Church move is the right thing

By Father DAVID EPPS
Contributing Writer

Father David Epps is Rector of Christ the King Charismatic Episcopal Church which meets at 8 and 10 a.m. Sundays at 4881 E. Hwy. 34. He may be contacted at 770-252-2428, or at frepps@ctkcec.org

I have been a resident of the local community for over 21 years now. When we moved from Colorado to Peachtree City, there was a two-lane road through town, Shannon Mall was a safe place to go at night, and there was almost nowhere to eat in Peachtree City. The citizens often bemoaned the fact that the little town was a great place to live but that one had to drive miles to shop.

It was a big day when Hardee's came to town and a blockbuster day when the community was deemed worthy of a McDonald's. Almost immediately, people began to grouse about traffic, growth, outsiders, and population. I thought, and still think, that growth is good. I hate the traffic, but that comes with prosperity, new businesses, real estate deals, shopping areas, and new or growing churches.

Which brings me to the situation of Christ Our Shepherd Lutheran Church. When Rev. John Weber and his wife and children came to Peachtree City in 1974, there was no Lutheran church. House by house, John began to knock on doors in the town informing citizens that a new church was being established. Soon, the small group met in the Glenloch Recreation Center and grew to a congregation of 100. Pastor Weber began to serve as a volunteer firefighter, became the city's public safety chaplain, and later had a new fire station named in his honor. The community deeply values this man and his ministry. In 1975, the congregation moved into a warehouse and grew to a church of 400. Later that year, the church purchased its present property and occupied a new facility in 1978.

In 1984, my middle son, then nine years old, was run over by a car. Rev. Weber arrived at my residence with the EMS team and drove me to the hospital in his own car. He stayed with our family until our child was transferred to Egleston. My family and I deeply value this man and his service.

In the mid-1980s an Assemblies of God congregation lost their sanctuary to a fire. The COS folks offered their own facility and the A/G church met in the Lutheran sanctuary for 9 months while rebuilding, as the Lutheran church refused to accept any payment or rent. Other ministers and churches deeply value this man and this church.

In 1988 the Lutheran church, which had grown to 1,200, rebuilt their sanctuary to accommodate 400 at any one time. Currently, five services are held each weekend. In 1998 an education wing was completed with classrooms and meeting areas to serve a large variety of ministries and groups.

Now, the congregation is facing a problem. This vibrant, dynamic church faces the real possibility of being strangled to death. Already, there is no parking adequate for the facilities. Were it not for the generosity of the shopping center owners next door, COS would die. The church, which is located on a mere three acres, is landlocked from all sides and has done about as much as it can do where it is. COS is faced with some tough decisions: move the facilities, stagnate, or perish.

The church, situated on three acres, which it purchased long ago (contrary to popular belief, COS did NOT get a land grant), has an opportunity to sell its property and relocate a couple of miles down the road where it will have enough land to continue to be a positive force for generations to come.

Some, of course, are, as my mother-in-law used to say, are "screaming like mashed Comanches." There are all sorts of reasons being given for denying the Lutherans the right to sell their own property to a commercial venture, most of which have no validity. With the Lutherans and their 1,900 members gone, traffic will decrease, not increase. With the sale of the property, tax dollars, significant tax dollars, will flow into the city's coffers, as the property is returned to the tax register.

There are those who say they like the look of the church, some who argue that Peachtree City should force the Lutherans to preserve their church in its current location, others who say they get a "good feeling" as they drive by the church. But, in truth, none of these reasons are valid. The property belongs, not to the citizens, but to the membership of Christ Our Shepherd, something that protesters need to think about. When the Peachtree City Christian Church put on a rust colored roof instead of a green roof, when they built their new building, some people nearly stroked out! Good grief, people, join the church if you want to have a say!

A few years ago, Fayette Fellowship Assembly of God proposed to expand their sanctuary. A restrictive, regressive City Planning Commission and City Council denied the request. The church, which had outgrown its facilities, was forced to move out of town. A few years later, Calvary Presbyterian bought the property and submitted a similar plan. This time, however, the newer, more progressive City Council had the good sense to approve the plan and Carriage Lane Presbyterian, as it is now known, erected a beautiful worship edifice. It's a shame that the earlier City Council was so short-sighted. Hopefully, the current City Council will recognize the validity and necessity of approving COS's need to sell and relocate. It is, in my opinion, the right thing to do.