Church Seeks a Quieter Home
By Kirsten Valle, The Charlotte Observer, N.C.
Jun. 28–STEELE CREEK — New business parks are springing up along Shopton Road, and plans are in the works for other industrial projects.
All the progress is pushing out at least one occupant: New Creation Christian Church.
The church sold its 2-acre site on Shopton near Sandy Porter Road last fall. It plans to move to a new spot in a safer, residential area in coming months, Pastor Karen Woods said.
“We really, really hate to leave,” she said. “Our reason is that it’s no longer conducive” to holding church services there.
Shopton Road is narrow, and the small church building is bordered on two sides by construction. Business parks and warehouses surround the church, and a rock quarry is coming in nearby, Woods said.
All the construction, plus the trucks that come with it, make Woods nervous, especially since so many of her church members are children, she said.
“To me, that’s dangerous,” she said.
Woods sold the church site in October to American Asset Corp. She said the land will likely be used for a small office warehouse.
New Creation is looking for a new site now. Woods said the church would probably find a temporary location in the next few months, then buy land and build a new church within two to three years.
Woods hopes to stay in southwestern Mecklenburg because of its rapidly growing population, she said.
The church celebrated its 10th anniversary this week and moved to its building on Shopton Road, which holds 250 people and has a nursery and eight classrooms, about six years ago.
“It has been a blessing for us,” Woods said of the current site.
New Creation has about 125 members and hosts a number of youth-related programs, such as The Fountain, an anti-gang and anti-drug program for preteens and teenagers.
Woods hopes the coming move increases the church’s visibility and attracts new members, she said.
Want to Know More?
New Creation Christian Church is at 4141 Shopton Road.
The Fountain is an anti-gang and anti-drug program for children ages 12-17. The group meets 6:30-10:30 p.m. the first Saturday of every month at the Marion Diehl Recreation Center, 2219 Tyvola Road. Sessions feature speakers, group lessons and games. About 75 kids show up each month.
For details about New Creation and its programs, call 704-504-2890 or visit www.karenwoodsministries.org.
Reach Kirsten Valle at 704-358-6043.
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