The Grace Baptist church in Tyrone is a step closer to building a new church to fit a growing church population and to allow it to fulfill its goals to become even more family-oriented.
The church has paid just over $96,000 to property owner William Dixon for land located at the intersection of 23rd Street and Adams Avenue. The final installment of about $19,000 was made recently thanks to a gift from a church member, the late Helen Branter.
The Reverend Roy Garhwaite said the sale of a house belonging to “Aunt Helen” allowed the church to pay off its land mortgage and put $19,000 into a building fund.
The church is currently located on Columbia Avenue in what was once a Presbyterian Sunday school building, according to Garthwaite. He indicated the church has outgrown the location and that is one of the reasons it has acquired the land.
In addition to the land purchase, the church also hired G & R Excavating to clear the land at a cost of about $14,000. In all, the church has invested about $105,000 to $110,000 into the project. Garthwaite said the next step is to hire an architect to design the building.
“The goal is to have a new building in the next five years,” said Garthwaite. “It’s going to take a lot of money. We will do it through gifts and donations.”
He estimated it could cost about $750,000 if the church were built today but he indicated costs could rise the longer it takes to complete the project.
He indicated construction may not get underway for quite awhile and even when it does it could be done in stages.
The church expanded at its current location about two decades ago, but Garthwaite believes the church’s current congregation and needs have outgrown the facility.
“We are trying to grow the church to meet the needs of younger families,” said Garthwaite. “ (The goal) is a more family and youth-oriented ministry and to accommodate a growing congregation to come to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior.”
Garthwaite said currently the church conducts two Sunday services but would rather not have two services in an effort to keep the congregation united.
The current church has a capacity of about 180, according to Garthwaite.
In addition to increased capacity, the new building would also have classrooms and a fellowship hall as well as an education and recreation room. The amenities are needed to aid the church in its youth ministry.
