A small 19th century church in Williamsburg that was once used as a synagogue will be demolished and replaced by two four-story apartment buildings, if the new owners plans go ahead.

A small 19th century church in Williamsburg that was once used as a synagogue will be demolished and replaced by two four-story apartment buildings, if the new owners plans go ahead. The quaint house of worship has sat on the corner of Leonard and Stagg streets since 1855, when it was built for a German congregation in what was then a German enclave in the borough.

Although the property is now the worse for wear and seemingly forgotten, its early 20th century tax photo shows an elegant Italianate building with neo-Classical details.

In February, the church, located at 157 Leonard Street, was sold by Action in Christ International to 157 Leonard Street LLC for $4 million, city records show. Joel Schwartz signed a mortgage for 157 Leonard St LLC.

A permit to demolish the building was applied for in September 2023, but has not been issued. Two new-building applications for the site, which includes the parking lot at 78 Stagg Street behind the church, have been submitted but neither permit has been issued yet. Both applications are for four-story apartment buildings; the one at 157 Leonard Street will have seven units and the one at 78 Stagg Street will have eight, the applications say.

Diego Aguilera Architects P.C. is the architect of record on both, and Hershey Silberstein of Blue Shine Builders Inc. is listed as the owner. No renderings have been posted on the construction fence or online.

Originally built as the German Evangelical Mission Church, in an area old maps show had a number of German businesses at the time, the structure started going up in the spring of 1855. The cornerstone was put in place in May, and in October the brick church was dedicated.

The buildings tall arched windows and doors were popular during the heyday of the Italianate style in the mid-19th century and also recall Romanesque Revival. The four pilasters across the front bring Greek Revival to the mix, and the front facades keystones are neo-Classical. Three stars of David on the roof and three more on the frieze, along with a plaque and a sign in Hebrew, identify the building as a synagogue. The cornice with its dentil molding and gable could be original or a later addition.

The church was substantially remodeled circa 1885 to 1895, and the congregation celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1903. Around the time of the celebration, a great number of Jewish families from the east side of Manhattan moved over to Brooklyn and settled in the immediate vicinity of the church, while the German congregants moved to other parts of the city, according to an early 20th century newspaper account of the church history. With a dwindling congregation, the church moved to Ridgewood in 1904 and laid the cornerstone for a new building there in 1907.

From at least 1903 through 1915, space in the basement of the church at 157 Leonard Street was rented for use by the local public school. During that time the ownership of the building changed, and by 1914 the Congregation Lovers of Peace Synagogue (also known as Ohev Sholom Anshei Sfard) was occupying the former church. The synagogue owned the property until 1970 when it transferred the deed to the building to the School of Biblical Instruction of Brooklyn (also known as Beth Talmud De Tora Brooklyn). In 1993, the school transferred the deed to Marcos Miranda of Action in Christ Church for $80,000.

Across the road from the church is Brooklyns oldest NYCHA development, Williamsburg Houses, which was built in the 1930s.

The Leonard Street church is the latest in a years-long building sell off by churches all over the borough, which have faced declining attendance and deteriorating structures while property values have skyrocketed. Many have been demolished for new housing, including the recently torn down St. Lucy-St. Patrick in Bed Stuy, but in some cases buildings are altered or extended, and occasionally preserved and adapted for new uses.

[Photos by Susan De Vries unless noted otherwise]

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Apartments to Replace 19th Century Church in Williamsburg - Brownstoner

Ever since COVID and the fire we tried to put new life into the music ministry starting with our bell choir, our regular youth choir, aswell as trying to grow and expand our adult choir as well," Assistant Music Director, and Choir Bell and Children's Choir Director Joe Spurio said.

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Saint Patrick Church reopens three years after a fire - WFMJ

The sale of a Middletown church will result in a cooperative agreement RSR Realtors thinks will become a trend for religious organizations.

RSR Realtors said Wesley United Methodist Church at 64 Ann Street in Middletown was sold to Zion Assembly of Harrisburg for $299,900. RSR represented the sellers and Josh Mumaw of Coldwell Bankers represented the buyers.

The sale of the 14,000-square foot property represents a negotiated solution between the parties, RSR Realtors said. Although Wesley UMC is selling its ownership in the property, they will continue to hold weekly services and Sunday school at the church for the long term.

Zion Assembly of Harrisburg, which sold its previous church before the pandemic, will shift back from virtual services to in-person services at 64 Ann Street.

