Archief - Western Slavic Branch Conference fonds

The origins of the Western Slavic Branch Conference of the PAOC can be found in the settlement of western Canada by Eastern Europeans in the early twentieth century. In 1910, Fred Donyenko, an Evangelical minister from Russia, settled near Glendon, Alberta where he ministered until 1929. Karp Hrycauk immigrated to Vegreville, Alberta from Galicia in 1928. He was converted before he came to Canada and once he was here felt a need to spread the message of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit among Ukrainian people. He travelled around the Eastern European communities to preach and plant churches. From the early 1920s to the mid 1940s this association of like-minded churches called themselves the "Full Gospel Christians of Evangelical Faith" and Rev. Hrycauk was their leader. In 1946, Toman and George Derkatch, graduates of the PAOC's Eastern Bible College convinced the group to join the PAOC. In 1947, representatives from the head office of the PAOC met with officials from these churches and the Western Slavic Branch Conference was created. William Melnychuk was the first Branch Superintendent and served in that post until 1974. George Derkatch was Branch Secretary-Treasurer. In 1944 the General Conference of the PAOC made provision for the creation of Branches which would reflect various ethnic and language groups within the PAOC. The mandate for establishing branch conferences, however, does not appear in the PAOC Constitution and By-Laws until 1968 (Article XI). The Branch Conferences accept the doctrine and practices of the PAOC, support missionary causes, provide financial support to the International Office, and include a PAOC Executive Officer on Branch Conference Executive Committees. Local ethnic churches may change their affiliation to the district conference in which they are located.