The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to build temple on Gillespie
MADISON – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released an exterior rendering of the Huntsville Alabama Temple. The temple will be built on a site with approximately 21 acres at the southeast corner of Gillespie and Brown’s Ferry roads in Huntsville. (This location is surrounded by the city limits of Madison.)
Plans call for a single-story temple that encompasses approximately 30,000 square feet, according to Charity Stratton, who serves as Communication Director of the Madison Alabama Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
During the October 2024 General Conference, Church President Russell M. Nelson announced this house of the Lord in Alabama as one of 17 temples that are scheduled for construction. “I promise that increased time in the temple will bless your life in ways nothing else can,” Nelson said.
At that time, Nelson also announced the future site of the Eket Nigeria Temple, one of six temples planned for Nigeria.
The Huntsville Temple will be the second temple in the state. The new temple in Madison County will join the Birmingham Temple, which was dedicated in 2000 also by President Hinckley. Alabama is home to more than 40,000 Latter- day Saints in more than 70 congregations.
The ceremonies conducted inside each temple teach about the purpose of life and unite families, both past and present. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints promise to keep God’s commandments, support His work, live the higher law that Christ taught while on earth, remain chaste and dedicate their lives to building the Church of Christ, according to the release.
John Fellows, formerly of Madison, is serving as point of contact for all aspects for the temple’s construction. Fellows is Communication Director for wards or congregations in most of Alabama.
“I also have primary responsibility for handling communication for our temple through the groundbreaking and open house. The open house will be open to all members of the community,” Fellows said.
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a stake is an administrative unit that comprises multiple congregations, known as wards and branches, within a specific geographic area. A stake provides organization, support and leadership for members and offers resources to strengthen individuals and families in their faith.
For more information about the temple, email jrfellows@ comm.Church. For information about the Madison Stake, email charitystratton@bellsouth.net.
