CSS 2026: One Sunday, One Tray, Hundreds of Students Not Forgotten

Support a Special Tray Collection for College Student Sunday on August 23, 2026

BROOKLINE, MA — Move-in day is coming for thousands of Orthodox Christian students, and with it, a question many of them are quietly asking: where will I find my people here? A dorm room can be unpacked in an afternoon. Finding a church home in a new city often takes much longer, if a student even knows where to look.

Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) is there to meet students during this pivotal time. With a presence on more than 200 campuses across the United States and Canada, OCF helps students stay rooted in their faith through local chapters, retreats, and full-time staff serving through the Campus Missionary Initiative, which now includes missionaries at Texas A&M University, Penn State, and the Georgia Tech/Emory area.

Sunday, August 23, 2026, has been designated by the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops as College Student Sunday, a national opportunity for parishes to honor Orthodox students and take up a special tray collection in support of OCF’s ministry.

For a student far from home, that kind of ministry matters in very practical ways: a familiar face at coffee hour, a ride to Liturgy, a group of peers who understand why fasting or feast days matter. This ministry is not a luxury. It is a lifeline.

One parent shared how much it meant to see her son find community through OCF: it gave him people to sit with in church and friends who asked the hard questions alongside him. Another said simply that OCF kept her daughter grounded when everything else in college felt unfamiliar.

“Every August, we hear the same story in a hundred different voices: a student stepping onto a new campus, unsure of where they belong,” said Deacon Marek Simon, Executive Director of OCF. “College Student Sunday is our chance to tell them they are not forgotten. Your parish’s support is what makes it possible for OCF to be waiting for them when they arrive.”

Why Your Parish’s Support Matters

Your parish’s tray collection supports:

• Orthodox Study Bibles and refreshments for faith discussions
• Retreats and conferences, including Upstream and Ignite, that build community and leadership among students
• Real Break service and pilgrimage trips during spring and summer breaks
• Transportation for students to attend Divine Liturgy at local parishes
• Full-time campus missionaries and leadership training for student chapter leaders

This August 23, let’s show our students they are not alone. Let’s remind them that the Church remembers them and walks beside them, wherever they go.

Resources for Your Parish

To help your community participate in College Student Sunday, visit ocf.net/resources/for-parishes-parents/college-student-sunday. There you’ll find:

• Hierarchal Encylical
• Bulletin inserts
• Flier & Social media graphic
• Step-by-step guides for promoting and celebrating this important day

About Orthodox Christian Fellowship

Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) is the official campus ministry of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America. OCF exists to guide college students toward a deeper relationship with Christ and the Orthodox Church through fellowship, education, worship, and service.