Grace Fellowship Church is one step closer to home.
On June 21, the church will begin holding its weekly Sunday service at the Village Pointe Cinema, 304 N. 174th St.
The move will mark the third time that the congregation, affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, has changed its location since its inception in 2005.
The church originally held services at 90th and Fort Streets and then at Millard North High School. For three years, the church has rented space near 108th Street and West Maple Road.
Church officials hope the next move is permanent: Grace Fellowship bought 32 acres at 212th and Pacific Streets in 2007.
Services will be held at the west Omaha theater until the money is raised to build on the land, Pastor Mitch Rayborn said. He estimated that construction is three years away.
“Until that time, we are committed to being a church in whatever location and facility that may be,” he said. “We believe the building is no more than a facility dedicated to housing the church body, which is the people.”
Grace Fellowship has a weekly attendance of about 230 people.
Rayborn said the theater location might draw an audience that normally shies away from a traditional church environment.
“It’s a familiar place because many people have already been in the facility to see a movie,” he said. “Churches don’t normally worship in a theater, and people don’t normally go to a theater to attend church. Hopefully with that hindrance removed, more people will be open to come see what church is all about.”
Holding services in a movie theater poses its own set of challenges.
A lot of work will go into preparing for each 9 a.m. service, such as setting up a band and child care area, as well as the worship area. And it all will have to be taken down after each week’s service.
Nonetheless, Rayborn and the congregation are taking it in stride, seeing it as an opportunity.
“We are so excited about the possibilities of meeting new people and growing closer to Christ as a community,” he said. “We are very excited as a church to begin putting down roots in the community.”
Copyright ©2012 Omaha World-Herald®. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, displayed or redistributed for any purpose without permission from the Omaha World-Herald.
