Harvest Bible opening in Elgin

And you think local schools are crowded?

Since establishing its Elgin site in 2004, Harvest Bible Chapel has welcomed an estimated 2,500 parishioners each weekend -- at a center designed to seat 750.

"We've been running three services just out of a need to accommodate people," said Sherri Smith, chapel director of communications. "In 2004, the very first Sunday, we just had two services. There was such an overwhelming response we added the Saturday night service the very next week."

That will all change this weekend as officials with the Rolling Meadows-based church open a new worship center on the former Safety-Kleen property, 1000 N. Randall Road.

The new worship center will seat 2,200 people, and include a gymnasium and added space for a children's ministry.

"It's amazing," Smith said. "There are two bridges you can walk from the existing building to the new building. It's a great facility."

Church officials will commemorate the grand opening at two services on Sunday -- one at 9 a.m. and one at 11:15 a.m.

The second service also will be conducted in Spanish.

And there will be a carnival before the first worship service and after the second service for kids who attend school up to fifth grade.

"That's a special thing because it's the grand opening," Smith said.

The church will no longer have Saturday night services.

Harvest Bible Chapel was founded in 1988 in Rolling Meadows.

Since then, the church has established campuses in Elgin, Niles, Crystal Lake and North Phoenix, Ariz.

Officials estimate they now have more than 17,000 worshipers worldwide.