Bowling Green, KY, May 18, 2011 – Community leaders joined Living Hope Baptist Church members today in cutting the ribbon officially opening The Connection Center and expanded church facilities, completing at seven-year planning, renovation and construction process.

Senior Pastor Jason Pettus cited a scripture passage from Ezra, where the nation of Israel celebrated the completion of the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, in officially dedicating the facilities. “The people celebrated the completion of the building with joy!” said Dr. Pettus, as he likened the Biblical account to Living Hope’s journey. “We also celebrate today with joy and look forward to these facilities expanding the mission of our church to help people connect with God in a community of faith and help care for the needs of our community and the world,” added Dr. Pettus.

Building Steering Committee Chair Dennis Smith thanked the construction partners and city and county leaders for their cooperation in completing the $14.1 million project. Living Hope’s campus has increased from 91,000 square feet to more than 167,000 square feet and includes the multi-purpose gym, named The Connection Center, as well as new and renovated children’s, student and missions facilities. “It took a lot of imagination, planning, patience and cooperation from city and county officials to join these two church properties into this campus,” said Mr. Smith.

Warren county Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon thanked church members for seeing the project to completion and congratulated them on making a valuable contribution to the quality of life in Bowling Green and Warren county.

Living Hope bought neighboring property and buildings from Holy Spirit Catholic Church in 2007 when the HSCC congregation committed to moving to new facilities in south Warren county. Mr. Smith noted that Living Hope was already well along in the process of moving Living Hope to a completely new campus on Lovers Lane. After much prayer and thought, Living Hope leaders presented the connection concept to the church congregation, which voted to take the detour from relocation to connecting the two properties.

“God has allowed Living Hope a unique position to serve this community and we want the entire community to see these new facilities, find out how they can participate in new and expanded ministry fields with us and join in celebrating what God is doing here!” concluded Dr. Pettus, prior to the ribbon cutting. See photos of ribbon cutting.

Living Hope’s church family celebrated the opening of the facility with an indoor picnic and recognition of the building committed on Sunday, May 15, 2011. Click here to see photos of that event.

Living Hope began as a group of 26 people meeting in a picnic shelter in 1976 and is one of the fastest growing churches in Kentucky. The church holds three worship services each Sunday and regularly sends mission teams through the community, region, nation and world. Senior Pastor Dr. Jason Pettus has served the church since 2001.

March 27, 2011 –

Meet Me at the CC

God created each of us for the purpose of connection. He desires for each of us to be connected to Him and He made that possible through the birth, death, and resurrection of His son Jesus Christ. He also desires for each of us to be connected to each other. The Connection Center at Living Hope is here to provide ways for you to connect with friends, co-workers, neighbors, or anyone else through intentional opportunities in five different areas of ministry.

The five areas of ministry include:

• Sports

• Outdoors

• Arts & Crafts

• Health & Wellness

• Family Enrichment

Each of these ministry areas provides natural recreational opportunities for you to engage others with hobbies or sports that you already love. Always look for opportunities such as adult basketball leagues, quilting, family canoe trips, or aerobics classes to invite anyone with whom you are already connected to come along with you. Use each opportunity to deepen these connections and to make much of the Gospel that connects each of us. When you see an activity you want to invite someone to, just tell them, “Meet me at the CC” and you can participate together!

Arts and Crafts

Often times, the conversations that take place while making a craft are just as fulfilling as the finished product! Seize these opportunities for gospel conversations by connecting with others through crafts like quilting, knitting, photography, and painting.

Team Sports

Many people automatically think “sports” when the Connection Center is mentioned – and with good reason. All types of athletic activities for every age group in the family will be offered as a way for each member of the family to connect with others. Team sports always provide great chances to build friendships with teammates. These teams allow us to be intentional about the sports we play and with whom we play them.  The recreation ministry will provide opportunities throughout the year with traditional sports like basketball leagues, volleyball leagues, softball leagues, golf classes and tournaments, indoor soccer, and the Upward Program. There are many other sports opportunities that will be developed, so make sure to keep an eye out for what sports are coming up next.

