First Baptist Construction 8/27

First Baptist Church constructtion gives new life to the congregation.

hrough the piles of insulation, the dirt clumps on the concrete floors and the jarring pounding noises from overhead, it's difficult to tell at first glance that the building at the intersection of Cape Rock Drive and Lexington Avenue is a place of worship.

And then, a bright yellow butterfly swoops through a window and perches on an exposed beam -- a small reminder of life's beauty amidst the dirt and loud bangs.

Like the butterflies that flit in and out of the structure, the Rev. Mike Shupert finds himself drawn to the site of the future First Baptist Church nearly every day.

Though only bare bones right now, Shupert can easily envision what the spacious church sanctuary will become in the next four months -- the pulpit, the pipe organ and the old pews that will be brought over from the current facility at 926 Broadway.

But most of all, when he's standing in the middle of the construction work, Shupert thinks about the people who make up the church.

"The people are the church. These are just buildings, just a tool in our worship of God," says Shupert.

This particular building, which is expected to be completed by December, has been a source of revived enthusiasm at First Baptist.

"Now that we've seen it take shape, there's been a new spirit in the church," says Shupert. "We try to focus on getting outside the walls. Just because we have a new building doesn't mean it will be filled with people."

The church decided to relocate in 2004 after Southeast Missouri State University offered to purchase the property. The university turned the church's former activities building into a student recreation center and intends to use the education space for administrative offices. The current sanctuary eventually will become an alumni center.

When finished, First Baptist's new location will have an activity center, education building, offices and 250-seat sanctuary all located on one level on 10 acres of land at the intersection of Lexington and Cape Rock Drive.

"We've chosen a more traditional look, but yet there are a lot of contemporary features," says Shupert.

Among those features are video screens in the sanctuary with feeds that allow the service to be simultaneously viewed in the youth classrooms.

The total facility is 23,000 square feet, with room for expansion.

The church has recently begun some new outreach efforts, including handing out bottled water at farmers' markets and free snow cones at a recent back-to-school event for college students.

The enthusiasm behind those efforts goes back to the excitement over the new building.

"It's a God thing really. He's given us a chance for a new beginning," says Shupert.

cmiller@semissourian.com

335-6611, ext. 128