Wellspring Community Church sold

An agreement has been reached to sell Wellspring Community Church to a congregation from San Diego, Calif.

Wellspring Community Church, which is on South Main Street next to Far North Outfitters, will be renamed Mountain Springs Church, according to pastor Garrett Graupner. Graupner is included among five families moving here from San Diego and Coeur d’Alene to operate the nondenominational church.

“There’s a bunch of us coming to establish the church,” he said. “I’ve been looking and praying over different areas. God conferred it on my heart that this is where I’m supposed to be.”

Wellspring Community Church was built in the 1970s for Bargain Giant grocery store, said pastor Chris Clark. Boundary Trading Co. purchased Bargain Giant and operated its grocery store from that location for one season before moving to its current location.

Wellspring has operated from the building for 11 years.

“The congregation is shrinking, and with overhead expenses we sensed it was time to unburden ourselves from the financial obligation so we could be more effective in ministry,” Clark said.

The church does not have a clear direction for its future, he said.

In related matters, Mountain Springs Church will host 100 students in Bonners Ferry from Sunday, May 31, to Monday, June 8. They will do community service projects.

“We want to serve the community,” Graupner said. “We are not opposed to painting the school or helping single moms, the elderly, foster kids and poor families. We’ll do construction and cleaning homes.”

The Bible students are 18 to 22 years old.

Anyone who has a community service project, can reach Graupner at 858-688-9682.

The church will host an open house at 10 a.m. Sunday, June 7, followed by a barbecue.