Holy Trinity Orthodox Church was founded in 1902 by Carpatho-Rusin immigrants who moved to America to escape constricted conditions at home for the promise of opportunity in America. With their families, they brought their Orthodox faith, their dedication to the Lord Jesus, and the desire to continue in faith in the New World. As the Church archives put it, “They all believed that one cannot live right without God.”
The first church building was constructed in 1902 and dedicated with the name of St Michael the Archangel. In 1913, Fr Nikita Gress was assigned to be the first resident pastor. In 1920 the original church building burned to the ground, and a new brick building was completed in 1921. It was consecrated in 1930 as Holy Trinity. During the pastorate of Fr Karp Pateyuk, services began to be celebrated in English, as Fr Karp had a strong desire to learn English himself and a desire to benefit the younger generation. Fr Karp served from 1948 to 1959.
Today, this dynamic parish is home to approximately 70 adults and 30 youth. As the only Orthodox Church in the area, the witness of the parishioners reaches great distances, while still including many families in the immediate vicinity. Some of the regular activities of Holy Trinity include an active Youth Group, regular Bible studies, an annual Harvest Festival which draws some 500 people to the Church, a Sunday School for adults and children, a Vacation Bible School, and participation in St Mary’s summer camp. The parish gives enthusiastic support to a wide variety of Church & local community activities, as well as to numerous charities and missions. Holy Trinity also boasts of a very active and dedicated Sisterhood.
Dedication to Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit to the Glory of God the Father, the love for family, and the commitment to the parish and surrounding communities make Holy Trinity a spiritual beacon for Western Wisconsin.