ORLAND PARK, IL (February 10, 2010) – For 14 years, members of Hope Covenant Church had to pull all of the church equipment out of a trailer and set it up at the school where the congregation met. Those days are now behind them.

The congregation dedicated its first permanent ministry building on January 31. Hope purchased it last October from a Methodist congregation for $800,000.

The church has invested nearly $100,000 and numerous volunteer labor hours to completely renovate the interior, says Associate Pastor Ryan Cooper. “It’s been a labor of love.”

The building is structurally sound, but the interior was quite dated, Cooper says. He adds, “We’ve been able to make the church our home.” The renovations also will make it easier for the church to reach out to and attract members of the community.

The renovation would not have been possible without substantial financial contributions from two other local Evangelical Covenant churches, Cooper says. Trinity Evangelical Covenant Church in Oak Lawn and Naperville Evangelical Covenant in Naperville each contributed $50,000.

Trinity Pastor James Sandberg and Naperville Pastor Scot Gillan attended the dedication service. They were presented with photo albums containing pictures of the renovation work.

Leading the service were Cooper, Hope Pastor Evan Goranson, and Central Conference Associate Superintendent Jolene Bergstrom-Carlson.

Cooper says he is grateful that the congregation has been so faithful over the past 14 years. The church is holding its first midweek worship service tonight and will hold an official open house in late March.

National Covenant Properties helped finance the purchase of the building.