About Saint Joseph [Melkite] · Lansing, Michigan
Saint Joseph Melkite Greek Catholic Church is the Melkite Greek Catholic parish for south-central Michigan, located in Lansing. Its congregation is made up primarily of Greek Catholics of Lebanese and Palestinian heritage, though the parish openly welcomes anyone drawn to the Byzantine Christian tradition handed down from the Apostles. The parish belongs to the Greek-Melkite Diocese of Newton (our mother church) and sits geographically within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing. With nearly 100 families, it is a small but active community offering the full cycle of Byzantine liturgical life — Divine Liturgy, Orthros, Vespers, Sunday School, and a Ladies Society rooted in the tradition of the Holy Myrrh Bearers.
- Patron
- Saint Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Dr. Michael Skrocki
- Diocese
- Greek-Melkite Diocese of Newton (located within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing)
Why belong here
St. Joseph is a warm, family-sized Byzantine Catholic community in Lansing that worships in the full Melkite liturgical tradition — Divine Liturgy, Orthros, and Great Vespers — while welcoming Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and seekers. The parish offers active formation for children through a Sunday School program for ages 2–18, and the Ladies Society (modeled on the Holy Myrrh Bearers) cares for the bereaved, the sick, new mothers, seminarians, and the wider parish family. As a regional Melkite parish for all of south-central Michigan, it is a rare local doorway into the spirituality of the Christian East, set in an intimate, multi-generational setting.
Mass times at Saint Joseph [Melkite]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before each liturgy
- Sunday 10:30 a.m. – 10:55 a.m.
About the Parish
St. Joseph Melkite Greek Catholic Church is the Melkite Greek Catholic parish serving south-central Michigan, located at 725 W. Mt. Hope Ave. in Lansing. The congregation is largely made up of Greek Catholics from Lebanon and Palestine, but the parish is open to anyone interested in the Byzantine Christian tradition. The parish belongs to the Greek-Melkite Diocese of Newton and is geographically situated within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing. With almost 100 families, it is an intimate, family-oriented community that welcomes Roman Catholics (baptized and confirmed) and Orthodox Christians to share in the Holy Eucharist.
- Nearly 100 families, mostly of Lebanese or Palestinian background
- Part of the Greek-Melkite Diocese of Newton
- Located within the territory of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing
What is a Melkite (Greek Catholic)?
The parish's About page explains that the Christian Church was born in the Holy Land and, as it spread, took on the cultural ways of the nations that received it. The Eastern Christian tradition is rooted in the Greek and Byzantine culture of the early Middle East — which is why Eastern Catholics are also called 'Greek Catholics' or 'Byzantine Catholics.' The name 'Melkite' comes from the Arabic word 'melek,' meaning 'emperor': Middle Eastern Greek Catholics kept faith with the Byzantine emperor's orthodox teaching on Christ defined at the Council of Chalcedon. American Melkite parishes like St. Joseph preserve the ways of the Holy Land — Jerusalem, Antioch, and Damascus — handed down from the Apostles.
- Eastern, Byzantine, or Greek Catholic — same communion as Rome, different liturgical tradition
- 'Melkite' derives from the Arabic 'melek' (emperor), for loyalty to the orthodox Christology of the Council of Chalcedon
- Spiritual heritage linked to Jerusalem, Antioch, and Damascus
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by Rev. Dr. Michael Skrocki, who can be reached through the parish email and phone. A small team of lay leaders and volunteers supports the life of the parish: a Financial Secretary, the Parish Advisory Council, and the Sunday School Coordinator.
- Pastor: Rev. Dr. Michael Skrocki — [email protected], (517) 253-7680
- Financial Secretary: Mr. John Mansour
- Parish Advisory Council Chairman: Mr. Piere Khouri
- Sunday School Coordinator: Mrs. Esperance Hourani
Service Schedule (Divine Liturgy and Sacraments)
St. Joseph holds the regular Byzantine round of services each week. The full Divine Liturgy is celebrated on Sunday morning, preceded by Orthros and Sunday School, and Great Vespers is sung on Saturday evening. The Mystery of Confession is offered before each liturgy. Feast days are typically marked with Great Vespers the evening before and Divine Liturgy on the feast day itself, and the parish calendar lists any additional weekday services.
