Annunciation Church in Missoula

[Hoankan]

Well for the first time in five years, I will be going home next Sunday. Oddly enough, I'll be arriving in the US 3 hours before I had left Japan.

It'll be so nice to get away from the humidity and see my hometown once again. It'll also be hard as the day after I get back, I have to drive my mother to the hospital for a knee replacement operation.

So looking at the chance to go to church, there is one place nearby, The Church of the Annunciation of the Greek Archdioceses. Interestingly enough, it's really close to my old church as well so it's easy to find.

But I also notice that it has a lay pastor with a priest who visits on and off. So what exactly does a lay pastor do? And anyone been to this church before?

 

[katherine2001]

Actually, I believe that they do have their own priest now, as of a few months ago. The Serbian priest from Butte was serving it, but a priest was finally assigned. Fr. Russell (the Serbian priest) was the only priest in the Western part of Montana, so he served his church, the Greek church in Missoula, and the OCA mission in Helena. He is still serving at the OCA mission, but that is only an hour away. If it is anything like what we did when I was a member at the mission in Helena, we had Reader's services most Sundays and when the priest came, we had Vespers on Friday night and liturgy on Saturday morning. That would allow the priest to get back to his own parish by Vespers on Saturday evening. Having the Serbian priest serve the parishes/missions in the western part of Montana came about because of the bishops of the West starting to meet together 4 times a year and working together. This is what could happen if we clear up the jurisdictional mess here in North America. For the OCA mission in Helena, it was served by the priest in Billings, which is a 4 hour drive--if the roads are good. If the roads aren't good, you could possibly double the traveling time.

 

[Hoankan]

Yeah, I can understand the road situation. During winter, doubling is bad, but it could be a lot worse. It's been hard to tell as the site is dated and even some of the pictures don't load. When I tried to email them, the mail came back. I'd like to call but it'll have to wait until I am back as there is no time listed.

 

[ProScribe]

Yea I know to get to an Orthodox Church I have to make a journey.

 

[Hoankan]

I just got off the phone with Father Walter and got the times for Liturgy and Vespers. I'm looking forward to it, my first ever Liturgy in English

 

[MariaRegina]

I just got off the phone with Father Walter and got the times for Liturgy and Vespers. I'm looking forward to it, my first ever Liturgy in English

Let us know how the service went.

 

[Hoankan]

Service went well. Much to my surprise and humor, there was a Japanese person there. I just can't escape Japan.

Beyond that, I met some nice people and enjoyed my first ever English Divine Liturgy.

 

[MariaRegina]

Yes, we have Japanese Americans in our churches here in Los Angeles. There are some Filipino Americans too. In fact, they have Orthodox Churches in the Philippines.

Did you meet anyone whom you knew?

 

[Hoankan]

Actually, she is Japanese, from Tokyo. And no, nobody I knew, but that is to be expected. My class year basically went to the four winds.