View source for Woking AB Holy Trinity Russo Greek Orthodox Church 1951


[[File:Holy Trinity Church Woking 2.jpg]]

'''Woking, Alberta, Russian Greek Orthodox Holy Trinity Church, 1951'''


"Woking" is pronounced as "woe-king". 


==Prehistory, 1920s-1940s==

The region of what is now [https://www.saddlehills.ab.ca/en/explore-and-play/history.aspx Saddle Hills County], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta Alberta], [https://www.britannica.com/place/Canada Canada], is situated in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_River_Country Peace River region] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Alberta north-western Alberta].  It is located 56 km north of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grande_Prairie Grande Prairie], and 154 km south-west of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_River,_Alberta Peace River].  This fertile area was originally the territory of the [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/beaver-native-group Dane-zaa people].  It was not until 1899 that a treaty was signed and the land became available for [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europe European] immigrants.  The majority of these newcomers were at first from [https://www.britannica.com/place/United-Kingdom Great Britain].  

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woking,_Alberta Woking], Alberta, Canada, was beginning to form as a service-centre for farmers only sometime later.  The hamlet was named for the town of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woking Woking] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrey Surrey], [https://www.britannica.com/place/England England].    

The first Orthodox Christian settlers in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_River_Country Peace River region] of Alberta were actually [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/old-believers/ Old Believers] who settled at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hines_Creek Hines Creek], in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clear_Hills_County Clear Hills County] of Alberta in the 1920s.  This is about 565 km (351 mi) northwest from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmonton Edmonton]. They arrived after the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_Revolution Bolshevik Revolution] of 1917 in [https://www.britannica.com/place/Russia Russia].

Later, other [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Introduction_to_Orthodox_Christianity Orthodox Christian] settlers were generally from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Ukraine Western Ukraine], and they arrived in the 1930s and 1940s.  Thus, many of the settlers east of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woking,_Alberta Woking] (86 km (54 mi) south of Hines Creek) were of [https://www.britannica.com/place/Ukraine Ukrainian] origin and of the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Orthodox_Church Orthodox Christian Faith], but they did not have a Temple of their own in the pioneer days.  Consequently, many of the young children born in the early years were not baptised (or were baptised only later).  Moreover, when a priest would be available, many [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Baptism baptisms] would occur at the same time.  This would also be the case with the blessing of [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Marriage marriages].  

There was no priest to care for this particular area.  People who wished to pray in the usual manner of Orthodox Christians began to have services in their homes.  They simply read what they could of the services of the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Hours First, Third, Sixth, Ninth Hours,] [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Vespers Vespers], [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Matins Matins].  These can be done without a priest, and be led by a [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Reader reader].

==Early pastoral service==

The first priest to serve in this region was the Archpriest Evtimi Pashchenko (†1944), of the [http://archdiocese.ca Canadian diocese] of the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Orthodox_Church_in_America Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in North America] (ROGCCNA).  In time, he was invited to go to Woking.  He would therefore periodically travel south to Woking from  [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rycroft,_Alberta Rycroft].  He used to manage travelling the 24 km (15 mi) to Woking by using a horse and buggy.  In the same way, he also served [http://www.orthodox-canada.com/parishes/orthodox-v/churches/holy-trinity-orthodox-church-spirit-river-devale/ Spirit River], 10 km (6 mi) to the west of Rycroft (all these distances take many hours by horse).  In winter, when the temperature was -20 or -30 degrees Celsius, these were not pleasant trips.  When it was too cold, there would simply be no services.  However, when there were services offered, these would be undertaken in private homes. 

==Building the Temple, 1950-1951==

As the years passed, the people at Woking decided that they would like to have a Temple of their own. 

They organised themselves and formed a parish council.  The first officers were : 
  Archie Student, president ; Nick Shura, secretary-treasurer  
The first parishioners included :
  Victor and Nettie Bombier ; George and Anna Bozko ; Tom and Eva Diatel ; George and Motra Deley ; 
  Steve and Mary Konopelko ; Feodosia Lucuk ; Andrew and Polly Shura ; Sawa and Fiedora Shura ; 
  Nick and Fedora Wierelychuk ; Dan and Paulashka Wolynec, and their families 

The land for the Temple was donated by John Mylumuk.  He was a merchant in Woking, and he owned some land in the village.  This donation in 1949 enabled the beginning of construction.

Logs were hauled from the bush and sawed into lumber.  It was all volunteer labour, done by the men of the parish.  The remainder of money was raised by donations and raffles.  Some parishioners went [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_carol carolling] during the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Nativity Christmas] festive season. 

