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The first church within the Lobstick Settlement was Anglican. It was named 'St. Columba of Iona and St. Kentigern, North Bank', and was created on November 21, 1908 by Bishop Cyprian of Calgary. Sts. Columba and Kentigern lived in the sixth century, and were responsible for bringing Christianity to western Scotland. Their choice as patron saints for this church probably reflects the origins of the parishioners, who, with names such as Howse, Sinclair, Anderson, Whitford and Favell, could trace their ancestry, through HBC servants, back to the British Isles – often to Scotland. The parish consisted of those portions of Township 58, Ranges 17 and 18, west of the 4th Meridian, lying north of the North Saskatchewan River. The Anglican Church had title to the northernmost 24 acres or so of River Lot 5, and just less than 15 acres at the north-east corner of River Lot 4. A church and manse, or priest's residence, were built.

Over time, the original Métis landholders at North Bank were replaced by more recent arrivals. The bulk of the Anglican property passed to William Kulka, then owner of River Lots 4 and 5, in 1940. Only a two-acre plot was retained by the Church of England – probably because it was a cemetery. Grave markers of Métis settlers and other Anglicans dating as early as 1902 and as late as 1944 can still be seen. Names like Bodnar, Wakaruk, Kulka, Charuk, Sadoway and Feniak came to the fore in the Lobstick Settlement and area. With the change in demography came a change in denomination. A new church – the Russo Greek Orthodox Church of the Holy Transfiguration - was erected on the two-acre parcel on RL 4 in 1952. Father John Wasil oversaw the construction, and stayed on as parish priest for twenty years, until his death. That he was much loved is evidenced by the bronze plaque erected in his memory in the churchyard.

In 1977, ownership of the plot on which the Holy Transfiguration church stands finally passed from the Church of England to the Russo Greek Orthodox Church of Canada Cemetery Company of Warspite, for a consideration of $1. By this time, rural populations had already been in decline for some time, and eventually the Holy Transfiguration parish was merged with five others in the area. The simple, gable-roofed building is identified as a church by the presence of an Orthodox Cross over the front door and on each end of the roof. A fieldstone-clad belltower stands to the west of the church, and the cemetery plot occupies much of the rest of the property. Although it is infrequently used, the site is well cared-for. 
(Alberta Culture/Heritage Community Foundation).

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GPS Co-ordinates: 54.024632, -112.632782
Affiliation: Orthodox Church in America

Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church – North Bank, AB

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In1902, construction began under the lead carpenter, Ivan Staharuk. When the building was partially constructed, it was understood that the site was wrong for a Temple. This occurred because everything was yet in flux, and the land was properly surveyed only after the beginning of work. It could by then be seen that the property was in the middle of a section of land, nearly 1 kilometre from any road, and that the Temple and cemetery would be on 2 different quarters of land. Construction stopped. Then 4.5 hectares (11 acres) of land were purchased from the Hudson's Bay Company (2.4 km/1.5 mi to the south-west of the original property).

After the property was properly surveyed, the materials were hauled to the new site, and Stefan Kolotyluk and Diordy Chahley led the fresh construction for $1.25 each per day. Gregory Bolichowski, a blacksmith, shaped the iron Crosses that were placed upon the domes.

The exterior of the Temple of Saint Elias was completed in 1904. The interior was finished and painted by Nickolai Woycenko in the late summer of 1905. A bell-house was built by Ivan Staharuk in 1906. Two bells were installed, which had been imported at a cost of $170.00. Various other parishioners donated banners, icons, Crosses, and other articles for the celebration of Orthodox Christian liturgical services. This was the first Russo-Greek Orthodox Temple in Alberta to be constructed on the north side of the North Saskatchewan River.

On 6 August, 1906, the Temple was sanctified and dedicated to the Prophet Elias. It is the oral tradition of the parish that the Temple was sanctified by a bishop. There is documentation at Saint Tikhon's Monastery to indicate that this bishop was most probably Bishop Tikhon, which thus confirms the oral tradition. At that time, in fact, there was no other bishop who could have done this. Thus, the community became a part of the Diocese of North America and the Aleutians.

Nevertheless, Bishop Tikhon did assign the Hieromonk Visarion (Shestakov) (†1911), a missionary of the Russian Orthodox Church, to be its first priest. He served the parish for a time, and also the Holy Trinity Parish in Smoky Lake. He then returned to New York City, where he fell asleep in the Lord in 1911.

In 1908, a parsonage and a barn were constructed, and a well for the home was dug. In 1947-1948, the Temple was thoroughly renovated, both inside and out, by William Skladan of Andrew, Alberta. The exterior of the Temple had red brick siding added to it.

