A Brief History of All Saints of Alaska

Originally established in 1983 by the V. Rev. Andrew Morbey, All Saints of Alaska Mission lay dormant until August 2002 when it was re-established, with the blessing of His Grace, Bishop SERAPHIM, Bishop of Ottawa and Canada, as an OCA English-language mission to Victoria and the surrounding region under the pastorship of Fr. Kaleeg John Hainsworth. Fr. Kaleeg graduated from St. Vladimir's Seminary in New York in May 2002.

The first service was a Divine Liturgy for the Feast of Dormition, August 15th, at St Barnabas Anglican church. The first vespers and Sunday liturgy were held at the Chapel of the Peace of God on August 17/18, where services were held until November 2003. The Chapel was offered for the Mission's use by kind gesture of the Anglican (Episcopal) diocese of Vancouver Island.

The mission moved to its current location in November of 2003, and is expected to remain there for some time. There is room to accommodate the growing membership, and we are putting down roots. Our iconostasis was raised before Nativity 2003 with the generous help of two sister parishes. We now offer a full range of services for the entire liturgical year, and have two deacons, several readers and servers to assist Father John. The choir is growing, and we have enough children that we have begun a church school. We have a bookstore, a library, an iconography workshop twice yearly, and much more.

What is most special is the community. The people here love, pray and enjoy each other. God has blessed us in so many ways.

Today by the grace of God, the parish continues to grow in numbers, from a cross-section of social, economic and cultural backgrounds.

All Saints of Alaska parish strives to be faithful to the Holy Traditions of the Orthodox Church. The people have brought a multitude of talents which are being shared in the parish for the mutual upbuilding of all.

As of September 1, 2011, our new rector is Fr. Larry Reinheimer, formerly rector of St. Peter the Aleut Church in Calgary, Alberta.