Building a church isn’t easy, and one Des Moines east side congregation is giving thanks it doesn’t have to do it alone.
LifeChange Church is partnering with developer Robert Cramer to build a nonprofit gathering place with a dual purpose. The Northbridge Event Center at 4530 E. 46th St. will host private events for most of the week, with LifeChange taking over Wednesdays and Sundays to hold services.
“With the cost of construction, we know it is almost impossible for new churches to build a building on their own,” Cramer said. “So, we decided to combine it with an event center where weddings, parties and corporate events can help pay for the construction.”
Cramer purchased the parcel in 2022 for $260,000. He’s currently co-president of Cramer and Associates, a bridge construction company most recently awarded a contract to rebuild downtown Des Moines’ Walnut Street Bridge.
Cramer and his wife Lori attend LifeChange, joining the 6-year-old church after son, Rob, sat next to Lead Pastor Steve Christiansen at a youth conference by chance. Cramer said it was “a match made in heaven.”