First Orthodox Church established in Carson City, Nevada
Carson City, the State Capital of Nevada, has its 1st Orthodox Church, and it is a Serbian Mission Parish.
September 13, 2020 witnessed the 1st Krsna Slava celebration of our new St. Sebastian Mission Parish located at 1918 North Carson Street in Carson City. This event is a true blessing and miracle. We thank Bishop Maxim for his treasurable words to us after we described the joy from this celebration. He said, “Such a rich parish life! It reminds me of those small first Christian Communities established by St. Paul.”
Some in our Diocese know of the small Mission community of St. John the Baptist in Reno, but not the missionary outreach in Carson City. The Reno Mission Parish was established in April of 2001 and blessed by Bishop Jovan. Two years ago, the Reno Parish building, used for our Divine Liturgies, was sold by the owner. We looked for alternatives, but Reno became too expensive. With Bishop Maxim’s guidance and Blessing, we did two things. First, we opened a small chapel to St. John the Baptist, in the Reno Forerunner Bookstore, to never forget our origins. Secondly, we turned our attention to Carson City, 30 miles south of Reno, which had no Orthodox community.
We conducted services at various locations. Our first Carson City Divine Liturgy in 2018 was most likely the very first Divine Liturgy ever served in the area. Ever since then, God’s Grace has been upon us! A year ago, we signed a lease for a facility we will use until we find a permanent location. It is our firm intention to build a Serbian Orthodox Church in Carson City that will exist until the Second Coming of Christ. It is in the Spirit of the great Orthodox Missionary in American, St Sebastian, that we dedicate our humble labors.
The move to Carson City became Spiritually fruitful. Many new members have found us and joined our humble community. We have had Baptisms and Chrismations. Cradle Orthodox Christians have joined us. We have Serbian, Russian, Romanian, Greek, Korean, Ukrainian, the Holy Land (Arabic) and American Converts! When we recite the Lord’s Prayer, during the Liturgy, we recite it in all the languages of Communicants in attendance. At times it has reached eight versions of the Lord’s Prayer.
While our community is small, (45-50 families), we are reminded that the original Christian Church started with 12. We started as a small group of American converts seeking the Orthodox Church. It was so great to be lovingly and graciously received by the Holy Serbian Orthodox Church in 2001. Bishop Jovan and the St, Herman Monastery nurtured us. Bishop Longin ordained me in 2003 and sent me to serve the community in Northern Nevada. More than half of our parishioners are converts inspired by the Forerunner Orthodox Bookstore in Reno. There is a saying that an Orthodox Bookstore in a public venue, and not inside a church building, is as rare as hens’ teeth. The Reno Bookstore offers a valuable way to reach those seeking answers, that leads them to the entrance of the Holy Orthodox Church where Salvation is truly found.
Though the Reno/Carson City community is one community with two parishes, we embrace Bishop Maxim’s challenge, for us to see the fruits of our outreach and continue to grow. One of these fruits is the Bishop’s Blessing to pursue the purchase of the bookstore property in Reno. This opportunity came unexpectedly. The owner, an elderly lady living in Montana, offered us the exclusive right to buy the property before the end of the year.
There is a renewed energy in Northern Nevada! We thank the many who have prayed and supported us and ask for your continued prayers. We are encouraged and inspired to continue growing this Vineyard of Christ found in the Nevada desert, within the Western Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Fr. James Barfield, Parish Priest of the St. John the Baptist Serbian Orthodox Church in Reno and St. Sebastian Mission Parish in Carson City, Nevada.
