August 2008, Houston TX - In three short months, our future enclave has come alive!  The four graceful steel skeletons seen in the May 2008 aerial photo have been transformed into instantly recognizable structures that hint at the beauty still to come:  now framed with arches, enclosed with yellow sheathing and sealed with black moisture protection, our sanctuary, chapel, administration building, and bell tower are being readied for the installation of the magnificent exterior stone walls.   High atop the upper roof, twenty-four windows are in place, and a grand gallery of windows occupies almost the entire North Wall, closest to the existing building.

Already, the chapel’s interior dome has been installed, and the interior domes for the sanctuary are in crates in the existing building awaiting their final resting places high atop the center of the nave, and above the chanter’s and choir areas.  Inside the sanctuary, chapel, and administration building, tradesmen are busy installing interior framing and sheathing, while still others are occupied with plumbing, electrical wiring, air conditioning, and fire sprinklers.  Across the United States, artisans are busy in their workshops crafting our iconostasis, painting icons that will transform the interior sanctuary and chapel walls, and creating the stone columns that will uplift us by their timeless beauty.  Our pews have been ordered, and the stone travertine that will line the sanctuary and chapel floors will be on its way from the eastern Mediterranean shortly. 

Outside, our brick paver platea, with its striking Greek key design, unites the four structures of our enclave, even as it evokes thousand-year-old village plazas. (The July 2008 aerial photo provides a unique birds’-eye view of the Greek key).  The platea’s rich hues are mirrored in the sienna-colored clay roof tiles that already adorn the upper roof of our sanctuary and that are presently being installed on the other three structures.

In all, there is a tremendous amount of daily activity centered on creating our vision, now!

May 2008, Houston TX - Delivery of the structural steel for the main sanctuary commenced on April 21 and installation began immediately.  The cement walkway underneath the colonnades was poured, and the Platea area was prepared for installation of the pavers.  During May, additional framing for the sanctuary will be installed and the paving of the Platea should be completed.

April 2008, Houston TX - Structural steel for the chapel, administration building and bell tower was delivered on March 17 and has been erected.  Installation of additional framing for these structures has also begun.

March 2008, Houston TX - The stone that will be used for construction has been delivered and is being stored in an enclosure on the north end of the west parking lot. Nearly 220 tons have been delivered to date, about one-third of the total amount needed to complete our project.  The two types of stone to be used are called Castle Rubble Rock and Austin Brown, and come from a quarry in Austin.

On the south side of the construction trailer, there is an example of what the outside walls of the sanctuary will look like when completed.