by Shawn Nowlin
Those who work tirelessly to accomplish a lofty goal often say that when they do it, the feeling is often hard to put into words.
For decades, the Lafayette Boulevard church in northwest Roanoke was vacant. On Nov. 22, the empty building became the new home of The Hill Church, a multicultural, multiethnic church, and its community development center, Trajectory.
Pastor Charles Wilson, Jr. and all others who invested much sweat equity into making the church a reality are elated to restore the building and give back to the community.
“This church is designed to be so much more than just a building,” Wilson said. “We see a future where children can come here after school, community members can start businesses and nonprofits, and the coffee shop can give people a place to work and connect with others.”
Created to assist those in the community by bringing life to ideas and programming that foster growth and development in the area, Trajectory is a non-profit incubator.
When Stacey Barnes heard about the opening of the church, she reached out to some friends who were in the know. “I didn’t make the first service, but I will be visiting in December,” Barnes said.
Originally home to Villa Heights Baptist Church before the property was sold to a developer in 1989, over the years, various ministries and organizations leased the building until it fell into a state of disrepair.
The ribbing-cutting ceremony included speeches from Pastor Wilson, Mayor Sherman Lea and former Roanoke City Councilman John Garland.
“This has been an event five years in the making,” Garland, also an engineer for the project, said. “The Wilsons’ vision for both this church building and its greater impact in the community is contagious. As a life-long Roanoker and member of Villa Heights Baptist Church in 1969, I am thrilled to see the vision begin to come to life and I am looking forward to the meaningful impact this will have on this area.”
After closing the property in 2019, the church then proceeded to raise support for much-needed renovations. The first phase of construction, featuring the sanctuary, children’s area and fellowship hall, was recently completed.
As of press time, the Hill Church at 1026 Lafayette Blvd. is nearly a third of the way to its million-dollar fundraising goal. Generous donations, time and services have come from people across the country.
The Hill Church held its first service on Sunday, Nov. 24.
For the most up-to-date information, visit https://www.thehillchurch.com/