Both congregations will conduct services in the church in their own individual time slots, RSR Realtors said.

Garrett Rothman of RSR Realtors thinks this type of cooperative use of the church will be a trend that will continue across the country.

As many churches are dealing with shrinking memberships and high overhead costs associated with owning their buildings, it makes perfect sense for multiple congregations to share the same building, allowing them to share expenses, Rothman said.

From the first moment representatives from both churches met, we all could tell there was synergy between the two congregations, and that they would mutually benefit holding their services under the same roof, he said. It was a true win-win situation.

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Sale of church building to benefit two congregations - Central Penn Business Journal

HISTORIC REFLECTION The former Pioneer Methodist Episcopal Church on South State Street was dedicated. The Pioneer Methodist congregation constructed a wooden frame house of worship at the southwest corner of State and Church streets circa 1860. In 1879, the congregation moved the frame building and began construction of this brick church on the site. The church cornerstone was laid on July 24, 1879, and the structure was formally dedicated on February 1, 1880. This facility served the Pioneer United Methodist Church for nearly a centurythe congregation completed a new house of worship on Baubice Street in 1975. The Williams County Historical Society dedicated an historic marker at the former Pioneer United Methodist Church on October 6, 1991. The historic 1879 church building was razed in February 2000. Note the Toledo & Western Railway tracks in Church Street. This vintage image of the Pioneer United Methodist Church is from the Williams County Public Li-brary Huffman Photographic Archives.

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Historic Reflection: Pioneer Methodist Episcopal Church - The Village Reporter

A long-vacant church in St. Cloud may soon become a place where people can get help for their mental health and addiction challenges, despite pushback from some residents in the neighborhood.

Nelson Construction and Development, working with Ascension Recovery Services, wants to rehab the 15,303-square-foot church at 302 Fifth Ave. S. and turn it into a 48-bed inpatient and outpatient center for treatment of substance abuse, anxiety, and depression.

Built in the 1960s, the building has been vacant since 2013, when the First United Methodist Church relocated after 50 years of holding services there. The building has an assessed value of $208,000, according to Stearns County property records.

As part of the adaptive-reuse project, crews would renovate the education wing and congregation hall for inpatient and outpatient services. Also planned are exterior improvements, new windows, tuckpointing and a roof replacement, among other fixes.

St. Clouds Planning Commission recently recommended approval of a zoning change to move the project forward. Last week, the City Council set a Feb. 12 public hearing date for the proposed reuse, said Matt Glaesman, St. Clouds community development director.

At a Planning Commission meeting in January, project backers said the treatment center would address a big need in the city and create a productive new use for an aging building with historical value.

Weve gotten the bug of repurposing old buildings and saving the history of our community. Well, the First United Methodist Church building was expected to be torn down and ripped down, Brian Schoenborn, the buildings owner, said at the meeting. The idea that we can now invest $17 million to repurpose a historic building is very important.

Brandon George, vice president at Ascension Recovery Services, which operates programs in 25 states, told the commission that St. Cloud, like many, many, many other communities around the country, is struggling with addiction.

The new treatment center, he said, would serve everything from college kids that may need help with anxiety and depression to people that work in the community that may struggle with alcohol or other mental health concerns.

But some residents are cautious about the plans. A recurring theme among project skeptics: centers for treatment of mental health and addiction may be necessary, but build it someplace else.

At the Planning Commission meeting, neighbors peppered the project team with questions and concerns about everything from the type of medication that would be offered at the facility to traffic and public safety issues.

I dont know if Im supportive of this because our neighbors didnt hear anything about this at all, a 22-year resident of the neighborhood told the Planning Commission.

As somebody who has lived there and walks everywhere, I dont feel safe going to Holiday. [The neighborhood] is not a space that you can go into at any time of day or night because of the amount of homeless, drug-addicted, alcohol-addicted folks that loiter in the area.

Weve had a couple of shootings in that area. So we need not just this facility but we need [to take care of] that neighborhood, the resident added.

Another neighbor acknowledged the need for treatment centers, but wondered if the former church is the best place for it. The issue of the placement of this particular program in this particular neighborhood is a concern.

The treatment center would be staffed at all times with up to 30 employees during the day and 12 at night, according to a city report. Onsite employees would include administrative, counseling, medical and operations personnel.

Inpatient services could last up to 28 days, the staff report says, adding that participation in the program is voluntary.

