The History of The Church C o of Saint Archange A el Michae el Blackttown New w South Wales 1959 to 2012 (Prin ncipally so ourced from the 50th h Anniverrsary News spaper Su upplementt with amendm ments to April 2012)
Preface A smalll booklet was w compiled and relleased thro ough the efforts of paarishioners s to mark th he 25th an nniversary of o the Chu rch. It was s a modestt and sparinngly worde ed piece a about those e people who w took a courageou us decision n to carry oout a real feat f - to build th he Church which late er became an importa ant centre of spirituall life of Orthodox commu unities in western w Sydney. Any bu uilding of su uch signific cance is a monumen ntal and costly endeaavour. It req quired enormo ous resourrces which could onlyy be provid ded by a well foundedd and firm structure. unately, mo ost of those who stoo od at the origins o of th his church have alrea ady Unfortu gone frrom us. Re emaining lo ong-term p parishionerrs recalled that the suuburbs of St S Mary's, Blacktow wn, Mount Druitt D and P Penrith we ere the birth hplace of a Russian spiritua al commun nity. These suburbs o on the outs skirts of Sydney weree the poore est and withoutt organised d infrastruc cture. These immigrantts who arriv ved pennile ess, often without knowledge oof the English langua age and witthout the possibility p o of finding well-paid w jobs were hooused in migrant m hostelss. Those who resea arched the minutes a and records s of the firs st meetingss of the commu unity said that t they were w once a again conv vinced thatt the imposssible for man m becomes possible with God d. Originallly the comm munity had d none of tthe resourc ces which ccould contribute to th he beginnin ng of the re ealisation of o such a bbig project..
The History The Church oof The Archaangel Michae el, Blacktownn
The reccords of th hose years give evide ence of the e first dona ations by thhe future parishioners of th heir money y and build ing materia als. These documentts which ke ept written names of people and the amo ount of bricks donated d for the fuuture churc ch were touchin ng and insp piring docu uments. Th hese docum ments also o record thee first mod dest amoun nts collecte ed. The imm migrants do onated the e last mone ey they hadd but it was still difficultt to collect sufficient funds f to pu urchase a block of land. We caan only gue ess what difficulties th he builders s, the siste erhood, the e clergy and all the w workers of the future p parish had to go thro ough. Also it is difficult to imagin ne the amoount of mental and ph hysical stre ength that had h to be in ood cause at times when w nvested in such a go the new wly arrived d immigrants were tryying to get themselve es and thei r families establisshed with next to notthing. The wo ork must ha ave seeme ed never-e ending. The ere were always presssures from m all sides. It must havve at times s appeared d that the human h stre ength couldd not endure. All the parrishioners and a their fa amilies had d worries and a person nal needs. It could no ot have been p possible to separate these t from m all the com mmitments s involved in building a Church h and Parissh. But eve ery new be eginning allways startted with prayer and God G was w with them and a his blessin ngs were upon them. This is wh hy everything was as it should bbe according to the willl of God. The loccal weekly newspape ers of those e years pu ublished regular newss bulletins about developments in the constrruction of th he new Ch hurch. Each article di splayed an n undisguised asto onishment and a admira ation for th he perseverance and hard work k of the small g group of vo olunteer bu uilders. The e magnifice ent constru uction of thhe Church was comple eted by the ese builderrs with incrredible spe eed. This history is no ot simply the story of one Orthodox Church in Sydneey that was s built by 50 R This historry is another importaant living re Russian families of Blacktown. B eminder for all o of us of tha at spiritual life which sshould be at the centre of all ouur actions and daily afffairs. It sh hould give life meanin ng and con nvey the Word W of the Lord. Unfortu unately it iss impossible to recalll the efforts s of each person p whoo made a contrib bution to the establish hment of th he Church and who le eft a piecee of their so old there. B But for more than 50 years the church sta ands and keeps k the m memory off those people e who not only o live the eir life but rather to fu ulfilled their destiny oon earth. The hisstory and life of the church c of S St Archangel Michael is an unfoorgettable remind der that spiritual life is s a stone, w which is es ssential forr the harmoonious constru uction of ou ur lives.
