FIND YOUR FAITH
At Saint Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church, we believe that everyone can benefit from the teachings of Christ and the Holy Fathers. Whether you are a lifelong Orthodox Christian or are just beginning to explore the faith, we invite you to join us and to find your own path to spiritual growth and fulfillment. To learn more about our community and our services, please visit us in person or explore our website.
PARISH BEGINNINGS
CIRCA 1975
The present parish of St. Herman of Alaska, Langley, B.C., began in 1975, when a group of parishioners from the predominantly Russian Holy Resurrection parish in Vancouver decided to start an English mission in the lower mainland.
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These few faithful, led by Dr. Edward and Mrs. Vivian Hartley of Surrey, with the bishop’s blessing, began to hold Reader’s services in their private back-yard chapel. The mission was served through the years by a succession of clergy, some resident, some visiting.
FATHER LAWRENCE JOINS
By 1986, they were again without a priest. After a year of holding Reader’s services in the back-yard chapel, through the arranging of (then bishop-elect) Fr. Seraphim Storheim, they learned that a seminarian of St. Tikhon’s Seminary in Pennsylvania, soon to graduate, was interested in coming to Canada to do English-language mission work.
This priest, Fr. Lawrence Farley, came to the parish in 1987 as their assigned priest, in which capacity he has served until the present time. Fr. Lawrence worked at a number of secular jobs until the parish could grow and offer full-time support. As the parish grew, it moved from its original back-yard location to rent a number of church facilities in Surrey and Langley. Eventually it was able to purchase property at its present location in Langley. Fr. Lawrence retired in December 2024 remains attached to the parish as the Rector Emeritus.
OUR COMMUNITY
A number of B.C. clergy trace their beginnings to St. Herman’s parish. Priests and deacons from All Saints Church in Victoria, St. Barnabas Church in Comox, St. John of Shanghai in Vancouver and St. Aidan’s Church in Cranbrook all were baptized at St. Herman’s. It is served by Father Gregory Wright, Fr. Lawrence, and by priest Symeon Price.
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Today the majority of the parish consists of converts, just like its first founders, as well as a number of members from several different traditionally Orthodox backgrounds. The parish community, with a great number of young families, has mostly outgrown its present quarters and have moved into the larger and more fully Orthodox temple they have built.
OUR CLERGY
Father Gregory Wright
Fr. Gregory grew up in the Russian Orthodox Church attending both ROCOR and OCA parishes. On his maternal side, his grandparents were both founding members of Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church (OCA) in Vancouver. His Grandfather was Parish Council President for over 20 years; and his grandmother was Treasurer for over 35 years. Together they were instrumental in building the new church building for Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church (its current building). His aunt's father was Fr. Andrei Somow who likewise served for many years as a deacon, and then as Archpriest and Rector of Holy Resurrection. His mother (Laresa) was very involved with the Orthodox Youth Ministry at Holy Resurrection, and then later served faithfully both in the Choir, and in the sisterhood at St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church (ROCOR). On his paternal side, his father (Vadim) grew up in San Francisco, and he worked together with Fr. Seraphim Rose in the writing and publishing of the 'Orthodox Word', and in establishing the First English Language Liturgy served at the ROCOR 'Joy of All Sorrows' Cathedral in San Francisco, under the blessing of then Archbishop John (St. John of Shanghai & San Francisco). This Liturgy continues to this day, and is served once per month in English at the Cathedral. His father was also trained in San Francisco as Choir Director. St. John blessed Vadim to move to Vancouver, and he continued to serve as Choir Director until his falling asleep in the Lord in 2015. Growing up in the Russian Orthodox Church, Fr. Gregory started serving in the Altar at 6 years old; then reading the Epistle and singing in the Choir from the age of 14. While Fr. Gregory grew up in the Russian Orthodox Church (attending both OCA and ROCOR parishes), he desired to find an Orthodox parish in the English Language where his wife and children could understand the Divine Services. He joined St Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church community with his wife (Matushka Ana) and his two children in 2001 Fr. Gregory spent the next several years serving in our parish as Reader, Choir Member, and as a Parish Council Member. Fr. Gregory then spent 3.5 years in theological studies at what was then affiliated with the University of Winnipeg as the St. Arseny Orthodox Christian Theological Institute. In 2008 Fr. Gregory was ordained to the Holy Diaconate. Over the course of the next 15 years, Fr. Gregory became increasingly involved in the community as its Protodeacon, Treasurer, and manager of the construction of its new church building. The current church building was completed in 2023 Fr. Gregory was ordained to the Holy Priesthood on Dec 1, 2024. He has since served as acting rector of the community.
Father Lawrence Farley
Father Lawrence, born in 1954, completed his M. Div. at Wycliffe College, Toronto School of Theology in 1979. After 6 years in pastoral ministry with the Anglican Church of Canada, he entered the Orthodox Church and completed a Certificate program at St. Tikhon’s Seminary in Pennsylvania and was ordained to the priesthood in 1986. Since 1987 he has served as the pastor St. Herman of Alaska Church in Langley BC, a missionary parish of the OCA (Archdiocese of Canada) founded by local laity, which has since grown to attain regular parish status and purchased its own building. Several priests, deacons, and lay members of new missions have emerged from the membership of St. Herman’s. Fr. Lawrence is the author of the Orthodox Bible Study Companion Series from Conciliar Press, and of a number of other books and articles, and appears in regular weekday podcasts on Ancient Faith Radio. He regularly contributes a column to the official OCA website , which can be accessed here. He also contributes to "Pemptousia", the website of Vatopaidi monastery on Mount Athos (accessed here) and has a blog on Ancient Faith publishing, "No Other Foundation" (accessed here). He lives in Surrey B.C. with his wife Donna. As of December 2024 he remains attached to the parish as Rector Emeritus.
Father Symeon Price
Father Symeon and his family were received into Orthodoxy by baptism in 2012 at St. Herman's, having formerly pastored an Evangelical congregation in Abbotsford. He recently received his Master's degree from the Orthodox School of Theology at Trinity College, Toronto. He was ordained to the diaconate in 2018 and lives in Abbotsford with his wife Christa and their four children. He was ordained to the holy priesthood on March 27, 2022 and remains attached to St. Herman's.
Deacon Theodore Matson
Deacon Theodore Matson and his wife Barbara were received into the Orthodox Church at St. Herman’s Church in 2020. They live in Langley and have three children and three grandchildren.