Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church is a church with great vision and foresight; the Rev. B.T. Booker and his congregation have seen a 10-year vision finally come to pass.

It all started in 2000, when Booker said the Lord gave him a vision about expanding the church’s fellowship hall.

“God told me to build a new one,” Booker said. “I discussed it with the congregation and members of the church board.”

Construction for the new building was approved within the same year and fundraisers began afterward. Eight years later church members saw blueprints of what the future building would look like, fully equipped with two bathrooms, two full kitchens and an area big enough to house more than 200 people. Project 2000 was born.

In 2009, construction of the property began and in 2010, the building was finally completed. March 13, 2011, Booker and more than 150 church members stood in awe for the official ribbon cutting ceremony of it’s new fellowship hall.

Dorothy Vann, publicist for the church, said Book and the congregation are extremely happy and thankful.

“I think the building will improve the church,” Vann said. “I think former members will want to come back and have a chance to see where their money went to. Our pastor is so happy and relieved his vision has finally materialized.

“We’ve waited patiently, prayed and kept our faith for more than a decade,” Vann said. “The fellowship hall used to house only 40 people and now we have an excess of space. People can even watch church services from inside the building.”

Selma Mayor George Evans delivered a proclamation to the church’s new building March 13 and the statement will adorn the hall’s walls.

Vann said she hopes the fellowship hall will be used for more than just “fellowship” in the days to come.

“We plan to possibly use it for weddings, banquets and a youth church,” Vann said. “The pastor also has other plans in the works such as a senior citizens home, a new pastoral office, etc.”

With Project 2000 a success for Morning Star, Vann believes patience while waiting on the promises of God, is truly key.

“They that wait on the Lord shall have renewed strength (as mentioned in the Bible),” Vann said. “Many people doubted this project would ever materialize but pastor Booker never gave up. Lord, please teach us to wait on our visions.”