Old doors ready to reopen for Church of the Open Door growth in Lorain – The Morning Journal

Church of the Open Door is getting ready to open the doors to its Lorain Campus.

In 2016, the Elyria-based Christian church unveiled its 20/20 Vision Plan, a blueprint for expanding several ministries, eliminating debt and upgrading the existing facilities.

The plan included a new physical presence in Lorain -- and it is happening.

At 11 a.m. Feb. 9, Church of the Open Door will begin regular Sunday worship services in the renovated former Lorain YMCA, 1121 Tower Blvd.

When the YMCA was built in 1969, for years it was a blessing to the surrounding neighborhood, said Jason Russ, Lorain Campus pastor.

Church of the Open Door will begin regular Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. Feb. 9, 2020, at the former Lorain YMCA, 1121 Tower Blvd. This 1991 mural by Jim Lemaster remains in place on the lower level of the Y building.

He added he has talked to people who recalled their experiences at the Y growing up in Lorain. In the neighborhood, residents also want new connections, especially for children and the elderly.

Everybody has some connection to this Y, Russ said. What a gift of God to be able to open the doors back up to this community, something that was such a huge benefit.

I just think its neat that we can turn this place back around to the community, open it up, he said.

On Feb. 3, the building was a hive of activity as contractors, church staff and congregation members completed tasks ranging from painting to rigging lights to installing sound and video equipment.

Russ wore an Open Door shirt and blue jeans with a wrench and work gloves in his hip pocket.

Church of the Open Door's Lorain team leaders took a break from construction for a group photo at the former Lorain YMCA, 1121 Tower Blvd. From left are Stephanie Carrell, who works with childrens ministry; Joe Gonzales, who works with the student ministry; Jason Russ, Lorain Campus pastor; and Tony Reyes, director of worship. The church will begin regular Sunday worship services there at 11 a.m. Feb. 9, 2020.

Church of the Open Door Executive Director Alex Marks was present with the Lorain Campus directors: Stephanie Carrell, who works with childrens ministry; Joe Gonzales, who works with the student ministry; and Tony Reyes, director of worship.

On Sundays, the renovated space will use two entrances, one on the north side of the building and one on the east side.

That door opens into a fellowship area that sits next to the main auditorium; holding about 170 seats, the auditorium will serve as the sanctuary for worship.

The worship team would rehearse there in a few days, Reyes said. He has grown up, gone to school and worked in the city.

Its really awesome to now launch a campus where we can now bring the Gospel in Lorain as well, where its home as well, Reyes said.

Church of the Open Door Director of Worship Tony Reyes, right, and helpers prepare a wall for installation of a video screen mounting bracket as part of renovations at the former Lorain YMCA, 1121 Tower Blvd., on Feb. 3, 2020.Church of the Open Door will begin regular Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. Feb. 9, 2020, at the former Lorain Y.

The Sunday morning worship service will be at 11 a.m. with Russ and Reyes leading prayer and singing. There will be a simulcast of the weeks sermon with church Pastor Jim Mindling.

Carrell said she and Church of the Open Door Pastor of Childrens Ministries Ben Fowlkes have met local children through visits to Lorain City Schools Washington and Hawthorne elementaries. But they have not yet had families with young children in the building.

For the worship, there will be a check-in station, a nursery and rooms for pre-K and elementary childrens ministries. Weekly themed lessons will include songs and music.

Im so excited about partnering with families in Lorain, just being here for whatever they need, Carrell said. I just feel deeply for families and I want to partner with families just to fill in the gaps that might be there. Again, so much of that is pointing them to Christ and just loving people and meeting needs as he did.

The building is Lorains former YMCA. Although there has been extensive renovation, it still has a lot of room for athletics and that will be part of the programming there.

Church of the Open Door will begin regular Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. Feb. 9, 2020, at the former Lorain YMCA, 1121 Tower Blvd. The church has renovated some spaces within the building, but the basketball court remains in place as one of the areas where children and adults can pursue physical health along with spiritual health.

Gonzales is the first to work in regular ministry in the building. He has begun a basketball ministry, drawing up to 40 youths, mostly boys from Clearview, Lorain and Horizon Science Academy schools, for basketball and discussion three nights a week.

Gonzales recalled his youth and the advice from an elder: Be the person you wanted when you were younger.

My passion is to be that person to the young people of Lorain, that I wish I had when I was younger, he said. Part of that is introducing them to Christ and giving kids in Lorain something to do.

Russ and Marks agreed the only real difficulty about the Lorain project is that it took longer than expected.

But they said the congregation trusts in Gods timing for the growth. It took time to raise money and develop the vision, then the blueprints, for how the building could accommodate Sunday worship and weekly use for study, fellowship and physical activities.

Church of the Open Door will begin regular Sunday worship services at 11 a.m. Feb. 9, 2020, at the former Lorain YMCA, 1121 Tower Blvd.

The investment in Lorain was part of a multi-year effort to raise more than $2 million for the entire Vision 20/20 plan.

The cost of remodeling the building has been significant, Marks said.

But from our perspective, its an investment in the community and into the people here, he said.

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Old doors ready to reopen for Church of the Open Door growth in Lorain - The Morning Journal