They started a congregation from scratch-now the members of Cornerstone United Methodist Church will have a place of their own to worship.

The church broke ground last Sunday for its first sanctuary. Pastor Ben Sharpe said the new building will give Cornerstone le­gitimacy, but he is afraid the con­gregation will lose its pioneering spirit.

"I always said that when we get into the sanctuary building we're going to be in high cotton," Sharpe said. "Now I see that it's going to be a new set of challenges."

In 1995, the bishop of the North Carolina United Methodist Con­ference sent Sharpe and his family  to Fayetteville to set up a new Church in the western part of Cumberland County.

At first, it was slow-going. Families met in homes on Saturday nights. And then, the congregation moved to a room in E. E. Miller Elementary School on Rim Road in the Lake Rim community. The church chartered in 1997.

"We are intentionally not trying to cater to the consumer mentality," Sharpe said. "Some people are looking for a kind of spiritual mall. We are not about that. It's a pretty demanding life at times, but it's very rewarding." Sharpe said the congregation is mainly made up of younger military families. But recently some older people have joined. Last Sunday, 131 people attended services at E. E. Miller.

By coincidence, the new sanc­tuary will be next door to E. E. Miller. Sharpe said the Gillis family sold the land to the congregation. To build and furnish the sanctuary, classrooms, kitchen and office will cost about $700,000. Sharpe said the church has about $150,000 in the bank to spend. Members have pledged $205,000. The church is selling bonds for the rest.

At the same time, Cornerstone is paying to use the room at E. E. Miller. On July 1, the rent will triple. Cornerstone will have to pay $375 each week to use the school's multipurpose room for two hours on Sunday mornings.

Beth Wiggs said she and the other Cornerstone members cheer each time the new building is mentioned in church.

"We're excited," she said. "We've been working very hard, praying very hard. It's going to be an exciting thing to build that church."

She said new houses and new schools have been added to the community. A church completes the picture.

Pastor Sharpe said, "We need an anchor here in the Lake Rim community. We have a school, a park. We need a high-visibility church."

Staff writer Allison Williams can be reached at 323-4848, extension 331, or williamsa@fayettevillenc.com

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