Hixson Presbyterian has owned the land where its new facility is being built for about 13 years, said director of worship and technology Josh Huff, and already uses a pavilion located on the property for events and services.
While most of the walls inside Hixson Presbyterian's new building are currently just drywall, director of worship and technology Josh Huff said it should only be a few more months before the church can fully utilize the new facility.
Hixson Presbyterian Church is preparing to celebrate 50 years of existence, nearly all of which has been at its current house of worship.
However, Josh Huff, director of worship and technology, said the congregation will be looking forward to another 50 years at a new location, which they'll move into in the coming months.
Huff said the church should be preparing to move to its new location at 1450 Jackson Mill Drive around the first week of June.
He stressed that the move has nothing to do with the quality of the current building. After all, the church has made two significant additions to it since moving in. However, the congregation has been growing incrementally for years, and with over 300 members, they've outgrown their current space.
"We're very landlocked on the hill, and we can't increase our parking at all," Huff said. "Our lot often fills up before the facility does."
Hixson Presbyterian currently sits on around two acres. The new location has around 15 acres, enabling the possibility of soccer fields or other outdoor space for the youth programs at the church, he added.
"Last Sunday, the youth program wanted to play kickball, but to do that meant we had to go into the parking lot where cars already were," he said. "The ball could have rolled down the hill into the street. We just don't have a lot of workable land here."
In addition, Huff said the church is looking forward to having more classroom space to accommodate both the youth program's current size and projected growth, especially with their Sunday School.
The church has owned the property at Jackson Mill Road for over a decade, and decided now would be the best time to expand. Their current location at 1005 Gadd Road has already been sold to nearby Friendship Baptist Church. While smaller than Hixson Presbyterian, Friendship Baptist has experienced growth on a similar scale, Huff said, and the timing worked out for both churches.
Funding for Hixson Presbyterian's new facility is going smoothly, said Huff - the church is currently ahead of its three-year plan, which started in late 2015. Moving forward, Huff said, targeted fundraisers will be held for members of the congregation, such as purchasing furniture for the youth room or fencing for the property.
Despite the bittersweetness of leaving their home of 50 years, Huff said he's heard more excitement from the congregation than anything.
"People have grown up and married in this church, and so there is a bit of sadness in not being here day in and day out," he said. "There will still be a church here on the property, though, so we know it will be used well. We're just looking forward to the next generation at our new facility."