First published in News by Matt Oliver, Reporter covering North Oxford, Jericho and Summertown. Call me on 01865 425498

FINISHING touches are being made to a twostorey church extension that will create a busy community hub for parishioners.

Congregation members at St Andrews Church, in Linton Road, Oxford, raised more than 2m for the scheme, called the Jubilee Project.

It has been designed by Grove Street architecture firm MEB Design and will add a new hall, meeting spaces, youth rooms, creche, kitchen, caf area and offices.

The church gained planning permission in May 2012 and construction began in January 2014.

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Committee members hope it will be ready for use by the end of this month.

Committee treasurer Andrew Downs said: The new building will enable us to do lots of things better than we previously could.

In particular, we want to open up to the wider community and encourage outside groups to use the facilities more. We are also excited about being able to do more for young people.

There is often an image of churches as stuffy places with ageing populations, but here we are trying to involve young people and include them in the leadership.

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New church wing built to serve a wider community

Wooden arrows with names of cities and their respective distances point north outside the Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Church (Natacha Pisarenko/AP)

Russian priests here rotate in for yearlong stints, primarily to celebrate Mass for the workers on the Russian base, who number between 15 and 30 at a time. The priests also welcome any of the islands other inhabitants, about 100 in winter when temperatures can plunge to -13 Fahrenheit (-25 Celsius), and 500 in the still-chilly summer months.

The greyish clapboard church was first built in Russia from Siberian cedar planks treated to withstand the frosts and harsh wind. It was then disassembled and shipped log-by-log, like Lego blocks, to Antarctica, said Alejo Contreras, a Chilean Antarctic explorer who witnessed the construction and consecration in 2004. To protect it from strong winds, it is bound to the nearby rocky mountain with chains.

In the summer, tourists and the staff of the international stations brave strong winds to hike up here, leaving snowy, muddy boots at the entrance. Some pray in silence, standing or kneeling because there are no pews in the boxy interior, while others marvel at the gold-leaf iconostasis screen of icons painted with bearded saints and winged angels in vivid colors.

During Sunday service, Kirilov reads from the scriptures in Russian and sings in an angelic voice.

The inside of the holy Trinity church (Natacha Pisarenko/AP)

A Russian polar worker, as any other believer, wants spiritual support nearby, a church devoted to God, said Kirilov, who has a flowing salt-and-pepper beard and blue eyes tinted with gray.

Reaching the churchs pointed belfry requires climbing up a staircase and squeezing in through an attic-like, square hole. At most, three people, rubbing shoulders, can fit next to the heavy bells that pierce the snowy silence with a cacophonous and hypnotic sound similar to the clang of a railroad crossing.

At night the church is lit from below and becomes a beacon for ships crossing the South Sea.

Thank God for this gift to us, Kirilov said, adding that he wishes more than a handful of people would attend Sunday service.

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The church at the South Pole

Published: Friday, March 6, 2015 at 1:32 p.m. Last Modified: Friday, March 6, 2015 at 1:32 p.m.

Beginning on Feb. 28, Grace Lutheran Church of Houma offers Lutheran worship services at 5 p.m. on Saturdays in the sanctuary of St. John's Episcopal Church in Thibodaux.

"Grace Lutheran Church has long desired to do some type of outreach in Thibodaux," said the Rev. Richard D. Rudnik, who has been with the church for more than seven years. "Our hope is that this will ultimately grow into a separate Lutheran church."

With an exception to Grace Lutheran in Houma, the nearest Lutheran churches to the Houma-Thibodaux area are located in the New Orleans metropolitan area.

Because of the small number of Lutheran churches in the area, many of Grace Lutheran's 250 members commute long distances to attend worship services.

While benefitting Lutherans in north Lafourche, the Thibodaux services also will offer a more convenient location for the churches members who travel from as far as Morgan City and Patterson.

Jeannie Thalheim, of Thibodaux, and her family have been members of Grace Lutheran Church for nearly three decades.

"We want to support the outreach effort here (in Thibodaux) as long as it takes to make that happen," she said. "Right now, we're in the early stages of development. This is something we've prayed about for a long time."

Prior to Rudnik's arrival at Grace Lutheran, the church had attempted a similar outreach effort in Thibodaux in 2005, but their work was interrupted by Hurricane Katrina.

"When Katrina hit, everything went topsy-turvy," Rudnik said. "They shifted gears and focused on hurricane relief, and later, the effort just fell apart. It barely got off the ground before Katrina, and it was a game changer."

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Lutheran Church begins outreach in Thibodaux

When Moushegh Tashjian was growing up, his father never spoke to him much about his experience surviving the Armenian genocide. But he and his siblings heard harrowing stories about it from their grandmother.

Actually, she wasn't their real grandmother something Tashjian only realized as he grew older. His father's mother had perished in the Turkish government's campaign, which began during World War I and, by typical estimates, left 1.5 million dead. After Tashjian's grandmother died, his grandfather married a woman who had lost two husbands and three children in the forced marches across the desert.

