Old church building in US being renovated as Sikh temple

Chicago (Matters India): The Sikh community in a major city in the US state of Illinois will have their first gurdwara soon by converting a 30,000 square feet foreclosed building that earlier served as a Baptist church.

“The old building, which is spread in 30,000 square foot, is being renovated as Nanaksar Sikh Temple and would serve as a single temple in Rockford, Illinois where over scores of Sikh families live,” Nanaksar Sikh Temple supervisor Baba Daljit Singh Ji from Chicago told PTI over phone.

The proposed Temple, situated at the Kishwaukee Street, Third Avenue in the Forest City, will have a grand opening in September middle, he said.

Any symbols of the Christian faith in the former church like crosses or stained glass will be preserved during the renovation work and will be donated to local churches or to the Salvation Army, Baba Ji said, The Times of India reported.

“People now have to drive a long way to visit the nearest temple in Chicago Milwaukee or Madison for worship as there is no temple in Rockford. This will be the first one. So we are doing this for the Sikh community,” he added.

“We need their (citizen’s) moral support. We want to educate the people in the community in the neighbour just to how we can do something good for the country through the temple,” Baba Ji said, adding that the Rockford city government is helping them in the renovation process.