Sue Abderholden, executive director of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness [NAMI-Minnesota], said opposition to projects like the one in St. Cloud is not unusual, despite the huge demand for mental health and addiction treatment.

NAMI-Minnesota points to the proposed Lincoln on the Creek project, which would bring 89 units of workforce housing to Edina. As part of the project, Touchstone Mental Health would provide support for at least 18 households, including at least nine with a mental illness.

The project is facing rising opposition, according to NAMI-Minnesota.

In recent years, similar opposition upended plans to bring residential treatment centers for children to cities such as Golden Valley and Forest Lake, Abderholden said.

People struggling with mental illness and addiction are living in your city and neighborhood, she added. We want them to be able to get treatment. It could be one of your own children, a sibling, a neighbor, a coworker.

It affects a lot of people. The worst thing we can do is have people not have access to treatment.

RELATED:One-time St. Cloud orphanage to become treatment center

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Church-to-treatment center project up for approval in St. Cloud - Finance and Commerce

The new Mary Queen of Angels Church will be very similar to the structure it is replacing. (Artists rendering courtesy Alloy Architecture.)

An unsuspecting parishioner of Mary Queen of Angels Parish in Fort Scott who walks into the church next Christmas after several years of being away might be shocked to discover hes in a different building.

The new churchs design is very similar to the structure that was severely damaged by fire on Aug. 29, 2022, after a lightning strike.

Andrew Faires, an architect with Alloy Architecture in Wichita, said the new church will be handicapped accessible and have a larger gathering space, but will be a few feet shorter than the building it is replacing.

Weve added a vesting sacristy near the front of the church, he said, and weve added a bank of restrooms near the front of the church off of the gathering space as well.

Easier entry, exit

The footprint of the church was moved farther away from the street, Faires said. So now theres a bit more of an exterior plaza for entry and exit off the main entrance of the church.

The architect said he and his colleagues attempted to maintain the integrity of the original design of the churchs interior.

Bishop Carl A. Kemme, Fr. Yancey Burgess, and others associated with the construction of a new Mary Queen of Angels Church took part in ceremonial groundbreaking Sunday, Dec. 17, in Fort Scott. (Courtesy photo)

We wanted the parish to feel as though they were already homeso theres not that shock that can happen with a new church. Weve gone in there with the intent of this is what it felt like beforehand, he said. A lot of the work was how can we make it feel like its just restored and improved for modern-day use of the building.

Stained-glass windows are being refurbished

Another reason parishioners will feel at home is that the stained-glass windows are being refurbished and reused in the new church building.

Its still going to be the same rose window stained glass and all the side windows stained glass, Faires said. There are different ways that weve had to arrange them. We couldnt necessarily place them in the same locations, but we were able to get them all integrated into the building design.

The reredos and side altars are being replicated. The Stations of the Cross and statues are being refurbished and will be returned to the new church. Were trying to go back with the same design but with a slightly different scale, he said. For the most part, its all integrating with what the original church looked like.

Brick detailing will be similar to old church

Red brick will again be used for the exterior and the brickwork detailing along the roof line will be similar to the previous church. One difference is that the base of the church will be limestone, which will tie it to the adjacent school building.

A larger paved parking area will be added south of the church, Faires said.

The church is scheduled to be finished by the end of November.

Fort Scotts pastor, Fr. Yancey Burgess, said he appreciated Bishop Carl A. Kemmes blessing at the groundbreaking, an event that occurred during Advent, a season of anticipation.

We would like the church to have been done yesterday, he said. Its a slow process and we understand that but its begun.

The congregation is excited about construction, Fr. Burgess said. Mass and other services are being held in the parishs Kennedy Gym.

Looking forward to the old church in the new church

The people wanted to rebuild their church only with indoor plumbing we had only one bathroom, he said. Theyre looking forward to having their old church the look of the old church with modern conveniences.

Fr. Burgess added that parishioners have expressed their appreciation that the new church will be at ground level and that accessibility will be much easier for the elderly and others with mobility challenges. Theyre going to miss the old church but theyre excited to see the old church in the new church, he said. They should be able to walk into the church and, for the most part, recognize they are back home.

Simpson Construction Services of Wichita is the general contractor for the project.

