Mild winter, volunteers help church get closer to completion
Brad Fuqua/The Western News Gary Halvorson, left, and Russ Bache work Wednesday morning on the interior of the new Libby Assembly of God church located near Wilkinson Hall at the end of Collins Avenue.
Since the project broke ground this past June, the Libby Assembly of God’s new church has been inching its way skyward on a lot at the end of Collins Avenue.
Gary Halvorson, who has been with the church for 35 years and serves on its board and planning committee, was relieved to see the roof completed last month to keep the interior dry.
“We feel like the Lord has blessed us with a nice winter,” Halvorson said.
As for a timeline for the completion of construction, neither Halvorson nor contractor Tim Moniz could give a date. Funding the new church has been a challenge.
“We’re just going on faith that it will get done,” Halvorson said. “Hopefully it will be sooner than later.”
The Assembly of God’s current church is a log structure on Utah Avenue. It has served the congregation – which is currently approximately 200 – for the past 75 years.
“The old log church has served us well all these years,” Halvorson said. “But we’re outgrowing it and we’ve had this piece of property.”
The project got a major boost when a Kalispell man – someone the church didn’t even know – donated four semi-truck loads of glue laminated beams. Locals Joe Wood and Kurt Rayson volunteered to haul the beams, valued at about $270,000, to the work site and several others pitched in all types of labor, equipment and tools.
“Five other churches in the community have sent people over to work with us,” Halvorson said. “People have come in off the street and donated a day’s labor.”
Northwestern Construction and Dean Crabtree Construction are contractors on the project.
When finished, the 26,000-square-foot building will accommodate 500 people.
“It will have an awesome youth center for the kids,” Moniz said.
Wilkinson Hall, which stands nearby, will continue to be utilized by the church.
For those with an interest in helping the church reach its goal of completion, call the church at 293-8331. For more information, including videos that chronicle updates on the project, go online to:
http://libbyaog.com .