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Groundbreaking Leads List of Building Updates
BAUDETTE, MN (September 18, 2003) - The Evangelical Covenant Church of
Baudette had a groundbreaking ceremony on September 7 for a new building
project that includes a sanctuary seating about 150.
The church's groundbreaking day began with worship and communion in the
present facility. Following communion, the congregation proceeded to the
new building site located east of town near a new city park. During the
ceremony, Pastor Scott Christensen expanded on the theme from his
morning message, taken from Genesis 12:1-8, which suggests "God's people
are to be a blessing to one another and to their community."
Building project Chairperson Carol Troxel provided a brief history of
the decision to relocate the church. Once the official groundbreaking
was completed, Pastor
Scott invited the children of the church to take their own ceremonial
dig on the site (accompanying photo shows church leaders breaking ground).
The new building will include more than 8,000 square feet. More than
$200,000 has been saved or pledged for the project. The City of Baudette
has approved water and sewer
service in the area. Christensen hopes the job can be started next
spring with the shell of a building completed later in 2004.
The Northwest Conference of the Evangelical Covenant Church recently
approved the local church's grant request. Don Fensterman of the
Department of Church Growth and Evangelism has been a key advocate for
the project. The Evangelical Covenant Church of Baudette has an average
worship attendance of 60 people in a town of 1,200 located near the
U.S./Canadian border.
The Baudette building project is one of several in process throughout
the Evangelical Covenant Church in North America. Following are updates
on some of the other projects that are in various stages in five
Covenant conferences - East Coast, Great Lakes, Midsouth, Northwest and
Southeast.
EAST COAST
- Berlin, Connecticut: Construction workers are now on site at Bethany
Covenant Church, which is hoping to finish a $2.6 million building
project. The project includes a sanctuary that will seat 450 and
classroom and office space, among other things. Bethany Covenant has
received a loan from National Covenant Properties. The church celebrated
a groundbreaking on June 8.
- Thomaston, Connecticut: The Covenant Church of Thomaston will
dedicate its new education wing on October 19, said pastor Tim Olsen.
The educational wing has already been used for activities this summer. A
youth center will also be dedicated on that day - it will be dedicated
in memory of Theodore Kingsbury Jr., a youth at the church who died in a
tragic car accident many years ago. East Coast Conference Supt. Robert
Dvorak will be a guest at the dedication.
- South Plainfield, New Jersey: Pilgrim Covenant Church had planned to
add office and classroom space and make its building handicapped
accessible, but delays in county approval have stalled the project for
the foreseeable future, said pastor Cathy Stanley-Erickson.
- East Greenwich, Rhode Island: Christ Church has procured a building
permit for a proposed building addition, said a staff member. A
fundraising effort will be made later this year or early next year.
GREAT LAKES
- Fountain, Michigan: Bachelor Evangelical Covenant Church is
completing a building project that will cost around $200,000, said
pastor Norman Letsinger. The project includes space for what will now be
the church's sanctuary, along with three Sunday school rooms and
handicap accessible bathrooms and a nursery and entry area. A new sound
system is also part of the project. National Covenant Properties helped
the church with financing. The upgrades will double sanctuary seating
capacity, said
Letsinger, who hopes work will be finished by the end of 2003. A
prayer-filled process has been encouraging to the congregation of 120
and Letsinger said, "We're trying to let the Lord stretch us through this."
- Grand Rapids, Michigan: Covenant Village of the Great Lakes is
drawing plans for state approval (via the State of Michigan's Department
of Health) in order to add 37 beds to its facility. It earlier received
initial approval to go forward with the project in July. Covenant
Village submitted its application to the state Feb. 1, 2003, and was
approved July 3, said Steve Karnes, campus administrator at Covenant
Village. If the project - a remodeling of the assisted living building
that was built two years ago - goes as planned, the addition of 37 beds
for skilled nursing will cost around $750,000. Karnes hopes the project
will be completed by next spring. A 107-unit independent living
building, which includes a fitness center, dining hall, coffee shop,
store, greenhouse, offices and a chapel, is also in the midst of being
completed. Tenants are expected to begin moving in on November 3, Karnes
added.
- Jamestown, New York: Zion Covenant Church met on July 23 and decided
to delay a proposed building project, although it will do renovations on
its sanctuary, said a church representative.
- Dublin, Ohio: Sawmill Covenant Church is getting bids for
construction of a $1.8 million building, said pastor John Atkinson.
Money has been pledged for the effort and a Kingdom Builders/Frontier
Friends grant will help offset costs. The church hopes to begin
construction later in the fall and finish the job next summer.
