A small, congenial crowd gathered Sunday morning in front of the Good Shepherd Wesleyan Church at 10 a.m. for the ground-breaking ceremonies marking the beginning of construction for the church's new education center.
Designed by local architects Rob Darney and Art Hannafin, the 50-by-50-foot area will be used for youth education and fellowship. A facelift for the churches' exterior is also planned.
"Lots of kids need direction," Dennis said, noting that drug awareness education is an important part of their programs. "We work with teenagers, but we like to reach them at the elementary level. That's the reason we're building this addition . . . . Parents are busy with work, and they need all the help they can get."
Church officials have thus far raised just over $120,000 of the $300,000 needed for this project, and the church plans to borrow the other half.
Money was raised in part through rummage sales and auctions, but the majority, about 90 percent, came from the 200-member congregation in the form of private donations.
"Without your dedicated sacrifice, this mission could not have been accomplished," Dennis said, offering heartfelt thanks to his congregation.
"It's a privilege to be your pastor."
Good Shepherd Wesleyan Church began in 1983 with home Bible studies under the leadership of church founder, Reverend Thomas Hamon.
In 1987, Pastor Marvin Dennis preached his first sermon to seventeen people in the fellowship area, which was then serving as the chapel. This will be the second addition to the church, as a new sanctuary was built in 1992.