Hello again, everyone! As I've mentioned in the recent past, on Monday, between 1-3 PM here in Utah, the Church has been announcing major temple updates. Today is no exception, as the site location and preliminary information have been confirmed for the Grand Rapids Michigan Temple, yet another US temple announced last month by President Nelson. Let's break down the details:
The Grand Rapids Michigan Temple will be a single-story edifice of approximately 20,000 square feet that will be built at 2400 Forest Hill Avenue in Grand Rapids on a 10.5-acre site. Detailed plans are still being developed, and the rendering will be released and a groundbreaking scheduled (either separately or at the same time) at a later date.
Given the fact that the square footage of this temple is exactly twice the size of the modular temples in Helena Montana, Casper Wyoming, and Elko Nevada, it occurred to me to wonder if the Church might expand that modular design to this temple. If that turns out to be the plan, it will be interesting to see how the larger modular components might work. And in that case, that temple could be built in 2.75-3.25 years at the most.
It will be interesting to see what happens there. In the meantime, I have updated my document showing the status of announced temples which have not yet had any information officially confirmed. In summary of that document, of the 72 currently-announced temples, there are 50 remaining for which we do not have official information. If any of you have any questions about that document, feel free to ask them here.
While I was preparing this update, the Newsroom provided a new home page for the latest temple updates, so that will be an important resource for all of us going forward. I was grateful for this update, despite the fact that it only pertained to a single temple. I continue to monitor all other temple updates and Church news developments and will bring word of those to you all here as I receive it. In the meantime, that does it for now. Thank you for the privilege of your time.
All comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as the offered feedback is made per the established guidelines. I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. If you enjoyed what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly added content, please feel free to subscribe. Until my next post, I wish each one of you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.
The Church News also covered this development:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2022/11/7/23439337/site-location-released-for-grand-rapids-michigan-temple
You'll see that the report in question is timestamped 3:15 PM, which means that for the first time that I can recall, I covered a development before the Church News reported on it. I thought that was an interesting situationn I should acknowledge, but hope it doesn't come off as self-congratulatory or arrogant. My thanks once again to you all.
Also, at some point in the recent past, the Church Temples site page for the Kumasi Ghana Temple changed the wording on its' status from "site location unknown" to "no site location announced". Other temples using the latter wording on its' status have a prospective site identified on their pages. Prime examples include the temples in Kaohsiung Taiwan, Tacloban City Philippines, and Lone Mountain Nevada:
Deletehttps://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/kaohsiung-taiwan-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/kaohsiung-taiwan-temple/photographs/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/tacloban-city-philippines-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/tacloban-city-philippines-temple/photographs/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/lone-mountain-nevada-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/lone-mountain-nevada-temple/photographs/
My reason for mentioning this is that for each temple, only one spot is mentioned as a candidate site. So if we look now at the Kumasi Ghana Temple photograph gallery, what do we see?
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/kumasi-ghana-temple/photographs/
Aside from the Google image and the shots of Elder Larry S. Kacher presenting a rendering of the temple to the king of the Kumasi region, the only other photograph shown is the empty lot of land behind the Dichesmo chapel:
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/kumasi-ghana-temple/photographs/#Construction-6
So, in my opinion, that suggests that the empty lot very well could be (and likely will be) the location of the Kumasi Ghana Temple. So aside from a groundbreaking announcement for the Cape Town South Africa Temple, the next announcement about any temple in Africa is likely to be something official on the Kumasi temple.
The big question is, would the Church just start with confirming the location, confirming the location and releasing the rendering at the same time, or possibly confirming the location, releasing the rendering, and setting a groundbreaking all at the same time? And as a more minor point of order, what might the window be on the groundbreaking for that temple? Only time may tell. For now, my thanks once again to you all.
And here is one more report from the Church News:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/global/2022/11/7/23445196/church-support-unhcr-afghanistan-vulnerable-families-refugees-cold-weather
My thanks once again to you all.
Hello again, everyone! On this Tuesday, which coincides with Election Day in the United States, the Newsroom and the Church News have shared the following updates:
ReplyDeletehttps://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/refugees-meet-with-elder-and-sister-holland-in-germany
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2022/11/8/23444122/elder-jeffrey-r-holland-ukrainian-refugees-germany-things-are-going-to-be-ok
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/elder-stevenson-r-20-bali-indonesia-summary
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2022/11/8/23438214/elder-gary-e-stevenson-r20-forum-indonesia-all-alike-unto-god
https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/president-johnson-ministers-to-new-mothers-during-chicago-citywide-community-baby-shower
https://www.thechurchnews.com/podcast/2022/11/8/23447083/what-the-american-family-survey-reveals-about-family-marriage-episode-109
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2022/11/8/23445998/church-creates-asl-board-of-education-to-support-deaf-youth-and-young-adults
My thanks once again to you all.
