Beaumont’s First Baptist Church leadership and extended family recently broke ground on a new worship center.
Construction of the addition at the church’s North Major Drive location is underway, as the congregation has outgrown the current worship space, according to Curt Edgerton, Pastor of Church Development.
“We’ve actually moved to three services (on Sundays) to try to fulfill the amount of seating capacity that’s required,” he said. “We basically can’t go any further in the space that we’re in. This construction lets us expand our seating capacity, so we can reach more people, share the Gospel, and help the community.
“Our current seating capacity is around 350. We’re running three hour-long services with 15 minutes in between. So, it’s really hard to turn that around with the parking lot and exchange the building. The new facility will have about 750 seats.”
H.B. Neild Construction is serving as the lead contractor for the project, with Edgerton noting that the company built the church’s current children’s department, worship center, youth center and playscape area.
“When they did, they designed what we call our commons, our common meeting area, with a non-load-bearing wall,” Edgerton said. “That’s where the two buildings will mate up, and that will become our new worship center.”
The new addition will add just under 22,000 square feet of space, include a new hallway and create an expanded but seamless experience for years to come.
H.B. Neild leaders stressed they have enjoyed the privilege of partnering with the church on several projects over the years, so being part of this next chapter is particularly meaningful.
“This addition reflects the church’s continued growth and commitment to serving the community, and we’re honored to help bring that vision to life,” according to ownership.
Edgerton noted that the addition is designed for adaptability, with extra conduits and a process-oriented approach to accommodate technology upgrades as they become available.
Beaumont’s First Baptist Church traces its history back to 1872 and has occupied a half-dozen locations during its remarkable 154-year history. Beginning in 1925, the church was a rock of stability in downtown Beaumont, occupying a spacious campus on Calder Avenue and Willow Street for approximately 90 years.
The church’s current, now-expanding location has been a community mainstay for more than a decade.
“We’re excited,” Edgerton said. “We’re just ecstatic to be at this phase. You know, I love seeing the bulldozers and big trucks. Stuff is moving. We’re getting dirt.”