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The History The Church oof The Archaangel Michae el, Blacktownn
“… A And the rain descend ded, and th he floods came, c and the winds blew, and beat upon n that housse; and it fell f not: for it was founded upon n a rock”. (M Matthew 7:25). 7
1950s s From th he beginning of the 1950s 1 in St Mary's ho ostel, wherre a lot of R Russians who w came ffrom China a and Europe were ho oused, a place p of wo orship was set up. Se ervices conduccted firstly by Father Konstantin ne Neverez zhsky, and d then by F Father Alex xei Filatov. There iin the hosttel, the idea a of buildin ng an Orthodox Churrch emergeed, and the e requesst was put forward f to the Diocessan Office. Meanw while, Fathe er Alexei managed m to o get perm mission to perform p reggular servic ces in the chu urch hall off the Presb byterian Ch hurch. He built b a temporary chuurch stands s for icons a and candle esticks. Pilgrim ms began to o flock from m the surro ounding are eas of Blac cktown, Mtt Druitt and d Penrith h. As a re esult, a closse knit chu urch comm munity of 26 6 people fo ormed in Stt Marys, which w was led d by Fathe er Theodore. It was decided to name n the church c com mmunity th he Transfiiguration.
1952 - Augustt In autu umn 1952 at a the requ uest of Russsian immig grants in th he Blacktow wn region – S.P. Tatarin nov, P.V. Miller, M G.A Pedashenkko - a Blac cktown Mis ssion was oorganised, with the ble essing of th he Bishop Theodore T o of Sydney,, Australia and New Z Zealand.
1954 Meanw while, the number n of Russian R em migre resid dents of the e hostel in St Mary's began to decrrease as th hey moved into differrent areas of Sydney. Devine seervices . In 1954 th alterna ated with se ervices in Blacktown B he Orthodo ox commu nity in St Mary's M merged d with a Blacktown Mission M and d became known as the “Missioonary Poin nt of the Transfiiguration of o the Lord.”
1955 - June The firsst liturgy off the newly y formed M Mission was s performe ed by Fatheer Theodore Mihalyu uk, and the en followed d services by Father Alexei Fila ato. After hhis death on o 3 3
The History The Church oof The Archaangel Michae el, Blacktownn
June 1955 the litu urgy was conducted c by priests from other Sydney cchurches. Worshiip continue ed whereve er possible e in non-Orrthodox churches, prrivate home es in the tow wn hall and d ex-service emen's clu ubs. Since a Blacktow wn already had a Ukra ainian Chu urch of the Transfigurration of th he Lord, the Dio ocesan Offfice agreed d to a petitiion of the parishioner p rs in the coommunity to t rename e the churcch St Archangel Mich hael.
1956 1956 w was a mom mentous year in the liffe of the Orthodox O co ommunity, when in April A the building g committe ee chaired by V.B. M Matveev, an nd later N.A A.Petrovskky was form med. Elected d trustees were S.P. Tatarinov,, G.A. Pedashenko, V.A. V Cd. Thhey produc ced the Charte er for the Committee and a opene ed a bank account. a he building g committee took on a an official status. It started withh active fun nd Thus th raising for the purchase of land l and b building for the Churc ch. All posssible mean ns were used to o achieve the t goal. Membership M p dues were set and plate colleections durring worship p contributted to the funds. f Dan nces were conducted and lotterries were run. All of thesse funds acccumulated d towards tthe purcha ase of land. The ladiees committee headed d by M.N. Tatarinova T a played an n importantt role in org ganising thhe fund-raising.
1958 - March On 27 March 195 58 there wa as anotherr milestone e in the history of the Church. The T elected d trustees (trust) ( of th he Building g Committe ee bought land on Keempsey Street. A dream became a reality.
1958 - June Only tw wo months later on 15th of June e 1958 the e Diocesan Office appproved the e draft plan off the church drawn by y artist V.P P. Zagorodniuk and th his was acccepted by the Building Committtee. After tw wo monthss, in Augus st, with blessing of Arrchbishop Sava prepara atory workks were sta arted and b backfilling and a levellin ng of the laand was be egun.