The Woking [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Holy_Trinity Holy Trinity] Temple was completed in 1951, and it was registered under the name “Holy Trinity Canadian Russian Greek Orthodox Church of Woking”.  During that year, Priest Bushmakim [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Consecration_of_a_church sanctified] the Temple (with the blessing of the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Bishop bishop]).  This was [http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Metropolitan_Leonty_(Turkevich) Metropolitan Leonty (Turkevich)], who was [https://www.episcopalchurch.org/glossary/locum-tenens/ Locum-tenens] of the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Archdiocese_of_Canada Archdiocese of Canada] at that time.  

The first couple to be married in this Temple were David and Esther Shura, in 1952.  

In the earlier years, there were good and competent singers, and the singing during the worship services was very pleasing to those who were present.

Soon after the construction of the Temple, the parishioners built a small house.  The main occupant during that decade was Priest-monk Mefody (Osadchuk), who served the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Divine_Liturgy Divine Liturgy] every Sunday, and also on [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Feast_day Feast-days].

==Transfer to the “Russian Exarchate”==

It was not long after this that that the parish began to be served by the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Russian_Exarchate_of_North_America Exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchate] under [[Archbishop Panteleimon (Rudyk)]].  This transfer occurred because Archbishop Panteleimon lived only a 6-hour drive away, whereas the bishop of the Archdiocese of Canada was at that time in Toronto, Ontario.  In addition, there was a great shortage of clergy at that time in the Archdiocese of Canada.   

[https://orthodoxcanada.ca/Archimandrite_Seraphim_(Filimonoff) Archimandrite Seraphim (Filimonoff)] was one of the priests who served the community during the 1980s.  


[[File:Woking AB Holy Trinity Temple, Father Seraphim Filimonoff 2.png]]  '''Paschal services with Father Seraphim (Filimonoff)'''


In recent years, as the older people fell asleep in the Lord, and more local people began to move to the big cities, the number of members of the parish has declined steadily.  Services were then offered only irregularly. 

One of the priests who served this parish for many years was the [[Mitred Archpriest Michael and Matushka Elena Fourik |Archpriest Michael Fourik]], who lived in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamont,_Alberta Lamont], Alberta.  


[[File:Woking AB Holy Trinity Temple iconostas 1.png]]  '''Holy Trinity iconostas'''


It is worth noting that this is the only Temple in this region (and the only one of the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta Alberta] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saskatchewan Saskatchewan]) which does not have its own parish cemetery on or near the property. 


[[File:Woking Pentecost 1992 2.png]]  '''Dinner after the Pentecost services, 1992'''


As with other rural parishes, this community suffered seriously from rural depopulation.  As a consequence, services became very infrequent.  Ultimately, the remaining Faithful could afford only annual grave-blessings after [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Pascha Pascha].  

'''Priests who have served in this parish include : '''

  Archpriest Evtimi Pashchenko ; Priest Bushmakim ; Priest-monk Mefody (Osadchuk) ; [http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Archimandrite_Seraphim_(Filimonoff) Archimandrite Seraphim (Filimonov)] ; 
  [http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Archpriest_Vasily_and_Matushka_Paraskevia_Hochachka Archpriest Wasyl Hochachka] ; [http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Mitred_Archpriest_Michael_and_Matushka_Elena_Fourik Archpriest Michael Fourik] ; [https://ivanshandra.com/about-me/ Archpriest John Shandra] ; 
  [http://www.orthodox-canada.com/ru/parishes/orthodox-v/priest/ Archpriest Alexey Surayev].  
The more recent clergy have travelled for the most part from the region near [https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/edmonton Edmonton], Alberta.

==Transfer of the Temple to a museum, 2017==

According to [https://www.discoverthepeacecountry.com/htmlpages/sexsmith-extra/woking-church.html the following article], the Temple of Holy Trinity, Woking, was moved to a museum in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexsmith,_Alberta Sexsmith], Alberta, in 2017 :
  The Holy Trinity Russian Greek Orthodox Church was relocated in 2017 from Woking to Sexsmith 
  and now stands next to the historic Paszkowski Family Farm Home.  In the early days, Woking 
  did not have a church and on occasion a priest from the Spirit River area would visit Woking 
  by horse and buggy.  Finally in 1950 Woking had its own church, when the Holy Trinity Russian 
  Greek Orthodox Church was built by the early Ukrainian settlers of the area.  It was located 
  a short distance to the east of Woking.  More recent people have referred to it as the Woking 
  Ukrainian Church and served the community until 2017. 
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexsmith,_Alberta Sexsmith], Alberta, is located 35.41 km (22 miles) south from Woking (following Highway #2), and 22.53 km (14 miles) north of Grande Prairie (following Highway #2).

