Welcome to the Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Spirit Website
The Holy Spirit parish was established in 1995 when approximately 50 families desiring to foster pastoral care and an intimate spiritual experience were granted permission to operate as a mission and subsequently as an official parish of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, Metropolis of Detroit.
In 1998, we entered our present location, the former South Avenue Baptist Church. Construction of an iconostasis and the placement of icons in the altar area have transformed this sanctuary into our home of Orthodox prayer and worship.
Our parish, comprised of 170 families from diverse backgrounds, is a vibrant community with many opportunities for religious education, active youth and young adult programs, warm fellowship, and a wonderful spirit of volunteerism. We are a family-centered community helping each other to live our Orthodox Faith to the fullest.
"Our mission is to promote the spiritual well-being of those committed to the Greek Orthodox Faith and Traditions, and to reach out to all Orthodox Christians, converts, partners in inter-faith marriages and the un-churched Orthodox in the greater Rochester, New York area. The abiding purpose of the parish is to provide for full participation in the liturgical and sacramental life of the church through worship, service, witnessing, and community fellowship."
Holy Spirit GOC Mission Statement
Support Our Ministries
Click here to make a contribution to support Holy SpiritIn order to assure that the church receives the full value of your donation, please consider increasing your donation to cover the 4% fee charged by PayPal for their service.
2025 Stewardship Form
Please print and forward a completed copy to the church office.
Holy Spirit Church Events
October 26, 2025
30th Anniversary Celebration
Christmas Bazaar
Seeking Vendors for our upcoming Christmas Bazaar on Nov. 21 – 23, 2025.
Click on button for more information and a Vender Application form if interested in renting a table.
View Flyer Download Application Form
October is Support a Mission Priest
An extra tray is in the narthex for donations to Orthodox Christian Mission Center for Mission priests. Make checks out to the church with “OCMC” in the memo line and the church will mail in to OCMC.
Pick up a preaddressed envelope at church to give directly, especially if you would like to support a mission priest by donating $50/month (or $600/year) to the Orthodox Christian Mission Center.
Or you can give directly online at: https://ocmc.org/samp-appeal/?bbeml=tp-1wUCHpBnu0Gf2mT3pKi6IA.jZLZwAkElYEqeJce0cCannQ.rv06kIS50sUmt03A5HbgHlw.lW6KC9s1w80K4pR6wp_QGcQ
For more information about the Support a Mission Priest, view: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtA4saY-8wA
View Flyer
Christmas Cards for Prisoners
Write encouraging notes in Christmas Cards to send to prisoners through the Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry. Please follow the guidelines in the toolkit instructions using their “card” by printing and folding in half or pick up at church (you may color, outline front or leave blank for prisoner to work on.) Return cards to the church by Nov. 16 so we can mail to the OCPM in time for them to mail to individual prisoners. Thank you for helping to bless those in prison with the love of Christ!
Download Christmas Card Toolkit
Church School
on Sundays after Communion
We offer Church School on Sundays after Communion. Children ages 3-8 are welcome to attend.
Come join us for the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Level 1 Sunday School
Fall 2025 Schedule
Sept 21, Sept 28, Oct 19,
Nov 9, Nov 16, Nov 23, Nov 30,
Dec 21, Dec 28
Please register your child(ren) by completing a registration form and bring with you to Sunday Church School.
Download Registration Form
Fall Feastdays & Services
October
Wednesday, Oct. 1: St. Romanos the Melodist,
9:00 am Orthros & Divine Liturgy
Monday, Oct. 6: St. Thomas the Apostle,
9:00 am Orthros & Divine Liturgy
Saturday, Oct. 18: St. Luke the Evangelist,
9:00 am Orthros & Divine Liturgy
November
Saturday, Nov. 1: Sts. Cosmas & Damianos,
9:00 am Orthros & Divine Liturgy, with Artoclasia for Philoptochos
Thursday, Nov. 13: St. John Chrysostom,
9:00 am Orthros & Divine Liturgy
Friday, Nov. 14: St. Philip the Apostle,
9:00 am Orthros & Divine Liturgy
Saturday, Nov. 15: Nativity Fast Begins
Thursday, Nov. 20: Feastday Vespers at 6:00 pm
Friday, Nov. 21: Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple,
9:00 am Orthros & Divine Liturgy
Tuesday, Nov. 25: St. Catherine the Great Martyr,
9:00 am Orthros & Divine Liturgy
Food Pantry Collection
Our parish collects food and other necessities for those in need in Rochester. We are currently donating to the Monroe Library branch, who have a food pantry to distribute to those in need. A table with bins for collecting items is along the fellowship hall wall. To donate financially, write a check out to “Holy Spirit Greek Orthodox Church” with “Food Pantry Donation” in the memo line.
