SUFFOLK, Va. — The Mount at Suffolk has spent years holding services in hotels, middle schools, and high schools. Now, after a Suffolk City Council vote earlier this month, the congregation finally has a place to call its own.
Suffolk City Council voted to allow the church to convert a former film studio off Godwin Boulevard into its permanent place of worship.
"Our mission is simple, we believe that church is suppose to change lives so with the Conditional use permit it'll help us serve humanity," Pastor Karl Wilkins said.
The church's roots trace back to 2018, when Bible study began at the Hampton Inn in downtown Suffolk. After outgrowing that space, the congregation moved to Kings Fork Middle School, then across the street to Kings Fork High School, where members worshipped for the next five years.
"It's feels like long time coming," Wilkins said.
The Wilkins will develop a 256-seat sanctuary on the six-acre property, the former New Dominion Pictures building.
"Its you know we're not wandering, anymore you know," Wilkins said.
A fellow church member added that the permanent location removes barriers to serving the community.
"We were limited in being able to serve the community because we had to find different locations to do different things now we have a place where we're not inhibited with that," she said.
Anissa Davis drives three hours from Maryland to Suffolk each week to attend church. She said a permanent home will help the congregation continue its mission.
"Our church is supposed to change lives," Davis said.
That mission has already made an impact. Last year, the church surprised a Suffolk family battling health challenges with a home renovation. News 3 honored Pastor Wilkins with an Everyday Hero Award for leading the effort — all while the congregation was still searching for a permanent place of worship.
"For all these years we've been coming in at 7 in the morning, we've been setting up we've been faithful and so God has blessed us for being faithful so we are so excited for what God is about to do," Davis said.
The church hopes to begin holding services in the new space later this year or early next year.
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