Heritage church opens new location

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By Mary Louise Speer | Friday, September 5, 2008 11:15 PM CDT | () comments

Michael Mannning, of Bettendorf, paints interior walls Thursday at the new Heritage Wesleyan Church in Bettendorf. (Jeff Cook/Quad-City Times) Buy this Photo

Heritage Wesleyan Church celebrates the grand opening of its new Bettendorf Campus next weekend with a carnival, celebration services and plenty of joyful thanksgiving.

The new site at 2700 Middle Road is the second location for Heritage, which attracts a weekend attendance of 2,600 and growing.

Leaders of the Rock Island church decided to add a second campus across the Mississippi rather than purchase land and replace their first campus at 4801 44th St. with a larger facility at a cost of around $30 million. The Bettendorf site — a building that once housed American Family Insurance — is costing $4.5 million to renovate.

The goal is “one mission, one vision between the two campuses,” said the Rev. Mitch Cartrette, Bettendorf campus pastor. “I’m most excited about meeting people where they are in their spiritual journey and leading them into a growing relationship with Christ.”

Cartrette, a native of North Carolina, joined Heritage staff last winter, just in time to learn how to weld a snow shovel. He is married and the father of two children and received a degree from Indiana Wesleyan University. He is currently studying for his masters of leadership degree through an online program offered by the university.

A team from the church began developing a video system to connect both campuses about three years ago. People attending services in Bettendorf listen to sermons via a direct HD video-feed, Kevin Herrick, facilities pastor at the Bettendorf campus, said.

The Rev. John Bray is the preaching pastor for both locations.

Cartrette said Heritage does not want to pull people in the Iowa Quad-Cities away from their worship services but offer a place for those who don’t normally attend church services.

“We’re about seeing people’s lives changed for the better,” he said.

The community is invited to attend next weekend’s grand opening activities and services.

If you go

What: Heritage Wesleyan Church, Bettendorf campus grand opening celebration

Where: 2700 Middle Road

When: Saturday, Sept. 13 and Sunday, Sept. 14.

Special: The celebration kicks off at noon, Saturday with a carnival for all ages, 6 p.m. celebration service and 7:30 p.m. outdoor family movie. Celebration services are also at 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., Sunday.

Building a new church

Heritage Wesleyan Church bought the building at 2700 Middle Road last year. Work on the

$4.5 million project got underway last winter with volunteers from the church doing a substantial amount of the demolition work.

The roof was raised several feet to create an 18-foot ceiling that accommodates lights, a video screen and stage in the sanctuary. With the addition of a lobby, the building now has about 17,600 square feet of space.

Construction crews continue to work on the new lobby and that phase of the building is scheduled to be completed before Thanksgiving, Kevin Herrick, facilities pastor at the Bettendorf campus, said. Renovations on the sanctuary, formerly used by an insurance agency, are substantially completed and the plans are to eventually add a children’s wing and adult worship area.

The McKnight Group of Grove City, Ohio is managing the project.

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2450 or newsroom@qctimes.com.