Making God's Love Accessible to All

On Oct. 25, 2015 we at Christ Community United Methodist Church (5715 Roselawn Ave. Altoona, 16602) celebrated the completion of extensive renovations to their church home as well as the addition of a new elevator. During the Dedication Service, Pastor Rebecca Harmon prayed for God to bless the new addition as well as to continue to lead the congregation to do God’s work.

           Christ Community UMC is home to a congregation which was merged from the congregations of 58th St. United Methodist Church and the Schum United Methodist Church about eight years ago. One of Christ Community UMC’s largest missions is their Stay & Play Preschool which teaches 78 children Monday through Thursday.
During her message, Pastor Rebecca Harmon spoke passionately about how the new renovations to the church and the new elevator are only the beginning. “Our work continues,” she said, “as we continue to do our best to make God’s love available to all people. We must continue to build the church- not just with bricks and cement- but through our reckless love, radical hospitality, and our efforts to build God’s Kingdom here on Earth- until Christ comes again.”
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For many years, the congregation had discussed their hopes of putting in an elevator in order to make their church home accessible to everyone. Finally, with the help of kind donations to the Memorial Fund, including donations from Tom & Gloria Brown and in honor of Nancy Cloud Lynn, the congregation was able to make their dreams come true. The building project included the addition of a new elevator, a handicap accessible bathroom, a new lobby area, a new church library, a new stairwell, new church doors, an addition of a Sunday School room, a new office for the pastor, as well as extensive renovations to the church office and a Stay & Play classroom. The project began in the summer and was completed in mid-October. Worship services are held Sundays at 9AM and 11AM.