Published: May 16, 2008 10:21 am            

Duncan community to gather at The Well

Ministry of First Christian opens for services

The Duncan community will gather at The Well at 11:30 a.m. Sunday with joy and thanksgiving.

The Well, a ministry of First Christian Church, is the new name of what has, until now, been known as the church’s South Campus. The ministry is housed in what was once the J.C. Penney building at 913 W. Main. Shoppers who once frequented the store wouldn’t recognize the place now, though.

Since the church purchased the 20,000-square-foot building last summer, many yards of old carpeting have been ripped up, tile has been laboriously chipped from the floors, and walls and partitions have been knocked down. Once only a hollow shell was left, the restoration began, with many volunteers from the church and community working toward a common goal — that of turning the building into a large community outreach facility.

A stage and sound booth have been constructed, theater-type seats put into place, overhead video screens hung, bathrooms added, offices built ... the list of improvements is mind-boggling.

That work has largely been completed, though The Well will always be a work in progress, constantly growing and changing to meet the needs of the congregation and the community. Among other things, the reborn Main Street facility will eventually house a book store, gift shop, a coffee shop, space for games, after-school activities for children, an ice cream parlor and a praise and worship center for services for all ages.

Sunday, however, will be a celebration of God’s leadership throughout the project and a service of praise and thanksgiving for a job well done. The gathering will begin about 11 a.m., so people can view the building and partake of snacks before the service.

The Rev. Arnold Nelson Jr., pastor, will preach. His sermon will be “Here We Are at the Well!” based on John 4:1-7. Among others taking part in the service will be Brett Carmincke, worship leader, and Ryan Benton, youth pastor.

Tuesday afternoon, Benton; Charles Hunt, who has worked on the project from the beginning as carpenter and builder; Stephen Brown, youth intern; and Bonnie Talley, who has been involved in the planning and executed many of the artistic touches reflected in the building, came together to discuss their experiences and hopes for the future. As they spoke, their voices sometimes choked with emotion as they told what The Well means to them and the community.

Benton explained that the name of the building came from John 4:1-26, the story of Jesus and the woman at the well.

Talley said it was an appropriate choice as “Jesus meets us where we are, and that day, she was at the well when she encountered Christ. The Bible tells us if we drink the living water Jesus gives us, we will never be thirsty again.”

“Jesus provides healing and refreshment to people as they are,” Brown added. “None of us are perfect. We want people to feel like they are welcome at The Well. They don’t have to get their lives straightened out to begin with. They can come as they are. We want to focus on people who don’t feel loved. We want every person loved by God and by us and for them to know that they are loved.”

Hunt said when he thinks of The Well, two words come to mind.

“The words ‘inspired’ and ‘led’ kind of wrap it up. A lot of inspiration and leadership is involved in this project, along with hope for the future of our church. You can envision all of those things wrapped up in the word ‘change,’” he said.

And change is important, especially for Duncan, the group agreed.

“So many parents have expressed joy that this facility will be available for all people, all denominations. We’re here as the family of Jesus — brothers and sisters in Christ. You can leave your baggage at the door. I’m inspired that our church had the vision, leadership and support to undertake this endeavor,” Hunt said.

“You could call The Well a sort of restoration or resurrection, and we’re hoping that God will resurrect some more,” Talley said.

Among other projects, Talley contributed her artistic talents to creating a large mosaic wall hanging in the coffee shop area of the building. Her work incorporated pieces of mirror, coffee cups and other bits and pieces to welcome visitors to the area. She also came up with the idea of repurposing some of the old shelving and other materials removed from the building during the demolition phase as wall covering. The panels were painted with varying techniques to create a pleasing effect — and save money on wallboard.

“Some people have asked us when the flooring is going in,” Benton said, pointing to the bare concrete. “It is in. We’re leaving it like it is. We decided we could spend our money in a lot better ways than fancy floor covering.”

Brown noted that a lot of other items and materials in the building, from booths in the coffee shop to theater seating in the main room, were donated, becoming available throughout the project, just as the needs became apparent. Volunteer labor, too, came from throughout the church and community.

The emphasis is not the building, the group agreed, but what happens there. The building is centered on the message, and the message is that every person is loved by God and is welcome at The Well. The Well is, after all, still a church.

“It’s such a generation thing,” Talley said. “It’s not all about teenagers, though there will be plenty of activities for young people. A lot of the older people in the church are excited about it, too.”

        

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