SALT LAKE CITY As construction continues on Temple Square in its fourth year, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced some plaza areas will soon be reopened to the public while the Assembly Hall will close.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

A map shows the plaza areas that will open as soon as Saturday, January 6, which includes the area by the Church Office Building, the north part of the Main Street Plaza and a northwest area of Temple Square.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

In mid-February, the south side of Main Street Plaza will open, restoring the path from South Temple to North Temple streets.

In addition to the Main Street Plaza, areas on the east side of Temple Square, near the Church Office Building will also fully reopen.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Church officials explained an addition to the plaza by the office building is the installation of 92 flag poles, which will display flags throughout the year of officially recognized United Nations countries.

"The flag oval begins at the plazas northwest corner with the flag of the United States," a release from the church reads. "From there, 91 additional flags will rotate every three months. The flags will be placed in alphabetical order, according to the English name of the country, and will always be illuminated."

As plazas begin to reopen, the Assembly Hall and gardens surrounding the building will close for renovation.

In recent years, the building has hosted many concerts and events as one of the only open areas on Temple Square during construction.

Church officials said the renovations include the removal of restroom buildings and portions of the wall, some structural repairs in the foundation and roof, mechanical improvements, interior plaster repair and landscaping.

Renovation of the Assembly Hall is expected to be completed in 2026.

In addition to the Assembly Hall work, renovation of the Beehive and Lion Houses is in progress, church officials said. Crews will soon clear plants and trees in order to excavate around the foundations and footings.

From there, the buildings will be inspected, stabilized and repaired. The renovations will help keep water away from the buildings.

After building repairs, new landscape will be installed that includes drought-resistant plants and water-wise irrigation.

While the project was initially supposed to be completed in 2025, church leadership announced in March 2023 that the timeline had to be pushed back due to "unexpected challenges."

The current estimated completion date is 2026.

Originally posted here:
Areas to open on Temple Square; Assembly Hall to close amid construction - FOX 13 News Utah

Editors note: This is the final article of a three-part series on temple milestones during 2023. Part 1 looked at announcement of new temples and site locations; Part 2 dealt with dedications and rededications.

In 2023, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints added 35 new temple locations announced by President Russell M. Nelson in the April and October general conferences the most ever for the second straight year, following President Nelsons announcement of 35 new locations in 2022.

Also in 2023, the Churchs 11 temple dedications were the most in a calendar year in more than 20 years.

By comparison, the eight temple groundbreakings conducted by the Church in 2023 were the fewest in five years, following 16 in 2022, 12 in 2021 and 21 in 2020, the first full year of the COVID-19 pandemic, when construction was considered critical trade and essential work and didnt fall under lockdowns, extreme social distancing or other pandemic restrictions.

In fact, the eight groundbreakings this year are the fewest since 2018, where the Church had just one.

An aerial view of the site of the future Kaohsiung Taiwan Temple on Nov. 25, 2023, the day of its groundbreaking services.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

But before hands start wringing that low number of groundbreakings may suggest a drop in building of new temples, look at the breakdown of the Churchs total 335 temples and see how many are already under construction, how many have sites released and are awaiting the next milestone of groundbreaking, and how many temples are announced and in planning but still without sites.

The breakdown by status of those 335 temples, as of the end of 2023, is:

The 186 dedicated temples include one renovated temple scheduled for rededication, four temples under renovation and four more temples scheduled to begin renovations in 2024.

Elder Peter F. Meurs and Sister Maxine Meurs (back row, left) with leaders, youth and young adults who walked the Kokoda Trail from Popondetta to Port Moresby (about 96 kilometers over mountains) to attend the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple groundbreaking on April 22, 2023. The group completed the challenging walk in four days.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Groundbreaking services were held for the following eight temples in 2023, including two on the same day:

Shovels stand ready at sunrise on the day of the groundbreaking services for the Quertaro Mexico Temple on Jan. 7, 2023.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

One groundbreaking for a new house of the Lord has already been scheduled for next year the Knoxville Tennessee Temple on Jan. 27, 2024.

As of the end of December 2023, the Church has 47 temples under construction, not including the six that already have been announced for dedication in 2024. Listed by chronological order of groundbreaking dates, the 47 are:

The Auckland New Zealand Temple, under construction in late November 2023.

Provided by Lindsey T. Dil

The Syracuse Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is under construction in Syracuse on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023.

Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Besides temples under construction, the Church of Jesus Christ has five previously dedicated and operating temples under extensive renovation, with three more houses of the Lord scheduled to close and begin renovations in 2024.

The Manti Utah Temple, which has been under renovation since October 2021 is scheduled for rededication on April 21, 2024.

Renovation work continues on the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in downtown Salt Lake City on Friday, April 28, 2023.

