Church Addtion Dedication

Wow! It's been a bit since I last posted! Gotta fix that. :)

So, the last few days, our church has been a whirlwind of activity (not that it hasn't been for the last 3 years) because WE FINISHED OUR ADDITION!! Praise the Lord! This was an amazing project - adding 15,000 square feet in 2 floors plus a basement that is usable for storage and one classroom. We added a bunch of office space, a much needed main floor large classroom for our ministry to the disabled and an elevator for them, more lobby space and a beautiful new handicapped bathroom. It took 3 years to complete for 2 reasons: #1 we did it with NO debt and #2 the congregation did much of the work once the main shell was up. There were times that the work needed to stop because we just didn't have the money but the project finished up this week with money left over and us spending just $1.8 million dollars when in today's construction market, it should have cost over $3 million! How cool is that?

Today was the dedication of the new building and it was so special. We had a beautiful service with DH leading an amazing worship time and the Daughters of Zion (a group of young girls who dance and use tambourines and streamers in worship) gave a glimpse of what the Daughters of Zion in the Old Testament must have been like. What was even more special was Pastor speaking of the future of the church with the new addition and that it's not the building that's the church but our people and that the children are the future church. He then asked for all of the pastors with young children to come forward to be prayed over and the children dedicated as the future church for God's service - then all of the pastors prayed over the children of the congregation. What a blessing to see the children being brought forward and being dedicated to the service of the Lord. I cried, as usual.

We finally finished up the service with a beautiful song that we just recently learned. It's called God of this City by CBluetree and sung by Chris Tomlin:

You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You Are

You're the light in the darkness
You're the hope for the hopeless
You're the peace for the restless
You Are

Bridge:
For there is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

Chorus:
Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things are still to come
And greater things are still to be done here