A Greek community group in Mississauga is accusing a wealthy businessman of breaking his promise to build a landmark Orthodox church, a holy goal they claim to have been working on for 34 years.

The group, called the Greek Canadian Community of Peel and Halton, is suing Gerry Farantatos, an affiliated company and his family charity for $11 million, arguing they had a deal to help pave the way for residential construction on a tract of land in exchange for financing to build a church.

Farantatos denies there was ever a binding deal to fund the church and is contesting the lawsuit, according to court documents.

At the end of the day, we want to say to our grandkids, We did something better, said Bill Kanellopoulos, who sits on the Greek Canadian groups board of directors.

We want to contribute to the Canadian community and put a Greek flavour and taste into this community.

Farantatos lawyer, John Buhlman, told the Star in an email that his client wanted to build a church, but decided it was untenable after he commissioned a Deloitte report that determined the community group would have trouble paying the operating costs for such a building.

The facts are that while our client was never obligated to build a church, he always intended to do so, Buhlman said.

Maintenance of the church by the community would indeed be a problem, since for many years the church had very few members, and so far the church has not been built.

The alleged deal to build the St. Barbara Greek Orthodox Church dates to 1980, according to court documents.

At that time, the Greek Canadian group was eyeing a tract of land near McLaughlin Rd. and what is now Highway 407 for a possible church and community centre, Kanellopoulos told the Star in an interview Wednesday.

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Mississauga Greek group sues over alleged Orthodox church deal

SALT LAKE CITY For a quarter century, the Church History Museum across the street from historic Temple Square has told the story of the LDS Church though an exhibit called "A Covenant Restored."

In 12 days, that exhibit will be history, after drawing about 7 million visitors.

Not only will the exhibit close, but the museum will shut down for a year-long renovation on Oct. 6, one day after the conclusion of the church's semi-annual general conference, then re-open with an important new film, a major new exhibit and a new floor plan on the ground level.

The new exhibit, "The Heavens Are Opened," will focus on the years 1820-46 and continue the church's efforts to provide more, and more transparent, information about the faith's origins.

The museum is expected to re-open prior to general conference in 2015, said Elder Steven R. Snow, historian and recorder for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and executive director of the Church History Department.

For the past year, the church has been releasing new, scholarly essays on pieces of its history in the Gospel Topics section of LDS.org. Two of those essays First Vision accounts and Book of Mormon translation will have companion exhibits at the museum when it re-opens.

The museum's senior curator, Kurt Graham, said the museum and the Church History Department have made what he called "a very, very concerted effort" shepherded by Elder Snow to create consistency between the history found in the Joseph Smith Papers Project and the Gospel Topics pages and what is shared at the museum and the church's historic sites.

Kurt Graham, senior museum curator

"We want members of the church and people outside of the church who are looking for information to get a very consistent message," Graham said. "We don't want them to hear one thing in the museum and then something else on the church's internet site and something else at a historic site and something else in the Smith papers. It's all one message. We want to coordinate that so that the real, latest scholarship we're aware of is available in all of these venues, in all of these channels, for the public."

The new first-floor exhibit will have eight sections that significantly upgrade the use of media and technology in the museum, including the First Vision Theater where visitors will see a new movie, now in production, depicting Joseph Smith's descriptions of his 1820 vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ.

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Major renovation to close LDS Church History Museum for a year

The Church History Museum in Salt Lake City Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014. Thirty years after its original opening, the Church History Museum will close on October 6, 2014, for one year to complete major renovations. The museum will reopen in fall 2015 with a newly designed floor plan and exhibitions.

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

SALT LAKE CITY For a quarter century, the Church History Museum across the street from historic Temple Square has told the story of the LDS Church though an exhibit called "A Covenant Restored."

In 12 days, that exhibit will be history, after drawing about 7 million visitors.

Not only will the exhibit close, but the museum will shut down for a year-long renovation on Oct. 6, one day after the conclusion of the church's semi-annual general conference, then re-open with an important new film, a major new exhibit and a new floor plan on the ground level.

The new exhibit, "The Heavens Are Opened," will focus on the years 1820-46 and continue the church's efforts to provide more, and more transparent, information about the faith's origins.

