KASSON — A 17-year-old church is growing so fast it's building an expansion, in hopes of spreading its motto "come as you are."
The Community Celebration Church's 14,800-square-foot expansion will enlarge the sanctuary so it can seat 570 people and will add a large fellowship area where people may gather. The church's average Sunday attendance is more than 600 people, with three service times at 8:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
"God is really blessed in what is being done here," said Matt Logan, the church's business manager and children's director. "We just have a need for a larger sanctuary and more space for kid programs and youth programs, which is the huge and primary focus of the church."
The church, which is affiliated with the Assemblies of God denomination, says on its website that "in our services, you will experience uplifting contemporary music and a casual, friendly atmosphere."
As of Nov. 29, the church's congregation had pledged an estimated $1.7 million for the expansion, and the church had received $707,685.22 of that.
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CCC had held its first service on Sept. 6, 1998, at the Byron American Legion in Byron, according to the church's website. During the first seven years, the church had met in three locations before settling in its permanent location on U.S. Highway 14 in March 2005.
So far, the congregation's response to the project has been "nothing but positive." There was a minor complication when the contractors from AB Systems started the expansion without all the proper zoning and septic permits, Logan said.
Construction had not met the required setback from the right-of-way of 50 feet, and CCC has applied for an after-the-fact variance with an application fee of $1,800, which is almost triple the amount of the standard $600 fee, said Jim Elmquist, Dodge County administrator. If the variance is accepted, then an after-the-fact zoning permit fee — three times than the zoning permit fee — would be applied.
"Anytime there is an increase in fees due to an after-the-fact variance application, then an individual would potentially be responsible for the increased amount in the fee," Elmquist said.
Despite the trip-up, the expansion continues. The goal is to have the new spaces open in fall 2016.
"That's the hope for it right now," Logan said. "God is in control of weather and such — you just never know."
