"Arise and build the sanctuary of the Lord God..." (1 Chr. 22:19)

As you may have read in the history, our church building has been in use ever since its 1910 consecration as a sacred place (see the first photo to the left taken about 1925). While there have been a few changes in the overall look and design of the building and its interior (such as after Vatican II—see the second photo to the left taken in 2015), the reality is that our Alaskan weather does take its toll—and we are now faced with needing to do some major improvements to it, most notably to the foundation. Plus there is also the fact that we don't currently meet the standards of the Federal ADA laws—and we do have a population for which updating our building to meet their needs has become a priority (such as revamping the entrance to the building so it's at street level as well as replacing the many stairs currently needed to get to the second-floor nave with an elevator that can accommodate any parishioner or visitor who might need that assistance).

We contracted with a local architectural firm to draw up several possible building designs. They provided several variations, one of which was selected by the church community at an informational meeting and then approved by our bishop. However, he placed a stipulation on the project that we must raise and have in hand at least 75% of the estimated cost—a sum that at this time is approximately $2.5 million—before beginning the renovation. Most of that (as stated in the stipulation) cannot be provided by getting a bank loan. Thus we must depend on the charity of our parishioners as well as the community at large (no matter where they may reside) for that amount. Happily, thanks to the generous commitment of our parishioners along with our visitors who've chosen to become donors, we are close to half-way there.

We have a long-standing heritage (as the history of our building describes), one that we as a parish are proud of. We hope that any of you reading this will feel moved to make a contribution or even a pledge (that can be spread over several weeks or months to make it easier on your budget). If you feel encouraged by the Holy Spirit to do so, you can click the Support & Donations link at the top left. Then sign in (or create an account if you are a first-time contributor) and select Cathedral Building Fund (to make a one-time donation) or Pledge Cathedral Renovation (to spread your payment over time).

We have placed this project in God's hands (and that of the various committees that are working to see it through) as we strive to maintain our strong faith presence that shines, as our mission statement declares, like "the beacon on the hill" here in Juneau.

Below is a slide show that shows the proposed floor plans along with views of what the proposed exterior and interior of the renovated cathedral building may look like. Bear in mind that, like any project of this magnitude, the final result may vary, depending on architectural decisions made during the actual renovation.

The slides rotate on a 10-second change mode.. If you wish to hold on a particular slide or move the show along faster, there are arrow buttons to the ledt and right of each slide so you can do that.

We are indebted to MRV Architectural for assisting the parish as we envision our goal of an updated and  more accessible worship space. All schematics were provided by MRV.