At 1719 Creswell Avenue in Shreveport's Highland area, St. George Greek Orthodox Church is known for the clear cadence of its Sunday worship, its roots in Greek immigration, and a congregation that reaches beyond a single ethnic tradition. The parish belongs to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in the Metropolis of Denver, under the omophorion of Metropolitan Constantine of Denver. Its life centers on the Divine Liturgy and extends through education, music, youth work, homebound visitation, and service to the surrounding neighborhood.
From New Ephesus to Highland Avenue
St. George grew out of the arrival of Greek immigrants from Asia Minor and Greece. Many founders came from New Ephesus in Asia Minor, where their church was dedicated to St. George. That church was destroyed during the Turko-Grecian struggle, and the community carried the name forward when it established a new St. George in Shreveport. The first meetings took place in an Episcopal church, followed by years in the congregation's own house on Hope Street. The result was a new Orthodox community centered on the same patron saint and inherited faith.
In 1924, members purchased a building at the corner of Peabody and Hope Streets, remodeled it, and used it as a house of worship. The present church was erected in 1935 on the corner of Creswell Avenue and Wichita Street in Highland. The building and its congregation belong to a parish that has endured for more than a century, preserving both the name of St. George and a visible place in Shreveport's Greek community.
Historical photographs preserve other turning points. Patriarch Athenagoras I of Constantinople, then Archbishop of North America, made an archpastoral visit in 1941. The Sons of Pericles, a junior AHEPA organization active in community affairs around 1939, appears in parish photographs, while celebrations of Greek Independence Day marked the church steps in the 1940s. Another view shows the choir and altar servers during Holy Week around the same period. These images place St. George within Greek American life as a place of worship, association, and public observance.
The congregation reflects a wider circle than the founders who established the church. It includes Orthodox Christians of Greek descent and people from Palestine and Israel, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Ethiopia, and Egypt, along with Spanish-speaking members and others from different language backgrounds. A large part of the congregation are converts who previously belonged to Protestant or Catholic traditions or came from nonreligious and other religious backgrounds. This diversity is part of St. George's life in Highland, not a departure from the parish's Greek Orthodox identity.
The Great Martyr at the Parish's Center
St. George the Great Martyr was born to a father from Cappadocia and a mother from Palestine. A military tribune and commander of a thousand soldiers, he was distinguished for his courage in battle. When Emperor Diocletian prepared a persecution of Christians, George presented himself publicly, denounced the emperor, and endured severe torture without yielding his faith. His stand helped lead Queen Alexandra to Christianity, and he was beheaded in Nicomedia in 296. The church remembers him as liberator of captives, defender of the poor, physician of the sick, and champion of kings. His feast is April 23; when April 23 falls on or before Great and Holy Pascha, the feast is translated to Bright Monday.
Sunday at St. George
St. George's weekly worship begins with Orthros, the morning prayer, at 9:00 AM. The Divine Liturgy follows at 10:00 AM. The same hours are given for the weekday rhythm.
- Sunday: Orthros at 9:00 AM and Divine Liturgy at 10:00 AM.
- Weekdays: Orthros at 9:00 AM and Divine Liturgy at 10:00 AM.
The Sunday Divine Liturgy is carried live through Facebook. For someone approaching Orthodox worship for the first time, the order of the morning matters: Orthros begins at 9, and the Divine Liturgy, the principal Sunday service, follows at 10. After the liturgy, the parish gathers for announcements, fellowship, and refreshments in its activities center.
St. George teaches that the Divine Liturgy is a corporate celebration rather than a service delivered to passive spectators. The weekday pattern places Orthros and Divine Liturgy at the same hours, keeping prayer and Eucharist woven into the rhythm of parish life.
What to Know for a First Visit
St. George welcomes Orthodox Christians and anyone visiting an Orthodox church for the first time. Holy Communion and the sacraments are offered only to baptized and chrismated Orthodox Christians. All visitors, however, are invited to receive antidoron, the blessed bread distributed by the priest at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. Antidoron is not sacramental, but it recalls the agape feast that followed worship in the ancient Christian Church.
A non-Orthodox visitor who wishes to receive a blessing in lieu of Holy Communion approaches the chalice with an arm folded across the chest. The priest then gives the blessing. The arrangement allows visitors to participate fully in the worship while preserving the church's understanding of who receives Holy Communion.
After the morning Divine Liturgy, announcements introduce members and visitors to one another. Fellowship and refreshments follow in the activities center. Visitors may also complete a visitor's form and place it in the offering tray at the narthex candle stand as they leave. Children's ministries at the parish include a nursery, Catechetical School, Vacation Church School, Youth Group, Summer Camp, and Altar Boys. A first-timer may initially be overwhelmed by the music and ceremonies, but Orthodox worship is designed as active participation rather than private observation.
