Members of First Baptist Church in Ooltewah grab onto seven golden shovels during the recent groundbreaking ceremony for their new church building.First Baptist Church in Ooltewah pastor Gerald Spence is ready to get his hands dirty.
After years of planning and fundraising, Spence and members of the 103-year-old church grabbed onto seven golden shovels sticking out of the dirt and prayed as the church broke ground on its new sanctuary at the end of April.
“I’ll be down here, in the dirt, working on building this church,” he told the crowd.
Church members won’t have to go far when the new facility is finished; the church will occupy the current parking lot area right next door to the existing church.
Church member Jean Wilson said the move has been a long time coming.