Hamilton ON All Saints of North America Orthodox Church 2001

Hamilton, Ontario, Church of All Saints of North America, 2001

Hamilton, Ontario, Domestic Chapel of All Saints of North America, 2001

Foundation of the parish, 2001

On 1 June, 2001, the Orthodox Christian community of All Saints of North America was founded in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, through an informal meeting of several English-speaking Orthodox Faithful who assembled for regular Vespers and Typica services with the blessing of Bishop Seraphim (Storheim) of Ottawa. Before this time, the original families with potential for beginning this missionary venture were travelling rather frequently to the Christ the Saviour Russian Orthodox Sobor in Toronto to worship. At the beginning, the small community would gather in the domestic chapel of Deacon Geoffrey and Linda Korz in Hamilton.

First distinct location, 2003

Since May, 2003, and the ordination of Father Geoffrey Korz to the Holy Priesthood, the mission has enjoyed regular Divine Liturgies. From September, 2003, through December, 2005, the Sunday morning Divine Liturgy was served in the lower level of the Saint Stephen Anglican church hall on Concession Street.

Second location, 2006

In January, 2006, the parish moved to a commercial space above a dental office at 117, Queenston Road in Hamilton. This location for services allowed for easy access from the local highways, as well as for more spacious facilities for services, luncheons, and the “Desert Wisdom Bookroom” (an Orthodox book and supply shop operated by the parish). In addition, the worship-space did not have to be assembled and dismantled for every service. Indeed, there was an actual iconostas installed (which, however, was easily able to be removed when necessary). The area was carefully planned for maximum efficiency in the use of this second-floor space.

Fundraising for Chinese Orthodox Christian missions

In June, 2006, an annual fundraising dinner was initiated for the purpose of supporting Orthodox Christian Chinese missions. The parish provides on its web-site a guide to help others organise such events. This event in this parish supports the Orthodox Fellowship of All Saints of China (a non-profit USA religious corporation which has the strategic vision of producing easy-to-read and accurate modern Chinese translations of important Orthodox texts, and of disseminating such texts online and in printed form, thus making them available to the Chinese-speaking world).

These dinners followed in the succeeding years, and they were held around the Feast of the Chinese Martyrs (11/24 June).

Purchasing a building ; renovation ; opening the Temple, 2009

In January, 2009, a building was purchased by the parish at 397, Melvin Avenue, which is at the corner of the junction with Woodward Avenue, in the heart of Hamilton's East End, in the McQueston neighbourhood. This is an older area of the city, on the lower level nearer to Lake Ontario than to "the escarpment" and upper Hamilton.

With the help of many donors, friends, volunteers, and an excellent crew, renovations on the new building took many months of careful (and sometimes heavy) labour on the former bank building. In January, 2010, the parish moved into the new facility, now an Orthodox Temple. Then the parishioners were able to enjoy an accessible building, worthily appointed for the worship of God, with meeting and fellowship space for the Faithful. A newly-expanded Desert Wisdom Book-room opened around the Feast of Pascha, 2010.

Iconostas

The community has been blessed to receive many new converts to the Orthodox Christian Faith over the years. There has been steady growth, perhaps because the community is deeply convinced of the need for an Orthodox mission in the English language in the hub of the "Golden Horseshoe" region of southern Ontario. The community prayerfully looks to our Lord's Holy Mother and all the saints of North America for their intercession to send to this parish those who are truly willing to labour in the field.

Mission of Saint George, Brantford, 2015

In 2015, in addition to the growth and development in Hamilton, the Church of All Saints fostered the establishment of a new mission in the city of Brantford, Ontario, dedicated to Saint George the Victorious. The mission opened, under the blessing of Archbishop Irénée (Rochon), with the purchase of a former Anglican church building there. The establishment of this mission was keeping in mind the spiritual potential not only in the city of Brantford itself, but also in the surrounding Brant County, the Region of Waterloo, Haldimand County, Norfolk County, and Oxford County.

Archpastoral Visit, 2015

On 15 November, 2015, Archbishop Irénée (Rochon) made an archpastoral visit to the parish of All Saints of North America. During the visit, he presided at the Sunday Divine Liturgy.

Visit of Archbishop Irénée (Rochon) 2015

Orthodox Spirituality series, 2016

On 11 June 2016, Orthodox Missionary, Father Daniel Byantoro, gave a conference for the Orthodox Spirituality series “Update and Strategies from a Missionary in the Islamic World”. His missionary work was focussed on Indonesia.

