A church is known by its people.
That’s a relief to Pastor Tony Godfrey. 
Because if its identity depends on its building, then Harvest Baptist Church might have an identity complex, it’s been in so many locations.
OVER THE PAST 20-plus years, Godfrey’s congregation has suffered “growing pains,” forcing them to relocate several times to accommodate their growing numbers.
In 2019, they purchased Iola’s bowling alley, Country Lanes, 2001 N. State, which had been struggling to stay afloat. Ever since, congregants have contributed their labors to transform the building into a house of worship.
It wasn’t a natural fit, Godfrey said Tuesday morning.
“We looked high and low for a suitable building. Alternatives were either way too expensive, required too much work to renovate, or didn’t meet our needs.”
But a bowling alley?
“We were just wanting to function as a church. We’re not too tied to how things look.” 
The chain of events leading to the purchase began in 2019 when their quarters at what had been Grace Lutheran Church at 401 S. Walnut became too small.
Which is a recurring theme for the congregation.
The non-denominational church began long ago — well, the 1980s — at Mike’s Carpet World when it was on the west side of town. From there Harvest Baptist moved to a former church at 1101 E. Madison, followed by the move to the Lutheran Church in 2009, which had built a new church on Miller Road.
In 2016, Harvest Baptist tried unsuccessfully to swap facilities with the Iola American Legion, but that deal was rejected by the Iola Board of Zoning Appeals.
In 2019, they sold the building to Munchkinland and More, a daycare and preschool, and purchased the bowling alley, which, at the time, was unsuitable for their purposes.
“Homeless,” they rented Calvary United Methodist Church at the intersection of Jackson and Walnut, which had been vacated when the congregations of Trinity, Wesley and Calvary joined forces.
When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in 2020, the congregation used it as a time to begin work on the bowling alley. 
It was a massive undertaking, for which “I guess I was the general contractor,” said Godfrey with a shrug.
And the architect?
“I guess that would be Kyle Perry of State Farm,” Godfrey smiled. “We walked through the building, and he scratched out some ideas on a piece of paper. We took it from there.”