The museum is expected to re-open prior to general conference in 2015, said Elder Steven R. Snow, historian and recorder for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and executive director of the Church History Department.

For the past year, the church has been releasing new, scholarly essays on pieces of its history in the Gospel Topics section of LDS.org. Two of those essays First Vision accounts and Book of Mormon translation will have companion exhibits at the museum when it re-opens.

The museum's senior curator, Kurt Graham, said the museum and the Church History Department have made what he called "a very, very concerted effort" shepherded by Elder Snow to create consistency between the history found in the Joseph Smith Papers Project and the Gospel Topics pages and what is shared at the museum and the church's historic sites.

"We want members of the church and people outside of the church who are looking for information to get a very consistent message," Graham said. "We don't want them to hear one thing in the museum and then something else on the church's internet site and something else at a historic site and something else in the Smith papers. It's all one message. We want to coordinate that so that the real, latest scholarship we're aware of is available in all of these venues, in all of these channels, for the public."

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LDS Church History Museum to close for yearlong renovation, new emphasis

South Riding, VA (PRWEB) September 24, 2014

Building God's Way ("BGW"), a company that has created a nationwide network of services exclusively for faith-based organizations, will be hosting a free half-day seminar luncheon for ministry leaders on Thursday, October 9 at Community Baptist Church in South Riding, Virginia. Community Baptist Church is one of more than 600 ministries that BGW has worked with throughout the U.S.

The "Momentum Summit" will feature expert speakers in the areas of church health, growth, facilities, funding and technology. This event is part of a 10-city fall seminar series and is expected to draw church leaders from throughout Northern Virginia, DC and Southern Maryland.

Seminar topics will include: "Positioning your church for health & growth"; "Rethinking facility construction & remodel"; "Innovative new funding strategies"; "Multi-site expansion planning"; "Ministry spaces for all generations"; and "Cost-effective solutions for cutting-edge A/V technology".

The event will be co-sponsored by Dominion Construction Group, the exclusive BGW church builder for the state of Virginia. Attendees will learn innovative ideas and strategies from a panel of speakers who have worked with hundreds of churches across the country.

The event will run from 9:00am - 12:15pm, followed by a complimentary lunch. For more information or to register, visit the event website or call 866-249-8484.

About Building Gods Way (BGW) - BGW has become a recognized leader in ministry design and construction through its extensive experience in working with hundreds of churches, Christian schools and colleges across the U.S. BGW's trademark programs based on Biblical stewardship and ministry on the construction job site have set them apart from other church builders and includes an unparalleled network of services, including church design, church building, church growth coaching, vision casting, capital fundraising, non-profit development, financial solutions, worship technology and more. For more information about BGW, call 844-413-8368 or visit the BGW web site.

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Church Leadership Seminar Coming to South Riding, Virginia on October 9

Cornerstone Chapel, one of Northern Virginias largest churches, took a major step Sunday to accommodate its growing congregation.

The church held a groundbreaking ceremony to kick off construction of a 100,000-square-foot building on the corner of Sycolin Road and Battlefield Parkway in Leesburg.

When its completed, the building will be the largest church building in Loudoun County, Pastor Gary Hamrick noted before a group of a few hundred people gathered on the property Sunday to mark the occasion.

God is doing a good work here, and it is humbling, he said.

The groundbreaking comes after a years-long battle in court for the rights to construct a church building on the property. After the Leesburg Town Council unanimously approved a rezoning of the property in May 2010, a neighboring landowner, Long Lane Associates, took the Town of Leesburg to court objecting to the rezoning; Cornerstone Chapel also was named in the lawsuit. Long Lane Associates argued that a proffer made with the previous owner of Cornerstones property in 1988 entitled it to a road that would bisect the property, and would prevent the church building project.

The Loudoun County Circuit Court sided with Long Lane Associates, which put the church construction project on hold. The case was appealed to the Virginia Supreme Court which, in June 2012, overturned the circuit courts decision. The Supreme Courts precedent-setting decision prohibits one property owner from dictating to another the use of [the latter owners] property, Leesburg Town Attorney Jeanette Irby said after the ruling.

