A Greenwood church broke ground Saturday on a site where they will soon be able to “reach more souls” with a $1.8 million building double the size of its predecessor.
The Greater Harvest Worship Center, formerly located on 412 Ave. H, was sold and the church will be moving to a new location on U.S. 49 S., about two miles south of the intersection with U.S. 82.
Bishop Earnest J. Miller, 65, said the original church was built in 1984, and the congregation had simply outgrown it.
“We were very blessed in that church,” he said. “But we are expecting even greater things at our new location. In 10 years we may be looking at expanding again.”
He said the church attracts about 400 members from Leflore, Carroll, Tallahatchie, Grenada, Yazoo, Bolivar and Sunflower counties.
He said the church purchased about seven acres of land in 1997 after his daughter spotted it from the school bus.
“We had been looking for a new place,” he said. “This will give us more space and more exposure to the community.”
He said the church is Pentecostal, and its members have a good time while worshipping.
“We deal a lot with parenting, teenagers and kids,” he said. “We are really involved in the community and especially with young people.”
His wife, Virginia Miller, said that the church would allow them to expand their capabilities.
“This is going to give us a much better outreach, and the extra land will allow us a lot more room for expansion,” she said.
Assistant pastor Ora Walls said that the extra space will help them fulfill the church’s mission.
“This will let us impart more knowledge and save more souls,” she said.
The church will continue meeting in their old building until May 30 and then will meet at 31 Meadowbrook Road at the Vine Life Fellowship until the new church is completed.
The church is being built by the Follow Construction Company of Greenville. The project is being financed by Trustmark National Band.
The project is expected to take seven to nine months to complete.
