Assumption Greek Orthodox Church began in 1939 with a simple desire: to make the ancient Christian faith accessible to people living in a modern world. At that time, many Orthodox parishes in America still worshipped almost entirely in Greek. A small group in Seattle—many from interethnic marriages, many raising children—longed for worship and Sunday school in English.
They found their shepherd in Fr. Stephanos Phoutrides, a Yale-educated priest from Greece who pioneered the use of English in Orthodox services. The new parish celebrated their first Liturgy at St. Mark’s Episcopal chapel on Capitol Hill.
In time, the community built its own church. From those early years came the first baptisms and weddings, the formation of youth groups, women’s ministries, and one of the Metropolis’s first Greek cookbooks. The present church building was completed in 1961 to meet the needs of a growing community.
Over the decades, Assumption has been shaped by generations of faithful—immigrants and native-born, young families and elders, engineers and restaurateurs. Some ministries flourished for a season; others became long-standing pillars, like our children’s camps, parish library, and outreach to the homeless through the Society of St. John the Almsgiver.
Today, Assumption is a parish in motion. Rooted in the beauty of the ancient liturgy, and grounded in our mission to grow together in faith and love through Christ, we are a community of many stories—some born into Orthodoxy, others drawn to it. We continue to grow in welcome, formation, and service. Through feast days, festivals, and quiet liturgies, our story keeps unfolding.