Groundbreaking October 28, 2000

Assumption Greek Orthodox Church holds Groundbreaking Ceremony with His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony

 

Photo Journal of Groundbreaking

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona, July, 2000 - On Sunday, May 28, His Eminence Metropolitan Anthony of San Francisco joined Rev. Andrew J. Barakos and the community of Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in a blessing of the foundation for the new Church at 8202 East Cactus Rd. Scottsdale, AZ. The ceremony began at 11:15 AM and was followed by a champagne Brunch at the Camelback Inn, Scottsdale.

The community of Assumption began its first service August 15, 1988 with 50 families in a small house at 82nd Street and Cactus Road. The community has now grown to over 300 families. One does not have to be of Greek decent to be a member of the church in fact, much of the growth is from those who have converted from other Christian traditions.

The 10,000 square foot Church accommodates 375 people comfortably under a spacious dome and sacred art known as Iconography. The form and shape of the Church building is designed on biblical teachings. Many of the early forms of Christian worship have been preserved unchanged in the Orthodox Church. The worship is celebrated with congregational singing and is primarily in English. The Lord's Prayer is said in English and biblical Greek. The worship conducted by Orthodox Christians is patterned after what has been revealed biblically as heavenly worship. It has been remarked that when experiencing the worship of Orthodox Christians, one does not know whether they are in heaven or on earth.