==Holy Trinity Cemetery==

The cemetery area of Holy Trinity Parish is not on the same site as is the Temple ; however, a place had to be found in which the Faithful departed of the parish might be interred.  


[[File:Woking 1996 Blessing graves 2.png]]  '''Annual provody (blessing of graves), 1996, with Archpriest Michael Fourik'''


With the move of the Temple to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexsmith,_Alberta Sexsmith], the cemetery remained in its place, and the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Memorial_Services memorial prayers] are offered on the site.

==Particular parish information==

This parish is part of the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Russian_Orthodox_Church_in_Canada Moscow Patriarchate Parishes in Canada].  The bishop is [http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Bishop_Matthew_(Andreev) Bishop Matthew (Andreev)].  

This parish follows the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_calendar Old (Julian) Calendar].

The Altar Feast-day of this parish is the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Pentecost Feast of Pentecost] (Descent of the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Holy_Spirit Holy Spirit], the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Holy_Trinity Most Holy Trinity]). 

In 2023, the priest who serves the parish is the [http://www.orthodox-canada.com/ru/parishes/orthodox-v/priest/ Priest Alexey Surayev].


Address :

[http://www.orthodox-canada.com/parishes/orthodox-v/churches/holy-tinity-orthodox-church-woking/ Russian Greek Orthodox Holy Trinity Church]

SW-19-76-5-W6

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woking,_Alberta Woking], 

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saddle_Hills_County Saddle Hills County], Alberta

T0H 3V0



Directions :

The Temple is located on the outskirts of the village Woking.  It is about 501 km (311 mi) northwest of Edmonton.  

This Temple is about 40 km (25 mi) south of the [[Spirit River (Devale) AB Holy Trinity Russo Orthodox Church and Cemetery 1929 |Holy Trinity Temple]] in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirit_River,_Alberta Spirit River], and 70 km (44 mi) north of the city of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grande_Prairie Grand Prairie].

Grande Prairie is accessible by road, or by air through the [http://grandeprairieairport.com/ Grande Prairie Airport]. 

From [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmonton  Edmonton], the distance by road to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grande_Prairie Grande Prairie] is about 460 km (286 mi).  The travel time is about 6 hours.  

From [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmonton Edmonton], drive westwards on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta_Highway_16 Highway #16 (Yellowhead)] until Exit #340 to the right for Highway #43 North.  Follow [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta_Highway_43 Highway #43] all the way to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grande_Prairie Grande Prairie].  Approaching Grande Prairie, follow the directional signs at [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta_Highway_2 Highway #2] South for Grande Prairie (unless one wishes to continue onwards, in which case one turns right, that is north, at Highway #2). 

From [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grande_Prairie Grand Prairie], drive north on Highway #2 to the Woking corner.  Turn left (west) and drive 4 km (3 mi).  The Temple is on the right. 




[http://www.orthodox-canada.com/ru/parishes/orthodox-v/priest/ Priest Alexey Surayev], Pastor of the parish

5003-46 Street, PO Box 483 

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamont,_Alberta Lamont], Alberta 

T0B 2R0

Telephone : (780) 895-2149 

Mobile : (780) 991-4981 

E-mail : aleksurus@gmail.comv


[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Bishop_Matthew_(Andreev) Bishop Matthew (Andreev)] of Sourozh, 

Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada

Addresses : 

10812-108 Street

Edmonton, Alberta 

Canada

Telephone : (780) 420-9945

OR :

67, Ennismore Gardens

[https://www.britannica.com/place/London London], SW7 1NH 

[https://www.britannica.com/place/United-Kingdom United Kingdom]

Telephone : 011-44-207-584-0096

E-mail : sourozhdiocese@me.com

==References==

“Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in Canada, 100 Years of Orthodoxy in Canada 1897-1997 : Pictorial Memories” (Edmonton, Alberta : Patriarchal Parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Canada, 1997). 

Russian Orthodox Church History Book Committee, “Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in Canada, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1000th_anniversary_of_the_Christianization_of_Rus' Millennium] of the [https://orthodoxwiki.org/Baptism_of_Rus%27 Baptism of Rus’]” (Edmonton : Russian Orthodox Church History Book Committee, 1988). ISBN : 0-88925-830-9. 

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/The_%E2%80%9CRussian_Mission%E2%80%9D_in_North_America Russian Mission in North America]   

Tarasar, Constance J, ed., “[https://archive.org/details/orthodoxamerica10000unse/page/n3/mode/2up Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America]” (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975). ASIN : B000ZLZAUE. 


