I’m looking to attend an Ethiopian Orthodox Church near me. God has called me to go, and I would appreciate some advice.

I’m an African-American who was raised Protestant, mostly going to a gospel-style church with a lot of singing and emotional worship. Over time, I’ve lost faith in many of the churches I’ve attended, and I’ve started to feel disconnected from God. It began to feel like something people did only on Sundays, rather than something truly lived out every day.

Recently, I’ve been learning about the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and I feel very drawn to it. Something about the structure, the fasting, and the sense of discipline feels closer to what I believe church should be. It feels deeper and more consistent.

There’s an Ethiopian Orthodox church near me, and I’m planning to visit. However, I don’t speak Amharic or Ge’ez, and I’m not Ethiopian, so I’m a little unsure what to expect or how I’ll be received. If it becomes important, I’m open to learning the language over time.

My mom is also Protestant, and when I told her about Orthodoxy, she was actually interested, even though she had never really heard about it before. I could tell that a seed may have been planted in her as well, praise the Almighty, and she was open to coming with me to the church.

One thing I’ve been wondering is: why don’t Protestant churches really talk about Orthodoxy? Growing up, I always heard about Catholicism, but never about Orthodoxy. I was honestly surprised to learn it even existed, especially given how ancient it is. Seeing that it’s growing in the United States has also been encouraging.

I feel like God may be planting something in me and maybe even in my mother too and I feel a strong pull toward finding a church that I can truly commit to.

I’m mainly looking for advice:

•	What should I expect as a first-time visitor?

•	Will it be an issue that I don’t understand the language?

•	Is it okay to attend regularly as someone outside the culture?

I’m genuinely trying to find something deeper and more rooted, and I feel like I’m being pulled in this direction. Any guidance would mean a lot.

If there any videos yall would love to share or websites please DM me I want to learn as much as possible.