Beginning in July 2010 we will be taking an inventory of our historic artifacts.  Since we do not have enough space to properly display many of these fragile pictures, vestments, Icons, and otherwise, we are endeavoring to photograph these items for display here and in our parish hall.

View the museum here, or by clicking on "online museum" in the main menu.

We hope you enjoy the items and will consider a donation to help us continue to preserve our historic building.

Fr Simeon

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Juneau Empire

Photo:    Fr. Simeon Johnson, the newly appointed pastor for the 116-year-old St Nicholas Orthodox Church, rings the bell on July 15. The belfry currently sits in the yard, awaiting restoration.

Juneau was invited to join with historians and bell ringers in Sitka, Moscow and Fort Ross, Calif., in ringing church bells to commemorate the voyage of Aleksei Chirikov, who reached the Alaska coast on July 15, 1741. He then sailed north along the coast, and at one point put a boat ashore to get fresh water, probably at Yakobi Island. When the first boat and crew failed to return, he sent another, and that also never returned. Tlingits paddled out within hailing distance of his ship, possibly wanting to trade, but Chirikov had no more boats and could not sail closer to shore. He sailed back to Russia. The fate of his men remains one of the great mysteries of Alaska history. They may have been killed, absorbed into the Tlingit population, or, as recent research suggests, capsized and drowned in the treacherous waters near Surge Bay.

Sailing from Kamchatka on two ships on a Russian voyage of discovery, Vitus Bering and Aleksei Chirikov were separated in bad weather in June 1741 and never regrouped. Bering sighted and named Mt. St Elias and landed briefly on Kayak Island in July. After being shipwrecked in the Commander Islands on the voyage home, Bering and many crewmen died. Others, following the direction of scientist Georg Steller, survived by eating indigenous plants and animals. They rebuilt their ship and sailed home the following spring.

http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/072510/nei_683048908.shtml

In 1894 a varied yet single-minded group of people joined together to build a church. Native Alaskans, Serbian miners, towns people, Orthodox and Non-orthodox took up the call for the building of a Russian Orthodox Church in the young but energetic town of Juneau, Alaska. The result was St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church.

Now, 113 years later, that same building, the oldest contiually functioning Orthodox church in Alaska, is in need of such another group of generous and dedicated people.  We need your help!

To that end, I invite you to join the 1894 Club.  By donating to the cause of our restoration you become a member of the 1894 Club. Here are your member benefits:

Doners of any amount up to $50 will receive an embosed Certificate of Membership suitable for framing

Doners who give $50 will receive the certificate and an enamle lapel pin of the church.

Doners who give $100 will receive the certificate, the pin and a commemorative mug displayed above. (Additional mugs may be ordered seperately.)

Doners who give $300 will receive the certificate, the pin, the mug, and a 100th anniversary icon, an unique icon written especially for St. Nicholas Church.

All donations, of any amount, will be acknowledged by listing on this website, unless you request otherwise, and will be added to our perpetual intercession list.  Those on the intercession list will be remembered by name at the weekly akathist to St. Herman.

If you have any questions please feel free to call at (907) 586-1023 or (907) 957-1539.  You may also use the email feature on our website.

As work continued on the roof, the workers came across a soft spot at the base of the bell tower that sits over the entry to the church. It was discovered that both carpenter ants and rot had taken their toll on both the roof and the base of the tower.  Further investigation showed that the damage was so extensive that the only way to safely and efficiently repair it would be to remove the bell tower; completely rebuild the roof; rebuild portions of the tower; and replace the tower.  The estimate of the work is currently at $30,000.00.

We are issuing an emergency appeal for assistance. While we are engaged in fundraising and other avenues of funding, we are reaching out to those who visit our website. Your contribution will help us save this historic and holy site.

Checks may be made out to St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church and marked for 'bell tower'.

Thank you for your kind assistance.  God bless you.