Health and Wellness

Just glancing at the shelves of every bookstore in the US reveals that everyone is concerned with their health. As believers, we know we are temples of the Holy Spirit. The recreation ministry will provide multiple ways for you and your family to maintain your temple physically while connecting with others through activities like aerobics, stretching, and nutritional classes.

Outdoor Activities

Psalm 19 tells us “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” What better way to connect with our friends and co-workers than to experience creation with them. The recreation ministry will provide activities year-round such as camping, hunting, boating, and fishing for you to worship the Creator and introduce the people around you to Him.

Family Enrichment

Each of us has families that we are connected to through sports, work, neighbors, or school. The recreation ministry will create great opportunities for your family to connect with those same families through fun activities like camping, park picnics, and play dates.

How to Volunteer

As you can imagine, with a facility like the Connection Center and the different ministry areas of the recreation ministry, there will always be a place to serve. A couple of great ways to serve include being that friendly smile at the welcome desk, coaching a team in a league, or teaching a class of your favorite recreational activity. If your time or talents could be used at the Connection Center or in the Recreation ministry, please let us know by contacting us (rec@lhbg.org).

How to Participate in Recreational Programs

It is important to understand how to get connected with others at the Connection Center. Throughout the year the Connection Center will host various activities. Some activities will occur on a regular basis and some will be one-time offerings. Always watch our calendar on the website at www.livinghopewired.com/cc or pick up a monthly calendar at the welcome desk of the Connection Center to find out the schedule and where you can join in.

There are no membership fees for the Connection Center. Participation fees will be charged based on the activity in which you take part. Some activities will have no fees. Whenever an activity is listed, the associated fees will be included, so make sure to look for them. Our goal is to never let a fee prevent you or someone you want to invite from being able to get connected to the activity that you want to participate in. If there is ever a question about a fee, please contact the recreation ministry – rec@lhbg.org – or the recreation minister.

Signups for activities that require notice of participation will always occur in a timely manner before the activity or league begins. Signups will be hosted online or at the welcome center, so make sure to always signup for yourself and for whomever you hope to invite to the activity.

If you ever have a question or comment please let us know. We want to create an environment where as many people as possible can get connected to each other and the mighty and wonderful God we serve.

For More Information:

Stuart Borders, Local Missions and Recreation Minister

Rec@lhbg.org • 270.843.9462

www.livinghopewired.com/cc

January 8, 2011 –

Completion of the Connection Center marks the last piece of the puzzle for Phase One of the More Hope Expansion Project.  The Children’s Ministry building opens this Sunday, January 9, 2011, providing more learning areas and a physical walkway between existing Living Hope facilities and the facilities purchased from Holy Spirit Catholic Church four years ago.  Living Hope was able to renovate current facilities on both sides to match up the entire structure and High School and College students began using the former HSCC facilities in the spring of 2010.  Future phases could include expansion of the Worship Center and the addition of square footage immediately adjacent to the Connection Center, but no timetable has been discussed for that work.

The Connection Center will give Living Hope a facility that is capable of a number of athletic activities, fellowship meals AND community outreach opportunities.  Local Missions & Recreation Minister Stu Borders is leading a team in developing a plan for the use of the facility that will be unveiled to church members in the near future. 

Completion of Phase One gives Living Hope a number of rooms that can seat different numbers of people, depending on the need.  These include:

• Middle School Room (former Fellowship Hall)   Capacity – 100
• Student Center Large Group Room                     Capacity – 200
• Chapel                                                                  Capacity – 300
• Connection Center (Table seating)                       Capacity–  800
• Living Hope Worship Center                                 Capacity – 1000
• Connection Center (Chair seating)                        Capacity – 1400 

Parking has also been dramatically increased from about 860 spaces to well over 1300 spaces.  To view more photos of the Connection Center, click here. 

All classes are hosting an Open House this weekend, featuring coffee and refreshments, to invite adults to connect with other adults for Bible study on a weekly basis.  Classes are available at 8am, 9:30am and 11am and there are a number of different groups – ranging from large to small, women, men, couples or coed - from which to choose. 

