THe Story of the Mission

The St. Paisios of Mt. Athos Antiochian Orthodox Mission is a group of (about 30) Orthodox Christians, Catechumens, Inquirers & friends living in the Moses Lake and surrounding areas (Soap Lake, Ephrata, etc.) that were mostly members (and seekers) of the Prophet Elijah Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church in Ellensburg. We had begun to travel to Moses Lake every Sunday evening in September 2018, serving Vespers and offering a teaching, but by the Grace of God, on Saturday, September 4, 2021, we celebrated our first ever Divine Liturgy in Moses Lake, on the Feast Day of the Prophet Moses the God-seer himself.

For the time being, we will serve the Divine Liturgy here two Saturday mornings per month, beginning at 10:00 AM / Orthros at 9:00 AM (please contact us via email or phone for dates) … and then on the following weekend, on a Sunday, we will serve a “Readers Orthros & Typika Service” with Homily…. so that we can now begin to have Liturgical Services in the Moses Lake area every weekend!!!!

Dn. Basil Hinkle, who is the main contact for the Mission, will also be doing some Readers Vespers Services & teachings at the Chapel on other evenings, so there are plenty of opportunities for outreach and contact with him, to learn more about the Orthodox Church!

Fr. Paul Moses Jaroslaw, the Pastor of Prophet Elijah, (and also the Pastor of St. Paisios Mission for now, until a future date when a Priest is assigned to Moses Lake) and Dn. Basil (Vasily) Hinkle, one of our Deacons, lead the Mission and continue to provide weekly opportunities for those who might be interested in the area to learn more about the Orthodox Church. (Both of them have been involved in missionary work for many years. Fr. Paul who grew up in New York City, served in Alaska for almost 40 years, and has been in Ellensburg now for 12 years). Dn. Basil (known to many in Kittitas & Grant Counties as Bill Hinkle) actually lives in the Moses Lake area 1-2 days a week, so there are plenty of opportunities to meet with him! We warmly invite anyone in the community who would like to learn more about us, or join us, to “Come and See!” 

The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church (Antioch, the place where the disciples were first called Christians) has a great zeal for missionary work in this country. (Some say Orthodoxy is the best kept secret in America!). In fact, since 1987 when the Antiochian Church received over 2,000 former Protestant Evangelicals from 17 Parishes across the country..... in our Washington State alone, the Antiochians have grown from 2 original Parishes in Seattle and Yakima (former Evangelical Parishes) to now 11 Missions and Churches, in Arlington, Ellensburg, Everson, (Bellingham) Goldendale, Snohomish, Spokane, Spokane Valley, Wenatchee, and now Moses Lake, with the hopes of still many more!

It is our great desire and dream to see if there are other interested families and individuals in the Moses Lake and Columbia Basin area who are interested in learning more about the historic Orthodox Church. We again warmly invite you to join with us in our weekly gatherings and/or our Bi-weekly Divine Liturgies, or just to contact us for more information of any kind.

We currently meet at the Chapel that sits behind the home of the Wytko family (10333 Rd. 5.6 NE) in a converted shop & brewery. (The Wytko’s were the former owners of the St. Brigid Brewery Tap Room in Moses Lake)

Attached you will find information about the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church in particular, as well as the entire Orthodox Church in general! 

Please feel free to email us, or call with any questions you might have. Fr. Paul or Dn. Basil would be glad to just meet you for a cup of coffee some time, and sit down with you informally.... and talk about Orthodoxy! 

Thanking you in advance for your interest! With much love in Christ, the St. Paisios of Mt. Athos Antiochian Orthodox Mission.