BY SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer Contributor
HAMILTON -- Starting its 14th year of worship, the Fellowship Bible congregation finally has a building it can call home.
Services, fellowship and Bible study for Fellowship Bible will move from the Fairfield YMCA and the Rev. Thomas Sawhook's garage into an L-shaped church on a five-acre lot at 7555 Gilmore Road.
The first service in the new church will be 10:30 a.m. July 26, provided final inspections are completed and an occupancy permit is issued, the Rev. Mr. Sawhook said.
If the building isn't ready, the events will be on hold just one more week.
"We've always dreamed of a building," the Rev. Mr. Sawhook said. "This has been five years in the planning."
Worshipers, from southern Butler and northern Hamilton counties, have done much of the work themselves evenings and weekends to keep costs down, hiring skilled craftsmen to do only the tasks they could not or those requiring specific licensing.
"It's been an exciting time," the Rev. Mr. Sawhook said. "Our members have done drywalling, insulation, some of the roof and framing work, and painting. There's been real participation of the whole church."
Construction has been under the direction of Henry "Nick" Ison, a 10-year member of the congregation who has a repair and remodeling firm. He drew up plans for the church, which includes a worship area large enough to seat 250, the Rev. Mr. Sawhook's office, a classroom, nursery, kitchen, second-floor sound room that doubles as a classroom, combination cloakroom - classroom and a furnace - utility room. It was designed so additions can be made.
Eventually, they hope to add a fellowship hall, shelter house, ballfields, horseshoe pits and other amenities. A simple design, light-colored ceramic tile, gray carpeting, white walls and several windows were designed to make the building more welcoming.
"We wanted it light and airy and friendly," Mr. Ison said. "It's not a heavy church. We're light-hearted, friendly."
A closed-circuit television will allow services to be seen in the nursery. A raised platform in the worship area contains a walk-in baptistery and was designed so plays or programs can be presented there. Wall dividers will allow the area to be used for meetings, suppers or other events.
"It's all due to the grace of God," the Rev. Mr. Sawhook said. "We may be the human instruments used, but it's his will."
The Rev. Mr. Sawhook and Mr. Ison predict their congregation will grow now that they have a building. What they don't want to lose however, is the sense of family and caring for one another. With only 35 or so families, everyone knows everyone else.
"We get together for fellowship, games, to talk," Mr, Ison said. "How many churches do you know that write you a personal letter if you miss a service?"
Added the Rev. Mr. Sawhook: "We're like a family here. If somebody messes up, you pick them up. We're not a perfect church, but we have a perfect standard -- the word of God."