A Corporate Liturgy Built for the Whole Church
The Divine Liturgy stands at the center of Orthodox life. It is not simply an occasion to hear a sermon, but the corporate work of the Church, expressing worship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit through prayer, music, gestures, material creation, art, and architecture. Orthodox worship has four principal expressions: the Eucharist, the sacraments, special services and blessings, and the daily offices of Matins and Vespers. Services are always sung or chanted.
The Liturgy unfolds in distinct movements. Preparation includes the priest's prayer, vesting, and the preparation of bread and wine. The Liturgy of the Catechumens includes the Little Entrance, in which the priest carries the Book of Gospels from the sanctuary into the nave, followed by the Epistle, Gospel, and sermon. The Liturgy of the Faithful begins with the Great Entrance, when the offering of bread and wine is brought to the altar. The congregation professes the Creed, the Holy Spirit is invoked upon the offering, and the Eucharistic gifts are brought forward for the faithful to receive.
Participation runs throughout the service. The congregation sings the hymns, concludes prayers with Amen, responds to petitions, makes the sign of the cross, and bows. Standing is the preferred posture for prayer, while kneeling is reserved for particularly solemn moments such as the invocation of the Holy Spirit. Litanies create a recurring dialogue between the priest or deacon and the people, with responses of Lord, have mercy or Grant this, O Lord. Orthodox worship includes no private or said services because the active involvement of the congregation is essential.
The Eucharist is traced to the Last Supper, when Christ instructed his disciples to offer bread and wine in his memory. St. George affirms that Christ is truly present in the celebration and that the Eucharistic gifts become his Body and Blood and the first fruits of the New Creation. The common chalice and communion spoon are used, and reception is reserved for baptized, chrismated, practicing members of the Orthodox Church. All the other sacraments lead toward the Eucharist and flow from it.
Orthodox services may be solemn, elaborate, and lengthy, yet they also express a pervasive sense of joy. That joy reflects the Resurrection of Christ and the hope that humanity is united with God. Music, ceremonial movement, icons, prayer, and the gathered congregation work together, making the Divine Liturgy an experience that addresses the whole person.
A Sanctuary Shaped by Icons and Prayer
In Orthodox worship, sacred space is understood in three parts. The narthex is the entrance area, the nave is the central space where the faithful gather, and the sanctuary contains the altar and is reserved for the clergy and their assistants. St. George's own visitor arrangement includes the narthex candle stand and offering tray, while its activities center provides a place for the fellowship that follows worship.
The iconostasion separates the sanctuary from the nave. Icons of Christ and St. John the Baptist stand on its right, with the Theotokos and the patron saint on its left, and the Royal Door occupies the center. The altar, or Holy Table, is the focal point of the Church. During the Divine Liturgy, bread and wine are offered upon it; when the Liturgy is not being celebrated, the Book of Gospels rests there, with a cross behind the altar.
Icons are not treated as decoration. They signify the presence of the person depicted and serve as a window linking heaven and earth. St. George's sanctuary was expanded and redecorated in 2009, and the continuing addition of large icons of Christ and the saints is described as unique in Shreveport. This visual world of color, images, candles, and incense-free ornamentation helps express the Orthodox conviction that beauty in the material world can become a means of praising the Creator.
Economos Ioannis Krokos
St. George is served by Rev. Ioannis Krokos, an Economos. Father Ioannis was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, and grew up at Holy Anargyroi Greek Orthodox Church in Rochester, Minnesota. He earned an associate degree in liberal arts and a bachelor's degree in religious studies at Hellenic College in Brookline, Massachusetts, where he also studied at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and received a Master of Divinity. He took classes at Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, Greece.
He was ordained to the diaconate on January 27, 2008, and elevated to the priesthood on July 27, 2008. His earlier ministry included service as a second priest at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Tarpon Springs, Florida, and as presiding priest at Holy Trinity in Port Charlotte, Florida. He has served the St. George community since 2014.
On June 10, 2023, Bishop Constantine of Sassima elevated Father Ioannis to the rank of Economos before the conclusion of Great Vespers at St. George. The elevation included the Pectoral Cross and the Epigonion vestment, to be worn during the services and rites of the Church.
Formation, Youth, Music, and Prayer
St. George's ministry life includes education from childhood through adulthood, worship and prayer, youth and family activities, outreach, and practical support of the parish. Its ministry roster includes:
- Formation: Catechetical School, Adult Catechetical School, Adult Religious Education, and Bible Study.
- Children and youth: Nursery, Vacation Church School, Youth Group, Summer Camp, and Altar Boys.
- Worship and fellowship: Church Choir, Prayer Partners, Offering Bread, and Retreats.
- Care and resources: Homebound Visitations, Philoptochos, and the Library-Bookstore.
