CAPE GIRARDEAU – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the groundbreaking of a new building in Cape Girardeau which will serve members of the church in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois including those in the River Region counties of Perry and Ste. Genevieve in Missouri and Randolph in Illinois.
In a news release, the church announced that the groundbreaking will be open to the public, and will be held Saturday November 16, 2024 at 11 a.m. for its new “stake center” at 4450 LaSalle Ave in Cape Girardeau. People of all ages, faiths and backgrounds are welcome. (A stake in the Church of Jesus Christ is similar to a diocese in the Catholic Church.)
This highly anticipated project marks a significant milestone for the local Latter-day Saint community, providing a dedicated space for worship, community service, and fellowship. The previous church was destroyed by fire on April 18, 2021.
Earl DeWaal, Cape Girardeau Stake President and leader of the more than 2,600 members of the faith in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois, and other church and community leaders will gather to offer prayers, remarks at the ceremonial groundbreaking to signify the start of construction. This new facility will also serve as a central hub for members in Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri, including congregations in Farmington, Poplar Bluff, Sikeston, and Carbondale, Illinois.
A Center for Community and Worship
The Cape Girardeau building will serve as the primary location for regional conferences, religious education, youth programs, and a range of events open to members and community residents alike as well as a center for weekly worship for those in the Cape Girardeau congregation. The building will feature a large chapel as well as meeting rooms, a cultural hall, and spaces for community gatherings and service initiatives.
A Resource for the Greater Community
President DeWaal has expressed gratitude to the community for its support and excitement for the role the new building will have in their worship of and service to Jesus Christ.
“I express and echo the gratitude of our church members for the outpouring of love from so many in the Cape Girardeau community and beyond, ” said President DeWaal. “In our struggle, we have experienced the love of the Savior through the outreach of others. The excitement for a new building is real and important. Of greater significance are the relationships with one another in our church and community. It is our hope this new building will be for our community, a place of developing relationships of love and support for one another and our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
The new stake center is expected to be completed and ready for use in early 2026.
Join Us
The news release included an invitation to area community members, local officials, and media to join them at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Light refreshments will be served following the event.