KONA, HAWAII (HawaiiNewsNow) -

More than eight years after a 6.7 magnitude earthquake crippled the oldest Catholic church on Hawai'i Island, St. Michael's is finally re-opening it's doors.

The October 2006 earthquake caused such significant damage, a structural engineer told church officials it was too dangerous to leave standing -- but with the belief that a church is as strong as its people and armed with a lot of faith, St. Michael's was rebuilt in its iconic pink color.

"It is just an awesome joy that now we can come back home," exclaimed Father Konelio "Lio" Faletoi, St. Michael's pastor.

St. Michael's church bells are ringing once again -- and not just any bell, but the original.

"The bell is from 1852 and it was from the foundry in Paris, France," described Father Lio, as he likes to be called.

The new church also features the original stained glass windows.

St. Michael the Archangel Church was built 175 years ago by two missionaries, but it was too small, so it was redone in 1850.

"Father Marechal came and built the church that lasted all that time and got damaged in the earthquake that we had to take down, and his request was at his death that he be buried in his beloved church," said Father Lio, pointing to the headstone displayed prominently at the front of the sanctuary area.

Officials say it was important to make sure his final resting place was included in the new church, which can now accommodate up to 600 parishioners inside -- with room to expand outside.

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Landmark Ali'i Dr. church reopens eight years after earthquake

Neighborhood support for a plan to build a high-rise on the Nyes Polonaise restaurant site has stalled amid growing concerns over its impact on nearby buildings.

Minneapolis-based developer Schafer Richardson, in partnership with Nyes owners Rob and Tony Jacobs, in December announced they would redevelop the popular restaurant and piano bar just north of downtown.

They quickly won support from the neighborhood association for its 30-story glassy residential and retail tower, including a spendy effort to salvage two of the Nyes structures. But some neighbors, including members of a landmark church, thought the group acted too quickly.

The pause button has essentially been hit, Barry Clegg, vice president of the Nicollet Island-East Bank Neighborhood Association, said Thursday.

About 85 neighborhood residents appeared at the associations board meeting Wednesday night to discuss two grievances filed against the organization.

Opponents have also petitioned the City of Minneapolis to conduct an environmental review of the site before the project moves forward. The association agreed to table its approval until that review is conducted, which could last four to five months.

Maureen Michalski, senior project manager for Schafer Richardson, said the company has a reputation of engaging with communities to work through challenges.

Its a complex project and we want to carefully consider the stakeholder interest, she said. There are so many different groups that are involved that have opinions that we really have to work through that process to come to some consensus.

The grievances were filed in tandem with efforts by Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, which is next door to Nyes, to slow down the process and conduct more due diligence.

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Neighborhood concerns become an obstacle to Nye's redevelopment

NORTHWOOD A local piece of architectural history is prepping for a face-lift thanks to a very green helping hand.

The Northwood Congregational Church UCC was recently awarded a $200,000 grant from the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP) to help update and rehabilitate the structure.

In addition, the church ran a fundraising campaign last year that raised more than $270,000 for the project, which will include construction on the churchs upper attic, bell tower, front porch and support columns, as well as restoration work to the columns, the removal of decaying and damaged wood and the realignment of the structures foundation.

The churchs structural decay was first discovered in 2010 by the churchs Sanctuary Preservation Committee.

In 2013, the church hired an outside consultant to help with fundraising and research.

The church is listed in the National Register of Historic Places so it was crucial for the town and church patrons that the structure not only be updated, but updated within standards set by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

Construction on the church is expected to begin this year.

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Northwood church receives 200,000 LCHIP grant

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -

Members of a historic church in Fayetteville are making plans to repair the damage after a fire.

St. Joseph's Episcopal Church burned Tuesday evening. Firefighters responded to the church at Moore and Ramsey Streets at 6:46 p.m.

Although flames were large and smoke was heavy, the fire was contained to the sanctuary's main entrance and roof area near the steeple. Smoke and water spread throughout the sanctuary.

On Wednesday three red tarps were still covering important parts of the sanctuary's interior. Firefighters had placed them over the altar, the piano and organ combo and the baptismal font in an effort to protect them from water.

I'm just thankful it was just contained, and the firemen did a wonderful job of taking care of the facility, said Rev. Teddra Smith, the church's Rector. Coming in here this morning I was like, ooh, thank you God.' I said, you must have sent your angels' to contain it in one area.

Smith said the church's insurance would cover the cost of repairs. She said there will be a nationwide search to find craftsmen who can restore the church, including its 119-year-old woodwork. The building has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982, and because of that everything must be put back just as it was, Smith said.

The church formed in 1873 after African-Americans branch off from nearby St. John's Episcopal Church. A plaque in the sanctuary says the building was erected in 1896. The windows surrounding the altar came from Tiffany & Co.

Smith said compared the fire to the season of Lent, which began on Ash Wednesday.

We're going to come out of the ashes with hope, Smith said. Lent is the season when we are in the ashes. When we come out of the ashes with Palm Sunday and Easter there's hope, and there's resurrected life, and that's what's going to happen here.

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Pastor: 'We're going to come out of the ashes with hope'

Russia razed all Ukrainian Chronicles, stole history
SYMPOSIUM 2014 DVD Box Set Ukrainian Orthodoxy in the Global Family of Orthodox Churches: Past, Present and Future - The greatest problem interfering with an accurate...

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Russia razed all Ukrainian Chronicles, stole history - Video

CYC News 15 Mar 2015
HH Pope Tawadros II prays a liturgy in remembrance of the late Pope Kyrillos the sixth. International Women #39;s Day receives global attention. Iraqi Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities...

