At an age when most people are doing well to take care of themselves, Bessie Walls, 93, is doing much more. Walls has been raising four great-grandsons, ages 11-16, in conditions many would find unlivable. Since losing her home to a fire several years ago, "Miss Bessie" and the boys have lived in a small trailer with structural and plumbing problems.

Photo by Stan Carroll
Buy this photo »

Malisa Chisum talks with Marquis Walls (left) and Dyquan Dodson (right) outside their trailer, which is in such bad condition it will be replaced by the community.

The living situation, thanks to an Olive Branch church, is something that is about to change. Members of ARK Church and the Center Hill community have raised more than $10,000 to buy the family a "new" used mobile home.

"I didn't ask them for it, but I feel so happy and so good. I thank God for it, and I thank these people who are going to do this for me," Walls said.

The church, with a congregation of about 40 people, heard about the family's need through their contacts at Center Hill Elementary School.

"It first came to my attention because the boys said they didn't have a shower at home. So we wanted to see what we could do about that," said Tiffany Hamilton, counselor at Center Hill Elementary, where all four boys have attended.

Hamilton said she and Center Hill principal Rebecca Dearden immediately thought of Chris Holmes, lead pastor of ARK Church.

"They are always asking us what they can do to help. 'ARK' stands for Acts of Random Kindness, and that has been what they have done for our students, whether it's last-minute Christmas presents or other items," Hamilton said.

After a visit to the home, Holmes told Hamilton that installing a working shower was out of the question. The trailer was too unsafe to even think of doing any construction. Instead, they would buy Walls a used mobile home that the congregation and other volunteers could improve to meet the family's needs.

"We went to take a look at it and it's amazing that she does so much with what she has. But, we came to the realization that we couldn't do anything to fix it as there was so much messed up," Holmes said.

Walls' wish list is modest. She would like to have two rooms for the boys with two twin beds each. In the old trailer, they had to share. She'd also like to have an electric stove and heat, because a lot of her meager income goes to pay for gas.

That is exactly what the church is providing.

Last week, Walls moved in with family members while the church members and volunteers from the community and Center Hill Elementary moved all of the family possessions into a PODS container.

This week, the volunteers will move the new trailer to the site and begin work. They are changing it over to electric heat and installing an electric stove. The new trailer has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, laundry and dining room.

"Once we have it fixed up, we are going to take this one chair she likes to sit in and move that in first. Then we are going to let her direct us as to where she wants everything else," Holmes said.

Holmes said the whole process has been a wonderful experience for him and his congregation.

"What is amazing is that she has had this great attitude and has shown us so much gratitude. She's not someone that is looking for a handout. Her attitude has made it a blessing for our church," Holmes said.

Walls, who was born in 1918, said she has 13 children: six boys and seven girls.

She said she tries to keep the boys happy. "If they are happy and they have some things, they don't get into bad things," she said.

The boys' mother, one of Walls' granddaughters, helps out as much as she can, but she has some difficult circumstances of her own and cannot provide the boys with an environment as stable as the one they have with Walls, Hamilton said.

"I know the best for the boys is to be with Miss Bessie. She takes care of them, and they take care of her," Hamilton said.

ARK Church is at 11109 Miss. 178, Suite 103. For more information or to volunteer or contribute to Walls' new home, contact Chris Holmes at (901) 652-0202.

Read the original:
Church, community team to provide comforts of home to great-grandmother and youngsters

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - One of the area's largest churches has begun construction on a nearly $2 million, 16,000-square-foot "Recreation and Ministry Center."

Bible Center Church, which is building the center behind its Bible Center School at 1111 Oakhurst Drive, hopes to have the project finished by August.

The church and the school will use the new building, executive pastor Lee Walker said.

"The church has wanted and needed a gym for many years," Walker said. "When the first addition at Oakhurst was built in 1983, a half gym was included, but it has proved to be inadequate. It will be the result of many years of planning and praying to finally have a gym."

The new gym will be used daily by Bible Center School where enrollment has increased by 45 percent since middle school was added, he said. Enrollment is expected to grow even more by fall, he said.

