By Baptist Message staff LAKE CHARLES, La. (LBM) – More than 2,000 members and guests are expected to pack the newly remodeled central venue worship center of Trinity Baptist Church, Lake Charles, for two special services Sunday, Dec. 5. The center, which sustained heavy damage, became a lighthouse to the community. “Lake Charles dealt with COVID like everyone else did, then when you added two hurricanes, then had the freeze in February and then the floods in May, you have the makeup for a very challenging year,” Pastor Steve James said. “Our folks were up to the challenge. We have got a core of people at Trinity who helped us carry on despite all of the difficulties we faced.” Renovations to the 27,000-square-foot central venue were completed in November. With theatre-style seating for 1,000, it is the largest of three venues used for various worship services on the 39-acre campus: the central venue hosts blended-style worship, the north venue features contemporary worship, and the chapel venue is home to the Hispanic service. Since the $5.2 million project began in January 2020, the church has dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic, three hurricanes, a flood and an ice storm. During this time, Trinity became a hub for … [Read more...]