Exciting news from the Church today. In a windfall announcement, plans to renovate 4 temples of the Church were made public. Renovations for the Memphis Tennessee, Oklahoma City Oklahoma, and Tokyo Japan Temples will all start about six months from now, in October 2017. One month later, the fourth temple, the Asuncion Paraguay Temple will close. All of these renovations are anticipated to take different lengths of time. For the Tennessee, Oklahoma and Paraguay temples, these renovations are expected to last until sometime in 2019 (though based on previous patterns, it has been fairly easy to predict when those rededications might happen). In the meantime, the renovation of the Tokyo Temple is anticipated to last until sometime in 2020.
So let's talk some specifics. All of the temples are closing for seismic and systemic upgrades. And, with the previous renovations that have been announced to start in February (for the Oakland California Temple) and for March (for the Washington DC Temple) next year, it is awesome that these other four are likewise scheduled for renovation, and that they will begin the process of renovation several months in advance of the other two.
The Memphis Tennessee Temple is the 80th operating temple of the Church. Announced in September 1998 as part of President Gordon B. Hinckley's efforts to have 100 temples by the end of 2000, it had a groundbreaking about 4 months later, and a dedication on April 23, 2000, by President James E. Faust. This will be the first renovation for this temple, and I fully anticipate that we will see it rededicated sometime during early-to-mid 2019. The Church has stated that the Nashville Tennessee Temple will be one of the neighboring temples that will accommodate the Saints from this district during the renovation process. I will keep an eye on developments with this renovation and readjust things as necessary.
The Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple is the 95th operating temple of the Church. Announced in March 1999, it had a groundbreaking 4 months later. President James E. Faust also dedicated this temple, and that dedication was held on July 30, 2000 (as one of the few exceptions for temple events that have occurred during the month of July, which has been for years the traditional recess month for our apostles). Given that it is so relatively new, this is a first renovation for this temple as well. Based on previous precedent for temple renovations, I am predicting and anticipating that the renovation will be finished and a rededication held sometime around mid-2019. In the meantime, neighboring temples will accommodate those in the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple district, including the Dallas Texas Temple.
The Tokyo Japan Temple is the oldest of those six that will have a renovation done at around this same time, and is the Church's 18th operating temple. Announced in August 1975, construction commenced without a formal groundbreaking in April 1978, and a dedication was subsequently held in October 1980, during the administration of President Spencer W. Kimball. Since this temple is anticipated to take longer to renovate, I believe that we will see this rededication held sometime around early-to-mid 2020, around the same time period in which I am predicting we will see the rededication for the the Washington DC Temple, during early-to-mid 2020. During the renovation process, the other two Japanese temples (Fukuoka, dedicated in 2000, and Sapporo, dedicated just last year) will serve the Saints that reside in the Tokyo district.
The Asuncion Paraguay Temple, which will commence the renovation process in November, a month after these other three above, is also the only one of these four that was dedicated most recently. It was announced during the April 2000 General Conference, had a groundbreaking 10 months later, and was dedicated 1.25 years after that, on May 19, 2002, becoming the 112th operating temple of the Church. In spite of this renovation being started a month after the other three, it is anticipated to last for a minimum of a year. Based on previous patterns, I have felt that we will see this rededication at some point during mid-to-late 2019. While this renovation is going on, other South American temples, which are in good supply, will serve the Saints in this temple district.
If you are curious to know more about what specifically will be involved in these renovations, please click here. More to come, including a couple of other posts that this news has made necessary, in a minute. Comments are always welcome. Thank you.
Monday, April 10, 2017
Renovations Announced for 4 Temples starting later this year
I have had a lifelong love for Church history, which has extended to ongoing reports of the ministry of our apostles and prophets, General Conference, and all temple developments. This blog enables me to share that love with all who read my thoughts on these developments, which are sometimes reported multiple times per day as needed.
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