"We now rent gyms all over town," he said. "It will be helpful to have our own. From day one we expect the gym to be one of the most used facilities of our arsenal of space. Likewise, the addition of four classrooms is an absolute must. We are currently stuffing activities in every corner of our building.

"The new space will be so helpful. Teachers can't wait," he said.

Bible Center School now has 270 students enrolled in grades kindergarten through eight. There are 110 students in preschool for ages 3 and 4. In the fall, a transitional kindergarten program will be available for children who are not yet developmentally ready for kindergarten. It is believed to be the only program of its kind in the area.

The church will use the new gymnasium for recreation ministries for children, youth and adults, Walker said. The space will also be used for the regular Wednesday night middle school ministry called Element that includes music, games and Biblically based lessons. The school will use the gym for physical education classes and interscholastic basketball.  

Middle school interscholastic sports now include basketball, soccer and track for boys and girls, as well as boys' golf.  

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - One of the area's largest churches has begun construction on a nearly $2 million, 16,000-square-foot "Recreation and Ministry Center."

Bible Center Church, which is building the center behind its Bible Center School at 1111 Oakhurst Drive, hopes to have the project finished by August.

The church and the school will use the new building, executive pastor Lee Walker said.

"The church has wanted and needed a gym for many years," Walker said. "When the first addition at Oakhurst was built in 1983, a half gym was included, but it has proved to be inadequate. It will be the result of many years of planning and praying to finally have a gym."

The new gym will be used daily by Bible Center School where enrollment has increased by 45 percent since middle school was added, he said. Enrollment is expected to grow even more by fall, he said.

"We now rent gyms all over town," he said. "It will be helpful to have our own. From day one we expect the gym to be one of the most used facilities of our arsenal of space. Likewise, the addition of four classrooms is an absolute must. We are currently stuffing activities in every corner of our building.

"The new space will be so helpful. Teachers can't wait," he said.

Bible Center School now has 270 students enrolled in grades kindergarten through eight. There are 110 students in preschool for ages 3 and 4. In the fall, a transitional kindergarten program will be available for children who are not yet developmentally ready for kindergarten. It is believed to be the only program of its kind in the area.

The church will use the new gymnasium for recreation ministries for children, youth and adults, Walker said. The space will also be used for the regular Wednesday night middle school ministry called Element that includes music, games and Biblically based lessons. The school will use the gym for physical education classes and interscholastic basketball.  

Middle school interscholastic sports now include basketball, soccer and track for boys and girls, as well as boys' golf.  

The architect for the project is Bastian & Harris with construction management by Pray Construction. Aside from the gymnasium, the metal-and-masonry structure will include four classrooms, a large kitchen, office area, exercise room and restrooms.

Site preparation began Jan. 23. The estimated cost is $1.9 million.

In March 2008, Bible Center Church moved from Oakhurst Drive into a new worship facility off Corridor G. Situated on 96 acres, the building includes 67,000 square feet of space on three levels.

The Oakhurst Drive location has 50,000 square feet of space and has been maintained for offices, teen center and Bible Center School. The principal is Garland Elmore and preschool director is Vicki Hess.

Go to http://www.biblecenterschool.com for more information or call 304-346-0431.

Bible Center Church has had just four senior pastors during its 68 years. The Rev. Eric Mounts is the current senior pastor. He stepped into that role in March of 2011.

Bible Center Church is located at 100 Bible Center Drive. To reach the church, pass the shops along Corridor G, turn left on Parkway and right on Bible Center Drive.

Go to the website http://www.biblecenterchurch.com for more information.

Contact writer Charlotte Ferrell Smith at charlo...@dailymail.com or 304-348-1246.

See the original post here:
Church's addition to include new gym

Senior pastor Jonathan Oastler speaks about his church’s conflict with Toowoomba Regional Council and McNab yesterday.

Nev Madsen

CITILIFE Church senior pastor Jonathon Oastler accused Toowoomba Regional Council and Toowoomba developer McNab of "tag teaming" against his church during a public meeting yesterday.

Senior pastor Oastler repeated his claims that the community church and its affiliated school, the Christian Outreach College, had its objections to the development of massive Masters hardware store ignored by Toowoomba Regional Council.

