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Fr. Evan Lowig – Memories about Holy Resurrection Church

HOLY RESURRECTION MEMORIES
By Fr. Evan Lowig – 1999

A veritable kaleidoscope of memories floods my mind when I think of my pastorate at Holy Resurrection Church in Vancouver, which covered the better part of six years. I first arrived at the parish to serve Christmas and Theophany on December 17th, 1987. I was in residence from April 1st, 1988 and was released from my duties on August 1st, 1993.

Oddly enough, one of my fondest recollections has to do with the preparations for the fall bazaar, which I participated in every year. I thoroughly enjoyed helping to make pelmeni, which for me were a culinary entry into the lives of freedom-loving Russians who had lived in Siberia and then immigrated to this country from China. The Sisterhood always did an outstanding job in the work to support the church. They did so with the help of a few men who I was privileged to know and work with. Notably one was Walter Kuc of blessed memory, whose kindness and good humor are unforgettable, and who was a dear friend as well as parishioner.

In additional to pastoral and liturgical tasks over my years at Holy Resurrection, I always participated in the work of the choir, which did and does a fine job under the direction of Matushka Henrietta Somow. When I first came to Holy Resurrection, services were predominantly in Slavonic, but as the months and years went by, we were using considerable amounts of English, and the choir made this transition very well.

Speaking of transitions, I remember my surprise when a straw poll conducted by Parish Life found 77% of the respondents in favor of a calendar change. Then at the ROS annual meeting the members voted 86% in favor of being on the revised Julian or “New” calendar. When on October 1st, 1989 we celebrated the Protection of the Theotokos new style, I was very happy to be the priest at the first established parish in the Archdiocese of Canada, which had made the calendar change.

Another very important event in the life of Holy Resurrection Church, which I participated in, was the installation of the stained glass windows from late 1988 into early 1991. At first some people had their misgivings, but I think that after the fact everyone agrees that the stained glass windows are very attractive and make what I continue to think of as “our church” in Vancouver to be one of the loveliest Orthodox churches in Canada.

There could be so much else to say, but I was asked to submit just a few random thoughts. Upon my departure Fr. Andrew Somow, whose ordination was an appropriately spectacular event, which involved a very wide cross-section of the Orthodox community in Vancouver and concelebrated by priests from several jurisdictions, assumed priestly duties at Holy Resurrection. Even as we sang “Axios” to the new priest, we could not help but reminisce about his lengthy and illustrious deaconate.

That will be my closing remark: perhaps nothing reminded me more of services at St. Vladimir’s Seminary than the feast day vigils at Holy Resurrection, with Fr. Protodeacon intoning litanies

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Holy Resurrection: Happy 75th! Glory be to God for all things.

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