The beginnings of construction for the Hartford, Connecticut Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, (inadvertently referred to as the “Mormon Church”), will be underway this summer in Farmington, CT at the corner of Melrose Drive and Farmington Avenue.
Temple Plan Details So Far
Artist’s Rendering of the Hartford Connecticut Mormon Temple
The West Hartford Patch reports that the Merryill Lynch Financial Offices on the approved temple property will be vacated by the end of June and that the existing facilities on the property will then be demolished.
The temple will be a 35,000-square-foot, white granite temple, topped by a tall steeple on 11 acres. The temple application was approved last year and total construction for the religious structure is expected to last two years.
In May of 2012, mormonnewsroom.org reported on the proposed plans for the temple:
The proposed plans call for the Hartford Connecticut Temple to be built at 1024 Farmington Avenue in Farmington, Connecticut. The Indianapolis Indiana Temple site (in the city of Carmel on the southwest corner of the intersection of W116th and Spring Mill Road was announced in January 2011.
The plans to build the temple were announced at a Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ in 2010. The Church gives updated details on the progress of its various temples at mormontemples.org.
Announcement of Hartford Temple
At mormontemples.org/hartford, The Church posted information about the building plans and appearance of the new temple in Connecticut:
On 2 October, 2010, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced plans to build a new temple in Hartford. This will be the 1st temple in Connecticut.
Latter-day Saint temples are aesthetically beautiful buildings with meticulous landscaping. Everything about the architecture is designed to honor God and complement the local community.
Temples are not constructed with large meeting rooms like a cathedral and are not designed to hold large numbers of people at one time. Rather, they are constructed for smaller groups that attend the temple throughout the day. The temple is closed on Sunday.
In keeping with our standards of temple building, the materials and workmanship will be of the highest quality, and the grounds will be created and maintained to bring a sense of peace and tranquility to those who enjoy the grounds and the surrounding community.
The West Hartford Patch reports,
Neil McMurdie, public affairs representative for the Church, told Patch the building permit is under review. He confirmed site preparation and demolition work is set to begin this summer. He also said it is too soon to confirm a date for an official groundbreaking ceremony, but “hopefully, it will be later this year.”
The West Hartford Patch went on to report that representatives of The Church of Jesus Christ in the area held an informational session at the First Church of Christ in Farmington, where they were invited by Rev. Steven Savides.
The meeting answered neighborhood questions such as lighting concerns, taxable land questions and the purpose of temples.
“I invited them to come meet with the congregation,” said Savides. “It is part of our core values to respect and know other religions.” Savides added that his church’s confirmation class attended the session and learned about Mormons and their faith and value system.
“They left us with a sense they want to be good neighbors,” Savides concluded.
“It was great,” agreed McMurdie. “It was an opportunity for us to explain what we believe.”
Residents had raised concerns the temple would create additional traffic and that the temple’s lighting would be too bright. Many indicated they were concerned about the loss of taxable land due to the tax-exempt status awarded to religious institutions. However, the Planning and Zoning Commission said land use decisions are based on town regulations, not on tax matters. They added that an engineering traffic study concluded the project’s expected traffic impact was satisfactory.
The website created by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to offer explanations about the building (www.mormontemples.org/hartford) states the temple’s purpose is to accommodate small groups throughout the day rather than a large congregation. Ample parking will be provided. The temple will be open throughout the week and closed on Sundays.
After the temple in Farmington is built, it will be open to the public for a limited time for tours. After the temple is dedicated, it will only be open to faithful members of the church. However, the gardens and grounds around the temple will remain open to the public.
Groundbreaking services for the Hartford Connecticut Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be held on Saturday, Aug. 17 at 11 a.m.
What Is A Mormon Temple?
Temples differ from the tens of thousands of local meetinghouses throughout the world where members typically meet for Sunday worship services, youth activities, midweek social activities, weekly meetings, and where visitors are always welcome. Temples are used solely for the performance of sacred ordinances and religious instruction aimed at strengthening members’ relationships with God, their family and others around them. Religious instruction is given, and sacred ceremonies such as marriages and vicarious baptisms are performed inside temples. To members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, temples are the “House of the Lord,” the most sacred places on earth.
Temple services bind families together forever, teach the purpose of life and explain God’s plan of salvation. Temple attendance strengthens Latter-day Saints’ commitment to living Christian principles, emphasizes personal spiritual growth and increases devotion to family.
Neighborhood Questions
I’m sure people in neighborhoods might be curious if a temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was built near them. One might be curious about what practices happen inside temples and how the newly constructed temple may affect the surrounding area.
Mormontemples.org/eng/faq has many of those answers for you. I will list some of those answers as well.
How will the Mormon temple built near me affect me day to day?
Hundreds of Mormon Temples have been built worldwide. The experience has shown that the building of temples affects property values in a positive way. Temples are beautifully built with the finest craftsmanship, and temple grounds are very beautiful. The temple grounds are open to the public. Please watch this very short video explaining property values near Mormon temples.
Traffic is also not a concern as the Temple is meant to accommodate small groups throughout the day. Temples are also closed on Sundays and most are closed on Mondays and holidays. The temple will also not disturb you with sounds or lighting. Temples do not have bells and the grounds are quiet and beautiful. The temple also complies with local laws concerning lighting.
It is also important to note that the purpose of the temple is NOT proselytizing, it functions as a sacred place for members of The Church of Jesus Christ to make sacred promises with God.
What is the inside of the temple like and is the public ever allowed inside?
Mormonism 101: FAQ has a concise answer for this:
Many people are under the impression that the interior of a Latter-day Saint temple is like a great hall or cathedral. Actually, temples are made up of numerous smaller rooms designed to accommodate functions such as marriages, baptisms and small gatherings, as well as personal reflection and contemplation. Inside the temple, Church members change into simple and modest white clothing before taking part in temple ceremonies. The white temple clothing symbolizes purity and reverence.
Will members of the public ever see the inside of the temple?
Yes. After the temple is completed, an open house is held for the general public (typically for several weeks). During the open house, public tours (organized by reservation including a special neighbor’s tour) and information are provided to answer questions and to explain the purpose of the various rooms in the temple. See interior photos by going to “Inside the Temple.”
