New Orthodox Parish Established in Sandpoint, Idaho
First Liturgy served at Holy Apostles on the feast day of St Sebastian of Jackson and San Francisco.
With great joy and thanksgiving to God, the Western American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church announces the successful establishment of a new parish in the beautiful city of Sandpoint, Idaho: Holy Apostles Orthodox Church.
In September 2025, His Grace Bishop Maxim (Vasilijević) of Western America formally established the new parish, appointing Fr. Laurent Cleenewerck as its first pastor. Father Laurent, who had spent the previous year serving in France, returned to the United States to build and shepherd this mission into a formal parish.
The Sandpoint’s strategic location and the visible hunger for traditional Orthodox worship in northern Idaho made this step both timely and providential.
The new parish traces its immediate roots to the missionary outreach of Fr. Gregory Horton of Holy Myrrhbearers Antiochian Orthodox Church in nearby Naples, Idaho, who first planted an Orthodox mission in Sandpoint several years ago. Through the grace of God and the fraternal cooperation that characterizes Orthodox life in the region, the mission has now found a permanent home in the historic church building at 400 Church Street in downtown Sandpoint.
After the parish secured a long-term lease on the property, clergy and faithful worked tirelessly for several weeks to transform the space into a proper Orthodox temple: installing an iconostasis, adorning the walls with icons, and preparing everything necessary for the celebration of the Divine Services.
The first Divine Liturgy in the newly-prepared temple was served on November 30, 2025 – the feast day (New Style) of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called and the Holy Hieromonk Sebastian of Jackson (California). The celebration marked not only the liturgical beginning of parish life but also a powerful reminder of the apostolic and missionary spirit that animates the entire Western American Diocese under the leadership of Bishop Maxim.
In many respects, the new Sandpoint parish realizes the vision of St. Sebastian of Jackson himself – that Orthodox Christianity would take deep root throughout the American West, with vibrant parishes serving as beacons of the unchanging Faith in every city and town. As a sister parish to St. Herman of Alaska Church in Kalispell, Montana (also under Bishop Maxim), the Sandpoint community continues this sacred legacy of missionary zeal embraced wholeheartedly by Bishop Maxim and the clergy and faithful of the diocese.
Following the inaugural Liturgy, Fr. Laurent shared his gratitude:
“Our first Liturgy in this beautifully transformed temple was a tremendous blessing, with about 100 people in attendance thanks to the support of visitors from the nearby parishes (Holy Myrrhbearers in Naples and St John’s in Post Falls). We are very grateful to Bishop Maxim for his pastoral support and trust to bring this vision to fruition. I had no idea that being received in Holy Orthodoxy in 1995 (in Paris, my godfather was a wonderful Serbian Orthodox priest, Fr Nikolas Crnokrak) would one day lead me to serving in north Idaho in our diocese! God certainly takes us on unexpected and wonderful journeys of faith for the Kingdom…”
The establishment of this new parish stands as a living testimony to the ongoing growth and brotherly unity of Orthodox Christianity in the American West. Under the omophorion of Bishop Maxim, the Western American Diocese continues its steadfast commitment to planting and nurturing Orthodox parishes that proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in its fullness.
All Orthodox Christians and inquirers in the Sandpoint, Coeur d’Alene, and northern Idaho region are warmly invited to visit the new parish, to pray together, and to become part of this joyful missionary work.
For service times and more information, please visit the parish website (www.sandpoint.church) or contact Fr. Laurent Cleenewerck at the parish office.
Through the prayers of the Holy Apostles, may the Lord grant many years to His Grace Bishop Maxim and bless the new parish with abundant spiritual fruit for generations to come.
