Activities of a Greek Orthodox   Philoptochos Society in Pomona Valley are dated back to the early 1960 at which time a group of women donated a pew,  to the new Church building of St. Elias in San Bernardino CA.   The Philiptochos society formally received a charter in Jun 1962 and was named St. Elizabeth's   with  the immediate goal  to form a church   in the Pomona Valley area. 

There is no record of any specific activities until the mid  1970s at which time  certain residents of Upland amongst which: Roger Coulombe, Alex Printzis, Bill Katzelis, Adonis Vlastos. Pete Panos, Jim Strigas and others,   began seriously looking for property along the route 66 between La Verne and Upland were most of them resided. This area was halve way  between   Saint Elias of San Bernardino and Saint Anthony in Pasadena. The joined forces with a group of Covina and surrounded cities to put a down payment for a property in Laverne according to Pete Panos.  The Covina group, however found an income earning property on Covina Blvd   about 15 miles to the south east, and decided to purchase it instead. The Upland group considered the location distant for the residents of Upland and surrounding cities and continue to pursue the original effort.  His Grace Bishop Meletios, however, was under the opinion that there were not enough Greek Orthodox families in the area to support two Churches. He asked Roger Coulomb to conduct a study and determine the number of Greek families in the area.

Some time in 1979 Fr. Leon Pachis who was then serving as the Director of Guadalupe Boys Homes looked at the results of the study and brought up the issue again with  the new  Bishop of the Dioceses of San Francisco,  His Grace Bishop Anthony. The young Bishop visited the area and recognized that most of the Greek Orthodox Christians in the Pomona Valley area did not have the opportunity to attend Church regularly. Only few  would take the time to travel 27 miles to the east to go to St. Elias in San Bernardino or the alternative 26 miles to the west to go to St. Anthony's in Pasadena. He graded permission  to form Pomona Valley Greek Orthodox mission Church.  Fr. Leon  immediately  began holding services at St. Marks's Presbyterian Church or the Women's Club in Upland with 30 to 40  families in   attendance. 

        In 1982 a parishioner identified a three lot   property on  Chaffee Street in Upland which had been  used as a Church by a Baptist group and brought it to Fr. Leon's attention.  The  property with  four buildings in need of repair,  was on sale at an attractive  low price.  The group recognized the   location and the cost of the property ( just  north of interstate 10 freeway and a little over a mile from the Ontario Airport) as a good  opportunity to start   small church.    His Grace Bishop Anthony gave permission to purchase the land as an investment for the community with the request that  "a more suitable property be found later to satisfy the long term needs of the grown Greek community in the area". Funds from the treasury of St. Elizabeth Philoptochos along with a loan from a parishioner were used for down payment. This was a final step in moving from a Mission Church to a full Charter.  Fr. Leon Pachis presided over General Assembly meeting of about 80 participants, at which time the first Parish council board was elected. They were: Harry Panagiot President, James Strigas Vice President, Stella Vlastos Secretary, Peter Soteropoulos Treasurer, John Panos, John Leloudis, John Grampsas, Pete Panos, Lee Panos, Robert Witt Parish council members.

        In early 1983 Fr. Leon with James Strigas and others, visited the Bishop and secured His approval to continue the effort and organize an event for the purpose of naming the Church. The event was set for October and it was organized by the newly elected Parish council under the leadership of Fr. Leon.  His Grace Bishop Anthony participated in the event that took place  in Claremont's Griswold's Inn. There were about three hundred attendees among which the late Fr. Zanetos of Saint Anthony's in Pasadena.  Among the candidate names were St. George, St. Andrew, St. Demetrios, and St.Spyridon.  The name of St. Spyridon was selected as a result of the highest monetary contribution of Maria Colas of Claremont, California.   The group continued to hold services at that location performed by Fr. Leon Pachis and other Priests in the area. 

Over the years a number of dedicated parishioners, amongst which: John Leloudis, John Grampsas, Jim Strigas, John Panos, John Lawdis, Pete Panos, George Polichronopoulos and other handy individuals,  remodeled the original building, Which now resembles a small church in Greece. In 1997  the Parish Council  undertook the task of remodeling an old house on the property, adjacent to the church and a building in the back of the property. The Church, however, has remained small.

        In 1987 Father George Manneh  was appointed by His Grace Bishop Anthony as the first  full time priest for the new small parish. Fr. Manneh a native of Palestine, served the Church traveling from Downy California and later from Anaheim, until March 1998 at which time he accepted a position as the priest of a local Arabic Orthodox Church of Saint George in Upland. His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony replaced him with Fr. Mathew Davis who was recovering from his automobile accident in which he lost His Presvitera.

        In March of  1999,  His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony, appointed Fr. Constantine Douvikas as the parish priest. Fr. Douvikas came from the Cathedral of Nafplion Greece  and was very warmly received by the Congregation. Since his arrival Fr. Douvikas performs a traditional Greek Orthodox Service (including orthros) every Sunday and every holiday. Every Friday He performs a complete paraklesis to Saint Spyridon and later explains the services to the attendees. During the Holly Week   he performs services every day, including one Vigil. From August 1st to August 14th He performs paraklesis every evening including One vigil on August 11th. 

The participation is continuously increasing and soon the community will be faced with the truth of the Bishops words of "the need for a more suitable property". 

Information compiled by. Harry Panagiot with input from Petre Panos, Jim Strigas,  Roger and Gladys Coulomb.