New Wallace church nears completion after two-year effort

A new church building taking shape in Wallace is the result of nearly two years of planning, fundraising and volunteer effort by the Wallace Community Church of the Christian and Missionary Alliance congregation.

Church leaders said the project was inspired by a long-standing desire to establish a permanent home for the congregation, which has existed in Wallace for 14 years without its own facility.

“The church has always dreamed of having our own facility, but were patiently waiting for God’s timing,” said Pastor Matthew Peyton. “We sensed that it was time for us to build not just a building, but the future of our congregation’s presence in our town.”

Peyton said the decision to move forward with construction was rooted in faith and a sense that the timing was right.

“As a congregation we knew the possibility of having a building was in the future, but God opened doors and made it very evident to us that it was time to build,” Peyton said.

For years, the church rented multiple locations, including the Wallace Community Hall for Sunday worship services and a separate office space during the week. Peyton said the arrangement limited opportunities for gatherings and community programming.

“The main need was for us to have a space we could utilize seven days a week,” Peyton said.

Funding for the project came through a combination of grants, donations and volunteer labor. According to Peyton, the congregation received $30,000 from the Hanich Trust for handicap-accessible restrooms, $13,000 from the Oldham Little Church Foundation for HVAC needs, and $40,000 from the MidAmerica District of the Christian and Missionary Alliance for general project expenses.

Peyton said grant funding played a major role in helping the project move forward while allowing the congregation to remain debt-free.

“Our congregation and leadership was committed to building without debt,” Peyton said, referencing Proverbs 22:7, which states, “The borrower is servant to the lender.” “In an agricultural economy, it was important to us to not have a mortgage over our heads,” he said.

“We are very grateful for the grant funding that we have received as we had the goal of building without debt,” Peyton added. “The ability to allocate the grant money for designated areas of the project was extremely helpful in the creation of a budget for other needs.”

Construction began with dirt work in May 2025, and the congregation hopes the building will be completed during the summer of 2026. Peyton said one of the largest challenges throughout the process was balancing project needs with available funding, although no major construction setbacks have occurred.

The new facility was designed with both church and community use in mind. Peyton said features considered especially important include a kitchen, overflow seating areas and enough space to host weddings, funerals and other gatherings.

“I think one of the features that was important was the ability to host funerals, weddings and other special events,” Peyton said. “This meant having an adequate kitchen, overflow seating and overall space.”

Peyton said congregation members are especially excited to finally have a permanent home.

“I think our congregation is the most excited to have a ‘home’ space, that we are better able to serve our community,” Peyton said.

Beyond regular worship services, church leaders hope the building will become a gathering place for additional programs and outreach opportunities. Peyton said the church hopes to eventually offer ESL classes and programming for all age groups.

“We hope to be able to start different programs and opportunities for our community,” Peyton said. “I believe that we will see many outreach opportunities once we are moved in.”

Local volunteers and businesses have also played a role in the project. Peyton said members of the congregation have assisted with dirt work and other jobs throughout construction, and church members plan to complete painting work themselves. The general contractor for the project is CSC Construction, operated by Clay Giesbrecht.

Although the congregation has not yet moved into the building, Peyton said there has already been excitement surrounding the project and interest from new families.

“At the end of the day, a building doesn’t grow the church,” Peyton said. “Jesus is at work growing His church.”

Looking ahead, Peyton said the church’s long-term mission remains centered on faith and service to the community.

“We want to continue to remember that the church is the people, not the building,” Peyton said. “We will continue to lift up the name of Jesus and stay faithful to His Word. We believe He called us to build this and He has many good plans for our future.”