'''Additional information :'''

[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Archdiocese_of_Canada Orthodoxwiki article about the Archdiocese of Canada]    

[http://www.orthodox-canada.com/ru/parishes/orthodox-v/churches/holy-tinity-orthodox-church-woking/ MP parishes listing] (in Russian) 

[https://www.orthodox-canada.com/parishes/orthodox-v/churches/holy-tinity-orthodox-church-woking/ MP parishes listing] (in English)

[http://www.orthodox-canada.com/parishes/ Moscow Patriarchate Parishes web-site] 

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriarchial_Parishes_in_Canada Wikipedia article about the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada]   

[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Russian_Orthodox_Church_in_Canada Orthodoxwiki article about the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada]  

[https://www.archdiocese.ca Archdiocese of Canada web-site] 

[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Archdiocese_of_Canada Orthodoxwiki article about the Archdiocese of Canada]   

[https://www.oca.org/ Orthodox Church in America web-site]   

[https://orthodoxwiki.org/Orthodox_Church_in_America Orthodoxwiki article about The Orthodox Church in America]  

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Metropolitan_Leonty_(Turkevich) Metropolitan Leonty (Turkevich)]  

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Archbishop_(Saint)_Arseny_(Chahovtsov) Archbishop (Saint) Arseny (Chahovtsov)]     

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Archbishop_Joasaph_(Skorodumov) Archbishop Joasaph (Skorodumov)]  

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Bishop_Antony_(Tereshchenko) Bishop Anthony (Tereshchenko)]  

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Archbishop_Dimitry_(Magan) Archbishop Dmitry (Magan)]      

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Archbishop_Nikon_(de_Gr%C3%A8ve) Archbishop Nikon (de Grève)]   

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Archbishop_Panteleimon_(Rudyk) Archbishop Panteleimon (Rudyk)]  

[https://ru-m-wikipedia-org.translate.goog/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BA_(%D0%A8%D0%B0%D0%B2%D1%8B%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%BD)?_x_tr_sl=ru&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc Bishop Mark (Shavykin)]  

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Metropolitan_Job_(Tyvoniuk) Bishop Job (Tyvoniuk)]   

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Metropolitan_Ireney_(Seredniy) Bishop Ireney (Seredniy)] 

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Metropolitan_Kliment_(Kapalin) Bishop Kliment (Kapalin)]   

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Metropolitan_Makary_(Svistun) Archbishop Makary (Svistun)] 

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Metropolitan_Paul_(Ponomarev) Metropolitan Paul (Ponomarev)]   

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Metropolitan_Mark_(Petrovtsiy) Archbishop Mark (Petrovtsiy)] 

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Archbishop_Job_(Smakouz) Bishop Job (Smakouz)]   

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Bishop_Matthew_(Andreev) Bishop Matthew (Andreev)]  

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Archimandrite_Seraphim_(Filimonoff) Archimandrite Seraphim (Filimonoff)]   

[http://orthodoxcanada.ca/Mitred_Archpriest_Michael_and_Matushka_Elena_Fourik Priest Michael Fourik]  

[http://www.orthodox-canada.com/ru/parishes/orthodox-v/priest/ Priest Alexey Surayev]    

[http://www.orthodox-canada.com/about-us/history/ “History of Patriarchal Parishes of Russian Orthodox Church in Canada”] 

[http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/orthodox-church/ Canadian Encyclopaedia article about the Orthodox Church] 

[https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ukrainian-canadians/ Canadian Encyclopaedia article about Ukrainian Canadians] 

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_Canadians Wikipedia article about Ukrainian Canadians] 

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_diaspora Wikipedia article about Ukrainian Diaspora] 

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woking,_Alberta Wikipedia article about Woking] 

[https://pioneerchurches.ca/index.php Pioneer Churches on the Prairies web-site]  

[http://www.orthodox-canada.com/archpastoral-visitations-of-his-grace-bishop-matthew-of-sourozh-of-the-patriarchal-parishes-in-canada-in-may-2023/ Archpastoral Visitation of Bishop Matthew (Andreev) to Canada] (20-26 May, 2023)  

[http://www.orthodox-canada.com/on-the-day-of-the-25th-anniversary-of-his-presbyteral-consecration-his-grace-bishop-matthew-of-sourozh-celebrated-the-liturgy-at-the-dormition-cathedral-in-london/ 25th Anniversary of Bishop Matthew’s Ordination to the Priesthood] (4 October, 2023)  

[http://www.orthodox-canada.com/congratulations-to-his-grace-bishop-matthew-of-sourozh-on-the-8th-anniversary-of-his-episcopal-consecration/ 8th Anniversary of Bishop Matthew’s Episcopal Ordination] (15 November, 2023)  







[[Category:Parish Communities]] [[Category:Alberta & Northwest Territories]] [[Category:ROGCCNA]] [[Category:ADOCA]] [[Category:MP]]