Category Archives: Religion

Islamic Society of Wichita rezones about five acres near mosque for development

Feb. 19, 201311:09 a.m.

UPDATED — The Islamic Society of Wichita has rezoned about five acres of land near its mosque at K-96 and Woodlawn.

The society sought general office zoning in preparation for development that could include an apartment complex, an office complex, a medical clinic and a financial institution.

“It’s not about making money,” says Muhammad Aamir Usmani, director of the society’s board of development. “It’s about supporting our existing services.”

Usmani, who manages the IT help desk at Wichita State University, says the society first started building on the almost 9-acre property in 2000.

“Initially, we had a gym,” he says.

It served as a multipurpose building. Then, the group added a mosque and a school followed by another building.

“Everything is attached to each other right now,” Usmani says.

The buildings look separate, though.

The latest building is a new school for pre-K through eighth grade. Fundraising is under way for a high school to be built on the second floor.

“Our goal is to start ninth (grade) in August,” Usmani says.

He says while there are tuition fees, the society still needs to raise money for education and outreach programs to the community.

“We need to keep doing that and possibly expand it.  . . .  There are a lot of programs that are supported by the community.”

Read More »

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , Filed under East side, Real estate, Religion, Zoning | Comments Off

GracePoint Church signs additional lease at Westlink Shopping Center

Jan. 22, 20135:00 a.m.

WICHITA — GracePoint Church has signed a lease for more space at the Westlink Shopping Center at Central and Tyler

The church’s first lease was in 2009 to take the former Cinemas West space.

Now, it’s taking space for a student ministry where a photography business used to be.

“When we designed our original worship facility, we didn’t really design for a dedicated student ministry space,” executive pastor Terry Johnson says. “But as the ministry continued to grow, we saw a need for it.”

Some student groups have met in the church’s lobby.

“We knew that wasn’t going to suffice for the health of the ministry,” Johnson says.

When the photography space became available, he says, “We thought it might be a good opportunity to provide some room for them.”

Andy Boyd of Walter Morris Cos. handled the deal.

Following renovations, the new space should be ready the first week of February.

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , Filed under Religion, West side, Westlink Shopping Center | Comments Off

‘Til We Meet again obtains license to sell Vatican caskets, urns, grave markers and memorial products

Nov. 28, 20125:00 a.m.

WICHITA — If a business person would like to do business with the Vatican, is it as easy as calling up and asking?

Almost. At least that’s how it seemed to go for Nathan Smith and Traci Smith-Cone of ’Til We Meet Again, the casket store at Towne West Square that’s turning into a national chain.

The day after Thanksgiving, Smith says he and Smith-Cone signed a deal with the Vatican for Vatican-licensed merchandise.

“We are the only source for retail for all Vatican caskets, urns and memorial products throughout the United States,” Smith says. “It’s been something we’ve been working on for quite some time.”

Another company used to have the exclusive license, he says.

“That company that was doing that fell on some hard times and bad management and are no longer in existence,” Smith says.

When he heard that, he says he called the Vatican to inquire about the license.

“Through a lot of negotiations and talks, we thought it brought a lot of value to have that license from the Vatican,” Smith says. “It’s going to be a pretty big license for us.”

The company is in the process of working with the Vatican and several manufacturers on developing lines for caskets, urns, grave markers, jewelry and keepsakes.

Read More »

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , Filed under Franchises, Real estate, Religion, Retail, Towne West Square | Comments Off

ICT S.O.S. has new home at Mead’s Corner

Nov. 9, 20122:24 p.m.

WICHITA — ICT S.O.S., which is a grassroots effort to fight human trafficking, is getting a new home.

The group has been located in founder Jennifer White’s house, but as of next week it will be in an office on the second floor of Mead’s Corner at Douglas and Emporia.

“They’ve been kind of looking at how they want to rework the coffee shop both from an operations standpoint and a ministry outreach standpoint,” White says.

First United Methodist Church owns Mead’s Corner.

White says the church wanted to take on a cause that the coffee shop could support.

“We’ve now formed a partnership with them … to kind of be that signature ministry for them,” she says. “I’m a huge fan of Mead’s anyway.”

White says the move is coming at a good time for ICT S.O.S., which she formed in March 2011.

“We’re kind of in this spot where we’re trying to figure out, OK, what’s the next step for us?”

She says she likes that Mead’s is centrally located.

“It’s a place that people come and work and have Bible studies and book clubs, so it makes sense for us to be someplace we can be more visible and more connected to the community.”

