St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church, located on Broadway in downtown Lubbock, has recently undergone a massive renovation project. t A-J File Photo

Expansion
Local churches building their presence up around Lubbock

BY BETH PRATT
A-J RELIGION EDITOR

Faith is alive and well in Lubbock, judging by the number of churches that are adding more space to existing facilities or have moved into new facilities within the last 12 to 18 months.

Although churches continue to relocate in the Southwest Lubbock area, the bigger story is the building programs of established churches in downtown Lubbock. Several churches in Southwest Lubbock for 10 to 20 years also are expanding their facilities as well.

St. Elizabeth's Catholic Church's new 900-seat sanctuary on Broadway joins other Broadway churches near the Texas Tech campus.

First United Methodist Church began construction on a family life center west of the church.

These projects are the most recent of a building boom on Broadway that saw First Bap tist Church complete two phases of a three-phase, projected $11.2 million remodeling and First Christian Church's completion of a gymnasium and activity center in downtown Lubbock.

In the last decade, downtown churches have become more neighborhood conscious, launching outreach programs such as Broadway Church of Christ's Carpenter's Church and First Baptist's University Mission Center.

A relatively new church, Divine Love Baptist Church on Parkway Drive, is doubling the size of its church building.

Growth in Southwest Lub bock churches has come quickly for some and slower for others, but several second and third stages projects have been completed or are in progress.

Southcrest Baptist Church, South Loop 289 and Memphis Avenue, added more educational space in 2002. First Assembly of God Church, 3801 98th St., has broken ground for a memorial bell tower.

A couple of years ago, First Church of the Nazarene completed the third phase of its long-term building program, a sanctuary at Chicago Avenue and South Loop 289.

Across the street from the Church of the Nazarene is the relocated Second Baptist Church, completed little more than a year ago. Holy Spirit Catholic Church, the first new Catholic parish in many years, is a relatively recent addition to far Southwest Lubbock.

On 82nd Street, several churches have expanded their facilities in recent years, including LakeRidge United Methodist Church, LakeRidge Baptist Church and Raintree Christian Church.

Calvary Baptist Church, one of the first to move from its original location on 19th Street, just east of Lubbock High School, to 82nd Street, is building its third stage, a sanctuary.

Literally blown by the wind, Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 7702 Indiana Ave., as among the first downtown churches to move southwest. The downtown church building was destroyed in the May 1970 Lubbock tornado.

In February, Cumberland dedicated a new building, named the Estes Activities Center in honor of Pastor Emeritus Sam Estes and his wife, Louise.

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