St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church — Local services in Minneapolis

Perhaps one star is too drastic a rating but I have attended this church all my life (more than fifty-five years) and have not attended since 2007 because of the arrogance, pretentiousness, unfriendliness and absolute meanness of the parish (especially the men). In May, 2013, I had knee replacement surgery and was visited by the outreach coordinator several times at the nursing home, but through my six month recuperation and my absence of ten years I have never heard from any person either by phone, email or letter except during pledge month when I receive a mail packet. The congregation has long standing cliques and it is difficult to socially penetrate these. I have suggested that the church (and other Orthodox churches in the Twin Cities area) can do more for middle aged singles but they refuse to take any action. The priest has inserted his favorites and other high dues paying members into important positions for consolidation of power thus leaving many more competent persons alienated and estranged, a very unfair circumstance. New sacred music is not allowed: only 1500 year old Byzantine music which has been "Anglicized" and "retrofitted" into English to appeal to newly married persons who have married outside the faith and brought the new member into the church. Virtually, it is the same ritualistic liturgy which transpires every Sunday. Various Christians are at different levels of spiritual growth and I, personally, find the liturgy tiresome and repetitive and need something more spiritual with a teaching of the Word. We have tried to lobby for normalization and functionalization of the church at the Diocesan level but to no avail. Like many churches and its relation to its youth, the Greek Orthodox Church is in spiritual crisis. Highly unfriendly people--into status, clothes, big homes, huge cars and vacations in Greece. A better use of time devoted to worshiping the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit would be to listen to Dr. Charles Stanley, Joel Osteen, and Joyce Meyer on youtube. The Greek Orthodox church in St. Paul is worse. I have attended many times and talked to their priest on many occasions--they have a difficult situation also.When it comes to choosing people for ministries (sych as Sunday School) the priests and Board play favorites, are very unfair and they truly do not care about anyone. The parish members are very much into facade and "keeping up". After more than fifty years of attending this church, I assert that it is a highly toxic atmosphere, filled with congregants who are mean spirited, caustic, selfish, unfriendly and status seeking. It needs a total spiritual cleaning because the congregants have such great personality problems and dysfunctional, abnormal personalities. The men of the congregation like to denigrate other men. For example, I was told by one member (who is a restaurant owner) that I always seem to wear the same suit and on another occasion another member who owns his own trucking company that my politics are not correct. I do not know why they do this but, presumably, it makes them feel better about themselves. Most belong to the "Show and Tell" group: they show up at church every Sunday to be certain everyone sees them and they pray, prostrate and bow so that they seem religious. They are no more of a good Christian than the worst atheist. They do corrupt things all week and do not really take the gospel to heart. Would you want to...

This is a great church with long standing traditional Divine Liturgy that helps focus one's spirit toward peace and cleansing prior to Eucharist. Speaking as an outsider who married into the faith and converted to Orthodoxy, it may not be the easiest group to join into but I have found by volunteering for different missions such as meals on wheels and blood drive that I have grown very close to a large number of congregants. I treasure my friends there and have no idea what kind of cars they drive. The church is a strong member of the community with broad outreach programs. The facility is beautifully perched atop the eastern bluffs overlooking...

We spent an evening at St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church and it was great! The facilities were beautiful and well set up and maintained. The parking was even well done and organized. The staff who worked for the Church were quiet and very knowledgeable about their facility and did a good job of stepping back at all times and not overwhelming us. The stage area, which was a part of the church faculties was fantastic, had great sound and lighting and was the centerpiece of our evening. It will be welcome if we have the event at the same Church next year to return...