Spenser Heaps, Deseret News

Listed chronologically by month of closure date, the five temples currently under renovation are:

Rendering of the reconstructed Provo Utah Temple

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

And the three additional temples scheduled for renovations, with their closures announced during the past year, are:

Artists rendering of the renovated Manhattan New York Temple. The temple will close in 2024 for extensive renovations.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

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Temples in 2023: 8 groundbreakings but temple growth not slowing - Church News

Water shot out toward the planes wings as the engine throttled to a deafening roar, the hull shaking from friction as it screamed across the water. The pilot held the overhead throttle steady as the craft rushed ahead, rattling as it continued to pick up speed until, for a moment, it shrugged slightly off the surface of the river. More minor lifts followed, the plane willing itself to part from this liquid runway as separations ramped up in frequency and then, in an instant, there was calm tranquility the aircraft soared into smooth open sky.

This exhilarating takeoff is part of the daily routine for missionary pilot Eben Ezer Espinosa Castro. For eight years hes worked for a ministry that was recently adopted by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in eastern Peru called Peru Projects.

I always had a dream since I was a child, to serve God as a pilot missionary anywhere, Castro says.

Growing up in Mexico, Castro studied theology at Montemorelos University before heading to the United States to pursue a Master of Divinity degree at Andrews University in Michigan. But his dream faced a huge hurdle: he didnt have the money to pay for the degree. Throughout his graduate program, he searched for sponsors, was blessed with odd jobs, and was amazed as fervently specific prayers were answered in front of his eyes. He started with nothing and graduated with no debt.

Being free and clear, Castro hesitated to begin studying in the aviation program; with his theology degree he could become a pastor and start earning a salary right away. Again, God provided the necessary funds for him to study aviation. God clearly opened the way, opened the doors, and showed us that He would fulfill [this dream], and thank God, He did, Castro recalls.

During his last semester in aviation at Andrews, Castro heard about Peru Projects and its need for a pilot. He could see the skills and education God was giving him as a pastor, mechanic, and aviator; it was exactly what was needed in this ministry. And so, Castro and his family moved to the jungle city of Pucallpa and began to live out his childhood mission aviation dreams. It was really nice to see confirmation from God that [this journey] was His will, He was guiding us, and He got us through it, because He had a place for us to serve, Castro said.

This Amazon region of Peru an expansive sprawl of wild rainforest that includes the Amazon River, the worlds largest by volume is home to the East Peru Mission of the Adventist Church, the largest mission (a church region that is not yet financially self-supporting) in the country. It is also a region where dozens of indigenous people groups have lived in isolation for generations, maintaining their traditional way of life away from modern society. Today, many of them have experienced the outside world, but some are still truly uncontacted. Their segregated existence has lasted so long because at the edge of the jungle, the roads end. Here, rivers are the thoroughfares for transportation, and the indigenous population is spread out over around 200,000 square miles (more than 500,000 square km) of jungle. Even in a fast boat, Castro explains, it can take 20 to 40 hours to reach some of these villages; in larger cargo boats, it can take days. The huge scale of this place makes evangelism extremely difficult.

One of the greatest challenges that our mission has is being able to reach [these] communities, Juan Saldaa, president of the East Peru Mission, admitted. The pastors who work in the inner river zones, the thickest part of the forest, the biggest difficulty is the transportation. According to Castro, there are thousands of villages throughout this territory, and the church is actively working in 82 of them, the majority made up of the Shipibo and Ashninka tribes. Village life is simple in these communities residents grow their own food, raise chickens, and catch fish in the river.

On the surface, this idyllic setting looks like paradise, but Castro has seen firsthand the problems these people face. If someone gets seriously sick out there, they die. There are no hospitals or medical clinics when injuries or illness arise. So, despite having this beautiful community that looks like paradise, they face things that they dont have a solution for, Castro said. And then they can be discouraged because they dont know how to face them. So thats where the value of the gospel message comes in, and they can see to the future, see eternity. That changes their view or their mindset.

A crucial part of Peru Projects ministry is operating emergency medical flights in the jungle for patients in critical need of professional attention. Whether its in the amphibious Lake 250 Renegade aircraft or, when a landing strip is available, the Cessna 182, Castro and his team work with embedded missionaries to respond to these time-sensitive situations. Over their years of service, rapport has grown between missionaries and the tribes, allowing for the gospel to spread. As communities create congregations, they need places to worship, which normally takes shape in a rickety wooden structure. These buildings are weakened by the consistent Amazon rain and termites that feed upon the walls. Right now, most of the churches are falling apart, Castro said. It is just the reality.

The East Peru Mission asked Maranatha to help with proper places of worship in this region. Maranatha has worked there before, building churches and other structures in the mid-2000s. Today, the starting point will be the city of Pucallpa, near Castros aviation mission outpost. From there, Maranathas work will head down the river to villages spread throughout the jungle.

Glendy Franco de Gomez is a Shipibo woman who grew up deep in the jungle. Her parents were traveling teachers who would move from village to village by boat, educating indigenous children. When she reached adulthood, Gomez followed in her parents footsteps, graduating as a teacher from an indigenous university in Pucallpa. Today, she teaches at a government elementary school for indigenous children. Shes also become a leader at the La Selva Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The Shipibos are matriarchal, so women help guide society in many ways. Women are also integral to a churchs stability and future growth. Each Saturday (Sabbath), more than 30 people attend La Selva, including university students who are following in Gomezs footsteps from the jungle to the city. But Gomez would like to grow that number.

