History of Lakeside Community Church
The inside Cross in the front of the sanctuary was made and donated by Jim Adams, the son of the late Edward and Verda Adams (charter members of the Church). This Cross was mounted by Jim the Saturday prior to Easter Sunday, 1983.
Jim Adams also made the lighted Cross mounted on the exterior of the church Sanctuary facing the highway. This item was installed by Jim on December 21, 1985. The exterior cross was financed by Louise Bestram and Jean James in memory of their mother, Ruth Forsythe, a Church member who had passed away on September 2, 1983.
During the summer of 1982 the first Vacation Bible School (VBS) was held in the new Church. Barb George was the VBS Director. There were 88 children enrolled and 22 adult workers involved with this event. The average attendance was 90 persons. As a result of the VBS many new adults began attending Church services.
In 1983 a lighted Church sign was purchased and erected along the highway in front of the Church. John and Regina Benson paid for the sign. Also in 1983 colored inserts were purchased by the Church and installed in the Sanctuary windows. Clifford Paul paid for a security dusk to dawn Light at the Church entrance and parking area.
In 1984 a Planter was constructed by several laymen at the base of the lighted Church sign. The congregation continued to grow numerically to a point where the Fellowship hall became too small. In 1998, while Glenn Propst was the Pastor, the Fellowship hall was enlarged by an additional 1,000 square feet, with members of the congregation performing the construction work. The Fellowship hall contained 2,400 square feet folowing this enlargement. It was at this time that air conditioning was added to the Sanctuary.
Dan Biter, a local Electrical Contractor, was hired to install the air conditioning. Also, at this time, the exterior Church painted wood siding (T-111) was covered with plastic siding by the Church laymen.
In 2005, the Church Board decided again that the Fellowship hall was too small. The Fellowship hall contained 2,400 square feet of floor space and had been divided into Sunday school rooms. A 3,000 square foot addition to the Fellowship hall was started in 2005 with completion in 2006.
This major Fellowship hall building construction work was headed by Pastor J. Bret Metcalfe. Bret Metcalfe had a degree in Architecture from the University of Kentucky in addition to his qualifications as a Nazarene Pastor. Glenn Learn, a church layman who had credentials as a Pennsylvania Registered Professional Engineer, designed the building addition and assisted in acquiring the state and local permits required for the building construction. This Fellowship hall addition required changes in the church Water Service, Electrical Service, Natural Gas Service and the size of the Boiler (furnace).
The foundation and concrete construction work for this Fellowship hall addition was done by construction Contractors who were relatives of Church members. Church members assisted in the foundation and concrete work. The roof and roof framing [designed, assembled and delivered by a local building products supplier (The Long Barn)] was erected by members of the Church. A major part of the superstructure interior work (suspended ceilings, partitions, drywall, painting, etc.) of this addition was done by inmates from the Cambria County Prison.
This addition permitted the open part of the previous Fellowship hall to be divided into five rooms. The nursery was made larger and fitted with a toddler restroom. A hallway was erected to provide ingress and egress to the new Fellowship area from the Sanctuary without goign outside the building.
The Pastor's Office was moved to this addition and provided with access from both the parking area and the Church interior. New and larger Restrooms for men and women were included in the 2005 addition. A kitchen was added to the Church facilities and located in the 2005 addition. The concrete floor was covered with carpet by Larry Beunier, a local Church member. Larry also laid the flooring in the Kitchen. The Fellowship hall addition was completed in 2006.
Whenever Mrs. Holben sold her property to the Church, the property area wasn't as large as the Church desired, but large enough for the building that was planned at that time. In order to fit the Church building on the property and allow some space between the Church structure and Mrs. Holben's house the right front corner of the sanctuary was located a mere four feet from the easterly property line.
The westerly property line was originally located in the center of the western Church entrance driveway. A written agreement was made with the Borough of Ebensburg for dual occupancy of the western driveway which legally allowed its construction width one half on Church properties ad one half on Borough properties. The Church applied for and received a Highway Occupancy Permit from PENNDOT for the use of the westerly driveway.
In 1982 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation constructed the Ebensburg east interchange on U.S. Highway Route 22. The highway construction drawings showed a four feet high cyclone fence one foot on the highway property which would have resulted in a fence perpendicular to Rowena Drive from the road toward Lake Rowena five feet from the northeast front corner of the Nazarene Church building.
Following discussions with highway officials in the Hollidaysburg District Office, by delegation from the Church, the Penssylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT) relocated the fence to nearer the paved roadway which opened for use a considerable amount of unused land immediately east of the Church. For twenty seven (27) years the Church made several futile efforts to acquire this land from PENNDOT. Finally, on September 17, 2009 the Church acquired a deed from PENNDOT for 0.84 acres at the sum of $14,400.00 for a parcel of land immediately east of teh Church building.
During the time of the Highway Intersection improvements construction PENNDOT installed a construction field office (a mobile home) on the property referenced in the above two paragraphs. A potable water pipeline, a sanitary sewage holding tank and electrical power supply services were provided for this office. Although disconnected, these underground utilities remain on this property.
It should be noted that the Church could not obtain a Highway Occupancy Permit from PENNDOT for the driveway east of the Church building. The driveway east of the Church building is too near the U.S. Highway Route 22 intersection for PENNDOT to issue an Occupancy Permit for this driveway. The Church has been verbally requested by PENNDOT officials to implement a closure to this driveway. As of this writing the Church has not complied. PENNDOT could close access to their highway at this location at any time.
On June 7, 1981 the Church made application to PENNDOT for a Highway Occupancy Permit for the western driveway which was subsequently issued by PENNDOT. This Permit required either asphalt or concrete pavement for the driveway within the highway right of way. Reinforced concrete was installed in this area by the Church laymen.
