Community Grace Brethren Church of Everett, Pa., is launching a long awaited building project this summer. They are building all new offices and nursery with classrooms below while renovating the worship center internally.
“We strive to be a church that makes the Word of God easily applied in practical ways for daily life,” says Pastor Jeff Peeler. “We have full youth group and children’s ministries as well as an active Just Older Youth (JOY) Fellowship for our seniors. However, we have always lacked adequate office and classroom space. The current spaces in ‘the old wing’ are all renovated rooms from a former local dairy and ice cream shop. So the plan is to provide, for the first time, adequate modern space for our people of all ages for many uses including Adult Bible Fellowships, Sunday Schools, Children’s Church and Youth Group activities. We will also have new offices for the staff and a brand new nursery.”
The goal is that these new spaces will compliment the current worship center and fellowship hall that was built during Pastor Tim’s leadership. The worship center is also receiving a major internal renovation with new carpet, seating, and updated aesthetics.
The project is being led by Danny Bennett, a long time Community GBC member who is retired and will be the project manager from start to finish. There is also a building team that has hashed out the project for many months. The many talented and giving people of Community GBC will also be a great help throughout the process.
Pastor Jeff reflects upon the time leading up to this point, “Literally years of prayer, planning and saving have gone into this project. We have a remarkable team that has already put many hours into this undertaking. And as a Church we realize that we are in this together. That’s why many are holding shovels in our groundbreaking photo. God is faithful, and only together are we His church.”
The building project is anticipated to be complete by the year’s end.
The church was founded in 1984 and soon called Pastor Tim Boal who served as senior pastor for approximately seven years. Pastor Steve Jarrell served for three years subsequent to Tim and Pastor Jeff Peeler has served as the lead pastor at Community for more than 16 years. Also Lee Seese has ministered as the full time pastor of youth and parents for more than 20 years.
Community GBC has regular yearly outreaches to the community as well as short-term trips to assist other Churches, often in the inner cities. A partial list of such activities would include partnering with About My Father’s Business in Washington D.C. to feed the homeless; partnering with Urban Hope in Philadelphia for many construction projects; holding the Annual Trunk or Treat ministry with hundreds of local children and parents; and holding a monthly guitar club in nearby Bedford at The Cellar.