ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A local church is getting ready to move into the historic Lyric Theatre.

Grace Road Church in Rochester has been around since 2009, but has never had a place to call its own.

What You Need To Know

  • Grace Road Church has never had a place to call its own

  • Now that’s about to change, after it recently purchased the Lyric Theatre

  • The church is also building an educational space for children

“First we rented the German House in the South Wedge, and then for the last eight years we’ve been in Center City,” said Pastor Kevin Maloney. “We’ve rented at the Auditorium Theatre for two and a half years and we’ve been renting at the Temple Building downtown for almost six.”

Now that’s about to change.

Maloney is unlocking the door to the church’s first official home.

Grace Road Church recently purchased the Lyric Theatre on East Avenue.

“It’s a blessing,” Maloney said. “We’ve been looking for a place to put down permanent roots.”

Originally constructed in 1915, it served as worship space First Church of Christ, Scientist.

“We’re glad that we were able to move into a space that was originally used for worship,” Maloney explained. “So some of the format is very similar. So we don’t have to make massive alterations to be able to make the space work for us. So it’s also exactly the right size for our size congregation. At one point the congregation in this building housed was around the same size that ours is now.”

Maloney says before they move into the venue with a seating capacity of up to 700 people, they are making improvements, like adding new carpet and paint.

The church is also building an educational space for children.

“We like the beauty of this building too, and so our goal is to maintain the original character, to maintain the original beauty,” Maloney said. “And any changes that we make, we want to see as a restoration and improvement on that and not a replace on that because the building is already absolutely beautiful.”

While it’s not ready for the congregation to move in, Maloney is thankful they will soon have a permanent home.

“We’re glad that people are going to be filling this space on Sundays and worshipping and we’re glad that we will able to use it as a center for worship during the week,” said Maloney.

Grace Road Church hopes to move in by the end of 2021.

In the meantime, the church currently holds services on Sunday mornings at 8, 9:30 and 11:15 a.m. at the Temple Building on Liberty Pole Way.