Freedom Life Church congregation members and church leadership gathered on June 25 at a vacant property along Route 41 and Zook Road in West Sadsbury Township to officially break ground for a new church facility. The building plans include an auditorium with 630 seats, a gymnasium, an indoor playground, six classrooms, a cafe and meeting spaces.

The day began with worship at the church's current main campus, located at 447 Noble Road in Christiana. The group then traveled to the new location for the groundbreaking ceremony, which was led by Sam and Michele Masteller, senior pastors.

"It's been the current leadership's desire to move out to the main highway for many years," said associate pastor Chad Fisher, project manager. "(The new church) will be more centrally located right on Route 41. Where we are currently is off the beaten path. It's only a few miles from Route 41, but not many people drive by. There will be thousands of cars driving by, and hopefully they will stop in and check us out."

Members of the church and children from the FL Kids program also took part in the groundbreaking. They were also invited to bury prayer cards. "Families, individuals and kids from Freedom Life wrote down prayers or their faith goals or (the names of) people they would like to come to Jesus," said Fisher. "It was (about) planting a seed and having faith to believe in what the prayer requests are."

According to a written history of the church, it began as Victory Chapel, which evolved from campground revival meetings held in 1971. Within a short period of time, attendance multiplied, and the congregation purchased the land on Noble Road to construct the church. Throughout the years, the church was known for offering programs for the community in its building, gymnasium and adjacent woodlands.

Sam and Michele were named youth pastors in 1999 and served in that role for four years. They have been senior pastors for 20 years, and they will celebrate 25 years with the church in October. In 2000, the name of the church was changed from Victory Chapel to Freedom Life Christian Center to help "people experience the freedom and life only God can offer."

Freedom Life purchased the 32-acre parcel of land in West Sadsbury Township in 2018. The land is paid in full, and church members have raised more than $3 million for the building project. They are currently in the middle of a two-year campaign to raise an additional $3 million. Freedom Life is also planning to sell its current facility along Noble Road to help pay for the expenses of the new building.

"This facility will give us more opportunities to serve our neighbors," said Fisher. "Freedom Academy, our preschool and homeschool cooperative, will move to our new location during the week. I'm also hoping that we can offer indoor pickleball courts. There are numerous options. But for right now, we're focusing on securing approvals and beginning the construction process."

Once construction begins, Freedom Life is expected to move within nine to 12 months.

For more information about the church, visit http://www.freedom.life or http://www.facebook.com/freedomlife.tv.