At Sundays ceremony, Hamrick thanked several who had partnered with the church through the process, including Leesburg Mayor Kristen Umstadd, Supervisor Geary Higgins (R-Catoctin), Del. Dave LaRock (R-33), state Sen. Dick Black (R-13) and Del. Randy Minchew (R-10)who sponsored legislation that essentially provides for the same property rights if the Supreme Court hadnt ruled in favor of the town and church. A representative for Supervisor Ken Reid (R-Leesburg), who sat on the Town Council when the rezoning was approved, also was present.

The planned building will include a sanctuary with space to seat 2,000, as well as childrens classrooms and auditoriums for middle and high school students.

Cornerstone Chapel has occupied a 30,000-square-foot building just off Sycolin Road south of Leesburg since 1997, but its gotten logistically tricky to serve the growing congregation. The church holds four services each weekend to accommodate the 3,500-person congregation.

Some Sundays, more than 250 people watch the service via live stream in overflow rooms because not everyone can fit in the sanctuary, Executive Pastor Andy Wagner said.

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Leesburg Church Groundbreaking Follows Years-Long Court Battle

Day of Giving Day of Giving

Updated: Monday, September 22 2014 10:41 AM EDT2014-09-22 14:41:20 GMT

All over Minot today people have been on either the giving or receiving end of the largest single day community service event Minot has ever seen. Melinda Bolton reports on the community-wide service project.

All over Minot today people have been on either the giving or receiving end of the largest single day community service event Minot has ever seen. Melinda Bolton reports on the community-wide service project.

Updated: Sunday, September 21 2014 10:31 PM EDT2014-09-22 02:31:43 GMT

Our Savior Lutheran Church, sits on the south side of Minot and was supposed to go under construction back in 2011, but because the Mouse River flooded, the church opened it's doors as "Hope Village" instead. Three years later they are finally able to put themselves first and get some construction done. The church had a high water table, and flooding issues of its own even before the Mouse waters reached its crest. By creating a new parking lot, and angling the flow future water will take, th...

Our Savior Lutheran Church, sits on the south side of Minot and was supposed to go under construction back in 2011, but because the Mouse River flooded, the church opened it's doors as "Hope Village" instead. Three years later they are finally able to put themselves first and get some construction done. The church had a high water table, and flooding issues of its own even before the Mouse waters reached its crest. By creating a new parking lot, and angling the flow future water will take, th...

Updated: Sunday, September 21 2014 10:28 PM EDT2014-09-22 02:28:59 GMT

Health officials say 17 cases of West Nile Virus have been reported in North Dakota this year. They also say 8 people have been hospitalized and one death has been attributed to the mosquito-borne virus. State health authorities have been monitoring the West Nile virus since 2002 and cases have been reported in every county in North Dakota. Last year, there were 127 West Nile virus cases among humans and also two deaths.

Health officials say 17 cases of West Nile Virus have been reported in North Dakota this year. They also say 8 people have been hospitalized and one death has been attributed to the mosquito-borne virus. State health authorities have been monitoring the West Nile virus since 2002 and cases have been reported in every county in North Dakota. Last year, there were 127 West Nile virus cases among humans and also two deaths.

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Our Savior Lutheran Church Construction

Published: Sun, September 21, 2014 @ 12:01 a.m.

By ROBERT CONNELLY

rconnelly@vindy.com

AUSTINTOWN

The small Log Cabin Church of Austintown at 565 N. Canfield-Niles Road situated itself in 2010 near trees and land that had been for sale for years.

The landscape changed last May, when construction at Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course began construction next door.

An electronic billboard went up, featuring an advertisement for Hollywood Gaming, about 15 feet from the church front door.

Terry and Nancy Snyder decided then to erect a cross that is connected to the Southern Baptist church.

The cross is tall, but not nearly as tall as the billboard.

You have to recognize the fact that to look at that [billboard], they have to see the cross of Jesus Christ sitting right next to it. God has designed things. Nothing is all good, and nothing is all bad, said Terry Snyder, pastor of Log Cabin.

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Churches near racino recommend against gambling

On Sunday, Trinity Lutheran Church in Midland will celebrate with JoDee Hacker not only is it her birthday, but it is also a celebration of her years with Trinity.