For more information, you may contact Adult Discipleship Pastor Matt Haste at mhaste@lhbg.org, or at 270.843.9462.

To view a map of ABF room assignments and locations, click here.

January 4, 2011 –

Parents of children can look in their mailboxes for specific details about where their child’s class meets this Sunday.  Children’s Minister, Cindy Starr says they are excited and grateful for new learning space.

Some of the favorite features of the new education space, which is located next to existing children’s space and connects with the Student Center building (see map graphic to the left):

• A walk-through corridor that connects the Stepping Stones ministry area to the Student Center.
• The Stepping Stones learning areas are self-contained and secure. 
• Traffic patterns are routed AROUND the children’s learning areas.
  • There is room for growth in all age group areas.
  • Wider halls allow for smoother foot traffic flow.
  • Lobbies in each area for gathering and conversation.
  • The 2nd floor contains an additional kitchen.
  • The Children’s Ministry offices are located on the 1st floor near the new yellow block.
  • 2nd and 3rd grade children will have a new large group area and shepherding room in the new 2nd floor area.  Details on moving timeline to follow.

December 21, 2010 –

New education space for children is ready and will open on Sunday, January 9, 2011. The final piece of the puzzle, the new Connection Center, a multi-purpose facility, will open in March, 2011.

Please click on Renovation Map Dec 2010, to download the map image.

“While our pre-schoolers are moving in on January 9, school-aged children will move into their renovated space later in January, once a sound system is installed and ready,” said Ms. Starr. 

She is especially excited about some of the features for families in the new Education Building, namely:

• A walk-through corridor that connects the Stepping Stones ministry area to the Student Center.
• The Stepping Stones learning areas are self-contained and secure.  Traffic patterns are routed AROUND the children’s learning areas.
• There is room for growth in all age group areas.
• The new space has wider halls allowing for smoother foot traffic flow.
• There are lobbies in each area for gathering and conversation
• The 2nd floor contains an additional kitchen.
• The Children’s Ministry offices are located on the 1st floor in the new area.
• 2nd and 3rd grade children will move into a new large group area along with a new shepherding room in the new 2nd floor area.

“We are VERY excited and incredibly grateful!” added Ms. Starr.  She said that more information on specific classroom assignments and other details will be sent to parents and volunteers after the 1st of January.

Steel girders on roof of Multi-purpose building

November 1, 2010 – Steel beams are now in place for the roof of the Multi-purpose portion of the More Hope Expansion project and the deck of the roof is being finished.  Exterior block walls are up and the brick facade is nearing completion.  Dry weather has helped accelerate exterior work on the building.  Once the deck of the roof is completed, work on the interior will be the focus.  All parts of the project should be “dried-in,” essentially having no outdoor exposure to the elements, by the end of November.  The Multi-purpose building is scheduled for completion by March, 2011.

Meanwhile, work on the Education portion of the project is moving along as planned.  Interior electricity has been turned on, walls are being painted and ceiling tiles are in place.  Completion of that part of the project is expected by December, with children’s classes moving into the new structure in January, 2011.

Stay tuned to this web site and to the Hopelines Newsletter for further updates.

Renovations are now complete with the re-opening of the entrance into the existing Children’s Building, child care areas, 2^nd and 3^rd floors; Fellowship Hall, Basement and Student Building.  Completion of this latest portion of the project makes space available for preschool, K – 5^th graders, Middle School, High School and College students.  The renovation work began in October of 2009.

Next on the schedule is the completion of new Children’s education space, due in January, 2011.  When totally finished, the new structure will connect the existing buildings of Living Hope with the renovated facilities of the former Holy Spirit Catholic Church.  Living Hope purchased the Holy Spirit facilities in 2008, allowing the Holy Spirit congregation time to complete its new facility and move in earlier this year – ahead of the projected schedule. 

Work also continues on a new multi-purpose building, which experienced some unexpected construction delays.  It is due to be opened in the spring of 2011, completing the entire More Hope expansion project.