NEW LONDON, Conn — The Engaging Heaven Church in New London has found a new home just up the street from where its First Congregational Church collapsed earlier this year.
The Church community is buying the Second Congregational Church for just a dollar. The pastor is set to retire and wanted to pay it forward to the Engaging Heaven Church community by selling his church for the price he purchased it.
“We’re excited to move into here and actually have a home again,” said pastor Desiree Rosado of Engaging Heaven Church.
The sale of the new church is expected to close in the coming days.
“It’s a relief, a lot of things we want to do are easier when you have your own place you can do your own thing. We’re more limited now but it gives us a space to do things for us and the community,” said Rosado.
In January, the First Congregational Church owned by the Engaging Heaven Church community partially collapsed, leaving a pile of rubble on State Street where the historic church once stood.
The rubble pile remains, nine months later. The plan is to start building a new business and apartments where the old church stood.
As the congregation prepares for moving day, Rosado said the parish is thrilled to have a new permanent place to continue serving the community.
“We’re a tight-knit group, a family. Everyone’s all hands-on which has been so amazing,” said Rosado. “There’s been a lot of mixed emotions throughout the whole thing but it’s just been great, we tried to stay positive and look at what God is doing in the midst of everything.”
The first mass in the new church is expected to take place on Oct. 13.
Lindsey Kane is a reporter at FOX61 News. She can be reached at Lkane@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
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