A proposed road expansion in Raleigh is threatening a church’s sanctuary.
Celebration Church sits directly in the path of a U.S. 1 upgrade.
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North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) engineers are developing a plan to convert the congested part of Capital Boulevard.
The proposal would build in more lanes, interchanges and create a controlled access highway. It would expand between Interstate 540 in Raleigh to Purnell and Harris roads in Wake Forest.
Celebration Church is deeply rooted in north Raleigh. The members operate a food pantry that is on track to distribute 1 million pounds of food this year.
Every first, third, and fifth Saturday, the pantry serves about 800 people. It totals about 1,600 people each month. The church’s warehouse is stocked with meat, produce and pantry staples. The church recently added two cargo containers converted into freezers for meat and dairy storage.
Church leadership shared that NCDOT project managers informed them that their sanctuary is within the proposed expansion zone and could be demolished.
“We’re going to do our best in working with the Department of Transportation to keep this existing building and our existing facility to maintain our outreach programs here to Raleigh,” said Ted Scheve, mission pastor at Celebration Church. “Now, at this time, it does look like our sanctuary building is going to have to be relocated to another site.”
An NCDOT spokesperson stressed that the Capital Boulevard project remains in the planning and development and proposal phase. A vote on the proposal is expected later this year. Despite the uncertainty, Scheve stated the church is committed to serving the North Raleigh community.
"Well, I think the main thing, the gospel really elevates your perspective and makes you look at the potential,” Scheve said.
The Capital Boulevard project is not scheduled to start until 2031.
Celebration Church's pantry is open every first, third and fifth Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.