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Living Hope (CO) Celebrates New Building
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (September 23, 2003) - Living Hope Covenant Church is now
in its new facility two and a half years after receiving a Christmas
present of free land.
Last Sunday, Evangelical Covenant Church President Glenn R. Palmberg and
Gary Walter, executive minister of the Department of Church Growth and
Evangelism, were guests at a dedication for the building. Ken Carlson,
superintendent of the Midwest Conference, led the dedication service for
the congregation, which will conduct a grand opening service for the
community on November 9, said pastor Greg Ralston.
A weekend earlier, the congregation culminated its "Bringing My World to
Christ" emphasis by taking the evangelism forms they had brought to
church and nailing them to a large cross. The congregation carried the
cross out of one worship area and traveled to the new location. The
cross was then placed in the worship area and the congregation prayed
for those on their lists.
In December 2000, the church received 7.5 acres of land from a local
developer that Ralston had met in a leadership class several years
earlier. The developer and his company donated the land at Christmas,
stating that they thought the land would bless the community via Living
Hope Covenant and that they and their company wanted to be good stewards
by giving the land for such a noteworthy cause.
Living Hope Covenant, which received financial assistance from National
Covenant Properties, celebrated groundbreaking at the site in February.
The 7,500-square-foot building is located in a wooded area about a mile
from the strip mall where the congregation has met since 2000.
Miraculously, said Ralston, the building project finished ahead of
schedule and under budget.
"My heart is really full of praise for what God has done," said Ralston,
who said that 10 couples were part of the original core group of people
at the church when it was founded in 1994. "Our small but significant
congregation wouldn't be where we are without the clear hand of God.
It's been a long haul - we've set up and torn down our worship and
Sunday school classes for six and a half years and then we were in a
strip mall for three years. There has been a lot of work, but we've come
to call Living Hope 'the little church that could.' We've set up to
minister without worrying about growth. And, because of that, I think
God has honored our work."
The building project at Living Hope Covenant is one of many in various
stages throughout the Covenant in North America. Following are updates
of other projects grouped by conference and region.
CENTRAL
- Homer Glen, Illinois: Southwest Covenant Church has purchased eight
acres of property in the southwest suburbs of Chicago and hopes to hold
a groundbreaking for a new building project next spring, said a church
representative. The church is currently meeting in a school less than
two miles from the future site. A capital campaign drive and past
savings have already given the church initial finances. The
congregation, founded in 1996, is under the leadership of pastor Evan
Goranson Jr.
ECCAK
- Soldotna, Alaska: Alaska Christian College (ACC) is using its new
32-bed, 9,000-square-foot dormitory to house students, culminating an
extensive project that began earlier this year and was aided by National
Covenant Properties. Work teams have been involved in the construction
project until recently, said a school representative. Final details are
still being finished, but the fact that students are using the dorm has
made all of the last-minute chaos worthwhile. Meanwhile, a
1,400-square-foot duplex to house another eight people is nearly
completed. "We are eternally grateful to God and many visitors and
workers that made our summer at ACC never a dull moment," said ACC
president Keith Hamilton in a recent email to supporters.
- Wasilla, Alaska: Mat-Su Covenant Church's building addition is
progressing as the cement floor is finished and the foundation is set.
Framing of the building will occur later this fall or early in the
winter, said a church representative. The building addition will include
a Christian education wing with a youth room, classrooms and office
space. It is hoped the church can move into the building addition next
year. Although the project is a bit behind schedule, all of the
completed work has been paid for. National Covenant Properties has
helped with financing issues.
MIDWEST
- Arvada, Colorado: Christ Community Covenant Church hopes to begin a
building project by the end of 2003, said a church representative. In
the meantime, the church is in the second year of a capital campaign to
raise needed funds. National Covenant Properties is also assisting in
the effort.
- Loveland, Colorado: Crossroads Covenant Church celebrated the
groundbreaking for a new 47,000-square-foot facility on June 22, said
Johanna Dees, the church's communications director. The proposed
building is expected to hold 1,200 in its worship space. Other amenities
include office space and a multipurpose area. This is phase one of a
three-phase plan that will receive financial assistance from National
Covenant Properties. The church hopes the first phase will be finished
by the fall of 2004. A "Time2Build" capital campaign has raised $1.2
million in pledges over a two-year period. Crossroads Church was
organized in January 1996 under current senior pastor John Smith.