Then, on 7 January, 1954, during a Christmas Day service, the Temple caught fire. Nothing could be done to save the building, but most of its contents were saved. The cause of the fire was not clearly determined, although it was speculated that a beehive in a chimney could have been the cause.

Immediately following, funds were raised to build another Temple. Parishioners went carolling in order to begin the collection. An annual raffle and bingo event became a consistent fundraiser. Work started on the construction straight away in the summer of 1954. John Mnohility was the lead carpenter. The iconostas was carved by Peter Chetek, a member of the parish. Some of the articles which had been damaged by smoke were replaced. Many articles were contributed in the reconstruction. A new Holy Shroud, icons, banners, a chandelier, and Crosses were offered by parishioners.

For practical reasons, from 1965, the parish came to be served by the clergy of the Moscow Patriarchate Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in Canada. The main reason for the move was the shortage of clergy at that time in the "Metropolia", and Edmonton had a resident Moscow Patriarchate bishop, Archbishop Panteleimon (Rudyk).

In 1993, along with some other parishes in the area, the parishioners agreed to return from their affiliation with the Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in Canada, to the Archdiocese of Canada (The Orthodox Church in America). Since then, the parish has been served by OCA clergy.

In 2023, there are approximately 343 known graves in the parish cemetery. The first burial was that of a 17-year-old youth, Elia Kozma (son of Gora and Anna Kozma). Government records indicated that a large number of burials at Saint Elias Cemetery no longer have markers. Many of these were of children who died during the "Spanish Influenza" in 1918-1919. Many wooden Crosses, grave-markers, were destroyed by a grass fire of unknown cause at an unknown date.

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GPS Co-ordinates: 54.035235, -112.422061
Affiliation: Orthodox Church in America

St. Elias Orthodox Church – Pakan, AB

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Construction of a log church at this location started in 1912, with all church members donating labour, money and material. Among those working on the project was John Mnoholitny, who later became a renowned church builder. Ensuing years saw the addition of a bell tower and hall, both of which were replaced by newer structures in 1962–63.

In the 1920s dissension arose within the community and a significant number of the Sunland congregation decided they wanted to join the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church of Canada. The pro-Ukrainian Orthodox group subsequently left the church, following a legal battle, and erected their own sanctuary nearby. Those who remained loyal to Sunland rededicated themselves to congregational activity, gradually restoring it to its former vitality.

Although the interior and exterior have been thoroughly modernized, the initial concept of the church has been retained and most of the early icons and artifacts still grace the altar and walls.

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GPS Co-ordinates: 53.991082, -112.257208
Affiliation: Orthodox Church in America

Holy Trinity Orthodox Church – Sunland, AB

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The origins of this historic church are linked with the simultaneous formation of the congregation that founded the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church at Star-Peno.

In 1897 the Edna-Star colony, northeast of the present day town of Lamont, was visited by a Ukrainian Catholic priest, Fr. Nestor Dmytriw. He held the first Eastern Rite services in the fledgling colony. At that time, he called upon the settlers to undertake the construction of a church and manse. Ten weeks later, two Russian Orthodox missionaries arrived from Seattle and likewise encouraged the newcomers to build a place of worship. This was an endeavour which the entire community enthusiastically supported. Everyone worked together to construct the original Star church, though some intended for it to be served by Catholic priests, while others wanted it to be served by Orthodox clerics.

The sanctuary was completed in September 1899, and consecrated by a Ukrainian Catholic missionary priest, Fr. Ivan Zaklynsky, in August of the following year. However, the church was subsequently also used by Orthodox priests sent to minister in the Star colony. This uneasy and ultimately untenable situation continued until both groups wanted to use the church at the same time to celebrate Easter in 1901, resulting in a protracted court battle. The disagreement was only resolved in 1907, when the Privy Council in London finally gave possession of the church to the Orthodox.

The Catholic followers left the congregation and built their own church nearby. By 1913 the original log structure had been outgrown by the Holy Transfiguration Orthodox congregation. It was dismantled and its logs were cut into timber that was then used to construct the present church. An early cruciform structure, this sanctuary has a large central dome on an octagonal base and round headed windows, features common to Ukrainian Canadian churches.

A tower was put up to house the church bells, and in recent years a finished basement was added beneath the church. The richly decorated interior features an ornate, three-tiered iconostasis.

Of interest is the cemetery behind the church, which is the burial place of the four founding families of the Star colony, including that of Ivan Pylypiw, one of the two initiators of Ukrainian emigration to Canada.

Also noteworthy is the shrine built in the form of a small church by the Pullishy family in 1998 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Star church. The church was registered as a historic resource in 1991.

See HERE for more information and detailed history of this parish.

See HERE for more information on Ivan Pylypiw. 

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GPS Co-ordinates: 53.862288, -112.729075
Affiliation: Orthodox Church in America

Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church – Star-Edna, AB