Continued here:
Fort Scott parishioners will return 'home' after construction of new church is finished - Catholic Diocese of Wichita

SALT LAKE CITY As construction continues on Temple Square in its fourth year, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced some plaza areas will soon be reopened to the public while the Assembly Hall will close.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

A map shows the plaza areas that will open as soon as Saturday, January 6, which includes the area by the Church Office Building, the north part of the Main Street Plaza and a northwest area of Temple Square.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

In mid-February, the south side of Main Street Plaza will open, restoring the path from South Temple to North Temple streets.

In addition to the Main Street Plaza, areas on the east side of Temple Square, near the Church Office Building will also fully reopen.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Church officials explained an addition to the plaza by the office building is the installation of 92 flag poles, which will display flags throughout the year of officially recognized United Nations countries.

"The flag oval begins at the plazas northwest corner with the flag of the United States," a release from the church reads. "From there, 91 additional flags will rotate every three months. The flags will be placed in alphabetical order, according to the English name of the country, and will always be illuminated."

As plazas begin to reopen, the Assembly Hall and gardens surrounding the building will close for renovation.

In recent years, the building has hosted many concerts and events as one of the only open areas on Temple Square during construction.

Church officials said the renovations include the removal of restroom buildings and portions of the wall, some structural repairs in the foundation and roof, mechanical improvements, interior plaster repair and landscaping.

Renovation of the Assembly Hall is expected to be completed in 2026.

In addition to the Assembly Hall work, renovation of the Beehive and Lion Houses is in progress, church officials said. Crews will soon clear plants and trees in order to excavate around the foundations and footings.

From there, the buildings will be inspected, stabilized and repaired. The renovations will help keep water away from the buildings.

After building repairs, new landscape will be installed that includes drought-resistant plants and water-wise irrigation.

While the project was initially supposed to be completed in 2025, church leadership announced in March 2023 that the timeline had to be pushed back due to "unexpected challenges."

The current estimated completion date is 2026.

Originally posted here:
Areas to open on Temple Square; Assembly Hall to close amid construction - FOX 13 News Utah

Editors note: This is the final article of a three-part series on temple milestones during 2023. Part 1 looked at announcement of new temples and site locations; Part 2 dealt with dedications and rededications.

In 2023, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints added 35 new temple locations announced by President Russell M. Nelson in the April and October general conferences the most ever for the second straight year, following President Nelsons announcement of 35 new locations in 2022.

Also in 2023, the Churchs 11 temple dedications were the most in a calendar year in more than 20 years.

By comparison, the eight temple groundbreakings conducted by the Church in 2023 were the fewest in five years, following 16 in 2022, 12 in 2021 and 21 in 2020, the first full year of the COVID-19 pandemic, when construction was considered critical trade and essential work and didnt fall under lockdowns, extreme social distancing or other pandemic restrictions.

In fact, the eight groundbreakings this year are the fewest since 2018, where the Church had just one.

An aerial view of the site of the future Kaohsiung Taiwan Temple on Nov. 25, 2023, the day of its groundbreaking services.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

But before hands start wringing that low number of groundbreakings may suggest a drop in building of new temples, look at the breakdown of the Churchs total 335 temples and see how many are already under construction, how many have sites released and are awaiting the next milestone of groundbreaking, and how many temples are announced and in planning but still without sites.

The breakdown by status of those 335 temples, as of the end of 2023, is:

The 186 dedicated temples include one renovated temple scheduled for rededication, four temples under renovation and four more temples scheduled to begin renovations in 2024.

Elder Peter F. Meurs and Sister Maxine Meurs (back row, left) with leaders, youth and young adults who walked the Kokoda Trail from Popondetta to Port Moresby (about 96 kilometers over mountains) to attend the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Temple groundbreaking on April 22, 2023. The group completed the challenging walk in four days.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Groundbreaking services were held for the following eight temples in 2023, including two on the same day:

Shovels stand ready at sunrise on the day of the groundbreaking services for the Quertaro Mexico Temple on Jan. 7, 2023.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

One groundbreaking for a new house of the Lord has already been scheduled for next year the Knoxville Tennessee Temple on Jan. 27, 2024.

As of the end of December 2023, the Church has 47 temples under construction, not including the six that already have been announced for dedication in 2024. Listed by chronological order of groundbreaking dates, the 47 are:

The Auckland New Zealand Temple, under construction in late November 2023.

Provided by Lindsey T. Dil

The Syracuse Utah Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is under construction in Syracuse on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023.

Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Besides temples under construction, the Church of Jesus Christ has five previously dedicated and operating temples under extensive renovation, with three more houses of the Lord scheduled to close and begin renovations in 2024.

The Manti Utah Temple, which has been under renovation since October 2021 is scheduled for rededication on April 21, 2024.

Renovation work continues on the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in downtown Salt Lake City on Friday, April 28, 2023.

Spenser Heaps, Deseret News

Listed chronologically by month of closure date, the five temples currently under renovation are:

Rendering of the reconstructed Provo Utah Temple

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

And the three additional temples scheduled for renovations, with their closures announced during the past year, are:

Artists rendering of the renovated Manhattan New York Temple. The temple will close in 2024 for extensive renovations.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The rest is here:
Temples in 2023: 8 groundbreakings but temple growth not slowing - Church News

Water shot out toward the planes wings as the engine throttled to a deafening roar, the hull shaking from friction as it screamed across the water. The pilot held the overhead throttle steady as the craft rushed ahead, rattling as it continued to pick up speed until, for a moment, it shrugged slightly off the surface of the river. More minor lifts followed, the plane willing itself to part from this liquid runway as separations ramped up in frequency and then, in an instant, there was calm tranquility the aircraft soared into smooth open sky.

This exhilarating takeoff is part of the daily routine for missionary pilot Eben Ezer Espinosa Castro. For eight years hes worked for a ministry that was recently adopted by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in eastern Peru called Peru Projects.

I always had a dream since I was a child, to serve God as a pilot missionary anywhere, Castro says.

Growing up in Mexico, Castro studied theology at Montemorelos University before heading to the United States to pursue a Master of Divinity degree at Andrews University in Michigan. But his dream faced a huge hurdle: he didnt have the money to pay for the degree. Throughout his graduate program, he searched for sponsors, was blessed with odd jobs, and was amazed as fervently specific prayers were answered in front of his eyes. He started with nothing and graduated with no debt.

Being free and clear, Castro hesitated to begin studying in the aviation program; with his theology degree he could become a pastor and start earning a salary right away. Again, God provided the necessary funds for him to study aviation. God clearly opened the way, opened the doors, and showed us that He would fulfill [this dream], and thank God, He did, Castro recalls.

During his last semester in aviation at Andrews, Castro heard about Peru Projects and its need for a pilot. He could see the skills and education God was giving him as a pastor, mechanic, and aviator; it was exactly what was needed in this ministry. And so, Castro and his family moved to the jungle city of Pucallpa and began to live out his childhood mission aviation dreams. It was really nice to see confirmation from God that [this journey] was His will, He was guiding us, and He got us through it, because He had a place for us to serve, Castro said.

This Amazon region of Peru an expansive sprawl of wild rainforest that includes the Amazon River, the worlds largest by volume is home to the East Peru Mission of the Adventist Church, the largest mission (a church region that is not yet financially self-supporting) in the country. It is also a region where dozens of indigenous people groups have lived in isolation for generations, maintaining their traditional way of life away from modern society. Today, many of them have experienced the outside world, but some are still truly uncontacted. Their segregated existence has lasted so long because at the edge of the jungle, the roads end. Here, rivers are the thoroughfares for transportation, and the indigenous population is spread out over around 200,000 square miles (more than 500,000 square km) of jungle. Even in a fast boat, Castro explains, it can take 20 to 40 hours to reach some of these villages; in larger cargo boats, it can take days. The huge scale of this place makes evangelism extremely difficult.

One of the greatest challenges that our mission has is being able to reach [these] communities, Juan Saldaa, president of the East Peru Mission, admitted. The pastors who work in the inner river zones, the thickest part of the forest, the biggest difficulty is the transportation. According to Castro, there are thousands of villages throughout this territory, and the church is actively working in 82 of them, the majority made up of the Shipibo and Ashninka tribes. Village life is simple in these communities residents grow their own food, raise chickens, and catch fish in the river.

On the surface, this idyllic setting looks like paradise, but Castro has seen firsthand the problems these people face. If someone gets seriously sick out there, they die. There are no hospitals or medical clinics when injuries or illness arise. So, despite having this beautiful community that looks like paradise, they face things that they dont have a solution for, Castro said. And then they can be discouraged because they dont know how to face them. So thats where the value of the gospel message comes in, and they can see to the future, see eternity. That changes their view or their mindset.

