Good morning: Dover’s Temple of Deliverance breaks ground on worship center

By Mike Finney
Posted 7/6/22

DOVER — It was a promise finally fulfilled after several years in the making.

In the steamy weather Thursday, Three Temple of Deliverance Outreach Ministries officials — senior overseer and church founder Dr. Ida Lewis, Associate Pastor/Elder Avis Hicks and Elder Charlita Shamburger — put their shovels in the dirt and broke ground for a worship center at 951 White Oak Road in Dover.

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Good morning: Dover’s Temple of Deliverance breaks ground on worship center

Posted

DOVER — It was a promise finally fulfilled after several years in the making.

In the steamy weather Thursday, Three Temple of Deliverance Outreach Ministries officials — senior overseer and church founder Dr. Ida Lewis, Associate Pastor/Elder Avis Hicks and Elder Charlita Shamburger — put their shovels in the dirt and broke ground for a worship center at 951 White Oak Road in Dover.

“It was 15 years ago that the Lord promised a temple and that he was going to give us some land,” Dr. Lewis said. “There have been trials along the way. God is not a man that he should lie. So the Lord is permitting the temple to break ground at this site, which is the new location.”

She encouraged those gathered for the ceremony to never forget who made expansion possible.

“I have to always caution the people of God, the temple, to never forget where we have come from,” she said. “Always give God the glory. Never become proud or braggart but always pray and seek God first. Remain humble and give him the glory.

“Who did it? God did it. That’s our answer to everything.”

L&S Davis Properties’ Management is serving as the general contractor for the church, while Mountain Consulting is the engineering firm, and the site work is being managed by Larimore Construction.

Temple of Deliverance Outreach Ministries is moving from 1272 S. Governors Ave., a location it shares with a convenience store, to the White Oak Road lot that has been vacant for several years.

“We are here to let the people know that the temple is moving in to 951 White Oak Road, and we are truly excited about that,” Deacon Dr. Danielle Watson said. “We are letting the community know that we are out here working with everybody. We cannot do this by ourselves. We need everybody here with us.”

Deacon Dominique Lawson performed a couple of songs during the ceremony, and Pastor Mason McGill of Kingdom Empowerment Christian Church read some verses of Scripture from Leviticus and Deuteronomy.

“It says the Lord, our God, has spoken to us, saying you have dwelt long enough on this mountain. … You have dwelt long enough on Governors (Avenue) mountain,” he said. “You have dwelled long enough for the place, and you’re ready.

“It is time for you to have your own. Turn and take your journey, … and six months later, you can park in a new place.”

The new Temple of Deliverance facility plans to offer projects for youth and senior citizens, as well as provide emergency food boxes, satellite camps for the School of the Great Commission Bible College and a place for the church’s “Better Life, Better Living” Relapse Prevention Program.

“We will minister to the total man, mind, body and spirit, building people, who will in turn build ministry, therefore strengthening the kingdom of God,” said Deacon Watson.

Dover Mayor Robin Christiansen and several members of the city’s police department attended the groundbreaking.

“This is terrific, and the community can never have too many churches,” Mayor Christiansen said. “It’s a signal that we still all have faith in what is right and good, and (we) will into the future.

“I’m excited to be here. This (lot) has obviously been vacant a long time, and these folks have worked very hard to come as far as they have.”

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