My dream for the church would be that we win over more souls and that they congregate here that everyone who comes from the villages will congregate here, and that day by day, we keep working to bring more people to this place to worship God, Gomez said.

However, a huge obstacle to this goal is the actual structure where they meet. The building is constructed of weak, rain-soaked wood. If strong enough winds blow, the church could collapse, causing serious injuries or worse. There are large gaps in the slat walls rainfall pours in, flooding the floor. The roof recently flew away in a storm the members reattached it, but it may not last for long. Also, the metal roof is oppressively hot and humid in the jungle heat. Because La Selva is a growing congregation, there is currently no room for future growth, especially when university students are present during the school year.

With all these challenges, sometimes members simply cannot worship there because the space is unusable. Often, they just stay home where its more cool, dry, and safe. Without the financial means to construct a stronger, more permanent sanctuary, La Selva can only wait and pray for a miracle. Its a story thats repeated over and over again in Pucallpa.

Maranathas commitment to churches in Pucallpa is to provide special roofs that wont absorb as much of the jungle heat and are quieter in the rain, as well as strong, permanent steel frames that will last for generations. Congregations will then build up the walls using local materials. To La Selvas delight, its church was on the list of churches that Maranatha is helping. Its a big help for us because, in reality, those of us who congregate, we have very few professionals who can build, Gomez said. We can continue to save and finish the church.

Maranatha established a workshop in Pucallpa where all of the components for churches in this region will be fabricated. The organizations in-country crew is creating these steel elements, and entire church frames have gone up at sites throughout the city. Soon, La Selva will demolish its current structure to make way for a solid, permanent one, ushering in a new phase of possibilities for evangelism and growth that Gomez dreams of.

Work has already begun on these new buildings, and soon La Selva will be set to pursue its dreams. This same joy will be shared by church members throughout the city of Pucallpa. Congregations are beginning to demolish their old, unsafe buildings in preparation for Maranatha to arrive. Soon, theyll be worshiping in permanent structures through which the gospel can shine for generations. Maranatha is also drilling water wells in Pucallpa in situations where there is need.

After Maranathas initial commitment in Pucallpa is complete, the city will continue to serve as the launching pad deeper into the Amazon. Crews will start moving down the river into more remote communities that are harder to reach. This will present unique logistical challenges, from making site visits with native congregations to transporting materials, workers, and volunteers. Its a challenge that Maranatha country director Elmer Barbosa relishes. Its going to be difficult, Barbosa said. Were going to have to use boats sometimes, we are going to have to fly to places but no ones going [to these villages]. Even the church has a challenge to reach those people. And if we partner with them, I think we can bring hope to those people and be the way that they get to know Jesus.

Castro said he is excited for the possibilities of how God will use Maranatha and its volunteers to reach people from different tribes and tongues. He knows that the warmth and hospitality of the people of these remote communities will be felt by Maranatha. I think its a big opportunity and a blessing for the indigenous people, and for the volunteers that come, because people in the jungle are very receptive theyre very friendly, Castro explained. So, if we bring volunteers, its easy to work with the villagers, and it will definitely be an impact for them for the community, as for the volunteers that are involved there.

The original version of this release was posted on page 8 of The Volunteer magazine, Issue 3, 2023. Maranatha Volunteers International is an independent supporting ministry and is not operated by the corporate Seventh-day Adventist Church.

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Construction Initiative Supports Church Growth in the Peruvian Amazon - Adventist Review

God sometimes opens a window after closing a door, the adage goes. But in the case of two Waco churches, its more of a case of windows, doors and a whole building.

First Baptist Church of Waco N.B.C. is a historically Black congregation that has worshipped together the past 94 years in a building on the edge of downtown at 611 Jefferson Ave. Templo Nueva Vida is a younger, mostly Hispanic congregation that met at 3300 N. 22nd St.

Templo Nueva Vida pastor Jose Gutierrez Jr., left, shakes hands with the Rev. George Harrison of First Baptist Church N.B.C. inside the sanctuary on Jefferson Avenue. The two churches have swapped buildings.

Templo Nuevo Vida has moved into the former First Baptist Church N.B.C. building on Jefferson Avenue.

Now they are trading spaces for futures more aligned with their congregations needs.

For Templo Nueva Vida, its a swap that means more space for a growing Spanish-speaking congregation. It is trading up to a building with two stories and a basement, complete with a sanctuary, dining space and classrooms, plus parking.

First Baptist Church gets a single-floor facility that is easier to maintain and easier for the churchs older members to navigate.

Pastors Jose Gutierrez Jr., left, of Templo Nuevo Vida and George Harrison of First Baptist Church N.B.C. both held services Sunday at the Jefferson Avenue church building.

inside their church on Jefferson Ave. The two churches have swapped building with Harrison holding their last service at the building.

