Dormition of Theotokos Parish, MacNutt, SK

The very first pioneers and founders of the Parish of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary originally came from province in Bucovinia ,Ukraine, in the years 1890-1900.

Prior to 1908 these pioneers attended the Sts. Peter & Paul Russian Greek Orthodox Church which already been constructed in Calder, Saskatchewan.

In 1908, Thomas Kurchak donated a four -acre parcel of land for a church. It is not known exactly in what year the church started but it is recorded in a clipping from an old newspaper that has a picture and a write-up that in the year 1909, Archbishop Tikhon (who was later enthroned Patriarch of Moscow and All Russ) visited the MacNutt district. It is very probable that he blessed this small area of land for the church.

The first church was constructed of logs and was plastered on in side. The outside had plaster, siding and shingles. It was built on a shallow foundation of stones. In 1915 the church was consecrated by Archbishop Bohdan and registered in the land titles office of the Province off Saskatchewan. The first church committee were: Nick Prokopetz, John Romanchuk and Kost Sawchuk.

In 1960, the original church building was dismantled due to its age and poor footing, and the present church building was started. There were some funds on hand and the rest of the materials and labour were donated by the existing members. It was build of lumber on a good foundation with refinished panels on the walls on the inside and stucco on the outside. Many people helped very generously with labour and donation of many. Mike Shewchuk built the domes on the church. Elia Shewchuk has served as cantor over the years of his lifetime.

The church building was consecrated in 1961 by Archbishop Panteleimon of Edmonton. Very Rev. Peter Tokaruk was the parish priest at that time.

Although the membership is quite small today, nevertheless, their devotion to and support of Orthodoxy is most commendable.