MONROE Come December, congregants of the Mount Arart Missionary Baptist Church will no longer have to watch Sunday services on televisions in the basement.
By: Nick D’Amore
MONROE Come December, congregants of the Mount Arart Missionary Baptist Church will no longer have to watch Sunday services on televisions in the basement.
On July 15, the church broke ground on a new facility to be completed by Dec. 15, according to Kenneth Pape, the church’s attorney.
The new 4,575-square-foot structure, now just a gaping hole in the ground, will be one story with a basement and about 60 parking spaces. The church will hold Sunday services there, as well as meetings and workshops, according to the plans.
"They are a humble, small church and this a enormous undertaking," said Mr. Pape. "And they’re pulling it off."
The plans for the addition were approved by the planning board in October 1998. The new structure is located on lot across from the original church on Oakwood Terrace.
The church, formerly known as Mount Erie Missionary Baptist Church, is located at the intersection of Oakwood Terrace and State Street.
Nelson Ensley, a trustee of the church, said the congregation has outgrown the 49-year-old church.
"We have about 200 to 250 members and the church holds about 160," he said.
He said that the church had installed video cameras to broadcast services in the basement to parishioners not able to find a seat in the service area.
"The cameras are getting old, as well," said Mr. Ensley.
He said the new addition will hold about 350 people.
He said the old facility will still be in use when the new one is finished. "We’re also hoping to have a day-care center here," he said.
There will also be bigger office space in the new church, for the Rev. Charlie Bates Jr. and a bigger sound room, the room that holds the sound system equipment, said Mr. Ensley.
"We have to grow with the times," he said.
The church has a morning service on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. There is Sunday School before the service at 9:30 a.m. On Wednesdays, it offers a prayer service at noon and at 7:30 p.m. Also at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, the church offers a Bible study.