New Covenant Bible Church plans $5 million building expansion

ROBINS - Fewer than two years after moving into a new, larger location, New Covenant Bible Church has plans to expand its facility by 21,000 square feet.

The $5 million expansion at 3090 N. Center Point Road will include seven new classrooms, a multi-purpose room, six rooms for its early childhood ministry, and additional parking and restrooms.

New Covenant's fast growing congregation is the driving force behind the expansion, said executive pastor Kim Pagel. Sunday worship attendance averages about 1,450  adults each week, and that does not include their children.

The church also has many new young and growing families, he added. Some 70 babies were born within the congregation in the past year alone.

"Our early childhood and nursery facilities need to be able to handle the capacity," Pagel said.

About 6,752 square feet will be added to the children's ministries, which includes two nursery areas and four classrooms.

Other major aspects of the project are additions to the youth and adult ministries that include a large multi-purpose room for middle school students and classroom space to accommodate adult Bible fellowship.

Pagel said completion of the youth area was deferred during the building's original construction. Middle school students have been sharing Sunday school space with elementary-aged students and social space with the adult ministry.

New Covenant has contracted architecture group CDH Partners in Marietta, Ga., to design the expansion. It is the same architectural firm that designed its new building, Pagel said.

Cedar Rapids-based construction company Rinderknect General Contractors also has been hired.

Pagel said the first phase of construction will start this summer with the addition or more parking spaces. The church hopes to break ground in early fall and wrap up the expansion in fall 2014.

The church anticipates paying off its new $22 million facility by 2015 - four years ahead of schedule - which allowed it to undertake the expansion project, Pagel said.

"We like to tell people to not think of it as a large church," executive pastor Kim Pagel said. "Instead, to think of it as a town with many smaller neighborhoods."