After a year of wandering, Watermarke Church finds a permanent home

BELLEFONTE — After a nomadic year, Watermarke Church has finally found a home at 1680 Zion Road. The church recently bought the building, and renovations are underway to convert the empty space of the old car dealership into a place of worship. Drayer Physical Therapy will continue to occupy the other part of the building.

The news comes during a year that was especially hectic for the church. Pastor Tim Yates said the house of worship has always been “a portable church,” since it took root in 2006. Prior to the pandemic, the church held services in a local school auditorium.

When the pandemic forced schools to close, the church had to get creative to keep up its connection to the congregation. At first, like many other churches, it held online services. When the congregation realized Bellefonte Area schools were not going to allow any third-party use of their buildings for the whole 2020-21 school year, church members started looking for other ways to gather together safely.

“We began slowly, by offering drive-in services in the parking lot of the old car dealership on Zion Road. Lee Shields, the owner, allowed us to meet there on Sundays free of charge,” said Yates. “A church member brought in his flatbed trailer for a stage and we broadcast on an FM radio channel for those remaining in their cars, and offered safe alternatives for things like communion and song sheets.”

He said uring the colder months the church rented Lambert Hall to hold services. During this time, Shields let church leaders know he was hoping to sell the building on Zion Road and Watermarke found the answer their prayers — a physical home. The group purchased the building in December.

Before church members can settle in, the building needs a little work, but it should provide the right atmosphere for the church to grow, said Yates.

“Formerly an automotive shop and then a warehouse, the space we are renovating allows an open plan and industrial look that allows flexibility of use. The most exciting aspect of our new church home is that we can offer a 7-day-a-week facility to meet a variety of church and community needs,” he said.

“This won’t be your average church building with sacred space reserved only for religious services. Even our auditorium is designed to be reconfigured and used for a variety of church and non-church uses. Watermarke Church is expecting growth and we are prepared for it in the new building. We want everyone to come and see the new church facility and join us on our journey. We are excited to grow with our community and to see them on Sundays.”

Renovations should be completed by October. A grand opening is planned for the weeks following.

“Our grand opening will likely be spread out over an entire weekend, with children’s activities, teen events, a chance for our community to tour the facilities and, of course, a Sunday service celebration and dedication program. We expect to meet many new people and enjoy a festive weekend with our neighbors,” said Yates.

He said their closest neighbor is already a good match.

“We see Drayer as a valued, community-focused business and we are delighted our building will be able to offer both physical and spiritual healing,” said Yates.

After years of wandering, Yates said the congregation is excited to move into its new home.

“A building is a luxury our church has never had, so the prospect of having a place to call our home has energized our people and provided us momentum during a challenging year,” said Yates. “We’ve often likened our experience to that of the Israelites who wandered the desert for 40 years before entering the Promised Land. While this is not our final home, we’re excited to continue to be a part of our local community from a more permanent location, one in which we hope to continue to serve the community in new and more inventive ways. We cannot wait to meet or neighbors and see them at the new facility.”