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Written by Brian McCauley   
Wednesday, 01 July 2009 07:00
Wearing dirt-covered jeans and a T-shirt, the Rev. Roy Rhodes kneels down on the dusty concrete floor of his congregation’s worship center last week and uses a tool to grind down a piece of metal sound equipment, sending sparks showering down around him.

A few feet away, on top of a recently constructed stage, volunteers Wes Gerken, Kevin Johnson and Glenn Hager are busy putting the finishing touches on some low-voltage electrical work for the microphones, speakers and other elements of the new sound system.

In a classroom down the hall, regular Sunday attendees Bob and Joan Hood are carefully finishing up the trim work on a room they recently brightened with a fresh coat of paint.

Even 11-year-old Taylor Schwilling is pitching in, as he scrapes the bare floor in the worship center before crews can complete the installation of new carpet that already is blanketing most of the room.

It’s not your everyday construction crew, but then again, the new-look Cross Point Assembly of God in Paola isn’t your everyday church.

During Paola’s sweltering summer evenings the past few weeks, when most people have left work for some air-conditioned relaxation at home or escaped to the Paola Family Pool for some relief, the halls of Paola Assembly of God have been bustling with activity. In fact, there have been few times during the past three months when there hasn’t been somebody working on the church’s renovation project.

Rhodes said donated labor and supplies have allowed congregation members to expand the church and give it a completely new look, all while staying within a $300,000 budget.

What started as a basic idea soon grew to much more as all congregation members were allowed to provide their input about what the new-look church should have, Rhodes said.

The worship center went from 300 seats to more than 500 seats, with the previous 12-foot ceiling being raised to a much more spacious 30-foot ceiling in some parts of the large room.

But that’s just the start of the work, as new paint, doors, windows and heating and air have given the entire building a fresh new feel.

Rhodes said some of the new additions are designed to appeal to younger families, which he says his congregation is full of. A coffee shop just off the worship center will provide a laid back area to gather and talk with one another, while mounted television sets broadcast the service taking place in the worship center.
Tables alongside the stage will also give families a chance to sit and eat breakfast or take notes during church services, providing a fresh approach to faith.
“It’s a different generation,” Rhodes said.

The church is planning a three-day celebration of the new-look church from July 10 through July 12. A concert by Jimmy Needham is set to take place at 7:30 p.m. July 10 at the church. The doors will open at 7 p.m. The concert is free, but space is limited, so interested people must stop by the church to pick up tickets.

A ribbon cutting for the building is set for 11 a.m. July 11. It will be followed by an open house with food and inflatable play areas for the children until 2 p.m.
The dedication service for the new sanctuary is set for 10 a.m. July 12 at the church.

For more information about the events, contact the church office at 294-2429.
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