A Brief History of Our Parish

Saint Seraphim of Sarov Parish was founded in 1950, primarily by Russian émigrés who were teaching at the Army Language School (ALS), now the Defense Language Institute (DLI), in Monterey. Archpriest Gregory Kravchina, who had served in Western Ukraine before the war, was the first rector and Matushka Anna, the first choir director. Initially services were held in the chapel of the ALS, but in 1951 a small parcel was purchased not too far from the waterfront in Seaside. Much of the work in constructing the new church building was done by parishioners themselves. On June 22, 1952, Metropolitan Anastassy, along with other clergy, blessed the church in the presence of the miracle-working Kursk-Root icon of the Mother of God. In 1973, the city of Seaside needed the land on which the church building stood for a shopping complex, and in exchange offered the parish another piece of land. The city moved the church building from its original location to its current place in Laguna Grande Park. At that time some structural changes were also made to the church building. In August 1988 Father Gregory Kravchina reposed in the Lord, preceded a few years earlier by Matushka Anna. A year later newly-ordained Priest Yaroslav Belikow was assigned to the parish. During his tenure of almost five years, the church was rebuilt and restored due to a fire in 1991. This reconstruction included a new iconostasis, a new narthex, and a porch. In addition to that, a parish hall was built next to the church. Priest Boris Henderson served the parish from 1994 until 1998. In September of 1998, Archpriest George Kurtow was assigned to Saint Seraphim Parish by Archbishop Anthony of San Francisco and Western America.