Our Parish
Our parish strives to be traditional and pious, but it does not claim to be
anything special. It is not a spiritually dead ethnic club on the one hand (as
are most "Orthodox" parishes in America) nor, on the other hand, a one-
size-fits-all super-spiritual cult based on a fanatic ideology or loyalty to an
"elder" (which is the latest trendy thing in Orthodox circles). Generally
speaking, our spiritual level is mediocre, and we fall short in many ways,
but we are stubborn about matters of Faith and, God willing, we probably
won't betray you.
Founded - 2014
Metropolitan Demetrius of America founded our parish in 2014. Our core group of founding families are of Greek background, but we also have Slavic and Romanian parishioners, as well as new converts to the Faith.
Our Community
Our total membership is around 60, and on Sundays we usually have around 30 to 40 people in church.
We have parishioners of various ages,
including young married couples who are having babies.
Visitors are welcome, but we won't smother you.
Come and check us out with no pressure to join.
In addition to the divine services, visitors are
welcome at coffee hour after Church on Sunday and at catechism sessions.
Church Building
Our parish church is located in Washington Township, an antebellum Michigan small town that has become a far suburb of Detroit. It is still, miraculously, a decent place to have a church, so far.
May the Lord send His holy angels to protect us.
Our church building looks on the outside like a Currier and Ives print evoking the gentle past of the Real America: a humble, white-painted wooden country church.
By the prayers of St. Irene, we were able to
obtain this lovely building from a Methodist congregation in 2021, at the
height of the Covid insanity.
Dedicated and talented parishioners are
converting it into a remarkably beautiful and truly Orthodox place of
worship.
What to expect
Orthodox services are liturgical, long, and formal. They are conducted by the clergy and chanters according to the rules established by the Apostles
and Saints.
You will find the atmosphere prayerful and peaceful, with no pressure to "participate" other than to attend quietly and pray. If you can't follow everything or understand everything, don't worry: neither do we. It's bigger than any of us. Just soak it up.
Services are conducted in both Greek and English, with a little Romanian and Church Slavonic thrown in occasionally for good measure.
Men stand on the right side of the Church and women on the left.
Clothing is to be modest and dignified.
Men are expected to wear long sleeves and long pants.
Women wear long sleeves and skirts below the
knee (no cross-dressing, i.e., trousers!), and they cover their heads with a scarf.
