KAMSACK — This year, 81 years since it was first organized, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of All Saints Parish in Kamsack is “shutting down.”
The last divine liturgy was celebrated on Sunday, June 15, 2025, along with a memorial service and a visitation of the graves at Riverview Cemetery in Kamsack.
The few remaining parishioners decided to donate funds from their bank account to Eaglestone Lodge for its flooring project and for activity supplies, as well as to the Kamsack and District Nursing Home Auxiliary for its work.
On Feb. 11, Laurene Achtymichuk, the congregation’s president, and Zennovia Duch, treasurer, presented cheques to the lodge and nursing home auxiliary.
The deaths of Dan Andrychuk in August 2025, who had served as the parish’s treasurer, and Mike Sas in October 2025, who had been the president, hastened the sad decision to sell the church, Duch said. “We are thankful that the Kamsack Filipino community wanted to buy the church for their own house of worship.”
The Ukrainian Orthodox community first organized the parish in February 1945, Duch said after researching the history of the church. Construction of the church on Windsor Avenue in Kamsack began in 1946.
“Through the diligence and perseverance of volunteers, the church building was completed and blessed by His Beatitude Metropolitan Ilarion in 1952.”
In 1958, the Kamsack parish became the centre of the region, which included the surrounding congregations of Donwell, Mazeppa, Calder, Stornoway, Wroxton, Kobzar and Toporiwci. Two delegates from each congregation made up the Regional Council.
In 1962 and 1963, the church rectory was built to house the serving priests with their families, Duch said. “In 1968 and 1969, the church was adorned with a beautiful Iconostas which was blessed by the Right Reverend Bishop Borys and Very Reverend Kernitsky, President of the Ukrainian Orthodox Consistory in Winnipeg.”
Initiated by a major donation from parishioner Wasylina Sobestianowich and complemented by other generous donations, the Kamsack parish built the Orthodox Community Centre (OCC Hall) in 1972 and 1973. That facility was consecrated on June 10, 1973, by Very Reverend Lutchak, President of the Ukrainian Orthodox Consistory in Winnipeg.
In June 1987, Kamsack All Saints parish celebrated its 40th anniversary and published a souvenir booklet for that occasion. In July 1991, this parish saw the ordination by Metropolitan Wasyly into the Orthodox priesthood of young Taras Makowsky, who was born and raised in the Mazeppa area.
“Through the years, the dedicated parishioners of the Kamsack area worked hard to maintain the church and property, renovating when necessary,” Duch said. The Ladies Auxiliary, named after Sophia Rosova, was officially founded and affiliated with the Ukrainian Women’s Association of Canada on Jan. 1, 1947. This organization fundraised continuously, donating its time and money towards the church and its activities.
With changing society and demographics, elderly members passing away and no new younger members joining the church, the membership of the church in the area started to decrease, she said. The financial burden of rising costs started to fall on fewer shoulders.
In the fall of 1998, the OCC Hall was sold to the Town of Kamsack and in 2004, the Kamsack Parish District amalgamated with the Hyas Parish District along with the Swan River congregation. Then again, in 2012, the Hyas Kamsack Swan River District amalgamated with the Canora District, to be called the Canora Kamsack Swan River Parochial District.
The priests who served the Kamsack parish were: Rev. L. Diachyna, Rev. H. Udod, Rev, S. Stolarchuk, Rev. W. Sluzar, Rev. M. Bodnarchuk, Rev. J. Mayba, Rev. D. Stratychuk, Rev. M. Olesiuk, Rev. P. Bublyk, Rev. Y. Puk, Rev. J. Stinka (who later became a bishop and then Metropolitan of Canada, 2005-2010), Rev. M. Pozniak, Rev. N. Czurak, Rev. M. Kopchuk, Rev. P. Berezniak, Rev. P. Anhel, Rev. M. Lomazkiewicz, Rev. P. Powalinsky, Rev. M. Faryna, Rev. P. Tsenov, and Rev. Y. Obukh.
