Orthodox Church Serving Brandon, FL
Brandon is one of the largest unincorporated communities in Hillsborough County, with a population of about 116,000 and continuing growth east of Tampa. If you live in Brandon 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 about 25 miles west as the crow flies (about 29 by road), in Pinellas Park, and we serve the Brandon Ukrainian community as well as Americans drawn to Orthodox Christianity from across the eastern Bay.
Brandon itself has no Orthodox parish within its boundaries. The closest options for Brandon residents are the established Tampa parishes (St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox and St. Philip the Apostle Orthodox Church) about 10 to 12 miles west (see Orthodox churches in Tampa), our sister Ukrainian Orthodox parish Holy Protection in Dover about 11 miles northeast, and our parish to the southwest. The Tampa parishes serve the Greek and OCA traditions; Holy Protection and St. Michael share the Ukrainian Orthodox tradition.
Drive Time and Route from Brandon
From Westfield Brandon, at SR 60 and I-75, the drive to St. Michael is about 29 miles and takes about 45 minutes without traffic. The quickest route uses one toll road, the Selmon Expressway:
- Take SR 60 west (Brandon Boulevard, which becomes Adamo Drive) for about 3 miles and join the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway westbound. The Selmon charges a toll.
- Follow the Selmon west to its end, where it becomes Gandy Boulevard, and cross the Gandy Bridge into Pinellas County. The bridge is free.
- Stay on Gandy Boulevard past I-275. Along the way Gandy Boulevard becomes Park Boulevard.
- Turn right onto 60th Street. The church is a little over a mile ahead, at 9201 60th St.
To avoid tolls, take I-75 North to I-4 West, then I-275 South toward St. Petersburg and across the Howard Frankland Bridge. Stay in the general lanes, which are free. Take exit 28 for SR 694 West, Pinellas Park; the ramp joins Gandy Boulevard heading west, and Gandy becomes Park Boulevard. Turn right onto 60th Street. This way is about 35 miles and 50 minutes without traffic.
Open directions in Google Maps to plan the drive from your own address. Parking is free on-site.
Why Brandon Residents Make the Drive
Brandon is a long way from any Orthodox parish, regardless of which you choose. Most Brandon Orthodox families are crossing the bay or driving across town to go to church. Given that reality, the question for a Brandon family is which parish home is the right fit, not which one is closest.
Ukrainian Orthodox tradition. If your Brandon family is Ukrainian, whether you have lived in Florida for decades or arrived recently, 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. Brandon’s 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. Brandon’s American Orthodox seekers have several parishes within reach. 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 a Divine Liturgy in Ukrainian and English, St. Michael is the parish for you.
Sister Parish: Holy Protection UOC, Dover
If you live in eastern Brandon or further east toward Plant City, you are physically 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 Brandon
Brandon residents have a wider set of Orthodox options than most Bay area communities:
- St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, Tampa. Greek Orthodox tradition, annual Greek Festival. About 11 miles west.
- St. Philip the Apostle Orthodox Church, Tampa (OCA). All-English services, explicit convert-friendly content and Q&A pages. About 11 miles northwest.
- Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Clearwater. About 30 miles west.
- St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Tampa. Coptic tradition, primarily Arabic and English. About 12 miles northwest.
- Holy Protection Ukrainian Orthodox, Dover. Sister parish, same UOC of the USA jurisdiction. About 11 miles northeast.
- St. Michael Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Pinellas Park. Our parish. About 29 miles west by road.
For Brandon residents, the choice is rarely about distance. 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 Brandon Families
Brandon 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: 10:00 AM. Hours and confessions: 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 Brandon, plan for about 45 minutes on the Selmon Expressway route, or about 50 minutes toll-free, without traffic. 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: Tampa · Riverview
Pasco County: Wesley Chapel · Land O' Lakes · New Port Richey