Saints Peter and Fevronia Orthodox Church - Merriam, Kansas - Orthodox Churches on Waymarking.com

This two-story, vinyl sided fame building is located at 10024 W. 49th Street. The building is Greek Revival with plain columns holding a tympanum entry. The double doors are wooden with large gold crosses on them. The roof is asphalt shingle and there is small golden domed cupola with a cross.

This building actually started out as a Baptist Church at least 40 years ago - it was my church growing up. I am very glad to see that new life has been breathed into the grounds and into the building.

Archbishop Alypy of Chicago in 2002 blessed Holy Protection Orthodox Church as a Kansas City mission of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. Father Martin Swanson was the first supervising priest and in the earliest days periodically visited from St. Louis to celebrate the Divine Liturgy in hotel conference rooms. Most weeks, there were reader’s services. Early tasks for parishioners included incorporation, opening a bank account, and the acquisition of liturgical books, icons, furnishings, and the ability to chant. In time, Father Mark Gilstrap, succeeding Father Martin, traveled even farther from Tulsa to serve the Divine Liturgy.

In 2006, the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection in Prairie Village, Kansas, offered our mission the use of their vaulted chapel, thus ending Holy Protection’s peripatetic era of services in homes, chapels, and meeting rooms. Their kindness and generosity cannot be overstated. About this time Father Christopher Stade succeeded Father Mark as supervising priest. As before, when no priest was able to come to the Kansas City area, reader’s services continued to be sung Saturday evenings, Sunday mornings, and major feast days. Initially, the chapel was sparsely adorned with the icons of Christ and the Theotokos, with the Gospel in the middle, all on analoys, plus two brass candle stands. Carpets for both beauty and the feet, a portable iconostas, a commemoration table, and finally a proper kliros stand were added over the years, prompting one first-time visitor to exclaim, “The photos don’t do it justice.” Over time, some people left while others came. Fathers Anastasy Yatrelis and John Whiteford, both priests with considerable experience in the trials and tribulations of starting and sustaining missions, provided advice and encouragement during these years in the wilderness.

There were bright and joyful occasions during this time. On the Feast of Holy Protection, Father Paisius Altschul from St. Mary of Egypt Serbian Orthodox Church in Kansas City came for three years with his parishioners to celebrate the Vigil and Divine Liturgy, which was a great consolation. Three times the mission had the blessing of a visit of the Kursk-Root Icon. In October of 2010 this visit developed into a large Pan-Orthodox event.

A few short weeks after that festivity, a message was left on the church phone by a Deacon Zachary Rose from Atlanta, announcing his temporary job transfer to the Kansas City area. Father Zachary first visited Holy Protection along with Matushka Rachel and their four lively children; shortly thereafter the move was completed. More months of reader’s services were now augmented by a man in black. To everyone’s grateful amazement (perhaps even their own!) the Roses decided to stay in Kansas City. Discussions regarding ordination soon followed. Father Deacon Zachary petitioned Bishop Peter, the administrator of the Diocese, and on a scorching July day in Oklahoma City, on the feast of St. Benedict, Metropolitan Hilarion ordained Father Zachary to the priesthood.

In November 2013, the mission took another step in its growth and moved to a new location in Olathe, KS. With the blessing of Bishop Peter, the mission changed its patrons to Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom, great patrons of pious married life.

With God's help and thanks to the generosity of our Coptic brothers and sisters, we were able to purchase our current church in Merriam, KS in April of 2016. We moved out of our Olathe location on St. Mary of Egypt Sunday and celebrated Lazarus Saturday, Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Pascha in our new church. Soon after, we were once again blessed with a visit by the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon.

People from diverse backgrounds have found a home at Saints Peter and Fevronia Orthodox Church, a mission rooted in the Russian Orthodox tradition as to typikon, liturgical practices, music, piety, and the rhythms of life lived according to the ancient Church (Old) Calendar.

- Saints Peter and Fevronia Orthodox Church History

Type of Orthodox Church: Eastern Type of Building: Church Status of Building: Actively in use for worship Diocese: Chicago and Mid-America Address: 10024 W. 49th Street Merriam, KS USA 66203 Relevant Website: [Web Link] Date of organization: Not listed Date of building construction: Not listed Associated Icons, Reliefs, art, etc.: Not listed Archdiocese: Not listed

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