During the Worship Center renovation we will be temporarily meeting in the Fellowship Hall for the 8:30 and 11:00 worship. For some of those who were around from JIBC’s early years, it will be a return to the beginning. The Fellowship Hall was the original Worship Center/Sanctuary until the current one was built. The Library/Conference Room was the original kitchen. The baptismal was in the corner of the Fellowship Hall right close to where the Coke machine is located. So here is the good news…this is only temporary. We are planning for the Worship Center to be closed for 5 Sunday’s, August 9 through September 6. The Big Reveal is planned for Sunday, September 13. The extra good news is that we need about 75 volunteers to temporarily attend the 8:30 worship service instead of the 11:00 service. We anticipate being able to seat around 150 comfortably in the Fellowship Hall. If we can have around 100 at the 8:30 service, I think we can do this for 5 weeks. During these 5 weeks there will be preschool childcare and All Star Worship for the children at BOTH the 8:30 and the 11:00 times.
For the next three Sundays we are asking EVERYONE to sign up for the 8:30 or the 11:00 service. This will give us a better idea of how to accommodate those attending both services. It is all very exciting and positive. Remember the old saying and repeat it often: “People don’t mind change, it is the transition that gets them!”
CAN YOU IMAGINE?
After a recent funeral service a visitor said he heard we were renovation our sanctuary. He thought what we had was so lovely, he thought we should not change it. I know what he means. Our team hit a homerun when they renovated back in 2001. They wonderfully upgrades, updated and changed the Worship Center into a bright, warm and welcoming place to gather. I assured our guest that we were only continuing the warm and welcoming efforts that created what we currently have. “If you love this, I think you will really love the new renovation” was my final encouragement to him. I laughed and told him even an old barn looks better with a fresh coat of paint. We are aiming for a worship space that is comfortable, clean, user friendly and fresh. We are not a traditional Baptist Church. This renovation will give us the same current look as the atrium everyone loves so much. It should be fresh, new, comfortable, facing the present and the future, not so much the past.
RETURNING FROM CHILDREN’S CAMP
Shortly after you receive this Messenger, we should be returning from Children’s Camp. Pray for the children’s last days to be Spirit led and filled. Ask for traveling mercy as we return Friday. We look forward to see you Sunday, good Lord willing.
Pastor Tom
