First United Methodist of DeKalb prepares for grand opening in new home

DeKALB – First United Methodist Church in DeKalb has moved into a brand new building, and the congregation will host an official grand opening on Sept. 10 with a festival after morning service.

The grand opening is scheduled for September, but the congregation has been worshipping in the new church at 2501 N. Annie Glidden Road since late June, less than a year after the building’s groundbreaking.

Senior Pastor the Rev. Jonathan Crail said First United Methodist Church in DeKalb had a building study conducted about 20 years ago, and found it would be more cost effective to build a new church than it would be to renovate the church’s former home at 317 N. Fourth St. in DeKalb. Congregants had gathered there since 1909.

More than 100 years later, church leaders knew it was time to move on.

“And so they began casting this new vision for building a new building and buying property and all that. And just for various reasons, from trying to locate the right property to just changes of pastors through the years, and various other things, it took that long,” Crail said. “And so what perseverance and dedication the people of this congregation have to see a project started two decades ago finally fulfilled and accomplished.”

Crail came to First United Methodist Church in 2017 – the United Methodist Church cycles its pastors every so often – just as the church was getting ready to start a three-year capital campaign to raise the funds to build the new building.

“Just walking into the building I smile, everyday. You walk in, and the first thing you see is the sanctuary and the cross, and the christ window and it’s just a beautiful welcoming church.”

—  Sherry Uhrich

The new church building was estimated to cost $3.6 million, Crail said, so when the campaign raised more than $3 million, church officials figured they were getting close to the amount needed to fund the project.

Crail said supply chain issues and inflation created by the COVID-19 pandemic drove up costs for the new building.

“So when we actually put the project out for bids in the spring of 2022, instead of $3.6 [million] the bids that we got from contractors came in almost all right around $5 million, which was way more than we had thought, hoped or expected. So at that point, it looked like maybe we weren’t going to be able to build,” Crail said. “And yet, by God’s grace, within 10 days of that meeting, where we opened the bids and it just looked impossible, we were able to find, go back to our lead givers, and also work with one of our contractors, Irving Construction, to bring the down the costs of the bid.”

The 12,366-square-feet facility cost $4.8 million. The sanctuary can seat 240 people, with overflow in the narthex for 130 more.

First United Methodist Church administrator Jan Lam said “it’s amazing” to be in the new facility.

“It’s a great space, and there’s a lot of excitement around it. There have definitely been some growing pains, as we move in and get ourselves settled, but it’s been fabulous, and it’s nice to have the new neighborhood and see all the new faces,” Lam said. “Also, I’ve enjoyed ... the building is so much smaller, I actually know who’s in it.”

Sherry Uhrich, co-chairman of building coordinating team and the youth missions coordinator, said the church’s office suite is a highlight of the new space.

“At the old church, we were spread out in many different areas, we weren’t centrally located. Just to have a functioning building that our youth group can meet in, that we have a lot of space and acres to play softball, or have a fire pit, or those types of things is wonderful. But the end side of the building just allows us to do so many more missions and outreach,” Uhrich said.

The first service at the new church building was June 25. The first communion was July 2. The Sept. 10 grand opening will have fanfare long after the 10 a.m. Sunday morning service.

From 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. the church will host a food and fun festival, tailored for all ages with free hot dogs, ice cream bars, games, crafts, live music, building tours and more. Then, at 3 p.m. the United Methodist Chancellor Choir, Handbell Choir, Praise and Worship Team and Celebration Chorale will be joined by civic leaders local clergy, for a second service that is specifically meant to celebrate the community.

“Just walking into the building I smile, everyday. You walk in, and the first thing you see is the sanctuary and the cross, and the christ window and it’s just a beautiful welcoming church,” Uhrich said.