As I stood to preach last Sunday morning (Easter Sunday), it had not struck me that next year we will be in our new auditorium and this would be our last Easter worship in our present worship center.

We have much to be grateful about and thankful for. We have worshipped God in this present auditorium since March 2001.

Our first Sunday here was March 18, 2001. We have seen many great events in these years. We have also seen times of worry and hurt.

August 15 and August 22, 2005, we had over 2000 people in the building. The next week Hurricane Katrina hit us and over one fourth of our congregation moved out of our area in the following year. Twenty-five Deacon families moved to other parts of the country.

Even with all those difficulties, we have seen the matchless blessings of God’s grace.

I thank God for His goodness.

We believe our new worship center will be ready to occupy in late January. Hopefully, by Easter Sunday (April 1, 2018), we will be worshiping in the new 2350 seat auditorium.

The building is shaping up nicely. With it’s stadium seating, this is going to be a great place for worship. The baptistry will be very near the congregation.

The baptistry will be a focal point. It will move us toward even greater proclamation of the saving gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We will be reminded of the great commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I’ve commanded you” (Matthew 28:19–20).

May God bless His people with His presence and power in our present location and in the one to come.