News photo by Justin A. Hinkley. From left, Scott Donald, Dan Daoust and Matt Winter applaud after cutting the ribbon on Living Hope Church’s new youth space on Sunday.
ALPENA – The church’s giving and parishioners’ talents over the past few months culminated Sunday with the unveiling of a new youth space at Living Hope Church.
Although the elders of the church, 1499 M-32, Alpena, have been discussing building a youth hall for four or five years, the project did not begin in earnest until about six months ago, when the church asked its parishioners to donate toward the cause.
To date, parishioners have donated more than $18,000 toward the $20,000 renovation of the former storage room, which has now been converted into a carpeted, clean, modern, 800-square-foot Sunday School space.
“We have done all this in faith,” said Eldrick Lal, the church’s senior pastor, pointing to Psalm 20:7, which says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”
“We didn’t have a single penny in the beginning,” Lal added. “And I am grateful to God that people donated so wittily and joyfully to the cause.”
The church tapped into the talent of its congregation to make the space a reality. Jeanne Cornelius, for example, designed the space while Dan Daoust oversaw construction. Lal also thanked the “diligent, hard-working” contractors who built the space.
“The Lord has given us many gifts and it is up to us to use those gifts,” Lal said. “I believe that every believer is very gifted. The irony is that we do not make the most of our gifts.”
Before the opening on Sunday, the church’s Sunday school services were held in the church café. The youth room offers a separate space for these services.
“We can speak to them in a way that we can’t in the great hall,” said Scott Donald, a pastor at the church, referring to the sanctuary. “We can speak hard truths in the great hall. Out here, we speak different truths… Larry the Cucumber (from ‘Veggie Tales’) can speak to kids much better than Matt or I can, and they can understand that better. So we can help get the Word into their hearts.”
On Sunday the children will attend Sunday school in the new room for the first time.
“This is for the community,” Lal said.