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The History The Church oof The Archaangel Michae el, Blacktownn
1958 - December On 21 Decemberr 1958 Fath her Philip O Osipov ble essed the place p of thee future Ch hurch and invvited engin neer T.L. Baitch to be e responsib ble for the builders annd so bega an the active cconstructio on of the ch hurch.
1959 – Februa ary to Ap pril In bare ely 2 month hs from 21 Decembe er to 21 Feb bruary, the e frame of tthe church h was erected d. In April of o the same year, 19 59, the kullpola and cross c weree erected and a subseq quently ble essed by th he new recctor of the church c Father Ilya Pijjov.
1959 - May A tirele ess servantt of the Lorrd, Father Ilya Pijov, constructe ed a tempoorary throne and isconsttasis. He decorated d the t yet unffinished in the walls of o the Churrch with ico ons and witth the perm mission of Archbishop A p Sava at the end of May 19599 conducted the first wo orship servvice in the still s unfinis hed church h.
1959 - June On 20 June 1959 9 the walls were com mpletely finished, with active invvolvement of o membe N.Y. Tavrrel, N.N. Ba ers of the Sisterhood S aiitch, S.V. Petrowskky, and N.K K. Matvee eva. At the e same time e the roof ccovering th he church was w comp leted.
1959 - Novem mber On 21 Novemberr 1959 on the t feast d day of the Archangel A hony of Michael Biishop Anth Melbou urne marke ed the final erection o of the churrch by plac cing holy reelics in the founda ation. Thankss to the energy and determined d d effort of a small gro oup, under the enthus siastic guidance of N.A. Petrowsky y and the a active involvement off G.N. Ostrroohoff, the e building g was finisshed in a very short t ime, a little e over a ye ear. The chhurch which had been a anxiously awaited a by the people e and whic ch would be e the abodde of God and a the spiritua al home of all those seeking s rig ghteousnes ss of God in their livees became a reality. o 21 Nove ember 195 59 to the prresent dayy, life of the e From th hat memorrable day on Orthod dox commu unity in the temple in the holy name of St Archangell Michael has h not ceased d to involve e and improve in the Glory of God. G
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The History The Church oof The Archaangel Michae el, Blacktownn
1961 - June On 18 June 1961 1 with the blessing b off Archbisho op Sava a solemn pra rayer servic ce was held fo or the open ning of the church sch hool. Directo or and teaccher of God d's Law wa as Father Ilya Pijov. Chairman C oof the pare ents committtee was N.N. N Baitch. The first appointed teacher off the Russiian langua age was M.I. Ko onstantinovv, who late er became the priest of the churrch, and affter him came V.I. Sokolo ovskaya.
1961 - Novem mber In Nove ember 196 61 the foun ndation of tthe Church h hall was laid. The eeducation of o the children continue ed in the Ha all once co ompleted.
1963 - Januarry On 13 January 1963 throug gh the efforrts and diligence of parents p andd teacher Sokolo ovskaya the e first scho ool Christm mas party was w celebra ated.
1965 - May In Mayy 1965 the church cou uncil and th he sisterho ood held th heir first Auutumn Ball in the Blackto own town Hall. H It bec came a trad ditional eve ent in Blacktown for m many yearrs. After th he complettion of the main build ding of the church and d the churcch hall, the e Church h Council and a Sisterh hood contin nued to raiise funds fo or the mainntenance of o parish, the constrruction of kitchens k an nd utility ro ooms. The Sisterhoodd were acttive with se ewing invesstments, arranging lo otteries, ba alls and Palm Sundayy bazaars. Renova ation of the e temple and its deco oration was continuously carrieed out by th he parishioners of th he church. A wond derful choir was form med by the efforts and d conduct a ship of chhoirmasterr E. Krajukh hin.
1968 - April After th he death off priest Fatther Ilya Piijov on 18 April 1968, worship iin the churrch was conduccted by prie ests who came c from other Sydney church hes.