The transition of the old year to the new had extra meaning for members of both churches who found the Sundays in December a time to say goodbye to their previous homes and a 2024 beginning in a new space.

Its been bittersweet for both congregations, but this keeps both facilities in the hands of churches, Templo Nueva Vida pastor Jose Gutierrez Jr. said.

Gutierrez founded the church in 2010, soon after he finished his studies at Pensacola Christian College.

After six years, the church needed more space and bought its current facility, the former Waco Bible Chapel. Another six years later, Templo Nueva Vida and its approximately 60 members were looking for larger quarters.

Templo Nueva Vida Pastor Jose Gutierrez Jr., shakes hands with members following the Sunday worship service at the former First Baptist Church N.B.C. building.

Gutierrez described Templo Nueva Vida, many of whose members are first-generation Mexican-Americans, as a fellowshipping church that prizes meeting together as part of the churchs identity and ministry.

The church struggled to find a larger space in its former neighborhood.

Templo Nueva Vida Pastor Jose Gutierrez Jr., leads a service at his congregation's new location on Jefferson Ave.

We love the North Waco area, but there are few facilities conducive to churches in this area, Gutierrez said.

Three miles to the south, members of First Baptist Church of Waco, affiliated with the National Baptist Convention, USA Inc., were looking to move as well. The Black Baptist church began in 1901 as North Eighth Street Church and built its permanent building in 1928.

George Harrison has served as pastor for 38 years, longer than any of his predecessors. Harrison said the 40,000-square-foot building was becoming increasingly difficult to use and maintain.

COVID almost killed us, he said.

Members of First Baptist Church N.B.C. hold their last service at their historic Jefferson Avenue location.

Harrison said the churchs average Sunday attendance of 300 to 400 people had dropped to 100 or fewer, due in part to the pause in Sunday services during COVID-19 surges and several members deaths during the pandemic.

The faithful families at the heart of First Baptists membership have kept it going, but older members were having trouble navigating the churchs steps and stairs. Keeping up with the maintenance of a facility built in 1928 also proved an increasing financial strain on the church, Harrison noted.

Church leadership decided to put their building on the market, but although its downtown location attracted attention, the price or the purpose of potential buyers proved sticking points.

I couldnt in good faith sell our church to a business that would sell alcohol, Harrison said.

And though the neighborhood where the church began had changed markedly over the last century, the longtime pastor also had trouble seeing yet another church leave downtown.

Gutierrez initially had approached Harrison when he first heard First Baptist Church might be selling its building, the Templo Nueva Vida pastor recalled, but the price and timing werent right. By fall, however, the two pastors picked up their earlier conversations, but over a different option: a straight-up trade of their buildings. As the two pastors and their church leaders discussed the issue, details began to fall into place. On Dec. 8, the churches filed the necessary paperwork to transfer their property deeds to each other.

The weeks since then have seen members moving furniture, repainting rooms and doing some light construction to prepare the church buildings for their new congregations. On Christmas Eve, Gutierrez preached his last sermon in Templos former home. On New Years Eve, a Sunday that saw both congregations worshipping in the First Baptist sanctuary at different times, Harrison preached his last sermon from what had been his home pulpit for nearly 40 years.

His sermon was Where Do We Go From Here, from a text in the book of Exodus about Moses leading the Israelites from Egypt through the Sinai wilderness. Moses followers had three options, Harrison noted: return to Egypt, stay in the wilderness or move forward.

Thats what were doing. Were moving forward, he said.

Templo Nueva Vidas new home keeps a church light burning at the Jefferson Avenue location, where it has been aglow for more than a century.

North Eighth Street Baptist Church was organized in 1901, then moved to Jefferson Street with a new frame building erected in 1928, according to The History of the Black Man in Waco, by former Waco City Council Member Garry Radford. A membership split shortly afterward saw the churchs name changed to First Baptist Church.

First Baptist Church N.B.C. built its house of worship in 1928 and renovated it in the 1950s.

Under the Rev. L.F. Hardee, who served as pastor for 32 years, the church bricked and renovated its building in 1952, with the renovation including an electric organ, grand piano and new pulpit. Nine years later, the church expanded again, converting basement space into classrooms, overhauling the church sanctuary and adding refrigerated air air conditioning.

Waco architectural historian Kenneth Hafertepe noted that North Eighth Street Baptist Church was founded at the southern end of an established Black community, a block from the North Seventh Street School, a Black school later known as Barron Springs Elementary School. It was a few blocks south of New Hope Baptist Church and a nearby Central Texas College for Black students, before New Hope moved to its current building in 1922.

Hafertepes Historic Homes of Waco, Texas profiles several small shotgun houses located in the 500 block of Sixth Street that indicate an adjacent neighborhood was a working class one with immigrants among its residents. Celebrated Waco singer Jules Bledsoe, incidentally, lived in the 800 block of Sixth Street in 1913.

