Diocese Establishes New Orthodox Mission in Ogden, Utah

San Francisco, California – On the feast of the Holy Enlightener and Equal-of-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir, His Grace Bishop Vasily established the Nativity of Christ Mission. The new mission is scheduled to begin holding divine services in or near Ogden, Utah, in September 2026. His Grace signed the decree after receiving Holy Communion during the Divine Liturgy at the diocesan cathedral dedicated to the Holy Trinity.  In establishing this mission, His Grace indicated that it is his prayer that the new community be an explicitly missionary effort, meant to add more laborers to the important field of the Greater Salt Lake City area and to welcome those seeking the Orthodox Christian faith.

The formal establishment is a significant milestone in a process initiated by His Grace with the unanimous support of the Diocesan Council in October 2025 to explore planting a mission in the Greater Salt Lake City area. The Missions Board formed a task force, chaired by district dean Archpriest Andreas Blom and missions director Priest Peter Runyon, dedicated to this effort. In forming this task force, His Grace noted that “it is central and essential to our character that we are a missionary diocese. Our parishes are growing. Our neighbors are seeking, knocking at the door, and asking for bread (cf. Matthew 7:7-9), the Bread of Life, the true teaching that is found in the Orthodox Church.”

As a tangible manifestation of the Diocese’s commitment to growing the Kingdom of God in the Western United States, the Diocesan Council committed to fully supporting a priest and a choir director, as well as covering other initial costs related to opening the mission. His Grace asked Father Paul Hamner, who has been serving as rector of St. Paul Church in Las Vegas, Nevada, to consider spearheading this important diocesan mission. The Diocese is grateful to God that Fr. Paul and his wife Matushka Sarah agreed to answer the Bishop’s call after prayer and discernment. In addition, the Diocese and Mission have hired a professional choir director so that the services will appropriately and beautifully glorify the Creator.

In May, Fr. Andreas, Fr. Peter, Fr. Paul, and diocesan chancellor Archpriest Kirill Sokolov held a series of meetings and made visits in Utah with Orthodox clergy and local faith leaders as they sought to finalize plans for the new mission. Culminating that visit, the four priests served a molieben, asking the Lord to bless this work and the people of Utah.

At the conclusion of today’s Divine Liturgy at the diocesan cathedral, Fr. Kirill noted the important legacy of St. Vladimir and his missionary work from ancient Kiev, to San Francisco and the “American Missionary Diocese” in the nineteenth century, and now to Utah this year.

Related to the Diocese’s commitment to growing its mission work, in the fall of last year Bishop Vasily established a mission dedicated to the Meeting of Our Lord in Kuna (Greater Boise), Idaho. Archpriest Jerome Cwiklinski shepherds this outpost of the Kingdom.

For more information about the Nativity of Christ Mission in Ogden, Utah, please contact Fr. Paul at father.paul.hamner@gmail.com.