savannah.

In May 1990, St Mary's moved into a storefront facility attached to a veterinarian's clinic on Skidway Rd. In June of that same year, the community's first permanent priest, Fr Adrian Pollard, along with his wife Matushka Xenia and their son Daniel, arrived and began ministering to the community.

From November 1994 until April 1995 the community was without a permanent place of worship, but was finally able to rent a facility on Bay St in Savannah, where they stayed until October 1999. St Mary's then rented worship space in Temple Baptist Church, also in Savannah.

In October 2001, Fr Adrian left St Mary's for another assignment, and in March 2002 the community received its second pastor, Rev. Hieromonk James (Bohlman).

In May of 2002 the community purchased a 1.82 acre tract of land a little north of Savannah, in the city of Rincon, GA. On June 2, after the Divine Liturgy, the whole community of Orthodox believers of St Mary Magdalene drove to the property for a Cross-planting ceremony, thereby claiming the land for God. On December 14th, 2002, the community moved into their new Residence on the land, and held their first Divine Liturgy in Rincon on Sunday, December 15th. The parish hopes to begin work on its church building sometime in 2005.

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES:

Saturday Evening

6:00 PM Vespers.

Sunday Morning

Matins 8: 15am, the Hours 9:05am, the Divine Liturgy 9:30am, Fellowship approximately 11: 15am.

Wednesday Evening

7: 00 PM Vespers.

Eves of Great Feasts

7: 00 PM Great Vespers with Litiya service

Wednesday Evenings in Great Lent

7: 00 PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.

Confessions

Confessions are held before Vespers and by appointment.

Please call the Rectory at 912-826-5176 for schedule of other services, or to arrange Baptisms, Marriages, Memorials, Thanksgiving Services, etc.

Click here to visit  our national church, the "Orthodox Church In America".

Click here to view our community photos.