On August 23, 1964, following several months of prayer and planning, Fr. John Nehrebecki, Dean of the New Jersey Deanery, and the members of the fledgling Holy Resurrection community celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the activity room of the Wayne Community Fire House. Later that year, Fr. Alvian Smirensky was assigned as pastor, and services continued in several temporary facilities until the present church building on French Hill Road was consecrated in 1969.

On September 13, 1958, Alvian was ordained a priest by Metropolitan Leontii (Turkevich) and assigned to the Cathedral of the Holy Virgin Protection on 2nd Street in Manhattan’s East Village. As well as assuming pastoral responsibility for the English-speaking cathedral parishioners, the new priest also served as a military chaplain at the US Naval Reserve.