Largest Team in 50 Years for the National Orthodox Christian Fellowship Office

The National Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) Office gained new momentum in its commitment to keeping Orthodox students and young adults connected to the church and their faith on college campuses, with the recent hiring of the Rev. Michael Nasser as Executive Director and Mr. Jim D. King as the Director of Development. These additions set in motion the expansion of Orthodox college ministry by allowing the development of new programs, raising awareness and attaining new goals.

The new OCF staff is very excited about working toward building upon the strong foundation, which has been laid by numerous individuals over the past 50 years. The future of OCF and the success of this vital college ministry is critical if we are to equip our Orthodox young adults with the necessary tools for living out their faith once they step out on their own.

In blessing the Executive Committee’s decision, Metropolitan Isaiah, the National OCF SCOBA Overseer, noted, “The ministry of this fellowship is vital to our expanding church. This newly appointed and highly qualified office will keep our students connected to the church on campus and seek out those who are lost. May God bless this renewed ministry with its dedicated staff.”

Fr. Nasser will oversee the staff of the National Office, organize national and local events, solicit grants and funding, and develop communication between the office and local chapters as well as facilitating communication between the chapters themselves.

Fr. Nasser is married to Victoria and is a father of three children, Maria, Joshua, and Elena. During his studies at the University of California, Irvine, Fr. Nasser was involved in his local OCF movement.

He followed his calling and studied both at St. Vladimir’s Seminary and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. He was ordained to the Diaconate in 1994, and to the Priesthood in 1995. Fr. Nasser is the Camp Director of the Antiochian Village and has served as Chairman of the OCF Executive Committee for the past two years.

As Director of Development, Mr. King will create and execute a fundraising strategy for OCF, building from the 50 plus years of OCF Alumni. He will seek out and solicit grants and foundations to support the office’s efforts and build relationships with OCF leaders of the past and present to create a sustainable future for this vital ministry.

Mr. King grew up in Santa Barbara, CA. He is married to Audrey, and they have two children, Zoe and Jimmy. Mr. King completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a B.A. in Communication Arts and was graduated from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology with a Master’s of Divinity in 1997. Most recently, Mr. King served for five years as a full-time Youth Minister at the Basilica of St. Mary Orthodox Church in Livonia, MI. Mr. King has assisted and directed various Orthodox camping programs. Mr. King has a financial services background as well and worked as an investment representative for a large international financial firm.

For the last year, the administration of the office has been run by Joseph J. Samra III and guided by the OCF Executive Committee. Fr. Nasser appointed Mr. Samra to the position of Program Coordinator to oversee the following National Programs: the National College Conference, Real Break, and The Basil Leaf newsletter. He will also be working to promote OCF and its activities to the larger Orthodox Community. Mr. Samra has a BS in Marketing from Providence College (2001) and while attaining his degree, coordinated the establishment of the Real Break program.

This Pan-Orthodox effort can only be realized with the help and support of all the Orthodox faithful. We call upon each and every Orthodox Christian to take a closer look at OCF, and consider getting involved by offering your unique gifts and talents in this exciting and dynamic ministry program.

For more information on how to get involved, or to locate an OCF program near you, contact us at 1-800-919-1OCF (617-850-1356) or visit our website at http://www.ocf.net.

The Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) is the official campus ministry effort of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA). It is a Pan-Orthodox effort, overseen by an Executive Committee and aided by a sixteen-person Student Advisory Board. The office is located in Boston, MA, where a full time staff develops OCF programs and resources. The staff is available to guide and support local OCF chapters through communication with the larger Orthodox community, national programs, and development of resources for use by Orthodox college students. SCOBA designated the 3rd Sunday in September each year as “College Student Sunday” to raise awareness of our students on campus and OCF’s activities.