WOODSTOCK — Construction of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church is ahead of schedule and expected to be completed by summer, member Scott Christiansen said.

The building will replace three structures that house the church, the Forestdale Christian School and a food pantry. The pantry helps feed hundreds of families, church officials said.

The single-story, three-tier building is about 10,500 square feet and expected to cost just under $600,000. It is being built on church property on Perkins Valley Road and will contain the church sanctuary, the food pantry and the school that has 20 kindergarten through grade eight students and two teachers.

“The church’s building project has proceeded as planned and is currently just a bit ahead of schedule,” Christiansen said. “The building is up and heated and drywall is being completed. The exterior is complete except for an entryway awning. Inside, the floor covering, doors, curtains, and other finish work is yet to be completed.”

Christensen said the work will go forward as funding becomes available. He called the fundraising process “a difficult challenge” in the current economic times but one the church pursues through “prayer, sacrifice, and regular giving.”

Christiansen said the church has had innovative fundraising methods,  including “talent dollar.”

It is based on the parable of the talents recorded in Matthew 25:14-30, he said.

“In the talent dollar program, the offering plates were filled with dollar coins and were passed around during a church service and members took a dollar out of the offering plate, at the same time making a pledge that they would use their talents to increase the dollar and return the increase to the Lord,” Christensen explained.

“Some members planted a garden, some members are painting a picture, some members are baking or cooking for others, one member is recording a CD of folk music and one member wrote a book. One little girl used her talent dollar to buy lemons and then made lemonade, parlaying her revenue into a large amount!” he said.

Christensen said other church members have taken scrap metal to a scrap dealer and even donated valuable items for sale on eBay.

Christiansen said the church had a “homecoming” celebration in October, with more than 230 people participating in a special service. After the service in the old church the attendees held a potluck dinner in the unfinished new church.

Christiansen said roof repairs will have to be made to the old church, even though it will eventually be removed from the property.

ldixon@sunjournal.com

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