The Church Choir and Altar Boys continue roles that appear in early Holy Week photographs, linking the life of the present parish with its inherited worship. The Library-Bookstore offers access to the Orthodox Marketplace and Holy Cross Bookstore, while the Bible Study, catechetical schools, Vacation Church School, Summer Camp, and Retreats form the educational and fellowship side of parish life.
Commitment to the Highland Neighborhood
St. George frames service as a responsibility that begins at the steps of the church and radiates outward to its neighbors. The parish seeks to improve lives in the surrounding area, reduce suffering among those in need, and restore the dignity of the neighborhood. Homebound Visitations and the work of Philoptochos give practical expression to that commitment alongside worship, education, and fellowship.
Highland constitutes a major part of the older portion of Shreveport. Its buildings date from the late nineteenth century, and its historic homes stand beside St. George as monuments to people who recognized the area's potential. The parish describes Highland as a neighborhood in transition and sees its own commitment to the area as essential to that transition remaining positive. The church and neighborhood therefore share a story of preservation, adaptation, and continuing life.
Philoptochos holds an annual Greek Pastry Sale on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, with preorder forms available before the sale. Sophie Duke serves as president of the chapter. The parish's Prayer Partners, homebound visits, fundraising, and charitable outreach all extend its concern beyond the church building and into the lives of neighbors in Highland.
The Creed, the Sacraments, and Theosis
St. George's creed is the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, begun at the Council of Nicaea in 325 and completed at Constantinople in 381. It confesses one God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth and all things visible and invisible; one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten before all ages, Light of Light, true God of true God, of one essence with the Father. Christ came down from heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, became man, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, suffered, was buried, rose on the third day, ascended, and sits at the Father's right hand. The Creed also names the Holy Spirit as the Lord and giver of life who proceeds from the Father, one holy, catholic, and apostolic Church, one baptism for the remission of sins, the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come.
God's revelation in Jesus Christ stands at the center of Orthodox teaching. The Trinity is one God in three distinct Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Incarnation unites divinity and humanity without destroying either reality: Jesus Christ is truly God and truly human, and his Resurrection conquers sin and death. The Church understands itself as the guardian and interpreter of Scripture and Tradition. Scripture is a precious witness to God's revelation, while Tradition is the life of faith handed on through the Eucharist, the Fathers, the Saints, prayers, hymns, icons, the Ecumenical Councils, the Creed, and concern for others.
The goal of Christian life is described as Theosis, or deification. It is not the claim that a person becomes God in essence, for God's essence remains hidden and unknown. Theosis is a movement of love toward God, a union with God's energies that begins in Baptism and continues throughout this life and the life to come. The Holy Spirit leads this movement while respecting human freedom. The Eucharist, the sacraments, daily prayer, and fasting all help a person participate more fully in the life of the Trinity.
The sacraments, traditionally called mysteries, disclose God's presence through the prayers and actions of the people. Baptism incorporates a person into the Church and is normally celebrated by threefold immersion; infant baptism is encouraged. Chrismation follows immediately, with the priest anointing the newly baptized and sealing the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In Confession, the priest serves as a witness to Christ and a physician and guide rather than a judge. Marriage joins a man and woman as husband and wife, with crowns of glory and honor and a common cup symbolizing their shared life. Holy Orders sets apart bishops, priests, and deacons for service, and Anointing of the Sick is offered for those who are ill in body, mind, or spirit.
Orthodox worship also gives an important place to special services and blessings. These include funerals and memorial services, the Great and Lesser Blessing of Water, the Blessing of Five Loaves, the Akathist Hymn, and the Service of Supplication. Though they are not counted among the major sacraments, they reveal the presence of the Holy Trinity and accompany the events, needs, and responsibilities of life.
Belonging to a Welcoming Parish
Membership in the Orthodox Church is open to all persons, without restriction by culture, race, class, or national origin. That welcome is visible in St. George's congregation, with its substantial number of converts and its Orthodox members from Greece and many other countries. The parish's identity is Greek and Orthodox, while its membership embodies the Orthodox conviction that unity in faith does not require uniformity of background.
Those preparing for membership meet with the priest for classes or individual conferences, with the length and scope of instruction determined by previous knowledge and particular needs. A person converting from a non-Christian religion makes a profession of faith and is baptized and chrismated. A person received from a church with similar beliefs, having been properly baptized and confirmed, participates in an anointing that signifies reconciliation with the Orthodox Church. Reception of Holy Communion completes the union. At St. George, that welcome is joined to a definite identity: Greek Orthodox worship in the Metropolis of Denver, a historic Highland congregation, and a community gathered around the Trinity, the Incarnation, the Resurrection, the Eucharist, and service to its neighbors. Its life remains centered on the Divine Liturgy, where prayer, music, icons, the whole congregation, and Christ at the altar are brought together.