1/22/2015 - West Side Leader

WEST AKRON The proposed construction of a church on North Hawkins Avenue near Garman Road will be before Akrons Zoning Appeals Board again next week after the issue was postponed due to residents concerns.

Councilwoman Marilyn Keith (D-Ward 8) said the issue was before the board Dec. 17, but she asked for more time after hearing from neighbors concerned about the project.

The Rev. Wayne Hoye, pastor of Greater Works Church, said members currently meet at Mason Community Learning Center in East Akron. He said the Hawkins site is attractive to the church because there are opportunities to provide outreach in the neighborhood.

For a lot of the people in that area, it would be beneficial, he said, noting the church would like to offer food programs and a preschool.

The property in question is a 3-acre wooded area just south of the railroad tracks. The church does not own the property yet but has an agreement with the owner, Hoye said.

The property is zoned residential, Keith said. City officials said Akrons zoning code gives the Board of Zoning Appeals the authority to grant approval for a church in a residential district provided parking requirements are met.

Bryden Drive resident Elizabeth Smith is among a group of residents opposed to the project. The church would be in her backyard, she said.

Nobody has anything against the pastor or his church, she said. That area should be residential and thats what we said to the zoning board.

She added there are concerns with water runoff from the proposed churchs parking lot, as well as with an expected increase in traffic at the intersection of Garman and North Hawkins. The construction would also remove trees that currently cut down on noise from the trains that go by on the tracks there, she added.

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Akron church hoping to relocate to North Hawkins site facing resistance

MERIDEN The closing of a Colony Street parking lot due to construction is expected to impact a nearby church and may have already contributed to The Reserve public house and concert venue going out of business, according to the owner.

The 93-space parking lot at 38-44 Colony St. will close Feb. 3, and signifies the beginning of construction at 24 Colony St. where the Meriden Housing Authority and Westmount Development Group will build a $24 million building with commercial space and apartments. Construction is set to begin in mid-February. A 273-space parking garage will also be built on the site.

While there will eventually be more parking, The Reserve owner James Peracchio wrote in a Facebook forum this week that the business was closed, adding it was not an easy decision. He declined to comment to a Record-Journal reporter Thursday, but wrote in the Meriden, CT Community Forum that parking was a concern moving forward, especially as the venue drew large crowds from outside the city.

Although the reduction in parking is unfortunate, Midstate Chamber of Commerce President Sean Moore said some short-term interruption is necessary to complete the many construction projects planned and underway.

Something really big is happening here and for a number of years were going to have to figure out how to adapt, Moore said.

Moore works in the chamber offices across from The Reserve. He doesnt believe the closing of the parking lot contributed to the owners decision.

I dont believe the audience that is at The Reserve is fundamentally different than the night club crowd in New Haven or Hartford, or Middletown, Moore said. They park their car and they walk.

Moore believes the most successful use of The Reserves 16 Church St. building is something open during the daytime/early evening hours.

Mayor Manny Santos said he was quite disappointed to hear of the venues closing, adding he wished the owners brought it to his attention.

Currently there arent other businesses that are open at the same time they are open, so it becomes difficult to continuously attract people to one location where theres one thing going on, he said. In the future, when we get restaurants and shops that can be open later, it can be a destination... where it can be a better attraction for people. Once theres more activity downtown itll be easier, but I suspect theyre having a hard time maintaining a business in the meantime.

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Downtown Meriden nightclub closes amid parking worries

January 21, 2015 - 17:25 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian church of Turkish city Izmir is now used as a stable. Moreover, the local residents, who bring their horses and cows here, complained about the drug addicts and drunkards who have turned the construction into a den.

Turkish newspaper Milliyet reports that the Armenian Gregorian church is located in the Menemen district of Izmir. It is supposed to be a 19th century building, although no record of that has been preserved. The church is now in a miserable state and is filled with manure and other contamination.

The locals complain that the area has become a place for dangerous drug addicts and drunkards. It is under supervision of the police, the children cannot play there quietly, as strangers walk around the church.

One of the inhabitants of the district, Nurten Yelmaz, said that this is an Armenian historical church. "Unfortunately, Turkey does not give much significance to historical buildings. One should stand up for spiritual values, regardless of one's religion. There are very few building like this remained. This historical building has become a stable now. We must stand up for these places".

The building served as a church until 1922. When the Turkish army entered Izmir, burned it and massacred the Greek and Armenian population, the church was abandoned. Until recently it was used as a military warehouse, but now it is empty. Three years ago with Menemen municipality initiative the local Greek Church Agios Konstantinos was renovated which is also a 19th century structure. At that time they promised that the Armenian Church will be repaired too, but no work has been done until now.

Izmir (Turkish: zmir, Greek: , old name: Smyrna) is a city in the West of Turkey, the capital of the state of the same name. It is the second largest city in Turkey with a population of (2009 census). The city is situated on Aegeyan sea, in front of the Izmir Gulf. It is the second most important port after Istanbul. and is linked to other major cities of the country through railway.