The meeting was held to rally support before the church's complaint against council is heard before the Planning and Environment Court in Brisbane on March 7 and 8.

About 200 people attended the session yesterday.

Citilife church member and former Christian Outreach College student Rachael Hardie said she attended because she wanted to hear the church's side of the argument.

"I feel it's important to hear what is going on," Miss Hardie said yesterday.

Senior pastor Oastler made it clear that he was presenting only the church's side of the argument and encouraged those in the room to contact council and McNab for their version of events.

Last week a council spokesman said council was trying to facilitate a discussion without-prejudice discussion between all parties in an attempt to reach a fair and reasonable outcome.

McNab also last week informed The Chronicle that it had "all the relevant development permits for a material change of use, operational works and building works to commence and complete the construction works on the Hume St site."

Follow this link:
Church gets heard at meeting

For more than a century, members of the United Protestant Church have helped their fellow townspeople.

Now, they say, they could use some help.

The church basement sustained heavy damage in 2009, when the nearby Sterling Pond section of the Moosup River overflowed because of heavy March rain. It sent water cascading across Church Street into the small church. The water was removed from the basement, but it had damaged the floor enough that the wood had to be removed.

The floodwaters also left heavy mold about 2 feet high on the basement walls, which also had to be ripped out.

“The walls were built with tongue-in-groove boards that were heavily nailed together,” church member Bruce Glaude said. “That made it difficult to remove the damaged boards without causing some harm to the remaining sections of wall.”

Pastor Bonni Piccione said church leaders were unaware they could have applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for assistance until the application deadline had passed. She said the church also did not have flood insurance.

Glaude said he hopes the church will be able to pour a new concrete floor in the basement and is looking for donations of wood, especially two-by-fours and drywall to fix the basement walls.

“If contractors have wood left over from jobs and would be willing to donate it to the church, we’d be truly grateful,” Glaude said.

He said workmen are scheduled to overhaul the furnace in the basement this week, including redesigning the heating system to create separate zones for the basement and the sanctuary on the main floor of the church. Presently, the sanctuary has only a large grate in the floor near the pulpit where heat rises from the basement.

“Sometimes we all gather as close to the vent as possible for our worship services,” Piccione said with a laugh.

The United Protestant Church has been part of Sterling for 115 years, opening for worship services and other gatherings in 1896 on land donated for its construction two years earlier. In its early days, it was a vital part of the Sterling village community, members say.

Church treasurer Mary Brown said a history of the church indicates it has a lengthy record of helping local causes.

“Our church donated money to help with the construction of St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church next door,” Brown said.

St. Joseph was among several churches closed in 2009 by the Diocese of Norwich. A “for sale” sign now sits on the front lawn of the church.

Piccione said the small congregation of about 25 members, 20 of whom are active, knits mittens, gloves and hats for local schoolchildren each year, contributes to food drives at Project PIN, the food bank that serves the Plainfield-Sterling area, and helps in other community causes.

If funds can be raised, Piccione said, the congregation wants to refurbish the kitchen in the basement so it can serve suppers again and host other fundraisers.

“We’d also be able to offer our basement facilities to community groups such as Boy Scout or Girl Scout troops or other organizations looking for a place to call home,” Piccione said.

Read the original post:
Sterling church seeks help with basement repairs

Hilton Head Island has grown up with First Baptist Church, which celebrates its 50th anniversary today.

The first gathering of the congregation -- six years before it officially became a church-- was held in the home of Lois and Norris Richardson. That Sunday school meeting of 56 people came only a few weeks after the Richardsons opened a grocery store on an island so remote it initially had more wild boar and alligators beating down its door than customers.

Business was so slow at the market that Lois Richardson had time to become Charles Fraser's first employee in Sea Pines.

But their Forest Beach Market would evolve into Coligny Plaza with more than 60 shops and restaurants.

And the church on South Forest Beach Drive would evolve into one known for missions, particularly on the beaches.

Its Easter sunrise service on the beach attracts close to 1,000 people. And in 1991, it was named the national Resorts Missionary Church of the Year by the Southern Baptist Convention for programs involving as many as 15 summer missionaries meeting people on the beach, at ball games and in a coffee house at Coligny Plaza where they performed music and skits.

