NorthBridge Church celebrates grand opening services in new building

For 15 years, the members and staff of NorthBridge Church congregated at Antioch Community High School for Sunday services. Today, they have a building of their own to call home.

“We were already a church before we came here. We carried that spirit with us,” said Dawn Hayman, Pastor of Group Life and Community Care. “We haven’t changed who we are, we just got new digs.”

The 20,000 square-foot building, built on 20 acres of farmland on west Route 173 in Antioch, doesn’t look like a traditional church. That’s the idea, said Senior Pastor Mark Albrecht at grand opening services on Jan. 15.

“This was designed to be warm and welcoming. It looks more like a school or community center.”

The church found the property after placing an ad in the newspaper letting the community know they were growing and seeking to build. Albrecht said they were contacted by a family who owned the land for generations and did not want to see it become subdivisions, but used for something more special.

NorthBridge owned the property for 11 years before construction finally began in the fall of 2015. For years, a sign out front foretold the church was coming, though it often felt like it might never happen, Albrecht said.

“I thought I would never see this, so it’s really overwhelming, a gift from God.”

Longtime church member and volunteer Diane Powers said, “We’re still trying to absorb it all, but it’s really exciting.”

Developing the property was sometimes challenging because it involved local, county and state government. One million dollars of the $5 million construction costs went to the extension of utilities.

The building was designed to have multiple uses including classrooms for children’s ministries and space for banquets, receptions, concerts and other events. Even the auditorium where services are held can be converted into recreational space where young people can play basketball or volleyball.

“There is no YMCA or park district buildings around here, so recreationally it’s going to serve our community,” said Albrecht, who’s hoping the new building draws more young people.

Another benefit of having their own building is no longer worrying about packing and transporting sensitive equipment to and from the high school each week, in all sorts of weather conditions.

Little things most take for granted, like access to office equipment, are also no longer an issue for the church.

“We were practicing this morning and someone needed sheet music and we just printed it off,” said Kelly Mohrbacher, who grew up in the church and now attends with her husband, John, who serves as director of student ministries, and their 2-year-old daughter.

“Another huge convenience is we can now practice in the space we’re going to play in,” she said.

Patrice and Kevin Holm, of Antioch, have been members of NorthBridge for over 13 years. Having their own building still feels like a dream.

“I was so happy when I walked in. It’s so cozy and comfortable,” Patrice Holm said.

“We’re hoping a lot of people will come. We’re hoping we won’t find a place to sit when we go in,” said church member Frank Collings, who has been attending services with his wife Dorothy for 14 years.

Next up for NorthBridge is planning for the annual ShareFest project, which has traditionally been held in October but has been rescheduled for May. The church will help rebuild Antioch’s Centennial Park for the village’s 125th anniversary, with funds raised through their Christmas offering.

Learn more about NorthBridge Church at www.northbridgechurch.org.