Dear All,

Happy Feast Day!  Today, before the Liturgy for the Feast of the Cross, the surveyor came and planted many,many more stakes on all four sides of the church in preparation for the bulldozing.  I found the placement of the stakes on this exact Feast Day to be highly symbolic and meaningful for us as a parish.  I think it is a "sign" from God.  Please read on--

In Greek, the word for "stake" is "stavros".  "Stavros" is also the Greek word for "cross".  (It is written as such on the holy icons.)   So...today in church, as we remembered the Holy "Stravos" (the Holy Cross, the Holy "Stake") of our Lord, we noticed that our whole church property had been marked (staked) quite literally with the "sign of the Stavros" (the sign of the Cross, the sign of the stake).  

When we mark our body with the sign of the cross, we are "staking out" our mind and body and soul as the property of the Lord--His dedicated Dominion--where the devil has no ownership nor invitation.

I saw this timing of the placement of the sitework stakes on the Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross as a Providential Sign from God informing us that things are going along under His Control.  This should encourage us. Let us keep faith and keep praying.  It reminds me of the day when we won the variance ruling--which, if you remember, was St. Michael's Day.  Another good sign from Heaven that God is with us in this big undertaking that we are doing for His glory, for His Kingdom.  Let's keep up the good work--God is working with us!

Concerning the use of the church hall for the contractor, it is a good idea.  If you all agree, it has my blessing too.  However, practically speaking, who will open up the door for the contractor whenever he needs it?  Do we simply trust him with a key?  Or, do we give him some cell phone numbers of folks to call to open it up for him?  I would be happy to unlock the door whenever I am here, but sometimes I am running out and about to the hospital or parishioners' homes, etc.

Love in Christ,

Fr. Andrew Anderson