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
Fall 2025 Preorder Food/Bake Sale
Preorders must be paid/ordered by Nov. 17, 2025
To pay by credit card, Call (585) 244-1976 on:
Thursday, Nov. 6 from 11 am – 1 pm
Sunday, Nov. 9 from 12 pm – 1 pm
Thursday, Nov. 13 from 11 am – 1 pm
Pick up is during the Christmas Bazaar at these times:
Fresh baked items and additional frozen food available to buy until sold out.
Friday, Nov. 21 from 10 am – 4 pm
Saturday, Nov. 22 from 10 am – 4 pm
Sunday, Nov. 23 from 11:30 am – 2:30 pm
Christmas Bazaar
Come join us the weekend before Thanksgiving on
Friday, Nov. 21 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Saturday, Nov. 22 from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sunday, Nov. 23 from 11:30 am – 2:30 pm
Shop from a wonderful selection of handmade crafts from local artists, fresh baked goods for the holidays, frozen Greek foods, hot drinks from our cafe, a variety of Raffle Baskets, our religious bookstore, and other holiday items.
View Flyer
Christmas Cards for Prisoners
Return Cards by Nov. 16 so we can mail them in to OCPM
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
Would you like to do something beyond Christmas shopping?
Then join our GOCHS NATIVITY FAST PSALTER Group
Goal: To daily read the Psalter during the 40 days of the Nativity Fast as a group. By Christmas you will have read the entire Book of Psalms twice!
If you are interested contact Anna Pink or the church office.
Angel Tree
Pick up a tag from our Angel Tree in the fellowship hall to buy a Christmas gift for a child 3 – 11 years old at School No. 12 Return unwrapped items by Nov. 30 to the designated box in fellowship hall.
IOCC Sunday
International Orthodox Christian Charities
November 23, 2025
An extra tray will be in the narthex to donate towards International Orthodox Christian Charities. Make checks out to the church with “IOCC” in the memo line.
You may also donate online at:https://give.iocc.org/campaign/729018/donate
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
November
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
December
Thursday, Dec. 4:St. Barbara the Great Martyr,
9:00 am Orthros & Divine Liturgy
Friday, Dec. 5:St. Savas the Sanctified,
9:00 am Orthros & Divine Liturgy
Saturday, Dec. 6:St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Bishop of Myra,
9:00 am Orthros & Divine Liturgy
Tuesday, Dec. 9: Conception of the Theotokos,
9:00 am Orthros & Divine Liturgy
Friday, Dec. 12: St. Spyridon the Wonderworker,
9:00 am Orthros & Divine Liturgy
Saturday, Dec. 13: 11:00 am Pet Blessing
Monday, Dec. 15: St. Eleutherios,
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
Read Chapter 2 for November 18
Tuesdays:November 18, 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.
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
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...