A crucial part of Peru Projects ministry is operating emergency medical flights in the jungle for patients in critical need of professional attention. Whether its in the amphibious Lake 250 Renegade aircraft or, when a landing strip is available, the Cessna 182, Castro and his team work with embedded missionaries to respond to these time-sensitive situations. Over their years of service, rapport has grown between missionaries and the tribes, allowing for the gospel to spread. As communities create congregations, they need places to worship, which normally takes shape in a rickety wooden structure. These buildings are weakened by the consistent Amazon rain and termites that feed upon the walls. Right now, most of the churches are falling apart, Castro said. It is just the reality.

The East Peru Mission asked Maranatha to help with proper places of worship in this region. Maranatha has worked there before, building churches and other structures in the mid-2000s. Today, the starting point will be the city of Pucallpa, near Castros aviation mission outpost. From there, Maranathas work will head down the river to villages spread throughout the jungle.

Glendy Franco de Gomez is a Shipibo woman who grew up deep in the jungle. Her parents were traveling teachers who would move from village to village by boat, educating indigenous children. When she reached adulthood, Gomez followed in her parents footsteps, graduating as a teacher from an indigenous university in Pucallpa. Today, she teaches at a government elementary school for indigenous children. Shes also become a leader at the La Selva Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The Shipibos are matriarchal, so women help guide society in many ways. Women are also integral to a churchs stability and future growth. Each Saturday (Sabbath), more than 30 people attend La Selva, including university students who are following in Gomezs footsteps from the jungle to the city. But Gomez would like to grow that number.

My dream for the church would be that we win over more souls and that they congregate here that everyone who comes from the villages will congregate here, and that day by day, we keep working to bring more people to this place to worship God, Gomez said.

However, a huge obstacle to this goal is the actual structure where they meet. The building is constructed of weak, rain-soaked wood. If strong enough winds blow, the church could collapse, causing serious injuries or worse. There are large gaps in the slat walls rainfall pours in, flooding the floor. The roof recently flew away in a storm the members reattached it, but it may not last for long. Also, the metal roof is oppressively hot and humid in the jungle heat. Because La Selva is a growing congregation, there is currently no room for future growth, especially when university students are present during the school year.

With all these challenges, sometimes members simply cannot worship there because the space is unusable. Often, they just stay home where its more cool, dry, and safe. Without the financial means to construct a stronger, more permanent sanctuary, La Selva can only wait and pray for a miracle. Its a story thats repeated over and over again in Pucallpa.

Maranathas commitment to churches in Pucallpa is to provide special roofs that wont absorb as much of the jungle heat and are quieter in the rain, as well as strong, permanent steel frames that will last for generations. Congregations will then build up the walls using local materials. To La Selvas delight, its church was on the list of churches that Maranatha is helping. Its a big help for us because, in reality, those of us who congregate, we have very few professionals who can build, Gomez said. We can continue to save and finish the church.

Maranatha established a workshop in Pucallpa where all of the components for churches in this region will be fabricated. The organizations in-country crew is creating these steel elements, and entire church frames have gone up at sites throughout the city. Soon, La Selva will demolish its current structure to make way for a solid, permanent one, ushering in a new phase of possibilities for evangelism and growth that Gomez dreams of.

Work has already begun on these new buildings, and soon La Selva will be set to pursue its dreams. This same joy will be shared by church members throughout the city of Pucallpa. Congregations are beginning to demolish their old, unsafe buildings in preparation for Maranatha to arrive. Soon, theyll be worshiping in permanent structures through which the gospel can shine for generations. Maranatha is also drilling water wells in Pucallpa in situations where there is need.

After Maranathas initial commitment in Pucallpa is complete, the city will continue to serve as the launching pad deeper into the Amazon. Crews will start moving down the river into more remote communities that are harder to reach. This will present unique logistical challenges, from making site visits with native congregations to transporting materials, workers, and volunteers. Its a challenge that Maranatha country director Elmer Barbosa relishes. Its going to be difficult, Barbosa said. Were going to have to use boats sometimes, we are going to have to fly to places but no ones going [to these villages]. Even the church has a challenge to reach those people. And if we partner with them, I think we can bring hope to those people and be the way that they get to know Jesus.

