New church to rise: ‘God isn’t done’
EAST GREENBUSH — It appears to be a freshly cleared 6.47-acre lot dotted with tree stumps and small hills of wood chips, but standing in the middle of the field, Pastor Brad Guenther describes the multiuse building that will be the new home of Immanuel Church by Easter in 2024.
The 12,000-square foot church will rise at 4 Onderdonk Ave. off Columbia Turnpike eight years after it was envisioned, allowing Immanuel Church to move from its rented quarters at 1955 Ferndale Road in Schodack.
At a time when people are accustomed to church buildings being shut down and either sold for a new use or standing dormant awaiting an unknown fate, Immanuel’s congregation is building for the future.
“I want people out driving to see God isn’t done with the area,” Guenther said about seeing the new church springing up between the Greenbush Cemetery to the west and Onderdonk Avenue on the right.
“People can see a church being built and not see a church closing and being turned into other uses.”
The new church may spur a growth in the congregation, Guenther said. From talking to pastors of similar churches, he said he learned that a new house of worship may increase attendance by 25 to 35 percent.
Immanuel Church has Baptist roots. Its congregation has grown to 250 to 300 people worshiping on a Sunday. Previously it had seen about 190 to 200 people regularly attend Sunday services. Guenther said the church has two services so everyone can attend. Even with the new building, he expects to continue holding two services on Sundays.
Even though the church has $3.2 million available to spend on its construction project through donations and loans, Guenter doesn’t want to concentrate on the building, which is designed to handle worship, basketball and other activities.
“It has always been important to us that the building not keep us from doing ministry in the community,” Guenther said.
The church leadership and congregation have reached out to claim a spot in the community that envelops its new location. They’ve volunteered at the historic Greenbush Cemetery that the property borders and are seeking other activities.
Immanuel Church will not be the only house of worship on Columbia Turnpike. Other churches on the highway are St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church and the Congregational Church, not too far to the west on the highway.
Once Immanuel Church gets its final permits from the town of East Greenbush for construction, Guenther said he’s been advised that construction should move ahead fairly rapidly in the next nine to 12 months. He’s eyeing a date for the first services in the new church tied to major holidays on the Christian
church calendar.
“I’m hoping for Christmas,” said Guenther, indicating flexibility. “I’m telling the congregation between Christmas and Easter.”