Covenant News

Second Campus Expands Duluth Congregation's Outreach

DULUTH, MN (January 22, 2002) - Lakeview Covenant Church has been transforming its approach to ministry, developing a "one church-two locations" paradigm that recently received a boost with purchase of another church building in the community.

This Northwest Conference church of 750 members now offers three Sunday worship experiences in two locations.

The church's main campus offers two Sunday worship services - 8:15 and 11 a.m. A 9:45 a.m. contemporary worship service is offered at the new Lakeview North campus about four miles away. Pastors preach at all three services.

Lakeview Covenant, located off one of the town's main thoroughfares, faced a space shortage as the congregation grew. The main church sanctuary seated only 300, with potential for expansion at the main site limited. Efforts to purchase neighboring homes were unsuccessful.

In the summer of 2000, the church learned that the Apostolic Lutheran Church building four miles away was for sale - the asking price had dropped more than 25 percent in during a six-month period, from $229,000 to $169,000. The six-acre, 75,000-square-foot facility is considered an answer to prayer.

"We had been praying for a whole summer that God would maximize our current corner," said Kevin Melin, Lakeview Covenant's senior pastor for two years. "But this (the Lakeview North campus) is an easy five-minute drive from our present location."

Lakeview Covenant received another answer to prayer earlier this month. An anonymous donor donated funds to pay the remaining debt on the Lakeview North campus building - the church earlier had received another anonymous donation for the $50,000 down payment. The debt on the main campus also has been paid, with another $70,000 received for future building projects.

Melin said Lakeview Covenant will use its new campus for an outreach ministry called "Groups Investigating God." The seeker-sensitive Bible study will include a meal and question-answer sessions as one way for individuals to comfortably inquire about Christianity. A fall training course, "Becoming a Contagious Christian," has helped 15 parishioners to share their faith.

The new church building also has proved to be an ecumenical blessing, according to Cindy Erickson, the church's administrative assistant. A Chinese congregation uses the facility for its services, as does an Evangelical Free Church congregation for its Saturday night outreach activities.

The congregation continues to expand ministry in various areas, including Sunday school, youth programming and outreach efforts. "It's been pretty incredible, the provision of God for this church," said Melin."

For more information about the ministries of Lakeview Covenant, contact Melin by telephone at 218-525-6625 or by email at kevinmelin@juno.com.

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