Covenant News - Summer a Busy Season for Church Building Projects

Covenant News

Summer a Busy Season for Church Building Projects

SHERWOOD, OR (July 16, 2003) - Countryside Covenant Church has nearly completed a $3.6 million, 19,000 square foot building that was begun last summer. A building dedication for the facility is set for August 17.

The church expects to move into the new facility on August 11, said Malcolm Miura, the church's executive pastor. On September 7, North Pacific Conference Superintendent Mark Novak will preach at the church. A grand opening for the facility is September 14. A day earlier, the church will host an open house for the community.

The new facility includes a multipurpose room (with seating for 500 and a gymnasium), and classroom and administrative space. Countryside Covenant, under founding pastor Paul Duppenthaler, has been meeting at a local high school since 1998 after beginning its ministry in January 1993.

Countryside Covenant is one of many churches in the midst of some sort of church building project. Here is a listing of other active projects, listed by conference and region.

EAST COAST

East Greenwich, Rhode Island: Christ Church is still getting information from architects and others before starting a building addition project, said a church staff member.

ECCAK

Anchorage, Alaska: First Evangelical Covenant Church is in the midst of a construction project that included a new addition to its present facility. This summer, much time has been spent on working on the interior for the sanctuary, said one church parishioner who has been involved in the project. It is hoped the church can use the new addition by Christmas.
Soldotna, Alaska: Alaska Christian College (ACC) has begun an extensive building project this summer with hopes of completing a 32-bed, 9,000 square foot dormitory in time for fall classes in mid September. The project is half completed, said ACC president Keith Hamilton in a recent email update, with work teams involved in the construction project until August 24. The school is praying for enough volunteer support and added finances to complete the project. "In 24 years of ministry I have never been involved in such a large project as our dorm is," said Hamilton. "We have been so blessed to have the gifts of so many workers and gifts of contributions to get to this point." To find out more about ACC's building project, call Hamilton at 907-260-7422.
Wasilla, Alaska: Mat-Su Covenant Church's building addition is well underway as the foundation and footings are in place and flooring is being completed. The addition will include a Christian Education wing with a youth room and classrooms and office space. The church hopes to complete the building addition by January 2004.

MIDSOUTH

Norman, Oklahoma: Journey Church has had to relocate after the former Wal-Mart store they were renting was bought by Sam's Club. The church's new temporary building used to house a grocery store, said church staff member Melanie Gladhill.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: Westmoore Community Church has received $934,443 in pledge commitments from 162 families (over a three-year period) in the initial months of a capital campaign to raise $1.5 million for a building addition that would double the size of the church facility. Plans for the addition are being finalized this summer, stated pastor Paul Cunningham in a recent newsletter. A gymnasium and adult multipurpose rooms are among the additions the church hopes to make, along with expansion for office space and the sanctuary.

MIDWEST

Stromsburg, Nebraska: Midwest Covenant Home (MCH), located 95 miles west of Omaha and 75 miles northwest of Lincoln, had 10 existing units converted to house residences with 10 more in process of being completed, said administrator Pat McElhose. Tenants have moved into the 10 converted facilities. Step two is the conversion of 20 units that used to be nursing home units into 10 units for the assisted living facility. A new dining and activity rooms are in the midst of construction and landscaping is being completed as well. It is hoped that construction will finish by August 30. The total occupancy when construction is finished would be 30 residents. The total project cost is $1.7 million. About $1.1 million came from Nebraska State grant funds.

NORTH PACIFIC

Bellingham, Washington: Bellingham Covenant Church will celebrate the dedication of its 30,000 square foot building on September 7 and will hold a grand opening event for the community on September 28. The congregation hopes to begin using the new, $4.2 million facility, which includes a seating for 400 and a gymnasium, sometime in August.
Lakebay, Washington: Lakebay Community Church recently received $80,000 from the North Pacific Conference to build a new property. Pastor Chuck Wahlstrom said an architect has been hired to begin designing the facility. The church hopes to begin the process of building the first phase of the 10,000 square foot project by the end of the year. Lakebay Community Church was founded in 1929 and became a Covenant church in 1994. Wahlstrom has been the pastor of the congregation of 140 since it became a Covenant church. For more information about the church and its future building project vision, check the church web site at www.integrity.com/homes/LCCC/index.htm.

