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 about 35 miles south by road, 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 every Orthodox parish is a drive away. The closest options for Land O’ Lakes residents are the Tampa parishes (St. Philip the Apostle Orthodox Church, about 12 miles south, and St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, about 22 miles south), St. George Greek Orthodox Church in New Port Richey (about 22 miles west), our sister Ukrainian Orthodox parish Holy Protection in Dover (about 30 miles southeast), and our parish in Pinellas Park. The Tampa and New Port Richey parishes serve the Greek and OCA traditions; Holy Protection and St. Michael share the Ukrainian Orthodox tradition.
Drive Time and Route from Land O’ Lakes
From central Land O’ Lakes, on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard (US 41), the drive to St. Michael is about 35 miles and takes just under an hour without traffic. This route has no tolls:
- Take Land O’ Lakes Boulevard (US 41) south and keep straight onto North Dale Mabry Highway (SR 597).
- Follow Dale Mabry Highway south through Carrollwood into Tampa, then take I-275 South toward St. Petersburg.
- Cross 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.
- Stay on SR 694 for about 3 miles. 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.
The Veterans Expressway, a toll road, can replace part of Dale Mabry Highway, but it saves only a few minutes on this trip. The I-275 Express lanes and the Gateway Expressway are also tolled; the route above does not use them.
Open directions in Google Maps to plan the drive from your own address. Parking is free on-site.
Why Land O’ Lakes Residents Make the Drive
Land O’ Lakes is a long way from any Orthodox parish, regardless of which you choose. 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. If your family is Ukrainian, whether you moved here from a northern state or arrived recently from Ukraine, 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 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 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:
- St. Philip the Apostle Orthodox Church, Tampa (OCA). All-English services, explicit convert-friendly content and Q&A pages. About 12 miles south.
- St. George Coptic Orthodox Church, Tampa. Coptic tradition, primarily Arabic and English. About 13 miles south.
- St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, Tampa. Greek Orthodox tradition, annual Greek Festival. About 22 miles south.
- St. George Greek Orthodox Church, New Port Richey. Greek Orthodox tradition. About 22 miles west.
- Holy Protection Ukrainian Orthodox, Dover. Sister parish, same UOC of the USA jurisdiction. About 30 miles southeast.
- Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Clearwater. About 35 miles southwest.
- St. Michael Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Pinellas Park. Our parish. About 35 miles south by road.
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 about an hour 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: Tampa · Brandon · Riverview
Pasco County: Wesley Chapel · New Port Richey