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 Thousands of drivers every day fly by what looks like a new movie theater in Upper Providence Township. As seen from Route 422, the new structure at the corner of Yeager and Old State roads certainly does appear to be a theater, and in fact, the building is called “The Movie Church.”
It’s the future home of Christ’s Church of the Valley, currently meeting at Regal 24 Cinema in Oaks. According to executive pastor Kevin Stone, the name really has nothing to do with the church’s current meeting place in the theater, although the church’s web site is also http://www.moviechurch.com/.
Rather, he said, the master plan for the church’s building site includes four buildings. The one that’s nearly ready is the children’s building and is designed to look like a movie theater, hence the name.
The entire 19-acre site has a master plan developed by Visioneering Studios, of Irvine, CA. The company prepares master plans for contemporary church facilities across the United States, especially for non-denominational Christian churches affiliated with the Independent Christian Church Association, as is Christ’s Church of the Valley.
When completed in five to eight years, the site will look like a town center, with four distinct buildings. The Movie Church will be for children from birth to fifth grade. The Sports Zone will be a building for students in sixth to 12th grades. Architecturally, it will look similar to an ESPN Zone and will include a rock-climbing wall, gymnasium and multipurpose room.
“Main Street” will look like a traditional office setting and will house staff offices and counseling space. Providence Hall will be a 1600-seat auditorium for adult services. “It will rival anything in this area,” Stone said, adding that the auditorium, designed with stadium seating, will be available for community use.
The church’s goal, Stone said, is to “create a destination for the community.” In addition to the four buildings, a walking trail “goes all the way around the site,” Stone noted, and a sports field and parking for 800 vehicles are also planned.
The first building, which will open in mid-July, has a 400-seat auditorium plus classrooms for simultaneous children’s classes for birth to fifth grade. Students in sixth to 12th grades will meet Sunday evening, Stone said, and when CCV moves on-site, the church will offer four Sunday morning services, at 8, 9:15, 10:30 and 11:45. Parking will be available for 300 vehicles.
CCV offers a “very friendly environment for those not accustomed to attending church,” Stone said. The church will celebrate its sixth anniversary the first weekend of October and has been meeting at the Regal Cinema since its inception. The church uses nearly half the theater complex, occupying 10 of the 12 theaters on the left side of the building. Attendance averages 1100, Stone said.
Currently the church offers three Sunday morning services with simultaneous classes for children in birth to fifth grade and for students in sixth to 12th grades. Services are at 8:30, 9:45 and 11 a.m.
The church is planning Kids’ Camp Super Heroes, a summer camp for ages 4 through starting fifth grade, July 19 to 21, 8:30 a.m. to noon. The camp will include games and prizes, live music, arts and craft activities, food and inflatables. “It will look more like a carnival than anything,” Stone said.
Stretch ’06, a camp for middle school students, those entering sixth to eighth grades, will be the same days, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. In addition to the activities offered at Kids’ Camp, Stretch will include sports and video games.
Stone said he expects the camps to be held at the new Yeager Road site.
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