NORTHWEST

Baudette, Minnesota: The Evangelical Covenant Church of Baudette has saved $190,000 toward a building project that has been considered for a few years, said pastor Scott Christensen. Land has already been purchased and the church is trying to resolve water and sewer issues with the City of Baudette. The church hopes to construct a facility that includes a sanctuary seating 150. Christensen added that a recent grant application to the Northwest Conference has been approved and that the church is readying an application for a Kingdom Builders/Frontier Friends grant as well. A capital campaign drive began in May.
Buffalo, Minnesota: Ebenezer Covenant Village is planning to add to its existing facilities in August with hopes of finishing the project by the end of 2003, according to a recent Northwest Conference newsletter article. It will include rearranging the facility's skilled nursing center and nursing station, adding a satellite dining area, and improving the outer landscaping and interior look to the building. The project has been awaiting state approval for site drawings. For more information, call Ebenezer Covenant Village at 763-682-1434.
New London, Minnesota: The Evangelical Covenant Church of New London will be renovating its existing church building after the congregation approved initial plans at its annual meeting last month. The renovation includes a large lobby, conference room and nursery, expanded kitchen and rest rooms, new offices and a multipurpose room.
Worthington, Minnesota: First Covenant Church is about finished with a construction project for a 5,000 square foot, $690,000 addition to its building, said church staff. The interior is completed, save for minor details, and the congregation hosted an open house weekend to let the community view the addition on June 21-22. The addition includes new Sunday-school classroom space and space for its preschool. Office space, nursery and kitchen additions and renovations were completed earlier in the spring.
Ellsworth, Wisconsin: Bethel Covenant Church began construction work in May on a building addition after having a groundbreaking last summer, said pastor Rick Klawitter. The addition - phase one of a multiphase project - would include a nursery, lobby, additional office space, handicapped access bathrooms, classrooms and an elevator. The church hopes to finish the main floor for the facility in October. Construction for a downstairs youth area and other classrooms will occur later on.
Ellsworth, Wisconsin: Zion Covenant Church's 6,000 square foot multipurpose building project is in process after its groundbreaking ceremony on April 6, said pastor David Eaton. The exterior to the addition is well on its way to completion. Walls and roofing will occur later this summer with hopes of completing the addition by December.

PACIFIC SOUTHWEST

Granite Bay, California: Bayside Covenant Church recently received official approval from Bank of The West for it's construction loan to build the new church home, stated Frank Calton, liaison from the Building Team, on the church's website, Final structural elements are being completed on the largest of the buildings, the multipurpose worship center/gymnasium/banquet hall, which is about one third completed. The Children's and Youth/Adult building is about 60 percent completed. "The outside of our buildings are receiving ledge stone rock to add 'curb appeal' to our campus and blend perfectly with the Granite Bay community," Calton stated. "Details like these are part of the quality construction and aesthetics we promised the community to expect when we received our use permit approval from Placer County in November, 2000. Rounding this out is the completion of landscaping...Our goal is to complete construction late this year, which of course must be followed by completion of 'loose ends' and mobilization for our first worship service and group uses. Groups will include everything from a myriad of Bayside ministries plus community organizations." Bayside Covenant's 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. A Volunteer Team has amassed pledges for almost 8,000 total hours from 175 volunteers. However, said Calton, "We are now facing insurance challenges. Please pray that we will locate appropriate insurance to protect the church and our general contractor so this incredible volunteer workforce can be used to contribute their efforts to certain portions of the job."
Kerman, California: Kerman Covenant Church is nearing the end of a multi-phase construction project affiliated with a local Christian school that both entities will use for classroom space and other needs. Drywall is being put on the interior and a sprinkler system has been installed, said pastor Dan Shelton. The church and community recently raised more than $100,000 for the facility. It is hoped that the project will finish in August before school starts.

SOUTHEAST

St. Petersburg, Florida: Faith Covenant Church pastor Jeff Burton said that the church is reconfiguring its site plans for a multiphase building project after getting feedback from the local community. The congregation of 300 has raised nearly $900,000 in pledges from a capital campaign effort that began in April 2002. That will help the church as it considers the first phase of the building project - adding a nursery and doing interior remodeling to the present building - estimated at $550,000. Phase one is scheduled to begin in December and be readied for an extensive vacation Bible school ministry next summer, said Burton. Phase two focuses on a Christian Education wing addition of about 7,000 square feet, estimated at $800,000. Phase three construction includes a sanctuary that seats 630 that is expected to cost $1.5 million.
Apex, North Carolina: Redeemer Covenant Church is the proud owner of 7.85 acres of land after signing the necessary paperwork on May 2. Pastor Van Trapp said that more discussion on how to proceed with a building project and capital campaign will occur this fall. The church property will be part of an 83 acre PUD (Planned Unit Development), called Bishop's Gate. "There was some last minute drama, but God prevailed and the land was signed over to the church," Southeast Conference Superintendent Kurt Miericke reported in a recent email update to his conference churches. "This ends a six year search for property and now begins the drive to build a church facility."

To alert Covenant Communication of building project updates, call 773-907-8333 or email newsdesk@covchurch.org.

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