As reported last month, the parish originally planned to vote at a special meeting on May 18 on a $160,000 Archdiocesan loan proposal for the construction of the Chapel of the Holy Spirit in Beavertown. However, the May 18 meeting was postponed because several concerns were raised about the specific terms of the financing agreement.
To address these concerns and to give the parish more flexibility in the process, the Parish Council met on May 21. After discussing and documenting the issues with the original proposal, the Council moved to cancel the May assembly and call for a new meeting of the entire parish. It is scheduled for Sunday, June 22 following the Divine Liturgy at both Holy Trinity and the Chapel.
The Parish Council has called for a special meeting to be held Sunday, June 22 following the Divine Liturgy to be held at both Holy Trinity and the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. The sole agenda item will be to vote on a new resolution pertaining to construction project financing for a church building in Beavertown.
It differs considerably from the previous one under consideration at the meeting that was cancelled. While the original resolution specified loan terms to be voted on by the parish meeting, the new resolution delegates all negotiating power to the Parish Council. If terms are met to the satisfaction of all parties, especially the Chapel faithful, the Council will engage the loan. The new resolution also authorizes the council to seek other lenders besides the Archdiocese, if necessary. This process is the same one the parish used when it authorized the Council to act in its behalf to obtain the loan for the remodeling the church in 2006.
The resolution is as follows:
I. The Parish authorizes the Parish Council to:
a. Enter into immediate negotiations with the Archdiocese or other appropriate lending agency for a loan in an amount not to exceed $160,000 to build the Chapel of the Holy Spirit on the property in Beavertown; with
b. terms that are the most advantageous both to the Chapel and to the parish corporation as a whole; and in such case, to
c. enter into a loan agreement in accordance with those terms and communicate the results to congregation membership by post.
II. Voting shall take place at both Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, State College and at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, Beavertown, as permitted by parish bylaws (Art. III, Sec. 3-D).
III. The special meeting shall commence immediately upon the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy in both locations.
For more information, please contact info@holytrinity-oca.org.
At a meeting of the parish today, members voted to approve a $340,000 offer to purchase the building adjacent to Holy Trinity (123 S. Sparks St.), which the American Cancer Society has owned for the past twenty years. The vote tally was 60 votes in favor, 7 votes against, with 2 abstentions.
