Orthodox Mission in Missouri Blesses New Church Building
Annunciation Parish in St. James celebrates a milestone after years of steady growth.
ST. JAMES, MO — On Saturday, June 7, the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary Mission in St. James, Missouri, blessed its newly completed church building, marking a major milestone for the growing Orthodox Christian community. The parish held its first services in the new space in celebration of the Great Feast of Pentecost.
“God’s love for us, coupled with our participation, tithes, alms, prayers, faith, work, sweat, tears, and love have made this possible,” said Fr. Joel Wilson, Priest-in-Charge, in a message to parishioners before the building’s blessing.
The mission was founded in 2012 after then-Deacon Joel received a blessing from His Grace, Bishop Matthias. A mission was planted in Rolla, Missouri, with the cooperation of St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Springfield, Missouri.
The first Liturgy was celebrated by the community on February 9, 2013, and the parish was named in honor of the Annunciation with the blessing of His Grace Bishop Alexander. Fr. Joel was ordained to the Holy Priesthood shortly after.
Holding services in borrowed spaces, including a Knights of Columbus hall and part of an office building, property was purchased in St. James in 2014, and a small outbuilding was converted into a temporary chapel by 2015.
Despite setbacks, including a significant drop in attendance during the COVID-19 pandemic, the mission experienced a resurgence beginning in 2021. Rapid growth soon outpaced their temporary space, prompting the community to begin planning for a larger facility.
Construction on the new multi-purpose building began in mid-2024 after the purchase of 15 adjacent acres. Originally intended to serve as a future fellowship hall, the structure now functions as the main worship space. Remarkably, the building was completed in just over nine months thanks to the generous contributions and tireless efforts of the parishioners.
The parish plans to eventually construct a permanent limestone temple. In the meantime, the new facility serves as both church and community hub for the faithful of Annunciation. More information can be found at annunciationoca.org, and a release and photos from the Diocese of the Midwest (OCA) can be found here.
Previously, UOJ reported that Archbishop Benjamin of San Francisco, ruling hierarch of the OCA’s Diocese of the West, will be honored at two special events due to his upcoming retirement.
