By Message Staff
TROUT – A year after floodwaters destroyed the 100-year-old building housing Zenoria Baptist Church, the congregation will hold a time of celebration to mark the remarkable progress that has been made on a new facility.
Scheduled from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 11, the event will give members and guests a peek inside its future home. Located at 3133 Hwy. 500 in Trout, the facility will feature a worship center seating 138, Sunday school classrooms and a fellowship hall.
Since Monday, March 6, nearly 80 Kingdom Builders have literally raised a new building from the slab up and they expect to finish much of the work by the end of the week despite two days of rain. Pastor Joel Johnson hopes his congregation of 65 people can be in their new facility by Easter.
“It’s going to be a time of jubilee,” Johnson said. “We couldn’t have pulled this off without the help of people in the community, sister churches and the Kingdom Builders. We’re not finished yet but we’re approaching a place where we can soon meet together again.”
Zenoria Baptist Church was destroyed after 9 feet of water from Little River – located less than a half-mile away – surrounded the church March 11, 2016. In just 12 hours time, floodwaters went from barely covering the floor to almost touching the roof.
Until their new facility is finished, the congregation has worshipped at the nearby Jena Band of Choctaws center.
