• The Ark provides a listening experience of the best of contemporary music from an Orthodox perspective, along with the best of traditional Orthodox liturgical music selected for Western ears, with the goal of providing music that encourages a relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Program Director, Ron Ephrem Moore has been involved professionally with contemporary music since his high school days in folk and rock bands. He coined the name "Contemporary Christian Music" as a contributing reviewer in the early days of the genre, but kept to the fringes of that scene, feeling that Christian artists should be in the general market to reach all through their art. His concerts and recordings have been well received in Christian circles as well as in general market radio, universities, coffeehouses, and festivals.
• Ron and his wife became Orthodox Christians in 1995 coming from a Protestant background, and Ron's roots as a missionary kid from Korea. They are very active in Orthodox mission work, both abroad with OCMC, and domestically with FOCUS North America, where Ron is the director of FOCUS Appalachia in North Carolina.
• The Ark provides a connection between Orthodox artists creating contemporary music and poetry, with a broad audience of listeners that tend to like music and art that fits with their faith and Christian world view, and has depth and skill as well. Popular faith-based music does not usually attract this audience, leaving them with a secular alternative that often grates against Christian values. Enter.. The Ark! Carefully mixing songs about real life issues and experiences with timeless hymns of the Church, creates a play list that is both enjoyable and challenging.
• According to Program Director, Ron Moore, "The Ark is unique in its encouragement of creating new music and poetry. while keeping the ancient Christian faith content intact. As more and more contemporary artists find the early Church alive and well, and growing in Orthodoxy, more and more material, and artists are becoming available. As tastes and product in the arts becomes more diversified, and available thanks to the internet, The Ark finds itself in the extraordinary position of being in the vanguard of arts of faith with depth, meaning, and skill, for a growing population of listeners who are disappointed with a shallow, despairing field of choices."
• Using the criteria in selection of material, of both artistic skills, and consistent beliefs, The Ark will continue to sail through the storm, carrying the faith, and new life found in the good news of Jesus Christ. Welcome aboard!