1971 - June On 20tth of June 1971 by de ecree of th he Diocesa an Office Fa ather Mikhhail Konsta antinov was na amed the Rector R of th he Church.. 6
The History The Church oof The Archaangel Michae el, Blacktownn
1979 From 1 1979, mem mbers of the e Orthodoxx community took part in the annnual Blacktown City fesstivals, org ganising ba azaars thatt sold all kiinds of nee edlework, ffancy dolls, toys and ve ery popularr culinary products, p ca akes and tarts. t Cake es and past stries were served with tea a by elega ant ladies and a men in n national costumes. c The effforts and contribution c ns of Fathe er Ilya Pijov v, E.M. Lap ptev and thheir familie es were instrum mental, from m the time of formatio on of the church, c in bringing b vaariety, improvvement and d spiritual richness r to o the parish h life. They p participated d in all orga anisationall aspects and a affairs of the chu rch. Churc ch elder E.M. La aptev was succeeded by his so on Eugene e and his wife w Julia Laaptev who was for man ny years th he talented d conducto or of the choir. The ch hildren alsoo sang in the choir. In 1979 9, for their zeal and efforts e the ssisterhood d headed by older sisster L.T. De etterer was aw warded the e Bishops Certificate. C By thiss time the parish p had 80 regularr parishioners - mem mbers of th e congregation. Among gst the pho otos, newsp paper clipp pings, repo orts and miinutes of m meetings which w were carefully reccorded since then an nd to this day d there is s priceless evidence of life that the e congrega ation experrienced in 50 years. Evidence of o joy and sorrow, ca are and ied the pa rishioners on their way. Somettimes shoc loss pe ersistently accompan a cks were so strong th hat it seem med, they w would not survive the fall and th e commun nity would b be broken,, but the Lo ord promissed that he e created th he Church and “… th he gates o of hell shall not preva ail against it”. (Mathew 16:18). The T Churcch and its commu unity neverr cease to shine. The e light of Christ shone e through w weakness and disorga anisation even e in the darkest m moments, warming, w sttrengtheninng the faith h and strengtthening the e spiritual forces. f In the p place of tho ose passed on to the e Lord cam me faithful new n workeers of the church c parish. Retiring priests p were e replaced d by new, bringing b the eir invaluabble experie ence to the Min nistry. Those same documents sh how that pe eople did not n retreat before b inesscapable difficultties, becau use no one e was ever promised the easy life!. The “E Enter throu ugh the narrow w gate, for the t gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to ddestruction n, and there a are many who w enter through t it: because th he gate is narrow andd the way that leads to life and few f find it” (Mathew 6 6:13-14)
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The History The Church oof The Archaangel Michae el, Blacktownn
And the ey went an nd are still going by th he path dirrected by God, G relyinng on the help h of God, not their strrength, kno owing that temptation ns and difficulties will make their faith stronge er and teacch them the Love tha at Christ taught his diisciples. “F For everyon ne will be salted with fire e. Salt is good, but if the salt be ecomes a salty, s with what will you y ain? Have salt s in yourrselves, an nd be at pe eace with oone anothe er.” make itt salty aga (Mark 9 9:49) The se ervices and d prayers in n the Churrch never stopped. s Th he solemn ity and joy y of the Divine Liturgy never ceased d in this Ch hurch and the parish steadily g rew and grew up. en are first--rate parish hioners at today's se ervices are return withh their Childre grandcchildren and great-gra andchildre n. Work in n this parissh remains s unending g. The expe erience of its older paarishioners s is now co onveyed to o the young g and the yyoung and bring fresh h energy aand knowle edge in the bussiness man nagement to the pariish. It is cle early seen that the exxperience and spiritua al traditionss established within tthe church had been passed froom one genera ation to the e next.
