10-26-03 Daily Herald.... >From barn to place of worship Daily Herald staff report Posted Sunday, October 26, 2003 Tucked behind busy Roselle Road in Schaumburg and within five miles of Woodfield Shopping Center, a rare sight for the Northwest suburbs took place Saturday: a barn raising. Members of the Christ Community Mennonite Church in Schaumburg joined with Mennonites from Iowa who came in to help renovate the barn on their 2-acre property into a worship space and religious education center. On Saturday, church members worked to secure sturdy wooden beams to anchor the new glass-enclosed, two-story entrance of the barn, which they hope will draw worshippers to the unique worship space. They already worked to install all new floor trusses, with 3,500 square feet of radiant heating coils, all hand tied by church members. "In some churches it would be expected for members to raise funds to hire people to do this," said Doug Wiseman of Roselle. "We consider it a blessing to be able to do this ourselves, to work with our own hands." They plan to use the lower level for offices and classrooms, as well as a community day-care during the week. The second floor, with its 19th century trusses exposed, will serve as their dramatic sanctuary. "The character of the barn space is almost cathedral-like," says LeRoy Kennel, founding pastor. "It's a wonderful worship space." The building project is part of a yearlong plan to convert the 150-year old barn, members said. They have worked with the Village of Schaumburg and have obtained their final permit to complete the final phase. Members are working under the direction of Lee Lehman of Albany, Ore., a former professional building contractor and Habitat for Humanity volunteer, who is serving as construction manager of the project. Members believe the barn is one of only two remaining in Schaumburg. Consequently, it serves to preserve the farming roots in the community and reinforces the rural roots of the Mennonites, members said. Historically, the Mennonites date back to the 16th century in Europe, when they were founded by a Catholic priest from Holland, Menno Simons, who challenged the reforms of Martin Luther during the Protestant Reformation. The Amish later broke off from the Mennonites. Though both continue to share common beliefs and often are confused with one another, they are separate denominations. "One of the tenets of the Mennonite faith is simplicity," Wiseman said. "We still aspire to a simpler life, without all the trappings and clutter of everyday life. We feel our spiritual life is enhanced if we're able to keep it simple, but we don't restrict ourselves." Instead members work to help others in the community, and reach out with service and justice where they are needed, Kennel said. The Schaumburg congregation is one of 20 Mennonite churches in the Chicago area.