TWO LONG TIME SIOUX CITY CHURCHES HAVE FINALIZED PLANS TO INTEGRATE THEIR TWO MINISTRIES INTO ONE UNIFIED BODY.
PASTOR LLOYD GRANT, SENIOR PASTOR OF CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH, SAYS ON JUNE 28, THE CONGREGATIONS OF MORNINGSIDE BIBLE CHURCH AND CENTRAL BAPTIST VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY TO MERGE TOGETHER WITH CENTRAL BAPTIST SERVING AS THE LOCATION FOR THE UNIFIED CONGREGATION.
GRANT SAYS THE CONVERSATION STARTED LAST NOVEMBER WHEN HE HAD LUNCH WITH A MORNINGSIDE BIBLE ELDER WHO TOLD HIM THEIR PASTOR, TERRY EMBKE, WAS RETIRING:
CHURCHES1 OC………HERE AT CENTRAL. :23
MORNINGSIDE BIBLE CHURCH WAS FOUNDED IN 1938 AS BILLY SUNDAY MEMORIAL TABERNACLE AND RENAMED IN 1953,
CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH WAS FOUNDED IN 1874 AS THE FIRST SWEDISH BAPTIST CHURCH BY EIGHT CHARTER MEMBERS,
LEADERSHIP FROM BOTH CONGREGATIONS BEGAN WORKING TOGETHER TO SEE IF THE PROPOSAL WAS FEASIBLE:
CHURCHES2 OC……WE SUPPORT THAT. :21
IN EARLY MAY, THE CHURCHES FORMALLY ANNOUNCED THE PLAN TO THEIR CONGREGATIONS AND THEN THINGS QUICKLY MOVED FORWARD:
CHURCHES3 OC…….WOULD IT FEEL LIKE. :24
THAT LED TO SUNDAY’S VOTE.
MORNINGSIDE BIBLE CHURCH WILL SELL ITS FACILITY AT 6100 MORNINGSIDE AVENUE, WITH PROCEEDS REINVESTED INTO THE LOCAL OUTREACH AND GLOBAL MISSIONS OF THE INTEGRATED CHURCH.
THE COMMUNITY IS INVITED TO A “GRAND LAUNCH SUNDAY” WORSHIP SERVICE AND UNITY BRUNCH ON JULY 12 AT 10:15 A.M. AT CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH TO CELEBRATE THE HISTORY OF BOTH CONGREGATIONS.