2007 - Februa ary In Febrruary 2007 7, Father Mikhail M Kosstantinov to ogether witth a numbeer of parish hioners left the e parish to join j the schismatic co ongregatio on known as a the “Russsian TrueOrthod dox Church h” or “Catac comb” Chu urch. This appears to o have beeen triggered d by a disagre eement witth the Canonical Com mmunion with w the Mo oscow Patrriarchy of the Russia an Orthodo ox Church. This ga ave the rem maining pa arishioners the opporrtunity to fre eshly buildd on the founda ations of the e past. Followiing the dep parture of Father Mikkhail Kosta antinov of the then Bisshop Hilarion, formed d a tempora ary church h council m made up of N.N. Baitc ch, V.B. Sm molongova and L. Bravo. Father Alexanderr Korzeniow wski replacced Fatherr Mikhail Kostantinov K v. Father Alexan nder was a tireless wo orker. He sspent a lot of time ed ducating th e congregation. During his rectoryy much important an d needed restoration n work wass carried ou ut within tthe church. He whole eheartedly participate ed in all as spects of liffe of the pa arish. In 2007 7 Father Alexander A brought b the e church th he miraculo ous icon off our Lady of Kursk a and celebrrated a pra ayer service e and akatthist. He brrought this blessed ic con into the hom mes of parrishioners.
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The History The Church oof The Archaangel Michae el, Blacktownn
2008 - March On 16 March 200 08 Metropo olitan Lauru us died an nd Bishop Hilarion H waas appointe ed the Primate e of the Ru ussian Chu urch Abroa ad. Despite e the treme endous am mount of wo ork involve ed in disappointment,, his care a and attentio on for the Australian A congregattion, includin ng the church of St Archangel A M Michael in Blacktown n is undimi nished. Also in 2008 Fath her David Lloyd L repla aced Fathe er Alexander Korzeniiowski. During his time att the parish h Father David D gave his streng gth and hea art without reservatio on to the serrvice of Go od. His effo orts have le ed to the frruition of th he long pla nned reno ovation of the rroof and ku ulpola, upd dating of iccons, comp pletion of re ebuilding oof the old kitchen and utility rooms.. He condu ucted discu ussions and spiritual counsellin g from the Scriptu ures regula arly on a monthly bassis. The Prriest Monk,, Father Jo ohn MacPh herson also o served th he Parish pproviding support for Fath her David. The cu urrent (Apriil 2012) De eacon and an dispensable assis stant to thee priests is s Father Basil Hadarin. He was w the lead der and organiser of much resttoration and repair w em that no work of the e church. Itt would see o matter or work that come into the hands of Father Basil B and his h son Dim mitri canno ot be succe essfully com mpleted orr underta aken. Yuri Skkornyaka, the t parish starosta, n not only ma anages numerous ecconomic afffairs of the parrish, but he e is also the main insstigator in organiser o of o pilgrimagges, tours from Russia an residentts of Sydne ey and an a active mem mber of the e Scout moovement.
2009 In 2009 9 Mrs N Ba aitch, the head h of the e sisterhood, handed on her ressponsibilitie es. She is also the lo ongest serv ving memb ber of the congregatio c on and wa s involved in the group w whose vision and hard work ressulted in th he construc ction of thee church. A conside erable partt of her life e and that o of her husb band (who was the cchief builde er of the church T.L. Baitcch) and the e lives of th heir four ch hildren were e spent in the ground ds of the chu urch. She ha as seen alm most all of her friendss from the Sisterhood d off onto ttheir last pa ath to God. E Even in herr advanced d years, sh he still comes to the church c firstt to prepare e for the sta art of the se ervice and is last to le eave. She carried on n her shoul ders for many years tthe heavy burden b of meticulous m s Sisterhoo od organisa ation of hoolidays, holy bread b baking, so investmen nts, charita able dinnerrs lotteries bazaars aand much more. m 9
The History The Church oof The Archaangel Michae el, Blacktownn
She is always, un nder any circumstancces, ready to supportt, encouragge and rea assure everyo one who ne eeds her he elp in kind words. A true spiritual sisster, humb ble believerr and hard work and keeper of the church h archive es – Mrs Natalie Baitch - still att ttends churrch withoutt fail despitte her 89 years y (2012). Her expe erience is in nvaluable a and her ad dvice on managing thhe affairs of o the church are much needed and valued by the con ngregation. She surpprises those e who meet h her for the first f time with w her sha arp mind and a eloquent use of E English spo oken word.