Worship attendance is now about 1,500 per weekend at the church, which
meets in a local high school about 45 minutes north of Denver.
- Windsor, Colorado: Spring Valley Covenant Church is searching for a
permanent property to begin an extensive building project. Plans have
been considered for one site but other options may become more viable,
said a church representative.
- Salina, Kansas: First Covenant Church is hoping to be finished with
its 44,000-square-foot building project by the spring of 2004, said
building co-chair Jim Stuckey. Included in the project is a sanctuary
for 650 and a large parking lot. The church purchased 34 acres for its
project in January 2002 and started building six months later. Estimated
costs are $6.4 million. The outside brick is completed and Stuckey said
that most of the interior work would be completed during the winter months.
- Shawnee, Kansas: Community Evangelical Covenant Church had a pair of
informational meetings with its congregation this summer as the church
moves closer to completing initial plans for its new building. Bids are
being received from contractors in order to begin construction. The new
facility would be located on 12.2 acres of land about four miles from
its current site. Community Covenant, a congregation of 600, hopes to be
using the new facility in two years, said a church representative.
- Stromsburg, Nebraska: Midwest Covenant Home (MCH) had 10 existing
units converted to house residences with 10 more in process of being
completed. Tenants have moved into the new facilities. Midwest Covenant
Home is also converting 20 nursing home units into 10 units for assisted
living. It is hoped that those conversions will be finished next month.
New dining and activity rooms are in the midst of construction and
landscaping is being completed as well.
NORTH PACIFIC
- Lakebay, Washington: Lakebay Community Church has 7.8 acres of land
and a master plan drawn up for a conditional use permit, said pastor
Chuck Wahlstrom. The church will host a town meeting on October 19 and
make a decision on how to begin the building project. The proposed first
phase of the project is a 6,000-square-foot youth center, along with
some infrastructure work. The church recently received $80,000 from the
North Pacific Conference earlier this year, which gave the congregation
a needed kick start. The congregation is in the second year of a
matching fund drive to add up to $100,000 of additional funding.
Wahlstrom has been the pastor of the congregation of 140 since it became
a Covenant church in 1994. It is hoped the building would be ready for
an 80th anniversary celebration of ministry of the church late in 2004,
he added.
- Pasco, Washington: Desert Springs Covenant Church voted to purchase
6.5 acres of land in west Pasco in order to build a new facility,
according to a recent church newsletter. The church has been meeting in
a local middle school since 1998.
PACIFIC SOUTHWEST
- Granite Bay, California: Bayside Covenant hopes to move into its new
building and dedicate the facility in February, said church
representative Liz Schroeder. The building project includes a
94,500-square-foot building that includes a 42,500-square-foot
multipurpose room and youth and children's meeting rooms that are 22,000
and 30,000 square feet respectively. There will also be 883 added spaces
for parking.
- Oakland, California: Bay Area Christian Connection has purchased a
24,000-square foot-building for $1.3 million and is renovating the
facility, said pastor Brian Woodson. National Covenant Properties helped
with financing for the building, which the church hopes to occupy in
October. A grand opening service will occur in February. "Our vision was
to have a seven-day-a-week ministry center," said Woodson. "This is
right at our wildest dreams."
- Placerville, California: Sierra Hope Foothills Church is using a
temporary facility and has implemented a modular setup that is neared
completion. An open house is scheduled for September 28 after worship
service. Among the renovations for the facility is a sanctuary seating
200 and bathrooms and a kitchen, among other things. The cost for the
renovations is about $200,000. A play lot is also being constructed as
an Eagle Scout project by parishioner Joey Rencon, using help from a
general contractor who attends the church, Dave Cordano. Sierra Hope
Foothills Church was founded in 1996 and merged with an independent
church three years ago. It has an average worship attendance of 170,
said lead pastor Cary Brooks. The church hopes to build on a nearby
29-acre plot of land the church recently bought with help from National
Covenant Properties.
- Pleasant Hill, California: Hope Center Covenant Church is still
working through logistical issues with the city of Pleasant Hill as it
attempts to expand on its facility by 1,650 square feet.
- San Andreas, California: San Andreas Community Covenant Church
recently began its 10,000-square-foot building expansion project after
getting approval from the county. The expansion includes room for a
serving and learning center, said Cyndie Menard, the church's secretary.
The project will be done almost entirely by volunteers. So far, $262,000
in pledges has been committed for the effort. National Covenant
Properties is assisting in the financing.
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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