A Poplar Bluff church is moving to a new home in a historic location just in time for Mother’s Day.
New Life Christian Church United will hold its first service in its new building on Sunday at the former First Presbyterian Church on 301 N. Main St. in Downtown Poplar Bluff.
New Life is moving from its location on Barron Road after 32 years. The move was prompted by a forthcoming sale of the property for an upcoming enterprise by a non-profit organization.
A new worship time for the downtown church will be at 8:30 a.m., followed by a weekly breakfast at 10 a.m.
The former Presbyterian church was chosen by the congregation for a variety of reasons.
“The building is beautiful, historic, in super condition, and has a gorgeous sanctuary for worship,” said the Rev. John Harwell, pastor of New Life.
“What excites us even more is the lower level of the building,” Harwell said. “It is tailor-made for the social ministries we want to share in downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods.
“We really want to focus on what happens in between Sundays, as well as on Sunday. We hope to be a different type of church.”
Church members have held several mission vision planning meetings to identify a number of outreach ministries that can be launched from the new location. The church already provides donations and support to Haven House and St. Vincent de Paul food pantry.
The church site, which is across Main Street from the Poplar Bluff Municipal Library, dates back to 1884. The main sanctuary building was built in 1929, after a fire destroyed the previous structure.
New Life church is a united congregation affiliated with both the Disciples of Christ and the United Church of Christ denominations. The church was originally formed in 1985.