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CYC News 15 Mar 2015 - Video

Jabalpur/Mumbai, Mar 22 (PTI):A cathedral premises and a Catholic school where people had gathered for a religious convention were vandalised allegedly by Hindu activists at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, the second incident to come to light after yesterday's attack on a church in neighbouring Maharashtra, drawing outrage from the Christian community.

No arrests have been made so far in connection with the Jabalpur incident which took place on March 20 and the wee hours of March 21, when some members of the Christian community were allegedly assaulted and threatened by members of Bajrang Dal and Dharam Sena who attacked the school and a parsonage alleging that religious conversion had been taking place there.

There was also no breakthrough in the probe into the church attack in New Panvel area in Navi Mumbai though police were grilling some suspects.

The CCTV footage showed that the attack was carried out by two masked persons who were riding pillion on a motorcycle at around 1.30 AM yesterday when they hurled stones at the Saint George Catholic church located near a bridge in New Panvel.

There are no eyewitnesses to the incident and the scanning of CCTV footage has also not thrown up any substantial leads to identity the attackers, police said.

However, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that the culprits will be nabbed soon.

In Jabalpur, police booked a leader of Dharma Sena and some others but church authorities questioned the "delay" in arresting the culprits.

"Dharma Sena leader Yogesh Agrawal and Raju Rai and a few others have been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and efforts are on to track down and arrest them," Jabalpur Superintendent of Police HC Mishra told PTI today.

The church authorities alleged that the miscreants stormed into the Cathedral premises and a school housing a grotto with St Mary's idol.

They broke earthen pots and and shattered glass panes of windows of the parsonage, accusing Father Thankachan Jose of converting the Hindus to Christianity.

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Church vandalised in MP, culprits in Maharashtra attack still at large

Years of restorations at The Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea are nearly finished, with the creation of a chapel in the Cluett Garden expected to be unveiled on Easter and other renovations to be complete by Christmas.

The landmarked church has been undergoing a $5 million renovation for almost three years, said longtime parishioner and junior warden Wendy Victor. The work has included a series of projects, such as clearing corrosion and waterproofing the facade and installing a generator. Most recently, the church began an upgrade to the east end of the 700-square-foot Cluett Garden to create an outdoor worship space called the Garden Chapel.

I walked out into the garden at one point and just thought this has to be a worship place, said the Rev. James Harlan. Now, its going to be a wonderful, prayerful space.

The church is paving the east end of the garden, adding drainage, re-doing the landscaping and building stone benches and a stone altar. The work will allow the garden to be used for services, weddings and other celebrations, Harlan said. They plan to have the space ready for a 6 a.m. service Easter Sunday.

Its absolutely magical, Victor said. Its dark when we start the service, and the only light is coming from torches we set up, but we watch the sun come up slowly over the morning service.

The outdoor sunrise service is a church tradition, Harlan said. The recent work means priests will use the stone altar, rather than the foldable tables of years past.

Its going to add a whole new experience as a sacred space, he said.

The $500,000 Garden Chapel update has been underway for more than three months. The other renovations also are almost finished, Victor said.

As long as we have the money, we should be done by Christmas, she said. And these renovations should last us from 40 to 45 years.

The facade work on the church includes cleaning out weather corrosion between the stonework, waterproofing the walls and painting over the stones to maintain the color. Workers also are installing a generator to preserve power for the pipe organ during storms.

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Garden chapel to be unveiled Easter as part of Bethesda makeover

Gaya Gaya, Bulacan Church Construction Update - 4 days and 11 days later
As anyone that follows my videos knows I like to do project updates. This is an update for the "Setting Steel Roof Joists by Hand Filipino Ingenuity" http:///www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op3n6esaylY...

By: Jack Northrup

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Gaya Gaya, Bulacan Church Construction Update - 4 days and 11 days later - Video

By Rick Charmoli

CADILLAC Neighbors of the Wexford County jail project indicated they are resigned to its construction and hope to reduce its impact on their nearby Christian school.

On Wednesday, members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and parents from the Northview Seventh-day Adventist Schoolwere still opposed to the location of the new jail project but ultimately said they would not try to stop or delay the direction in which the county was clearly headed.

They also said the jail itself has never been a point of contention. Church members have been strongly opposed to its locationfor its proximity to the the school and church. The new jail will be built at1015 Lincoln St., north of M-55/Division Street and west of Crosby Road.

Seventh-day Adventist ChurchPastor Pat Milligan said it was obvious that the county was going to build the jail but asked the board of commissioners if it was possible for the county to consider building a fence around the school as added protection for students.

Although the board didn't address the request directly, several board members, including Les Houslerand chairman Gideon Mitchell, said it was definitely something the board would consider.

Parent Gunther Schwartz also spoke at the public hearing and said that he was still concerned about the jail's proximityto the school as both the students and inmates would basically be within shouting distance of each other.

During public comment at the regular meeting, Schwartz spoke again, relaying the message that there were still concerns, but the goal was not to impede progress of the construction of the new jail.

We have prayed about this and are leaving it in the Lords hands, Schwartz said.

The current 50-year-old jail has only 32 beds, while the number of inmates reaches 90 to 100 each month. An in-depth study concluded that the jail functions as a holding facility for inmates being shuttled to and from court dates, at significant expense to taxpayers of about $600,000 a year. The $12.5 million project includes a new 158-bed jail and administrative offices on a 10-acre site.

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Church resigned to jail construction in Wexford County