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Armenian church in Turkeys Izmir turned into stable

By THOMAS GALLICK Wednesday January 21, 2015 9:10 AM

For the Rev. John Hohe, the best part of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church's new building might just be the windows.

He said the building's architect included a large number of windows to allow members of the congregation to look out on their community -- and let the community look in.

"The best way to do that is to have a lot more windows than walls," Hohe said.

Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sunday, Jan. 18, for its new building at 3924 Home Road in Powell.

The ceremony ended the church's 13-year journey through multiple temporary homes.

The church was founded in January 2002 after about 35 members of St. John Lutheran Church in Dublin left to form a new church to serve residents of the Lewis Center and Powell areas. The congregation initially met at Liberty Middle School for about a year before moving to a shopping center off U.S. Route 23.

"That was pretty much the traditional way to start a church -- to get a small group and expect to grow," Hohe said.

Hohe arrived in 2004 and watched the church outgrow the shopping-center space. It moved to its penultimate home at a rental space at 478 W. Olentangy St. in 2008.

The new location is about 11,300 square feet, which is more than double the size of the church's previous home. Construction on the project started in May 2014.

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Church's wandering ends at building primed for growth

Regional News of Thursday, 22 January 2015

Source: GNA

Dr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE), has called on church leaders to continue to collaborate with government to ensure quality education.

He said they could do this by providing land to upgrade basic school infrastructure.

Dr Vanderpuije said this when he broke the grounds for the commencement of a GH? 2.7 million Millennium City School project at Kaneshie St Joseph Anglican Church premises in Accra.

He said the time has come for churches and government to work together to facilitate development.

He said the primary responsibility of ensuring quality teaching and learning is to provide better infrastructure to create a friendly environment that would encourage school children to learn hard.

The MCE said the construction of the Millennium City School was in response to the challenge thrown to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) by the Anglican Church.

And this is in fulfillment of President John Mahamas commitment of ensuring quality education, he said.

Dr Vanderpuije said that the AMA had passed the Functional Organisational Assessment Toll , initiated by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and had been given approval to construct 12 new Millennium city Schools from the next months with GH? 30 million funding for the project ready.

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Church and State are one Vanderpuiye

It was his first visit to Cairo since he became head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in February 2013, and Ethiopian Patriarch Mathias I made sure that his week-long stay in Egypt included matters of both spiritual and diplomatic importance.

He talked to his peers in the Egyptian Coptic Church about closer ties, conferred with the Egyptian prime minister and stressed that Egypt and Ethiopia must always remember how much they have in common.

The Ethiopian Church has been trying to ease tensions between Cairo and Addis Ababa over the Renaissance Dam, currently under construction on the Nile in Ethiopia. The church was an archdiocese of the Egyptian Church before it became independent in 1959.

Patriarch Mathias was received by Coptic Pope Tawadros II at the Abbasiyya Cathedral in Cairo. The meeting was attended by Bishop Pimen, in charge of Egyptian-Ethiopian relations in the Egyptian Church, and senior clergymen.

In remarks to the Weekly, Mathias said that Church leaders should help find solutions to world problems, a role which they could assume due to their frequent discussions with governments and politicians all over the world. Speaking about the bonds between the Egyptian and Ethiopian Churches, Mathias said, We all have to confirm this relationship so that future generations may not forget its importance.

He continued, The River Nile links us, and the Renaissance Dam in Ethiopia is allowing us once more to discuss its benefits. According to the Ethiopian patriarch, Experts have made it clear that the dam will not harm Egypt or Sudan.

He proposed meetings between all the Orthodox Churches in an institutional fashion to reinforce ties, and advised Christians to accept modernity and progress in a way that doesnt compromise their faith.

Welcoming the visiting patriarch, Tawadros II noted the depth of the historical relations between the two Churches. At a sumptuous reception for Mathias at the Cathedral, the Coptic pope said, The historical relations between the two Churches go back to the time of Pope Athanasius when he ordained Bishop Salama of Ethiopia.

Tawadros pointed out that the two Churches have a geographical bond, being linked by the River Nile.

Mathias toured the Hanging Church in Coptic Cairo, one of the countrys oldest, before meeting Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb and the ministers of trade, industry and health.

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Gods gift to all

Rendering of Saint Nicholas National Shrine being built at the World Trade Center. Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Cardiff is supporting the project.

ENCINITAS Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Cardiff is supporting the construction of the Saint Nicholas National Shrine at the World Trade Center through donations from parishioners and community members.

The parish, which has hosted the annual Cardiff Greek Festival in September for 36 years, is set to donate 10 percent of this years festival profits along with stewardship donations from parishioners throughout the year.

The Saint Nicholas National Shrine is being built at Ground Zero, replacing the small Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas that was destroyed on September 11, 2001 when the South Tower fell after the terrorist attack.

The new church is Greek Orthodox, but it welcomes people of all faiths to visit while touring the 9/11 Memorial and Memorial Museum at the World Trade Center.

The estimated cost of building the shrine is about 38 million and the projected completion date is in 2016, which marks the churchs 100-year anniversary. It was built in 1916.

The shrine, designed by world-renowned architect Santiago Calatrava, will blend the traditions of Byzantine architecture with the steel and glass buildings in the surrounding area. The upper level of the church will include a non-denominational bereavement space, also open to all.

