Orthodox Women's Ministry
Orthodox Women's Ministry (OWM) is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit ministry that aims to serve and educate the Christian Orthodox Community at large. OWM was born out of the realization that there was a missing void for women's voices in the Orthodox community at large. The vision of OWM is to create a world where women are treated as equals by their right of creation by the Triune God, where women have the freedom to lead in truth and build up the body of Christ. The organization's mission is to address pastoral and theological topics and provide resources for both laity and clergy with a focus on women. OWM aims to engage in healthy discussions for the role of both men and women in a changing world for today. The community of OWM is diverse and dynamic, aimed at women in all walks of life and at various seasons, including teenagers, widows, young adults, celibates, married women, mothers, grandmothers, and effectively, the entire Christian Orthodox Church of God.
Our Mission
OWM is an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit ministry that aims to serve and educate the Christian Orthodox Community at large. It aims to create a sacred and healthy space for women globally.
Our Vision
To address pastoral and theological topics, provide resources for laity and clergy with a focus on women, and to engage in healthy discussions for the role of the laity – men and women – in a changing world for today.
Our Community
OWM is a diversified and dynamic ministry aimed for women in all walks of life and at various seasons – the teen, widow, young adult, celibate, married, mother, grandmother, and effectively, the entire Christian Orthodox Church of God.
Our story
Where it all began...
It was a typical cloudy dat in England in Summer 2014…
when the idea of Orthodox Women’s Ministry (OWM) was born. Two young women – passionate about service and theology, happened to attend an academic Orthodox conference outside of London. The theme was Orthodox Women in History.
The two soon realize there was a missing void for women’s voices in the community at large. Their desire to make this void filled – they soon discovered not only resided among them but among so many across the globe across various Orthodox Christian communities.
This simple idea, led by passion and sown in love, eventually come to be know as OWM. Since the launch of its first international Orthodox Conference, held in London in September 2015, OWN has grown its audience and established it’s global website.
OWM is aimed at all women at all stages of life – young adult, teenager, married, celibate, grandmother, mother, the widow – and effectively, the entire Christian Orthodox Body of the Church of God. Thus, we are all OWM.
Please pray for us and this rital ministry for the growth and edification of the Church at large.
Our Team
Donna Rizk Asdourian, PhD
Donna Rizk Asdourian was born and raised in California. She has lived in 3 different states and 3 different countries for her graduate studies. She holds a BA from the University of Hawaii in English and Education, a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) from Holy Cross Orthodox Theological Seminary in Boston, MA. She then studied a year at the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) in Berkeley focusing on Liturgical Studies and then lived in Vienna, Austria to study German and further studies on Liturgy. After Vienna, she moved to Oxford and completed her second Masters in Eastern Christian Studies with emphasis in Armenian and Greek language and history. Her Master’s thesis focused on deification in the writings of the early Alexandrian fathers (Clement, Origen, Athanasius, Cyril) on creation, baptism, and the Eucharist. She then began to pursue a Doctorate in Theology (PhD) at King’s College in London on the work of second century apologist, Aristides of Athens, the Armenian texts and received her doctorate in 2017. She is the author of several theological and academic articles and forthcoming books on theology and women. Donna is the founder of OWM (Orthodox Women’s Ministry). Her aim is to build a stronger theological foundation globally by highlighting women throughout Church history and uplifting women today, for today and for the future of our children.
Monica Mitri, MA, PhD Candidate
Monica Mitri is a member of the Coptic Orthodox Christian Church where she’s been a Sunday School teacher and choir member since 2006. She grew up in Egypt and is currently in California. Monica is a PhD student in religious studies at the University of Southern California, studying medieval Copto-Arabic intellectual history. She obtained a Masters in Theology from Claremont School of Theology in 2020, studying St. Jacob of Serugh, and has previous degrees in business and literature. Monica is passionate about education, female leadership and Coptic female choirs.