A 1926 Sanborn Fire Insurance map of the area around North Eighth Street Baptist Church shows it a residential area, with clusters of small frame homes and boarding houses. The construction and expansion of Waco Drive to its immediate north, however, severed that part of the Black neighborhood and over time, its working class population moved elsewhere in Waco.

First Baptists beige brick exterior and its cathedral glass windows suggest the church was a middle-class congregation wanting to present a modern face to Waco, Hafertepe said.

Historic Buildings of Waco, Texas, doesnt profile the the Jefferson Avenue church building but highlights several downtown churches also built in the 1920s. Those include New Hope Baptist Church at 915 N. Sixth Street in 1922 and St. James Methodist Episcopal Church at Second Avenue and Clay Avenue in 1924, both substantial structures built by growing Black congregations.

Also from that era are Austin Avenue Methodist Church (1924), Waco Central Christian Church (1924), St. Francis on the Brazos Catholic Church (1928) and First Church of Christ, Scientist (1924).

The Rev. George Harrison of First Baptist Church N.B.C. preaches Sunday at thechurch's last service on Jefferson Avenue. The church has swapped buildings with Templo Nueva Vida.

Im glad it will have a new use with a new congregation, said Hafertepe, a Baylor museum studies professor and a leading advocate for historic preservation in Waco. The best possible use (of a historic church building) is by a church congregation.

Both Templo Nueva Vida and First Baptist are looking forward to continuing their own histories in a new place where they feel God has put them.

Harrison and his church already are planning to survey their new neighborhood about interest in continuing a youth feeding ministry the church has had for years. He added that when First Baptist needed chairs for its North 22nd Street building, Antioch Community Church stepped up to meet that need.

I know thats where we should be, he said.

Gutierrez, too, sees providential fingerprints steering his church in its new direction.

God always has a way of surprising us. When you need it, the door opens, he said.

Members of Templo Nueva Vida gather for their Sunday worship service at their location on Jefferson Avenue.

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Historic Black Waco congregation, growing Hispanic church swap buildings - Waco Tribune-Herald

Friday, Dec. 29, 2023

Courtesy photo/St. Francis Xavier School

The renovation of the gymnasium at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and school will provide increased seating for spectators at events.

Intermountain Catholic

KEARNS St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church and school in Kearns are getting more usable space in their gymnasium thanks to an ALSAM Foundation grant that will fund the entire project. The gym was part of the original church/school campus constructed in the 1950s.

I actually knew that we needed to do renovations before I was the principal here because my boys that have both graduated from Judge Memorial [Catholic High School], theyve always played CYO basketball, said Principal Heather Brown, who spearheaded the project. When we would come here for games, the fans had to sit on the foul line. So oftentimes, youd get a ball on the lap, or sometimes even a player. There wasnt ever any place for the people who came to events to fit.

The school received the funding in March but with the high demand in the construction industry and materials shortages it was July before they were able to hire a contractor. In early August G1 Construction began the project, which is expected to be complete in early February.

Although the actual footprint of the building will not change, by eliminating some storage space the gym will increase by several feet on its north end, where fixed bleachers will provide seating for 50 to 60 people. The west-end upstairs room, formerly used as the churchs cry room, will be opened up and filled with benches. The area below it will also be used for additional seating. The gym will also get a new floor.

We wanted to invest in it to have a brighter, updated, more usable space for the whole community, Brown said.

In addition to being used for special events for both the church and school, the gym acts as the schools lunch room, and physical education classes are normally held there. With construction under way, the schools 211 students now are eating their lunches in the library and other open spaces. P.E. classes are held outside when the weather allows it.

The faculty and staff are doing a great job of being flexible, Brown said. We have a combination of places where the students are eating: sometimes they eat in the library, because we have a wonderful big library; sometimes theyre in the classroom.

When the project is complete, students will again have lunch and P.E. in the gymnasium, but the project will make it so that we can have a space for assemblies as well, Brown said. Well be able to have a space that we can be proud of to host sporting events and other events.

I would love to give a big thanks to the ALSAM Foundation for supporting the school and giving us the resources, she said. This wouldnt be possible without them. Were also grateful for the church community and the school community for being patient and supportive. As you can imagine, it has affected the entire community.

The school is also reconfiguring its office space and entry to make it more accessible. All the administrative offices will now be located in the middle school wing. This project is expected to be completed in mid-January.

The main reason for this was to have an easier access of an entrance for our guests coming in because before it was really confusing for anyone who was new coming to the church or the school, Brown said. So now this is more of a direct entrance to the school.

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Renovations update school gym built in the 1950s - Intermountain Catholic

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The unveiling of the Light the World Giving Machines in Cebu, Philippines, at Ayala Center Cebu Mall on Nov. 16, 2023. Participating in the event is Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson, center left, and Primary General President Susan H. Porter, center right.

Photo supplied, Intellectual Reserve

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The Layton Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, currently under construction, on July 14, 2023.

Ryan Comer, Standard-Examiner

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President Russell M. Nelson poses with his counselors in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring, at a small gathering in honor of his 99th birthday in his office at the Church Administration Building in Salt Lake City on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. His birthday was Sept. 9.

