The Sanctuary settling into new home

MORGAN COUNTY More than a decade of dreams, plans and prayers have paid off for the members of The Sanctuary church.

The new building for which they had been raising money and saving up is now a reality on The Sanctuary campus west of Fort Morgan along Highway 34.

"The big push was to get in by Christmas," Pastor Gary Meadows said. "We weren't sure we'd make it after it blew down, but we made it."

Construction suffered a pretty big setback last summer, when extremely high winds one day in August literally blew down the building's wooden frame.

But the contractors and volunteers got it built back up, and work continued to get the building ready for a big church celebration at Christmas, Meadows said.

"All the contractors did excellent work," he said. "A lot of people gave generous donations of time and materials."

Their efforts are more than just what shows in the final product, though. Some of their prayers and thoughts became part of the building's structure, Meadows said.

"As this building was erected, we had folks write scripture on the studs, and on the boards under the carpet," he explained.

Parts of the building that were finished earlier were rented out at times, including to Centennial Mental Health Centers for a training. Among those who went to that was a grieving grandfather whose baby grandchild had been stillborn. Meadows said he wrote a long Hebrew verse on the door frame for the cry room in the back of the new church's main auditorium.

"Now, he called me back and they will be back for another training," Meadows said. "He wants to furnish the cry room."

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The Sanctuary settling into new home