Church is being built on miracles

SPRING HILL - Miracles keep happening for Christ the Savior Greek Orthodox Church, says the Rev. Stanley Harakas.

Greek Orthodox dignitaries from as far away as Atlanta and others from the Tampa Bay area, as well as local congregants, broke ground Sunday for a new church along Anderson Snow Road.

The 5-year-old congregation, designated as the Hellenic Orthodox Mission of Hernando County, had been gathering in the chapel at a former religious youth camp on Olympic Village Lane off Sunshine Grove Road.

The site had been donated by a church foundation when Harakas accepted the assignment from a metropolis bishop to evolve the mission into a church in 2002.

The congregation now numbers about 75 families with 120 adults.

"We put up the property for sale in late 2003 because we felt where we were located was invisible and inaccessible," Harakas said. "We asked about $800,000 for the property of 20 acres because we thought that was the minimum we needed to build. Nobody bought it.

"One day, in a rather strange way, a gentleman appeared and said we should try to sell it for $400,000," the priest continued. "And he said he would give us $300,000 as a donation.

"He said he would build us a church for $700,000, and if there were any cost overruns he would pay for it."

The donor, not a member of the congregation, has asked to remain anonymous. Also, the 4.75-acre property along Anderson Snow Road, across from the county recreation complex, has been donated.

"Am I telling you a miracle or not?" said Harakas. "It is kind of a miracle because it's something no one would have anticipated."

The new facility, including a church, social hall and offices, has been given a $100,000 boost to construct the hall in the names of Gus and Alice Marty, late residents of Spring Hill.

South Capital Construction Inc. of Palm Harbor has been contracted to build the 7,500-square-foot facility. The firm is currently filing for building permits. Completion of construction is expected in 12 to 15 months.

Said Harakas in a newsletter to parishioners: "The building will have a finished exterior and interior, floor coverings and everything needed for a certificate of occupancy.

"It does not include church-related items appropriate to Orthodox worship."

Harakas said that "if the highest-best-use monetary worth of the new location is included in these agreements, the (planning and building) committee estimates that the value of these new facilities would significantly exceed $1-million."

"The wonderful thing is that we will be building without a mortgage," he added.

The congregation has free use of the Olympic Village chapel until the new church is completed.

Taking part in the groundbreaking was His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta. The two days of ceremonies included vespers with invited priests, an Otheros service, a Hierarchical Liturgy, a reception and a buffet.

Beth Gray can be contacted at graybethn@earthlink.net.