Saint Ilija Church, Kelowna

Address : 585 Gertsmar Road, Kelowna, British Columbia, V1X4B3

Phone : 604 600 2922

Priest : Fr. Marko Radmanović (administrator; mradmanovic@svetisava.net )

Church history

From picnics to church gatherings

The founding of the missionary parish in Kelowna was preceded by traditional summer gatherings of Serbs from Vancouver in this city on the shores of Lake Okanagan, and later by our people from Calgary and the surrounding towns in western Canada: Edmonton, Prince George, Kemloops, Penticton. Among the first Serbs to move to Kelowna was the Matić family, Nik and Planč, who arrived from Regina immediately after World War II. They were followed by Nikola and Dragica Galić in 1965, then Stanimir and Zlata Lazić in 1969, and then Dragoljub (Dragi) and Mila Đorđević in 1971 from Toronto, and from Vancouver Dobrivoje and Telma Paunović in 1972 and Živa and Olga Tatarov in 1974. In nearby places in the Okanagan region, there were Serbs who were engaged in fruit and vegetable farming, such as the brothers Stevo and Mile Galić in Osoyoos and Oliver, respectively, Aca Matić in Vernon, and the Savović and Anđić families in Kemloops.

Kelowna and the entire region became increasingly interesting for Serbs, who came from all over Western Canada and recently from Ontario. Its climate and way of life reminded them in many ways of their homeland, which is one of the main reasons why they decided to continue their lives in the settlements scattered on the shores of Okanagan and Skaha Lakes, from Vernon to Osoyoos. Surrounded by famous vineyards and orchards, the cultivation of which is also a good source of income for individuals, many spend their retirement days in peace, enjoying this beautiful environment. When, in 1995, the missionary parish in Kelowna was founded, the number of Serbian families was around 45, while today it has already exceeded 70.

The first service was held in 1977 on the private estate of Dragoljub and Mile Đorđević. The first service was held under the open sky by priest Miroslav Dejanov, parish priest of Vancouver, with the presence of twenty believers. The first official picnic was held in 1983 when the vicar of His Holiness Patriarch German, Bishop of March, Dr. Danilo (Krstić), and the dean of the Faculty of Theology in Belgrade, Protodeacon Dr. Pribislav Simić, came to visit the Serbs of Vancouver and then Kelowna. The Holy Liturgy was served in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. For the circumstances and opportunities to mature, it was necessary to wait until August 6, 1995, when, after the Divine Liturgy, the first meeting was held at the Parkinson Center, chaired by Bishop Georgije of Canada, with the presence of the vicar of the Western Canadian Archdiocese Mirko Malinović from Ridžajna and the parish priest of the Vancouver Archdiocese Miroslav Dejanov, who had previously visited the Serbs in Kelowna most often. On that day, the first administration of the missionary parish of St. Elijah was elected, and that date can be taken as the day of the founding of this young church community.

Purchase of property and construction of a church

The first meeting of the parish membership in Kelowna, one of the most important in its short history, was held on January 31, 1996, immediately before the Diocesan Assembly in Vancouver. The meeting was chaired by Bishop Georgije. At that time, the first building committee was elected, consisting of: president Rade Vukota, members Milenko Bulić and Mirko Šapić, deputy Jordan Nikolić, and treasurer Dragan Jovanović. In addition to the 22 members of the missionary parish, the following guests attended this meeting: vice-president of the Diocesan Council Ilija Rakanović, priests of Vancouver Archpriest Miroslav Dejanov, and Archpriest Savo Arsenijević, who was appointed administrator in Kelowna. At this meeting, a decision was made to find and purchase a plot of land on which a Serbian church would later be built.

This meeting bore fruit, but the implementation of this decision and agreement was delayed until 1998, when at a membership meeting on May 17, a decision was made to purchase the property with an older and dilapidated house at 585 Gertsmar Street for $92,000. Voja and Olivia Bogdanović immediately came to the rescue with loans of $35,000, Dragi and Mila Đorđević with $30,000, and they eventually contributed a portion of the funds in cash. Other contributors also expressed their support, and in a short period of time $25,000 was collected. The second official meeting of Bishop Georgij with the membership was held on St. Elias in 1999 in the premises of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. The topic was finding a way to start building a future church on the newly purchased property. Like the previous meeting, this one also bore fruit. The property was paid off by the summer of 2001. On November 10, 2001, Bishop Georgije arrived in Kelowna to lay the foundation stone and consecrate the site where this new Serbian place of worship in Canada would be built. The estimated cost of this project exceeded $200,000, which is no small undertaking for a small membership. Although winter was approaching, work, with God's blessing and help, began on November 12, 2001 and did not stop throughout the winter. All the perseverance and work paid off in the end. God helps the brave and courageous, multiplying their efforts. And their sacrifice, if measured in numbers, amounts to over 2500 volunteer hours of work. The church was built and consecrated on Ilindan, August 2, 2003.

Here, it is necessary to highlight several families and individuals who, with their commitment, material and moral support, were the main bearers of the construction of the new church building. President Dragoljub Dragi Đorđević, who has been serving God and his family loyally and with much love since the founding of the missionary parish. And much earlier, the house of the Đorđević family – Dragoljub, his wife Mile and children – was a gathering place for Serbs. Without them, not a single significant undertaking of the Serbs from Kelowna can be imagined. They help their parish both morally and materially and anyone else who needs help. With the arrival of the ambitious and capable Mile Savić and his wife Dušanka from Ontario to Kelowna, the parish gained in strength and determination. In addition to allocating significant funds and providing a loan together with Voja and Olivia Bogdanović and Dragije and Mila Đorđević, Mile Savić agreed to manage the works until the completion of the construction, without any compensation or collection. There are also Voja and Olivia Bogdanović with significant loans when purchasing the land and during the construction, as well as a non-refundable contribution of $20,000. From the first day, since they arrived from Vancouver, in 1994, their desire and idea was that Serbs in Kelowna would create and have something. Nikola Vignjević with his wife Boja, as well as Jordan Nikolić, who were involved in the work of their church while they were in Calgary, are not far behind in their help and work, as are Dobrivoje Paunović and Mirko Šapić, while they were in Vancouver. There are also young forces Stevan Šobat, Dragan Jovanović and all the others, united although small in number.

The circle of Serbian sisters "Holy Women of Myrrh-Bearing" from Kelowna deserve special recognition. All gatherings and all festivities cannot be imagined without their work and their help. With their work and dedication, they have been the drivers of all the achievements and successes to date.

Despite the fact that the services are irregular, because the conditions for a permanent priest have not yet been met, the administrator of the missionary parish comes about five to six times a year, trying to bring the people together religiously and nationally. Despite the difficulties that have not spared this parish, the results are evident. Because many more numerous parishes and church-school communities in North America have not achieved such results in a shorter period.

The church celebrated its twentieth anniversary in 2023.