FIDELITY – St. JOHN the EVANGELIST Parish – Парафія св. Івана Євангелиста

Location: S-E Sec. 27, Twp. 52, Range 8, 4M. – 28 km. from Myrnam and 192 km. east of Edmonton. The 3 acres of land for the church and the cemetery were bought in 1937 for $40.00. The early services were held in the Bloomington school. Between 1948 and 1953 the church building (50’ x 24’) was completed thanks to the efforts of Fr. Ivan Cherkavsky. The contractor was Walter Stoyko. The church also has an iconostasis. Originally the people started coming in 1926 from Ternopil, Buchach, Peremyshl and Sniatyn regions in Ukraine.

The first Parish council consisted of: Petro Zubatyj (president), Volodymyr Stoyko (treasurer) and Mykola Gurash (secretary). Bishop Neil Savaryn visited the community in 1953, 1958 and 1964. The Parish has a UCWLC from 1956 and UCYC.

The Eparchial clergy serving the Parish were: Fr. Ivan Cherkawsky (1948-1954), Fr. Roman Starodub (1955- ), Fr. Theophile Hurko (1957- ), Fr. Borys (Paul) Lysak (1968-1974), Fr. Ivan Makuch (1975-1997), Fr. Richard Zuback (1998), Deacon Richard Nibogie (1998-2000), Deacon Ed Lemko (2000), Fr. Slavko Dumeč (2000-2008), Fr. Vasyl Nykyforuk (2008-2011), Fr. Bohdan Nahachewsky [administrator] (2012-).