Like many churches, Cornerstone Church of the Nazarene in Indianapolis, Indiana, decided it was time for some updates. The congregation had no room to grow, and it had been years since the building’s last facelift.

Pastor Randy Perry hired an engineer in August 2014 to get some ideas about expanding the sanctuary, but learned something he wasn’t expecting.

“The walls that we wanted to tear down were all that was holding the building together,” Perry said. “The roof was bowing down … We were told we couldn’t go back in to have services.”

The next two engineers both told Perry the same thing — the building was unsafe. Since settling caused the problems, the church’s insurance company would not pay to rebuild or repair the building.

The church’s fellowship hall is not connected to the sanctuary, so the congregation has been meeting there for nearly a year while attempting to raise the $150,000 needed to demolish and rebuild the sanctuary.

Perry said last month’s average attendance was the lowest in his five years at the church, which he believes is mostly due to the sanctuary problems.

Despite the challenges, the church continues to reach its community. Perry shared about an 82-year-old man who recently rededicated his life to God.

“That was encouraging, to see someone of that age come back to Christ,” Perry said. “We have services filled with the Spirit. We’ve got a good group of people who just love God.”

When Indianapolis District Superintendent Ron Blake heard about the church’s unique struggle, he created a district-wide project called Share the Love.

“This is one that captured our heart,” Blake said. “Because of no fault of the pastor or congregation, they have been forced out of their work space, and with no insurance monies, they are so vulnerable.”

He explained that his favorite definition of church is the word family.

“We are family, and we help each other,” Blake said. “We are going to assist them in rebuilding their church because that is what we do in the family of God and the Church of the Nazarene.

“This project is just one of the ways in which we grow closer together by helping and by reminding our churches that to be missional is to be concerned for our brothers and sisters around the world and down the street.”

District churches have contributed to the project in several ways, including a spontaneous offering taken at last month’s District Assembly that raised $5,000. Another offering will be taken June 14 at churches across the district.

“Just the other day I got a call from a church that will be presenting a check for a couple thousand dollars,” Perry said.

To date, about $24,000 has been raised.

Next month Blake will join other district pastors and leaders on a 65-mile fundraising walk. The group will set out July 9 from Centerville Church of the Nazarene, stopping at several Nazarene churches for prayer and devotions over the course of the three-day journey.

The walk will conclude at the Cornerstone church, where walkers will present a check and enjoy a cookout celebration.

Joshua Cook, Centerville’s senior pastor and one of the walkers, previously served as Cornerstone associate pastor.

“I love the people,” he said. “They are like family to me.”

Just a week after hearing about the problems with Cornerstone’s sanctuary, Cook met a man who gave him the idea for the walk.

“A person came by that was walking from New York to San Francisco raising awareness and funds for veterans with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder),” Cook said. “[He] stopped by the church on a Sunday morning. I offered him a clean bathroom to use and wash up in and some bottles of water. Before he left, he explained what he was doing, how the walk worked, and how it raised money.”

Cook prayed about the walk for several months before approaching Perry with the idea in February. After the walk was announced, Cook was approached by Brownsburg Church of the Nazarene member Terry Bailey with another fundraising idea.

“[Bailey] is in a gospel group called The Gospel Servants … and said he would love to help as well by getting five or six gospel groups together and doing a benefit concert for Cornerstone Nazarene,” Cook said. “The date and venue have yet to be set, but the plan is for about a week or two after the walk.”

The church recently received blueprints for the new sanctuary and is working on gaining the proper permits.

To learn more about the upcoming walk, visit the Cornerstone church website.