The Rideshare Fellowship of St. Christopher
The Rideshare Fellowship of St. Christopher is a program that connects parishioners of St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in need of transportation assistance with parishioners willing to provide transportation assistance for Sunday Liturgy. This program is administered by the Outreach, Fellowship, and Stewardship Committee.
Saint Christopher
The patron of the Rideshare Fellowship is St. Christopher. 
The name Χριστόφορος means “Christ-bearer”, and we should be reminded that when we do something to our neighbor, even something as simple as giving a ride to someone in need of one, we do it to Christ. St. Christopher is considered the patron saint of travelers and drivers, and he is depicted in icons as carrying Christ on his back across a river. Here is an excerpt from a blog post by Steven Christoforou on the life of St. Christopher:
Christopher wanted to serve the greatest king in the world. So, he first offered to serve the local king. Yet, when that king feared Satan, he left him to serve Satan. However, when Christopher learned that Satan feared Christ, he went in search of Him.
He was told by Saint Babylas of Antioch that the best way for him to serve Christ was as a ferryman. One stormy night, Christopher escorted a Child across the river. As he slowly proceeded across the water, the Child gradually got heavier. As they both got to about the middle of the river, Christopher was exhausted and could not go any further. The Child, who was Christ Himself, told him as they reached the other side that he had just carried all the sins of the world on his shoulders.
He then ordered Christopher to plant his walking stick in the ground. Soon after, that walking stick became a giant tree. At that moment he recognized that the Child was Christ, the King who he had vowed to serve.
How to Participate
If you are interested in participating as either a driver or a passenger, please submit a signup form HERE. (Please note, drivers must be official members in good standing of St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral.) When we receive a sign up, we will attempt to pair up drivers with passengers and put people in touch with each other to coordinate transportation.
After submitting the form, participants will need to submit a signed copy of the program participation terms and conditions. This can be submitted in person or via mail to the church office, or via email to [email protected].
As an expression of our thanks, we are pleased to offer drivers reimbursements to offset their gas and mileage costs.
While we will make every effort to connect passengers with willing drivers as quickly and efficiently as possible, please keep in mind that this ministry is not a taxi service, and we can make no guarantees about the availability of a driver.
If you have any questions, please contact Elayna Lalikos, chair of the Outreach, Fellowship, and Stewardship Committee, or Joshua Mills, program administrator of the Rideshare Fellowship of St. Christopher.
Terms and Conditions
Both Drivers and Passengers must acknowledge and agree to the terms of participation:
The Rideshare Fellowship of St. Christopher Program is provided as a service to connect parishioners in need of transportation with members willing to provide transportation. By participating in this Program, participants agree to the following terms and conditions.
Involvement in this Program is entirely voluntary, and both driver and passenger participants in this Program participate at their own risk. St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral acts solely as a facilitator to connect individuals needing transportation with members willing to provide it; the Parish, its staff, and the program administrators are not responsible or liable for any accidents, injuries, damages, citations, or losses that may occur while or as a result of participating in this Program, including but not limited to vehicle accidents, personal injury, and property damage.
Drivers must be members in good standing of St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, at least 18 years of age, and must hold a regular Massachusetts class D driver’s license (i.e., not a Junior Operator License) or the equivalent. The Cathedral retains the right to complete a background check including a driving history report in accordance with the Archdiocese Youth Safety Policy.
Drivers agree to maintain current driver’s license, registration, inspection, and insurance, and to obey all relevant traffic laws. The Driver’s insurance policy should include bodily injury liability coverage with a minimum of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident, and property damage liability coverage of a minimum of $50,000 per accident.
Drivers who agree to provide transportation for Passengers under the age of 18 and unaccompanied by their parent or legal guardian must comply with the Archdiocese Youth Safety Policy, which requires that all youth workers, both volunteers and paid staff, must complete a mandatory background check and online youth safety training.
Passengers agree that they understand and accept the risks associated with receiving a ride and are responsible for ensuring their own safety during the ride. Passengers under the age of 18 must have the permission of their parent or legal guardian or be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
A signed copy of the terms document must be received and kept on record by the Church Office in order to participate as either a Driver or Passenger. The terms document can be submitted to the Church Office in person, via mail, or email to [email protected] with signature.