And on this Wednesday, each of the following new updates speak for themselves:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2022/11/9/23429047/primary-general-presidency-new-resources-for-helping-children-and-youth-understand-covenants
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2022/11/9/23447924/ringing-in-the-season-with-the-bells-at-temple-square-concert-2022
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2022/11/9/23448323/elder-andersen-byu-pathway-devotional-believe-in-yourself-trust-in-the-lord
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2022/11/9/23448894/elder-bednar-provo-mtc-devotional-put-christ-first
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2022/11/9/23448387/elder-holland-germany-gospel-of-jesus-christ-is-the-answer
https://news-africa.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/sister-porter-and-sister-craig-visit-with-muslim-women-leaders
https://news-nz.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/apostle-brings-message-of-faith--hope-and-love-to-new-zealand
My thanks once again to you all.
James, I've seen your many comments on Growth of the Church blog, and have chatted back and forth about the Grand Junction Temple. With that intro, I wonder if you have any personal knowledge of how a new temple presidency manages to train all their workers before the temple opens. Having served as an ordinance worker for about 4 years, knowing what the learning curve is, I'm very curious how it is possible to have enough well trained workers to start operating a temple. I have noticed that temple presidents are often called up to a year or more before expected completion. With no dedicated space within which to practice, how do workers get ready for day #1?
ReplyDeleteNancy, since you are the one I've talked to in the past on the Church Growth Blog about the Grand Junction Colorado Temple, I'm going to hope I'm correct in assuming that this question comes from you. In regards to your question, when I served as a temple worker between 2006 and 2012, we generally trained within the walls of the temple. As a general rule, temple workers are recommeded for training every few months or so. That would be no different for a new temple. Once a new temple presidency has been called and set apart in their roles, they are then authorized to call and set apart ordinance workers. They send out recommendation forms for bishops in the wards of the new temple district, and the bishops in turn meet with individuals.
DeleteBecause of the way setting up new temples works in the Church, it is more than likely that there will be individuals working at a current temple who will be shifted to the new temple once it is completed. But the members of a new temple presidency who interview individuals desiring to serve in the temple who have not previously done so can conduct those interviews and the associated training for new workers in any available meetinghouse, in coordination with building schedulers within the temple district.
The calling, setting apart, and training of new temple workers for a temple awaiting dedication does not need to happen within the walls of the temple. Parenthetically, I should also note that for the first several years I served as a temple worker, the quarterly training I went to was held in the temple, but at some point during the remainder of my six years, since the temple would usually undergo weekly cleaning on Saturday after the temple closed to patrons, in order to keep the temple in pristine shape for the following week, those training sessions were relocated to and conducted in the adjacent meetinghouse.
So a similar arrangement would apply in the case of new temples, where the temple presidency could call and set apart new workers in any available meetinghouse where those meetings are able to be accomodated, with the same arrangement applying to the initial training prior to the dedication of those temples. Hope that answers your questions, Nancy. Let me know if you have any others.
James, that does indeed answer my question, and yes, I'm Nancy. I assumed because of the sacred nature of the training that it would be best undertaken within the walls of a temple, but your comments make tons of sense. Thanks!
DeleteNo problem, Nancy! I have been interested in temple construction since the early 2000s, and I've been tracking information about new temple leaders for the last several years. I'm grateful that through tracking those updates I have been able to address questions like the ones you asked. With the current supply chain issues impacting the completion of temples at the top of the construction queue, I will be intrigued to see how the timing for upcoming temple dedications and rededications work out. Thanks again, Nancy, for your inquiry. Glad to hear my answers were helpful.
DeleteI figured that training new workers would take place in the nearest temple. Such as in Utah or Idaho and other U.S. temples, where the nearest temple is relatively close. But what about new remote temples such as when the ones in Kiribati or Vanuatu are built where travel to the nearest temple is cost prohibited? I guess using meetinghouses may work.
ReplyDeleteThe one issue with the Church using space in an existing temple to prepare people to work in a new temple would be that doing so might interfere with the normal function for patrons and workers attending that temple that day. Take the Provo and Provo City Center Temples. If the incoming workers at Provo City Center were trained at the Provo Temple, operations in the Provo Temple would have been interrupted. The only way around that would be having the Provo Temple closed while the new City Center workers were trained.
DeleteSomething else to consider: Most of the temples currently announced or under construction are a fair distance from the nearest operating temples, which would make training in the existing temples a hardship for many, which is why those new temples are being built in the first place.
With those two considerations in mind, it is definitely more practical and feasible for temple presidencies to set apart and train workers for new temples in selected meetinghouses as scheduling allows.
Just some additional thoughts. Thanks.
What about the time between the handing over of the keys following construction and the open house? Or the time between the open house and dedication? (Other than some cleaning and prep work, would this be a good time for training?). I have also seen that the amount of time may vary for when a temple opens for ordinance work following a dedication. (I've seen anywhere from only a day to about week or two) If there is a nearby temple(such as when Provo City Center was dedicated) I would guess that many of the temple workers are already trained as their wards and stakes transfer to the new temple. The only thing I wonder is for new workers in existing temples. Could they train on Mondays when many temples are closed. Only a few are open on Mondays and usually only a half day. Other temples (usually smaller ones) are only open for ordinance work a few days a week, so I think those down times may be good for training.
