Grace Community Church Drafts Plans for New Home

has plans in the works to build a new home for its burgeoning congregation.

At the Cranberry Planning Advisory Commission's recent workshop meeting, commission members got their first look at plans for what will eventually be a 50,000-square-foot church along Marshall Road.

Currently, Grace's home is a 15,000-square-foot facility on Freedom Road. Administrative Pastor Allan Osterwise said the church has inhabited that building --  once owned by -- since 2006.

Victory Family Church has since on Route 19. Now Grace Church is looking to do the same thing.

“There’s been a lot of growth,” Osterwise said.

Grace was established in Cranberry in 2001. At that time, Osterwise said, the church held one Sunday service for about 250 people at Today, the church holds four services for about 1,600 people, and it has outgrown the Freedom Road facility.

The church’s current location holds 400 people. Osterwise said the new building would seat 800 people.

In December, Osterwise said, the church closed on the 29.2-acre property along Marshall Road. The church has been saving money for years in the hopes of building a new home, he said

Grace's congregation wanted to remain in the Cranberry area, he said, but finding the right space wasn’t easy.

“It’s been a long process,” he said. “We looked at nine other properties to try to find a home. Closing in December was a huge step.”

The church would be built in two phases, he said. The first building will be a 30,000-square-foot facility. The second building would be 20,000 square feet.

“Our focus is to added more space,” he said.

 Grace will need to make a few modifications requested by the township before submitting its plans for final approval in April.

 Osterwise said church members are excited about the plans for their new home.

“Everyone is pretty fired up,” he said.