MONROE - Crossroads Community Church in Monroe will be in its own home before the end of the summer, according to Pastor Chuck Lynch.
The congregation is purchasing the Heritage House Restaurant and Heritage Hall at 222 Old Argyle Road and plans to remodel the facilities into a worship hall, classrooms, nursery and office space.
"This all happened very quickly," Lynch said Wednesday, June, 12, following a meeting of the city's Plan Commission, where members of the congregation were seeking a conditional use permit for the buildings on two lots zoned as a general business district.
Lynch said the congregation of about 250 to 300 members has been renting meeting space in the Green County YMCA facility for about 6-7 years.
Each Sunday morning, starting at about 7 a.m., a "very committed congregation unloads two 24-foot long trailers," Lynch said. "They bring in chairs, tables, lights... everything we need" for classes and worship service. And then, they packed it all back up at the end.
Lynch said he knows the congregation will grow now that it has its own space with air-conditioning, and the church will begin holding two services each Sunday.
The real estate closing is scheduled for June 20, just one month after the congregation learned about the real estate listing and made an offer. Lynch expects 4-6 weeks for remodeling.
The City of Monroe Plan Commission approved the conditional use permit to allow the facilities to be used as a church, contingent upon successful closing of the purchase. The accompanying parking lot is in a residential R-2 zone, which already permits church use.
The congregation is purchasing the Heritage House Restaurant and Heritage Hall at 222 Old Argyle Road and plans to remodel the facilities into a worship hall, classrooms, nursery and office space.
"This all happened very quickly," Lynch said Wednesday, June, 12, following a meeting of the city's Plan Commission, where members of the congregation were seeking a conditional use permit for the buildings on two lots zoned as a general business district.
Lynch said the congregation of about 250 to 300 members has been renting meeting space in the Green County YMCA facility for about 6-7 years.
Each Sunday morning, starting at about 7 a.m., a "very committed congregation unloads two 24-foot long trailers," Lynch said. "They bring in chairs, tables, lights... everything we need" for classes and worship service. And then, they packed it all back up at the end.
Lynch said he knows the congregation will grow now that it has its own space with air-conditioning, and the church will begin holding two services each Sunday.
The real estate closing is scheduled for June 20, just one month after the congregation learned about the real estate listing and made an offer. Lynch expects 4-6 weeks for remodeling.
The City of Monroe Plan Commission approved the conditional use permit to allow the facilities to be used as a church, contingent upon successful closing of the purchase. The accompanying parking lot is in a residential R-2 zone, which already permits church use.