New church opens doors

One Evans church will open the doors of its permanent home Sunday, while a Martinez congregation plans to break ground on its new sanctuary May 20.

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After 14 months of construction, the congregation of Christ Church Presbyterian will hold their inaugural service in a new home on Southern Pines Drive at Furys Ferry Road at 9:30 a.m. Sunday. The Rev. Dr. Gordon Reid said he is thankful to have the 400-seat church completed.

Reid said the completed church is the "fulfillment of a dream realized."

The 12,000-square-foot church, with a soaring steeple and flying buttresses, was designed by MacDonald Law and built by contractors John Allen and DeVane Batchelor.

The sanctuary's design echoes the church's dedication to traditional worship, with its choir loft in the rear above the congregation, music minister Mark Nabholz said. This is done so the movements of the choir do not distract from the sermon and to represent the traditional physical separation of the choir from ordained clergy, he said.

Members had hoped to complete the building by Christmas, but went ahead with the second phase of construction which included a fellowship hall.

Christ Church had met for more than two years at First Baptist Church of Evans, whom Reid thanked for their patience through construction.

"They have been the most gracious hosts we could ever have," Reid said.

The reverend said plans ultimately call for a Sunday School building and offices, but for now Christ Church will focus on outreach ministries.

Reid said the goal of the church is to "fulfill what we believe to be the Biblical role of the church, which is to gather people in the Kingdom (of God), help them to grow, transform people and teach them to be transformers."

In other church news, on May 20, the Rev. Cindy Taylor and the congregation of Church of the Holy Comforter, will celebrate the ground breaking of their new church at 473 Furys Ferry Road. The spot is currently marked by a large stone cross.

The service will take place at 10:30 a.m. In the event of rain, the service will be held at Savannah Rapids Pavilion with the ground breaking to follow on Furys Ferry Road.