With a commitment to minister to all ages, First Assembly of God Church in East Brewton is expanding the facilities to include a larger Youth and Kids Center and banquet hall for the community.

Pastor Jeff Scurlock said the expansion that will create the new center will allow for expansion of the current sanctuary at the church.

“The new building will house our Youth and Kids Center and will be our new banquet hall,” Scurlock said. “By creating that space, we will be able to move our current fellowship hall and kitchen into the new building. That will allow us to expand our sanctuary and give us more room. That will just about double our seating capacity in the sanctuary.”

Scurlock said the new banquet hall will allow seating for about 200 and provide a modern kitchen for food preparation.

“We are building the new kitchen in honor of Mrs. June Adams,” Scurlock said. “She is a lover of serving and has served a lot for our congregation and community.

“Her family is involved in the construction of the kitchen and we are appreciative of her work and for her family. The kitchen will be a modern, commercial-type kitchen and will be fully equipped.”

Youth Pastor Chris Summerlin said the construction of the Youth and Kids Center will create a space that will allow the youth ministries to expand.

“We’ve been at capacity in our youth room for a couple of years,” Summerlin said. “It’s exciting to know we will have a place where kids can open up and grow. I believe and pray that it won’t be long before we grow in size.”

Summerlin said the new facility will more than triple the square footage of space available for the ministry.”

Scurlock said the construction of the facility continues the mission of the church.

“We are fully committed to the ministry we have to kids and students,” Scurlock said. “We want to give them a place where they can receive high-quality ministry that they are going to enjoy.”

Summerlin said he keeps a quote in mind that gives hope that the ministries at First Assembly of God will flourish.

“I keep remembering the old saying that if you build it they will come,” Summerlin said. “I want this to be a place that youth will want to come to.”

Scurlock said the current facilities are 15 years old and further construction is planned in the future.

“No church grows to capacity,” Scurlock said. “By faith, we know that this construction is phase one of many projects.”

To learn more about the ministries available at First Assembly of God in East Brewton, visit their Web site at www.firstassemblyeb.org.