Castro said he is excited for the possibilities of how God will use Maranatha and its volunteers to reach people from different tribes and tongues. He knows that the warmth and hospitality of the people of these remote communities will be felt by Maranatha. I think its a big opportunity and a blessing for the indigenous people, and for the volunteers that come, because people in the jungle are very receptive theyre very friendly, Castro explained. So, if we bring volunteers, its easy to work with the villagers, and it will definitely be an impact for them for the community, as for the volunteers that are involved there.

The original version of this release was posted on page 8 of The Volunteer magazine, Issue 3, 2023. Maranatha Volunteers International is an independent supporting ministry and is not operated by the corporate Seventh-day Adventist Church.

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Construction Initiative Supports Church Growth in the Peruvian Amazon - Adventist Review

God sometimes opens a window after closing a door, the adage goes. But in the case of two Waco churches, its more of a case of windows, doors and a whole building.

First Baptist Church of Waco N.B.C. is a historically Black congregation that has worshipped together the past 94 years in a building on the edge of downtown at 611 Jefferson Ave. Templo Nueva Vida is a younger, mostly Hispanic congregation that met at 3300 N. 22nd St.

Templo Nueva Vida pastor Jose Gutierrez Jr., left, shakes hands with the Rev. George Harrison of First Baptist Church N.B.C. inside the sanctuary on Jefferson Avenue. The two churches have swapped buildings.

Templo Nuevo Vida has moved into the former First Baptist Church N.B.C. building on Jefferson Avenue.

Now they are trading spaces for futures more aligned with their congregations needs.

For Templo Nueva Vida, its a swap that means more space for a growing Spanish-speaking congregation. It is trading up to a building with two stories and a basement, complete with a sanctuary, dining space and classrooms, plus parking.

First Baptist Church gets a single-floor facility that is easier to maintain and easier for the churchs older members to navigate.

Pastors Jose Gutierrez Jr., left, of Templo Nuevo Vida and George Harrison of First Baptist Church N.B.C. both held services Sunday at the Jefferson Avenue church building.

inside their church on Jefferson Ave. The two churches have swapped building with Harrison holding their last service at the building.

The transition of the old year to the new had extra meaning for members of both churches who found the Sundays in December a time to say goodbye to their previous homes and a 2024 beginning in a new space.

Its been bittersweet for both congregations, but this keeps both facilities in the hands of churches, Templo Nueva Vida pastor Jose Gutierrez Jr. said.

Gutierrez founded the church in 2010, soon after he finished his studies at Pensacola Christian College.

After six years, the church needed more space and bought its current facility, the former Waco Bible Chapel. Another six years later, Templo Nueva Vida and its approximately 60 members were looking for larger quarters.

Templo Nueva Vida Pastor Jose Gutierrez Jr., shakes hands with members following the Sunday worship service at the former First Baptist Church N.B.C. building.

Gutierrez described Templo Nueva Vida, many of whose members are first-generation Mexican-Americans, as a fellowshipping church that prizes meeting together as part of the churchs identity and ministry.

The church struggled to find a larger space in its former neighborhood.

Templo Nueva Vida Pastor Jose Gutierrez Jr., leads a service at his congregation's new location on Jefferson Ave.

We love the North Waco area, but there are few facilities conducive to churches in this area, Gutierrez said.

Three miles to the south, members of First Baptist Church of Waco, affiliated with the National Baptist Convention, USA Inc., were looking to move as well. The Black Baptist church began in 1901 as North Eighth Street Church and built its permanent building in 1928.

George Harrison has served as pastor for 38 years, longer than any of his predecessors. Harrison said the 40,000-square-foot building was becoming increasingly difficult to use and maintain.

COVID almost killed us, he said.

Members of First Baptist Church N.B.C. hold their last service at their historic Jefferson Avenue location.

Harrison said the churchs average Sunday attendance of 300 to 400 people had dropped to 100 or fewer, due in part to the pause in Sunday services during COVID-19 surges and several members deaths during the pandemic.

The faithful families at the heart of First Baptists membership have kept it going, but older members were having trouble navigating the churchs steps and stairs. Keeping up with the maintenance of a facility built in 1928 also proved an increasing financial strain on the church, Harrison noted.

Church leadership decided to put their building on the market, but although its downtown location attracted attention, the price or the purpose of potential buyers proved sticking points.

I couldnt in good faith sell our church to a business that would sell alcohol, Harrison said.

And though the neighborhood where the church began had changed markedly over the last century, the longtime pastor also had trouble seeing yet another church leave downtown.

