First Baptist Church has voted to move forward with our building expansion.

Wednesday evening, May 10, 2016, FBC Covington voted unanimously to move forward with the 158,000 square foot expansion.

The expansion will encompass a new preschool and children’s area, a large commons area, and new worship center. The cost of these additions is $34 million plus the cost of the site work and civil package of $3.5 million.

The preschool and children’s building should be open sometime in 2017, and the new worship center should be open sometime in 2018.

We plan to occupy the preschool and children’s areas as soon as the building is completed.

The Commons area will provide space for moving between the various buildings as well as fellowship space for the entire congregation.

In addition, the Commons will provide preschool and children’s play areas, a coffee shop, a bookstore, and a family ministry resource area.

The new Worship Center will seat between 2300–2400 people. Once the new Worship Center is complete, we expect to have worship services at 9:30 AM and 11 AM, as well as continuing the Saturday night worship service.

Our new building will necessitate a new Sunday morning schedule. The working assumption is that the two worship services will meet at 9:30 AM and 11 AM, with Bible Study classes at the same times. This will mean a reshuffling of almost everyone’s schedule.

We propose that we begin the new schedule when we open the new preschool and children’s building. This will give us a year to get the schedule perfected.

Then, when we open the new Worship Center, all we will have to do is rejoice, celebrate, and praise our great God.

The next two years will be demanding. It will demand patience, kindness, and goodness. These are the fruit of God’s Spirit, and they are in abundant supply.

In that we can rejoice and take heart.