Hearing her accounts as a child, Tashjian now the pastor of St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church in Costa Mesa felt hatred toward those who had victimized his family and others.

Only in later years, he said, did he let that attitude slip.

"As a young child, as a young boy, I would picture a Turk with the Ottoman-style clothing, with fez, with, what do you call it," he said, drawing the shape of a robe with his hands as he sat in the community room of St. Mary last week. "And with a sword. And I would see pictures of Turks slaughtering Armenians. They were everywhere.

"And, of course, yeah we wanted justice. And we still do."

Justice, at least in the form of official recognition of the genocide, has proved elusive over the years. The Turkish government has repeatedly denied that the atrocities of a century ago constituted a literal genocide even though the word is commonly used to describe them. Even U.S. leaders have gone back and forth over use of the word.

But in the meantime, Tashjian and his church are overseeing a recognition of their own. On March 8, the Eastside church will dedicate the Genocide Centennial Monument, a sculpture that features a pair of white marble pillars connected by a cross, set on a black granite base where a small fountain, flame and garden will eventually reside.

With the massacre of Armenians nearing its 100th anniversary, the church formed a remembrance committee and called for artists to submit designs. Nearly a dozen entries came in, and Harout Joulhaian, a Burbank resident who sometimes attends St. Mary services, got the nod.

Joulhaian, who grew up in Syria and moved to the United States 10 years ago, was partly inspired by his grandparents, who survived the genocide. In crafting his design, he aimed for a mixture of somberness and hope.

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Church to remember Armenian massacre as 100th anniversary nears

Church Construction in Lecheria, Venezuela
Check out the work that has been completed at the IBM church.

By: Peter McMillan

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Church Construction in Lecheria, Venezuela - Video

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March 4, 2015 | 5:11 pm

IOWA CITY A committee with Unitarian Universalist Society of Iowa City has recommended church officials apply for a permit to tear down the church in an effort to secure a sale of their near-downtown property.

Church officials said the recommendation was sparked by concerns that a looming application for historic landmark designation of the 107-year-old church at 10 S. Gilbert St. will slash the propertys value to developers and is leaving potential buyers unwilling to close a deal.

Adam Ingersoll, a member of the societys board of trustees and its facilities committee, said the decision does not reflect a desire to tear down the building the congregation has called home for more than a century. Rather, its a necessary move to sell the property.

This decision that we are going to go to the city with, to apply for demolition permits, its not rash ..., Ingersoll said. It is a corner that we feel backed into after years and years and years of painstaking process to figure out what we need to do to prepare for the next 100 years of our society.

Ingersoll said rumors of an application for historic landmark designation has potential buyers hesitant to close a deal on the property, as such a designation if approved by the Iowa City Council would prohibit demolition and greatly reduce the propertys value to developers. So church officials plan to meet the issue head-on, he said.

The societys board will vote March 12 on the recommendation which was mailed to congregation members Wednesday to apply for a demolition permit for the church.

Alicia Trimble, executive director with Friends of Historic Preservation, said Wednesday she has no plans to file an application for landmark designation of the church property, but added that a group of residents are pursuing such an effort.

If this demo permit is presented, I am absolutely sure a landmark application will be dropped on them and it probably will not be from Friends of Historic Preservation, she said.

That said, Trimble said she has researched the property and it absolutely would meet requirements for both local and national landmark recognition.

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Iowa City church might seek demo permit to sell property

The Moravian community welcomed its latest sanctuary on Thursday when the Buccoo Moravian Churchs new building was dedicated during a special service. Members from the six congregations gathered with the officiating clergy to officially open the church after four years of construction.

Joining Reverend Nevin Lewis of the Montgomery Moravian Church and Reverend Esther Moore-Roberts, Superintendent of the Tobago Church Conference were Reverend Cortroy Jarvis, Chairman of the Provincial Elders Conference (PEC) and Bishop, The Right Reverend Dr. Kingsley Lewis. Also sharing the churchs historic occasion were Chief Secretary Orville London, Area Representative Ancil Dennis and his colleague Assemblyman Handel Beckles. There were several representatives of other religious bodies, including Reverend Duane Samm of the Tobago Council of Churches. Missing was Minister of Tobago Development, Dr. Delmon Baker who was acknowledged for the contribution to the project. Dr. Baker gave $100,000 in the name of Ms. Feodora Tanty Feo Hackett last January when she celebrated her 100th birthday.

Reverend Lewis noted that when he had to substitute for the churchs regular pastor Reverend Cherice Job-Lewis back in 2010, the church was $150,000 in debt. However, since then, the church has been able to raise $1.3m and be debt-free. The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) was also one of the contributors and Reverend Lewis specially thanked Mr. London for that. He stressed that God has a way of miraculously providing.

He added that healthy churches must carry out the following five services: worship, evangelistic and missionary outreach, education and discipleship, ministry and, fellowship.

