By Alison McFerrin

The Selma Times-Journal

A growing ministry requires a growing church building — at least, that’s what the members of the Salem Primitive Baptist Church decided.

“We wanted to make sure that our members didn’t miss out on the bonding that we should have,” pastor Lee Green said. “So we decided to build a bigger fellowship hall.”

The new fellowship hall has room for 15 new tables with 50 chairs, and Green said this space is vital for the different outreaches they have to the community.

“We’re small in membership, big in heat,” Green said. “We can do all things — we see that now — through Christ who strengthens us. I think it’s going to be a great asset to the community, and that’s what we’re focusing on.”

Over the past 16 years, the group has grown from 46 members to 100 members. It hosts feeding programs for senior citizens as well as young people, in addition to other church functions, like Bible classes.

Green said the fellowship is even bigger than what they pictured when they started talking about expanding two years ago.

“We thought it was going to be a little smaller, but, thank God, it grew,” Green said.

Construction began on the fellowship hall with Michael Johnson’s C & S Construction Company in Orrville at the end of March and was completed Thursday 16. The only detail left is putting covers over the vents.

“For the price, I think he’s done an outstanding job,” Green said. “I didn’t see that he could get it done for that price, but he got it done.”

The church used a variety of methods to raise the money for the fellowship hall, including more tithing, yard sales and other fundraisers.

“I believe we’ll have it paid for in no time,” Green said.

The group also has a few other additions planned for their building, particularly, more classrooms to accommodate all the programs they offer.