Greater Vision breaks ground
Posted On: Sunday, Jan. 24 2010 02:26 AM
By Don Bolding
Killeen Daily HeraldAt the groundbreaking Saturday for Greater Vision Community Church's Family Life Center, Pastor David G. Reynolds told the 300 to 400 people attending, "You can see why we need to expand. On a typical Saturday, half the number here would be in the church doing other things."
Since he started the church 12 years ago after retiring as a military chaplain, the congregation has swelled from a charter membership of about 40 to more than 1,800 today. The first phase of the capital campaign to adjust to the growth, additional parking spaces and a building pad, is already complete. The $4 million, 22,000-square-foot Family Life Center is the second, and the third will be construction of a new 33,000-square-foot sanctuary.
The church is on 22 acres at 2000 E. Stan Schlueter Loop, next door to Lions Club Park.
Reynolds told the crowd, "We're going on to new horizons to be what God wants us to be. The vision is unfolding, and it's meant to include all people, not just us."
He said the church's mission includes worship, outreach and fellowship "with the best administration we can develop to support all our ministries." He led the people in a responsive litany reciting, "Keep on praying, keep on hoping, keep on serving, keep on giving."
Floyd Birt, acting as master of ceremonies, thanked the pastor for his vision and introduced special guests Killeen Mayor Tim Hancock and City Councilman Billy Workman. Rev. Melvin Howell read Nehemiah 6:1-15, about the reconstruction of the Jerusalem Temple wall after the Israelites' exile in Babylon in the 6th century B.C., and Birt said, "You can see that we've done this just like they did. Everybody had a hand in it."
Deaconess Gloria Johnson delivered a prayer, saying, "You're in charge of all we do. We're not trying to be the biggest church in Killeen. But give us the faith of David to inspire us to draw ever more people to Jesus."
Derek Watson of the design team from Ron Mabry & Associates said, "We tried to make sure we understood the needs of the whole congregation."
After a special reading by Megan Jones, successive groups of people turned dirt with gold shovels in front of a pair of backhoes.
In a letter printed in an informational booklet, Reynolds envisioned a child development center and a summer program for youth called Camp Vision.
The Family Life Center will include a fellowship hall with a stage in front, flanked by six temporary adult classrooms, on one side and a youth assembly and multi-use hall on the other, surrounded by six youth rooms and a youth administration office. The capital campaign calls for debt to be retired in five years.
A building dedication is scheduled Dec. 5.
Contact Don Bolding at
dbolding@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7557.