MIDSOUTH
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Westmoore Community Church hopes to begin its
building project in 2004, said Rodney Beavers, the church's ministry
operation director. Site plans are finalized and the church is working
with National Covenant Properties to seek financing. The congregation is
seeking to raise $1.5 million for a building addition that would double
the size of the church facility. A gymnasium and adult multipurpose
rooms are among the additions the church hopes to make, along with
expansion for office space, classroom and sanctuary expansion. Beavers
said the project would probably be done in three phases.
NORTHWEST
- Biwabik, Minnesota: The Evangelical Covenant Church of Biwabik
celebrated the dedication of its Fellowship Hall on April 27 (now being
used for worship) and is working on the next phase of its building
project. Pastor Jeffrey Jones gave a project update on the church's web
site recently, reporting, "Over the summer the floor of the sanctuary
and offices was prepared, the cement was poured and finished and most of
the windows were installed. Vinyl siding around the south end and sides
has begun to be put up. A stairway for the library was roughed in and
plans now continue at preparing the windows and library for staining in
October. Winterizing this part of the building will be the main focus
for the fall (insulating the ceiling, etc.) as well as beginning work on
the kitchen."
- Buffalo, Minnesota: Ebenezer Covenant Village will begin a
renovation project by November 1, said Joel Nyquist, administrator at
Ebenezer. The project includes rearranging the facility's skilled
nursing center and nursing station, adding some residential rooms and
improving the outer and interior look. The expected finish of these
projects is set for January 2004. The cost is estimated at $500,000.
- Duluth, Minnesota: Lakeview Covenant Church hosted a groundbreaking
ceremony on September 14 for a proposed building project of more than
40,000 square feet. The project includes an addition to its current
sanctuary, along with expansion of a Christian education wing and office
space. The church has raised more than $400,000 in a fundraising effort
and National Covenant Properties will help with additional financing for
the project. The church hopes to finish the project by the fall of 2004.
- New London, Minnesota: The Evangelical Covenant Church of New London
voted to start a building project and construction is already under way,
said a church representative. The project is estimated at around
$560,000 and includes construction of a new entrance area, nursery area
and youth center, renovation of the church kitchen, and added office space.
- Clear Lake, Wisconsin: United Covenant Church has put plans for a
building project on hold after doing an informational survey of the
community. The church had considered constructing a senior adult
facility in the area. The church has land to build a facility and
checked with architects and other experts about the project before
conducting its survey.
- Ellsworth, Wisconsin: Bethel Covenant Church expects to have an
addition to its building finished by Christmas, said a church
representative. The addition - phase one of a multiphase project - would
include more office space, a nursery and lobby, handicapped access
bathrooms, classrooms, youth area and an elevator. The cost is $950,000
and a local loan is being used for half of the financing. More
information about the process
of the project can be found on the church web site, www.bethelcv.com.
- Ellsworth, Wisconsin: The Zion Covenant Church building project is
on schedule to be completed in December, said pastor David Eaton. The
6,000-square-foot project includes a multipurpose building, along with
remodeling of bathrooms and kitchen. The cost is $826,000.
- Poplar, Wisconsin: Mission Covenant Church is awaiting to get state
approval for site plans for a $1.2 million project, said Sue Peterson,
the church's administrative assistant. This part of the project includes
a multi-ministry center, bathrooms, classrooms, storage space and a kitchen.
SOUTHEAST
- De Land, Florida: The Southeast Conference is considering the
purchase of property for a Covenant Enabling Residences of Florida
facility in the central part of the state, said conference
superintendent Kurt Miericke. The property is next to a piece of
property that the newly formed Covenant Community Church in Deland is
considering purchasing.
Part of the decision-making concerns the possible move of a new Covenant
church in the area, Covenant Community Church. The church's pastor,
David Shaw, stated that his congregation hopes to make the new enabling
residence a key ministry. "We would like your prayers seeking God's
clear leading concerning possible purchases," Miericke stated.
- St. Petersburg, Florida: Faith Covenant Church voted unanimously to
begin the first phase of its building project in a July 27 meeting, said
pastor Jeff Burton. Phase one includes a new nursery wing on the north
side of the building, a new entrance on the west side and a number of
interior and exterior modifications, including replacing the roof over
administrative offices and the nursery area. The goal is to begin
construction this winter so that the first phase of the project can be
completed by June 2004. The church will be celebrating its 25th
anniversary in October and Burton said the congregation hopes to
celebrate a groundbreaking at the same time.
For more information about church building projects in the Evangelical
Covenant Church, regularly visit www.covchurch.org. To alert Covenant
Communications of building project updates, call 773-907-8333 or email
newsdesk@covchurch.org.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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