"Ex Vetere"
The Ex Vetere Vision is one that sees FBC Corbin growing deeper into its identity as a community-focused church. One of the first features of this vision is a thriving and expanded transitional housing ministry, occupying more space on Roy Kidd Avenue. Meanwhile, this vision sees properties being purchased on the other side of the bridge to serve as (rentable) halfway houses for clients who’ve successfully made it through the 18 month transitional housing period.
Relatedly, this vision sees the Mustard Seed Garden expanding, giving immediate work opportunities to clients of the transitional housing ministry. For this expansion, a high tunnel will be built on the Bell Avenue side of the church property. This high-tunnel will enable year-round garden produce, and will thus provide year-round work for clients of the transitional housing ministry.
Directly beside the high tunnel—built as an extension off of the Community Life Center—will be an open air market, complete with tables and chairs for sitting, reflecting, and surfing the internet. Here, members of the transitional housing ministry will be able to sell fresh produce from the Mustard Seed Garden to passersby on the creekwalk. Meanwhile, it will be an accommodating place for walkers or community members to come and relax. This open-air market space will have garage doors that easily open and close, thereby simplifying the daily process of closing/locking up.
Inside the Community Life center will be a completely renovated upstairs, enabling FBC to sustain our winter relief ministry during the cold months, and enabling us to house interns and/or missionaries during the summer.
In order to streamline these important community-focused ministries, the Ex Vetere vision sees a new full-time staff member inhabiting the role of “Minister of Social Evangelism”, or “Minister of Community Outreach.”
On an educational note, this vision also sees us renovating the room underneath the sanctuary, giving it a coffee shop atmosphere. Here, the church will be able to host studies and discussions, almost like an in-house version of “The Faith and Culture Café” we did two years ago. Here also we can begin a faith-based tutoring program for local students.
Finally, this vision sees a new foyer for the church: a state-of-the-art place for people to gather before worship. This foyer will be very helpful for guests and for new members of our church, as it will help immediately orient people to the church and our many ministries.