"It enabled the church to touch a lot of lives outside the four walls of the church," said the Rev. Felix Haynes Jr. of St. Simons Island, Ga., the pastor from 1979 to 1994.

First Baptist calls itself the "visitors' church" because waves of vacationers from all over the world pass through each year.

"We've always been visitor-friendly because we're visitor-located," said the Rev. John F. Keller, pastor for the past 18 years. "We're by the beach with short-term rentals all around us."

But in its first meetings, there were no walls to hold missionaries in or visitors out.

They worshiped on the ground-level cement slab beneath the Richardsons' home on the ocean on Bayberry Lane.

A NEW SONG

It all started about the time Hilton Head Island got its first bridge, in the spring of 1956.

Virgil Woods went to Ridgeland Baptist Church concerning a mission Sunday school on the island.

When the Richardson family of five moved to the island that summer, they offered their new home to be the church's temporary home and put up signs in the store inviting people to come.

Lois Richardson recalls that they borrowed chairs and benches from the Ridgeland church and her son, James N. "J.R." Richardson Jr., then about 11, had to set them up and take them down every week.

She says the collection was never more than $10.

When a man with three young girls came to work for the island's chamber of commerce, the girls attended the new church and played with the Richardson children during the week. One day Lois Richardson overheard them downstairs pretending they were holding church.

"(J.R.) said he'd be the preacher and one of the girls said she'd lead the singing," Lois Richardson said. Another girl asked what they were going to sing. And the song leader said: "You know we're going to sing 'Hound Dog.' "

FULL CIRCLE

The church became a mission of the Baptist Church of Beaufort and built a small sanctuary across from the old William Hilton Inn.

It incorporated on its own on Feb. 18, 1962, with 37 charter members. It has always been on South Forest Beach Drive on land donated by Fraser and his family's Sea Pines Co. The Frasers donated land for several other churches, as well.

The late Rev. Wilford M. Lee was a beloved figure as he led the church from 1968 to 1979, a period of much growth and construction.

Today, Keller sees new challenges for his church as the island changes, as well as the church at-large.

"In the early church of Acts, they were turning the world upside down," Keller said. "Today in many ways the world has turned the church upside down. With the church seeming to be so needy, it's almost as if it feels it has to be like the world to attract the world. It used to hold much stronger to doctrine."

He said his church is "more of a Bible-focused, Christ-centered church."

Haynes said its first half century has been marked by "being alert to ways it could minister way beyond its location, being sensitive to its unique setting, and touching a lot of lives."

And while the island has grown up with First Baptist, things seem to have come full circle. Just like 1962, the island finds itself peering into an uncharted transition, Keller said.

"The island is pretty much built out. What is it going to be in years to come? What should we be doing today to help shape that? We really need to pray for the leaders in our community."

Follow columnist David Lauderdale at twitter.com/ThatsLauderdale.

Related content:

First Baptist Church of Hilton Head Island

Read the original here:
Baptist church flows with change for 50 years

FLOYDS KNOBS — Wow.

That may be the best way to describe St. Mary of the Knobs’ new home. It’s a word St. Mary’s priest, the Rev. Mike Hilderbrand, expects to hear a lot in the next few months about the under-construction church.

“It’s a term I think people will use for a long time,” he said while glancing at the interior of the structure.

Construction crews are putting the finishing touches on the new church, which will be dedicated at 2 p.m., March 25, with a Mass which will include the bishop and several visiting priests. The new church will replace the one built in 1907, which seats 350 people. The new church seats 964 and helps accommodate the tremendous growth the parish has experienced in recent years.

“This is for future generations, just like that church was built for that generation,” Hilderbrand said.

HOW THEY GOT HERE

It’s taken a lot of work and effort to get to this point, according to both Hilderbrand and J. Patrick Byrne, a member of the church’s executive committee. The idea of building a new church or activities center was first brought up in 2005 when a parishioner donated 33 acres of land adjacent to the current church off St. Mary’s Road. In 2006, under the leadership of the Rev. John Geis, who has since retired, a fundraising effort began.

