St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church
Tri-Cities, Washington
Parish History
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Nectarios Greek Orthodox Mission Church has been serving the
people of the Mid-Columbia Region since 1980. It began as the
Tri-Cities Greek Orthodox Mission Church with monthly meetings
held in backyards, restaurants, community centers, and a
borrowed Episcopal Church, and has since evolved into a small
community with its own building, bought in June of 1988. With
the purchase of the building and its make-over into an Orthodox
Church, the chapel was dedicated to Saint Nectarios of Aegina in
November of 1989 by His Grace Bishop Anthony.
The Reverend E. Anthony Tomaras, the Executive Director of the Northwest Orthodox Foundation, was assigned to do missionary work in the Mid-Columbia Region. In January of 1980 his missionary effort began. On the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple (Feb 2) Father Anthony served the first Divine Liturgy. During the first fourteen years Father Anthony donated his services to the mission.
His Grace Bishop Anthony of San Francisco visited the mission for the first time in February 1983. Shortly thereafter a Philoptochos chapter was formed, a petition to His Grace for Mission status was circulated and the Tri-Cities Mission received its Certificate of Incorporation from the State. Beginning with a generous donation from Andrew Prounchick, the First Benefactor, the mission earnestly began collecting money for a building fund through the Philoptochos' regular participation in local food festivals. Twice monthly services began in January 1987 when St. Nectarios was able to make a down payment on a former law office. The mission now had 5,000 sq. ft of air-conditioned space with meeting rooms, a kitchen, a social/dining room, class rooms and a chapel. Mrs. Panayiota Vlahos of Chicago and others help with the expenses of renovation. Mr. Nicholas C. Vitos of Tacoma helped us to retire the mortgage in July of 1991. The parents and husband of Mrs. Virginia Abbassi gave many beautiful appointments that we have in the church in her memory. Our sister parishes in the Northwest (Seattle, Tacoma, and especially Spokane) gave many altar items, and Presvytera Sophronia Tomaras painted the icons for the chapel.