The Early Years, 1960-1975

In 1960 the small Episcopalian parish of St. Mark’s in Palo Alto began its journey to find the true roots of Christianity. They were disturbed by the controversial teachings of Bishop Pike, which strayed from traditional Christian theology. Having discovered that Christianity began in Antioch, the congregation of St. Mark’s found their spiritual home with the Orthodox Church. Led by their pastor, Canon Edwin West of blessed memory, the parish petitioned Metropolitan ANTHONY Bashir of thrice blessed memory to be admitted to the Syrian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, which later became the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.  Father West was received into the Orthodox Church when he was ordained by Metropolitan ANTHONY in January 1963, and his parishioners made a profession of faith in the Orthodox Church. The American Orthodox Church of the Redeemer became the first Western Rite Orthodox Church on the west coast.

During this time a parishioner, Burt Crowell, an employee of the Department of Highways found a muddy area full of trash at the intersection of Magdalena Avenue and Highway 280, which was under construction. The land was useless to the state and Burt went to the responsible authorities to negotiate acquisition of the land for the church. In November 1964 the State of California sold the land to the church. Parishioners mortgaged their homes to raise the necessary funds for the construction of the chapel and a small adjacent hall. Tragically, Father West died in 1964 and never set foot in the church he and his parishioners had sacrificed so much for.

After the passing of Father West, Father Gregory Ofeish, pastor of St. Nicholas Church in San Francisco, arranged for a young priest, Father Theodore Micka, who was attached to the Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral in San Francisco, to serve liturgy on Sundays. Father Micka was released by the OCA and received into the Antiochian Archdiocese by Metropolitan PHILIP Saliba who assigned Father Micka to the church, where he served for 11 years. During that time the original church was completed and furnished, the mortgage was paid off, a SOYO chapter was established, and the existing church hall was built. While the church observed the Western Rite Liturgy, certain elements of the Eastern Rite were introduced, including the Trisagion Prayer and Russian Orthodox as well as Byzantine hymns. The parish continued to grow and became a home for many “cradle” Orthodox Christians in the area as well as the original converts.