Maranatha Christian Academy
By: Frances Putman
Calvary Chapel in Bremerton , Washington , is a church built with the goal of making Christianity accessible to everyone possible. The church started out meeting at a home in this city, located west across the Puget Sound from Seattle , but soon grew too large. After meeting in a park for several months, the fledgling church met in a city building, and then a public school, before finally purchasing the old Roxy Theater in downtown Bremerton .
"We have an interesting group," says Jim Ullrich, a church member and the project manager overseeing the construction of Maranatha Christian Academy , one of the church's ministry projects. "It's hard to get people to come into downtown. We have homeless people and every kind of person you can imagine. But, that's what ministry is about. It's not all clean-cut people. Here, everyone has a chance to hear the gospel."
Almost immediately, the urban church saw a need to provide quality childcare for the families in the area, and a daycare program was established. Once children reached school age, however, there weren't many options in the community, Ullrich says. The local private schools were simply not affordable for most of the families the church served. Opening an elementary school seemed like a logical next step.
Just down the block from the church was an old, abandoned Sears department store building, which had been closed for more than 20 years. During that time, a couple of different owners had initiated remodeling projects within the building, leaving them in various stages of completion. Plywood covered the exterior windows, an effort to prevent further vandalism to the deteriorating structure.
Leaders at Calvary Chapel, Bremerton were interested in purchasing the property, but at the time, sellers were asking $600,000, which was not in the budget. Just as the church had done when considering purchasing the Roxy Theater, members began to pray. A few years earlier, the church was able to get the theater for 75 percent less than the list price, and this time, it was able to buy the Sears building for $295,000, about half of the original asking price.
"God really opened the way for us," Ullrich says.
Once the church owned the structure, the first step, he says, was tearing the building down to the studs and beginning to rebuild. An architect in the congregation drew up plans and made sure everything met building codes. Ullrich, himself a homebuilder and remodeler, took over as project manager, overseeing the building's metamorphosis.
"We put the daycare downstairs (first floor) and the Christian school on the mezzanine," notes Ullrich. A play area and lunchroom are in the basement, and church offices, including a conference room and counseling area, are on the second floor (technically, the fourth level, including the basement and mezzanine). Third and fourth floors currently are not in use, but are available for future expansion.
"The front of the building is all concrete, so we sandblasted and painted, and we pulled plywood out of the storefront windows," Ullrich says. Siding was used to cover much of the remainder of the building's exterior.
While cost always was a factor, some areas were too important to scrimp on, he adds.
"We used 2 x 6 studs for soundproofing between the rooms," he says, noting the areas also are used as Sunday school classrooms on the weekend."We insulated all interior walls, which was important to make sure classes did not disturb each other."
They were careful to install plenty of restrooms, including more stalls than are currently needed, as well as a few traditional and handicapped showers. Ullrich says it would be more expensive to go back and add these elements later. Showers, he says, are needed because the church often brings in groups to perform, and they sometimes need a place to dress.
Ullrich feels strongly that the school was able to secure many quality materials, just through prayer.
"A veterans' home in the area was being remodeled, and we got some materials," he says. "A Macy's department store was going through demolition, and we got lots of recessed lighting."
The school also benefited from some miscalculating by contractors working on a building project at Seahawks Stadium, where the Seattle Seahawks football team plays its home games.
"They had an overrun in carpeting used in the high-end box suites," Ullrich says. "We were able to get a 7,000-square-foot overrun for about $1,000."
Lowe's stores in the area also were helpful in providing materials, he notes. Looking back over the building project, he says he sees so many providential works.
"There were times when we were almost ready to give up because we didn't think we could go any further, but then a way would open. God's hands have been on every different thing," he says. "When we needed tile set, a tile setter would start attending the church."
Church members who had no experience in construction also were willing and able to learn new skills.
Earlier this year, the architect who had been instrumental in the school building project became quite ill and was forced to close his practice. Before that, plans were being discussed to renovate the upper floors of the structure for more classrooms and possibly even space for a women's and children's shelter.
Since Calvary Chapel Bremerton and Maranatha Christian Academy have become part of the downtown landscape, some changes have taken place in the city.
Ullrich says the city is beginning to attract young professionals, and there is optimism in the revitalization taking place, especially with Bremerton 's location right on the Puget Sound .
He expects the church and school will continue to grow along with the community.
Fast Facts
School : Maranatha Christian Academy
Location : Bremerton , Washington
Grades Served : Preschool through Grade 4
Description of Project : Purchased and renovated an abandoned Sears department store building in downtown Bremerton to include a daycare, Christian school, and church and school offices
Size: 25,000 square feet (with space for expansion to 34,000 square feet)
Cost : $495,000 ($295,000 for the building, $200,000 in materials)
The Challenge : Offer a quality, yet affordable, Christian education to students in a once-declining urban area.
The Solution : Maranatha Christian Academy is a ministry of a downtown church, Calvary Chapel, Bremerton . The church was able to call on its members to provide many professional services, like architectural design and project management, as well as specialty services, like installing plumbing and setting tile. Other members went out into the community, soliciting the donation of needed materials. Volunteers showed up to work on the actual construction.