JoDee will retire on Sept. 30.

Fifteen years ago was a time of change in the life of Trinity Lutheran Church, 3701 Jefferson Ave. The church had just undergone a huge construction project, which added classrooms and a commercial-grade kitchen to the facilities.

While the changes were a blessing, they brought with them additional responsibilities for the churchs already busy pastors. Enter JoDee Hacker, who became the churchs parish administrator. It was a role that surprised her and one she will be retiring from at the end of this month.

There was an ad in the church bulletin and one of the pastors suggested Id be good at it, Hacker said. I didnt really know that I was qualified, but I decided to interview for the position.

Prior to being hired as the administrator, Hacker had worked in the mental health field with people with disabilities for more than 20 years. It turned out the compassion that was an important part of her job then was just as important for her work with the church.

The beauty of JoDees position is that it really evolved over the years and JoDee gracefully evolved with it, said Rev. Gerald Ferguson, the churchs senior pastor. She really put all her gifts and talents and abilities into it and it makes it hard to replace her.

Hackers role as administrator was really all encompassing- scheduling facility use, making sure everything was in working order, ensuring those using the churchs kitchen had the proper training in food safety, getting city approval for the churchs parsonages, meeting with various local groups to help meet the communitys needs and more.

It started out as taking care of things, like those using the church for weddings and such, Hacker said. So the pastors didnt have to worry about that.

While a lot of the work relied on Hacker being organized and diligent, it was her heart that was a vital part of her work and made her such an asset to the church.

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Hacker retiring at Trinity Lutheran Church in Midland

2014 0916 Church Construction Progress
Progress photo along the Nave, with an overlay of the Interior Design Concept of Arch. Joey Amistoso.

By: ANDOY SALCEDO

Originally posted here:
2014 0916 Church Construction Progress - Video

One of the most visible wounds the Napa earthquake inflicted on the city was its blow to First United Methodist Church specifically to its faade, which was left lurching toward Randolph Street.

On Friday, an array of machinery began painstakingly raising the edge of the roof over the 98-year-old Methodist sanctuary, allowing work crews to shift the front wall to its correct position. Church members said this culmination of two weeks of repairs completes the first stage in shoring up the building, a process expected to require at least six months and more than $1 million.

I dont think the process will be very dynamic, Jon Lander, a member of the Napa Methodist church and liaison to engineers on the repair project, said Thursday. At least I hope its not dynamic, because if it is, something went wrong. We have a big stained-glass window that were trying to protect, which is probably worth more than that whole wall.

A member of First United Methodist and a civil engineer for 39 years, Lander is assisting the Pullman engineering firms Bay Area branch in identifying damage and weak spots in the sanctuary, which opened in 1916.

After the magnitude-6.0 quake extensively damaged several downtown landmarks, the Methodist church at first seemed in danger of losing its front wall, which separated 20 inches from the remaining structure at the roofline. But church and engineering officials determined the wall could be reattached because its construction of wood, lath and plaster made it lighter and more supple than originally believed.

Repairs began nearly two weeks ago, and will move to their second stage Monday, according to Lander. Starting next week, workers will open church walls to analyze the structure and determine whether new structural supports are needed, and where. The inquiry is expected to help engineers refine the cost estimate by mid-October.

In the absence of architect Luther Turtons plans for the Napa Methodist church, engineers are studying another Methodist sanctuary of similar age and design in Sebastopol to guide the repair effort, Lander said.

In the days after the quake, the church contacted the Napa County Historical Society in hopes of finding the plans among Turtons collected blueprints, according to Nancy Levenberg, the societys executive director. However, the historical societys archive at the downtown Goodman Library has been red-tagged and off limits due to earthquake damage.

The church expects to receive financial help with repairs from other Methodist congregations in the region, Lander said. In addition, the church may use this event to perform some desired modernization, he said.

Church offices in an attached annex have reopened, along with the Hope Resource Center, which shares a natural gas connection with the church and lost service after the earthquake. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is expected to give the center its own gas connection by next weekend to allow the center to offer hot showers.

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Methodist church reattaches wall to sanctuary