Church remodeling former fitness club into youth center
An empty storefront on East Sprague is being reborn as a church youth center.
New Life Assembly of God is remodeling an old fitness center at 11410 E. Sprague Ave. and getting it ready to offer games and snacks to the church’s youth.
“It just made more sense to move our student ministries off site,” said Associate Pastor Jason Kiesel. “We have just run out of room here on our main campus. We’re out of building space and we’re out of parking.”
New Life is located only a few blocks away at 11515 E. Broadway Ave. Kiesel said they plan to put a snack bar, meeting area and game area in the new youth center. “The building was pretty trashed, having sat vacant for two years,” he said. “We hauled about six tons of trash out of there. We’re starting to put up walls and getting it to look like we want it to look.”
It will be used by youths in grades 6-12 primarily on Sunday mornings and Wednesday evenings. At first it will be open only to members of the church’s youth groups. “Eventually what we’d like to do with it is have it open to the public after school,” he said. “Our goal is to have it open to the public as soon as possible. We want to make it free. Obviously it costs money to do things, but we feel like it’s part of this church’s mission.”
The remodeling was estimated at $15,000, but numerous donations of materials have brought that down to about $7,000 or $8,000, Kiesel said. The youth group has been doing fund-raisers, and church members have been donating money to buy paint and light fixtures.
The church is leasing the building at a reduced rate, Kiesel said. “What they’re getting out of it is a remodeled space. It wasn’t usable for anybody the way we found it.”
Kiesel isn’t sure when the remodeling will be complete. “In September we’re going to start using it, but I don’t know if we’ll be finished with it.”
Vacation Bible schools
•Starr Road Baptist Church, 4620 N. Starr Road, will start its VBS session Monday. Classes for children age 5 through the sixth grade will be held daily from 9 a.m. to noon through Friday. The theme of the session is “Racing to the Son.”
There is no charge. Call 226-0544 for more information.
•”Mission Possible” is the theme of the VBS session scheduled for Aug. 9-13 at Valleyford Community Church, 13015 S. Madison Road. Children in kindergarten through sixth grade will meet daily from 9:30 to 11:45 a.m.
There is no charge. Call 926-2142 to register or for more information.