According to Reverend Jarvis, the first service was held on August 28, 1988 under the covers of the Buccooneers Pan Tent and a total of 83 people were in attendance. He said the bands leader then, Codrington Johnson was very supportive with accommodating the church at the pan tent. Some of the persons who were at that first service and present at the dedication were acknowledged. He recalled that as part of the groundwork in getting the church started, he had visited the Buccoo Primary School every week for 9 years, ministering to students and teachers because of the passion he has for persons coming to Christ. He added that all congregations must become houses of refuge, places where love and compassion must demonstrate themselves in a real way. He ended by saying, The church must be a hospital for sinners and not a museum for saints.

The Chief Secretary and the Chairman of the Tobago Council of Churches also expressed brief remarks.

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Buccoo Moravian Church dedicates new sanctuary

A landmark church in Kailua-Kona that has been a spiritual hub and community gathering place for many will reopen this month after several years of rebuilding.

The newly constructed St. Michael the Archangel Church on Alii Drive will be dedicated at 5 p.m. March 25 and the public is invited to the nearly two-hour-long special service led by the Rev. Larry Silva, the bishop of Honolulu. Masses will follow, beginning March 26.

Were very excited about having a permanent place to call home again, said the Rev. Konelio Lio Faletoi. Ever since the earthquakes, we have been on the move and on a spiritual journey, one that has truly tested who we are. Despite the hurdles, we have still remained present in the community and determined to create the sanctuary of our beloved church, which is more than a place of worship for Catholics to praise the Lord. Throughout it all, we have put our faith and trust in the Lord and the Lord continues to give us what we can handle.

The faith of the churchs 2,000-member families was tested on Oct. 15, 2006, when earthquakes severely damaged the more than 160-year-old structure. The church, after being deemed unsafe by structural engineers, closed and decommissioned in 2009, with services held three years on the grounds under a tent.

The church was soon demolished, along with the adjacent wooden administration building, which opened as a convent for the Sisters of the Holy Family in 1955. A groundbreaking for the new church was held Sept. 28, 2012. Originally, church officials estimated it would be completed by fall or winter of 2014.

Delays were mostly due to the typical unknowns that can arise when doing construction in Hawaii, including not knowing exactly whats below until the project starts. Lava tubes and unstable soil are things that had to be considered, as well as being in a flood zone and special management area. A major obstacle was site preparation and building the underground foundation to build the foundation on which the church now sits, Faletoi said.

Not only did it take time to clear the site, it also took time to meet the requirements and obtain the permits or permissions from various agencies and groups. Despite the lengthy process, those agencies and groups, particularly Hawaii Countys Wally Lau, Warren Lee and Bobby Command, have been supportive and helpful throughout the project, Faletoi said.

During the construction, tent services were moved off site of the Alii Drive property to Honokohau Industrial Park.

At nearly 9,500 square feet, the $11 million church is larger and offers seating for 500. Constructed by Heartwood Pacific on a 3-acre campus, the new church will offer outdoor parking for 125 vehicles and is Americans with Disabilities Act accessible. New footings on the propertys south side are in place for St. Michaels future parish center, which will house administrative offices, conference rooms, a library and certified kitchen.

While the 1940 Coral Grotto was moved to the front, the cemetery was not disturbed. Inside the church is a baptismal font sculpted from a large piece of West Hawaii lava. The font has mosaic tiles and etched are the words that appeared over the altar of the first church. It reads: E Kuu Keiki: E Ho Mai Nou Kou Puuwai A E Ike Oe I Kuu Alahele, which means The Lord Says to Thee: Give Me Thy Heart and Let Thine Eyes Keep My Ways.

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Rebuilt on faith: Worshippers will soon return to landmark Kona church

Jeff Foreman, left, and Pastor Darren Best put a brass plaque containing an inspirational Bible verse on the cross on the steeple at First Presbyterian Church of Ocala on Monday.

OCALA - Six church and construction crew members shared Holy Communion a few steps closer to heaven Monday morning at First Presbyterian Church of Ocala.

The rite was observed at more than eight stories high, with the men standing on scaffolding just after a commemorative plaque was attached to the cross that tops the newly renovated steeple and bell tower.

Do this in remembrance of Me, said Associate Pastor Darren Bess as he distributed blessed bread amongst the men who climbed at least 85 feet to a point just above the base of the inverted copper funnel, a 16 foot section that holds the eight foot cross, which is the highest point on the steeple, estimated at 110 feet by construction officials.

Bess and job superintendent Jeff Foreman, with the general contractor Tallen Construction Company of Ocala, secured the small plaque to the cross about 10 feet above where the group took Communion around 8:45 a.m.

The church, at 511 SE Third St., is about a block southeast of City Hall and adjacent to the Marion County Public Schools Administration Building.

It cost approximately $400,000 to renovate the circa-1927 structure. Church members raised the funds for the project through an endeavor called SOS (Save Our Steeple).

Steve Allen, owner of Tallen Construction, who also made the climb up the scaffolding, said the job is essentially complete.

Van Akin, a church elder and member for at least 50 years, said the job came in under budget.

Akin said the large bell in the tower has been silenced for at least three years because water leaks required a bladder to be installed below it, blocking access.

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Iconic bell tower, steeple renovation nearly complete at First Presbyterian of Ocala