“In April of 2006 we met with Father John and the archbishop [Daniel Buechlein]. The archbishop shared with us that it was his vision to build a new church and activities center on the property,” Byrne said. “We put together a feasibility study and it was about 50/50 among members ... some members said we needed a new church and others wanted an activities center. We decided to do it all together instead of two stages.”

A capital campaign got under way in 2007. To date, the church has received $11 million in pledges with $7 million already collected. The church borrowed money from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis to build the two structures and Byrne hopes to have the loan and all of the pledges collected by 2018.

Two Floyd County construction companies — Koetter Construction and AML Inc. — teamed up on the project. Koetter is constructing the church while AML Inc. built the Geis Activities Center, named after the church’s former priest. It opened last year and includes a basketball court and walking track. Owners of both companies are members of the church.

“Everyone has worked together and within the budget,” Byrne said. “We are really blessed, both the Bob Libs family [AML] and Koetter family are very involved and active in the parish.”

Byrne said the two facilities were built with the “vision of the parish” in mind.

“We were very careful, and documented everyone’s concerns. We wanted the parish members to take ownership in this project,” he said.

WHAT GOES WHERE

Marilyn Merkel, coordinator of liturgy and music, said the church was built using guidelines established by U.S. Catholic Bishops as far as where items are to be placed inside the structure.

“I think we were able to educate the parishioners with what the bishops’ directed us to do,” she said.

One feature of the new church is the high ceiling — 65 feet from floor to ceiling, and the semi-circular position of the pews.

Byrne said the church received pledges from more than 500 families in the parish as well as from people who do not have ties to the church. Hilderbrand, who has been pastor at St. Mary of the Knobs for less than two years, says there are about 1,000 families who belong to the church.

St. Mary of the Knobs is the oldest church in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and was founded in 1823. The church has had four structures and the new church sits less than a mile from where the original log cabin church sat.

The church was founded by German and French settlers who wanted to avoid malaria and other illnesses in New Albany and migrated up the hill. Byrne’s great-great grandfather, Thomas Piers, donated the land for the first church.

There is also a connector building being built between the church and activities center which will be a shell until it’s completed in the future. It will be used as a fellowship hall as well as house some church offices.

ACTIVITY TIME

Along with the two new buildings, a softball and baseball field have been built on the property along with a football/soccer field with goal posts and a scoreboard. St. Mary of the Knobs Catholic School has students from pre-kindergarten to grade six, but there is hopes of adding a junior high one day. The entire complex, church, school, activities center and athletic fields sit on 92 acres.

“This is a multigenerational complex, not only for the present but also for future generations,” Hilderbrand said. “This is built on the shoulders of so many people. It’s exciting ... I inherited it. So many hours of work has gone into this project.”

Byrne said the Geis Activities Center has been a hit with parishioners.

“It’s been phenomenal,” he said. “We had to look at our long-term needs. Our old [school] gym had no seating capacity, and now the Geis center has so much going on. You can walk in there and see kids playing basketball and people on the walking track at the same time. Different age groups are enjoying the center.”

The current church will continue to be used after the new structure is open for weddings or other events.

“It’s been overwhelming,” Byrne said of the cooperation and entire scope of the project. “From the beginning, there is no doubt the Holy Spirit is directing us. This has gone way beyond my expectations. We visited other churches in 2006 to get ideas but this has turned out to be so much more.”

Go here to see the original:
Growing faith: St. Mary of the Knobs has room to flourish with new church building

15-02-2012 20:59

See more here:
Church construction Part 1 - Video

April 27, 2001

Construction at St. Clement's Church, 1510 Bopp Road, is causing parking problems on neighboring streets in Bayberry Subdivision.

Jennifer Janson, subdivision trustee, told the Des Peres Board of Aldermen on Monday that some residents along Kendon Drive had asked her to bring their concerns to the board.

"There is a walkway between the neighborhood and the parish. Many people are parking along Kendon and using the sidewalk to go to church. Also, during the week, parents are picking up and dropping off their children," Janson said.

Janson suggested that maybe the city could just allow parking on one side of the street.

