Bismarck, North Dakota - News

With one of the most spectacular panoramas in the community as a backdrop, Messiah Lutheran Church in Mandan has completed its 5,600-square-foot addition with the help of about three months of work over the summer by the organization called Laborers for Christ, and from Messiah's own members.

The church, a congregation of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, is sited to take advantage of a breathtaking view at 1020 Boundary Road, just north of the new Mandan Living Center off Sunset Drive in northwest Mandan.

The addition echoes the style of the original building and is recognizable by the large Chi Rho symbol on the exterior wall. Chi Rho, the first two letters in the Greek spelling of the word "Christ," is an ancient and widely-used Christian symbol.

With the space finally complete, Messiah's members will formally dedicate the new space on Sunday, while a community open house is planned Jan. 11 to coincide with an open house at the new Mandan Living Center, said member Renae Hoggarth.

Built as teaching and educational space, the addition is furnished with tables and chairs, built-in bookcases and window seats, and a fireplace surrounded by comfortable couch seating to encourage fellowship and relaxation. The new square footage also includes office space, storage space and bathrooms. The parking area also has been expanded.

To enhance its educational capabilities, the large room has wireless Internet, a retractable screen, ceiling-mounted projector, and surround sound for showing movies, videos and PowerPoint presentations. Particular attention was paid to the acoustics, said the Rev. James Baneck, Messiah's pastor, so that everyone in the room can hear well. The walls are painted in warm tones of sand and berry, and the walls hold the beginnings of a gallery-like collection of art, including an original painting by Bismarck artist Shannon Wirrenga.

The goal was to create "a usable, yet elegant room, one that has some character," Baneck said.

Lay minister Martin Herzberg, who works with youth, said that he hopes that teens will want to drop in and bring their homework here after school. It's projection system means that Herzberg can use movies as teaching and conversation tools with teens.

Baneck said he also hopes that the community will consider renting the space for presentations and programs.

Hoggarth said that one of the goals of members was to make the project "green," so members decided on ground source heating.

The ground source system collects heat from the earth with 25 200-foot wells, which feed antifreeze through continuous-loop pipe into the basement and into a set of water pumps, said Messiah member Vern Hoggarth.

Making an upfront investment in green technology such as ground source heating and instant hot water heaters will mean energy and cost savings in the long run, Vern Hoggarth said.

"It saves, and it's the 'green' thing to do," he said.

Messiah has put $900,000 into the project. Now that it's complete, the church will take a break from building, but down the road, the church hopes to include the building of a gym, Baneck said.

(Reach reporter Karen Herzog at 250-8267 or karen.herzog@bismarcktribune.com.)