Photo supplied, Intellectual Reserve

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The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Dec. 13, 2023, that a new Missionary Training Center will be located close to the new Bankok Thailand Temple.

Photo supplied, Intellectual Reserve

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released its year-end report of activities and global donations Tuesday, highlighting efforts undertaken to fulfill its mission of helping followers pattern their lives after Jesus, helping those in need, inviting all to receive Christs teachings and to uniting families forever.

According to the church, one of the biggest areas of focus in 2023 involved humanitarian aid. The church reported it gives more than $1 billion each year to help fight hunger, disease and other issues facing people in several countries.

For instance, in August, the church announced a donation of $44 million to support global hunger relief efforts, targeting children in 30 countries. That was followed in November with the launch of an effort, headed by the Relief Society, to improve the health and development of children under 5 and their mothers in 12 countries in Central America, Africa and Asia.

The church also donated $8.7 million to the American Red Cross for biomedical equipment, mobile blood donation centers and programs to assist people with cancer or sickle cell disease, and $3 million in support of a malaria immunization campaign in Africa.

Some of the other donations were used to provide greenhouses in Bosnia, warm clothing for people in Chicago, health care in Ghana, wheelchairs in Guatemala, an African American schoolhouse in Louisiana, fire relief in Maui, infant health and hurricane relief in Mexico, a shelter for people experiencing homelessness in Montreal, a prosthetics workshop in South Africa, boreholes for clean water in Gambia and a school in Zambia, the church said.

Local charities we not overlooked as food banks, neighborhood improvement groups and hospitals also received donations and were included in this years Light the World Giving Machine efforts.

We want to empower families, Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson said, as quoted in the churchs report. In many cases, loving parents lack the knowledge to provide adequate nutrition for their children. With greater understanding and resources, they are better equipped to make changes that can have a lasting impact.

This year, the Giving Machines were found in 61 locations worldwide including Salt Lake City and Orem. Since 2017 when the machines started, more than $22 million has been donated for a variety of goods and services for those in need, according to the church. That figure does not include what is being collected in 2023.

In 2023, the church announced 36 news missions to accommodate the rising numbers of missionaries, including two in Utah County: Saratoga Springs and Spanish Fork.

With these additions, the church now has 450 missions with more than 72,000 full-time and service missionaries.

On Dec. 13, the church announced it would open a new Missionary Training Center in Bangkok, Thailand, effective Jan. 1.

Temples, which are unique to modern day Christianity, are a part of the growing nature of the church and are considered by the faith to be houses of the Lord.

On Dec. 10, President Jeffery R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, rededicated the St. George temple, a legacy temple and the first to be built in Utah. Holland and his family have close ties to the temple, including his own marriage to the late Patricia Terry Holland.

We need to try to be outside the temple the way we are inside the temple, Holland said at the time, speaking of the sacred space where Latter-day Saints believe they learn the purpose of life and are united as families for eternity. We need to remember the pledges and the promises and the hopes and the dreams. If we could take those outside the temple, wed change the world.

In the five years he has lead the church, President Russell M. Nelson has announced the construction of 133 temples across the globe with 315 already in operation. The church also announced a new program for manufactured temples called Design, Manufacture and Construct, or DMI. The first of this kind was built in Helena, Montana. According to the church, the new method expedites construction, costs less and supports conservation issues. According to the churchs Temple Department, it will allow for temples throughout the world and very little concern with supply chain and shipping issues.

In other church changes, Elder Patrick Kearon was named a new apostle in December, filling the leadership void left by the death in November of President M. Russell Ballard.

In addition to Ballard, the church also lost Sister Mary Crandall Hales (wife of Elder Robert D. Hales, who died in 2018), Sister Kathleen Eyring (wife of President Henry B. Eyring of The First Presidency) and Sister Patricia Holland.

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Church of Jesus Christ recaps year of global charity, temple proliferation - Standard-Examiner

The Holy Family Church Preservation Society officially announced the churchs closure after falling short of its fundraising goal earlier this year.

While structurally sound, the church building is badly in need of long-overdue maintenance.

TheHoly Family Church Preservation Society sought to secure $225,000 in pledged donations by July 1, later extended to Aug. 26. The society ultimately received pledges from 85 donors totaling a little more than $95,000, which was too far short of its goal.

As a result, the society was left with the reality it needed to sell the building and surrounding land, which it announced it would do in a Dec. 15 Facebook post.

While the Holy Family Church has closed and will be sold, Corpus Christi Parish is holding a special Mass for the Feast of the Holy Family there on the evening of Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023.

The church at North 23rd Street and Avenue B was built in 1908 and operated as its own parish until 2011, when Queen of Apostles, Our Lady of Carter Lake and Holy Family merged to form the Corpus Christi Parish.

In April, the Holy Family Church Preservation Society entered into an agreement with Corpus Christi Parish to have the parish fund upkeep of the church while they attempted to raise the needed funding.

