Orthodox Church Serving Land O' Lakes, FL
Land O’ Lakes is a residential community in southwestern Pasco County, just north of the Hillsborough line, with a population of about 38,000 and continuing growth through Connerton, Bexley, and the SR 54 corridor. If you live in Land O’ Lakes and are looking for an Orthodox church, you have a few options to consider, and St. Michael Ukrainian Orthodox Church is one of them. We are 38 miles south, in Pinellas Park, and as Свято-Михайлівська Українська Православна Церква we serve the Land O’ Lakes Ukrainian community as well as Americans drawn to Orthodox Christianity from across northern Tampa Bay.
Land O’ Lakes itself has no Ukrainian Orthodox parish within its boundaries, and Pasco County has no Orthodox parishes of any tradition at all. The closest options for Land O’ Lakes residents are our sister Ukrainian Orthodox parish Holy Protection in Dover (about 25 miles southeast), the Tampa parishes (St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox and St. Philip the Apostle Orthodox Church, about 22 miles south), and our parish in Pinellas Park. Each serves a different liturgical tradition.
Drive Time and Route from Land O’ Lakes
From central Land O’ Lakes (near US 41 and SR 54), the drive to St. Michael is about 45 to 55 minutes depending on traffic. The most direct route:
- Take US 41 south or SR 54 west to the Veterans Expressway south
- Continue on Veterans Expressway south to I-275 south
- Cross the Howard Frankland Bridge
- Exit at Park Boulevard (exit 31) and head east
- Turn north on 49th Street
- Turn east on 102nd Avenue
- Arrive at 9201 60th St
The Veterans Expressway is a toll road. The cost is modest, but factor it in. Sunday morning traffic on the Howard Frankland Bridge is generally manageable. Plan for 50 minutes door to door. Parking is free on-site.
If you prefer to avoid tolls, you can take US 41 (Dale Mabry Highway) south through Lutz and Carrollwood into Tampa, then pick up I-275 south. The route is longer and has more lights, but Sunday morning traffic is light.
Why Land O’ Lakes Residents Make the Drive
Land O’ Lakes is a long way from any Orthodox parish, regardless of which you choose. Pasco County has no parishes within its borders, so every Land O’ Lakes Orthodox family is crossing a county line on Sunday morning. Given that reality, the question for a Land O’ Lakes family is which parish home is the right fit, not which one is closest.
Ukrainian Orthodox tradition. Land O’ Lakes has a growing Ukrainian-American community, including families who have arrived since 2022 through Uniting for Ukraine sponsorship and others relocating from northern states. Our parish offers a Sunday Divine Liturgy in both English and Ukrainian, the Ukrainian liturgical calendar, and parish life that honors Ukrainian cultural and spiritual heritage. We are the only UOC of the USA parish on the western side of the bay, while our sister parish Holy Protection in Dover serves the eastern Bay area in the same tradition.
Bilingual liturgical home. Land O’ Lakes bilingual and bicultural families find our parish a natural home. Children hear Ukrainian alongside English. Older parishioners pray in their first language. Newer parishioners follow comfortably in English. The two liturgical languages weave together in one celebration.
A welcoming convert pathway. Land O’ Lakes American Orthodox seekers have several parishes within reach, though all require a substantial drive. St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox in Tampa is large, established, and substantially English. St. Philip the Apostle Orthodox Church in Tampa serves the OCA tradition with English-language services and explicit convert outreach. If your family is drawn to one of those traditions, those are excellent parishes. If you are drawn to Ukrainian Orthodox tradition or want a parish offering bilingual Slavic and English worship, St. Michael is the parish for you.
Sister Parish: Holy Protection UOC, Dover
If you live in eastern Land O’ Lakes or further east toward Wesley Chapel, you may be closer to our sister Ukrainian Orthodox parish, Holy Protection of the Mother of God Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Dover. Holy Protection is part of the same Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA jurisdiction. Both parishes serve the same liturgical tradition. We coordinate closely on diocesan matters.
If Holy Protection is closer to your home and works for your family’s schedule, that is a good choice. They are a smaller community than St. Michael, with their own character and warmth. Visit either parish, see which feels like home, and we will all be glad to have you in the Ukrainian Orthodox community.
Other Orthodox Options Near Land O’ Lakes
Land O’ Lakes residents have a modest set of Orthodox options, all requiring a drive across the county line:
- St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, Tampa. Established 1956, large parish (~400 families), strong music ministry, annual Greek Festival. About 22 miles south.
- St. Philip the Apostle Orthodox Church, Tampa (OCA). All-English services, explicit convert-friendly content and Q&A pages. About 22 miles south.
- St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Tampa. Coptic tradition, primarily Arabic and English. About 22 miles south.
- Holy Protection Ukrainian Orthodox, Dover. Sister parish, same UOC of the USA jurisdiction. About 25 miles southeast.
- Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Clearwater. About 35 miles southwest, but worth mentioning for its rapid growth and active convert membership.
- St. Michael Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Pinellas Park. Our parish. About 38 miles south.
For Land O’ Lakes residents, the choice is rarely about distance, because every option is a real drive. It is about which liturgical and cultural tradition speaks to your family. Visit a few. Pray in each. The right parish is the one that becomes home.
Sacraments for Land O’ Lakes Families
Land O’ Lakes families turn to St. Michael for baptism, weddings, and memorial services when their families want the Ukrainian Orthodox tradition specifically, or when they want a bilingual ceremony. Each sacrament can be celebrated in English, Ukrainian, or bilingually based on family preference.
For weddings, plan to contact Fr. Stephen at least six months before the wedding date. For baptisms, reach out as soon as you decide to baptize your child or yourself. For memorial services and funerals, contact us as soon as possible after a death so we can help you plan and prepare.
Plan Your First Visit
Sunday Divine Liturgy (Божественна Літургія): 10:00 AM. Hours & Confession: 9:30 AM. Coffee and fellowship after Liturgy.
Address: 9201 60th St, Pinellas Park, FL 33782.
Phone: 727-777-4450. Parish Priest: Fr. Stephen Siniari.
If you are coming from Land O’ Lakes, plan for a 50 minute drive on Sunday morning. Read our first visit guide before you come. We hope to see you.
Other Tampa Bay cities we serve
If you live elsewhere in the Bay area, we also have driving guides and what-to-expect notes for:
Inner Pinellas County: Pinellas Park · Largo · Seminole · Dunedin · Palm Harbor
Hillsborough County: Brandon · Riverview
Pasco County: Wesley Chapel · New Port Richey