At 9:20 a.m. on Sunday morning, July 17, 2011, the church bells began ringing at St. Nicholas Orthodox Church on Henderson Highway in Narol, Manitoba, just north of Winnipeg. Bishop Irénée Rochon, Administrator of the Archdiocese of Canada was being accompanied by subdeacons down the highway from the home of Sophie and the late John Barchyn. John's parents had been founders and benefactors of the parish in 1911. Sophie still lives on the old Barchyn farmstead where Archbishop Arseny often stayed when he served at St. Nicholas. Vladyka Irénée was greeted at the church gate by the parish children tossing rose petals and was greeted officially with the traditional bread and salt at the porch door by president Perry Pawliuk.
A beautiful Hierarchical Divine Liturgy was served in a non air-conditioned temple (outside temperatures around 37 degrees Celsius), much of it sung to Galician chant which has been maintained to a large degree in the parish all along. Singing was led by Matushka Dianne Kennaugh who was joined by Esther Juce and Leah Ptashnik for the singing of the trio at the Gospel Entrance. Brent Boblinski was tonsured as a reader and the Reader David Herman Pensato ordained as subdeacon as the Liturgy was about to begin.
Serving along with His Grace Vladyka Irénée were Archimandrite Alexander Pihach, Chancellor of the Archdiocese; Very Reverend Rodion Luciuk, Dean of Manitoba-Saskatchewan Deanery; Reverend Anthony Estabrooks, rector of the Theotokos of the Life-Giving Spring Mission in Winnipeg; and Very Reverend Robert (Stephen) Kennaugh, rector of St.Nicholas Church. Archimandrite Alexander had been ordained to the diaconate at St. Nicholas Church almost 25 years prior, at the parish's 75th anniversary, July 20, 1986. In gratitude to his connection to St. Nicholas Church, Father Alexander presented the parish with the gift of two new processional banners. A total surprise to the rector, Father Robert, was that the Holy Synod had earlier awarded him the entitlement to wear the jewelled cross. The cross, which had been purchased by the two St. Nicholas Churches that Father Bob serves, Narol and Sandy Lake, was awarded to him by Vladyka Irénée during the Divine Liturgy. Some of the faithful from St. Nicholas Church in Sandy Lake had come for the occasion. The Liturgy was also served by Protodeacons Nazari Polataiko and Raphael Cole with Subdeacons Roger Prince and Jesse Isaac, and then David Pensato. As well as the newly tonsured Reader Brent Boblinski, the altar server Samuel Ptashnik rounded out those who served.
Only on rare occasions has holy communion been served from two chalices at St. Nicholas. This was one such time. There were approximately 100 persons in attendance in the nave and narthex. Following the Divine Liturgy, the parish received a gramota from the Holy Synod to mark the parish centennial. Gramotas from Vladyka Irénée were presented to Sophia Konefall, Anne Grabowsky, Sophia Barchyn, Florentine Charles, Reader Stephen and Marie Bilan, and Perry Pawliuk.
A parish committee had worked hard for about a year to plan this event. A catered and served meal was held in a separate facility. There was no charge to the 160 or so guests who had been invited. This was to be an offering to members and friends of the parish, so there was provision only of a freewill offering for those who wished to contribute. Father Mirone Klysh and a number of guests from his parish of St. George joined us for dinner. Parish President Perry Pawliuk was master of ceremonies. The Rozmai Ukrainian Dance Company entertained us throughout with three separate dance numbers. Short speeches and presentations were made by Vladyka Irénée; Archimandrite Alexander on behalf of the Archdiocese; Member of Parliament for Selkirk-Interlake, James Bezan presented a plaque on behalf of the Government of Canada; and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Selkirk, Greg Dewar brought greetings on behalf of the Premier and Government of Manitoba. Mr. Jerry Drobot, councillor, greeted us on behalf of the R.M. of St. Clement's. A continuous slideshow prepared by Subdeacon David Pensato was projected showing photos from the past 100 years. A short history of the parish had been compiled by Esther Juce and was made available to the guests. On display also was a collection done by the Church School children of 100 pennies from each of the 100 years of the existence of the parish. Guests left the occasion with a cardboard "favour" box in the shape of a piece of cake taken from two three-tiered "cakes," provided by Matushka Susanna Blomquist. Each box contained a fridge magnet commemorating the occasion, an icon card of St. Nicholas with his troparion and kontakion hand-printed by children from the parish as well as a hand-crafted wooden cross, also a gift from the children.
Mr. Howard Engel was asked to be "official photographer" for the day, and he was joined by many unofficial ones! Thanks also to Marlene Enns, Laurel Litardi, and Brenda Prigroski for use of their photos.
It was an event blessed by God to celebrate what He has done in our midst as we have worked along with Him in this first 100 years of our history and as we move onwards into the next 100.