Growing OCA Parish Baptizes 16 More People

KERNERSVILLE, NC — Sixteen people were baptized and received into the Orthodox Church at Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Kernersville on Sunday, Aug. 16, marking another joyful milestone for the rapidly growing OCA parish.

“What a joyful day! Glory to God for all things!” the parish announced after the baptisms and Chrismations, celebrating the reception of the newly illumined into the Church.

Holy Cross Church, currently led by Fr. Christopher Foley, has experienced remarkable growth since it began in 2005 with only a handful of families. The parish now has approximately 200 people regularly attending the Divine Liturgy, reflecting the steady expansion of Orthodox Christianity in the area.

The latest baptisms come only months after another major celebration at the parish. Twenty-five people were baptized at Holy Cross on Lazarus Saturday in April, making the August reception of 16 additional new Orthodox Christians another significant moment in the parish’s continuing growth.

The parish also marked an important milestone in its history when its own church building was consecrated in October 2024. The successive waves of baptisms demonstrate the vitality of the community and the growing number of people entering the Orthodox Church through its ministry.

Previously, the UOJ reported that thirteen people were baptized at a growing Orthodox mission in Puerto Rico.