BREAKING TEMPLE NEWS: Latest Phased Reopening Updates Released

Note: This post was originally published on this blog at 10:20 AM. Subsequent content was added between 12:30 and 1:00 PM.

Hello again, everyone! Although I had published an initial version of this post here at 10:20 AM,  some of the Church News articles covering that development were not yet available at that time, and I had another commitment to tend to this morning, so, on the heels of this morning's announcement of the revised reopening dates for the Washington D.C. Temple, temple reopening update were first provided in this official release from the Newsroom. Those updates were subsequently also shared in the latest update from the Church News, and were further reflected in the weekly reopening status tracker. Let's get right into those details.

First, the temples in Caracas Venezuela, Manaus Brazil, Tijuana Mexico, and Vancouver British Columbia have reopened or will soon reoepen in phase 3, which allows for the performance of all living ordiances in priority order, and the scheduling of limited proxy work. Meanwhile, the Church has announced that the Fortaleza Brazil Temple could transition to phase 2-B, allowing ordinances for the living in priority order, and proxy baptisms by appointment, as early as August 2. And the Sydney Australia Temple, which had reached phase 3 in its reopening, has had to puuse operations due to COVID-19 conditions and restrictions.

And three more temples in North America could reopen in phase 3 anytime between now and the ned of next month. Those three are the Toronto Ontario Temple in the North America Northeast Area, and the Medford Oregon and Spokane Washington Temples  in the North America West Area. As of next Monday (July 26), these adjustments will result in the following breakdown of temples reoepning in each phase:

8 are closed for major renovations (6 of which have been granted phase 3 designation, allowing ordinances for the living in priority order and limited proxy ordinances as scheduled); 10 temples are currently "paused" in their reopenings (6 of those had reached phase 3, with 1 in phase 2-B and the remaining 3 in phase 2); 3 are operating in phase 1; with 10 in phase 2; 17 others are in phase 2-B; and the remaining 120 are now operating in phase 3.

As always, I remain continuously grateful for the measured approaach the Brethren have taken to carefully transition temples to the next phases of operation, while allowing COVID-19 conditions to inform their choices about pausing or stepping back any of the temples in their reopening. Each week, the Church is getting all the more close to a return to normal temple operations, and that is very much a reason to rejoice.

For my part, I continue to monitor all Church news updates and temple developments, and will be sure to pass word of those along to you all as I become aware thereof. That does it for now. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such comments are made in accordance with the established guidelines. Thank you for the privilege of your time. 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.

BREAKING TEMPLE NEWS: Reopening Dates Set for the Washington D.C. Temple

Hello again, everyone! Although I anticipate the weekly announcement of temple reopenings any time now, other breaking temple news has been announced by the Church. Following a nearly 2-year delay due to COVID-19 conditions, revised reopening dates have been reset for the Washington D.C. Temple Let's break down the particulars. The Church has announced that a media day will occur on April 18, 2022, with VIP/private tours from April 19-April 27. 

Following those tours, the temple will reopen to the public for a rough 6-week period (from April 28-June 4, excluding the relevant Sundays).  There will be a youth devotional held on June 18, followed by the rededication of the temple the next day in 3 sessions (at 9:00 AM, 12:00 PM, and 3:00 PM), The youth devotional and rededication will be broadcast to all meetinghouses in the the Wasshington D.C. Temple district.

Interestingly enough, the news release does not mention who will preside at the youth devetional and templei rededication. I was a little surprised that the rededication of this temple will only occur in mid-June of next year, but ive view of the extended open house, it does make sense. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, the Church will likely make its' temple reopeneing announcements for the week in the next little while, which I will pass along to you all as I receive that information.

That does it for now. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such comments are made in accordance with the established guidelines. Thank you for the privilege of your time. 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. 

BREAKING TEMPLE NEWS: Church Confirms the Preliminary Details for the Yorba Linda California Temple

Hello again, everyone! This morning the Church has confirmed the location and preliminary plans for the Yorba Linda California Temple. Let's break down the details. The single-story temple (anticipated to be roughly 30,000 square feet) will rise on a 5.4 acre site on the corners of Osmond Street and Bastanchuury Road. Representatives from the Church will work on the approvals process for that temple alongside government leaders, but this very well could mean another temple that is likely to have a groundbreaking later this year. 

With today's announcement, the only US temples announced earlier this year which have not had preliminary information confirmed are the Eugene Oregon and Ephraim Utah Temples, but I imagine word on the locations and preliminary details for thoesse temples will come down the pike at some point between now and the end of this month. In any case, I'd anticipate that the Church will have a very busy second half of 2021.

By way of review, the Church now has 14 temples in the queue which could conceivably have their groundbreakings during the second half of this month. With the information for most US temples being announced in stages, as has been the case lately, that does make it difficult to figure out what the timing of the next announcements (exterior renderings and groundbreaking arrangements) might turn out to be for each of these temples. which in turn will impact the construction time-frames.

Having said that, Iam grateful for the Church's approach here, which has been very measured for the time being, and I look forward to passing something more official on any of those temples along to you all once that is announced.  In the meantine I continue to monitor all Church news updates and temple developments and will be sure to bring word of those to you all here as well.

That does it for now. Any and all comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated, on any post at any time, as long as such comments are made in accordance with the established guidelines. Thank you for the privilege of your time. 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.