"I would just like a solution that works," she said.

Des Peres Public Safety Director Bill Bridges said his department had gotten other complaints about the parking situation.

Denis Knock, director of public works, said the new addition and auditorium which the church was building, would take another year-and-a half to complete.

"With the construction, this is a quick way to drop off and pick up the kids, and leave the church on Sunday. We'll be looking into this and will make a report to the board," Knock said.

Janson also asked the board about the possibility of putting a sidewalk in an easement area between the subdivision and Harwood Hills.

Janson, who said she had just lived in the subdivision for two years and had no background on the former sidewalk request, said residents who would like the city to put a sidewalk on the easement had approached her.

"Now, they're afraid to use the easement. The gentleman who lives next to that property has hung a 'No trespassing' sign at the end of the street and has planted some bushes, and this really is an easement," Janson said.

Knock said the property in question was an old "paper street."

"One time we had approved the sidewalk, but the property owner who abuts that property said he didn't want it. No one else showed up at the meeting to speak in favor of the sidewalk, so we let it go," Knock said.

Knock said the city would take another look at the files.

"It may be that we'll have some more meetings on this matter if other residents want the sidewalk," he said.

Here is the original post:
St. Clement's Church Expansion Causes Parking Woes For Neighbors

15-02-2012 08:53 01.29.12 Service with Kelly Stickel, Victory Church, Lethbridge, AB. Renewal breaks down our resistance to God's rule in our life. A renewed mind results in a transformed life. In other words, to the degree that we get in on this process of renewal is the degree to which we will have success and experience transformation. In the conclusion to the series Pastor Kelly talks about part two of the renewal process.

See the original post here:
01.29.12 Character Under Construction - pt 5 - Video

FAITH IN QUESTION: Citilife Church senior pastor Jonathan Oastler says the dispute over the Masters hardware store development on Hume St has him questioning his faith in Toowoomba Regional Council.

Nev Madsen

Should all development applications be publicly notified and open to public objection?

COMMUNITY church and school officials claim their objections to a massive Masters hardware store development were ignored by Toowoomba Regional Council.

A public meeting will be held on Sunday in an attempt to rally support before the matter is be heard in the Planning and Environment Court in Brisbane on March 7 and 8.

The Christian Outreach Centre, which owns the Christian Outreach College and Citilife Church, was notified in 2009 that there were plans to develop the vacant lot next to the college.

Senior pastor Jonathan Oastler said the centre had co-operated with the developer McNab and Toowoomba Regional Council in the early stages of the development.

However, senior pastor Oastler claims issues arose when McNab lodged changed plans with council last year.

Despite lodging an objection, senior pastor Oastler claims Toowoomba Regional Council ignored the concerns, which centred on traffic and noise impacts.

The development was approved in November last year.

Senior pastor Oastler said he had lost confidence in Toowoomba Regional Council's development approval process.

"We found out before it was approved, we objected and yet council approved it anyway," he said.

"We believe the court case in March will result in a positive outcome for us."

Senior pastor Oastler said the issues were compounded when Toowoomba Regional Council moved to resume a strip of land along the college's northern boundary.

He said the resumption of that land would block the college's plans to build a childcare centre and grandstands.

"We communicated with council about the massive impact this would have, but council went ahead anyway."

A Toowoomba Regional Council spokesman said the matter was "a complex one" and declined to comment in detail because it was before the Planning and Environment Court.

"On the one hand there is a developer who has a legal right to develop his or her land, and on the other a neighbouring property owner with the legal right to protect his or her interests," the spokesman said.

"Adding to that complexity there is a need for an essential infrastructure easement to service both properties, as well as potential further development in the area into the future.

"Council is trying to facilitate a without-prejudice discussion between all parties in an attempt to reach a fair and reasonable outcome."

McNab also declined to comment in detail because the matter was before the Planning and Environment Court.

However, the company did inform The Chronicle that it had "all the relevant development permits for a material change of use, operational works and building works to commence and complete the construction works on the Hume St site'.

The public rally will be held at 2pm this Sunday at the Christian Outreach College's multipurpose hall.

Continued here:
Church angry at council decision