Knoxville Temple breaks ground in Town Jan. 27
Elder Shayne M. Bowen of the Quorum of the Seventy from the Church will preside at the event.
Church president Russell M. Nelson announced the temple in April 2022.
“We are so excited to be in the subdivision next to the temple site in Farragut,” Michael Kofoed of Farragut said.
“We also are excited to share the gardens and beautiful House of the Lord with our neighbors and the Farragut community.”
“Construction is expected to begin shortly after the groundbreaking ceremony,” said Jeff Pizzino, APR assistant communication director with Media and Social Media for The Church’s Tennessee Knoxville Coordinating Council.
Tennessee has two other temples in operation: one in Nashville and the other in Memphis. Nelson announced news of the temple in April 2022 and said the construction completion, dedication and opening dates have not yet been announced.
“Every effort is made to construct temples in an expeditious manner,” Pizzino said. “At times, various reasons may delay a temple’s completion and dedication. Once the Knoxville Tennessee Temple is completed, there will be a free public open house for several weeks before it’s dedicated.”
“Temples are an important part of worship for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because they draw us nearer to God,” said David Sexton, the leader for Church members in the Knoxville area. “Members throughout East Tennessee are excited they’ll no longer have to drive as far to visit temples in Nashville, Atlanta, Louisville or Columbia (South Carolina).”
Sexton described Latter-day Saint temples as “unlike anything on earth because they provide an opportunity to temporarily leave the things of the world behind and worship in a beautiful, peaceful place.”
The Knoxville Tennessee Temple will be built on a 4.99-acre site located along Kingston Pike, between Fast Pace Health Urgent Care and Christ Covenant Church. Pizzino said plans call for a single-story temple of about 30,000 square feet.
“This will be the city’s first temple,” he said, adding Tennessee is home to more than 57,400 Latter-day Saints in more than 110 congregations.
“When we moved to Tennessee in 1982, our nearest temple was located in Washington, D.C.,” stated Knoxville Temple Groundbreaking Committee co-chairs Russell and Sharlene Barber. “We’re thrilled to soon have a temple less than 3 miles from our home in Farragut,”
“This is a miraculous blessing and gift to the people in this area,” said Carrie Blashill, a Latter-day Saints member who lives in Jacksboro.
“After it’s built, it will cut our travel time in half, having to currently drive to Columbia, South Carolina, or to Atlanta to the nearest temple, often requiring an overnight stay,” added Church member Melissa Golden of Kingsport. “It will be a blessing for us here in Kingsport. We cried tears of joy when it was announced.”
Attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony will be by invitation only and will include Knoxville-area religious and government leaders and media.
“Latter-day Saints consider temples to be the house of the Lord and the most sacred places of worship on earth,” Pizzino said. “Temples differ from the Church’s meetinghouses (chapels). All are welcome to attend Sunday worship services and other weekday activities at local meetinghouses.
“The primary purpose of temples, however, is for faithful members of the Church of Jesus Christ to participate in sacred ceremonies — such as marriages, which unite families forever — and proxy baptisms on behalf of deceased ancestors who did not have the opportunity to be baptized while living,” he explained.
“I am absolutely thrilled about getting a temple,” Jenny McKinney of Knoxville said.
“It’s just the best present there is,” added Monica Irvine of Knoxville. “The Knoxville Temple is an answer to many prayers by faithful members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Living close to the Knoxville Temple provides me the opportunity to continue to build my eternal family through the ordinances performed in the holy temples.
“I can once again visit the temple often and partake of the peace and joy only found within the temple.” she added.