- Saturday: 6 p.m. — Vespers
- Sunday: 10 a.m. — Orthros & Sunday School
- Sunday: 11 a.m. — Divine Liturgy
- Confession: before each liturgy (typically 10:30–10:55 a.m. on Sundays)
- Feast days: Great Vespers at 6 p.m. the evening before; Divine Liturgy at 6 p.m. on the feast day
Sacraments (Holy Mysteries)
Parishioners are invited to share in the 'Divine Life' through the Holy Mysteries/Sacraments, the Divine Liturgy, prayer and fasting, and the common life of loving service. The parish especially invites baptized and confirmed Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians to share the Holy Eucharist when they visit.
- Holy Eucharist shared with baptized/confirmed Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians
- Confession available before each liturgy
- Full Byzantine sacramental life — contact the parish for baptisms, weddings, etc.
Sunday School & Faith Formation
St. Joseph runs an active Sunday School program for children and youth from age 2 through 18, meeting alongside the adults' Sunday morning worship at 10 a.m. The program is coordinated by Mrs. Esperance Hourani, and is the parish's primary work of faith formation for the next generation of Melkite Christians.
- Sunday School for ages 2–18
- Meets Sundays at 10 a.m., alongside the adult Orthros
- Coordinator: Mrs. Esperance Hourani
Ladies Society (Holy Myrrh Bearers)
In the tradition of the Holy Myrrh Bearers — the women who first came to Christ's tomb — the Ladies Society of Saint Joseph is a community of women following Jesus Christ and ministering to Him. Its mission is to promote holiness among its members, foster authentic Eastern Christian spirituality through study, lectures, and programs, assist the pastor in caring for the parish, and build a sense of community. Its works are organized around the works of mercy from Matthew 25.
- Hungrier: mercy meals for the bereaved, sweets for the community, baking Holy Bread, meals for new mothers
- Stranger: arranging flowers for feast days, coordinating fellowship events after liturgies, welcoming visitors
- Sick: visiting the sick and shut-ins of the parish
- Naked: fundraising for charity, supporting Melkite seminarians, caring for vestments and sacristy linens
- Contact: Jocelyne Khouri — [email protected]
Parish Life and Outreach
Beyond its regular services and programs, the parish gathers for community and outreach events that reflect its Middle Eastern Christian heritage. The parish has hosted an evening of prayer and personal testimony by Christians from Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Palestine, praying for the persecuted Church in the Holy Land and welcoming everyone to traditional Middle Eastern hospitality in the parish hall at 725 W. Mt. Hope.
- Evenings of prayer and testimony for persecuted Middle Eastern Christians
- Traditional Middle Eastern hospitality gatherings in the parish hall
- Parish Advisory Council guides parish life
Visit, Contact, and Location
Visitors are warmly welcomed at the parish church at 725 W. Mt. Hope Ave. in Lansing. A map and directions appear on the parish's Contact Us page, and the parish hall at the same address (corner of Rundle St.) is used for community meals and events after liturgies. The parish can be reached by email or phone, and updates are posted on the parish's Facebook page.
- Address: 725 W. Mt. Hope Ave., Lansing, MI 48910
- Phone: (517) 253-7680
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stjosephmelkite.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/MelkiteChurchLansing
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father James Graham
Earlier pastor, described the parish as nearly 100 families of mostly Lebanese or Palestinian background.
- Rt. Rev. Archpriest Lawrence G. Gosselin, USAF (Ret.)
Listed in a parish directory as pastor with Robert Butler as reader.
- Rev. Dr. Michael Skrocki
Current pastor; listed on the parish's About Us and Contact pages.