Church offers tour of its new location

After holding services for nearly a month in its new Evans location, Covenant United Methodist Church is inviting guests to tour the new facility today and join the church for a celebration.

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The church, which met for 2 1/2 years at Greenbrier Elementary, held its first service on July 12 at their new location at Eagle Point Plaza on Washington Road.

"Because we were mobile for so long, it was a challenge, and it also helped us build community," said the Rev. Randy Monk. "There's a lot of bonding that takes place around the church that has to come together and focus on trying to reach out to people."

Worship services at the church are held at 10 a.m. on Sundays.

Monk said he invites people to tour the 7,200-square-foot building at about 9:30 a.m. A celebration with inflatable activities, face painting, games and a lunch catered by Shane's Rib Shack will be after services.

The two-story building features a coffee house with free Internet access, 150-seat sanctuary and nursery downstairs and a youth ministry and children's wing upstairs. It also has a skylight and waterfall used for baptism services .

Monk said he wants people to feel invited when they first walk into the facility, which was formerly a tanning salon.

"Because we're reaching out to people, who either are disenchanted with church or have never been in church, we're trying to make this a very inviting atmosphere that might welcome them back to church for the first time," he said.

The coffee house will be open throughout the week for those wanting to relax or catch up on some work, he added.

Monk said the church blends both traditional and modern worship elements and welcomes guests and its 130 members to "come as they are."

Since moving into the new facility, Monk said he already has seen new faces coming through the door and looks to add another service as membership grows. The church will stay in its new location for at least three years, he said.

"We just want people to be here and to be comfortable, and we don't expect them to come through the door a certain way," he said. "We just want to be here and share the love of God with them."