Emmanuel Baptist Church of Coconut Creek invited friends, family and the community to a celebration service on Oct. 12 to commemorate a church milestone.
“It was one year ago when we had a dedication for this building,” said the Rev. Robert Fisher, 55, of Coconut Creek, the church’s founding pastor as he opened the service and spoke from the pulpit.
“We must all thank God for this building. We should be thankful that we have a place to gather and worship.”
A one-year anniversary may not sound like a big deal to many, but for this congregation, it was something to rejoice about.
Emmanuel Baptist Church has not had a place to call its own and members have moved from homes to school buildings to rental spaces, and from different towns and counties for more than 15 years. Last October, the group moved into their new multi-purpose building.
“We moved seven times,” said Chuck Baker, a church deacon and member from the start. “It is nice to have our own building.”
The church officially organized and began meeting at a home in Pompano Beach in 1985 under the direction of Fisher. Through the years, church members met to pray and study the Bible at Boca Raton High and Middle schools, Boca Raton’s Bethel Korean Church and Camino Real Community Church and Tradewinds Elementary School in Coconut Creek.
“In 1988, we bought land,” Baker said.
The $2.4 million building, which is the first phase of a two-phase building project, was designed by Boca Raton architect John Abeney.
The 13,250-square-foot multi-purpose building sits on five acres and features meeting rooms, a fellowship hall with seating for 400, a kitchen, classrooms, a nursery and an office complex. The second phase will include the construction of a permanent sanctuary.
Over the years, Emmanuel Baptist Church has grown from 22 members to 125 families with more than 110 children. The church’s Sunday services draw almost 300 worshipers of all ages, backgrounds and cultures.
“We are one big family here,” said Paul Farese, a resident of Coral Springs and a father of four. “There are so many little ones. We have three or four members with little ones on the way.”
The sprawling land, which looks more like a park than a church ground, will accommodate the growing church. The property has picnic and play areas. Its lush landscape is highlighted with towering pines and flowering shrubs.
The church does not believe in fund-raisers or annual appeals. “If we need something, God always provides,” Baker said. “We don’t ask for money. We are patient and God provides.”
Emmanuel Baptist Church is at 5391 Johnson Road, Coconut Creek. For information, call 561-772-6974 or visit
