Water of Life Church holds groundbreaking ceremony for new worship center in Fontana

Water of Life Community Church held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new worship center at its campus in northwestern Fontana last Sunday afternoon.

Construction of the new center, which will cost about $20 million, will begin in March and is expected to be completed in the latter part of 2015.

Church leaders said there is a huge need for the new facility, because Water of Life has been growing steadily over the past 24 years and now has an average weekend attendance of 6,400. Water of Life is listed as the 50th fastest growing Protestant church in the United States and has the 89th largest attendance of any Protestant church in the country.

"We started with 10 people in my living room," Pastor Dan Carroll told the large crowd which gathered for the ceremony. "It's an amazing thing that God has done."

The new center will provide room for several thousand more people to attend services at the church, and there are also plans to build a parking garage and additional off-site parking.

Church leaders said Water of Life has been approaching or exceeding capacity during optimal service times for several years. At current growth rates, the church would have to turn away hundreds or even thousands of people without the new center.

Mayor Acquanetta Warren, who attends Water of Life, said she had been very concerned that the church would be forced to move to a location outside of Fontana because of lack of available space here.

"I did not want to see that happen," she said.

Carroll said the church was "very blessed" because of local developer Reggie King, who "sold his property at a discounted rate."

The non-denominational church, located at 7625 East Avenue, offers five services each weekend. In addition, live worship and videotaped messages by Carroll are provided at satellite locations in Upland and Rancho Cucamonga.

See the original post here:
Water of Life Church holds groundbreaking ceremony for new worship center in Fontana