Diocesan Office

His Grace's Schedule

Clergy Assignments

Upcoming Ordinations and Elevations

Deacon Paul Olson to the Holy Priesthood on Sunday, December 7, 2008, at St. Nicholas Cathedral, Los Angeles, California.

Subdeacon Maxime Najim to the Holy Diaconate on Sunday, December 7, 2008, at St. Nicholas Cathedral, Los Angeles, California.

Deacon Justin Havens to the Holy Priesthood on Sunday, December 14, 2008, at Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Salt Lake City, Utah.

January 3-4)

St. John Orthodox Church was founded in November of 1995 when Fr. Gregory Horton, his wife Cynthia, and their 4 children, Tatiana, Maximos, Sebastian and Benjamin, moved from Pennsylvania to meet the spiritual needs of about twenty-five Orthodox families living in the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho area. The parish was then incorporated under the auspices of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, with our Patriarch in Damascus, Syria and our national headquarters in Englewood, New Jersey.   The current Metropolitan Archbishop of the Archdiocese, living in Englewood, is His Eminence, Metropolitan PHILIP (Saliba).  Our local Bishop, residing in Los Angeles, is Bishop JOSEPH.  For the first 10 months, the growing congregation worshiped in a "make-do" Temple in a rented upper room of an office building in downtown Coeur d'Alene. Then the parish was given the use of a small, empty house-cum-office building, which, with some modification, was transformed into a small, crowded Temple -- probably having the only "L - shaped" nave in all of Orthodoxy! 

In the fall of 1996, plans were made to build a suitable Temple for the growing congregation. A five-acre parcel of land, immediately to the West of Coeur d'Alene, was purchased, and a tentative temple design was approved. The congregation was blessed to receive generous gifts from members and friends, both local and distant, making immediate construction possible. 

On May 31, 1997, ground was broken for the Temple and construction began shortly thereafter. His Grace, BISHOP JOSEPH consecrated the unfinished Temple on August 17, 1997, and services began to be held in the unfinished basement. On the first Sunday of November 1997, the first Divine Liturgy in the completed Nave and Altar was celebrated. The kitchen and Great Hall were completed soon thereafter.  In January of 1998, work was begun on the lower floor, which was soon called upon to house offices, additional rest rooms, Sunday School rooms, and the parish hall (after the congregation quickly outgrew the original hall upstairs)! St. John’s is now the first Orthodox Temple constructed in all of north and central Idaho. At the time of construction, the congregation had approximately 125-150 fully active members, with many local and distant friends and affiliates. 

In 1998, an adjacent three-acre parcel was donated to the parish, making the establishment of St. John’s Parish Cemetery a reality.  As of November 1, 2004, four of our departed brethren are buried in the parish cemetery.  In the spring of 2002, the neighboring five-acre parcel with house and outbuildings was purchased as a result of a generous donation by one of the members of the parish community.  She now resides in the house and blesses the church with her presence “in the neighborhood”.  With this purchase, St. John’s now owns 13 acres!  We are currently in the midst of an expansion program that will add a new parish hall and expanded kitchen to our current building and give us the “breathing space” necessary for worship, fellowship, and school.

In the summer of 2003, fully half of the parish began the difficult task of founding yet another mission parish in Spokane, Washington.  With Fr. Gregory serving the Divine Liturgy for the new community each Saturday morning, the new community began to take shape and to form its own identity.  This new community has since become Christ the Savior (Theophany) Orthodox Mission Church in Spokane Valley, Washington!  With the arrival of the new pastor, Fr. Michael Shanbour, and his Khouria Makrina, a new era has begun in the Inland Northwest.  St. John’s was sad to see so many of our beloved brothers and sisters depart to start the new parish, but our sadness has been a joyful sorrow because of the birth of yet another vibrant community where Christ can be worshipped and served!  Currently, our parish of St. John’s has about 100 faithful members striving to do the work of God in North Idaho.

Under the direction of Kouria Cindy Horton a parish choir was initially formed. This choir has grown significantly under her direction, as well as the direction of Reader Matthew Gallatin and Allyson Gross.  Our little choir has attracted skilled amateur singers and musicians, as well as professionals.  The choir has also presented many well-received concerts in the Coeur d'Alene/Post Falls/Spokane area, including an exciting concert in Boswell Hall on the Campus of North Idaho College at the invitation of the vocal director at the college.

Christian Education has also been an important part of Parish life from the beginning. The Sunday School serves both the parish children and children from other interested families with trained, qualified teachers. Many of the students have won top awards at the Creative Arts Festivals of the Western Region Parish Life Conferences of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America. Our Junior and Senior Bible Bowl Teams have also taken top honors at several of the annual conferences.  Tatiana Horton took top honors in the Junior Division of the Oratorical competition in 2002 and the Senior Division in 2003.  Simone Ott won the Senior Division in 2004.

A weekly “Seekers Class” meets to offer continuing education for adults to catechumens, (those studying to become Orthodox Christians), members, and others wishing to increase their understanding of the Holy Orthodox Church.  A weekly "Spiritual Circle", and a weekly " Study Group" round out the adult programs offered on a regular basis. The parish newsletter, "The Voice", offers news, notes and upcoming events, together with "strengthening your faith" writings through the Pastoral letter and appropriate articles.  Please email Fr. Gregory at abounagregory@mybluelight.com to be placed on the parish mailing list.

In August of 1997, an annual series of guest lectures on Orthodoxy was launched, bringing to the area such noted speakers as Frank Schaeffer Jr., (son of the late Francis Schaeffer); Fr, Peter Gillquist, Chairman of the Archdiocesan Missions and Evangelism Department; Fr. Lawrence Farley, from British Columbia; Missionary Priest, Fr. Daniel Byantoro from Indonesia; Dr. Tristram (Herman) Engelhardt, author and Professor of Medicine at Rice and Baylor Universities, Floyd Frantz, OCMC Missionary Counselor in Romania; Fr. Chad Hatfield, Dean of St. Herman Seminary in Alaska, (who presented our church with a secondary relic of St. Herman); and our own beloved Bishop JOSEPH.

The growing Sisterhood of Saints Martha and Mary provides important social and spiritual   activities and supports the activities of the national Archdiocesan women’s organization. This vital arm of the parish often coordinates the giving of food and clothing to needy families, and provides assistance as needed to parishioners and others in the area. The Sisterhood also conducts seasonal fund-raising activities, such as rummage and bake sales to provide support for various activities and general parish operation.

The Theophilus Men’s Fellowship meets every month for food and fellowship and to hear a testimony from one of the brothers or a teaching about some aspect of the Orthodox Christian Faith.
Our humble parish still serves families from as far away as Orofino, Idaho (about 3-4 hours away) and Creston, British Columbia (a little over two hours away).  Missionary work to these and other outlying areas remains one of our main priorities as we seek to glorify God in this little corner of the world!

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