Seventh-Day Adventists Build New Valley Church

For 44 years, the Spokane Valley Seventh-day Adventist Church called its 12323 E. Mission location home.

Now, the church has sold that property and is building a new church, along with a school, offices, a gymnasium and a fellowship hall.

On Oct. 1, church members broke ground for their new, 40,000-square-foot site at the corner of 16th and Sullivan.

Following the ground-breaking ceremony, the church embarked on the first phase of the project, which includes the construction of the sanctuary, offices and school.

The first phase will cost $2.5 million. So far, thanks to donations from the church’s congregation and the sale of its property, more than $2.1 million has been raised.

“I think it’s quite a feat for a small number,” said Pastor Charles Ferguson. “Basically, we’ve just appealed to the people. We had a banquet, got the information out and people made commitments.”

Growth is the main reason for building the new complex.

Current church membership is around 350 active members - and growing. Its current sanctuary only holds 310 people.

According to Lola Nile, church secretary, the church has been growing in cycles. Without a larger facility, the Spokane Valley Seventh-day Adventist would lose members as quickly as it gained them.

“Because we’ve never expanded our facility, we would go back down and we would grow again,” said Nile. “Typically, any church that gets to 80 percent capacity will stop growing.”

The new sanctuary will be able to accommodate more than 600 people.

The congregation hopes to move into its new location next August.

Associate pastors installed

The Revs. Tim and Karen Harrison, husband and wife, were installed two weeks ago as associate pastors of Whitworth Community Presbyterian Church.

The Harrisons, however, have been serving at the church since August.

They will conduct the junior high school, high school and college programs, including Sunday school and youth groups.

Both Karen and Tim Harrison graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey last May.

Evangelist at Valley Fourth

The Rev. George Sweeting, chancellor of the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, will speak at Valley Fourth Memorial Church, 2303 S. Bowdish, Sunday during the 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. services, and again at 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday.

Sweeting, author and columnist, has served at the Moody Bible Institute for 23 years, 16 as president.

The evangelist has written more than 30 books, including “Secrets of Excellence,” “The No-Guilt Guide to Witnessing,” and his most recent, “Who Said That?”

Sweeting also writes a monthly column, “Climbing Higher,” for Moody Magazine.

The engagements are free and the public is welcome.

Organ recital

Charles D. Frost will present an organ recital at the First Presbyterian Church, 318 S. Cedar, at 4 p.m. Sunday.

The program, featuring both organ music and brass arrangements, will include pieces by Bach, Mouret, Strauss, Buxtehude and others.

Frost is music director at First Presbyterian. He also directs its Chancel Choir, two hand-bell choirs and worship teams.

The concert is free; however, donations will be accepted.