In an October 2023 letter to parishioners, Corpus Christi Parish announced its intention to ask the Diocese of Des Moines for permission to sell the Holy Family church building, rectory and nearby land.

The parish is expecting to solicit two bids for two separate parcels the vacant lot between 23rd and 24th streets, and the church, rectory and grassy lot to the east of the rectory.

According to the letter, the church will be sold under covenant to try to prevent unfitting future uses.

In its Facebook post, the Holy Family Church Preservation Society expressed its gratitude for everyone who had supported its efforts to save the church from this fate.

While our campaign was not successful, we want to thank ALL of you for believing that preserving Holy Family Church was indeed a worthwhile mission. We are so very grateful for your past support that allowed the Society to preserve Holy Family these last few years, the society said.

With permission from the diocese, the two parcels will go up for sale in early 2024.

Corpus Christi Parish is holding a special Mass for the Feast of the Holy Family at Holy Family Church at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31.

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Council Bluffs' Holy Family Church to be closed and sold - The Daily Nonpareil

When members of Our Lords Lutheran Church presented their plans to donate a portion of their property to Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity to The Village City Council last September it was met with enthusiasm from council members.

At the time, Mayor Sonny Wilkinson and Councilman David Glover suggested the possibility of constructing up to four "cluster homes, similar to homes constructed in the Hawthorne neighborhood, on the donated church site.

"The part of our property we want to donate had never been used except as a softball field years ago, Tom Ziebell, a 32-year church member, told the council last fall. "We believe part of our churchs mission is to our community, and because of our involvement with Habitat, we decided donating the land to provide affordable housing to deserving families would help fulfill that mission.

Earlier this month residents living near the proposed Habitat for Humanity home sites voiced both their concerns and support for the project during a packed public hearing held by the Planning and Zoning Com-mission. The commission met to consider a Planned Unit Development (PUD) zoning request from Habitat for Humanity for undeveloped property directly south of Our Lords Lutheran Church, which is located south of Hefner Road and east of Major Avenue.

Mark Zitzow, AICP, with Johnson & Associates summarized the proposed project by telling the commission, "Four homes would be constructed on smaller lots featuring homes with an average square footage of 1,100-1,300 with construction and materials costs between $140,000 to $150,000 on donated property.

"Our new home recipients must donate 100 hours of sweat equity and pass credit and background checks, Ann Felton Gilliland, CEO of Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity told those in attendance. "Habitat for Humanity homes are energy efficient which means lower utility bills. We adhere to all provisions of the Fair Housing Act.

A Notice of Public Hearing to consider the rezoning request was mailed to all property owners within 300 feet of the property donated by the church to Habitat for Humanity. Most homeowners voiced deep concerns about the project including increased traffic, negative impact of property values and parking issues, while others spoke in support of the proposal.

Local resident Jack Christie shared with the commission research from county assessor records on covenants, plats, lot sizes, average home values and a door-to-door survey he completed showing fears of declining property values. He suggested that two homes instead of four would be a better fit for the project.

Neighbor Tyler Vaugh spoke of his support for the mission of Habitat for Humanity, but expressed concerns for sanitation and public safety access to all properties.

With six members seated on the Planning and Zoning Commission, the motion to approve the project failed to pass with a 3-3 vote, which is different than a 2-4 vote of denial, and it was sent back to the City Council for action.

"The PUD request was to provide smaller lot sizes to build a single-family home on, said City Manager Dave Slezickey. "Per code, the area of property was not large enough for multiple residences for single family residential zoning.

When a resolution regarding amending the PUD zoning to allow smaller lot sizes to accommodate four Habitat for Humanity homes was brought before the City Council earlier this month, numerous residents again spoke for and against the resolution, including recent City Council candidate Jon Sousa speaking in favor.

"Overall concerns from the council were mixed, but were welcoming to four new homes for four new families in The Village, said Slezickey. "The council heard the main issues with constituents were density, traffic, parking draining, public safety, and sanitation access.

After continued discussion the council had a rare split vote, approving the resolution 4-1 with Councilmen Sean Cummings, Wynter Griffis, David Glover and Mayor Sonny Wilkinson voting yes, while Councilman Bubba Symes said no.

"Most of the concerns presented to the council will be addressed during the design phase of this project as Johnson and Associates begins work on the final plat plan, said Slezickey.

The matter has been sent back to the citys Planning and Zoning Commission where the final plat submission is to be reviewed for recommendation before going back to the City Council for final approval. The city has said it plans to require civil engineering, extension of sewer lines to serve the homes and possibly the extension of water lines to accommodate a "cluster of four homes on the property.

The Village has at least one other Habitat home located on Westchester Drive that was constructed on a lot where a home was destroyed by fire and demolished.

Since 1990, Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity has constructed over 1,066 homes for deserving families. Their homes have been lauded for the geothermal energy efficient construction that is about half the cost of other homes.

Continue reading here:
Donated property for Habitat 'cluster' home draws mixed reactions - Oklahoma City Friday

Another day, hints of another large-scale residential project on the Lower East Side.

