St. Athanasius Building Project 2012-2013
In Exodus 25, the Lord tells Moses that he must construct the holy sacred space of Hebrew worship “according to the pattern.” At St. Athanasius, we follow Moses in seeking to build a temple and parish campus with the goal of glorifying God “according to the pattern” shown us in church history and as we experience the Lord in our parish specifically (i.e., the needs we have in fulfilling the Gospel here in Jessamine County.)
What’s been happening
Just before our parish vote to purchase the Orchard Property, the parish council confirmed Fr. Justin’s nominees to serve on a new Building Steering Committee. The goal of this committee would be to coordinate and drive forward the building process, involving the people of our parish in appropriate ways at the right times. After careful consideration, prayer, and lots of consultation with folks in our parish, Father nominated Subdeacon Bert Walther, Christopher Reeves, and Nathaniel McCallum to serve on this committee. Since this steering committee has been constituted, it has met two times and will meet regularly on Thursdays. (If you have any comments or concerns, know that this group will discuss them as part of our regular gathering on Thursdays.)
Part of our closing on the Orchard Property involved securing a complete geotechnical study of the property. As a result of the analysis of the soil, it was recommended to us that we shoot for a summertime ground-breaking. With that fact in mind, the committee is working on an exciting and demanding timetable for groundbreaking. We are shooting for June! We recognize that, along the way, there will be obstacles (natural and otherwise) that may delay us. Nonetheless, we want to move forward with some immediate objectives.
What’s ahead
Please note the following dates on your calendars:
Wed. Sept. 19 (after Vespers)
A meeting to revise building needs document
Wed. Sept. 26 (after evening service)
A talk by Matushka Tamara (MDiv, SVS) on the theology of Orthodox temples
Wed. Oct. 3 (after Vespers)
An informational talk by the architect (tentative)