A Greek Orthodox Parish on Metro Parkway
St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church has stood along Metro Parkway in Sterling Heights since 1977, just west of Dodge Park. As part of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and the Metropolis of Detroit, the parish gathers each Sunday for the Byzantine liturgical tradition that has shaped Orthodox Christianity for centuries. The congregation worships in English, but the parish invests deeply in Greek language education and Greek cultural heritage, treating both as living parts of community life. Visitors of any background are warmly welcomed at every service.
Sunday Worship: Orthros and Divine Liturgy
The Sunday schedule is built around two pillars of Orthodox worship. Orthros, the morning prayer service, begins at 9:00 a.m., followed by the Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m. The Divine Liturgy is the central act of Orthodox Christian worship, and it is livestreamed on YouTube for those unable to attend in person. Byzantine chant is led by the parish choir, and boys serving in the altar assist the priest throughout the liturgy. The parish encourages anyone curious about the Orthodox faith to come and experience the services firsthand.
Two Priests, One Long Heritage
The parish was led for forty-five years by Reverend Protopresbyter Nicholas Kyritses. Born in Trikorfon, Nafpaktias, Greece, Father Nicholas studied at the Ecclesiastical School of Lamia and at Hellenic College in Brookline, Massachusetts, before receiving his Master of Divinity from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in 1977. On February 10, 1977, Archbishop Iakovos appointed him to lead the newly established St. John parish, and he began his duties on March 1 of that year. Father Nicholas retired in August 2022.
Father Larry Legakis now serves as lead parish priest. Born in Pontiac and raised in Royal Oak, Father Larry attended Hellenic College and Holy Cross, was ordained in 2004, and served parishes in Cincinnati and Louisville before becoming priest of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Toledo in 2015. Metropolitan Nicholas assigned him to St. John on August 3, 2026. He was bestowed the Office of Protopresbyter in 2024.
Sunday School and Greek School
Children are central to parish life, and St. John runs two complementary programs. Sunday School welcomes children ages three through twelfth grade for lessons on the Orthodox Christian faith. Sunday School Directors Dr. Zoy Patouhas-Gilbert and Dimetra Mansoor coordinate teachers, an honor pin program, and family communication through bulletins, email, and the Remind app. Registration is $25 per student, and the year begins in mid-September.
The Greek School is a separate eight-month program that runs from September through May under Director Elli Patouhas. Students study reading, writing, speaking, vocabulary, and grammar, with a strong emphasis on conversation. Classes are organized by level: PK/K, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, Intermediate (3rd-4th), and Advanced (5th-6th). The school presents three cultural programs each year - a December holiday celebration, a March program for Greek Independence Day, and a May graduation - and Greek dancing is woven into the curriculum. Adult classes in conversational Greek are offered at Beginners, Intermediate, and Advanced levels from October through May.
HOPE, JOY, Little Angels, and GOYA
For younger children, the parish hosts HOPE (grades K-2), JOY (grades 3-6), and Little Angels, all programs of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America designed to lead young people into a lived experience of the Orthodox faith. Teenagers find their own community in GOYA, the Greek Orthodox Youth Association, which welcomes youth in grades six through twelve. Built on four pillars: Faith, Fellowship, Charity, and Witness, GOYA combines spiritual formation with fellowship, service projects, and social gatherings throughout the year.
Choir and Altar Boys
Music is integral to Orthodox worship, and the parish choir welcomes any voice that loves to sing. Led by Choir Directors John Tangalos and Dr. Andy Kotsis, the choir guides the congregation each Sunday in Byzantine chant and hymnody, drawing on the call of Psalm 33: "Sing for joy in the Lord, O you righteous ones." Boys are also invited to serve in the altar. Under Altar Captain Matthew Vasilakis, altar boys learn the responsibilities of assisting the priest at the Divine Liturgy, whether they serve weekly or only occasionally.
Philoptochos: Service in the Orthodox Tradition
The Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society, founded nationally in 1931, has an active chapter at St. John. President Paulette Szajna leads a board of officers who organize year-round philanthropy with a different focus each month: Operation Classroom in September, McCrest Lunches and Breast Cancer Awareness in October, Feeding the Hungry and FOCUS Detroit in November, Women Helping Women in January, and Outreach Projects in February, to name a few. The chapter hosts parish events such as the Feather Party in November, the Vasilopita in January, Palm Making, and Pascha Egg Coloring. Monthly meetings alternate between Sunday afternoons and Monday evenings, and members also support the wider Metropolis of Detroit through its philanthropic efforts.
Senior Citizens and Community Hall
The St. John Community Hall hosts a Senior Citizens gathering on the first Thursday of every month. Senior Citizens Coordinator Nick Prantzalos welcomes older members of the parish, and the parish helps arrange rides for anyone who needs a lift to attend. The hall serves as a gathering place for many parish events throughout the year, including Philoptochos meetings, Sunday School programs, and parish dinners.
Holiday Hoops and the Annual Golf Outing
Two annual events extend the parish's reach into the wider community. Holiday Hoops is a basketball tournament held each November, capped by a Saturday evening dinner and dance that has become a beloved tradition for the parish and visiting teams. The Annual Golf Outing brings together sponsors, golfers, and volunteers for a day on the course, raising funds that support the church's ongoing ministries and operations.
At the Parish
The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., or by appointment. Online giving is available, with dedicated funds for Stewardship, Memorial, the Endowment, Altar Boys, the Choir, the Greek School, and more. A Sunday bulletin is published weekly, and a parish calendar lists upcoming services and events throughout the liturgical year. The parish continues to serve as a center of Orthodox Christian faith, Greek heritage, and community life in Sterling Heights.