This frees up finances for front-line ministries

Craig T. Owens, Senior Pastor of Calvary Assembly of God (CAG), announced this week that the church will sell its building and accompanying six acres, located at 810 17 Mile Road, in Solon Township, to 2nd Chance School. The school is a nonprofit for at-risk youth that will combine biblical lessons and traditional subjects, with the care and training of horses.

The church will rent space at Red Hawk Elementary, part of Cedar Springs Public Schools, for its Sunday and Wednesday services. Owens said that moving to Cedar Springs is a hand-in-glove fit for the focus of its extensive outreach.

“We are already so involved in activities in Cedar Springs, including Earth Day cleanups, the En Gedi Youth Center, Chamber of Commerce, and the list goes on,” Owens said. “It seemed like we could be an even bigger blessing to our city if we were closer.”

Owens said there are both practical and faith-based reasons the building was sold to 2nd Chance School.

“We have a hard time justifying paying for the full-time maintenance on a building in Solon Township that is only used a couple of days each week,” Owens said. “By only paying for the space we are using, it will free up finances to go to front-line ministries.”

Owens said these front-line ministries could include temporary housing for at-risk, transitional families, greater financial support of local charities, as well as support for international missions work.

“We would be interested in owning another building at some time, only if it could be something like an around-the-clock ministry center,” Owens said. “Until that opportunity presents itself, we will rent from CSPS.”

Owens said their first service at Red Hawk Elementary will be Sunday, August 30. They will meet in the media center. People can enter the building through door #10.

This Sunday, August 23, the church will participate with other area churches in the UNITED 2015 service, located in Morley Park at 11 a.m.