Welcome Home, East!

A return to our 17.52-acre home—and a testimony of faith, work, and unity

The Grand O’le East came home. Our 155th Annual Session & Youth Convention gathered on our own 17.52 acres, and the campus felt alive again—doors open, lights warm, voices rising in praise. It wasn’t just a meeting; it was a homecoming years in the making, and a public witness that steady hands and steadfast hearts still move mountains. 

How we made it back

• Faith that works: Repairs were completed on both buildings, with special thanks to Chairman of Trustees Pastor Chris Carter and Vice-Moderator Garry Roberts for overseeing the effort with care and accountability.
• Tuesdays that told a story: Members traveled in—week after week on Tuesdays—to clean, carry, paint, patch, and prepare. Every task became prayer in motion.
• Many members, one purpose: From trustees and ministry leaders to youth and seniors, each person’s contribution stitched the campus back together, one hour at a time. 

What this homecoming means

• A spiritual reset: Coming home marked more than the end of a project; it marked the beginning of a renewed season for the East—space for worship, training, youth development, and mission sending.
• A place for our young people: The Youth Convention shared the same ground as the Annual Session, signaling that our next generation belongs at the center of our fellowship—not at the margins.
• A platform for service: A restored campus is not the finish line; it’s the launchpad for evangelism, discipleship, and community care in every district church.

Highlights to celebrate (and remember)

• The first hymns and prayers back on the property—sound filling rooms that had been silent.
• Smiles across generations—seniors recognizing spaces they helped build, youth stepping into halls they will one day lead.
• The small things you don’t see in a photo: mopped floors, working lights, replaced panels, organized closets—quiet repairs that make public ministry possible. 

Gratitude, named and unnamed

• Pastor Chris Carter (Chairman of Trustees) and Vice-Moderator Garry Roberts—thank you for stewarding the repairs with humility and excellence.
• Every Tuesday volunteer crew—your miles traveled and tools carried turned intentions into outcomes.
• Praying members across the East—your petitions held the work together when resources felt thin. 

What comes next (and how you can help)

1. Keep Tuesdays strong. If you can give time, join a workday team; light duties and skilled tasks are both needed.
2. Show up and bring someone. Every gathering on the property strengthens the fellowship and signals to our communities that we’re here to serve.
3. Tell the story. Share a brief testimony of what “coming home” meant to you—your words will encourage others to re-engage.
4. Pray specifically. Ask the Lord to bless ongoing maintenance, safety for volunteers, and fruit from every event hosted on the grounds.

Coming home reminded us who we are and why we gather. This ground isn’t just acreage; it’s assignment. As we continue the work—with gratitude for those who led, labored, and prayed—may every hallway, classroom, and sanctuary ring with the same message: The East is alive, and the best is yet to come.