Church Construction Update - July 2023
Glory be to God, since our last update we have made significant progress on the new church. Most of the masonry work is complete, including both the exterior shell of the building as well as the seventeen interior arches and the multitude of columns which richly adorn the inner space of the church. Craftsmen have poured the concrete for the wraparound porch and the outside stairway connecting the upper and lower levels, and are now adding the final touches to the masonry work. Even more exciting, however, are the beautiful Douglas Fir roof timbers that have now been erected. Now that they are in place, we hope to move as quickly as possible to installing the roofing, putting in the doors and windows, applying the plaster finish to the outer walls, and completing the domes and cupolas. If we are able with God’s help to accomplish these things by year’s end, the church will be dried in and the interior work can then begin.
The biggest challenge to these goals remains funding. In February, we wrote that we had enough monetary resources to keep the construction going until early summer. By God’s grace and your support we proved able to continue past that point, with funds still remaining in the bank. However, there are now several very large expenses coming due, including both the final installment for the roof timbers and the entire payment for the exterior roof itself. These costs will nearly exhaust the remainder of our funds. Once that happens, we will be forced to halt construction until God provides the means to continue.
We will continue putting aside every cent we can from the monastery’s business income, but we now also plead with each of you to prayerfully consider contributing to our building fund. While a one-time donation will help us in the immediate future, in the long term establishing a recurring monthly donation will help us even more. Our website (holycross.org) allows you to easily set up an automatic draft from your credit card or bank account. Consistent, regular monthly donations (whether large or small) are the best way to help us continue our labors in founding English-speaking Orthodox monasticism in America.
Please keep us in your prayers as we work to build this temple in which generations of monks from all jurisdictions will be able to pray to God each day for all of you.
Fabulous progress, every blessing for its completion.
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