An Historical Overview of the Holy Ascension UO Church, Wimmer, Sask.

--submitted by Terry Nykiforuk, president.

see photos

The first Ukrainian to arrive and work for a farmer in the Wimmer district was Paul Boyko in 1919. Also in 1919 Peter Strelic of Mikado, Sask. purchased land in the district. In 1920 Wasyl Prosko, Tom Romaniuk, Tom Ksiansyna and Pete Dereniuk also of Mikado, Sask. took up homesteads and started farming. They were followed shortly by John Boyko, John Smielski, Gregory Choma, Fred Manchur and Dmetro Petryshyn

As the Ukrainian settlement grew so did the need for a church and the possibility to bring a priest to the area was discussed. Tom Romaniuk volunteered to pursue the matter.                                                                

 On a November day in 1922 he set out for Yorkton, Sask. On the train he met up with Fr. Hrebeniuk explaining to him the wish of the Ukrainians in the Wimmer area. In 1923, John Smielski who settled in the area offered his house for the church services and on April 17, 1924, the first Ukrainian Greek Orthodox  church service was celebrated at his residence with Rev. P. Sametz as the celebrant and Tom Romaniuk as cantor. Fifty people participated in this service. In his sermon Fr. Sametz spoke about the beginning of Christianity in Ukraine and its acceptance of the Greek Orthodox faith which should be preserved forever. He also explained the procedure to follow in organizing a parish.

In 1924 the Holy Ascension UO Church parish of Wimmer, Sask. was organized with the first slate of officers as follows: John Boyko, president; Tom Romaniuk, secretary; John Smielski, treasurer. The church services were celebrated at various homes with Fr. P. Melnychuk of Canora, Sask. acting as the celebrant. In 1927 the Taras Schevchenko Hall (“Narodny Deem”) was built on a parcel of land donated by Wasyl Prosko and located on 368-SW 10-37-17.This hall was used as a church for liturgical services, for weddings, for funerals, for bazaars, for meetings and for socials.

In the spring of 1940 a meeting was called to strike a building committee as follows: Mike Ochitwa, president; Harry Kudryk, secretary; Nick Franko, treasurer; Bill Boyko and John Smielski, directors. On June 12, 1940, construction of the church began on a site near the hall. The carpenters were Dmetro Brooder and Elia Chyz of Arran, Sask. With plenty of volunteer assistance the exterior was completed in three months. In 1949, the interior was completed and painted by M. Gabroch and B. Harasemchuk of Vonda, Sask. at a cost of $6537.50 to a church membership of twenty five. Services were held twelve times annually at a cost of $25.00 per service. John Romaniuk a blacksmith in Watson donated the metal crosses for the domes of the church. The window frames were built by A. Rollack, father of Mrs M. Ochitwa, and the beautiful tabernacle( Kivot) was built by Bill Boyko at a cost of $150.00.

The first wedding was at the home of John Smielski when Mary Strelic, daughter of Peter Strelic married George Pawliski. The first baptisms were of Natalia Choma, daughter of Gregory Choma, and Bill Boyko, son of Paul Boyko.

The first episcopal visit of the Holy Ascension UO Church congregation was that of Bishop J. Theodorovich on October 18, 1936. Father Kerstiuk was the priest and the service, ceremony and social were held in the hall. The second episcopal visitation was that of Metropolitan Ilarion. Father O. Chomiak was the celebrant priest with Fr. Hrytsyna, Fr. Metiuk, and Fr. T. Kowalyshyn as visiting participant clergy at which time the church was blessed and consecrated.

On Sunday, May 31, 1984, the Holy Ascension UO Church of Wimmer celebrated its 60^th anniversary with Fr. W. Makarenko as celebrant and Fr. Rebalka of Prince Albert as the visiting participant clergy. The cantors for the day were M. Sitko and Ed. Ochitwa. There were 175 members and friends in attendance.