Holy Spirit Philoptochos Book Club
Open to All Parishioners
Book: “6 Hours, 7 Lessons: How Christ’s Light Transcends Our Darkness”
Look up https://thelouhs.com/6-hours-7-lessons/ for more information.
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Not to late to join! Read Chapter 1 for October 14
Tuesdays:September 9, 2025, October 14, 2025, November 11, 2025, December 9, 2025, January 13, 2026, February 10, 2026, March 10, 2026, April 21, 2026, May 12, 2026, June 9, 2026
Currently offered in-person at church and via Zoom. Contact Anna Pink for the zoom link.
Philoptochos Meetings 2025 – 2026
General Meetings take place in the Philoptochos Room during coffee hour after the Sunday Divine Liturgy.
Saturday, Nov. 1 Feastday of Ss. Cosmas & Damianos: 9:00 am Orthros, Divine Liturgy, and an Artoclasia for Philoptochos members.
Sunday, Nov. 2 Philoptochos Sunday: Memorial for Philoptochos followed by a reception for coffee hour and a Philoptochos meeting after church. Philoptochos will have an extra tray in the narthex to collect donations for our Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.
Sunday, September 14, 2025
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Sunday, November 2, 2025
Sunday, December 7, 2025
Sunday, January 18, 2026
Sunday, February 15, 2026
Sunday, March 15, 2026
Sunday, May 17, 2026
Sunday, June 14, 2026
October Coat Drive for Saint’s Place Refugees
Philoptochos is collecting men’s, women’s, and children’s gently used coats, gloves and hats. Please make sure your items are in good shape, clean, and the zippers work. Saint’s Place will give items out to help refugees. Help us to help out the less fortunate! Thank you!
View Flyer
Blessing Bags
Philoptochos is collecting items to assemble blessing bags, which are great to keep on hand in your car so you can have the bag to hand to someone in need. Donate a little or a lot – we have a suggested list of blessing bag items.
+ Blessing Bags: We have run out of blessing bags. Please bring in more items that can fit inside a gallon Ziploc bag so we can assemble more bags. Here are some suggestions: Toothbrush and toothpaste, Socks, Hand sanitizer gel or wipes, Tissues, Snack bars, Trail mix packs, Tuna and cracker packs, Soap, Deodorant, Band-Aids , Nail clippers, Bottle of water, [Gloves, knit hat in colder weather] Please bring in whatever you think would be useful and place in the designated boxes in the fellowship hall.
View Blessing Bag List
Orthodox Missions
For more information visit their website:https://www.ocmc.org/
Give to support the Orthodox Christian Mission Center.
Donate OnlineHere is a short video on Orthodox Missions among the Turkana (in country of Kenya):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59-arWb-MZE
Friends of the Metropolis
Click to download giving form and for more information:
Download Giving Form
Metropolis Webinar Series
View Webinars on The Passions and other topics online at: https://youtube.com/@discoverorthodoxy5059?feature=shared
You can also visit us on our Social Media sites:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HolySpiritGreekOrthodoxChurch
Services at Holy Spirit
Sundays: Orthros: 9:00 AM | Divine Liturgy: 10:00 AM
We can view live services on Facebook or see the recordings for later viewing.
View Live On FacebookAGES Initiatives
AGES Initiatives is an online resource that provides a calendar of church services. It has the entire service including special hymns of the day, the epistle, and the gospel. This comes in handy if you prefer to follow the service with something written in front of you.
Click here to visit AGES Initiatives
Other sites to see:
National Directory of Orthodox Mental Health Providers:
https://www.assemblyofbishops.org/directories/mental-health/
https://www.goarch.org/live-
Check our Calendar for other events...
For information on our services please contact the Church office at (585) 244-1976 between 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Thank you...