Bishop of Chicago and the Diocese of the Midwest

Name: His Eminence, Archbishop Job
Job:Bishop of Chicago and the Diocese of the Midwest
Email: chancellor@midwestdiocese.org

Beloved in the Lord:

It is with great joy that I greet you with the kiss of peace on the glorious day of consecration of the temple which has been renewed and beautified to the glory of God and in honor of the Holy Evangelist Luke.

The church building has been the center of worship, fellowship. Education and stewardship for several years in and around Palos Hills. The consecration of the temple implies its final setting apart from the rest of life with its earthly cares in order to dedicate it fully to God. It may be regarded as the "Amen" to years of dedication and commitment to the building up of the Body of Christ, both inwardly -- in terms of spiritual growth, and outwardly -- with regard to the mission of the Church to the greater community. As a Church building is never truly "completed," for there is always room for another icon, another lampada, etc., its consecration must be regarded not as completion but rather as "beginning," as inauguration of renewed and continued growth, as a time of rededication to doing God's work within and for beyond the parish. This "Amen" is comparable to that which follows the first exclamation of every Divine Service. It is the "Amen" of beginning!

I am grateful to Our Lord Jesus Christ that I have been at least, in a small way, part of this renewal, and that I am afforded the blessing to add my own "Amen" to this beginning.

May the Lord bless you from Zion; may you see the good things of Jerusalem all the days of your life.