Gutierrez initially had approached Harrison when he first heard First Baptist Church might be selling its building, the Templo Nueva Vida pastor recalled, but the price and timing werent right. By fall, however, the two pastors picked up their earlier conversations, but over a different option: a straight-up trade of their buildings. As the two pastors and their church leaders discussed the issue, details began to fall into place. On Dec. 8, the churches filed the necessary paperwork to transfer their property deeds to each other.

The weeks since then have seen members moving furniture, repainting rooms and doing some light construction to prepare the church buildings for their new congregations. On Christmas Eve, Gutierrez preached his last sermon in Templos former home. On New Years Eve, a Sunday that saw both congregations worshipping in the First Baptist sanctuary at different times, Harrison preached his last sermon from what had been his home pulpit for nearly 40 years.

His sermon was Where Do We Go From Here, from a text in the book of Exodus about Moses leading the Israelites from Egypt through the Sinai wilderness. Moses followers had three options, Harrison noted: return to Egypt, stay in the wilderness or move forward.

Thats what were doing. Were moving forward, he said.

Templo Nueva Vidas new home keeps a church light burning at the Jefferson Avenue location, where it has been aglow for more than a century.

North Eighth Street Baptist Church was organized in 1901, then moved to Jefferson Street with a new frame building erected in 1928, according to The History of the Black Man in Waco, by former Waco City Council Member Garry Radford. A membership split shortly afterward saw the churchs name changed to First Baptist Church.

First Baptist Church N.B.C. built its house of worship in 1928 and renovated it in the 1950s.

Under the Rev. L.F. Hardee, who served as pastor for 32 years, the church bricked and renovated its building in 1952, with the renovation including an electric organ, grand piano and new pulpit. Nine years later, the church expanded again, converting basement space into classrooms, overhauling the church sanctuary and adding refrigerated air air conditioning.

Waco architectural historian Kenneth Hafertepe noted that North Eighth Street Baptist Church was founded at the southern end of an established Black community, a block from the North Seventh Street School, a Black school later known as Barron Springs Elementary School. It was a few blocks south of New Hope Baptist Church and a nearby Central Texas College for Black students, before New Hope moved to its current building in 1922.

Hafertepes Historic Homes of Waco, Texas profiles several small shotgun houses located in the 500 block of Sixth Street that indicate an adjacent neighborhood was a working class one with immigrants among its residents. Celebrated Waco singer Jules Bledsoe, incidentally, lived in the 800 block of Sixth Street in 1913.

A 1926 Sanborn Fire Insurance map of the area around North Eighth Street Baptist Church shows it a residential area, with clusters of small frame homes and boarding houses. The construction and expansion of Waco Drive to its immediate north, however, severed that part of the Black neighborhood and over time, its working class population moved elsewhere in Waco.

First Baptists beige brick exterior and its cathedral glass windows suggest the church was a middle-class congregation wanting to present a modern face to Waco, Hafertepe said.

Historic Buildings of Waco, Texas, doesnt profile the the Jefferson Avenue church building but highlights several downtown churches also built in the 1920s. Those include New Hope Baptist Church at 915 N. Sixth Street in 1922 and St. James Methodist Episcopal Church at Second Avenue and Clay Avenue in 1924, both substantial structures built by growing Black congregations.

Also from that era are Austin Avenue Methodist Church (1924), Waco Central Christian Church (1924), St. Francis on the Brazos Catholic Church (1928) and First Church of Christ, Scientist (1924).

The Rev. George Harrison of First Baptist Church N.B.C. preaches Sunday at thechurch's last service on Jefferson Avenue. The church has swapped buildings with Templo Nueva Vida.

Im glad it will have a new use with a new congregation, said Hafertepe, a Baylor museum studies professor and a leading advocate for historic preservation in Waco. The best possible use (of a historic church building) is by a church congregation.

Both Templo Nueva Vida and First Baptist are looking forward to continuing their own histories in a new place where they feel God has put them.

Harrison and his church already are planning to survey their new neighborhood about interest in continuing a youth feeding ministry the church has had for years. He added that when First Baptist needed chairs for its North 22nd Street building, Antioch Community Church stepped up to meet that need.

I know thats where we should be, he said.

Gutierrez, too, sees providential fingerprints steering his church in its new direction.

God always has a way of surprising us. When you need it, the door opens, he said.

Members of Templo Nueva Vida gather for their Sunday worship service at their location on Jefferson Avenue.

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