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Building Projects Keep Covenant Churches Busy
FARGO, ND (January 31, 2004) - Knollbrook Covenant Church is nearly finished
with a construction project that began last fall, just one of a number
of building projects under way involving churches east of the Rocky
Mountains.
An addition to the foyer and a new multipurpose room are two key parts
of the Knollbrook Covenant project - the building will be handicap
accessible when completed later in April. The church is also renovating
the existing facility, including its office space, according to a church
spokesperson. National Covenant Properties is assisting with financing
and a capital campaign and $235,000 in pledges (over three years) will
also help offset the costs. Volunteers will help the church defray costs
by contributing all of the painting for the renovation and new additions
in February.
Following is a listing of other congregations and projects that are in
process, grouped by conference within the Evangelical Covenant Church.
EAST COAST
- Berlin, Connecticut: Interior demolition in taking place at Bethany
Covenant Church with work also taking place on the outside of the
structure. Construction crews hope to finish their work by June and the
congregation looks to provide volunteer help for other needs, said a
church representative. The final project will allow the church to use
its new 450-seat sanctuary this fall. A dedication is tentatively
scheduled for October. Cost for the project is more than $2.6 million
and additional fundraising is occurring so the church can obtain pulpit
furniture, pews and stained glass windows. Classroom and office space is
also part of the overall project. Bethany Covenant, which conducted a
groundbreaking last June, has received financial assistance from
National Covenant Properties. Philip Brockett is the pastor of the
congregation, which averages 400 combined for two worship services in a
suburb of Hartford located in the central part of the state.
- East Greenwich, Rhode Island: Christ Church is beginning a building
campaign in February after receiving clearance from the city's planning
and zoning boards for the first phase of the project. Site plans have
already been considered. Pastor Lyle Mook hopes that the church can
markedly expand the sanctuary and build a multipurpose room for
ministries. The church has more than 750 in average worship attendance
and has three Sunday worship services, as well as a Sunday night
alternative service.
GREAT LAKES
- Fountain, Michigan: Bachelor Evangelical Covenant Church is planning
to host a dedication service for March 28 as it prepares to complete a
building project that will cost more than $200,000, said pastor Norman
Letsinger. The project includes space for a sanctuary, three Sunday
school rooms, two offices, handicapped-accessible bathrooms, a nursery
and an entry area. A new sound system is also part of the project, as is
the replacement of the church organ and piano. National Covenant
Properties assisted with financing. The upgrades will double sanctuary
seating capacity, said Letsinger.
- Westerville, Ohio: Faith Covenant Church has met with architects as
it discusses a master plan for expanding the church's existing facility,
said pastor Tim Heintzelman. The church approved the concept of
expansion in December.
NORTHWEST
- Baudette, Minnesota: Pastor Scott Christensen of the Evangelical
Covenant Church of Baudette said that work for the church's building
project will continue later in the spring in a town of 1,200 located
near the U.S./Canada border. The congregation of 60 had a groundbreaking
ceremony on September 7 for a project that includes a sanctuary seating
about 150. The new building will total more than 8,000 square feet (145
feet by 60 feet), said Christensen. A capital campaign has netted
$47,000 last year and $240,000 has been has saved or used for the project.
- Biwabik, Minnesota: The Evangelical Covenant Church of Biwabik has
continued to work on another phases its building project after
celebrating the dedication of its Fellowship Hall on April 27. A
stairway for the library was roughed in and the church worked on
preparing the windows and library for staining in the fall. Winterizing
this part of the building was the main focus for the fall (insulating
the ceiling) and beginning work on the kitchen were other priorities. It
has been more than five years since the church lost its building due to
an arson fire.
- Duluth, Minnesota: Lakeview Covenant Church is hopeful that its
40,000-square-foot building project can be completed in the fall, said a
church representative. The church hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on
September 14. The project includes an addition to its current sanctuary,
along with expansion of a Christian Education wing and office space.
National Covenant Properties is helping with financing and the church ha
raised a significant portion for the project.
- New London, Minnesota: The Evangelical Covenant Church of New London
has moved into new offices as the church is in the midst of an extensive
building addition project. The church added a new foyer gathering space
and a nursery area, youth center and church kitchen are still being
renovated, said a church staff member. Sound system upgrades and work on
the sanctuary is part of the overall scheme now. The church hosted a
groundbreaking last August for the project, which is estimated at around
$560,000. It is hoped the entire project would be completed in the spring.
- Ellsworth, Wisconsin: Bethel Covenant Church expects to have an
addition to its building finished later this winter. The addition -
phase one of a multiphase project - includes more office space, a
nursery and an atrium, along with handicapped-access bathrooms,
classrooms, a youth area and an elevator. Pastor Rick Klawitter hopes to
be using the new office space in March. The atrium is already being
used. The basement won't be completed until a later date, but it is
functional enough for use for youth ministries. The cost is $850,000 and
a local loan is being used for half of the financing.
- Ellsworth, Wisconsin: Zion Covenant Church's 6,000-square-foot
building project is nearly complete. The project includes a multipurpose
building, along with remodeling of bathrooms and kitchen. The cost is
$826,000 for the effort. "On Dec. 1 the contractors began to break
through the existing building and begin the remodeling," said pastor
David Eaton. "Once the contractors leave, our church is then going to
remodel other parts of the existing building."
- Poplar, Wisconsin: Mission Covenant Church continues to await state
approval for site plans for a $1.2 million project, but plans to procure
approval in February. The church hopes to break ground this spring on
the project, which includes a multi-ministry center, bathrooms,
classrooms, storage space and a kitchen. Currently, the church has been
working on adding more parking spaces surrounding the facility.
MIDWEST
- Arvada, Colorado: Christ Community Covenant Church is still trying
complete paperwork in order to start a building project, said a church
representative. The church is in the second year of a capital campaign
to raise needed funds. National Covenant Properties is involved in
structuring the financing. The church currently has an average worship
attendance of 600 under pastor Chuck Wysong.
- Broomfield, Colorado: NorthPoint Church, a congregation of 800
located in a Denver suburb, is beginning a capital campaign after
deciding to build a 35,000-square-foot facility. Plans are in motion,
said a church representative. An auditorium/sanctuary and a wing for the
church's "KidsPoint" program, along with a student ministries wing, are
key features of the new facility. National Covenant Properties is
helping the five-year-old congregation with financing.
- Loveland, Colorado: Crossroads Covenant Church is pouring the
foundation on a 47,000-square-foot facility construction project. The
church held its groundbreaking in June. The proposed building is
expected to hold 1,200 in its worship space and the church hopes to move
into the facility in the fall. This is phase one of a multi-phase plan
that will receive help from National Covenant Properties. Two capital
campaigns have raised about $2.5 million in pledges. Crossroads Church
was organized in January 1996 under current senior pastor John Smith.
Worship attendance is now about 1,800 per weekend at the church, which
meets in a local high school about 45 minutes north of Denver.
- Salina, Kansas: First Covenant Church hopes to begin using its new
44,000-square-foot facility later this spring, said pastor Dan Pietrzyk.
The project includes a sanctuary for 650 and a large parking lot on 34
acres of property. The cost is $6.4 for the land and building. A local
bank has provided a loan and the church raised $4 million and sold its
current building.
More information about construction projects involving Evangelical
Covenant churches west of the Rockies will be posted to this online
Covenant news report at a later date. Information on building projects
may be sent to Covenant Communications by email at
newsdesk@covchurch.org or by telephone at 773-478-4631.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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