The building project we had long hoped for has become increasingly out of reach due to rising costs year after year. In response, we’ve turned our attention to more affordable and timely alternatives—such as a mobile home. Unfortunately, even these have seen significant price increases in recent years. Still, given our current situation and timeline, this remains the best and most realistic path forward.

Why the urgency?
We were required to vacate our last remaining house at the former St. Elizabeth Skete by August 1, 2025, and although we met the deadline, we do not yet have a replacement set up due to lack of funding. The house we left behind contained our gift store, lots of storage and candle workshop. Our physical store location is now closed—we are operating online only—but we must reopen as soon as possible to avoid losing our main source of income.

By God’s grace, we have found a mobile home that meets our needs and placed a deposit. To secure it in time, we borrowed $15,000 from a friend of the monastery—funds we now urgently need to repay. To complete this project and ensure a smooth transition we must raise at least $25,000 as quickly as possible.

We’ve prepared a place on our property—a plateau we shaped years ago for this purpose—and are now installing a septic system, water, and electric hookups. Construction is actively underway, and our contractor is moving quickly to make everything ready for the mobile home and a small building for the store.  We are now racing against the clock to continue our work here at the monastery with as little interruption as we can.

Why is this important?
Our monastery has been straddling the former and current properties for the last few years, and now it is time we begin looking fully to the future. This mobile home is the first step in our long-term expansion efforts. Once it is in place, with utilities installed and our store relocated, we can finally begin fundraising for a church dedicated to St. Joseph the Hesychast. It may not be the Byzantine stone church we once envisioned, but for the first time, we will be able to have all our services on our own land.

Breakdown of Current Costs:

Mobile Home: $27,000 (Deposit of $3,000 paid)
Transporting the Mobile Home: $3,000
Septic Tank, Gravel, and Dirt Work: $9,500 (Paid)
Leech Field: Cost currently unknown due to significant additional work required—major dirt grading and sand must be brought in to meet code
Well Cleaning: $1,500 (Paid)
Deepening the Well: $6,500 (Paid)
Pipes and Pump to Connect Water to Home: Cost currently unknown
Electricity Hookups: Cost currently unknown, the electric company has not come out and given us a quote yet
Borrowed Funds: $15,000 (Needs to be repaid ASAP)

Any amount you can offer will help us move one step closer to having everything fully on our land, unified and rooted. Every gift is a blessing and brings us closer to stability and peace.

From all of us here, thank you for your support. May God and the Theotokos reward you a hundredfold for your generosity.

Below is an album of photos showing this current project and the mobile home to be moved here to our property.

In Christ,
The Sisters of Iveron Mother of God Monastery