Archimandrite Daniel Byantoro

2017

Orthodox Spirituality Series, 2017

On Saturday, 18 March, 2017, Archpriest Michael Oleksa had been invited by the parish to Hamilton, Ontario, where he led a day of speaking and reflection on the subject "Many Cultures, One Faith : Healing Society Through Orthodox Christian Living". Indigenous Alaska is itself a territory of many cultures, as is the Orthodox Christian Diocese of Alaska itself. The Orthodox Church in North America is, because it subsists in a tri-national environment, is also in a territory of many cultures ; however, each of the countries is itself an entity of many cultures both because of the many and various indigenous peoples, and because of the many and varied cultures of immigration. Father Michael led a consideration of the many ways culture hinders - and helps - the missionary work of the Church, and the ways it can be harnessed to strengthen the faith of each Christian.

Archpriest Michael Oleksa

Conference about the Family, 2017

In September, 2017, the parish hosted a conference series : "Orthodox Institute on the Family". It involved the following topics and speakers :

 + Friday, 22 September : 'Unrooted : How Moves, Jobs and Unlimited Choices Undermine Our Faith' 
 – Speaker : Archpriest Geoffrey Korz
 + Friday, 22 October : 'Cultivating a Healthy Gender Identity in Our Children and Ourselves' 
 – Speaker : Archpriest Michael Carney
 + Friday, 17 November : 'Anger and Arguments in the Christian Home' 
 – Speaker : Archpriest Bohdan Hladio
 + Friday, 15 December : 'The Demon of Noonday : An Orthodox Approach to Depression and Health' 
 – Speaker : Archpriest Geoffrey Korz

Conference about healthy gender identity, 2017

On Friday, 27 October, 2017, Archpriest Michael Carney (of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russa (ROCOR) Saint Herman of Alaska parish at Lake Odessa, Michigan) gave a conference "Cultivating a Healthy Gender Identity in Our Children and Ourselves".

2018

Archpastoral Visit, 2018

On Saturday, 6 January, 2018, in Christ the Saviour Sobor in Toronto, during the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on the Eve of the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, Archbishop Irénée (Rochon) ordained the Reader Sean Reid to the Holy Diaconate in the cathedral.

Deacon Sean Reid was attached as Deacon at All Saints of North America Church in Hamilton, Ontario.

6 January, 2018 ordination

Orthodox Christian Spirituality series, 2018

On Saturday, 17 March, 2018, the parish brought the priest, author, and speaker Igumen Damascene (Christensen), Abbot of the Serbian Orthodox Monastery of Saint Herman in Platina, California, to lead their "Orthodox Spirituality Series 2018".

Igumen Damescene (Christensen)

2019

Presentation of an icon of Saint Sebastian (Dabovich) to the City Council, 2019

On 10 April, 2019, The City Council of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, received an icon of its own resident saint. Mayor Fred Eisenberger, head of Canada’s ninth largest city, accepted the icon of the recently glorified Saint Sebastian Dabovich, who served as priest in the city a century ago. During the previous year, Hamilton City Council had voted to grant an honourary street-renaming, in memory of the saint. Present for the presentation was Rajko Djudjevic, President of Saint Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church, a parish whose founders and ancestors made up a majority of the Faithful in the community served by Saint Sebastian.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger ; Father Geoffrey ; Magdalen Korz ; Rajko Djudjevic

Chinese Missions Dinner, 2019

On Sunday, 23 June, 2019, the parish hosted the annual Chinese Missions Dinner. On this occasion, the guest speaker was Archpriest John Whiteford, pastor of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) parish Saint Jonah Orthodox Church in Spring, Texas.

Autumn presentation and conference, 2019

On 20 September, 2019, Archpriest Geoffrey presented a talk on the subject of loneliness : “Christians...Lonely ? Facing Isolation and Loneliness in Christian Life”.

The background consideration was that Christians are promised the reassuring Presence of Christ through trial and isolation. What about when we feel alone, depressed, or without help ? What are the causes of such feelings ; how should we address them ? When should (and shouldn't) they be accepted as a normal part of Christian life ?

Orthodox Spirituality series, 2019

On 19 October, 2019, Mother Theadelphi, Abbess of the Skete of the Entrance of the Theotokos at Hayesville, in central Ohio, USA, gave a talk entitled “Are spiritual retreats nothing more than entertainment ?”

2020

Closure of the Saint George Mission in Brantford, 2020

Despite the efforts of many to nurture the Mission of Saint George in Brantford, Ontario, into a stable community and parish, some necessary resources remained lacking. As is the general experience in missionary work, a very important factor is the very frequent presence of a priest, and preferably the presence of a priest who is resident in the place of mission. At that time, there was simply no priest available who could undertake this missionary work. This was the main contributing factor to the inability of the mission to grow beyond its small group of Faithful. It was a difficult experience for all concerned, but it was an important learning-experience.

The last Divine Liturgy for the mission was served on 1 March, 2020, after which the mission was closed officially.

2020-2021 Coronavirus-19 virus restrictions on parishes

Because of the rules governing gatherings that were laid down by the provincial and city governments regarding the activity of the Covid-19 Virus, the sobor stopped any further services after 8 March, 2020. Including the rules regarding "social distancing", the decreasing number permitted for any gathering, the considerations regarding the health of all concerned, and the directions of Archbishop Irénée (Rochon) that the civilian rules be obeyed, this parish was unable to have any more of the usual services in the Temple until the lifting of the restrictions.

