Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
OFFICIAL UNVEILING — The Military Street Baptist Church conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday to officially open its new church. Taking part are, from left, Gene Conlogue, town manager; Peter Chase, Buildings, Etc.; Matt Swallow; RaeAnn Hutchinson; Jenn Young; Pastor Travis Glatter; Pastor Randall Burns; Steve London; Brian Gardiner; Jane Torres, Chamber director; Lori Weston, economic and community development director; Dwight Cowperthwaite; and Matthew Crane; and back, Sam Henderson; Doug Thompson; Darrin Crane and Bill Goetsch.
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
HOULTON — They have built it and now they want people to come.
The Military Street Baptist Church held a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday afternoon with more than 100 individuals in attendance. Tours were given and a special concert performance given.
“This is incredibly humbling to see so many of you here with us celebrating this great day,” Pastor Randall Burns said. “Thank you all for coming to what feels to be something really historic.”
Burns joked that he called around to other areas in the state as to what the proper etiquette was for opening a new church, but nobody was able to give him an answer. With 22 years of service as the church’s pastor, Burns is the longest tenured minister in the history of the Military Street Baptist Church.
“The Lord gave us a God-sized task and there were many times over the past decade when we chaffed and wondered. We had to pray a lot about whether we were up for this. But when God calls you to a task like this, He is the one who does it.”
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Joseph Cyr
COFFEE CHAT — Tammy Goetsch, left, and Lori Gardiner share some coffee and a laugh.
The official opening was a long time coming for parishioners. Back in 2004, the church’s congregation started planning for a new sanctuary after they discovered a multitude of renovations were needed to their building on the corner of Military and Kelleran streets. Burns said aside from the obvious lack of handicapped accessibility, there were a number of structural and cosmetic issues with the former building. The stained glass needed upgrading, as did the floors, roof and electrical wiring.
The new project became known as the “City on a Hill,” because the original Military Street Baptist Church was located on the hill near the former Ricker Classical Institute before Houlton’s “Great Fire” in the late 1800s.
A number of different sites were looked at to build a new church, but when the group reached the parcel of land on Drake’s Hill, they knew they had found their new home. The 46-acre parcel was purchased and a growth fund started to raise money to build the new facility.
Phase I includes the new sanctuary, large congregation area, offices, kitchen and classrooms. The church can also be set up as a convention center, capable of housing 600 individuals. A coffee house area was also created.
Radiant heat is found throughout the new facility courtesy of a pellet burner with a traditional oil furnace serving as a backup. The worship area can be set up for banquets and will also serve as a sports area, capable to be used as basketball or volleyball courts.
The church plans to continue its popular nursery school services.
“Many of you have heard me say on more than one occasion that community is one of my favorite words,” said Lori Weston, Houlton’s economic and community development director. “I am amazed at how we, as a unified body of individuals, reach out to help one another in times of need. We care in spite of our differences and this church excels at being part of this community.”
Weston’s ties to the church run deep as she was baptized, taught Sunday school and sang in the choir at the church’s previous location.
“This church serves as a sanctuary … a place that will be home to many,” Weston added. “It encourages our community to draw closer together in recognizing the needs of the people within it. Thank you for taking on the greater cause and doing it so well. The future can be a scary vision without people like you offering a guiding hand, full of possibilities and great hope. Congratulations.”
Burns said anticipation for the new church has been huge in the Shiretown.
“Here we are, Phase I is complete, and we will press on as the money becomes available,” Burns said.
