About the Chapel
History
Chapel faithful gather outside their temporary spiritual home at 350 Old Orchard Drive in Beavertown.
The Orthodox Chapel of the Holy Spirit took root in 2008 when several lifelong and long-term residents of western Snyder County began holding a monthly Orthodox Christian vespers service and Bible study under the spiritual care of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in State College. Within months, this developed into regular Sunday gatherings for prayer and teaching.
In Fall 2009, Priest Basil Biberdorf was assigned to minister to the chapel. With his arrival, a monthly Sunday Divine Liturgy was added, with Great Vespers (an evening prayer service) served the night before. The service schedule was expanded to two Sunday liturgies each month in January 2011.
To show its commitment to Snyder County, the Chapel also began participating in local community events, including the Beaver Springs Oktoberfest and the Selinsgrove Market Festival in 2009 and 2010. We want to expand this witness even further in the coming months through participation in community events and, more importantly, by serving our community through prayer and good works.
The Chapel has already outgrown its current worship space and will purchase property in Beavertown.
The Holy Spirit has blessed our efforts; we have grown from a group of approximately five families to a Sunday attendance of nearly 40 people. We have begun to outgrow the dining room where we meet and are actively searching for a facility to use long-term while the Holy Spirit continues to build this community in Snyder County.
At the present time, the Chapel of the Holy Spirit is the only permanent Orthodox Christian community in Snyder County. It continues as a ministry of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in State College, and as such is part of the Orthodox Church in America‘s Archdiocese of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania.