20th Anniversary

On Sunday, 23 April (Thomas Sunday), nearly 100 friends and clergy from the previous 2 decades gathered in Hamilton, Ontario, to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of All Saints of North America Orthodox Church.

Following the morning festal Divine Liturgy, clergy from Toronto, Niagara, and Ottawa joined His Eminence Archbishop Irénée (Rochon) at the head tables for a grand banquet to mark the missionary work of the parish over 20 years.

A replica of the Icon of the Mother of God of Three Hands from Hilandar Monastery on Mount Athos was presented to Archbishop Irénée to mark the occasion.

A retrospective photo presentation was given, offering memories from the earliest years of the parish in Saint Stephen’s Anglican Hall, and through their sojourn above the Olivieri Dental Office.

Hamilton City Councillor Tom Jackson presented rector Archpriest Geoffrey Korz with t2 commemorative plaques on behalf of the City, one marking the church anniversary, and one recognising his 20 years in the priesthood. He also presented the parish with a City flag, to accompany the many flags of the saints that adorn the parish flagpole throughout the year (see the Saints section of the parish website at www.asna.ca for a full library of flags of the saints of the Orthodox Church).

Guests especially enjoyed the personal stories of the history and growth of All Saints of North America Church, from its early beginnings and struggles to the present day. The Olivieri family shared their recollections of the years the Divine Liturgy was served each week above their dental office, and the labour of love invested by many faithful involved in transforming the disused office into an Orthodox temple and church hall.

Nadezhda Titova (honourary grandmother to everyone in the parish) gave a warm address on her first meeting (by God’s providence, in a grocery store) with Father Geoffrey, and her warm welcome into the parish.

Father Geoffrey concluded the evening with an address, including the following remarks :

 Our beloved Saint John Maximovitch reminds us how the Lord often allowed His Church to go 
 through various trials, during which, of course, it seemed that her end and destruction had come. 
 But after these trials, the victorious truth shone even brighter !
 
 Even today the Orthodox Church is going through terrible trials. It is at times like these that we 
 should call to mind the hymn that we sang outside the doors of our churches at Pascha : 'Let God 
 arise, and let His enemies be scattered ! (cf. Psalm 67:2)  Let us only take care, so that we do not 
 find ourselves among these enemies....
 
 The last twenty years have shown us the faces of so many friends of Christ, so many who love His 
 Church and the missionary work of His Church – for no other reason than to share Christ’s 
 Church with the world, without losing a single drop of the Holy Tradition received by the saints 
 and Fathers.
 
 We thank God for all these friends and brethren – especially for all our benefactors: some 
 extremely generous benefactors, who would never have found their way to help our parish, had it 
 not been for the grace of God....
 
 May God bless you and strengthen you, as we continue this missionary work for another 20 years !

Vladyka Irénée (Rochon) and parishioners at the banquet

Vladyka Irénée (Rochon) and participating clergy

Parish Bookstore

The parish operates a bookstore.

All Saints of North America Church Melvin Avenue side (left) ; Woodward Avenue side (right)

Particular parish information

Saturday Vespers, Sunday Liturgies, and all classes/catechisms are held at the church location at 397, Melvin Avenue, in Hamilton.

All services are offered in English. For a schedule of all services, please consult the website at http://www.asna.ca/

This parish is a part of the Deanery of Ontario, of the Archdiocese of Canada, of The Orthodox Church in America. The dean is the Archpriest Geoffrey Ready. The bishop is Archbishop Irénée (Rochon).

This parish follows the Old (Julian) Calendar.

The Altar Feast-day of this parish is the Feast of All Saints of North America, the Second Sunday after Feast of Pentecost.

In 2025, the pastor of the parish is Archpriest Geoffrey Korz.

Address :

All Saints of North America Orthodox Church

397, Melvin Avenue (at the corner of Woodward Avenue)

Hamilton, Ontario

L8H 2K6

Telephone : 905-318-6436 (office)

Web-site : http://www.asna.ca

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Directions :

From the Toronto area or from Niagara Falls, drive on the "Queen Elizabeth Way" (QEW), and exit at the Red Hill Valley Parkway in Hamilton. Travel to the exit for Barton Street, and turn right onto Barton. Travel 2 blocks, and turn left onto Woodward Avenue. The Temple is 1 block down on the right, at the corner of Melvin and Woodward Avenues. Parking can be found off Melvin Avenue.

This Temple is situated not far from Barton Street East, and not far from Saint Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church (on Barton Street East}.

Mailing address :

All Saints of North America Orthodox Church

10, Princip Street

Hamilton, Ontario

L8W 2M3

Priest Geoffrey Korz

Home telephone : 905-387-6907

E-mail : korzg@hotmail.com