“Oh Lord, save Thy people…”
Holy Cross Orthodox Church is a vibrant community committed to sharing the life-changing power of the Cross of Christ in West Michigan. Our mission is to bring the fullness of the Orthodox faith to those in need, offering a living witness of Christ’s love and salvation.
Our Story
In July 2005, thirty-three pilgrims embarked on a life-changing journey from Wittenberg (the birthplace of Lutheranism) to Antioch. After spending a year at St. Nicholas in Grand Rapids, Michigan, under the guidance of Fr. Daniel Daly and Fr. John Winfrey, our founding priest, Fr. Gregory Hogg, was ordained to the priesthood in March 2006 at St. James/Williamston. That same year, we began services as Holy Cross Mission in Dorr, Michigan.
In 2007, by the grace of God, we purchased our first building. With the wise counsel of Bishop MARK, we worked diligently to transform it into a space for worship, fellowship, and community service. Our mission was clear: to bring Orthodoxy to an underserved region of West Michigan and to bear witness to the life-changing power of the Cross.
“…and bless thine inheritance…"
In 2017, God blessed us with a larger property, including a new Temple on 4.5 acres of land next to the beautiful Blandford Nature Center. The new building can hold over 150 people, and while renovations are still ongoing, it has already become a place where heaven touches earth during our worship.
Looking ahead, we are praying for God's guidance as we work towards:
Expanding our church to hold 300+ people
Creating an Orthodox cemetery
Establishing a school and a potential Retreat Center/Coffee Shop Bookstore to serve the community's spiritual needs.
We are actively working with the congregation to discern God’s will and plans for this future growth.
Our Mission
Holy Cross is a mission-minded church. In addition to the OCF chapters we have helped establish, we are also active in both international and local missions, including:
- Supporting an orphanage in Ukraine
- Participating in the Orthodox Christian Mission Center’s “Support a Mission Priest” program
- Supporting missionaries in Albania and Guatemala
We are committed to ensuring that Orthodoxy is accessible to more people in West Michigan and beyond, as well as fostering relationships with mission fields around the world.
Looking Ahead
Our vision is clear: to speak with both words and actions that, in Christ, we are truly made whole and complete. We see Orthodoxy becoming home to thousands in West Michigan and millions across America. For such a time as this, God has raised up His Church in America, so that we might bring the ancient and powerful message of the Cross to modern people.