Welcome to the Orthodox Church of Dover, Florida, serving the East Tampa, Brandon, Plant City, Zephyrhills, Riverview, and West Lakeland areas

Our address:  Most Holy Mother of God (Holy Protection) Parish 3820 Moores Lake Road, Dover FL 33527. 

Eparchial Bishop and Archpastor:  H.B. Metropolitan CONSTANTINE, is Metropolitan of the UOCofUSA, as well as the Eparchial Bishop of the Central Eparchy, and the Metropolia's prime hierarchical representative on the STANDING CONFERENCE OF ORTHODOX BISHOPS IN AMERICA. 

Hierarchs and Archpastors of the Metropolia:  H.A.H. Patriarch BARTHOLOMEW, H.E. Archbishop ANTONY

                Eis Polla Eti Despota to our beloved Bishop DANIEL (Zelinsky)

                Memory Eternal:  H.E. Archbishop VSEVOLOD.

Parish Rector & Pastor:  Rev. Fr. Harry Linsinbigler.   Fr. Harry is the Director of Religious Education for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the United States of America Consistory Offices of Ministry-ORE, as well as Dean of the Florida Deanery.  He is also Canonical Advocate and Liturgical Rubricist for the UOCUSA, as well as Instructor of Dogmatic Theology for St. Sophia Seminary.   He is Vice President of the Tampa Bay Orthodox Clergy Brotherhood.  He is also the Orthodox representative to the Christian Forum.  Fr. Harry has two Master's degrees, one in Divinity and one in Applied Theology. 

Directions: From the West (Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater) go East on I-4 toward Orlando and get off on the McIntosh Road Exit and bear a right at light at bottom of ramp. At next light make a left onto 92.  Go straight about 1 1/2 miles and make right onto Moores Lake Road.  Go straight and the parish will be on your right about 3/4 of a mile up the Road.

From the South, Take I75 to the Brandon Exit. Follow Brandon Road until you see Dover Road. Make a Left onto Dover Road until it turns into Moores Lake Road. The Church will be on the left.  Alternate Take I75 North to I-4 East toward Orland and follow directions from the West.

From the North Take I 75 to I-4 East toward Orlando and follow directions from the West.

From the East:  Take I75 West toward Tampa and get off at the Branch Forbes exit.  Go to 92 and turn right onto 92.  Go several miles and turn left onto Moores Lake Road.  Follow for 3/4 mile and will see Church on your right. 

Schedule of Services and Events and other information: See Schedule page for specific times Sunday services: Divine Liturgy (English),Vespers, Matins (mixed Languages), Christian Education for adults and children, Fellowship, and Lunch.  Other services Midweek Matins and Liturgies, Lenten Liturgy Saturday Mornings see Schedule, Lenten Presanctified Liturgies Wed. and Fridays see Schedule; Weekday services for feast days throughout the year. 

      Our parish is a parish of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the Central Diocese of the UOCUSA, a member of SCOBA (Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in America), in full Communion with all Orthodox Churches worldwide.  Our parish follows the same Calendar as that of Mt. Athos (the Holy Mountain) and Stavropagial monestaries in the United States, which are also part the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which use the full AK (Aetos Kosmou) Church Calendar of the Ecumenical Councils (The "Old Calendar", sometimes inaccurately termed the "Julian" Calendar).  Other local Orthodox Churches which follow the Old Church Calendar are the mother Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, the Moscow Patriarchate of Russia, the autonomous Church of Ukraine, and some others, all of which are in Communion with each other.  Old and New Calendar celebrate the Lenten and Paschal Cycles together, while the dates of fixed feasts are celebrated according to the dates fixed on either one of the calendars used.

The History of Most Holy Mother of God Parish

Our parish was founded approximately 20 years ago by Fr. Anastasije Starcavic, an American of Serbian and Italian descent, together with immigrants from Ukraine and first generation Ukrainian Americans.  We are a parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, founded by spiritual descendants of the ancient see of Kyiv (Kiev), united with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (within whose territory ALL SEVEN of the Ecumenical Councils of the ancient Church were held).  The Ecumenical Patriarchate is the mother of Orthodox Chrisitianity in Rus-Ukraine, just as Rus-Ukraine is the mother of much of the Orthodox Christianity in the United States and Diaspora.  Our Parish Church can trace its lineage to the Apostles of Christ.  The regular Sunday Divine Liturgy is in English.  At traditional times, especially Pascha, several traditional and other languages are used to proclaim the universality of the Resurrection.  Members of our parish are from all ethnic backgrounds, and people from all ethnic backgrounds are welcomed to join, our Church being based on the great commission of Christ to make disciples of all nations.  The Faith which spread to Rus-Ukraine has now been brought to America and, in the words of our Saviour, should be preached in all places "to every creature" (Mark 16.15).

           The inside of the Church building with the iconostasis (icon screen or templon) follows the classic Byzantine design used by most Orthodox churches, with many icons decorating the inside of the Church building. The main body of the Church has a narthex, representative of earth, the main part of the church known as the nave, representative of heaven, and, behind the icon screen (iconostas, also known as the templon) the altar which represents the heaven of heavens.   God's grace and presence fills all of these sacred spaces, and as a Church we set aside each part of the Church for special and distinct usages in the glorification of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

 

           After Sunday Church services we meet in fellowship at our fellowship hall.  All those who are visiting are most welcome to join in!  Here everyone may have lunch or just fellowship.  Having a meal in fellowship on Sundays after Liturgy follows an ancient Christian tradition meeting in fellowship as a sign of love (Agape) in Christ in celebration of the Resurrection of Christ and His triumph over death and hell, giving all of mankind access to His Kingdom who hear his call to "come."  The future is bright for our Church and its members, looking always toward the light of Christ. 

 

Most Holy Mother of God (Holy Protection) Orthodox Church 

Pravoslavna Tserkva Sv. Pokrove Materi Bozhoi

Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the United States of America

Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople                                   

3820 Moores Lake Road

Dover FL 33527