Welcome
It is our blessing to share our spiritual home with you! We encourage you to “come and see” this most profound and beautifully vibrant, historic Faith, which has continued uninterrupted from the time of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Three Hierarchs is a growing and diverse community sharing “one faith, one Lord, one baptism” (Eph. 4:5). While a few of our members were Orthodox Christians from childhood, the vast majority of our membership has come to the Orthodox Faith from other spiritual backgrounds or none at all. Some are long-time residents of the Wenatchee Valley, others more recent. Most importantly, we are one united spiritual family, desiring to love and worship the all-holy Trinity “in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:23)—God the Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. We are also sinners, yet striving for union with God by grace through faith and repentance. Services at Three Hierarchs are in English.
Hospitality
Throughout the centuries Orthodox Christians have been known for their hospitality, which is borne from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Our desire is to live up to that reputation. After Sunday services we share time together with coffee, a little sustenance offered by members of the community, and sincere fellowship and would love to meet you! Feel free to contact Father Michael before attending, to get a sense of what you will be encountering. Otherwise, simply join us for worship, Sundays at 9:30 am.
Heritage
Three Hierarchs is a parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, which has spiritual roots in the apostolic Church of Antioch, where “the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26). The current Patriarch (Archbishop) of Antioch, John X, is the 164th successor to the Apostle Peter, who helped to establish the church in that biblical city and presided over it for seven years. The Patriarchal church and headquarters are located on "the street called Straight" (Acts 9:11) where the Apostle Paul was baptized. We share a unity of faith and practice with the estimated 300 million Orthodox Christians around the world, not only in places such as Jerusalem, Syria, Lebanon, Greece, Romania, Russia, and Serbia, but also Japan, Indonesia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Congo, South America, Western Europe, Alaska and, of course, North America.
Our Archdiocese
Three Hierarchs is a parish of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, currently under the leadership of His Eminence Metropolitan Saba and with its headquarters in Englewood, NJ. Our Antiochian Archdiocese of North America includes eight Dioceses (with seven diocesan bishops) and more than 275 cathedrals, churches, and missions throughout the United States and Canada. The Archdiocese is noted in particular for its missionary zeal. As Orthodox Christians, we share communion and unity of faith with the other canonical Orthodox Archdioceses in North America and around the world.
The Early Apostolic History of Antioch
The most famous scriptural reference concerning Antioch relates that it was in this city that the followers of Christ were first mockingly referred to as "Christians" (Acts 11:26). In the Book of Acts, which offers an account of the first years of the Church, we discover that Antioch is the second most frequently mentioned city. Nicholas, one of the original seven deacons was a convert from Antioch and perhaps the first Christian from that city (Acts 6:5). During the persecution which occasioned the death of Saint Stephen the First Martyr, members of the fledgling Christian community in Jerusalem fled to Antioch for refuge.
As noted above, Christian tradition maintains that the See of Antioch was founded by Saint Peter the Apostle in A.D. 34 . Peter was either followed or joined by the Apostles Paul and Barnabas who preached there to both Gentiles and to Jews, who seem to have been numerous in the city. It was from Antioch that Paul and Barnabas departed for their great missionary journeys to the Gentile lands (Acts 13:1).
After spending some seven years in Antioch, Peter left for Rome. To succeed him as bishop of Antioch he appointed Euodius, who is thus counted in early episcopal lists as the first successor to the Antiochian Throne of Peter. The multiple Apostolic foundations of the See of Antioch, the early missions centered there, and the active nature of the community, as recorded in the New Testament, has been a unique heritage to all who trace their spiritual and ecclesiastical roots to the Antiochian Patriarchate.
The See of Antioch continued its glorious contributions to the universal Church by the numerous outstanding personalities it nurtured. Saint Ignatius of Antioch for example, is revered as both a victorious martyr during the reign of Emperor Trajan (early second century) and as a reliable historical source for the teachings and operation/governance of the first century Church. Ignatius was the second successor to Peter and may actually have been consecrated by that Apostle or by Saint Paul in AD 67. The letters he wrote to the churches of Asia Minor while on the way to his martyrdom in Rome for the sake of his faith in our Lord Jesus Christ can be accessed here: https://earlychurch.org.uk/pdf/e-books/crafer_t-w/epistles-of-ignatius_crafer.pdf
History
Three Hierarchs of Wenatchee was founded on February 1, 2010, when Father Michael Shanbour was assigned as our first pastor. Prior to that time, some Orthodox Christians had resided in the area for more than 50 years. Others had joined the Orthodox Church through parishes in the Seattle and Yakima areas. The first official gatherings in Wenatchee began in August of 2006 and continued in the four years following as Fr. Michael and other Orthodox priests made monthly trips to the area. In those years, others in Wenatchee made the Orthodox Church their spiritual home and a small but vibrant community became a reality in the Wenatchee Valley. As of 2025, we have grown to about 120 members plus many on their way to becoming members.
1952: Two Orthodox Christians who would eventually become some of our first parish members arrive from Greece to Wenatchee.
1996-2003: Over these years few Orthodox Christians and inquirers discuss the possibility of a mission to Wenatchee with Fr. Joseph Copeland (Holy Cross, Yakima, WA), Fr. James Berntstein (St. Paul, Briar, WA) and with Fr. John Finley (Department. of Missions and Evangelism, Antiochian Archdiocese).
July 9, 2006: Three women (two Orthodox and one inquirer) visit Fr. Michael at his parish, Christ the Savior Church in Spokane, to explore outreach to Wenatchee.
August 17, 2006: Fr. Michael Shanbour visits Wenatchee for the first time, for an advertised Vespers, brief explanation of the Orthodox Faith, and spaghetti dinner. Frs. David Hovik; Sommer also present. Thirty people, Orthodox and non-Orthodox, attend.
August 18, 1006: The first Divine Liturgy is held at the home of inquirer Donise DuBruille.
September 2006-January 2010: Fr. Michael continues monthly travel from Spokane for pastoral visits on Friday evenings (Vespers & teaching) and Saturday mornings (Divine Liturgy, lunch & fellowship). Services held at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Fr. Joseph Corrigan also makes monthly visits for part of this period.
February 2010: Fr. Michael is assigned permanently as pastor of the Wenatchee “Mission” named after the Three Hierarchs, Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom (Feast Day: January 30). Services held in Fr. Michael and Kh. Makrina’s newly purchased home.
August 2010: Downtown storefront rental property found. Extensive remodeling required by renter for City Code.
February 26, 2011: First Divine Liturgy celebrated at storefront. Bishop Joseph visits for a Vespers service.
May 18, 2014: Members vote to purchase 1.67 acres with small rental house and detached garage at 1915 N. Western Avenue for $280,000, with down payment of $150,000. Blessing received by His Eminence Metropolitan Philip. Property paid off within one year. Services continue at storefront.
October 5, 2014: Blessing of the new property at newly erected three-bar cross on the north side of property.
April 16, 2016: Unexpected 30-day eviction notice from storefront property received from new landlord.
May 2016: Project “Coming Home” conceived. Remodel of rental house on new property to function as fellowship space and purchase of modular classroom for church building.
May 2016-August 2017: Services held Saturdays and Sundays at Telford’s Chapel of the Valley Funeral Home in East Wenatchee.
May 2016-August 2017: Massive gutting and remodeling of 1940’s fellowship house, mostly by congregation. Professional remodel of modular building to create a beautiful place of prayer.
Holy Week 2017: First service (Palm Sunday) held on new property in newly remodeled fellowship house.
August 19, 2017: First service in new church building: Twelve people received into the Holy Orthodox Church!