Grace College purchased the Winona Lake Free Methodist Church building. InkFreeNews photo by Madison Hart.

By Madison Hart
InkFreeNews

WINONA LAKE — Winona Lake Free Methodist will move to a new location after 89 years at 902 College Ave.

Winona Lake Free Methodist held its first service Sunday, April 28, 1935, at the Publishing House Chapel. Lively growth soon forced the church to make plans for a larger, more permanent place of worship. A property was purchased at the corner of Ninth and Chestnut Streets. Plans were drawn to pattern the church after the Martha and Mary Chapel in Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village. The building was completed in 1942. In 1958, a brick parsonage was built. In 1964, plans were drawn for two new wings. A new educational wing was added in 1978.

On Sunday, Dec. 1, the church will hold its first service at its new location.

According to Pastor Rick Hurley, Grace College was interested in purchasing the church to expand its facilities. Hurley said the decision was up to the congregation, who was open to the idea. The congregation toured some possible locations to move and found the former Walnut Creek United Methodist Church, which had been for sale for a year or so.

The church hosted an open house at the Walnut Creek location and decided by almost unanimous vote to move to that facility. Hurley said that one of the perks of the new location is the elevators and layout that will help accessibility for the congregation, which currently has a lot of stairs at the Winona Lake site.

“The church has been here 89 years. It’s got a good history here in Winona Lake. We had our last service on the 24th. There was some tears. It was an emotional time because there’s a lot of memories in this building,” said Hurley. “But folks understand that, you know, things change and we move on.”

Along with the new location, the church will change its name to Capstone Free Methodist Church. The first service will be held Sunday, Dec. 1, at 2033 S. 150W, Warsaw. Sunday school is at 9:15 a.m., and the service is at 10:30 a.m.

“Come out and visit us and check us out,” said Hurley. “We have a blended service, so we we play some praise music and we play hymns. We do both. But we’re starting advent, so it’ll be all the old Christmas songs we’ll be playing for the month.”

“We’re looking forward to be out there; a lot of folks are excited to be out there. We’re hoping that we can we can do some good work on that end of town.”

Hurley noted the church’s preschool and daycare will provide new childcare services on the south side of Warsaw.

“Plus, we get to help out Grace College, which is nice. So the (old) building is going to be in good hands,” said Hurley.