Champlain Baptist chapel takes flight on its own

By KEVIN COUTURE
Contributing Writer

April 18, 2008 04:00 am

— CHAMPLAIN -- Led by the Lord, Living Water Baptist Chapel is no longer under the wing of Bread of Life Church.
"We all believe it's time to step out on our own," said Pastor Patrick Huggins.
The Champlain church, a member of the Southern Baptist Convention, recently completed the necessary paperwork to become independent within that structure.
It's been a long way from the one room in the former Apothecary building on Route 11, where a group of eight or 10 of the faithful gathered for Bible study, including Huggins and his wife, Leda.
It was those sessions that moved him to become pastor of the growing church.
There's no requirement that a Baptist pastor attend divinity school, he said.
He drew on 30 years as a Christian, studied at home.
"I listened to a lot of pastors on the radio and on tape.
"I just pray."
MANY HANDS
Prayer led the group to take the enormous step to build its own church.
"If the Lord wanted a church here, he needed to give us a place. This land became available, and we were able to get it."
Huggins is, by trade, a drywall taper and painter, and as plans unfolded for the construction of the Locust Street chapel, that expertise helped the project along.
A group of Baptist volunteers from Alabama undertook the initial work, from concrete foundation to the chapel's framework. After a break of a few weeks, another contingent -- this time from Georgia -- tackled the roof, siding and drywall inside.
"They left it in that state for us to finish," the pastor said.
He just happened to be working -- in his other job -- at the border just a few miles away, so was close by as his congregation pitched in to tape and sand the Sheetrock then paint the walls.
The Lord, he said, speaking of both his proximity and his position as a pastor with those particular skills, "had me in the right place.
"It's amazing how he worked it all out" to make the chapel possible.
Living Water held its first services in the new church in November 2006 and dedicated the building April 15, 2007.
LEARNING TO WALK
Throughout its growth, Bread of Life Church in Plattsburgh was there, offering leadership, financial assistance.
"They'll support you by praying for you," Huggins described the tradition of an established church helping a new one. "They have volunteers that will help you get going."
The Living Water congregation, Huggins said, was like a little child learning to walk and needed that guidance.
The church doesn't have a council; the pastor, its deacon and the congregation made the decision together to become independent.
"It's not that I don't appreciate the other church," Huggins said, "but I like to be on our own."
And so Living Water now answers to only one.
"We account to the Lord Jesus Christ."
The congregation has grown to between 25 and 30 regulars, so with seating for 100 or so, the chapel leaves plenty of room for growth. Six rooms allow activities to take place concurrently, such as the Friday night groups for teens and children.
The spacious facility still smells freshly painted, matching the fresh enthusiasm of the congregation, which will celebrate its independent status on Saturday, April 26, with preaching, music and a potluck dinner.
"I think the more we step out in faith like this step here," Huggins said in his down-to-earth style, "the Lord is going to honor it, and he's going to bring more people in.
"... we are excited about what the Lord is going to do for us now."

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