St. Jacob of Alaska started with a Moleben served on the Feast Day of St. Jacob Netsvetov, July 26/August 8, 2021, in venue space at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan. Archpriest Gregory Joyce of St. Vladimir Russian Orthodox Church in Ann Arbor served as the first rector and appointed Deacon Jesse Rimshas of Sts. Sergius and Herman of Valaam in Houghton, Michigan as the Mission Coordinator.
St. Jacob’s mission has always been labor of love for its founding members. Fr. Jesse and his family drove two hours from his home in L’Anse with icons, music stands, and other church supplies, and the community set up and tore down the Mission in a conference room on weekends. Vespers and Divine Liturgy were served about every six weeks by a visiting priest from Traverse City or Houghton, and other weekends the community would hold Reader’s Vespers and Typikas. They held lunch at a local coffee shop that allowed them to plug in Crock Pots and dine at a room upstairs as long they ordered a carafe of coffee.
In March of 2022 the mission leased 5,000 square feet of space on the main level of an old middle school in Ishpeming, Michigan, about 20 minutes from Northern Michigan University in Marquette. The community has made this space their own. Fr. Jesse and his fifteen-year-son Anthony designed and built a portable wooden iconostasis.
On July 12/June 29, 2022, Archbishop Peter ordained Deacon Jesse to the Holy Priesthood and tonsured parishioner George Hunt, who is currently the mission’s sole seminarian, a reader. Fr. Jesse was appointed Rector on the community’s second anniversary, August 8/July 26, 2023. St. Jacob’s currently serves as Marquette County’s only full-time Orthodox Church, and parishioners drive as far as ninety miles for Divine Liturgies. The community is very active and has a full schedule of services.
Fr. Jesse’s goal is to facilitate growth in the community not only in numbers, but also in dedication and ability. Through the Grace of God, St. Jacob anticipates receiving three more converts to the Orthodox Faith this Lazarus Saturday, bringing the total to nine since July, 2022. The mission has its own budding iconographer whom Fr. Jesse plans to help attend formal training this summer. Parishioners read liturgically, sing in the choir, serve in the Altar, and serve in other ways. And Lord willing, the community’s seminarian, Reader George, will complete his education and be ordained to the Holy Deaconate this summer.
St. Jacob’s is a warm and growing community with many needs, including liturgical supplies, money for liturgical and musical training conferences, and vestments. But the community’s greatest need is a permanent home. It’s difficult to attract attention on the
main level of a former middle school. But old Protestant churches often come up for sale in Marquette County, and it’s only a matter of time before a suitable building is found. With this long-term goal in mind, the community has started saving toward a
permanent building, with the prayer that God might “establish . . . this holy house, even unto the consummation of the age” (Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great).
