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During the 33rd Archdiocese Convention in Houston, TX, Metropolitan Philip announced the purchase of the Antiochian Village as "a new spiritual dimension to our lives and will inaugurate a new era of religious maturity in our Archdiocese". The first Administrative Council was filled with the additional talent and energy of Theodore Mackoul, the V. Rev. John Badeen, Thomas Hier, John Roman, Elsie Kaleel, Albert Joseph, Fred Simon, William Salem, Richard Tony, Michael Anthony, Michael Shamey, and Dennis Slyman. The original Programming Council was similarly enhanced with the addition of: Dr. John Boojamra, Edward Joseph, Brenda Joseph, John Litsios, the Very Rev. James Meena, Pearl Nahass, father Anthony Scott, father Joseph Shahda, Vladimir Swydan, and Donna Yazge.
May 28, 1979, the Order of St. Ignatius granted $10,000.00 to the Administrative Council to produce a professional land use study, plus $60,000.00 for equipment purchase, chapel and building repairs. The original A-frame Presbyterian chapel was granted a $30,000.00 gift from The Order to be converted into St. Ignatius Church as a true Orthodox House of Worship.
The weekend of September 29, 1979, the Antiochian Village was dedicated in front of 1,200 faithful, and the following was declared by His Eminence: “The Antiochian Village is not here to serve only the people of this great Archdiocese, but is offered as a gift to all Orthodox Christians in this country, and because “I do not dream impossible dreams, I merely interpret the dreams and aspirations of my flock. The Antiochian Village was the dream of my people, and I have only striven to translate these dreams into realities. Each achievement presents us with another beginning. There is no summit, only height in the doing the work of Jesus Christ.”
The Conference and Retreat Center was built in 1985 and doubled in size in 1990. Fr. John Namie was the first camp director from 1979 to 1988. Under his directorship, the camping program grew from a two-camper session to an ACA accredited camping program that served hundreds of Orthodox Youth each summer.