By MONA MOORE
Staff Writer
Offertory plates are never passed around in the Church of the Good Shepherd.
The closest thing the church has to one is a small basket that sits on the altar.
With a generous congregation, pastor Jay Martin said the church has never had a need for such things.
The need didn’t arise when the church started renovations in September or when July’s gustnado caused about $3,000 in damages and required $10,000 in clean up.
“The beauty of it is … we haven’t asked the congregation for a dime on this,” Martin said.
The church was able to skip committee meetings, building campaigns and months of fundraising by using the equity the church had built over the past seven years in the Market Street house of worship, pun intended. The Church of the Good Shepherd was in the three-car garage of a residence.
The church recently completed the first phase of renovations to the garage. The renovations included doubling the size of the sanctuary; converting one restroom into two and building a stage for the worship band and altar.
The next phase will involve a playground and a new exit onto American Legion Road. Martin said the church would break ground after the first of the year.
Jean Coleman, a member of the congregation, said the expansion turned out just the way she had hoped.
“We set out to not really change the feel of the casual garage and I think we’ve accomplished that,” she said.
Coleman’s contribution was a faux treatment she did to the floors. She painted the concrete in warm earth tones to resemble a stone.
The congregation returns home tomorrow for its 10:10 a.m. service and a fish fry to follow.
Yes, 10:10 a.m.
Martin said the congregation adopted the peculiar meeting time after series of late starts. The tradition continued after it identified a Biblical verse, John 10:10, that spoke to what Good Shepherd is all about.
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full,” reads the verse.
Martin said the congregation wants to live life to the fullest by knowing Jesus and sharing the journey.
“We’re just so blessed that God has provided for us,” added Coleman. “It’s just really been a sweet journey.”