The church received large donations from people who were not members or had any relationship to the church.
“We had large donations from people from outside of our congregation and to me that was confirmation from God because it made it feel that God was promoting our vision and was behind it and believed in it,” Grooms said.
Established in 1969, Monroe Nazarene Church has always been connected to the community — whether its as a meeting place for Scout troops to operating a food pantry and a tutoring program for at-risk children.
“The congregation invested a lot of faith and money into the church,” said Grooms, who has been a pastor at the church for 10 years. “It was an act of faith and exciting to see our people invested in a project that they might not utilize but know its importance to the community.”
A number of non-congregants intrigued by the construction of the new church, which can be seen from Ohio 63, stopped by and asked for a tour, according to Grooms.
Unlike the former multi-level building, which will still used for programming, Grooms said the new building is all on one level and can be utilized in a number of configurations from worship services to dinners to basketball and volleyball games.
It was special, Grooms said, that the church’s first worship service in its new space fell on Nov. 26, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, which allowed its nearly 150 members to give thanks for the new building.
Monroe Nazarene Church is planning an open house for the community on Sunday, Dec. 17, immediately after its 10:45 a.m. worship service. Tours will be given and visitors will have a chance to ask questions about the project, Grooms said.
About the Author