Coming up on Monday, May 8, Community Board 3s landmarks committee will consider a Certificate of Appropriateness for St. Augustines Chapel, a New York City landmark and one of the oldest church buildings on the Lower East Side. According to CB3s meeting agenda, the church property at 290 Henry St., is set to undergo:

restorative work, demolition of non-contributing structures (and) new construction on protected lots. Proposed 20-story mixed use intergenerational building providing affordable housing, retail, community facility space.

St. Augustines Episcopal Church opened in 1828 and the building became a city landmark in 1966. The designation report stated, Onthe basis ofacareful considerationofthe architectureandother features of this building, theLandmarksPreservationCommissionfinds that St.Augustines Chapel has aspecial character, special historicalandaesthetic interestand value aspartofthedevelopment, heritageandcultural characteristicsofNewYorkCity. One feature of the building (not mentioned in the report) is the presence of two slave galleries, which were restored a number of years ago to as The St. Augustines Project noted preserve a rare artifact of racial segregation in New York City, stand(ing) as a stark, physical reminder of how the boundaries of marginalization were drawn in our State.

A Certificate of Appropriateness is required by the Landmarks Preservation Commission if, the proposed work affects the significant protected architectural features of the landmark property or the proposed work does not conform to the rules of the commission.

In the designation report from more than a half century ago, the commission explained:

By this designation of the Landmark above described and the Landmark Site on which it is located, it is not intended to freeze the structure in its present state or to prevent future appropriate alterations needed to meet changed requirements of use for religious and directly related charitable purposes. The Commission believes it has the obligation and, indeed, it has the desire to cooperate with owners of Landmarks who may wish to make changes in their properties. In this connection the Commission wishes to state at this time that it recognizes that Trinity Parish (today St. Augustines is an independent entity) may want to erect new buildings in the future on its grounds at St. Augustines Chapel. The Commission recognizes that Trinity Parish may also wish to make exterior alterations to its existing buildings at St. Augustines Chapel. The Commission looks forward to working with the representatives of Trinity Parish when the Church desires to erect new buildings on its grounds or to make exterior alterations on its existing buildings.

UPDATE 5/1/23: Documents posted on CB3s website Monday provide more details. The project is described as a joint venture among St. Augustines Parish, Fulcrum Properties LLC, and NFW Group LLC. The development team plans to substantially renovate the church building and to construct a new 21-story tower, connected to the chapel. They envision 119 residential units, including apartments for older adults. As part of the project, an annex building behind the church would be demolished and many of the churchs historic features would be restored. You can view the document here.

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Community Board 3 to Hear Details of Proposed 20-Story Tower ... - The Lo-Down

Developers have put a proposal together for the corner of Walker and Church, incorporating the taxpayer that is Belle Reve, #32, into the L-shaped building that is #34 and creating a new cast iron building. I will continue with the details below, but one thing confounds me: from what I can tell, 32 Walker has not changed hands since 1981; 34 Walker, acquired in 1966 by the family that ran the Paramount/Boltex Textile Company, has a contract signed according to the listing, but has not changed hands yet. So it seems a bit premature?

All that aside, its best to look at the massing drawing above to understand: the dark grey is the existing L-shaped Paramount/Boltex building, and the light gray is the new construction. The idea is to merge these two into a single cast iron project. They developers would add a sixth floor to the entire structure, which is within zoning limits, and that floor would get the crown that mimics the current one plus a glass penthouse set back from the street wall. The new structure would lose the fire escapes. The color would match 55 Reade, the cast iron building on the corner of Broadway.

The developers are Cedric Abboud and Gary Romaniello, and Abboud said he is very active in the UK doing historic restorations in Chelsea and Kensington as well as the Middle East, but this is only their our second year in the US as a developer. SOMA Architects, led by his brother, Michel Abboud, was the architect for the failed 45 Park Place the supertall that is still left hanging and is, IMO, a blight on the neighborhood.

The new building would actually be cast in iron; the developers said they were meeting last week with the Alabama company Robinson Iron. And all of this is very preliminary: they have submitted a request for the application with Landmarks and have been assigned a staff member. But they wanted to come to CB1 early to get their feedback.

The committee thought it was a bit too early they had a hard time digesting the plans without more detail. And no vote was taken. But there were some that were fully accepting of the plan, and thought that they were off to a good start, and some that thought it was too Disney (I dont quite get that?) and didnt delineate between the old structure and the new.

If someone is willing to spent the money to make a beautiful cast iron on the corner, then generally I am in favor of that, said chair Jason Friedman. The true preservationist would say this is not a good idea.

The Belle Reve building was built in 1954 it is not protected by the historic district. The Boltex Building was built in 1868.

A woman representing Belle Reve said that demolishing the bar would be devastating for the neighborhood, especially just to build more expensive apartments. Belle Reve brings so much life to that corner, she said. It would be very said to see it go.

The developers said there was no reason the new building couldnt have a bar in its storefronts.

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Plans for the Boltex Building and Belle Reve at Walker and Church - Tribeca Citizen