"LORD, I HAVE LOVED 
THE BEAUTY OF THY HOUSE, AND THE
PLACE WHERE 
THY GLORY DWELLETH."

WHO ARE WE?

How five ladies formed a Monastery

In 1995, a small group started to meet and have services in the upper peninsula of Michigan. Some services were held in restaurants, some in basements, until finally a building was bought in 1996. 

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They prayed reader services for many years and eventually had their first priest Father Steven here. When he left, they resumed reader services with visiting clergy serving throughout this period when possible. 

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In December of 2005, Hieromonk John (Berzins) was assigned here and served here until he was elevated to Bishop of Caracas and also bishop of the Old Rite parishes in ROCOR in 2008. Eis polla, eti Dhespota!

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From October 2009 till May 2012, Archpriest Gregory Joyce, the Dean of MI parishes, was assigned here as rector and would come serve as often as he could. His primary assignment was, and is, St. Vladimir's in Dexter, MI. 

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In May 2012, Hieromonk Alexander (Reichert) was assigned here to start the brotherhood of Saint John of the Ladder. In 2017, we officially went from an Orthodox Mission to a Monastery. He served as Rector here until March 2019. 

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From March 2019 till that October, various priests came to help celebrate the services. 

In October 2019, the attached married deacon Benjamin Naasko was ordained to the priesthood. The sole monk living on the premises was then ordained a hierodeacon to help celebrate the services. 

While being a Monastery, the faithful living around the Monastery come to services and support our small Monastery and truly have their Church home here alongside the monastic community. 

One hierodeacon lives here, another hierodeacon and a hieromonk also belong to the brotherhood but are assigned as clergy in two other parishes of the diocese for now. 

We continue to grow with more converts and faithful - nowadays having about 20-30 on an average Sunday. 

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May God help us to continue to gain monastics as well as faithful in Christ's Church!

Glory to God in all things!