LAYTON -- The congregation here is finally feeling at home.
The 80 or so members of Grace Presbyterian Church are celebrating the completed remodeling of their new church at 385 W. Golden Ave., in Layton.
The members are hoping the community will join them in dedicating their new home at 6 p.m. Feb. 12.
The church's regular time for worship is 10:30 a.m. Sundays and 9:30 a.m. for Sunday School.
"The excitement is being able to be somewhat permanent, being able to be a part of the community and feel like we were part of the community," said Barbara Proffer, of Ogden, who has been a member of the church since it was organized in 1996. "We didn't really feel like that before."
Since the church moved into its new home two years ago, a facility formerly owned by Trinity Lutheran Church, the congregation has adopted a school next door, Crestview Elementary. Members have worked at providing coats and winter boots for students who need them.
"Being able to do things like that has given us more of a sense of purpose and a sense of being able to reach out to the community -- and being a more permanent fixture," Proffer said.
Pastor Don Krafft said the new church has given his congregation visibility, credibility and viability. He believes the congregation will be better able to live up to its name now that it's more settled.
He said the church's mission is "preaching and teaching about God's superlative grace poured out upon us through His Son, Jesus."
He said members are charged with showing grace to each other as people who all need encouragement and help, and demonstrating grace in the community by helping individuals and families where needs exist.
Proffer started attending the church, which is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of America, when it started meeting in the Rev. Mike Howard's home.
Grace Presbyterian is the only Presbyterian Church of America congregation in the Top of Utah, members said. A few churches in the area are part of the Presbyterian Church USA, however.
After the new church outgrew the pastor's house, it moved to Adams Elementary School for a year. From there, it moved to Northridge High School. And from there to Castlebrook Reception Center, which is now known as The Castle.
"We're so grateful after 12 years of hauling equipment around not to have to do it," Krafft said.
Members first were relieved just to have their own space. And now, they have a newly remodeled sanctuary, refurbished bathrooms, a beautified fellowship hall, painted classrooms and a nursery. There's also new landscaping outside.
"Having a nursery where the kids can be safe and play during the service ... has been wonderful," Proffer said.
She also points out the classrooms and the new sanctuary as highlights.
"You get used to not having it, and then it is wonderful when you do have it," she said.
The remodeling was contracted through Building God's Way, but members of the church, as well as its sister churches in Salt Lake City, helped on projects that were not required by insurance carriers to be done professionally.
Krafft said members are most excited about the sanctuary.
Handmade custom pews now are covered in new fabric. A hardwood platform was added to the front of the church, and formerly cinder block walls were finished with insulation, soundproofing and sheet rock.
"One of the amazing things," Proffer said, "is that people who have moved knew that we were purchasing this building and were remodeling. They have helped us financially. It's been so encouraging that people knew we were doing it, and they wanted to be a part of it."
And new members Joe and Jen Farley, of Ogden, said they felt at home in the new building right away when they arrived in the area six months ago, even though members were meeting in the church's fellowship hall.
"They helped us move into our house," Joe Farley said. "We have made some really good friendships."
Now, the couple would like to share with others the feeling of home that they have in their church.
"Our hope is that it will draw people in more from the neighborhood," Farley said. "We would like to minister more to the neighborhood."
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