STATE COLLEGE, Pa., (BRN) – Plans and groundbreaking began in the late summer and early fall of 2024 for expanding the footprint at Calvary Church Harvest Fields in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania. The new addition will help to handle the growth of Calvary’s NextGen ministry and the church’s growing digital outreach.
The project is transforming part of the former youth room into a media room, where Calvary will utilize video production for its online outreach and in-house worship services. From there, the building will be extended into the hillside with the addition of an enclosed large open structure for the 45-85 youth who attend the weekly Xstream Youth Ministry (XYM).
The new facility will have plenty of windows overlooking Happy Valley and Mt. Nittany as well as room for activities, a coffee bar, study space for students (who want to use the building during the weekdays to complete homework) and meeting rooms/office space on a second level. Some of the rooms upstairs will be used for small group meetings during the weekly XYM events.
Lead Pastor Dan Nold is excited about Calvary’s move to reach the next generation.
“When we started the capital campaign, we called it the ‘Next Initiative.’ A lot of it is not just ‘what’s next’ but it’s for the next generation. The bulk of the space that we’re putting in is for our middle school [and] high school, but even college…we just run out of space with them,” said Nold.
He continued: “All of that is in service so that the lodge [located behind the church building] can be used as a place of residency, a place of training and a place of equipping the next generation. So really at the heart it’s all about doing the best that we can to reach the next generation.”
Jason Ponish, Calvary’s youth director, is looking forward to how the new facility will impact the middle and high school students.
“I’m excited for it to not just be a space for our kids, but also, with the cafe component, an outreach to kids to come do homework…in Centre County, high schoolers really don’t have that right now and I think this could be that place,” said Ponish.
Calvary’s NextGen Director Jake Nold echoed Ponish’s sentiments, adding that he is hoping it will become a safe place for kids to gather and be in community.
“A big part of it is the different rooms we have for small groups, to give small groups a private space to ‘go deep’ with their leaders,” said Nold.
Barring any last minute snags or delays, Calvary is hopeful that the youth will be able to start meeting in the new facility by the end of the school year.
Throughout the summer when Calvary moves to a more casual XYM approach, more of the “finishing touches” can then be done on the expansion, including an extended patio area featuring fire pits. There’s also still hope that Jake will get his permanent outdoor gaga ball pit, which is a huge hit with students.
How to Pray for Calvary:
- Pray that construction on the expansion will continue to go smoothly and remain on track, and for safety for the workers.
- Pray for the new space to be well received by students and that it will be a haven not only for students connected to Calvary, but those in the community.
- Pray for the students who will hear the gospel in this space and for the conversations they will have with their peers.
- Pray for Calvary’s NextGen leaders who will minister to students and proclaim the gospel in this new space.
