Covenant News - Building Projects Keep Covenant Churches Busy

Covenant News

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.

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