2011 - March On 13 March 201 11 Father David D Lloyyd took up an a assignm ment on Chhristmas Is sland. He wass replaced by Fatherr Adrian Au ugustus. Th he tireless workers inn the parish, led by the current recctor Fatherr Adrian Au ugustus, th he Church Council annd Sisterho ood are not ressting on the eir laurels, but contin ued to worrk diligently y and withoout compla aint to the glo ory of God and a for the e prosperityy of the Ru ussian Orth hodox Chuurch. Set outt below are e the name es of peoplle who hav ve made po ossible thee implemen ntation of anotther of God d Steve on n earth but are no lon nger with us s. Again yoou recall th he words of the Saviour himse elf who said d “My stren ngth made perfect in witness.” All of th his may no ot be able to t produce e such a fea at, but eac ch of us cann have a place p where the Lord might m put each of us tto be beare er of his life e and lovee it to carry the gospel of eternal fire of this s real face tto the worlld.
Those e who arre not witth us :
His Em minence, Archbishop Savva His Em minence, Archbishop Paul His Em minence, Archbishop Feodor The Re ev Father Alexei A Filattoff The Re ev Father Philip P Osip poff The Re ev Father Ilya Pijoff Mr PV Miller - Ch hurch Mayo or, collecto or of memb bership fee es 10
The History The Church oof The Archaangel Michae el, Blacktownn
Mr GA Pedashen nko - one of o the found ders of the e Russian Orthodox O P Parish in Blackto own My MY Y Sibiriakofff - for man ny years a Church Ma ayor Mrs OV V Sibiriako off - Senior Sister Mr IA B Bilitch - Ch hurch Mayo or Mr TL Baitch - En ngineer and Responssible Builde er Mrs LF F Lebedeva a – Senior Sister Mrs NM M Tikhonofff – Senior Sister Mr EM Lapteff – Church Ma ayor Mrs LI Lapteff – Active A Parishioner T Detterer – Senior Sister Mrs LT Mr Yu Kraiuhin – assistant to the Chu urch Mayorr, member of the Chooir Mr BI S Stukach – assistant a to the Churrch Mayor Mrs AM M Gurinovich – parish hioner and d active don nor Mr NA Petrowskyy – Chairm man of the B Building Co ommittee, Psalm reaader and member m of the C Choir. Mrs SV V Petrowskky – Memb ber of Parissh Coounc cil Mrs GE E Plisowskky – member of Siste erhood Mr SP Tatarinoff – memberr of the Buiilding Com mmittee Mrs MN N Tatarinoff – Heade ed the Ladi es Auxiliarry, assisting with the Collection n of Funds for the con nstruction of o the Chu rch Mr GN Ostrouhofff – builderr, designerr of the cup pola, the crross, the icconostas and the incon ccase Mrs NT T Ostrouho off – active Parishion er Mr VP Ribonikofff – donor, Church C con nstruction worker, me ember of thhe Church h ember Counciil, Choir me Mr EA Podzeben nko – donor 11
The History The Church oof The Archaangel Michae el, Blacktownn
Mrs TF F Podzebenko – took k an active part in the e collection of funds tto build the e Church h Mr VA Yarmolenkk – membe er of the Bu uilding Com mmittee Mr FF Smetanin – memberr of the Buiilding Com mmittee, Ch hurch const struction wo orker Ya Chuma ak – Psalm reader an nd memberr of the Cho oir Mrs MY
Past P Priests Rev Fa ather Konsstantine Ne everezhskyy Rev Fa ather Alexe ei Filatov Rev Fa ather Theo odore Mihalyuk Rev Fa ather Phillip p Osipoff Rev Arrchpriest Father Ilya Pijov P Rev Fa ather Micha ael Konsta antinoff Rev Fa ather Alexa ander Korz zheneveky Priest M Monk John n MacPherrson Rev Fa ather David d Lloyd
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