ReplyDeleteChris, when a new temple is handed over from the construction crew back to the Church, with the Temple Department needing to focus on furnishing the temples and cleaning them prior to the public open house, and with the need to do final cleaning between the conclusion of the open house and a subsequent dedication would make it impractical for the temple presidency to use the temple in any way before its' dedication.
DeleteAnd protocol surrounding the dedications of Church buildings would make it impractical for the Church to train individuals to do the sacred work that occurs within temple walls in any spaces that have not yet been dedicated. There is a sequential sense in that.
But since the Church has a week or two following a temple dedication and when it is first open to patrons, that would be the time to bring incoming workers for training. But that doesn't mean that initial training of those called and set apart to work in temples cannot be set apart and receive initial training in nearby chapels.
And yes, days on which temples are not open to patrons, or in areas when they may be only open a few days a week would be prime windows of time for training both existing and new workers. Temple workers are usually required to attend training every 3-4 months or so, regardless of how long they've been serving. Since temple ordinances are to be done with exactness, exactness would also be the standard for the how, where, when and how often workers need to be trained.
But until a temple is properly dedicated by someone with apostolic keys, an undedicated temple wouldn't be used for any purpose, training or otherwise. Hope that helps.
Hello again, everyone! On what has been a busy Friday for me, the Church News has shared the following 6 updates, which each speak for themselves:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2022/11/11/23452907/first-presidency-sunday-meeting-schedule-adjustments-christmas-2022-new-years-day-2023
https://www.thechurchnews.com/members/2022/11/11/23445683/west-point-glee-club-tabernacle-choir-temple-square-veterans-day
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2022/11/11/23452163/elder-rasband-in-brazil-facebook-live-videos
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2022/11/11/23452231/president-porter-sister-craig-minister-in-ghana-africa-national-mosque
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2022/11/11/23453607/nephi-disciples-minister-americas-resurrected-savior-visit-book-of-mormon-videos
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2022/11/11/23452326/all-saints-day-elder-holland-visit-brings-light-sweden-missionaries
The latest edition of “This Week on Social” was also published this evening while I was preparing to share these updates with you:
https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2022/11/11/23447297/this-week-on-social-elder-holland-love-god
The following general leaders from whom the content was featured this week included Elders Jeffrey R. Holland (from whom two posts were featured), Dieter F. Uchtdorf, D. Todd Christofferson, Ronald A. Rasband, and Gary E. Stevenson, all of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; Relief Society General President Sister Camille N. Johnson and her Second Counselor, Sister Kristin M. Yee; Young Women General President Sister Bonnie H. Cordon and her First Counselor, Sister Michelle D. Craig; and Brother Bradley R. (Brad) Wilcox, Second Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency.
Additionally, status updates have been noted today on the Saratoga Springs Utah, Puebla Mexico, Casper Wyoming, Grand Junction Colorado, and Davao Philippines Temples:
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/saratoga-springs-utah-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/puebla-mexico-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/casper-wyoming-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/grand-junction-colorado-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/davao-philippines-temple/
My thanks once again to you all.
I failed to mention in my one comment yesterday that my wife and I had both received our flu shots and next COVID-19 vaccines, so I've had to take some time today to regroup from that. But the Church News has reported three new developmets today:
Deletehttps://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2022/11/12/23449704/scott-taylor-why-arizona-and-new-zealand-are-among-my-sacred-grounds-where-are-yours
https://www.thechurchnews.com/global/2022/11/12/23450097/meetup-in-brazil-connects-youth-young-single-adults
https://www.thechurchnews.com/living-faith/2022/11/12/23453922/music-the-spoken-word-timely-and-timeless-values-west-point-academy
And although I am still in the process of checking for other temple construction updates, at this point, I am pleased to confirm that not only has construction been completed on the Columbus Ohio Temple, but that that is also the case for both the Saratoga Springs Utah and Richmond Virginia Temples, as reflected in new updates from the pages for those temples on the Church of Jesus Christ Temples site:
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/columbus-ohio-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/saratoga-springs-utah-temple/
https://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/richmond-virginia-temple/
Although my gut instinct seems to be to assume that the rededication for the temple in Columbus is still likely to be set for the last two weeks in March or the second Sunday in April, and that the Saratoga Springs and Richmond dedications are likely to follow later in April, it might be possible for one, two, or all three temples to be dedicated/rededicated by the weekend of the April 2023 General Conference, or the week after that. If the rededication and the two dedications are set to occur earlier than I have suggested, that could lead to an acceleration of the completion of other temples potentially as well. I will be sure to pass along any other temple construction updates once I learn of them. For now, my thanks once again to you all.