Calhoun First Baptist to hold Community Open House this Sunday, Nov. 19
Calhoun First Baptist Church will host a Community Open House on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2017 from 2 - 4 p. m. as its members celebrate the completion of their property renovation project and open the campus for public tours.
“This building project is more than bricks and mortar,” explained Senior Pastor Dr. John Barber, who came to Calhoun First Baptist Church in February 2013, following twenty- two years of service at a church in Chattanooga. “It is about meeting the ministry needs of today and preparing for the ministry opportunities of tomorrow.”
The comprehensive project includes an expansion of 10,358 square feet and renovation of 31,995 square feet. It touches every aspect of the facilities and brings significant benefits for every ministry group in the church. The new construction focuses around the “People Street” that connects all the existing buildings and provides an elevator. It also includes an additional fellowship area.
Historically, the church has struggled to provide sufficient parking for members and visitors, so sixty new parking places were created and a covered drop- off area was added. The Seniors educational space was moved to the ground floor with close access to both parking and the sanctuary. The project also includes the complete renovation of administrative offices, as well as the Children’s and Youth areas.
The renovation of the sanctuary involved significant changes. The choir loft and baptismal were relocated, an area was added for instrumentalists and additional seating was created. The pastoral platform was renovated and new pews were added, configured to allow improved traffic flow.
Accomplished with a budget of $ 3.5 million, the project began after the church hired Rardin & Carroll Architects from Chattanooga to perform an assessment of the existing facilities in 2014. The church then commissioned the firm to develop a Facilities Master Plan in early 2015 and completed a “Faith Forward” Stewardship Program to underwrite the program in late 2015. Womack, Lewis and Smith were hired as General Contractor and financing was provided by First Bank of Dalton. Construction began the following summer, with the Church holding a Groundbreaking Ceremony following services on Sunday, July 17, 2016.
The vision of Calhoun First Baptist Church is to lead people to know and love God, equipping and encouraging them to serve in His Kingdom and sharing Jesus with a world in need.