Lifespring Church to break ground on Sunday

BAINBRIDGE -- Almost nine months after losing their former home to fire, the members of Lifespring Church will celebrate on Sunday with a groundbreaking at their new church building.

The Lifespring Church (formerly Somerset Christian Church) building at U.S. 231 and County Road 500 North was destroyed by fire in the early-morning hours of Jan. 24, a blaze that more than 100 firefighters battled, even as they fought sub-zero air temperatures.

From the ashes, however, the church has continued to thrive, meeting at Area 30 Career Center in Greencastle for much of 2014.

A new home has been in the works for some time, though, and work actually began two weeks ago at the new location just east of U.S. 231 on U.S. 36 in rural Bainbridge.

Sunday will mark the ceremonial groundbreaking, with a 1:30 p.m. event at the new location.

"We're staying very active for a church without a building," Tami Ayento, wife of minister Gerron Ayento said. "Area 30 has been gracious to us."

The church will meet for its usual Sunday morning worship at 10:30 a.m. at Area 30, before reconvening between 1 and 1:15 p.m. at the old location.

Church members will then travel ceremonially as a caravan to the new location for the 1:30 groundbreaking.

Tami Ayento said space had become an issue at the old location, and the church had been praying for a solution. Of course, no one would have prayed for the loss of the old building.

"The Lord allowed other ideas," Ayento said. "It's allowing us to start fresh, new.

"We're blessed in spite of it."

Formerly Somerset Christian Church, the old building stood for more than 100 years in Monroe Township. Now associated with the Church of God, Lifespring Church invites anyone who is interested to its Sunday worship at 9:30 a.m. or Wednesday Bible study at 6:45 p.m. As construction continues, church activity will continue to take place at Area 30 Career Center, 1 N. Calbert Way, Greencastle.