On Sunday Nov. 28, Pastor Lowell Busman danced with his hands uplifted in prayer at the front of the congregation as the church music group played contemporary Christian music for their last Sunday morning service at the Oak Street location.
Church elder Chris Macosko said he had never seen Busman dance like that before.
Stadium Village Church, currently located next to SuperBlock, will be moving a mile deeper into Prospect Park and changing names to River of Hope.
The University of Minnesota bought the land the church currently sits on for over $5.7 million, earned through refinancing of special purpose bonds and savings, in December 2020. Over the past year, the University has been leasing the space to the church while it prepares for the move to a new building.
The University acquired most of the land around the church, including a parking lot and several houses, and plans to build the Health Discovery Hub on the block the church sits on. This project has been going on for several years.
“The Health Discovery Hub will advance clinical and outcomes-focused research projects with cross-collaborative teams, and provide access to advanced treatments and state-of-the-art care for patients and their families,” said Leslie Krueger, the assistant vice president of planning, space and real estate, in an email to the Minnesota Daily.
Stadium Village Church was founded in 1888 and the 501 Oak St. building was erected in 1904. River of Hope Church will move to 3300 University Ave., across the street from Tower Hill Park. The new location is about three times the size as the current church.
The last service on Oak Street was held last Sunday and River of Hope plans for a grand opening on Jan. 2, 2022, Busman said.
“[The move] is bittersweet because I spent a lot of time in this building, praying and worshipping,” Busman said. “I’m ready to move on, I really am. We’re excited about what God’s doing at the new building.”
Despite being farther from the University, church members said they are confident students will still be able to attend. Busman said the new location will be closer to a light rail station and may make it easier for students who live near light rail stations to attend.
Donna Liew, the Prepare Ministry campus missionary, said River of Hope Church may also organize rides for students who have trouble making it to church.
Connexions International (CXI), a ministry geared towards international students, will be moving to the new church. CXI offers English classes as well as other resources for immigrants and international students, said Kim Friesen, the CXI volunteer president.
“The facility is much bigger, we have more space and we will be having more classrooms,” Friesen said.
The other college-centered ministry, Prepare, used to hold meetings at Stadium Village Church but now gather at Bordertown Coffee, Liew said. Mainly undergraduate and graduate students as well as other young adults attend Prepare and they choose the location every semester based on what’s easiest for the members.
“I like how everybody [at the church] is just so friendly, so welcoming,” University Ph.D. candidate David Luo said. “People are really trying to know God more and trying to pursue their faith to a higher degree.”
