ST. JACOB OF ALASKA ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN MISSION
STORY ARCHIVE
St. Jacob of Alaska Mission Celebrates First Divine Liturgy
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With the blessing of Archbishop Peter of Chicago & Mid America, St. Jacob of Alaska Orthodox Christian Mission celebrated its first Divine Liturgy on the morning of Saturday, October 30th. Vespers and Liturgy were celebrated on the campus of Northern Michigan University, in the rented room where parishioners are accustomed to holding Reader’s Vespers and Typica services. Priest Micah Chisholm of St. Sebastian Orthodox Christian Mission Church in Traverse City, Michigan presided, assisted by the mission’s coordinator, Deacon Jesse Rimshas.
St. Jacob’s does not yet have a permanent location for services but sets up and tears down for services at NMU’s Northern Center every other weekend. In this they faintly imitate their great missionary patron St. Jacob Netsvetov, beloved of St. Innocent, who held Divine Liturgies in a tent he a carried with him to the remote areas of Alaska. Fr. Micah plans to return to celebrate the Great Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos into the Temple in December. The parishioners of St. Jacob’s are deeply grateful to Fr. Micah for his continuing service and sacrifice.
October 2, 2021: Before Thy Cross
A parishioner of St. Jacob of Alaska Mission, guided and assisted by his father, who is a master woodworker, crafted this beautiful six-foot cross in less than two weeks. Because St. Jacob's currently sets up and tears down at NMU Northern Center, it was essential that this cross be very portable. To save weight, it is hollow, constructed out of three-quarter inch boards of solid oak, with beautifully fitted joints. It also disassembles quickly, so it can be more easily transported. Its stand was specially designed to allow easy setup and maximal stability while showing as much of the base of the cross as possible.
The parishioner and his father donated all materials and labor to the mission free of charge. St. Jacob's is grateful to God for providing parishioners who are so gifted and generous with their time and talent!
August 8, 2021: Read about the launch of St. Jacob's
With the blessing of Archbishop Peter a new mission has been established in Marquette, Michigan. Marquette is the largest metropolitan area in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and is home to Northern Michigan University. The new mission is named in honor of Righteous Jacob of Alaska. Although this great missionary is little known in ROCOR, his incredible exploits in the face of the most difficult conditions during the time of the Russian Mission in Alaska make him a very fitting patron for the new community. Read more at Diocese of Chicago & Mid America