By Town Crier Staff Report

Members of the Antiochian Orthodox Church of the Redeemer in Los Altos have raised enough money to began rebuilding the church’s Magadalena Road sanctuary destroyed by an unknown arsonist in April, a church spokesman said last week.

Parishioner Samer Bahou said the congregation has raised more than $200,000 in community donations to fund the estimated $2.1 million reconstruction project.

The church’s fire insurance will cover $1.6 million in project costs.

Bahou said the congregation needs to raise about $300,000 more, but has enough to began work at the site. Church officials plan to tear down the sanctuary’s burned remains this November in order to prepare the site for next spring’s construction.

Church officials were finalizing plans last week, Bahou said.

Bahou said the congregation has been stunned by the amount of community outpouring since investigators ruled the three-alarm fire arson just days before the congregation’s Easter festivities.

A community benefit involving nearly a dozen local churches July 14 at the Los Altos United Methodist Church drew about 700 people and raised about $20,000, Bahou said.

“As much as the money was wonderful, the show of support was just … really moving … People were crying,” Bahou said about the recent fund-raiser.