If you build it, they will come.
That is what Pastor Paul McCart of Parkside Covenant Church is hoping anyway, as he oversees and helps put the final touches on a newly built church in Clifton Park.
From the looks of it, McCart will have no problem filling the 300-person worship center, as people look in wonderment as the building progresses.
Parkside Covenant Church, which operated out of the community center on Burning Bush Road in Clifton Park, will take its more than 150 members and move to the new location Sunday, July 13.
McCart said at the former building the church had a low visibility. This will really help, he said of drawing attention to the church.
In addition to the new facility, the church will also offer more church services.
Parkside will add two new services to its schedule beginning July 9. In addition to the church’s 10 a.m. Sunday service, McCart will offer an 8:30 a.m. service on Sunday and a 7 p.m. service on Thursday.
He said several of the church’s members like to go away on weekends or have other commitments like sporting events or work, which conflict with the Sunday schedule, so McCart decided to offer a mid-week service for those individuals.
McCart said while working on the church, a deliveryman dropped off a pizza and upon entering the church asked McCart if anybody could join the congregation.
The new church, built on 6 acres of land donated by Eva Jarose of Clifton Park, will offer a state-of-the-art worship center complete with audio and video installations, as well as several youth rooms, and a welcome center.
`It’s a great new space,` said church member Andy Karhan of Scotia, who serves as the church leadership coordinator.
Karhan has been a member of the church for five years and said they were talking about building a new church when he first became a member.
He said he is excited to see the building nearly complete.
The worship center, which could be expanded in the future, is designed for everyone to have a seat close to the stage according to McCart.
`Every seat is a good seat,` he said.
No matter where the person sits, they will be able to see McCart on two large video screens, which will project the service and contain hymns and notes created by McCart.
McCart said these features allow the average person, who may not attend church often, to follow along with the service.
`If you’ve never been to church before you can still fit right in,` he said.
The youth rooms, which are geared toward different age groups, provide space for children to receive religious education, but can also be used for community events like birthday parties according to McCart.
At the welcome center, adults can obtain information about Parkside and check their child into church. McCart said with the system the church plans to use, parents can check their child in and receive a number, which will ensure the safety of young children while their parents are in church.
Parents have the option of whether to bring their child into the service or place them in the nursery until the service is complete.
Whatever the parents decide, they can rest assured that their child is safe.
McCart wants to help people connect on several levels. He said there a five connections he hopes people would make in church. Of the five, the first connection is with God, then family, friends, the community and world.
He said the facility is designed to foster those connections.
`We wanted a warm, welcoming atmosphere,` McCart said.
One unique feature is the coffee bar and bookstore where people can gather after or before a service and chat while enjoying a cup of coffee.
McCart said he wanted to offer a place where people would feel comfortable hanging out after the service because an important piece of religion is relationship building with friends.
Coffee bars in churches are uncommon, but while looking through other church designs McCart noticed that they all had a coffee serving station, so he decided to take the concept one step further.
In addition to the coffee bar, there is a full kitchen in the facility with a serving counter for church or community function.
A fireplace in the entrance is also meant to cultivate a warm feeling McCart said.
McCart said he considered ways in which the church could be a servant to the community.
He plans to host entertainers at the church including comedians and musicians, as well as allowing people to use the space for meetings or gatherings.
He hopes to be a community partner, and is grateful to the town for their support throughout the years.
`We have a great relationship with the town,` McCart said. `They have been great to us.`
The church acquired the land from Jarose in 2003, after McCart approached her regarding the land.
They received their final approval to build in November 2006 and broke ground on the new church in October 2007 after an 11-month capital campaign.
Initially the land available for the church was split by a road, but McCart who happened to be looking for a new home decided to build a house on the property next to the church in exchange for the land located across the street.
Funding for the church came from National Covenant Properties, which provides investment accounts to members of the Evangelical Church.
McCart opened Parkside’s first set of doors in 1996, when he said he was driven by a sense from God, to provide a different type of church to residents in Southern Saratoga County. He worked for General Electric at the time and through word of mouth spread the news of his new church.
Now members drive from throughout the Capital District to Parkside Covenant Church.
Karhan said he keeps coming back because, `The relationships people build here are real.`
Although, McCart already has a steady number of members he is confident more will come and prepared to welcome them.
`We are looking to expand in the future as more people come out and experience Parkside and see how it positively impacts their lives,` McCart said.
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