The genesis of this project came from the good will of our faithful as they were moved by the 911 tragedy, said Father Michael Sitaras, pastor at Saints Constantine and Helen. We as Orthodox Christians, while rebuilding the Saint Nicholas Shrine for ourselves at Ground Zero, are simultaneously rebuilding a shrine for all the nations to come, reflect and worship. Community members can support the building of the shrine by sending a check, earmarked for Saint Nicholas Shrine, to Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 3459 Manchester Avenue, Cardiff, CA. 92007.

For information about the shrine visit stnicholaswtc.org or about the parish, visit stsconstantinehelen.com or call (760) 942-0920.

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Church to help build St. Nicholas Shrine

By ALAN CLENDENNING Associated Press

MADRID (AP) - The former electrician for Spain's famed cathedral in Santiago de Compostela denied Tuesday having ever seen the priceless 12th-century Codex Calixtinus that authorities found in his garage and insisted he doesn't remember confessing that he stole it.

The richly-decorated Codex, which went missing in 2011, is considered the first guide for Christians making the pilgrimage to venerate St. James.

Jose Manuel Fernandez Castineiras, who is in his 60s, made the declarations a day after his lawyer argued that the confession should be thrown out. The lawyer, Carmen Ventoso, also said judges should throw out the security video that appeared to show her client in a cathedral office stuffing money into his pockets.

Authorities who searched the electrician's home in 2012 also found other valuable religious works and recovered more than 1 million euros ($1.2 million).

Fernandez Castineiras faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

His wife, Remedios Nieto, testified Tuesday that she never saw the money in her home and wasn't surprised when her husband bought property because she said he worked hard and was a dedicated saver.

She also said her husband would not allow family members to enter a workspace he used because he said he didn't want paperwork there disturbed.

The popular pilgrimage depicted in the Codex across northern Spain to the cathedral in the northwestern Galicia region was inspired by the reputed discovery of the apostle's tomb around the year 800.

Tens of thousands do at least part of the various pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela each year, hiking across Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany and other European countries.

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Church electrician: Can't remember Codex stealing confession

Renderings of the Trujillo Peru Temple, left, and the Indianapolis Indiana Temple, right.

LDS Church

SALT LAKE CITY LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson said in October that he expected to dedicate or rededicate five new temples in 2015.

Seventeen days into the new year, he effectively has checked the boxes on the first four.

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Saturday that public open houses and dedications of new temples in Indiana and Peru will be held this summer.

The Indianapolis Indiana Temple and the Trujillo Peru Temple will be the third and fourth new temples to open in 2015. Last month, the church announced open house and dedication dates in the spring for temples in Crdoba, Argentina, and Payson, Utah.

The public open house for the Trujillo Temple will run every day except Sundays from May 8 through May 30. A cultural celebration is scheduled on June 20 and the temple will be dedicated in three sessions on June 21.

The Indianapolis Temple will be open to the public every day except Sundays from July 17 through Aug. 8. A cultural celebration is scheduled Aug. 22 and the temple will be dedicated in three sessions on Aug. 23.

During the church's April 2014 general conference, President Monson said the LDS Church would take a break from announcing plans for new temples to concentrate on completing the 28 temples already announced or under construction.

President Monson announced the Trujillo Temple in 2008 and ground was broken in 2011. He announced the Indianapolis Temple in 2010 and ground was broken in 2012.

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LDS Church releases dates of temple openings in Indianapolis and Peru

Media Release

Udupi, Jan 17: The St Francis Xavier parishioners of Udyavar will be organizing their annual eventwith 'Raddet Eredde' a Tulu drama, on Sunday, January 18 at Udyavar Church campus to raise funds for the construction of a new church building.

The church has a building development committee, which functions under the leadership of Melwin Noronha. It has also formed a drama steering committee comprising of 16 members, for smooth administration.

The committee works under the directorship of Fr Roque Dsouza.

President Stevan Colaco - former president of ICYM Udupi varado Lawrence Dsa - vice president Golfrey Dsouza- treasurer Wilfred D'souza - Sauhardha Samithi Udayavar president Michael D'Souza - JCI Udyavar ex president Roshan Crasta - JCI Udyavar president John Gomes Yurben Fernandes - ex president of ICYM Udyavar Vivian Periera- Zoe Pereira caterers owner Judith Pereira - Catholic Sabha Udayavara secretary Alwyn Fernandez- owner of DJ friends and Rose beats band along with other active members Roshan D'souza, Savitha D'Souza, Lawrence Lewis, Cynthia.

About St Francis Xavier Church

The church dates back 150 years. The Christian families of Udyavar built a modest church near Chembukkall rock in 1873 and dedicated it in honor of St Francis Xavier.

The complete church building was inaugurated on January 10, 1866.

The geologists, architects and civil engineers had no blue prints to help the competent masters in their task. The church was finally blessed and opened in 1909 by the bishop of Mangaluru of that time.

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Raddet Eredde' at Saint Francis Xavier Church Udyavara on Jan 18