Arizona Orthodox Mission Parish Launches Campaign to Fund New Temple

SUN CITY, AZ — All Saints of North America (ASONA), a ROCOR mission parish based in Sun City, Arizona, has launched a fundraising campaign to establish a permanent temple, creating a new spiritual home for Orthodox Christians throughout the West Valley.

With more than 180 parishioners and dozens of new inquirers, visitors, and catechumens joining each month, ASONA is experiencing unprecedented growth. Since 2020, the parish has doubled in size every year, mirroring the increasing interest in and embrace of Eastern Orthodoxy throughout America.

“This new temple will be more than a building; it will be a place that nurtures faith, family, and community life for people from not just the West Valley, but in hopes from all of Arizona and our visitors,” said ASONA Archpriest John Peck.

Plans for the new church temple campus are projected to include an Orthodox cemetery, a private school, playgrounds, and classrooms. What makes plans for this campus most notable is that this would be the first Orthodox church of this size in the West Valley.

The initial campaign funding goal is $300,000, which secures funds for land. Father John hopes to purchase land directly off of the AZ State Route 303, the key state route that connects the Phoenix metro area and the West Valley of Arizona, where over 1.5 million Arizonans live. The church hopes to service those in Surprise, Peoria, El Mirage, Avondale, Glendale, Goodyear, Buckeye, Litchfield Park, Wittmann, Waddell, Tonapah, and beyond.

For more information and to check out the campaign, visit here.

All Saints of North America Orthodox Church is a parish founded in 2017 under the omophorion of Abp. Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

Fr. John Peck, from Detroit, Michigan, studied English at Michigan State University (where he met his wife Deborah) and earned theology degrees from St. Herman Theological Seminary, later receiving a D.Min. from Veritas Theological Seminary. He also graduated from coursework in public administration at Southern Illinois University–Carbondale.

He has lectured in Biblical Studies and Practical Liturgics at St. Herman’s and other programs, directs the online Preachers Institute, and has been a featured homilist and national evaluator for preaching organizations. He has written several books and manuals ("Called to Serve"; "Divine Liturgy: A Student Study Text"; "Reading the Bible the Orthodox Way: 2000 Years without Confusion or Anxiety") contributed articles and Old Testament commentary to the Orthodox Study Bible, and has written for numerous Orthodox and fitness publications. He founded Journey to Orthodoxy and Good Guys Wear Black, and serves as Dean of the Great Martyr Euphemia Orthodox Theological Academy.

Previously, the UOJ reported that a new educational initiative focused on post-baptism formation was launching at All Saints of North America Orthodox Church, following a record number of baptisms at the parish on Lazarus Saturday.