Jim Adams also made the lighted Cross mounted on the exterior of the church Sanctuary facing the highway. This item was installed by Jim on December 21, 1985. The exterior cross was financed by Louise Bestram and Jean James in memory of their mother, Ruth Forsythe, a Church member who had passed away on September 2, 1983.
During the summer of 1982 the first Vacation Bible School (VBS) was held in the new Church. Barb George was the VBS Director. There were 88 children enrolled and 22 adult workers involved with this event. The average attendance was 90 persons. As a result of the VBS many new adults began attending Church services.
In 1983 a lighted Church sign was purchased and erected along the highway in front of the Church. John and Regina Benson paid for the sign. Also in 1983 colored inserts were purchased by the Church and installed in the Sanctuary windows. Clifford Paul paid for a security dusk to dawn Light at the Church entrance and parking area.
In 1984 a Planter was constructed by several laymen at the base of the lighted Church sign. The congregation continued to grow numerically to a point where the Fellowship hall became too small. In 1998, while Glenn Propst was the Pastor, the Fellowship hall was enlarged by an additional 1,000 square feet, with members of the congregation performing the construction work. The Fellowship hall contained 2,400 square feet folowing this enlargement. It was at this time that air conditioning was added to the Sanctuary.
Dan Biter, a local Electrical Contractor, was hired to install the air conditioning. Also, at this time, the exterior Church painted wood siding (T-111) was covered with plastic siding by the Church laymen.
In 2005, the Church Board decided again that the Fellowship hall was too small. The Fellowship hall contained 2,400 square feet of floor space and had been divided into Sunday school rooms. A 3,000 square foot addition to the Fellowship hall was started in 2005 with completion in 2006.
This major Fellowship hall building construction work was headed by Pastor J. Bret Metcalfe. Bret Metcalfe had a degree in Architecture from the University of Kentucky in addition to his qualifications as a Nazarene Pastor. Glenn Learn, a church layman who had credentials as a Pennsylvania Registered Professional Engineer, designed the building addition and assisted in acquiring the state and local permits required for the building construction. This Fellowship hall addition required changes in the church Water Service, Electrical Service, Natural Gas Service and the size of the Boiler (furnace).
The foundation and concrete construction work for this Fellowship hall addition was done by construction Contractors who were relatives of Church members. Church members assisted in the foundation and concrete work. The roof and roof framing [designed, assembled and delivered by a local building products supplier (The Long Barn)] was erected by members of the Church. A major part of the superstructure interior work (suspended ceilings, partitions, drywall, painting, etc.) of this addition was done by inmates from the Cambria County Prison.
This addition permitted the open part of the previous Fellowship hall to be divided into five rooms. The nursery was made larger and fitted with a toddler restroom. A hallway was erected to provide ingress and egress to the new Fellowship area from the Sanctuary without goign outside the building.
The Pastor's Office was moved to this addition and provided with access from both the parking area and the Church interior. New and larger Restrooms for men and women were included in the 2005 addition. A kitchen was added to the Church facilities and located in the 2005 addition. The concrete floor was covered with carpet by Larry Beunier, a local Church member. Larry also laid the flooring in the Kitchen. The Fellowship hall addition was completed in 2006.
Whenever Mrs. Holben sold her property to the Church, the property area wasn't as large as the Church desired, but large enough for the building that was planned at that time. In order to fit the Church building on the property and allow some space between the Church structure and Mrs. Holben's house the right front corner of the sanctuary was located a mere four feet from the easterly property line.
The westerly property line was originally located in the center of the western Church entrance driveway. A written agreement was made with the Borough of Ebensburg for dual occupancy of the western driveway which legally allowed its construction width one half on Church properties ad one half on Borough properties. The Church applied for and received a Highway Occupancy Permit from PENNDOT for the use of the westerly driveway.
In 1982 the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation constructed the Ebensburg east interchange on U.S. Highway Route 22. The highway construction drawings showed a four feet high cyclone fence one foot on the highway property which would have resulted in a fence perpendicular to Rowena Drive from the road toward Lake Rowena five feet from the northeast front corner of the Nazarene Church building.
Following discussions with highway officials in the Hollidaysburg District Office, by delegation from the Church, the Penssylvania Department of Transportation (PENNDOT) relocated the fence to nearer the paved roadway which opened for use a considerable amount of unused land immediately east of the Church. For twenty seven (27) years the Church made several futile efforts to acquire this land from PENNDOT. Finally, on September 17, 2009 the Church acquired a deed from PENNDOT for 0.84 acres at the sum of $14,400.00 for a parcel of land immediately east of teh Church building.
During the time of the Highway Intersection improvements construction PENNDOT installed a construction field office (a mobile home) on the property referenced in the above two paragraphs. A potable water pipeline, a sanitary sewage holding tank and electrical power supply services were provided for this office. Although disconnected, these underground utilities remain on this property.
It should be noted that the Church could not obtain a Highway Occupancy Permit from PENNDOT for the driveway east of the Church building. The driveway east of the Church building is too near the U.S. Highway Route 22 intersection for PENNDOT to issue an Occupancy Permit for this driveway. The Church has been verbally requested by PENNDOT officials to implement a closure to this driveway. As of this writing the Church has not complied. PENNDOT could close access to their highway at this location at any time.
On June 7, 1981 the Church made application to PENNDOT for a Highway Occupancy Permit for the western driveway which was subsequently issued by PENNDOT. This Permit required either asphalt or concrete pavement for the driveway within the highway right of way. Reinforced concrete was installed in this area by the Church laymen.