LA CROIX CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF GROWTH

After 10 years as a growing church in Cape Girardeau, La Croix United Methodist Church has plenty of reasons to celebrate.

The congregation will do just that at a 10th anniversary banquet tonight at 6:30 at the A.C. Brase Arena Building. Nearly 500 people are expected.

"We'll be looking back over the 10 years and giving thanks for what's happened," said the Rev. Ron Watts, pastor of the church.

In its 10 years, La Croix has gone from a small group meeting in the West Park 4 Cine at West Park Mall to attendance of 600 and three worship services in its own building.

But the work hasn't always been easy.

The church held its first meeting in October 1988 with just a few people in attendance.

The first gathering took plenty of effort. Nearly 26,000 telemarketing calls were made to local residents, surveying the community about its needs and wants in a new church.

Church planting is a risky business, Watts said. But the congregation has been faithful.

After seven years of meeting in the movie theater, the church built along Lexington Avenue. Though its first building was completed in 1995, the congregation had grown enough in just two years to add educational space.