Without a public space, White says, “We’re not as accessible to people as we can be if we have an actual location.” She adds, “This will allow us to kind of expand as well.”

In addition to the office, there’s a conference room on the second floor, or the group could meet downstairs in the coffee shop.

White admits it’s not only the space that has her excited. There’s a side benefit to locating there, too.

“What’s better than having a work space that has amazing coffee downstairs?”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , Filed under Downtown, Nonprofit, Real estate, Religion, Restaurants | Comments Off

You don’t say

Oct. 30, 20122:34 p.m.

“It’s not our total desire, but you know, you gotta do what you gotta do.”

– Rev. Fred Hayes, whose New Life Church in Delano is selling contents of the church Oct. 31 through Nov. 2 to raise money to stay in its building at 411 S. Martinson

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , Filed under Delano, Religion, You don't say | Comments Off

New Life Church attempts to restore Trinity Methodist Church, may need to move

Oct. 25, 20123:53 p.m.

WICHITA — In 2010, a group of developers announced plans to convert the historic Trinity Methodist Church in Delano into apartments.

That never happened.

New Life Church has been meeting at the building, which is at 411 S. Martinson, and pastor Fred Hayes wants to make sure it remains a church.

“We’ve been striving to refurbish and bring it back to its former glory,” Hayes says. “We’ve been laboring trying to get it back up to par.”

Hayes says if his church can’t make it there, the building could become something else. He calls it “a very real reality.”

He says the apartments didn’t happen because the developers couldn’t get the historic designation they needed for tax credits to rehabilitate the building.

“That’s why they didn’t pursue it.”

The building was built in 1906 and at one time was one of the biggest churches in the city. Until recently, its address was 1409 W. Maple, but that changed due to some additions to the building.

Hayes says there are some immediate concerns with the property, such as fixing the heating and roof.

“It’s just a lot of work that needs to be done,” he says.

Read More »

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , Filed under Delano, Real estate, Religion | Comments Off

Christ the Savior Academy to open in fall at St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral

Feb. 28, 20125:00 a.m.

UPDATED — It was 17 years ago that St. George Orthodox Christian Cathedral broke ground on an educational wing just west of 13th and Rock Road, but the timing wasn’t right to start a school.

It is now.

Christ the Savior Academy will open in the fall for the new school year.

“Now, everything has come together,” says Jennifer Sebits, president of the board. “This is a project of the entire Orthodox community in Wichita.”

That includes St. George, St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Christian Church and St. Mary Orthodox Christian Church.

“We believe that it’s important to educate the whole child – so mind, body and soul,” Sebits says. “We think that children are spiritual beings and their soul needs to be nurtured as well.”

Sebits says Christ the Savior will offer a classical education, which emphasizes education in three parts.

Initially, there’s a grammar stage in which there’s a lot of memorization.

Next is a logic stage where children begin to learn and ask questions about a lot of the facts that they’ve earlier memorized.

Finally, there’s a rhetoric stage where children put what they’ve learned into spoken and written form.

Students will learn Greek and Latin starting in first grade. Sebits says classical schooling also means students often study from original sources instead of text books.

Read More »

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , Filed under East side, Education, Religion, Schools | Comments Off

GracePoint Church buys former Cinemas West; has plans for an east-side church

June 4, 20094:05 p.m.

WICHITA — The former Cinemas West space at Westlink Shopping Center at Central and Tyler is going to be the new home — and first permanent one — of GracePoint Church.

“To find a place that will fit 700 people plus, there’s not a lot of of options here,” says lead pastor Bryson Butts.

Initially, Butts says the church looked into building its own building.

“When the economy went south . . . we came to the realization then that that’s probably not going to happen,” Butts says.

Shelden Architecture will remodel the former theater at 9035 W. Central, which has been empty for several years.

Renovation costs will be about $1.5 million, which includes expanding the building for a total of 15,000 square feet.

The church’s auditorium will seat more than 500, and there will be an area that holds 160 children.

Butts started GracePoint with about 20 people five years ago. The church now averages weekly attendance of more than 700 people at two Sunday services.

Services have been held at a variety of places through the years, including Northwest High School most recently.

The new space should be ready by next spring.

At that point, Butts says the church will take the portable equipment it’s using now and start a second location on the east side.

Building a new building is still in future plans.

“Absolutely,” Butts says. But he says the church won’t sell the former theater space at that point. “Having this facility is a long-term strategy.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: , , , , , Filed under Real estate, Religion | Comments