Greetings to you all!

I am writing to request your assistance in replacing our existing church building with a new one either through making a financial donation, providing building or materials contacts, or joining in our work parties. We especially ask your prayers.

St. Nicholas Church building is a wooden structure approximately 100 years old and has deteriorated enough that it needs extensive repairs, so much so that it will be more cost-effective to build a replacement. Our building, which we own outright, is 20 feet wide x 50 feet long, and 1,000 square feet in area. It has been used for different purposes over its life, and as a church for over 50 years now. Unfortunately, the building has not been consistently maintained or improved over the years and thus we find ourselves with a growing parish and a deteriorating building.

As for the life of the parish, approximately 30-40 attend each Sunday. Our services are primarily in English with a varying selection of Slavonic hymns and litanies; we always sing the Our Father and the Creed in both languages. Our parishioners are a mix of Russians, Ukrainians, Polish and Americans, some of whom are life-long Orthodox and some who have entered the Orthodox Church later in life.

Our architect is Nicholas Semyanko, son of Archpriest Andrei. Nicholas is an experienced professional who is helping with the design and construction of the new church building. He estimates a cost of $500,000 for an approximately 2,000 square foot temple with a finished basement. We plan to construct the new building next to the existing church and remove the old church when the new one is finished. We have secured plot plan approval from the town and we will need building plan approval before we begin. Over the past 4 years we have received approximately $75,000 toward rebuilding; we hope to raise an additional $60,000 before we break ground so as to secure our investment in season before the following winter. We hope to break ground in the spring of 2008 since our roof leaks badly and our floor is sagging. His Grace Bishop Gabriel has given his blessing for us to make this request. We will be reaching outto the greater community as well as our Orthodox brethren wherever we can.

Priest Brendan Crowley