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In early 1985 attendance at weekly worship exceeded 120 and the time to request that Hanover Presbytery grant a charter to the new church had arrived. Eighty-seven members signed the charter document, dated May 19, 1985. Today, the charter is proudly displayed on the wall of the church narthex. With the charter came the election, ordination and installation of the church’s first class of elders and deacons. And, of course, the selection of a pastor nominating committee to locate and recommend a Teaching Elder (pastor) was a major task facing the new church leadership.
Work continued on the church building and a year after the chartering came the laying of the cornerstone on May 18, 1986. Six months later on November 23, 1986, the new building was dedicated and the first worship services were held. The Lord continued to bless the new church and the congregation now numbered 175.
To contain construction costs, the congregation decided that their talents and energy could be focused on finishing many aspects of the new church building. This undertaking brought a sense of adventure and closeness to many, but prolonged the completion of the building project.
On the Saturday before dedication Sunday the county building inspector informed the workers that too much remained unfinished and the occupancy permit could not be issued for services the next day. Reluctantly, he agreed to return the next morning for another inspection. With resolve, work continued through the night and the inspector’s return brought good news.
Appropriately, the first worship service in the new facility was on Thanksgiving Sunday in 1986. On this day, worship started in the “Cow Palace” and following a twenty-minute service the congregation, welcomed by a bagpiper in the Scottish tradition, reconvened worship in the new sanctuary, full of thanks that God led them to the new center for worship.
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