A longtime destination for those seeking spiritual food will soon be known for burritos and orange chicken instead.

According to building permits and a person familiar with the project, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Panda Express are opening restaurants at 3101 Raeford Road, the former home of Christ United Methodist Church.

In 2019, the congregation voted to dissolve and merge with Haymount United Methodist. The deconsecrated church building was sold earlier this year and razed to make way for the restaurants.

The new beginnings for the popular eateries follow a somber ending for Christ Methodist, which had been at the location since the mid-1950s. With a major road-widening and utilities-easement project eating into its grounds, leaders said they determined the location was becoming less hospitable for a church.

The Rev. Donald M. Warren, minister of communications and facilities at Haymount, said there were other pressures, too.  

“I think that the congregation of Christ was getting smaller, and it was a large building to maintain,” Warren told the Fayetteville Business Journal. “And so when the opportunity came up to sell, it seemed like a good idea to just be able to take that money and bring it to Haymount.”

With the dissolution of Christ United Methodist and the merger, the Raeford Road land and buildings became the property of Haymount.

“That the money is still here in Fayetteville and still doing good here in the Fayetteville area is  good stewardship.”

According to property records, Haymount sold the property to CDG Raeford Partners in May for an undisclosed amount. CDG Raeford, a limited liability corporation, has the same address as Columbia Development, a South Carolina-based real estate firm. CDG has since sold land to CFT NV Developments LLC, the real estate arm of the Panda Express chain.

Panda also has locations at Cross Creek Mall and Fort Bragg; Chipotle has locations on Skibo Road and Ramsey Street.