MILTON -- Here's something you don't see everyday at a church--a fitness center, coffee shop and a bookstore. A church near Milton has all of that--and more...and it is not just for church members.
Christ Wesleyan Church off Route 254 is no longer just a place of worship. The new 27,000 square foot addition has a fitness center, a children's jungle gym, a christian bookstore and a cafe that seats more than 100 people. The new facility celebrates its grand opening this weekend.
When you grab lunch or a cup of coffee at "The Well", near Milton, you may think you are in a large city. But you're not...you are actually inside a church!
"We have all the specialty coffee drinks, teas, blended coffee drinks. Breakfast, lunch and dinner which are served all day long," Business and Recreation Director Jed Epler said.
Christ Wesleyan Church near Milton recently added a 27,000 square foot addition featuring this coffee shop and a christian bookstore, which is one of the only ones in this area. The church also has a fitness center, a youth center and more.
"Living in Central Pennsylvania there aren't a lot of options. So this provides that kind of option for lots of people," Pastor Arlie Davis said.
Pastor Arlie Davis gave Newswatch 16 the grand tour of the $4 million expansion project. Christ Wesleyan Church has around 1,500 members, but the new amenities are open to anyone. The fitness center costs $10 a month to work out.
"We already realize it's not going to be a money-maker, and that's not our intent. Our intent is really that we can provide a service to our church community and our larger community as well," Pastor Davis said.
One of the busiest areas in the expansion is the Kids Cube. Pastor says at any given time there are dozens of kids going through the large jungle gym. It works out great because their parents can sit outside and watch them.
"We love it. You can sit here and watch your kids play and talk with moms. It's really nice," Justina Hinkle said.
"My granddaughter goes to kindergarten here at Meadowbrook Christian School so I come down here and hang out and get coffee, visit with friends and read," Janet Bowersox said.
The coffee shop, fitness center and christian bookstore have been open since the end of July, but the official grand opening of the facility is this weekend. There will be live music, a volleyball tournament and more.