The first “National Home” ( Narodny Deem) was built in 1927, an all-purpose meeting place for the community. In 1945, it was sold form $600.00 to make room for another some 100 yards due south. After it was destroyed by fire in 1985 still another building was moved to this site and renovated for the purpose.

In 1949, a priest’s residence was built at Watson. In the pastoral charge were the congregations of Watson, Kiev, Clair, Wimmer, Wadena and Fosston. In 1965, the parish residence was moved to Wadena and in 1972 it was moved to Ituna. By then Kiev, Clair and Fosston churches were already closed.

In 1930, the church ladies organized an association under the name Olga Basarabova  joining the National Ukrainian Women’s Association on Feb.1, 1931. The initial officers were: Ann Polowich, president; Helen Chyz, vice-president; Rose Ksianzyna, secretary; Ann Ochitwa, treasurer.

In 1934, the Ukrainian Youth Association “CYMK” was organized with eleven members as follows: Mary Franko (Drobot); Mary Humeny (Boyko); Mary Polowich (Hrebeniuk);Olga Ksianzyna(Bell); Rose Ksianzyna((Boyko); Bertha Kuchinski (Harvey); Rose Franko (Zederayko); Philip Kuchinski; Mike Romaniuk; John Franko; Abe Ksainzyna. A few years after its inception people moved away and the CYMK was disbanded until 1952 when the association was reorganized with thirteen members as follows: Terry Nykiforuk; Alice Ochitwa(Nykiforuk); Olga Hleck(Tkarski); Pauline Romaniuk(Nykiforuk-Bletz); Steve Franko, Edward Ochitwa, John and Bill Snitinsky, Orest Ochitwa, Alex Schwetz, Bohdan Kudryk and Leo Tutka.

List of clergy who served the Holy Ascension UO Church parish

Fr. P. Sametz --------------------May 7, 1924

                Fr. P. Melnychuk ---------------1924-1926

Fr. O. Senata---------------------1926-1930

                             Fr. D. Kerstiuk-------------------1930-1935

                 Fr. W. Aponiuk-------------------1935-1938

                Fr. M. Fyk--------------------------1938

                Fr. F. Kernisky--------------------1938-1940

                Fr. W. Diachyna-------------------1940-1942

                Fr. J. Kucey------------------------1942-1943

                Fr. D. Stratrychuk----------------1944-1949

                Fr. M. Flak--------------------------1949-1951

                     Fr. O. Chomiak--------------------1951-1954

                                Fr. S. Zuzak-------------------------1954-1956

                                Fr. W. Melnychuk-----------------1956-1958

                                Fr. I. Mayba-------------------------1958-1961

                                Fr. M. Prystupa--------------------1961-1963

                                Fr. S. Hrebeniuk-------------------1963-1965

                                Fr. A. Teteranko-------------------1968-1973

                                Fr. A. Hupka------------------------1973-1976

                                Fr. P. Bodnar-----------------------1976-1980

                                Fr. S. Soroka-----------------------1980-1982

                                Fr. W. Makarenko-----------------1982-1986

                                Fr. M. Drul---------------------------1986-1987

                                Fr. H. Udod--------------------------1987-1988

                                Fr. Cherneshew--------------------1988-1989

                                Fr. Y. Buciora-----------------------1989-1995

                                Fr. M. Czurak------------------------1995-1996

                                Fr. M. Domaradz--------------------1996-2000

                                Fr. M. Kopchuk----------------------2000-

                The president’s concluding note:

Today our membership is getting smaller and older and the prospects are not very bright for a long and successful continuation of this parish. It will be a sad day if and when it closes.

In the last ten years we painted the church interior and exterior, installed new iron gates to the church and to the cemetery, and erected an historical cairn to commemorate the 75^th anniversary in 1999.

The present slate of officers are: Terry Nykiforuk, president; Mike Tokarski, vice-president; Bill Snitinsky, secretary; Olga Spizawka, treasurer.

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